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The Philadelphia Phillies put together a strong 2024 regular season, finishing 95-67 to claim a competitive NL East title. Though the club was eliminated in the NL Division Series, it enters the 2025 MLB season as a legitimate contender.
A deep starting rotation could be the team’s biggest strength this season. The group features four former MLB All-Stars, including three selected to last year’s Midsummer Classic. Adding former top prospect Jesus Luzardo in an offseason trade further solidified the staff, giving Philadelphia a formidable five-person unit.
Expectations are high for Andrew Painter, the Phillies’ top prospect and one of MLB’s top 10 overall prospects. He is expected to make his big league debut at some point this season, and if healthy, the former first-round pick will need a spot in the rotation, potentially forcing a current starter out.
Ranger Suarez, a 2024 All-Star, could be the most expendable option. The left-hander will open the season on the injured list and is set to reach free agency after the year. While Philadelphia has financial flexibility, it must address multiple roster spots next offseason.
One way to prepare for Suarez’s potential departure is to explore trade options before the deadline—provided he returns healthy and Painter proves ready. The New York Yankees could be a logical trade partner.
Injuries have already taken a toll on New York’s rotation, with Gerrit Cole sidelined for the entire 2025 season and Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt set to open the year on the injured list.
Philadelphia, which has a middle-tier farm system, could benefit from adding more pitching depth. Meanwhile, eight of the Yankees’ top 12 prospects are pitchers, a potential incentive for a deal.
Last season, Suarez posted a 12-8 record with a 3.46 ERA and 145 strikeouts over 150 2/3 innings. He is set to earn $8.8 million in his final year of team control.
More must-reads:
- Yankees have finally found their third baseman in Ryan McMahon
- Phillies' Kyle Schwarber inches closer to franchise history vs. Yankees
- The 'Multiple 100-RBI MLB seasons' quiz
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Blue Jays' hot streak has them in rare territory
The Toronto Blue Jays won again on Friday, defeating the Detroit Tigers by a 6-2 margin to extend their American League East lead and take over the best record in Major League Baseball. All of this is relatively uncharted territory for Blue Jays fans of a certain age — and the franchise itself. With Friday's win, this is the latest in a season that Toronto has owned baseball's best record since 1992 (when they went on to win the World Series). Their five-game lead in the division is also the biggest divisional lead they have had this late in the season since 1992. The Blue Jays continue to write a pretty incredible story for themselves this season. They did not have overly high expectations when the season began and were dealing with a contract negotiation with their top star — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. — who seemed destined to play out the season before hitting free agency. It's amazing how much has changed, and how rapidly it has changed, over the past couple of months. Not only did the Blue Jays get Guerrero Jr. signed to a long-term deal when it seemed like they had missed their opportunity, but they also overcame a mediocre start that had them hovering around the .500 mark through the end of May. Since June 1, the Blue Jays have gone on a 32-14 run, and they're 20-5 over their past 25 games. It has not only put them right in the thick of the American League playoff race, but it has put them in the driver's seat for a highly competitive American League East crown,
'As soon as humanly possible' — Taylor Swift encourages fans to watch 'Happy Gilmore 2' with post including sweet tribute to Travis Kelce
Warning: This article contains spoilers for Happy Gilmore 2. Taylor Swift is showing her support for Travis Kelce. The singer helped promote Adam Sandler's new movie, "Happy Gilmore 2." And it just so happens that her boyfriend makes a cameo in it. While she didn't use his name specifically in the post, she did make sure to include a little shout out. "Happy Gilmore 2 had me cackling and cheering the whole movie! An absolute must watch, 13-10, go watch it on @netflix as soon as humanly possible ," Swift wrote on her Instagram story. That subtle reference to Kelce was the honey emoji, which alludes to his viral scene. In it, Bad Bunny's character, Oscar, is hired by Happy Gilmore as a caddy after being fired from his restaurant job by Kelce's character, The Waiter. In one scene, Sandler's character, Happy, tells Oscar to go to his "happy place," which shows The Waiter tied to a pole wearing only an apron, being covered in honey to be eaten by a bear. Sandler has praised Kelce for his acting in the movie, specifically mentioning his name along with Bad Bunny when asked about someone who surprised him. “Travis and Bunny are ridiculous in it," Sandler told PEOPLE. “Can't believe they're my buddies now." He also spoke with Entertainment Tonight about Kelce's cameo and his new friendship with the three-time Super Bowl champion. “Travis is such a gentle, nice guy, and funny as hell,” Sandler said. “He’s like the guys I grew up with. When I was with Travis, it reminded me of my buddies in high school and just being able to laugh and say the things you want to say.”
Five potential landing spots for Christian Wilkins after stunning Raiders release
The Las Vegas Raiders just stunned the league by releasing defensive tackle Christian Wilkins after only one year with the team. After signing a four-year, $110 million contract, he struggled with injuries in 2024. This was supposed to be a big bounce-back year for Wilkins, but after a dispute between the two sides in regard to how to handle his foot injury, the team decided it was best to part ways. Now, a premier interior disruptor is suddenly available. Assuming his medicals get checked out soon, there should be a lot of interest around the league. Where should he land? Dallas Cowboys Dallas has needed a dominant interior presence for quite some time. Osa Odighizuwa is an awesome threat, but he is only solid against the run. Alongside him, the team will be banking heavily on 2023 first-rounder Mazi Smith, who has been disappointing so far. With Dallas looking to return to the playoffs, adding a stud like Wilkins could give Dallas one of the best defensive lines in the NFL. San Francisco 49ers The 49ers added some young bodies in CJ West and Alfred Collins, yet neither offer a proven, all-around talent like Wilkins could if healthy. The 49ers defensive line was horrid outside of Nick Bosa in 2024, but by adding Wilkins, the team would now have a solid cast of starters with Nick Bosa, Mykel Williams, Wilkins and Kevin Givens/Jordan Elliott. Miami Dolphins A return to Miami makes a ton of sense for both sides. The Dolphins know exactly how to use Wilkins, he knows the building and players, and the transition would be very easy. Miami needs help in the interior defensive line; by plugging Wilkins back into his old role, he could offer the quickest path to high-level impact. Detroit Lions With Levi Onwuzurike out with injury and Detroit needing more juice on the defensive line, adding a proven disruptor like Wilkins could make some sense. He could provide more depth while he gets fully healthy, and he can join a legit Super Bowl contender. His energy and mentality could be a good fit for a Dan Campbell-led squad. Jacksonville Jaguars The Jaguars defense is average in the interior, but they have excellent edge-rushers who would benefit greatly from a strong disruptor up the middle. Wilkins could balance the front, help in the run defense and allow more one-on-ones for their premier edge-rushers. For a team that wants to return to the playoffs as soon as possible, adding a veteran like Wilkins could be a worthy bet to make.
Wrestling legend Hulk Hogan leaves behind a complicated legacy
On Thursday, wrestling icon Terry "Hulk Hogan" Bollea died at the age of 71. "WWE is saddened to learn WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan has passed away," the company said in a statement. "One of pop culture’s most recognizable figures, Hogan helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s... WWE extends its condolences to Hogan’s family, friends, and fans." Hogan was the first true superstar to emerge in the wrestling industry, capturing a casual audience worldwide and bringing new eyes to the sport. He was an unbelievable draw, both as a baby face and as a heel. From his time as an All-American hero to leading the New World Order and teaming with Randy Savage as part of the "Mega Powers," he has been a staple of the scene for decades. Who can forget his WrestleMania III moment, where he defied the laws of physics to body-slam a 520-pound Andre the Giant? Or, more recently, his match with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson at WrestleMania 18? His last appearance on WWE RAW on Jan. 6 saw him booed throughout, highlighting the rocky legacy Hogan leaves behind. Hogan's universal popularity has plummeted in recent years, primarily due to a racism scandal that led to his removal from the Wrestling Hall of Fame, only to be reinstated in 2018. Nevertheless, the damage had been done. Hogan's outdated and unwelcome outlook on specific aspects of life derailed the final stanza of a legendary career. Still, there's no denying that without Hogan, the wrestling we know and love today wouldn't exist. There wouldn't be WWE on the world's largest streaming platform, or All Elite Wrestling, which is developing into one of the most successful challenger brands. Instead, there would be smaller, more localized promotions, all competing for a sliver of television time. Hogan popularized the sport by bridging the gap between the wrestling ring and Hollywood. During his time in the spotlight, Hogan appeared in movies such as "Rocky III," "No Holds Barred" and "Suburban Commando," all of which helped bring his larger-than-life persona to a new audience. It's no surprise, then, that The Rock, John Cena and Dave Bautista have all made similar jumps in recent years. Hogan leaves behind an everlasting imprint on the wrestling world. Unfortunately, it comes with multiple asterisks; however, that doesn't change what he achieved as the first global wrestling star.
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