Sports

Kraken’s McCann practices, but return still unclear

Published

2 years ago

May 7, 2023

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ESPN News Services

May 6, 2023, 03:52 PM ET

SEATTLE — The Seattle Kraken welcomed leading scorer Jared McCann back to practice on Saturday, but coach Dave Hakstol doesn’t expect the forward to be available for Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinal series against the Dallas Stars Sunday.

McCann has been out since getting hurt early in Game 4 of Seattle’s opening-round series against Colorado on a hit from Cale Makar that drew a one-game suspension. McCann’s injury has not been disclosed, with Hakstol only saying that he’s working through his “injury protocol.”

Hakstol said McCann skated a couple of times while the team was in Dallas for the first two games against the Stars. But Saturday’s optional skate with McCann in a red no-contact jersey was his first stint back with his teammates.

“We’ll just keep progressing. I don’t really have an update other than the fact that he’s on the ice and he’s able to be out there with the optional skate today, which is a really good step for him,” Hakstol said. “We’ll just continue progressing. Nothing imminent in terms of return.”

McCann led Seattle with a career-high 40 goals and 70 points during the regular season. He was held without a goal and had just one point during the series against Colorado before getting injured in the first period of Game 4 against the Avs when he was hit by Makar after the puck had gone out of play.

“He’s going to jump back in at a very high level. So first things first, we’re going to make sure his health is where it needs to be and then he’s got to be ready to get into the lineup,” Hakstol said. “Like I said, it’s a step-by-step process.”

Tye Kartye was called up from Coachella Valley of the AHL to take McCann’s spot and has scored twice in his five games playing on a line with Jordan Eberle and Matty Beniers.

Kartye was the AHL’s Rookie of the Month in March, and at the time of his promotion, he led all AHL rookies with 57 points, including 28 goals.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Sports

Pirates ball-crusher Cruz accepts HR Derby invite

Published

3 hours ago

July 8, 2025

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Pirates ball-crusher Cruz accepts HR Derby invite

Field Level Media

Jul 8, 2025, 04:16 PM ET

Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz accepted an invitation on Tuesday to compete in Monday’s Home Run Derby in Atlanta.

Cruz is the fifth player to commit to the competition, held one day before the All-Star Game. The others are Ronald Acuna Jr. of the Atlanta Braves, Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners, James Wood of the Washington Nationals and Byron Buxton of the Minnesota Twins.

Cruz, 26, is known for having a powerful bat and regularly delivers some of the hardest-hit homers in the sport. His home run May 25 at home against the Milwaukee Brewers had an exit velocity of 122.9 mph and was the hardest hit homer in the 10-year Statcast era.

But Cruz has never hit more than 21 in a season, and that was in 2024. He’s on track to set a new high this year and has 15 in 80 games.

Cruz has 55 career homers in 324 games with the Pirates.

Cruz will be the first Pittsburgh player to participate in the Derby since Josh Bell in 2019. Other Pirates to be part of the event were Bobby Bonilla (1990), Barry Bonds (1992), Jason Bay (2005), Andrew McCutchen (2012) and Pedro Alvarez (2013).

Overall, Cruz is batting just .203 this season but leads the National League with 28 steals.

Among the players to turn down an invite to the eight-player field are two-time champion Pete Alonso of the New York Mets, Kyle Schwarber of the Philadelphia Phillies and 2024 runner-up Bobby Witt Jr. of the Kansas City Royals.

Defending champion Teoscar Hernandez of the Los Angeles Dodgers recently turned down a spot as a consideration to nagging injuries.

Top power threats Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees and Shohei Ohtani of the Dodgers also are expected to skip the event.

Sports

Yanks moving Chisholm back to 2B after 3B stint

Published

3 hours ago

July 8, 2025

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Yanks moving Chisholm back to 2B after 3B stint

Field Level Media

Jul 8, 2025, 01:40 PM ET

New York Yankees All-Star Jazz Chisholm Jr., after making 28 starts in a row at third base, is moving back to second base starting with Tuesday’s game against the Seattle Mariners, manager Aaron Boone said.

Boone confirmed the change on the “Talkin’ Yanks” podcast on Tuesday.

Chisholm, who is batting .245 with 15 home runs, 38 RBIs and 10 steals in 59 games, has recently been bothered by soreness in his right shoulder, which he said is an issue only on throws.

He said he prefers to play second base and prepared in the offseason to exclusively play in that spot before injuries played havoc with Boone’s lineup card, starting with Chisholm’s oblique injury in May.

Third baseman Oswaldo Cabrera went down with a season-ending ankle injury on May 12.

DJ LeMahieu manned second base while Chisholm was at third, but Boone has a better glove option in Oswald Peraza, a utility man with a stronger arm plus defensive skills across the infield.

LeMahieu, 36, is batting .266 with two home runs and 12 RBIs this season.

Sports

White Sox reinstate OF Robert (hamstring) from IL

Published

3 hours ago

July 8, 2025

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White Sox reinstate OF Robert (hamstring) from IL

Field Level Media

Jul 8, 2025, 03:55 PM ET

The Chicago White Sox reinstated outfielder Luis Robert Jr. (hamstring) from the 10-day injured list Tuesday.

Robert, 27, has struggled this season through career lows in batting average (.185), on-base percentage (.270) and slugging percentage (.313). Through 73 games, he has amassed just 16 extra-base hits (eight doubles, eight home runs) in 285 plate appearances.

He does have 22 stolen bases in 28 attempts and is just one shy of his career- high in steals.

In a corresponding move, the White Sox optioned infielder Tristan Gray to Triple-A Charlotte. Gray was just recalled before Monday night’s game but did not play.