Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider is implementing everything he learned from a disappointing 2024 MLB season to great effect. The Blue Jays, led by extended star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. , Bo Bichette, and Kevin Gausman, are off to a strong start. Their rebound means that the American League is even more competitive.
Schneider reflected on the 2024 season, saying that it taught him a lot about how to lead his team.
“You go through a tough year and you learn from things that did not go right,” Schneider said about his 2024 takeaways. “You have to keep evolving with what is going on.”
“There is a different feel when everyone is on the same page.”#BlueJays manager John Schneider shares how the clubhouse’s atmosphere has changed from last season with @SNJeffBlair & Kevin Barker. #LightsUpLetsGo
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The Blue Jays had some of the most talent in the league last season, but fell short of their championship aspirations. Schneider mentioned that the offseason was about bringing in more complementary pieces around Guerrero Jr., Bichette, and Gausman.
“I think we brought different types of players in… it’s a different look,” Schneider said.
The veterans on the Blue Jays are enjoying bounce-back seasons across the board. Guerrero Jr. signed a deal that will keep him in Toronto for years to come, securing the team’s future. Schneider applauded his stars, saying that their growth is leading the Blue Jays to where they want to go.
“These guys, I think, are at the point in their career where they’ve had enough success and failures, both regular season and postseason, to say ‘What’s important now?'” Schneider said about his stars.
In the here and now, the most important thing for the Blue Jays is to continue their hot start. They are pushing the New York Yankees for the lead in the AL East to start the year. They are as stacked as anyone else in the league from top to bottom.
If John Schneider can continue to guide his team in the right direction, the Blue Jays have a chance to play into October.
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Another year, another shot at a championship. Since their last World Series appearance in 2022, a match in which they lost, the Philadelphia Phillies have slid backwards, falling in the NLCS in 2023 and the NLDS in 2024. This year, the Phillies are back on top of the NL East, holding a slim half-game lead over the New York Mets entering Tuesday. Still, their season has been far from spotless. The Phillies have gone through immeasurable difficulties from the bullpen without Jeff Hoffman (signed with Blue Jays), Carlos Estevez (signed with Royals) or Jose Alvarado (PED suspension), especially with Jordan Romano’s descent into the dumpster fire. But with new free-agent signing David Robertson in tow, we can expect some degree of stability from the relief corps going forward — though, not to insinuate that team president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski is done adding bullpen arms. Another sore spot that received plenty of attention the past few months is in the outfield, left field in particular. Among all qualifying left fielders, Max Kepler maintains the second lowest OPS. Much has been made about potentially replacing him, but as bad as he’s been, there is one Philadelphia infielder that has done even worse. Once a promising bat, second baseman Bryson Stott seems to be reaching rock bottom. Below, you can his stats in comparison to that of Kepler’s: (wRC+: weighted runs created plus represents the culmination of a hitter’s offensive achievements where a value of 100 is MLB’s average) Stott has been more proficient than Kepler at recording hits, but Kepler’s power and higher walk rate gives him the edge in overall offensive stats. It was only in 2023, his second year of MLB action, when Stott hit .280/.329/.414 with 15 home runs. Unfortunately, Stott’s productivity began to slide last season. This year, his slump halted in April when he hit .314 on the month, but it quickly resumed in May (.216), worsened in June (.202) and has reached a fever-pitch in July (.132). If the Phillies are going to claw their way back to the Fall Classic, it may be better if Stott’s bat isn’t in the lineup.
It’s wild how quickly the NBA narrative can flip. A year ago, Zion Williamson was in every trade rumor possible. People were questioning his health, his work ethic, even his future in New Orleans. And the Pelicans? They didn’t really deny any of it. It felt like both sides were one step away from walking. But things have shifted this offseason — quietly, but clearly. The Pelicans could’ve pulled the plug. Zion’s contract gave them outs, and the trade market might’ve still brought back some real value. Instead, they stuck with him. And based on what one of their own just said, they’re not just keeping him around — they’re still betting big on him. In a recent interview with Spotrac’s Keith Smith, an anonymous Pelicans executive made it crystal clear. “Zion is still our guy. We’re all in on him. We think he’s going to have a huge year. We’ve had some bad injury luck and some things that just haven’t worked out. This partnership hasn’t even come close to reaching our best yet.” That’s not something you say if you’re halfway in. They backed it up with their offseason moves, too. They traded CJ McCollum and brought in Jordan Poole, a high-usage creator who can take pressure off Zion. They drafted Jeremiah Fears with the No. 7 pick, a dynamic young guard. They added Kevon Looney, a reliable veteran who brings playoff experience and toughness. Those aren’t tear-it-down moves — those are “let’s try this another way” moves. Of course, Zion’s health is still the question. That never really goes away. He played just 30 games last season, but in those games he looked solid: 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists per night on 56.7 percent shooting. The explosiveness was there. The playmaking was sharp. And the hope for New Orleans is that this time, he can finally sustain it. What’s interesting is how the front office is trying to create a better environment around him. Joe Dumars has stepped in to lead basketball operations and is reportedly building a closer relationship with Zion — dinners, real conversations, not just surface-level stuff. It feels like, for once, the team is trying to meet him halfway. It’s a risk, sure. But it’s a calculated one. The West is brutal and the margin for error is thin. Still, if Zion can stay healthy for 60 games, and if Poole finds a rhythm and guys like Trey Murphy and Herb Jones keep improving — this team has a shot to be in the mix. The quote from the exec says it all. They could’ve hit reset, moved on, cleaned house. But they didn’t. They’re still in. And now it’s on Zion to hold up his end of the deal. After everything that’s happened, they’re telling the world they still believe. Now it’s time to find out if they’re right.
The Washington Commanders should pay Terry McLaurin. That much goes without saying. He's a second-team All-Pro. He caught 13 touchdowns last year and has eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards in each of his past five seasons. McLaurin is a top 10 receiver in the NFL, perhaps even bordering on top five. More important than any of those things? He's one of Washington's most trusted leaders on and off the field. McLaurin is also, as it currently stands, not acting like it. The two-time Pro Bowler is creating a distraction that is officially more trouble than it's worth for the Commanders, and it's time for him to suck it up and end this standoff. Like it or not, the Commanders aren't responsible for Terry McLaurin's availability Let's make this clear: McLaurin isn't holding out of camp because he has to. He is choosing to leverage his position for a new deal. It's not the first time, and it won't be the last, that an NFL player resorts to such a negotiating tactic. It's also a move that rightfully doesn't sit well with many fans, especially for a member of a team with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations. McLaurin's teammates and coaching staff are all counting on him being a major part of this Commanders squad. Washington traded for Deebo Samuel Sr. this offseason in large part specifically to make his life easier. For the first time in his career, the former third-round pick has a true No. 2 option on the opposite side of the field who can draw defenses away. Missing OTAs and mandatory minicamp is one thing for a player in McLaurin's position, but training camp is the unofficial start of the new school year. It's time to get to work. There's still a full eight months between now and when McLaurin is set to hit free agency. An extension can be worked out at any point before next March. If he builds upon last year's success, he could even raise his value. Regardless, the bottom line is that McLaurin is under contract to play football for the Commanders during the 2025 season. And plenty of other Washington stars over the years have had no problem suiting up on expiring deals. Kirk Cousins infamously played through two franchise tags after negotiations were botched on a long-term extension. He never once threatened to sit out. There is a certain duty any player owes not to let his demands come at the cost of the team, and it's disappointing to see this approach taken by someone who all of Washington thought was well aware of that. McLaurin deserves his money. He deserves at least $30 million per year. But the Commanders deserve for him to start showing up to work, with or without a new contract. More Commanders news and analysis
The Seattle Mariners have been heavily linked to Arizona Diamondbacks' third baseman Eugenio Suarez as the trade deadline comes up on July 31. Suarez, 34, is putting together a sensational season season for Arizona, and his 36 home runs trail only Shohei Ohtani in the National League. His 86 RBIs lead baseball entering play on Thursday. He would be a major upgrade to the Mariners lineup, and it would reunite him in the clubhouse, where he played for the M's in 2022 and 2023. As for what it will cost the M's to get Suarez? That's a bit of a guessing game, but the M's do have several interesting pieces to offer the D-backs. Seattle has eight top 100 prospects, and a few intriguing young big-leaguers like Logan Evans. However, former executive Jim Bowden of The Athletic wants the Mariners to make a wild trade for Suarez, as he wrote on Thursday: A package highlighted by middle infielder Michael Arroyo and right-hander Ryan Sloan could be enough to get a deal done. Arroyo, 20, has reached base at a .417 clip this season between High A and Double A. He has 17 homers and 49 RBIs. A second-round pick in 2024, Sloan has a 3.43 ERA over 15 starts this season at Low A. The 19-year-old has logged a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 5.82. Arroyo is currently ranked as the No. 60 prospect in baseball, per MLB Pipeline, and Sloan is ranked No. 61. While the Diamondbacks can ask for that package, it certainly doesn't seem likely. For comparison, the Mariners acquired Luis Castillo at the 2022 trade deadline. That did cost them two Top-100 prospects (Edwin Arroyo and Noelvi Marte), but Castillo was younger, a pitcher, and under control for 1.5 more years. I just can't see the M's making a deal like this for a player five years older who is a rental. Mariners fans couldn't believe it, either: Per @HairlineSports on social media: I’m not even a SEA fan and the package you have them giving up is about 5x more than any other team (Jaxon) wiggins for Geno is enough but Ms have to add BOTH Arroyo and Sloan LOL Sloan might be SP1 for prospects a year from now From Travis Olson: What the hell are you talking about. So you have the mariners giving up two prospects in the top 79 in baseball. Meanwhile the Yankees give up no top 100 prospects. Come on. East coast bias much.
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