The Arizona Diamondbacks made the following roster moves:
Recalled RHP Corbin Martin from Triple-A Reno.
Following yesterday’s game, optioned RHP Jon Duplantier to Reno.
Twins return Arraez and Maeda from rehab assignments and reinstate from 10-day injured list
Pineda and Refsnyder placed on 10-day injured list
SEATTLE, WA – The Minnesota Twins announced today that they have returned infielder/outfielder Luis Arraez and right-handed pitcher Kenta Maeda from their rehab assignments and reinstated them from the 10-day Injured List.
Arraez, who missed the last 19 games with a right shoulder strain, played in two games on rehab assignment with Triple-A St. Paul, hitting .250 (2-for-8) with one walk and two RBI. Prior to landing on the Injured List, Arraez played in 39 games for the Twins this season, hitting .277 (39-for-141) with three doubles, one triple, one home run, 14 RBI, 20 runs scored, 17 walks and a .691 OPS.
Maeda, who missed the last 20 games with a right adductor strain, started one game on rehab assignment for the Saints last Wednesday, allowing one run on a solo homer in 4.0 innings pitched, with one walk and five strikeouts. Prior to landing on the Injured List, Maeda made nine starts for the Twins this season, going 2-2 with a 5.27 ERA (42.2 IP, 25 ER), 11 walks and 39 strikeouts. He will make the start tonight for the Twins in Seattle.
To make room for Arraez and Maeda on the 26-man roster, the Twins have placed right-handed pitcher Michael Pineda (right elbow inflammation) and outfielder Rob Refsnyder (left hamstring strain) on the 10-day Injured List. Pineda, who left yesterday’s start vs. the Astros with the injury, has started 11 games for the Twins this season, going 3-4 with a 3.70 ERA (56.0 IP, 23 ER), 15 walks, 51 strikeouts and a 1.14 WHIP. Refsnyder, who left the game last Tuesday vs. the Yankees after a double, has hit .321 (18-for-56) with four doubles, two home runs, 10 RBI and an .871 OPS in 18 games on the season.
NFL list of team-by-team completed transactions report for 6-14-21
The following are the NFL transactions for Monday, June 14. 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 | |||||
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WAIVER REQUESTS (All are NO RECALL) |
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CHICAGO |
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| Clark, Darion | TE | Grand Canyon | |||
MIAMI |
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| Parris, Timon | T | Stony Brook | |||
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CLAIMING DEADLINE: 4:00 p.m., N.Y. Time, Tuesday, 6/15/21 |
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|
TERMINATION VIA WAIVER SYSTEM |
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SEATTLE |
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| Wiley, LaDarius | DB | Vanderbilt | |||
ACTIVE LIST ADDITIONS |
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FREE AGENT SIGNINGS |
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HOUSTON |
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| Fraboni, Mitchell | LS | Arizona State | |||
KANSAS CITY |
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| Miller, Wyatt | T | Central Florida | |||
MIAMI |
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| Eluemunor, Jermaine | T | Texas A&M | |||
PHILADELPHIA |
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| Walker, Michael | WR | Boston College | |||
SEATTLE |
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| Sunderland, Will | DB | Troy | |||
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SELECTION LIST SIGNING |
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CHICAGO |
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| Fields, Justin | QB | Ohio State | (1-11)* | ||
|
*Round and Overall Selection Number in 2021 Draft. |
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| RESERVE LIST ADDITIONS | |||||
DALLAS |
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| Guidry, Stephen | WR | Mississippi State | |||
| Reserve/Injured from Waived/Injured; Does Not Count Against 90 Limit | |||||
SAN FRANCISCO |
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| Skule, Justin | T | Vanderbilt | |||
| Reserve/Injured from Waived/Injured; Does Not Count Against 90 Limit | |||||
Texas Rangers acquire SS Andres Mesa from Seattle to complete Rafael Montero trade
The Texas Rangers today have acquired shortstop Andres Mesa from the Seattle Mariners as the player to be named later in the December 15, 2020 trade involving right-handed pitcher Rafael Montero.
The 18-year-old Mesa , who has been assigned to Texas’ Dominican Summer League roster, was originally signed by the Mariners as a non-drafted free agent on July 2, 2019, and he has yet to make his professional debut. He was part of the same Mariners 2019 international class as right-handed pitcher Jose Corniell, the other player acquired from Seattle in the Montero deal. He has seen the bulk of his pro activity at the Mariners’ facility in the Dominican Republic. The right-handed batter was ranked no. 91 on Baseball America’s Top 100 ranking of the 2019 international signing class.
In February, the Mariners announced that Mesa was part of a group to graduate from the club’s high school equivalency program at the team facility in the Dominican Republic.
Red Sox announce roster moves
BOSTON, MA – The Boston Red Sox today announced the following roster moves:
- The Red Sox acquired right-handed pitcher Yacksel Rios from the Seattle Mariners, in exchange for cash considerations.
- To make room for Rios on the 40-man roster, the Red Sox designated right-handed pitcher Ryan Weber for assignment.
- To fill Weber’s spot on the active major league roster for tonight’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays, Boston recalled infielder Michael Chavis from Triple-A Worcester.
Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom made the announcement.
Rios, 27, has made 69 major league appearances with the Philadelphia Phillies (2017-19), Pittsburgh Pirates (2019-20), and Mariners (2021), going 5-2 with a 6.47 ERA (52 ER/72.1 IP). Selected by Philadelphia in the 12th round of the 2011 June Draft, the right-hander spent parts of nine seasons in the Phillies organization before the Pirates claimed him off waivers on August 3, 2019. Signed by the Tampa Bay Rays as a minor league free agent in January, Rios posted a 0.66 ERA (1 ER/13.2 IP) in 12 games with Triple-A Durham this season before being traded to Seattle on June 4. Born in Caguas, Puerto Rico, he attended Doctora Conchita Cuevas High School.
Weber, 30, made his 2021 Red Sox debut yesterday against the Toronto Blue Jays, throwing 5.2 innings of relief. Prior to his selection to the major league roster, the right-hander had gone 2-2 with a 4.63 ERA (18 ER/35.0 IP) in seven appearances (six starts) for Worcester this season. Weber has appeared in 60 major league games (16 starts) with the Atlanta Braves (2015-16), Mariners (2017), Rays (2018), and Red Sox (2019-21), making Boston’s 2020 Opening Day roster.
Chavis, 25, has appeared in 11 games over two stints with Boston this season. He is 9-for-33 (.273) with one home run, four doubles, seven runs scored, and two RBI, making five starts at second base and two at first base. Chavis began the season at the Alternate Training Site and has played in 19 games with Worcester, batting .263 (20-for-76) with three home runs and a .737 OPS. In 148 major league games (2019-21), he has hit .243 (128-for-526) with 24 home runs and 79 RBI.
John Bauza takes out Christon Edwards in two rounds in Las Vegas
Split-T Management’s John Bauza Remains undefeated with 2nd round Stoppage of Christon Edwards
NEW YORK – Split-T Management’s John Bauza remained undefeated with a 2nd round destruction of Christon Edwards in round two of their scheduled eight-round junior welterweight bout at the Virgin Hotel in Las Vegas.
Bauza set a ferocious pace early and dropped Edwards at the end of the opening frame. Bauza, of North Bergan, New Jersey via Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico did not rest of his early success, as he wasted no-time in ending the night early by dropping Edwards two more times in the opening 40 seconds of the second frame, and the bout was stopped.
With the win, the 23 year-old Bauza raises his perfect mark to 15-0 with six knockouts.
Edwards of Houston falls to 12-3.
The bout was part of the ESPN+ streamed undercard.
Bauza is promoted by Top Rank.
Photo Credit: Mikey Williams
NHL Morning Skate: Stanley Cup Playoffs Edition – Monday, June 14, 2021
THREE HARD LAPS
* The Islanders stifled the Lightning in Game 1 of their Semifinals matchup, rewriting a different outcome than their series-opening contest during the 2020 Conference Finals.
* Ryan Pulock leads all defensemen with four goals during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, three of which have stood as the game winner for New York.
* The Golden Knights and Canadiens are set to begin their Semifinals series tonight with a couple of decorated goaltenders at the helm.
ISLANDERS TURN TABLES WITH VICTORY IN GAME 1 REMATCH
After losing 8-2 in the opening game of the 2020 Eastern Conference Final against the Lightning, Semyon Varlamov and the Islanders held the defending champions off the scoreboard until the final minute of play en route to a Game 1 victory in the Stanley Cup Semifinals. Mathew Barzal and Ryan Pulock provided the offense for New York, which won the 33rd one-goal game of the 2021 postseason.
* Pulock, whose four goals in the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs are the most by an Islanders defenseman since Ken Morrow (5) and Denis Potvin (8) in 1983, recorded New York’s sixth goal by a blueliner this postseason – tied with Vegas and Carolina for the most among all teams.
* Sunday’s contest marked the Islanders’ fifth victory of the postseason by a one-goal margin, tied with Montreal for the most among all teams. The only playoff years in which the franchise had more such victories are 1980 (6) and 1993 (6).
* Varlamov has allowed one or fewer goals in two of his last four outings and joined rookie teammate Ilya Sorokin as the second Islanders goaltender to record a four-game win streak this postseason.
DECORATED NETMINDERS SET TO CLASH AS STANLEY CUP SEMIFINALS CONTINUE
Marc-Andre Fleury, a three-time Stanley Cup champion and 2020-21 Vezina Trophy finalist, is expected to lead the Golden Knights against Carey Price, a Hart Memorial Trophy, Vezina Trophy and Ted Lindsay Award winner, and the Canadiens tonight for Game 1 at T-Mobile Arena. Each goaltender also has a William M. Jennings Trophy to his name, with Fleury winning this season (with Robin Lehner) and Price claiming it in 2014-15. Montreal will be the first Canadian team to play as visitors in a game contested in the United States in 460 days.
* Fleury and Price have never started against each other in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Their only head-to-head meeting in the postseason came in Game 1 of the 2010 Conference Semifinals when Price entered for 14:06 of relief action (3 saves on 3 shots) in place of Jaroslav Halak. In 27 all-time meetings during the regular season, Fleury also holds the edge (15-8-3, 2.57 GAA, .912 SV% & 1 SO; Price: 12-11-3, 2.91 GAA, .909 SV% & 1 SO).
* The Golden Knights netminder and native of Sorel, Que., with victories in each of his last four games, holds an all-time postseason record of 3-4 against the Canadiens (2.82 GAA, .892 SV%, 1 SO w/ PIT). He trails Mario Gosselin (7-6), Dan Bouchard (5-6), Martin Biron (4-1), Gilles Meloche (4-3) Rejean Lemelin (4-2) and Martin Brodeur (4-1) for the most wins among Quebec-born goaltenders against Montreal in Stanley Cup Playoffs history.
* Price enters the final four with a seven-game win streak dating to Game 5 of the First Round. With a series-opening victory, the native of Anahim Lake, B.C., can tie Jacques Plante (8 GP in 1960) and Bill Durnan (8 GP in 1944) for the third-longest playoff run in Canadiens history – behind only Patrick Roy (11 GP in 1993) and Ken Dryden (9 GP in 1978).
2018 TRADE COMES FULL CIRCLE
On Sept. 10, 2018, the Golden Knights sent Nick Suzuki to the Canadiens as part of a trade that saw then-captain Max Pacioretty move from Montreal to Las Vegas. Tonight, 21-year-old Suzuki and 32-year-old Pacioretty – who each have 4-4—8 this postseason – are set to step onto the ice to battle for a berth into the 2021 Stanley Cup Final.
* Pacioretty (4-4—8 in 7 GP), who captained Montreal from 2015-16 to 2017-18, is set to become the second player in NHL history to serve as a full-time captain of the Canadiens and then face the club in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Doug Harvey matched up against Montreal in the 1968 Stanley Cup Final with St. Louis after wearing the “C” with his former club in 1960-61.
* Suzuki (4-4—8 in 11 GP), who assisted on each of Montreal’s two series-clinching goals this postseason, was the Golden Knights’ first-round pick in the 2017 NHL Draft (No. 13). Suzuki has accounted for eight of 16 combined points by Canadiens players aged 21 or younger in the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs (also Jesperi Kotkaniemi: 4-0—4 & Cole Caufield: 0-4—4) – tied for the fourth-highest combined total in a single postseason in franchise history. The others: 1987 (38 points), 1986 (21 points), 1973 (19 points) and 1991 (16 points).
Cubs recall RHP Trevor Megill from Triple-A Iowa, option RHP Kohl Stewart to Iowa
CHICAGO – The Chicago Cubs today recalled right-handed pitcher Trevor Megill from Triple-A Iowa and optioned right-handed pitcher Kohl Stewart to Iowa.
Megill will wear uniform number 74 and will be available for tonight’s 6:15 p.m. CT game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field.
Megill, 27, has appeared in two games for Chicago this season after being selected from the alternate site on April 26. He did not allow a run in 2.0 innings pitched, along with two hits, a walk, and two strikeouts. He was placed on the 10-day injured list on April 30 with a right forearm strain. Megill has a 9.00 ERA (5 ER/5.0 IP) along with five hits, six walks, and six strikeouts in five relief appearances with Triple-A Iowa this season.
The six-foot eight-inch Megill was selected by the Cubs in the major league portion of the 2019 Rule 5 draft from San Diego and last season spent time at the South Bend Alternate Site. He reached the Triple-A level for the first time in 2019, appearing in 32 games for El Paso and pitching to a 4.47 ERA (25 ER/50.1 IP). Originally selected by the Padres in the seventh round of the 2015 draft out of Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, Megill owns an 11-3 record with 10 saves and a 3.56 ERA (64 ER/162.0 IP) in 107 career minor league games, all in relief.
Stewart, 28, is 1-1 with a 5.68 ERA (8 ER/12.2 IP) in three starts for the Cubs this season. The right-hander won his first start of 2021 on May 31 against San Diego, tossing 5.0 scoreless innings.
Dodgers recall OF Luke Raley
Dodgers place INF Max Muncy on IL
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers recalled outfielder Luke Raley from Triple-A Oklahoma City and placed infielder Max Muncy on the 10-day injured list with a right oblique strain.
Raley, 26, returns for his fourth stint with the club after hitting .182 with one homer and two RBI in 23 games for the Dodgers. In 19 games with Oklahoma City, he hit .329 (23-for-70) with six homers and 29 RBI. In parts of five minor league seasons, he is a career .290 hitter with 52 career homers and 207 RBI. He was acquired by the Dodgers from the Minnesota Twins on February 10, 2020 along with Brusdar Graterol in exchange for Kenta Maeda and minor leaguer Jair Camargo.
Muncy, 30, left yesterday’s contest in the top of the second inning with an oblique strain after homering in the first inning. In 60 games, he is slashing .264/.418/.528 with 14 homers and 33 RBI. He is in his sixth Major League season and has hit .240 with 101 homers and 254 RBI. The 2019 All-Star was originally drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the fifth round of the 2012 First Year Player Draft out of Baylor University.
NHL Morning Skate: Stanley Cup Playoffs Edition – Sunday, June 13, 2021
THREE HARD LAPS
* The Islanders and Lightning begin their playoff rematch tonight as the Stanley Cup Semifinals get underway. This time, they meet as two of the NHL’s top-three scoring teams in the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
* Nikita Kucherov continues his journey towards joining elite company as he has the chance to lead all players in points for the second time in as many postseasons.
* Semyon Varlamov puts his three-game win streak on the line and looks to become the second Islanders goaltender to earn four straight victories during the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
LIGHTNING, ISLANDERS SET TO BATTLE AGAIN FOR STANLEY CUP FINAL BERTH
Game 1 of the 2021 Stanley Cup Semifinals goes today at AMALIE Arena when Steven Stamkos and the Lightning host Brock Nelson and the Islanders. Teams that take a 1-0 lead in a best-of-seven hold an all-time series record of 498-226 (.688), including an 8-4 (.666) mark in the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Meanwhile, teams that take a 1-0 lead in the Conference Finals/Semifinals own an all-time series record of 127-55 (.698).
* These two teams last met in the 2020 Conference Finals in Edmonton, with the Lightning advancing in six games. Both teams are looking to give their home fans something special in this series – Tampa Bay would like to replicate the Stanley Cup run of 2020 so it can compete for another championship, but this time with fans in the stands. New York, meanwhile, is looking to relive the dynasty days and deliver another Cup run at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in the franchise’s final season playing in the building.
* Overall, the Lightning are 3-0 in three all-time postseason series against the Islanders (2020 CF, 2016 R2 & 2004 CQF) – they have twice gone on to capture the Stanley Cup after eliminating New York in a postseason series (2020 & 2004).
ISLANDERS, LIGHTNING BRING HIGH-SCORING HABITS TO SEMIFINALS
The Islanders (3.58 G/GP) and Lightning (3.45 G/GP) enter the Stanley Cup Semifinals as the second- and third-highest scoring teams in the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs, with each benefiting from a six-goal outburst at some point during the Second Round. The only team at a higher percentage than the two clubs this postseason are the Avalanche (3.80 G/GP).
* Only four playoff years in Islanders history have witnessed the club produce at a higher rate, all of which occurred during its run of four consecutive championships: 1981 (5.39 G/GP), 1983 (4.70 G/GP), 1982 (4.47 G/GP) and 1980 (4.19 G/GP).
* New York, which scored six goals in its series-clinching win against Boston in Game 6 of the Second Round, reached the benchmark in a playoff contest for the first time since Game 4 of the 2013 Conference Quarterfinals (vs. PIT). Only one postseason in the last 30 years has featured the club tally at least six goals in a playoff game multiple times: 1993 (Game 4 & Game 6 of 1993 DF vs. PIT).
* Tampa Bay is currently producing at its highest goals-per-game rate in a single postseason in franchise history, averaging at least three goals per game in a playoff year for the third time joining 2011 (3.28 G/GP) and its Stanley Cup-winning campaign in 2020 (3.08 G/GP).
* The Lightning have scored six goals in a game twice during the 2021 postseason (Game 4 of R2 & Game 4 of R1). Only one playoff year in franchise history has featured the club achieve the feat more than two times: 2015 (3x).
POINT PRODUCERS WILL BE ON DISPLAY IN PLAYOFF REMATCH
Eleven players competing for the four teams in the Stanley Cup Semifinals have collected at least 10 points during the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs, with nine set to be featured during the Lightning–Islanders series.
* Nikita Kucherov (5-13—18 in 11 GP) enters the Semifinals leading all players in points after also doing so during the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs (7-27—34 in 25 GP). The Lightning forward can become the sixth different player in the NHL’s expansion era (since 1967-68) to lead the League in points in consecutive postseasons, joining Wayne Gretzky (3x: 1983-85; 2x: 1987-88), Guy Lafleur (3x: 1977-79), Mario Lemieux (2x: 1991-92), Rick MacLeish (2x: 1974-75) and Phil Esposito (2x: 1969-70).
* Brayden Point (8-4—12 in 11 GP) scored the series-clinching goal in Game 5 of the Second Round and sits tied with Nathan MacKinnon (8-7—15 in 10 GP) and Brad Marchand (8-4—12 in 11 GP) for the most goals in the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Should he find the back of the net in the series opener, Point can become the sixth different player to notch a four-game goal streak in the postseason for the Lightning; Ondrej Palat (5 GP) set the franchise record in 2020.
* Josh Bailey (5-6—11 in 2021), Brock Nelson (6-4—10 in 2021) and Travis Zajac (1-1—2 in 2021) have collected the most career points in the playoffs against the Lightning by an Islanders player, each posting five points. Nelson, who netted the series-clinching goal against the Bruins, has registered a team-best 22 playoff goals since making his postseason debut in 2013 (22-17—39 in 60 GP) – seven more than the next-closest New York skater over that span (Bailey: 15-33—48 in 64 GP).
RUSSIAN GOALTENDERS KEY TO SEMIFINALS APPEARANCES
Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (Tyumen, RUS) and Islanders netminder Semyon Varlamov (Samara, RUS) lead their teams into the final four of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the second time in as many postseasons. Teammates on Team Russia during the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, Vasilevskiy and Varlamov have gone head-to-head in the playoffs six times (Vasilevskiy: 4-2, 1.63 GAA, .933 SV%; Varlamov: 2-3, 2.46 GAA, .921 SV%) and three times during the regular season (Vasilevskiy: 2-1, 2.02 GAA, .897 SV%; Varlamov: 1-2, 2.38 GAA, .918 SV%).
* Vasilevskiy, already the franchise leader in playoff games (69 GP) and playoff wins (41) by a Lightning goaltender, has collected two of his three career postseason shutouts in 2021 – two shutouts shy of Nikolai Khabibulin and Ben Bishop (both w/ 5) for the franchise mark. Four of Vasilevskiy’s 41 postseason victories have come against the Islanders and should the 2020-21 Vezina Trophy finalist backstop his club into the Stanley Cup Final, he would become just the third goaltender in NHL history to win eight career playoff games against the Islanders. Ken Dryden and Pete Peeters (both w/ 8) have accomplished the feat.
* Varlamov is set to put his three-game win streak on the line after teammate Ilya Sorokin recorded a stretch of four straight victories in the First Round. Should Varlamov extend his run to four contests, it would mark the third time in NHL history that a team has featured two different goaltenders post a personal win streak of four-plus contests in a single playoff year. The others: Boston in 1972 (Eddie Johnston: 6 GP & Gerry Cheevers: 4 GP) and Philadelphia in 1980 (Phil Myre: 5 GP & Pete Peeters: 5 GP).
