Josh Naylor and Corbin Carroll homered as the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the San Diego Padres 5-1 on Friday in Phoenix during the first meeting between the National League West rivals this season.
Geraldo Perdomo and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. each had two hits and an RBI and Ketel Marte extended his on-base streak to 25 games with a single and a walk for the D-backs, who have won four in a row and eight of 11.
Ryne Nelson (3-2) gave up six hits and an unearned run in five innings, with three strikeouts and a walk, and the D-backs' bullpen held the Padres hitless over the final four innings.
Fernando Tatis Jr. had two hits and scored the lone run for the Padres, who have lost three of four and six of nine. His fifth-inning single was the last of San Diego's six hits.
Stephen Kolek (3-2) permitted five runs (four earned) in 4 1/3 innings, exiting in the D-backs' three-run fifth that included Carroll's homer. He struck out five and walked two.
Carroll reached the 20-homer mark for the third time in his three full major league seasons.
The Padres took a 1-0 lead two batters into the game. Tatis hit a leadoff double and scored when center fielder Alek Thomas threw past third as Tatis attempted to advance on Luis Arraez's flyout.
San Diego appeared to score another run in the second, after Gavin Sheets and Jake Cronenworth singled to put runners on the corners with one out. With Cronenworth running, Elias Diaz fanned for the second out.
Cronenworth stole second and Sheets came home when catcher Gabriel Moreno's throw went into center field, but plate umpire Jansen Visconti called umpire's interference on the throw and sent the runners back. Tyler Wade then flied out to end the inning.
Naylor homered to lead off the bottom of the second, and the D-backs scratched out a run to take a 2-1 lead in the third. Carroll struck out but reached on a passed ball on what would have been the third out. Marte walked before Perdomo hit an RBI single to center.
After Carroll led off the fifth with an opposite-field homer to left, Marte and Perdomo singled. Naylor drove in one with a sacrifice fly, and Gurriel singled in another to make it 5-1.
The contest was the opener of a three-game series.
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The New York Yankees have been busy making moves as the trade deadline looms, and it doesn’t look like they’re slowing down anytime soon. Fresh off the addition of Ryan McMahon to bolster their lineup, the Yankees are shaking things up once again. This time, it’s not about who they’ve brought in, but rather who they’ve decided to part ways with, and it involves a familiar name who spent just a single season in pinstripes. Jack Curry reported on the trade on X saying, “The Yankees have traded Carlos Carrasco to the Braves for a PTBNL [player to be named later] or cash.” Given that the trade took place a few days before the deadline and just hours before a series opener at home against the division rival Tampa Bay Rays, fans had a lot to say. One fan said, "HAL WASNT LYING! THEYRE EXTREMELY ACTIVE." Another fan added, "CASH CONSIDERATIONS IS ON FIRE THIS TRADE DEADLINE!!!!" "CASHMAN YOU BEAST," said a fan. Another fan commented, "Gonna be the new Jessie Chavez" "Weird trade," said a fan not convinced with the move. Another fan said, "what does this look like? a NURSING HOME?! bffr." The Yankees picked up Carrasco on a minor-league deal back in February, and thanks to early injuries to Gerrit Cole and Luis Gil, he found himself in the Opening Day rotation. Unfortunately, things didn’t go smoothly. Carrasco struggled in his eight appearances (six starts) with New York, posting a 5.91 ERA and recording 25 strikeouts over 32 innings. He was designated for assignment on May 6 and sent to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre two days later. He got a brief recall on June 1 but was quickly designated again on June 3, staying in the organization since then. In Triple-A, though, he turned things around, putting up a solid 3.27 ERA in 11 appearances (10 starts) over 52 1/3 innings. While the Yankees are still in the hunt for veteran pitching, Carrasco wasn’t viewed as a big-league option for them. Instead, he now heads to Atlanta, where he’ll have a real shot at earning a rotation spot. Across his MLB career with the Cleveland Guardians, New York Mets and Yankees, Carrasco has a 4.18 ERA in 332 games (283 starts).
The Boston Bruins have been under pressure to retool after a disappointing season, and now a potential blockbuster move could shake the entire NHL. A major trade proposal has surfaced that could send a star goaltender to the Edmonton Oilers, a move that would give them the elite presence they've lacked in net while forcing Boston closer to a rebuild. The deal being floated by multiple outlets would send Edmonton's current starter, Stuart Skinner, along with Matthew Savoie, Beau Akey, and a 2028 first-round pick to Boston, while the Oilers land a goaltender capable of changing their Cup window overnight. Edmonton's push for a franchise goalie could reshape the Western Conference and challenge the Dallas Stars' path to the Cup If this trade goes through, the Oilers would instantly address one of their biggest weaknesses, setting up a showdown with teams like the Dallas Stars, who already see Edmonton as one of their toughest rivals. Boston, on the other hand, would fully commit to a rebuild, pairing Joonas Korpisalo with Skinner in what could be one of the NHL's weakest tandems, likely boosting their draft lottery odds in one of the most hyped draft classes in recent memory (NHL.com). An insider noted, "They weren't the only ones who had inquired about Swayman, but yes, I was told they poked around." That comment shows just how wide the interest is for this level of goalie talent (Heavy.com). I think this kind of trade would completely shift the balance of power in the West, making Edmonton even more dangerous for teams like Dallas, who could end up facing a vastly upgraded Oilers team in the playoffs. If Boston truly embraces a rebuild, moving their top goaltender could be the first domino in a massive roster overhaul, something that could shake the market for weeks.
The World Junior Summer Showcase is in full swing, and Maple Leafs top prospect Ben Danford is shattering expectations, truly proving how good of a player he can be. The Toronto Maple Leafs' defensive prospect, Ben Danford, is among the 44 players who were invited to Hockey Canada's World Juniors Summer Showcase. Hockey Canada finally unveiled the 44 prospects who will head to Minnesota for the showcase, after they held the roster release back while the organization dealt with several injuries, which begins Sunday and runs through August 2 in Minneapolis. Defensive prospect Ben Danford is the only Maple Leafs player invited to the annual showcase, where Canada's World Junior staff will get their first look at what their team might look like for the 2026 World Juniors, which will also take place in Minnesota in December. Danford is being called the best player at the World Juniors Summer Showcase Danford has been exceeding expectations, and one source revealed that he has been the best player at the World Junior Showcase so far. The source said Danford is steady, smart, and hard to ignore on the ice. 'Ben Danford has been the best player at the World Junior Showcase he's steady, smart, and impossible to ignore. Makes every shift count, whether he's breaking up plays or starting the rush. Canada's blue line is in good hands.' - An unnamed source The Maple Leafs selected Danford with their first pick (31st overall) at the 2024 NHL Draft. During his visit to Toronto's development camp earlier this month, the defender revealed that he's receiving mentorship from current Leafs defensemen as well as some alumni like Mark Giordano. The 6-foot-2 Danford could make for an excellent fit for Canada should he make the team. He is responsible in his own end, and he demonstrated leadership capabilities when he was named captain of the Oshawa Generals ahead of the 2024-25 OHL season.
Kirk Cousins might be relegated to the job of backup quarterback, but he is showing veteran leadership to his Atlanta Falcons teammates. Following Sunday's practice, Cousins pulled aside rookie defensive end James Pearce to encourage the first-round pick after his fourth practice in the league at Flowery Branch, Georgia. "QB Kirk Cousins pulled aside Pearce after practice to compliment him on a pass batted down," wrote Marc Raimondi of ESPN. Cousins reportedly had a solid day of practice on Sunday, going 7-of-12 passing against the first-team unit. If Cousins wants out of Atlanta, he's not showing it at practice. The four-time Pro Bowl quarterback is competing on the field and being a good teammate around the facility. Cousins' actions on the field backed up what Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot praised Cousins for before the team's practice on Sunday. “Outside, it's a lot more of a deal than it is in the building,” Fontenot said to the media about the idea of friction between the Falcons and Cousins, per video from D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “He shows up, he does his job, just like anybody ... We've gotta build the best 70-man roster so we can go win games. "That's what we're focused on, and Kirk, just like all the other players, is focused on coming in here and doing their job. That's what he's been doing." Fontenot didn't dismiss the idea that Atlanta would trade Cousins before the season. He said the Falcons will do whatever it takes to make the team better, but stressed that Cousins has been a professional throughout the process of being replaced by Michael Penix Jr., a first-round pick from the 2024 draft. “In terms of making moves, whether it's trades or acquiring players, we're always looking at those factors," Fontenot said. "We're gonna do whatever we can do to make this team the best it can possibly be. But he's been a great professional, and he's handled himself well.” Cousins is coming to work in a manner that will make another owner want to take a chance on the veteran quarterback. That could be one of his best-selling points before he plays in his 13th season in the league.
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