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3 years ago

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4:41 PM ET

The NHL’s Atlanta Thrashers relocated to become the Winnipeg Jets in 2011. But next month they’ll hit the ice again in Georgia thanks to the ECHL’s Atlanta Gladiators — for one night only.

The Gladiators, a minor league affiliate of the Arizona Coyotes, will take on “the persona of the Thrashers” when they face the Greenville Swamp Rabbits on Dec. 16 in Duluth.

The Gladiators will wear limited-edition Thrashers jerseys that will be auctioned off to fans after the game. Thrashers rally towels will be given to every fan in attendance. They’ll also have Thrashers T-shirts and pucks for sale. Thrash, the mascot for the since-departed NHL team, will make an appearance. The video and ribbon board graphics will all transform into those for the Thrashers, trying to recreate the “Blueland” vibe of the team’s home games in Atlanta.

One shared bit of history between the teams: The Gladiators’ PA announcer, Steve Craig, was also the voice of the Thrashers.

The ECHL team has done “hockey heritage” nights before to honor teams like the NHL’s Atlanta Flames and the IHL’s Atlanta Knights. Anthony Schaff, the team’s director of game operations, had the idea to focus on the Thrashers if they could secure the rights to their intellectual property.

According to Mike Folta of the Gladiators, the team initially reached out to the Jets for clearance and was redirected to the NHL to obtain access to the intellectual property rights to the Thrashers for one game. The team had to make a case to the NHL’s director of intellectual property for why it wanted to do the event and what it had planned for it. The Gladiators’ request was made in May, and the NHL finally granted access in October.

Hopefully for the Gladiators, they look like the Thrashers but don’t play like them. Atlanta finished over .500 in points percentage just three times from 1999, when the NHL expansion team entered the League, to 2011, when they left for Winnipeg. The Thrashers made the playoffs once, losing in a sweep to the New York Rangers in 2007.

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White Sox place Vargas on IL with oblique strain

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August 3, 2025

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White Sox place Vargas on IL with oblique strain

  • Associated Press

Aug 3, 2025, 04:32 PM ET

ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Chicago White Sox placed infielder Miguel Vargas on the 10-day injured list on Sunday because of a left oblique strain.

Vargas, 25, was scratched from Saturday night’s 1-0 victory at the Angels. Vargas, who was acquired from the Dodgers as part of a three-team trade in July 2024, is batting .229 with 13 homers and 44 RBIs in 106 games.

The White Sox also recalled infielder Curtis Mead from Triple-A Charlotte before their series finale against the Angels. Left-hander Bryan Hudson and right-hander Elvis Peguero were claimed off waivers from Milwaukee and assigned to Charlotte.

Mead, 24, came over when the White Sox traded right-hander Adrian Houser to Tampa Bay on Thursday. Mead hit .226 with three homers and eight RBIs in 49 games with the Rays this year.

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After red flag, White’s 2 HRs let Braves lap Reds

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August 3, 2025

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After red flag, White's 2 HRs let Braves lap Reds

  • Associated Press

Aug 3, 2025, 04:00 PM ET

BRISTOL, Tenn. — Eli White hit a three-run homer and a solo shot, helping the Atlanta Braves beat the Cincinnati Reds 4-2 on Sunday in the rain-delayed MLB Speedway Classic at Bristol Motor Speedway.

White’s first homer of the afternoon gave Atlanta a 3-1 lead in the second inning at the historic racetrack. The ball hit the safer barrier after clearing the outfield wall and the track itself.

He added his sixth homer of the season on a leadoff shot in the seventh.

Cincinnati went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position and left 12 on base. Brent Suter (1-2) got the loss.

Atlanta came in having clinched the season series, winning four of the first six games. The teams split the first two in Cincinnati before coming to Bristol.

The game was scheduled for Saturday, but it was suspended in the first inning because of persistent rain.

Hurston Waldrep (1-0) was on the mound for Atlanta when play resumed. The right-hander was brought up from Triple-A Gwinnett and traveled about 250 miles to Bristol Motor Speedway early Sunday morning. He pitched 5⅔ innings of one-run ball for his first career win.

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Rockies closer Halvorsen (elbow strain) put on IL

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4 hours ago

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August 3, 2025

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Rockies closer Halvorsen (elbow strain) put on IL

  • Associated Press

Aug 3, 2025, 01:19 PM ET

DENVER — The Colorado Rockies have put closer Seth Halvorsen on the 15-day injured list with a right elbow strain after he had to leave Saturday’s win over Pittsburgh.

Interim manager Warren Schaeffer said at the time the injury didn’t look good — following the right-hander’s exit after throwing five pitches in the ninth inning. Halvorsen leads the Rockies with 11 saves.

Colorado also recalled right-hander Nick Anderson and catcher Braxton Fulford from Triple-A Albuquerque on Sunday, and the Rockies optioned infielder Michael Toglia to Albuquerque.

The 25-year-old Halvorsen is 1-2 with a 4.99 ERA this year. He made his big league debut in August of 2024.

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