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The Cubs have signed catcher Joe Hudson to a minor league deal with an invitation to major league Spring Training, per Eric Treuden of Jays Journal.
Hudson, 33 in May, has 18 games of major league experience to this point in his career. Those games were scattered between the 2018 Angels, 2019 Cardinals and 2020 Mariners. He hit a combined .167/.219/.200 in a small sample of 33 plate appearances, though he’s generally been considered strong on defense.
His offense has been better in the minors, including a batting line of .230/.330/.398 across five different seasons at the Triple-A level. That includes a 2023 stint with the Braves on a minor league deal, wherein he got into 69 Triple-A contests. He struck out in 29% of his trips to the plate this year but also drew walks in 16.2% of them, leading to a slash of .232/.371/.395 for the year and a 99 wRC+.
The Cubs are a bit thin at the catcher position, with Yan Gomes and Miguel Amaya the only two currently on the 40-man roster. Amaya has just 53 games of major league experience while Gomes is going into his age-36 season. Hudson and Jorge Alfaro, who also signed a minor league deal with the Cubs this offseason, will provide the team with some experienced non-roster depth.
More must-reads:
- Yankees manager provides major update on Aaron Judge's injury
- New suitor emerges for Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suarez
- The 'MLB mascot names' quiz
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New suitor emerges for Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suarez
The Arizona Diamondbacks have plenty of suitors for third baseman Eugenio Suarez. A new team has reportedly entered the market for his services. Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that the Phillies have reached out regarding Suarez. While Lauber did not provide any indication as to whether or not those talks have gained traction, the Phillies are an intriguing suitor for the Diamondbacks' third baseman. The Phillies' interest may be a recent development. Jon Heyman of the New York Post speculated on Friday that the Phillies could emerge as a suitor in the wake of third baseman Alec Bohm landing on the injured list with a fractured left rib. Suarez is in the midst of what is arguably his best season thus far. He has produced a .249/.321/.587 batting line in 421 plate appearances entering Saturday with 36 homers and a major league-leading 87 RBI. Suarez would be more than just another powerful bat in the lineup. Designated hitter Kyle Schwarber and first baseman Bryce Harper are both left-handed hitters — adding Suarez would provide more balance in the batting order. He would also provide a counter against opposing managers bringing in a lefty reliever to face Schwarber and Harper. The biggest question would be how the Phillies would handle an eventual logjam on the roster. Bohm is expected to return from the IL in mid-August and would not have a clear path to regular at-bats if Suarez were acquired. Schwarber could theoretically return to left field to open up playing time at the DH spot, but his outfield defense is mediocre at best. However, as the Phillies are also looking to upgrade the outfield, where Max Kepler and Brandon Marsh have been disappointments, adding Suarez could solve several problems in one fell swoop.
Maple Leafs Linked With All-Star in Potential Move
As the Toronto Maple Leafs continue to search for different ways to improve the roster, one area where the team needs help is depth. This could see Toronto's front office explore multiple options to bring more talent to the team. And it seems that the Maple Leafs are being linked with a former All-Star to help bolster the team. That would be veteran Max Pacioretty, who spent this past season with the Maple Leafs. Toronto and reportedly have mutual interest in a reunion, but nothing has come about yet. Pacioretty was rumored to be retiring earlier in the offseason, but it seems that he could return for another season. The veteran only played 37 games for the Maple Leafs this past season, mainly due to injury. With the Maple Leafs, Pacioretty scored just five goals and put up eight assists. Since his time on the ice was limited, the veteran may want to come back to prove he can still produce. This would give Pacioretty a chance to go out on his own terms, rather than leaving following an injury-riddled season. Pacioretty would give the Maple Leafs some needed depth, and he could play an important role in the backend of the lines. While the veteran isn't the same player that he once was, he could still give this team a jolt if he can stay healthy. But whether he decides to return or call it a career remains up in the air. However, it seems that if he does return for next season, the Maple Leafs may be the only team that he considers.
Spurs Star De’Aaron Fox Makes Major Offseason Announcement
SAN ANTONIO — De'Aaron Fox was supposed to take a tour of Asia a la Victor Wembanyama this summer, only his came with company. On July 8, Curry Brand announced its 2025 Curry Brand World Tour, set to feature both the San Antonio Spurs star and Golden State Warriors frontman Steph Curry beginning in August. Stops along the way included San Francisco, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Chongqing, China. Announced by Fox Friday afternoon, Curry will be making the trip solo. "Unfortunately, I won't be able to travel to Asia next month," the point guard said in a video posted to X, formerly Twitter. "This was a tough decision for me. I was really looking forward to traveling to ... meet all of you and show off the Curry 2s and experience the incredible basketball culture in Asia." Fox didn't provide a reason for his cancellation, and no official statement beyond the video has been made by Under Armour, Curry Brand, or the Spurs. "I'm truly sorry," he said. "Your love for the game and unmatched enthusiasm set you apart from any other fanbase in the world." The Spurs' point guard recently recovered from a pinkie surgery he underwent on March 17 to repair ligament damage sustained during training camp while still with the Sacramento Kings. Since then, he and the team have prioritized building chemistry ahead of next season. “We should be clear, me and Vic, ... around the same time," Fox said at the end of the regular season. "So, we’d be able to get together in the summer and be able to work with each other.”
NASCAR insiders weigh in after Austin Hill's controversial move
Austin Hill's controversial move in the closing laps of Saturday's NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway has already been the topic of much discussion among those in the NASCAR industry. Hill appeared to intentionally wreck Aric Almirola on Lap 91 of the Pennzoil 250 after Almirola had gotten Hill loose in the previous corner during a battle for fourth place. While Hill was given a five-lap penalty for reckless driving, a suspension for the Aug. 2 race at Iowa Speedway could be in order. "I... you can see his gloves through the front windshield... and to be doing that at Indianapolis Motor Speedway of all places, is just not good," said Joseph Srigley of TobyChristie.com. "That should probably be a suspension, at least for next weekend at Iowa, if not longer. Yikes..." "Yeah, that’s probably gonna be a forced vacation for Austin Hill," said Christie. "Pretty egregious looking, and at a track like Indy, that’s a very dangerous move." "Maaaaaan not sure that's gonna hold up in NASCAR Court," said Eric Estepp of "Out of The Groove" in response to Hill's radio transmission. Hill told his team that he couldn't hang on to his car after the aforementioned contact from Almirola, though it appeared that the No. 21 Chevrolet was stable for a brief moment before he made contact with Almirola's No. 19. A suspension for Hill would also relieve the No. 21 team of all its playoff points, including any they might earn over the final five races of the regular season. Hill has won three races so far this season.
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