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The Philadelphia Phillies know they have to do something with their bullpen.
Now without Jose Alvarado until August due to an 80-game suspension, he also won't be able to pitch in October, which is a major loss for this team.
Right now, the Phillies are piecing things together.
In search of the right combination of high-leverage guys and those who can fill out the relief staff, Philadelphia has been riding their starting rotation hard, something that is not sustainable for the remainder of the year if they keep it up at this pace.
Someone who was reportedly contacted even before the Alvarado suspension was longtime veteran David Robertson.
The fact he's still on the open market is surprising to many around Major League Baseball since he's coming off a season where he posted a 3.00 ERA and ERA+ of 131 across his 68 outings, owning a K/9 rate of 12.4 despite being 39 years old at the time.
Reuniting with the right-hander on a short-term deal seems like a route the Phillies could be interested in taking at some point, but it's all going to come down to price.
What Contract Is David Robertson Looking For?
According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, Robertson was seeking a one-year, $15 million deal during this past winter, and while he likely won't get that at this point in time, he also knows there are plenty of reliever-needy teams out there and won't sign with someone "unless he receives a strong offer."
No details were given when it came to exactly how much money that might be.
However, it does shine some light on why Philadelphia hasn't added Robertson at this point in time, with their payroll already being over the luxury tax threshold.
That's not to say something might not get done between the two sides at some point, but it's going to take some negotiating to land him since some other teams could come calling in the near future, too.
More From Phillies On SI
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- Yankees manager provides major update on Aaron Judge's injury
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Yankees manager provides major update on Aaron Judge's injury
New York Yankees star Aaron Judge missed Saturday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies with an elbow injury, and the slugger is now headed to the injured list. The Yankees fell 9-4 to the Phillies on Saturday at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, N.Y., which marked their third consecutive loss. Judge played in Friday night's 12-5 loss to Philadelphia, but Aaron Boone announced before Saturday's game that Judge was dealing with an "elbow issue" and would sit out. Following his team's latest loss, Boone shared some new information about Judge's injury. Judge has been diagnosed with a flexor strain, but the Yankees believe he can return in less than two weeks. When Judge returns to the lineup, Boone said it will initially be as a designated hitter. Judge is having an outstanding season. He entered Saturday batting .342, which is the best mark in baseball. The reigning American League MVP has 37 home runs, 85 RBI and a 1.160 OPS. The Yankees are now six games behind the AL East-leading Toronto Blue Jays and fighting to remain atop the wild-card race. It goes without saying that they are hopeful Judge will be able to return as soon as possible.
Green Bay Packers 3rd Year Receiver Turning Heads At Training Camp
The Green Bay Packers have one of the youngest rosters in the NFL. A big reason for this is their wide receiver room. For the past three seasons, they have relied on rookies and second-year players to carry the load on offense from a pass-catching perspective. However, that has led to some inconsistent play. Last year, drops were a huge issue, especially for former fifth-round pick Dontayvion Wicks. He was able to get open but would drop the ball in key moments. Wicks is determined to change the narrative and is already turning heads in training camp. Green Bay Packers WR Dontayvion Wicks Looking Good Wicks was the star of the 2-minute drill during Friday’s training camp practice. He found a hole in the zone and ran the post route. Quarterback Jordan Love saw him immediately and unloaded a long ball. The former Virginia receiver was all alone and caught a 49-yard touchdown pass to end the drill. This was one of the many great plays Wicks made throughout the practice. He was asked about the play after the practice. “I knew I had the post,” Wicks said. “I had a man on me. I released, ran full speed. I knew X was over the top. So I stemmed out a little bit and broke flat across. It was a runaway, and J-Love gave me the ball and I ran under it, and that was all from there.” This is great news for the Green Bay Packers. Drops can often be attributed to a lack of confidence. They can snowball. Once a player drops one pass, it can snowball into more drops. The same can be said about catches. Once a player gets confidence, it can be hard to stop. If Dontayvion Wicks has gotten his confidence, the league should watch out. No Problems Getting Open Wicks had no problems getting open last year. According to ESPN Analytics, he was open on 84% of his routes, thanks to a quick burst off the snap and his ability to find gaps in the zone. However, getting open doesn’t matter if a player can’t bring in the ball. The Green Bay Packers hope this is the start of a new player in 2025. Matthew Golden has also looked good in training camp, and Jayden Reed has vowed to drop fewer passes as well in 2025. If that trio can haul in passes, this offense could be one of the best in the league. Final Thoughts We always have to be cautious about training camp news. It can sometimes point to what will happen in the season, but not always. However, this seems like a step in the right direction for the Green Bay Packers. If Wicks gains confidence now, that should carry over into the season.
Important trade stalls as Maple Leafs dangle bottom-six forward
The Toronto Maple Leafs are still looking for a solution to their bottom-six surplus, and veteran forward Calle Jarnkrok remains at the center of trade discussions. However, according to The Fourth Period, trade talks surrounding the 33-year-old winger have failed to gain momentum. They write: “He has a $2.1M cap hit and owns a 10-team no-trade list. The market hasn’t been vibrant, to this point, but the Leafs will continue to dangle him.” Why can’t the Maple Leafs find a taker for Jarnkrok? Jarnkrok has quietly been on the trade block for much of the offseason, but general manager Brad Treliving has yet to find a taker. After adding several depth forwards this summer, the Leafs now face a crowded bottom six — and Jarnkrok’s age, injury history and $2.1M cap hit through 2025–26 aren’t helping his value. Since joining Toronto, Jarnkrok has appeared in only 71 games over two seasons, scoring a modest 28 points. While his defensive versatility and penalty-killing ability are assets, his declining offensive production and durability concerns have made teams wary. With training camp approaching, the Maple Leafs may be forced to keep Jarnkrok on the roster — or retain salary in a deal — if they want to create space and flexibility. Dropping his cap hit down to just over $1M would open up the market a little. Until then, the Swedish forward remains a trade candidate in limbo. This isn’t great news as moving Jarnkrok from the roster is an important item on the team’s to-do list. Treliving would like more cap space, and with Jarnkrok and David Kampf both still on the roster, it hampers the GM’s ability to do other things.
Jalen Williams fires back at critics who call him 'corny'
Jalen Williams does not appreciate the suggestion that he is a cornball. The Oklahoma City star Williams fired back at his critics in an Instagram comment this week. Williams was asked by a user about what he would say to those labeling him as “corny.” “tbh the same people calling me corny couldn’t hold my water in real life,” said Williams. “prolly would ask for a selfie if we was face to face.” For context, the 24-year-old Williams made headlines this week by recreating an iconic photograph of Kobe Bryant. Williams recently underwent surgery on his right wrist and posed in the style of the famous 1999 photo of Bryant at the free throw line wearing pajama bottoms and a large cast on his wrist. The “corny” label is usually given to NBA players who are seen as acting in an inauthentic way, especially to gain respect on social media. That becomes particularly so whenever they involve the late Bryant (with Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum also drawing “corny” criticisms in the past for invoking Bryant in his antics). Williams can probably do without the clout-chasing at this point since he has already very much arrived as an NBA player in his own regard. The ex-lottery pick was an All-Star, an All-NBA selection and an All-Defensive selection this past season. He then went on to win the NBA championship with the Thunder and was among several core OKC players who got rewarded with rich extensions as a result. That said, Williams is sometimes seen as a third fiddle with the Thunder behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren. As a result, he tends to gravitate toward attention-grabbing stunts, and he does not care if he is labeled “corny” because of them.
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