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The Philadelphia Phillies called up Alan Rangel from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to serve as a fresh arm. Michael Mercado was optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley to make room for Rangel. On June 6, Rangel made his major league debut against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Moreover, the Phillies have shuffled their bullpen throughout the month. José Ruiz and Carlos Hernández have been designated for assignment by the Phillies. Mercado was called up as the corresponding move for Hernández being designated for assignment. Ruiz and Hernández are both out of minor league options and, therefore, could not be sent down without clearing waivers. Additionally, Ruiz is with the Atlanta Braves, and Hernández is with the Detroit Tigers.
Phillies Call Up Fresh Arm
Bullpen Carousel
Taijuan Walker moving to the bullpen in a high-leverage role has altered things. Walker will no longer be pitching in a long role. Joe Ross has taken over the long relief role. Rangel pitched three innings in his one appearance. Ross started the game in which Rangel appeared. Mercado has a 15.00 ERA along with an 8.73 FIP in three games this season. To add, Mercado has a 1.00 K/BB rate and a 3.00 HR/9 allowed rate in the majors this year. Walker pitched on consecutive days for the first time on June 20 and June 21. In addition, this contributed to the Phillies calling up Rangel. The Phillies felt they needed a fresh arm.
Look At Performances
Rangel recorded a 6.00 ERA and an 8.73 FIP in that outing. To add, Rangel had a 0.50 K/BB rate in that game. Rangel recorded a 3.00 HR/9 allowed rate in that game. Furthermore, opposing batters had a .300 average and a .250 BABIP against Rangel in that game. Rangel has a 4-2 record with a 4.96 ERA in 14 minor league starts in 2025. To add, Rangel has a 5.25 FIP to go along with a 3.22 K/BB rate in the minor leagues. Rangel has a 1.96 HR/9 allowed rate in Triple-A this year. Opposing batters have a .264 average and a .310 BABIP against Rangel in the minor leagues this season. Rangel can provide length if needed.
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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.
Rangers Sign Former Stanley Cup Champion to Tryout Agreement
The New York Rangers are adding to their forward depth ahead of their upcoming training camp. The Rangers are entering a new chapter of their organization under new head coach Mike Sullivan. After missing the postseason last year, the organization is trying to rebound and respond accordingly in 2025 and 2026. Former Stanley Cup champion forward Conor Sheary is the latest player to join the new-look Rangers. The veteran forward agreed to a professional tryout agreement (PTO) with the club and will look to earn an NHL deal with his performance in training camp and the preseason. Sheary is a veteran of 593 NHL games. Originally an undrafted free agent, he signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins after completing his collegiate career. Following a year with the Penguins' AHL affiliate, he forced his way onto the NHL squad after posting 36 points in his first 30 games of the 2015-2016 season at the AHL level. His debut NHL season went better than ever expected, and he was a key part of the Penguins' lineup that won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017. Sheary's coach at the time, both at the AHL and NHL levels, was Mike Sullivan. Now, he'll get the chance to reunite with the coach under whom he won two championships. In addition to playing for the Penguins, Sheary has played for three other NHL franchises. The Pens dealt him to the Buffalo Sabres before the 2018-2019 campaign, but he would return to Pittsburgh the following season at the trade deadline. After his second stint with the Penguins, he joined the Washington Capitals. He played three seasons in Washington, D.C. before landing with the Tampa Bay Lightning, where he spent the past two years. Over his 593 career games, he's compiled 124 goals and 143 assists for 267 points. His best NHL season came during the 2016-2017 campaign, his second in the league. He scored 23 goals and added 30 assists for 53 points in 61 regular-season games.
Lakers' Luka Doncic Going Viral for Shocking Body Transformation
The Los Angeles Lakers have been very invested in getting Luka Doncic into better shape this offseason. After how poorly he played defense and how tired he looked against Minnesota in the playoffs, it has been their top priority. Doncic has never been the most fit player in the league. He is still one of the best players in the league, but he could be a lot better if he were less tired at the end of the season. So far this offseason, it looks like Doncic has been committed to the training program that the Lakers put him on. He looks like an entirely different player. More news: NBA Insider Reveals Why Bradley Beal Spurned Lakers for Clippers A video of Doncic has been circulating online, showing off his body transformation. The Lakers would be thrilled if Doncic were able to stay this fit all year long. He needs to be able to play better defense now that he is the face of the franchise, and that could be abetted by improved lateral quickness. A big reason why the Lakers lost to the Timberwolves in the playoffs is because of their inability to stop guards from penetrating the paint. The starting backcourt is not a good defensive one. Doncic isn't the only one to blame for poor perimeter defense. Austin Reaves isn't the best defender, either. The difference with him is that he at least tries to be in the right spot on defense. At times against the Wolves, he was too tired to actually stay in front of some of the players who were attacking him. A large part of Minnesota's game plan was to get Doncic switched on to Anthony Edwards. More news: Massive 5-Team Blockbuster Trade Sees Lakers' LeBron James Shipped for $238 Million All-Star The Lakers would be in a great position to contend for a title if Doncic could stay in shape for an entire season. Based on this video, he has a renewed commitment to doing that. Doncic likely has extra motivation to show the Dallas Mavericks what they decided to trade away. He wants to prove them wrong for deciding to get rid of him. After he was traded to the Lakers, Doncic averaged 28.2 points per game, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.5 assists per game. He shot 43.8 percent from the field and 37.9 percent from beyond the 3-point arc. More news: Former Lakers Guard Signing in Israel to Continue Career For more news and notes on the Los Angeles Lakers, visit Los Angeles Lakers on SI.
Former NBA MVP could be nearing the end of his career
For the past two seasons, Joel Embiid has been dealing with a knee issue. The former MVP underwent surgery in April to try to repair his meniscus, the second time he's received such surgery in the past 12 months. Embiid recently sat down for a tell-all interview with ESPN's Dotun Akintoye, where he detailed the struggles his body is currently going through. "We're not going to push anything," Embiid said. "For my whole career, I felt like we never took that approach ... We don't have a timeline. Hopefully, sooner rather than later ... It's all about the results ... If I come back early enough and I'm still not myself, guess what? You're not winning any games." Embiid's struggles have left the Sixers in a precarious situation. President of basketball operations Daryl Morey has built the entire roster around the star center's unique skill set. Philadelphia has constructed a team to go as far as Embiid can take it. It makes sense, then, that Embiid is just as frustrated with his injury-induced absences as the rest of the Sixers fanbase. In a July 27 appearance on Sirius XM Radio, Sixers beat writer Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer shared a unique take on the big man's recent interview and the messaging he's been putting out recently. "I think Joel may know that the end is near, and this is just me saying, and it's kind of like explaining to people what he's been going through," Pompey said. "Because rarely do you have a guy tell you how much pain (they're in) and how much they're going through. The thing I took from it was no matter who is there, the culture is the same. And I feel like Joel Embiid knows that it may not be this season, but the end is near. Maybe he feels as though he can't play to the level he used to. I could be wrong. He could come out and have another MVP season. But that was my takeaway." Embiid is probably one more lost season away from making such a difficult decision. He's only suited up for 58 games over the past two seasons, 39 in 2023-24 and 19 in 2024-25. Embiid doesn't project as the sort of player who would accept a decline while still cashing enormous checks that limit his team's ability to compete. The problem for Embiid is that injuries are only half the battle. Even when healthy, conditioning has been his Achilles heel. So, not only would he need to stay injury-free, both with his knee and his back, but he would also need to get into the best shape of his life. Anything less, and the Sixers could be doomed to repeat their failures of the past. Embiid is still working his way through a long road of recovery. However, he may also be coming to terms that the NBA chapter of his life is on the final few pages, and that must be a daunting reality to face.
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