Jane Njoku, Author at Matchplug Blog

MLB EXPERT PICKS: St. Louis Cardinals VS Oakland Athletics betting Predictions

St. Louis Cardinals VS Oakland Athletics conclude their three-game interleague series tonight in St. Louis. Both clubs are already out of the playoff chase this season, with the Athletics taking the last position in the AL West Division and the Cardinals in last place in the NL Central Division.

The pitching matchup tonight will feature righty Paul Blackburn (2-3, 4.52) for Oakland and lefty Matthew Liberatore (2-4, 5.62) for St. Louis. The first pitch is at 6:45 PM EST.

Matchplug has the MLB best bets today, picks, and odds for Cardinals VS Athletics. We are among the Best sports betting sites for MLB match previews.

Predictions and Betting Preview For St. Louis Cardinals VS Oakland Athletics MLB Regular Season

Venue: Busch Stadium, St. Louis, Missouri.
When: Wednesday, August 16th, 2023.
Time: 23:45 GMT
Teams to play: Cardinals and Athletics.
MLB Expert Picks: MONEYLINE 1.598

Odds by 1XBet and BetMGM.

Betting On The St. Louis Cardinals

1XBet Spread: -1.5
1XBet Moneyline: 1.598
1XBet Over/Under: Over 9.5
BetMGM Spread: -1.5
BetMGM Moneyline: 1.57
BetMGM Over/Under: Under 9.5

The St. Louis Cardinals had high hopes coming into the 2023 season after winning the NL Central Division in 2022. Sadly, the season has been a disappointment from the beginning, and the Cardinals are already preparing for 2024 after trading Jordan Hicks their closer, and starter Jordan Montogomery at the MLB Trade Deadline.

Over the weekend, they split a two-game series with Kansas City before enjoying a rare free Sunday in the schedule. The Cardinals have reeled off two straight wins over the Athletics to begin the series plus a 6-2 victory on Tuesday night after a four-run first inning courtesy of Nolan Arenado’s 25th home run of the season.

Matthew Liberatore will pitch for St. Louis tonight. He is 2-4 in 10 starts this season including two quality starts. Liberatore allowed 51 hits in 45.2 innings pitched with an ERA of 5.72. He has a K/9 rate of only 5.9 and his WHIP sits at 1.51. He is 1-2 in his last 5 starts with an ERA of 5.23 with 12 strikeouts in 20.2 innings of work. At home, Liberatore is 1-2 with a 4.44 ERA.

Betting On The Oakland Athletics

1XBet Spread: +1.5
1XBet Moneyline: 2.567
1XBet Over/Under: Under 9.5
BetMGM Spread: +1.5
BetMGM Moneyline: 2.45
BetMGM Over/Under: Over 9.5

The Oakland Athletics has had a forgettable season in 2023. They have the worst record in baseball and the ownership group has been under pressure to sell the team from their fanbase from the outset of the season.

Oakland entered this series after being swept by Washington in D.C. over the weekend and seems like a team that just wants the season to be over with. They lost 7-5 making it five consecutive defeats and things went from bad to worse on Tuesday night with a 6-3 loss after the hopeless Athletics line delivered only six hits.

Paul Blackburn will pitch for the Athletics tonight to close out the series in St. Louis. Blackburn is 2-3 starts this season including three quality starts. He has permitted 77 hits in 65.1 innings pitched with an ERA of 4.52. Blackburn’s K/9 rate is 9.0 and his WHIP is 1.5. He is 1-2 in his previous five starts with an ERA of 4.08. He has permitted 33 hits in 28.2 innings pitched and struck out 25 batters in that stretch. On the road, Black is 1-1 with an ERA of 5.34, allowing 40 hits in 28.2 innings pitched.

MatchPlug Prediction

Although the Athletics have the worst record in MLB, experts still have faith in Blackburn to lead them to victory in this series finale against the Cardinals. Liberatore has been inconsistent for the Cardinals and has a weak bullpen supporting him in the later innings.

Blackburn has a good enough ERA of just over 4 in his last 5 starts and analysts expect him to keep St. Louis at arm’s length in this game. Furthermore, Oakland has won three of his last four starts. None of these teams are playing exceptionally well this season, but Blackburn has the most experience of the two pitchers.

Prediction: St. Louis Cardinals Moneyline.

MLB EXPERT PICKS: Miami Marlins VS Houston Astros betting Predictions

Houston Astros VS Miami Marlins continue their three-game series in Miami tonight. The Astros are on the trail of Texas which is first place in the AL West Division while the Marlin are dropping to the bottom in the East Division.

The match will feature Houston’s Cristian Javier (8-2, 4.36) facing Miami’s Johnny Cueto (0-3, 5.33). The first pitch is scheduled for 6:40 pm EST.

Find the MLB best bets today, picks, and odds for Marlins VS Astros on MatchPlug. We are one of the Best sports betting sites for MLB match previews.

Predictions and Betting Preview For Miami Marlins VS Houston Astros MLB Regular Season

Venue: LoanDepot Park, Miami, Florida.
When: Tuesday, August 15th, 2023
Time: 23:40 GMT
Teams to play: Miami Marlins and Houston Astros.
MLB Expert Picks: MONEYLINE 1.845.

Odds by 1XBet and BetMGM.

Betting On The Miami Marlins

1XBet Spread: +1.5
1XBet Moneyline: 2.113
1XBet Over/Under: Over 8.5
BetMGM Spread: +1.5
BetMGM Moneyline: 2.05
BetMGM Over/Under: Under 9

The Miami Marlins have fallen on difficult times in the month of August and have fallen off a pace that had them ticketed for the playoffs at the All-Star break. Since then, they have gone only 9-18 plus just 5-7 this month.

They rebounded over the weekend against the New York Yankees. After they dropped the opener, Miami won each of the next two matches as they fight to stay in the NL Wildcard race. On Monday night against Houston, Braxton Garett pitched five shutout innings and the Marlins delivered three solo home runs in a 5-1 series-opening win.

Johnny Cueto will pitch for the Marlins tonight. Cueto is 0-3 in six appearances, including five starts. Cueto has allowed 20 hits in 27 innings pitched since joining Miami’s rotation and has an ERA of 5.33. He has a K/9 rate of 7.7 and a WHIP of 1.00 in his six appearances this season. Johnny has gone 6 innings in 3 of his 4 starts so far, so he can get the team to the latter half of their bullpen.

Betting On The Houston Astros

1XBet Spread: -1.5
1XBet Moneyline: 1.845
1XBet Over/Under: Under 8.5
BetMGM Spread: -1.5
BetMGM Moneyline: 1.80
BetMGM Over/Under: Over 9

Houston Astros appeared to have gotten the team back together again at the trade deadline when they signed for their 2022 ace Justin Verlander from the Mets. Verlander again gave the Astros a deadly one-two punch at the top of the rotation with Framber Valdez.

The Astros are closing on on first-place Texas Rangers with only over a month and a half to go in the season. They enter this series after taking two of three from the Los Angeles Angels in Houston over the weekend. On Monday night with Valdez taking the mound, their bats won 5-1. He went 7.2 innings and permitted six hits and three earned runs in the loss.

Cristian Javier will start for Houston in game two of the series vs. Miami. Javier is 9-8 in 22 starts this season including nine quality starts. Javier has permitted 102 hits in 117.2 innings pitched with an ERA of 4.36. He has a K/9 rate of 8.4 and his WHIP is 1.22. He is 1-1 in his last five starts with an ERA of 4.44 alongside 28 strikeouts in 26 innings pitched. On the road this season, he is 4-1 with an ERA of 5.17. Javier has struck out 66 batters in 69.2 innings on the road.

MatchPlug Prediction

The Miami Marlins have been a great team hitting against lefties but have not been as effective against righties this season. As a team, they are hitting .250 and slugging only .387. Javier can be electric sometimes and will keep Miami’s lineup in check tonight. They are hitting .254 as a club since the All-Star break too.

Houston is 64 in their previous 10 games entering this series and has been very good on the road this season. They are ten games over .500 in road matches this season and are actually scoring more away than at home. The Astros average over five runs per match on the road this season. Their lineup has started to round into form with Yordan Alvarez and Jose Altuve returning to the lineup on a regular basis.

Prediction: Houston Astros moneyline.

MLB EXPERT PICKS: Cincinnati Reds VS Cleveland Guardians betting Predictions

In Cincinnati Reds VS Cleveland Guardians, the Guardians will be on the road as they begin a three-game set with the Reds tonight. Cleveland won the final of their three-game series with the Tamp Bay Rays down in the Sunshine State, winning 9-2, on Sunday afternoon to avoid a sweep.

Cincinnati took two of three on the road from Pittsburgh as they split a doubleheader Sunday. They lost 4-2 in the opening game Sunday afternoon before scoring 6-5 in 10 innings in the nightcap.

Last season, the clubs divided four meetings with the road team emerging victorious in each contest: the Reds took a pair in Cleveland May 17-19, 2022 in the most recent between the teams.

MatchPlug has the predictions, MLB Expert Picks, and odds for Reds VS Guardians. We are a Hot Prediction site for the best MLB match previews.

Predictions and Betting Preview for Cincinnati Reds VS Cleveland Guardians MLB Regular Season

Venue: Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati, Ohio.
When: Tuesday, August 15th, 2023
Time: 23:40 GMT.
Teams to play: Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Guardians.
MLB Expert Picks: MONEYLINE 1.92.

Odds by 1XBet and BetMGM.

Betting On The Cincinnati Reds

1XBet Spread: +1.5
1XBet Moneyline: 1.92
1XBet Over/Under: Over 9.5
BetMGM Spread: +1.5
BetMGM Moneyline: 1.87
BetMGM Over/Under: Under 9.5

Cincinnati Reds took two of three from the Pittsburgh Pirates over the weekend but still enter today’s series losers of their past 12 games after splitting a doubleheader Sunday. The Reds entered Monday 62-58 and were tied for second in the NL Central, 3.5 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers for the top spot. They were half a match behind the Miami Marins for the final wild-card spot in the National League. In the opening game of the doubleheader on Sunday, Spencer Steer had three hits, while Matt McLain (run, RBI) added two in a losing effort.

Cincinnati was two of 15 with runners in scoring position in that game. Brandon Williamson threw 5.2 innings, permitting one run on two hits with two walks and six strikeouts. Alex Young (4-1) permitted two runs on one hit with one walk and no strikeouts in one inning of relief. Henry Ramos (run, RBI) had three hits while Elly De La Cruz (run, RBI) added a pair, including his 10th of the season. Luke Weaver threw 3.2 innings and allowed four runs on six hits with one walk and one strikeout. Daniel Duarte worked the 10th, allowing no runs on no hits with no walks and a strikeout, for his first save.

Graham Ashcraft takes the hill for the Reds today, making it his 23rd start of the season for the Reds in this contest. He enters the match 6-7 with a 4.95 ERA, a 1.408 WHIP, 46 walks and 88 strikeouts over 120 innings of work on the season. The last time Ashcraft started was when he faced Miami on Wednesday night. He threw seven innings and permitted one run on three hits with one walk and seven strikeouts in a game the Cincinnati later dropped 5-4.

In his last three starts, Graham is 1-0 with a 1.71 ERA, a 0.76 WHIP, three walks and 14 strikeouts over 21 innings of work. He is in his 42nd career major league start, and pitches against Cleveland for the first time in this outing. This contest will be his 24th career start.

Betting On The Cleveland Guardians

1XBet Spread: -1.5
1XBet Moneyline: 2.023
1XBet Over/Under: Under 9.5
BetMGM Spread: -1.5
BetMGM Moneyline: 1.95
BetMGM Over/Under: Over 9.5

Cleveland Guardians won for the third time in nine games, downing the Tampa Bay Rays in the finale of their road series on Sunday afternoon. They improved to 57-62 and entered Monday second in the AL Central, 4.5 games behind the Minnesota Twins for the top position in the division. The Guardians were 8.5 matches behind the Toronto Blue Jays for the final wild-card spot in the American League playoff picture.

On Sunday, Andres Gimenez (two runs, two RBI) got four hits for the team while Oscar Gonzalez (run, two RBI) contribute three to lead a 15-hit charge. Gimenez (his 11th) and Gabriel Arias (his sixth) each homered in the win for the Guardians. Tanner Bibee (9-2) earned the win as he threw seven innings, allowing two runs on seven hits with no walks and five strikeouts.

Logan Allen has been chosen by the Guardians, as he makes his 18th start of the season in this contest. He enters the game 5-5 with a 3.55 ERA, a 1.369 WHIP, 35 walks and 88 strikeouts over 91.1 innings of work this season. Allen lost in his last start against the Toronto Blue Jays at home Wednesday night. He threw five innings, permitting one run on four hits with three walks and three strikeouts in a game they lost 1-0.

Over his last three starts, Allen is 1-2 with a 4.24 ERA, a 1.53 WHIP, 10 walks and 12 strikeouts over 17 innings of work. He is in his 18th career major league start, pitching against Cincinnati for the first time in this contest.

MatchPlug Prediction

Since August began, both clubs have been slacking, putting them at the back in their respective chase of playoff berths. Ashcraft has pitched well lately and it is a known fact that Cincinnati can score runs, although they’ll need to be better at stopping the opposition from putting them on the board.

Cleveland has faced their issues at the dish this campaign and Allen comes in after dropping three of his last four starts. The team struggled on the road this season, posting a 26-34 mark, and Logan has recorded only two quality starts in eight road outings.

The Reds get the slim edge in this contest as they have the better-producing lineup offence-wise.

Prediction: Cincinnati Reds Moneyline.

More MLB Preview:

MLB EXPERT PICKS: Miami Marlins VS Houston Astros betting Predictions.

Justin Verlander has “Nothing But Respect’ for Mets after “Diva” Rumors

Houston Astros Justin Verlander took the high road after recent reports stated discord in his time with the New York Mets.

“I want to say that I have nothing but respect for the Mets organization and I enjoyed connecting with all of my teammates this season… new and old!!” he said Monday. “It was truly a wonderful group of people.”

pic.twitter.com/hhD8mN9vOk
— Justin Verlander (@JustinVerlander) August 14, 2023

Mike Puma from the New York Post cited a source on Saturday who had described Verlander as a “diva”. He said that the right-hander “often complained about the Mets’ analytics department, which he deemed inferior to the one that served him in Houston.”

Puma’s report also stated that Verlander “was largely detached from teammates” and “didn’t add to the team’s identity.” Per Puma, Verlander and Max Scherzer had a “strained relationship” during their time together on the Detroit Tigers. And while the two “worked toward harmony” in Queens, there was reportedly “occasional discord.”

The drama between Scherzer and Verlander was somewhat foreseeable. Former Detroit Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski told Newsday’s Tim Healey in December the two stars “butted heads” at times when they were teammates in the Motor City.

“It was never a bad butting,” Dombrowski said. “It would be more from a competitive perspective — which isn’t always bad. ‘OK, you pitched, now I’m going to be better than you.’

“I don’t think they were two who went out a lot with one another, that type of [social, friendly] situation. I’d say the competitive aspect is the way to describe it. They were not the best of buddies, but I didn’t have any problems with them.”

Broadly speaking, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal also, quoted an Astros player who described Verlander as being “more accessible” and “more engaged in the clubhouse environment than he was prior to undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2020.” It definitely gave the impression the opposite or something similar was the case before.

The fact, however, is that Verlander’s actions behind the scenes are probably not a story right now if the Mets were on track to make the playoffs. It is easy to apportion blame when New York is 12 games under .500 and fourth in the National League East.

Verlander undeniably played a role in the Mets underwhelming to this degree. His strikeout rate (7.7 per nine innings) and his 3.84 FIP were both well below the standard he set in 2022. Being an ace of the staff also comes with some expectations within the clubhouse that he may not have been fulfilling.

But making Verlander the scapegoat is probably counterproductive when it may lead to further scrutiny of the organization.

Wander Franco goes on restricted list as MLB investigates social media posts

The Tampa Bay Rays announced on Monday that Wander Franco will be on the restricted list and take a leave from the present road trip due to a series of social media posts involving the 22-year old shortstop.

An MLB official has come out to say that Major League Baseball is currenty investigating the issue.

The social media posts being discussed came up on Sunda, and Tampa released a statement after their game against the Cleveland Guardians.

“During today’s game, we were made aware of the social media posts that are circulating regarding Wander Franco,” the Rays said. “We take the situation seriously and are in close contact with Major League Baseball as it conducts its due diligence.”

Tampa Bay did not go into specifics about the said posts. The Rays manager Kevin Cash also declined to comment further on it after the team lost 9-2 to Cleveland on Sunday, too, instead he said he was “aware’’ of the posts. Franco was not in the Ray’s lineup Sunday.

“I’m aware of the speculation,” Cash said, via ABC’s Kyle Burger. “I’m not going to comment any further on that. The day off was because of a [scheduled] day off.”

Wander Franco is in his third season with the Rays. He got his first All-Star nod this season, and is averaging . 281 at the plate with 17 home runs and 58 RBI. He hit the first walk-off of his career to life Tampa past the Guardians on Friday night.

Sunday’s loss to Cleveland concluded the three-game series in St. Petersburg. The Rays signed Franco to an 11-year $182 million deal in 2021.

4 storylines to follow in the last weeks of nhl off-season

4 storylines to follow in last weeks of the NHL off-season

Kyle Dubas just concluded the largest trade of the NHL off-season, landing defenseman Erik Karlsson in a three-team deal that propels the Pittsburgh Penguins’ desire to win, he was asked if there were any other moves in store.

The Penguins’ general manager and president of hockey operations said he thinks he is done this summer. Still, he affirmed: “You can never make any promises. You always want to try and improve the team.”

General manager of the Washington Capitals, Brian MacLellan is still working the phones, not giving up on the hope of securing a top-six forward before NHL training camp next month.

“We’re still talking to agents,” MacLellan said after signing Tom Wilson to a seven-year extension. “We’re still talking to a few teams about a trade, so we’ll see how it pans out at the end.”

Kuznetsove trade?

For the second time in three years, Evgeny Kuznetsov is in trade talks; with discussions opening in the NHL off-season. The Capitals center switched agents after delivering 55 points in 78 games, more than a 30-point drop from the past season.

Kuznetsov is 31 and has two more years left on his contract at a huge salary cap hit of $7.8 million. The Capitals, who like Pittsburgh want to get back in the playoffs and stay contenders, will not give away the player who led them in scoring during their 2018 Stanley Cup run.

But if something good happens, Washington may move on from Kuzntsov or trade underachieving forward Anthony Mantha.

“I think we had a few discussions at the draft that might carry forward or might not carry forward,” MacLellan said. “We’re comfortable with where we’re at. We’d still like to change. We’ll see where it goes here.”

Trade talk

The Carolina Hurricanes and Calgary Flames are worth watching too.

Carolina brought back defenseman Tony DeAngelo following his buyout by Philadelphia and may want to trade Brett Pesce or Brady Skjei to clear a blue-line log jam. Each player has only a year left on his contract.

“My job as the general manager is just to stay on the phone every day and continue to look to see if we can make our team better — hard to do right now,” GM Don Waddell said recently, referring to the Hurricanes’ salary cap crunch. “But certainly we’ll continue to talk to different teams and free agents and see what shakes out.”

Elias Lindholm, whom the Hurricanes sent to the Flames in 2018, is entering the final year of his contract. New Calgary general manager Craig Conroy has already traded forward Tyler Toffoli to New Jersey as part of the team’s retooling process and Lindholm may be next.

The Winnipeg Jets are yet to trade two key players a year before they become unrestricted free agents: 2020 Vezina Trophy-winning goaltender Connor Hellebuyck and top center Mark Scheifele. They bought out former captain Blake Wheeler in the first step of a roster overhaul, but they do not expect Hellebuyck or Scheifele to stay in Winnipeg much longer.

Free agents

Another highlight of the NHL off-season is the Toronto Maple Leafs signing veteran goaltender, Martin Jones to a contract of $875,000 for next season. Jaroslav Halak, Brian Elliott and Aaron Dell are among goalies in their 30s still available.

Phil Kessel, the NHL’s ironman fresh from a Stanley Cup victory with Vegas and getting his name engraved on the trophy for the third time, is also unsigned. The forward was a healthy scratch for the majority of the playoffs, although his regular season streak is untouched at 1,064 consecutive games played.

Eric Staal, who reached the final with Florida and turns 39 in October, is another veteran option, as is center Derick Brassard. Teams looking for a defenseman, Nick Holden is on the market, including Seth Jones’ brother, Caleb, they were not given a qualifying offer by Chicago and is a young unrestricted free agent at 26.

Restricted free agents like Anaheim Ducks’ Trevor Zegras, Philadelphi’s Morgan Frost and Edmonton Oiler’s Evan Bouchard are among players without a contract.

Kane watch

Patrick Kane underwent hip resurfacing surgery on June 1; an invasive operation that requires four to six months of recovery time. As his rehab continues, there have been rumours linking him to his hometown Buffalo Sabres, who are on the rise and could benefit from a player with three Stanley Cup rings.

Kane is expected to receive significant interest around the league from teams that wish he’ll get back to All-Star form.

Chicago Blackhawks teammate Jonathan Toews is a free agent too, although he may decide to retire at 35 after missing significant time.

Penguins buy Erik Karlsson in three-team trade with Sharks, Canadiens

Erik Karlsson is the first defenceman to be traded fresh off winning the Norris Trophy, as the NHL’s top defenceman since Doug Harvey in 1961. Karlsson became the first player in the position to record 100 points in a season since Brian Leetch in 1991-92.

The Pittsburgh Penguins want to walk the fine line between protecting the future and making the most out of the present. Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kyle Dubas are all in on trying to capture the powers that be in the Eastern Conference.

Pittsburgh sent a 2024 first-round pick, forward Mikael Granlund and defenceman Jan Rutta to San Jose Sharks and goaltender Casey Desmith, defenceman Jeff Petry, a 2025 second-round pick and prospect Nathan Legare to Montreal Canadiens as part of the deal for the three-time Norris Trophy winner.

Per the Penguins, here is the trade. SJ retains $1.5M of Karlsson’s salary…Pittsburgh retains 25 per cent of Petry’s. pic.twitter.com/gxQSKSNZoi
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) August 6, 2023

“While it is always difficult to trade a player of the calibre of Erik Karlsson, this trade accomplishes several goals for our franchise,” Sharks general manager Mike Grier said. “It adds two forwards to our roster who have proven ability to produce offensively at the NHL level and solidifies our NHL defense corps. Additionally, acquiring another first-round pick gives us the opportunity to continue fortifying our development system with high-end prospects and provides us with some financial flexibility to add players as we see fit in the future.”

The complex trade included the Canadiens to ensure that the deal was salary cap compliant. Karlsson has four years left on his contract a cap hit of $11.5 million – $1.5 million which San Jose will retain through the end of the deal in 2027. The Penguins will retain $1.56 million of Petry’s salary.

As part of the deal, the Penguins also received forward Rem Pitlick, Prospect Dillion Hamaliuk and San Jose’s 2023 third-round pick. The Sharks also got Mike Hoffman from the Canadiens.

Here’s why the Canadiens are making this trade: pic.twitter.com/kXYAfaFecl
— Eric Engels (@EricEngels) August 6, 2023

Erik Karlsson who also won the Norris in 2012 and 2015, is going to his third NHL franchise. He played his first nine seasons at Ottawa with the Senators, before being sent to San Jose in 2018.

In 987 regular-season and playoff games, Karlsson has 814 points; the most by any defenceman since he broke into the league in 2009. He has not appeared in the playoffs since 2019 and will now be a vital part of getting Crosby, Malkin, defenceman Kris Letang, and Pittsburgh back into the mix in the East after their 16-year playoff streak finished last season, leading to major front office changes.

The club team fired president of hockey operations Brian Burke and general manager Ron Hextall in the aftermath and owner Fenway Sports Group handed the keys over to Dubas.

He got a mandate to maximize whatever championship window was left while Crosby, Malkin and Letang are on the roster. The trio won the Stanley Cup together in 2009, 2016 and 2017, but things have been harder in recent years.

The Penguins have not won a post-season series since the opening round of the 2018 playoffs and found themselves on the outside looking in for the first time since 2006 after a late slide that included a loss to lowly Chicago in the final week, a setback that ultimately served as the death knell for the longest active playoff streak in major North American sports.

Pittsburgh’s key players are all in their late 30s. Malkin is 37, Letang is 36 and Crosby turns 36 on Monday. They will be joined by 33-year-old Erik Karlsson, a versatile goal scorer who can sometimes be a liability on the other side of the ice.

Dubas’ trade for Karlsson started shortly after free agency started on July 1, although it took time for all the pieces to come together.

The three-team trade also rids the Penguins of Granlund; a non-factor coming over in a mind-boggling deal at the trade deadline last season and Petry who missed over 20 games due to injury and struggled to be consistent when he was in the lineup.

Pittsburgh’s reconfigured blue line now includes Karlsson, Letang and Ryan Graves, who signed a six-year deal last month. DeSmith’s departure leaves Tristan Jarry who signed a shocking five-year contract to stay in town; as the only goalie on the roster with experience in coach Mike Sullivan’s system.

Last season, the Penguins were the NHL’s oldest team, a position they try to retain when the puck drops against Chicago on October 10th.

With three players who will probably be inducted into the Hall of Fame entering the twilight of their careers, Dubas is counting on his active summer assisting the team close the game that has widened between the Penguins and the contenders in a loaded East.

Neymar will not be moving to the MLS in 2023 despite rumours

Amidst rumours and hopes to see Neymar play against or alongside Messi in an official club match for Major League Soccer, it will not happen in 2023. MLS regulations bar the actualization of reports that places the Brazilian footballer in the American League this August.

“While it’s true that in the MLS, free agents can still be signed… however, in order to sign them, they would have had to be free agents before the end of the MLS window,” says Manuel Vaquero. That deadline was August 2 and it has already passed.

“Neymar playing in the MLS in 2023 is impossible,” Vaquero adds. Even if he arrives through a transfer. The deadline for registering players has also passed. Therefore, the conclusion is clear: there’s no room for the former Barcelona player in the American League before December 31. That is, of course, unless there’s a modification of the regulations by the MLS (which usually occurs in the offseason).

However, they could sign him “and loan him to a team for six months, so he could play in 2024.” This is the advice given by the Spanish analyst.

But, Neymar and PSG are still searching for a suitable solution for both the club and the player’s future. What is sure is that they will not be continuing their relationship.

More From The MLS:

Serie A side reportedly approaches MLS star, Cade Cowell.

Serie A side reportedly approaches MLS star, Cade Cowell

San Jose Earthquakes winger Cade Cowell is in demand by Serie A clubs.

Cowell is one of the exceptional players of the United State men’s national team, and at 19 he has already made more than 100 appearances in Major League Soccer. This may be the reason why foreign clubs are being to approach him, starting with Bologna FC, which reportedly made the Earthquakes an offer for him.

Cowell reaffirms his status as a star talent

Cowell’s prowess and potential have been noticeable since he made his debut in the league in 2020; at age 16. In 2021, he scored five goals and assisted five more for San Jose mostly as a substitute and emerged as a full-fledged starter for the 2023 season.

While Cade is yet to score a goal in MLS this year, a look at the California-born’s highlight reel puts him forward as someone who should be watched in future.

At a group stage contest against Trinidad and Tobago, Cowell scored a Mess-like goal that got national applause; his first one for the USMNT. He added an assist to his five-game Gold Cup tally too.

Reports have not yet confirmed if the Earthquakes will accept or refuse Bologna’s offer and it will be a hard decision for San Jose to make. But the more highlight-reel moments of Cade Cowell surfaces, the bigger and better the financial offers to this Major League Soccer club will be.

2023 NFL preseason, Week 1: What experts learned from Thursday’s preseason doubleheader

NFL.com gives a breakdown of what fans need to know from Week 1 of the 2023 NFL preseason. Catch up on the biggest takeaways from each game, according to experts in the League.

Houston Texans 20 – 9 New England Patriots

1. Texans WR Tank Dell should push for more playing time. The rookie sent Patriots defensive backs into a tizzy every time. Dell was a blur, deploying quick moves to separate and hit another gear after the catch. In 17 routes run, he caught 5 of 8 targets for 65 yards and a touchdown.

Even when he was not being targeted, he was always open. Dell unleashed hell on short routes, getting open off the line, giving the Quarterback an easy target. On three of his five receptions, he generated 3-plus yards of separation, per Nex Gen Stats. He capped off the night with an acrobatic touchdown grab.

Although the ball slipped through his hands initially, he stayed with the play, pinning it to his leg for the score before sliding out of bounds. In a Texans receiver corps heralded by Nico Collins, Robert Woods, John Metchie III and Noah Brown, Dell may push for snaps, specifically from the slot. The Texans moved him around Thursday (14 wide, three slots). The question was always his size. If he proves he can get off press coverage when the competition becomes heated, he should be a guy who improves as the season progresses.

2. Patriots DE Keion White shines in his preseason debut. Keion was all over the pitch early, destabilizing the Texans’ offense. The DE used unique athletics to overpower Houston’s backup tackles, spinning three tackles, two pressures and QB hit.

On a botched Houston pitch, White descended on the backfield, tearing through running back Dare Ogunbowale so they could not retrieve the ball, allowing New England to pounce on the pigskin. Keion has a high-level upside if he stays consistent. His performance exemplifies the depth New England boasts upfront.

Linebacker Anfernee Jennings was a problem too, and defensive tackle Daniel Ekuale made a fantastic move for an early sack. Yes, they faced the mess which was a Houston O-line that was playing backups, but the young Patriots reserves indicate that they could bring juice. They should be dangerous in 2023.

3. C.J. Stroud struggled. The No. 2 overall pick played only two series, throwing an interception on the opening drive. Stroud was under fire on his dropbacks and looked slow to fight back. Mills ran the offense with more rhythm than C.J. Stroud’s first night under the NFL lights, as shown here, was a tough one thanks mainly to White and the Patriots’ pass rush.

Seattle Seahawks 24 – 13 Minnesota Vikings

1. Seattle’s rookies looked good in their preseason debut. The Seahawks’ defense reminded fans of last season’s challenges, getting hit in the gut continuously It is a sign the depth on D is not up to snuff, especially at linebacker, but given starters did not play, and it is August 10, getting worked up about it looks premature.

Focusing on the young athletes’ potentials – First-round wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba was not prolific (three catches, 25 yards), but his 15-yard snag over the middle showed how he could eat alongside big dogs like Dk Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. Running back Zach Charbonnet boasted some angry runs, moving over defenders and brandished pass-catching ability.

Fifth-round centre Oluwatimi looked good and could push Evan Brown at the pivot. Second-round outside linebacker Derrick Hall showed some pop as a rusher. Defensive end Mike Morris bulldozed his way for two QB pressures. Even undrafted wideout Jake Bobo stood out, leading the Seahawks with 55 yards and a touchdown. This was all in the absence of top draft pick Devon Witherspoon (hamstring injury). The road ahead is long, but if Seattle gets its rookies to be productive, it could be dangerous in a wide-open NFC.

2. Minnesota’s RB Ty Chandler gets a heavy workload vying for the RB2 role. The Vikings entered the first 2023 NFL preseason game planning to show off Chandler. The 2022 first-round pick, who missed most of his rookie season due to a thumb injury, took a hands-on approach from the beginning. He played 78.4% of the first-half snaps, generating 70 scrimmage yards on 15 touches – 11 carries for 41 yards, four catches for 29 yards.

Behind solid blocking, Chandler showed he could move north-south, and patience following blocks turned out well. Pass-catching ability will help the Vikings score more snaps in the regular season. With Alexander Mattison in line to take over the starting role following the departure of Dalvin Cook, the question going into preseason was how the rest of the committee would shake out. Ty made his case emphatically in Seattle.

Jane Njoku

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