The Arizona Diamondbacks made the following roster moves:
Selected RHP Noé Ramirez (No. 50) from Triple-A Reno.
Designated RHP Keury Mella (KAY-ooh-ree MAY-uh) for assignment.
Twins return Max Kepler from rehab assignment and reinstate from 10-day injured list
Gilberto Celestino optioned to Triple-A St. Paul
ARLINGTON, TX – The Minnesota Twins announced today that they have returned outfielder Max Kepler from his rehab assignment and reinstated him from the 10-day Injured List.
Kepler, who missed the Twins’ last 17 games with a left hamstring strain, recorded one hit in 11 at-bats while on rehab assignment for Triple-A St. Paul. In 37 games for the Twins this season, Kepler has hit .212 (28-for-132) with nine doubles, two triples, five home runs, 22 RBI, 20 runs scored, 16 walks and a .727 OPS.
To make room on the 26-man roster, the Twins have optioned outfielder Gilberto Celestino to Triple-A St. Paul. Celestino has played in 10 games for the Twins this season across two stints, going 4-for-32 (.125) with one double, one home run, one RBI, two runs scored and one walk.
Additionally, right-handed pitcher Shaun Anderson was claimed off waivers by the Texas Rangers.
Split-T Management’s Undefeated Fighters Eric Puente & Omar Rosario in action Tomorrow night in Las Vegas
Fights to be Streamed Live on ESPN+ at 8 PM ET
NEW YORK – Two undefeated fighters from the Split-T Management stable will be in action tomorrow night at the Virgin Hotel in Las Vegas.
Puente will take on Jose Antonio Meza in a six-round lightweight fight, while Rosario squares off with JJ Mariano in a four-round battle of undefeated junior welterweights.
Puente, 21 years-old of Vista, California is 5-0 and is coming off a unanimous decision over undefeated Sergio Vega on February 13th in Las Vegas.
Puente was a 2016 National Youth Open Champion, and was a member of Team USA. Puente was a favorite to be a member of the 2020 United States Olympic Team
Meza of Durango, Mexico, will be the most experienced foe of Puente’s young career as he has record of 7-5 with two knockouts. The 24 year-old Meza has wins over Arturo Montes (1-0-2) and Juan Funez (11-0-1). Meza is coming off a distance defeat to hotshot prospect Keyshawn Davis on May 8th in Arlington, Texas.
Puente was 136 lbs at Friday’s weigh-in; Meza was 136.6
Rosario of Caguas, Puerto Rico is 3-0 with one knockout. The 23 year-old is coming off of a 2nd round stoppage over Uriel Villanueva on February 20th in Las Vegas,
Rosario, 23 years-old, was the Puerto Rican Olympic Trial Champion at 152 lbs., and was the island’s favorite to win a medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics
Mariano of Reno, Nevada is 3-0 with two knockouts. The 27 year-old is coming off an opening round stoppage over Matthew Reed October 3rd in Las Vegas,
Rosario was 140.5 lbs; Mariano was 140 lbs.
The bouts will be streamed live on ESPN+ at 8 PM ET
Puente and Rosario are promoted by Top Rank.
Orioles roster moves 6/18/2021
This afternoon, the Orioles made the following roster moves:
Selected the contract of RHP Thomas Eshelman from Triple-A Norfolk. He will wear No. 73.
Placed LHP Bruce Zimmermann on the 10-day Injured List (left bicep tendinitis; retroactive to June 15).
Designated C Chance Sisco for assignment.
PREVIEW: Orlando City Returns to Action Against Toronto FC on Saturday
Lions to play against the Reds in closed-door match at Exploria Stadium
ORLANDO, Fla. – Orlando City SC (3-1-3, 12 points) returns to the pitch following a near three-week break from play to take on Toronto FC (1-4-2, 5 points) on Saturday, June 19. While the Lions will serve as the away side on the day, the match will be played at Exploria Stadium and will be closed to spectators.
Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. ET with coverage set to begin at 7 p.m. ET on FOX35 PLUS. The match, presented by Heineken, in addition to being locally broadcast on FOX35 PLUS will be available to stream on LionNation TV, while being transmitted on 96.9 The Game in English and Acción 97.9FM, 810AM in Spanish.
“Excited to get back to the competition again, especially to play against a good rival in Toronto that we faced already a few weeks ago. [We’re] trying to get the whole group together again after having players at their national teams, some players carrying injuries and things like that,” Head Coach Oscar Pareja said ahead of Saturday’s match. “We’re looking forward to the competition, especially this coming week that is full of games. We’re excited.”
City will look for its second result against the Reds this year on Saturday night, defeating the weekend’s opposition nearly a month ago at Exploria Stadium. Tesho Akindele scored the eventual game-winner for the Lions in that match in the 12th minute of play, with Silvester van der Water and Kyle Smith earning the assist on the finish.
Saturday’s match will serve as the first for the Lions since May 29 at Red Bull Arena, with the visitors dropping their first result of the year in a 2-1 defeat after beginning the season at six matches unbeaten. Silvester van der Water scored the lone goal for City on the afternoon, his first as a Lion.
Nani leads City with three finishes this season, set to return from a two-game suspension on Saturday. Akindele follows with two, while sitting tied for the team lead in assists with Chris Mueller and Kyle Smith.
Toronto returns to the field after dropping a 2-1 decision to the Columbus Crew in their last outing. Luis Diaz and Gyasi Zardes each found the back of the net in the first half, with Ayo Akinola halving the deficit after the break to account for the Reds’ lone finish in the match.
Eight different members of the Toronto roster have found the back of the net this campaign, with Michael Bradley leading the side with two assists.
Following Saturday’s match, the Lions will remain in The City Beautiful to take on the San Jose Earthquakes on Tuesday, June 22 in front of a full-capacity crowd at Exploria Stadium.
Five Houston Dynamo FC players named to preliminary Concacaf Gold Cup rosters
NEED TO KNOW
2021 Gold Cup preliminary rosters include Darwin Ceren, Maynor Figueroa, Boniek Garcia, Ari Lassiter and Memo Rodriguez
BBVA Stadium to host three group stage matchdays in July
NRG Stadium to host semifinal on July 29
HOUSTON – Five Houston Dynamo FC players were named to the preliminary rosters of their respective national team for the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup, the confederation announced today.
Darwin Ceren was named to El Salvador’s preliminary roster and the Central American country will compete in Group A against Mexico, Curacao and a team to be determined by the preliminary round. Ari Lassiter recently joined Costa Rica in the Concacaf Nations League Finals and was named to the preliminary roster for this summer’s tournament. Memo Rodriguez was named to the U.S. Men’s National Team preliminary roster, a first for the Dynamo Academy product.
Maynor Figueroa and Boniek Garcia were named to Honduras’ preliminary roster for the 2021 tournament. Honduras will compete in group D with three match dates scheduled at BBVA Stadium on July 13, July 17 and July 20. The Dynamo duo recently joined Honduras at the Concacaf Nations League Final where they claimed third place in the inaugural tournament.
This is the fifth time BBVA Stadium hosts matches from the region’s flagship international tournament. The tournament will begin on July 2 with a preliminary round in Florida. Houston will host a semifinal match on July 29 at NRG Stadium, the final match prior to the tournament final. The tournament concludes after the two winners of the semifinals meet at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Aug. 1.
Tickets and additional information for all Gold Cup matches at BBVA Stadium and the semifinal on July 29 at NRG Stadium is available at concacaf.com/gold-cup.
Earthquakes Loan Eric Calvillo to Orange County SC
SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Earthquakes announced today that the club has loaned midfielder Eric Calvillo to Orange County SC of the USL Championship for the remainder of the 2021 season.
Calvillo, 23, signed with the Quakes ahead of the 2018 MLS season after two years with the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League. Calvillo has since tallied one assist in 11 appearances for San Jose, although he has not made an appearance so far in 2021.
The Palmdale, Calif. native has represented the United States at the U-17 and U-19 levels, as well as recently representing El Salvador at the U-23 level.
Transaction: San Jose Earthquakes (MLS) – Earthquakes loan M Eric Calvillo to Orange County SC of the USL Championship for the remainder of the 2021 season.
NHL Morning Skate: Stanley Cup Playoffs Edition – Friday, June 18, 2021
THREE HARD LAPS
* Andrei Vasilevskiy continued to stifle the opposition in their home rink, having only allowed one goal or fewer in each of his last four road games of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
* Rod Brind’Amour, who captained the Hurricanes to their first Stanley Cup championship in 2006, captured the 2020-21 Jack Adams Award in his third season as the franchise’s head coach.
* Tyler Toffoli and William Karlsson can match franchise records as the Stanley Cup Semifinals series between the Canadiens and Golden Knights shifts to Bell Centre for Game 3.
POINT, VASILEVSKIY HELP LIGHTNING EDGE ISLANDERS FOR SERIES LEAD
Brayden Point, who found the back of the net for the sixth straight game, scored the winner while falling to the ice and Andrei Vasilevskiy (27 saves) earned his 10th win of the 2021 postseason as the Lightning quieted a raucous crowd at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum to take a 2-1 series lead.
* Point stands as the only active player to record a six-game goal streak in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and became just the seventh different skater in the last 30 postseasons to register a stretch of at least that length. The 25-year-old forward, who made his playoff debut in 2018, has recorded 33 goals in 58 career postseason contests.
* Vasilevskiy, who now owns the most wins in NHL history among goaltenders of Russian nationality, has held the opposition to one goal or fewer in each of his last four road games – a run that includes a shutout in Game 5 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, N.C., to close out the Second Round. Only two netminders in League history have recorded a longer run.
* The native of Tyumen, Russia owns a .935 save percentage in the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the second-highest mark in a single postseason by a Lightning goaltender (min. 10 GP). He trails only Ben Bishop, who concluded the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs with a .939 save percentage.
DID YOU KNOW?
In the 14 Conference Finals series from 2006 to 2020 that were tied 1-1 after two contests, 12 of them saw the team that evened the series in Game 2 advance to the Stanley Cup Final. The lone exceptions in that span were in 2020 (DAL vs. VGK) and 2017 (NSH vs. ANA).
BRIND’AMOUR WINS JACK ADAMS AWARD; GM OF THE YEAR FINALISTS UNVEILED
After signing a three-year contract extension on Thursday morning, Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour was named the 2020-21 recipient of the Jack Adams Award as “the NHL coach adjudged to have contributed the most to his team’s success,” as selected by the NHL Broadcasters’ Association. Click here to read more.
* The NHL also announced Thursday that Marc Bergevin of the Canadiens, Lou Lamoriello of the Islanders and Bill Zito of the Panthers are the three finalists for the 2020-21 Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award. The winner will be announced Monday, June 21, by NBC Sports, Sportsnet and TVA Sports during their pregame window for Game 5 between the Islanders and Lightning. Click here to read more.
* The 2020-21 recipient of the Frank J. Selke Trophy will be revealed tonight.
MONTREAL, VEGAS HEAD NORTH WITH 2-1 SERIES LEAD ON THE LINE
The Canadiens and Golden Knights will look to grab a 2-1 lead in their Stanley Cup Semifinals series when they contest Game 3 at Bell Centre, where 3,500 fans will be in attendance.
* Tyler Toffoli, who has found the score sheet in both games of the Semifinals, carries an eight-game point streak into tonight (5-5—10), the longest by any player in the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He sits one game shy of tying the franchise record for longest point streak in a playoff year, a mark set by Guy Lafleur in 1977 and matched by Larry Robinson the following postseason.
* William Karlsson has recorded at least one point in each of Vegas’ last six contests (2-6—8), which is one game back of the longest point streak by a Golden Knights player (Shea Theodore in 2020 & Max Pacioretty in 2021). The longest playoff point streak by a player with a franchise contesting one of its first four NHL seasons is 12 games, a mark set by Denis Potvin with the Islanders in 1976.
* Cole Caufield owns an active four-game point streak and has 1-5—6 in the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs overall (11 GP). Only nine other Hobey Baker Award winners have recorded as many points in their first NHL postseason – that list includes Golden Knights president of hockey operations George McPhee, who had 3-3—6 during the 1983 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
NFL list of team-by-team completed transactions report for 6-17-21
The following are the NFL transactions for Thursday, June 17. This version includes waiver requests, assignments via waivers, terminations, free agent signings, reserve list and practice squad additions and deletions, and trades.
WAIVER SYSTEM TRANSACTIONS
WAIVER REQUESTS (All are NO RECALL)
ATLANTA
Dortch, Greg
WR
Wake Forest
Holland, Jeff
LB
Auburn
Pututau, Alani
DE
Adams State
DENVER
Duffy, Max
P
Kentucky
Patrick, Natrez
LB
Georgia
Injured
KANSAS CITY
Rankin, Martinas
T
Mississippi State
LAS VEGAS
Morrison, T.J.
DB
Stony Brook
NEW ENGLAND
Aguayo, Roberto
K
Florida State
Farnsworth, Wes
LS
Nevada
TENNESSEE
Reed, Justus
DE
Virginia Tech
Partially Guaranteed Contract
CLAIMING DEADLINE: 4:00 p.m., N.Y. Time, Monday, 6/21/21
TERMINATION OF VESTED VETERAN
ATLANTA
Ankou, Eli
DT
UCLA
TERMINATION VIA WAIVER SYSTEM
SEATTLE
Emmons, B.J.
RB
Florida Atlantic
*Indicates player’s accrued seasons at end of 2020 season.
ACTIVE LIST ADDITIONS
FREE AGENT SIGNINGS
ATLANTA
Atkins, John
DT
Georgia
Badet, Jeff
WR
Oklahoma
Miller, Shareef
DE
Penn State
Obinna, George
DE
Sacramento State
DENVER
Darboh, Amara
WR
Michigan
Pierson-El, De’Mornay
WR
Nebraska
KANSAS CITY
Shepherd, Darrius
WR
North Dakota State
LAS VEGAS
Bausby, De’Vante
DB
Pittsburg State
Lee, Darron
LB
Ohio State
NEW ENGLAND
Prince, R.J.
T
North Carolina
PHILADELPHIA
Mullens, Nick
QB
Southern Mississippi
TENNESSEE
Peterson, Kevin
DB
Oklahoma State
SELECTION LIST SIGNINGS
ATLANTA
Dalman, Drew
C
Stanford
(4-114)*
Hall, Darren
DB
San Diego State
(4-108)*
CAROLINA
Marshall, Terrace
WR
Louisiana State
(2-59)*
CHICAGO
Jenkins, Teven
T
Oklahoma State
(2-39)*
DETROIT
Onwuzurike, Levi
DT
Washington
(2-41)*
*Round and Overall Selection Number in 2021 Draft.
Cardinals sign veteran lefty Wade LeBlanc
Elledge optioned to Memphis (AAA); Moroff to 60-day I.L.
ATLANTA, GA., – The St. Louis Cardinals announced today that they have signed veteran left-handed pitcher Wade LeBlanc to a free-agent contract, and that he will join the team for its series-opening game tonight in Atlanta.
To make room for LeBlanc on the team’s 25-player active roster, right-handed pitcher Seth Elledge was optioned to Memphis (AAA) following yesterday’s game. Infielder Max Moroff (left shoulder) has been transferred to the 60-day Injured List allowing for LeBlanc’s addition to the team’s 40-player Major League roster.
LeBlanc, 36, is a veteran of 13 seasons in the majors in a career that began in 2008 with San Diego. The 6-2, 195-pound LeBlanc (pronounced luh-BLAHNK) has appeared in 246 career games (121 starts) with San Diego (2008-11), Miami (2012-13), Houston (2013), L.A. Angels (2014), New York Yankees (2014), Seattle (2016 & 2018-19), Pittsburgh (2016-17) and Baltimore (2020-21).
LeBlanc was most recently pitching for Round Rock, the Triple-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers, where he was 2-0 with a 2.50 ERA in three starts covering 18.0 innings pitched. He worked 7.0 scoreless innings with eight strikeouts in his final start for the Express on June 11. His 2021 season has also included four starts (1-1, 3.78 ERA) with Nashville (AAA) and six games, including one start, with the Baltimore Orioles.
LeBlanc owns a 46-48 career mark in the majors with a 4.59 ERA. He is 34-41, 4.73 ERA in 121 career starts and 12-7 with a 4.23 ERA in 125 relief appearances with three saves.
The Lake Charles, La. native made a career-high 50 appearances out of the bullpen for the Pirates in 2017 and followed that up with a 9-5 mark and 3.72 ERA in 2018 for Seattle, working primarily as a starter (27 games started).
LeBlanc has been assigned uniform no. 49.
