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Tee Up with Brent Lale: July 23

Tee Up with Brent Lale: July 23

CTV News5 days ago
London Watch
Catch up on this week's top local sports stories with CTV News London's Brent Lale.
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Join CBC at the Vancouver Rise FC game on Aug. 2
Join CBC at the Vancouver Rise FC game on Aug. 2

CBC

time24 minutes ago

  • CBC

Join CBC at the Vancouver Rise FC game on Aug. 2

Celebrate the exciting inaugural season of the Northern Super League, Canada's first women's professional soccer club. Enjoy an action-packed evening with CBC and the Northern Super League's Vancouver Rise FC on Saturday, Aug. 2. We're teaming up for a night of thrilling soccer, awesome prizes and community fun. Stop by the CBC tent just inside Swangard Stadium starting at 3 p.m. to kick off the excitement. What's happening at the CBC tent: Win some exciting CBC swag! Come on down for an evening of soccer, entertainment and community spirit with CBC and the Vancouver Rise FC.

MLB-leading Toronto Blue Jays will be buyers at Thursday's trade deadline
MLB-leading Toronto Blue Jays will be buyers at Thursday's trade deadline

CTV News

time36 minutes ago

  • CTV News

MLB-leading Toronto Blue Jays will be buyers at Thursday's trade deadline

Toronto Blue Jays' Addison Barger (47) celebrates a solo home run with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (right) against the New York Yankees during fifth inning MLB baseball action, in Toronto on Thursday, July 3, 2025. The Toronto Blue Jays are the best team in baseball with a 63-43 record heading into Monday night's game in Baltimore against the Orioles. According to that gives Toronto a 97.3 per cent chance of making the post-season and an 8.6 per cent shot at winning the World Series. Major League Baseball's trade deadline is Thursday at 6 p.m. ET and, with the Blue Jays in a great position to win the American League East, they are expected to be buyers as they try to gear up for a deep post-season run. Here are five things to consider heading into the deadline: PAST PRECEDENT Some of the best teams in Blue Jays' history took shape at (or in one case, slightly after) the trade deadline. Mookie Wilson (1989), David Cone (1992), Rickey Henderson (1993), Edwin Encarnacion (2009) and David Price (2015) all had various degrees of success in Toronto after joining the team via trade midseason. Notably, Cone — who was dealt by the New York Mets to Toronto in August after the non-waiver trading deadline — was instrumental in the Blue Jays 1992 post-season run, pitching four games in the playoffs. He earned no decisions in Games 2 and 6 of Toronto's first World Series championship. Henderson struggled after breaking his hand early on in his tenure in Toronto but was on base when Joe Carter hit his walk-off home run to win the 1993 World Series. ARMS RACE Although the rotation's core of Jose Berrios, Chris Bassitt and Kevin Gausman have been reliable for most of the year, the Blue Jays' starting pitchers have a collective 4.39 earned-run average, 24th in all of MLB. Eric Lauer — who signed a minor-league deal in December after a season in Korea — has been a pleasant surprise but surefire Hall of Famer Max Scherzer has struggled as inflammation in his right thumb has been a persistent problem. Alek Manoah is building up to return to Toronto's major league roster in August, but if he or Scherzer have a setback, the Blue Jays would value an extra pitcher capable of starting. Possible targets: Sandy Alcantara has told the Miami Marlins that he'd like to be traded and media reports say Toronto is a possible destination. He has muddled to a 5-9 record with a 6.66 ERA so far this season. Media reports also say that the Athletics, temporarily playing in Sacramento, Calif., will be looking to trade some of their veteran starters like lefties JP Sears (4.98 ERA), Jeffrey Springs (4.13 ERA) and righties Osvaldo Bido (5.86 ERA) and Luis Severino (4.95 ERA). SWEET RELIEF Toronto's bullpen has been a strength all season, with a collective 3.66 ERA, seventh best in MLB. The Blue Jays' relievers have a 29-14 win-loss record through Sunday's 10-4 loss to the Tigers in Detroit. Still, bullpen depth is a must-have for any long post-season run and there are still some gaps, like Chad Green. The veteran right-hander has been used sparingly this season as he has struggled to a 4.85 ERA. Potential targets: Pete Fairbanks, the closer for the Tampa Bay Rays the past three seasons, has a 2.84 ERA and 17 saves over 38 innings and has a reasonable US$3.67 million contract this season with a club option for 2026. Felix Bautista has 19 saves and a 2.60 ERA for the Baltimore Orioles this year but as he's on a two-year deal worth $2 million, he'd get the Blue Jays a lot of bang for their buck. SANTAN-DON'T Switch-hitting slugger Anthony Santander, along with Scherzer, was one of the Blue Jays' biggest off-season acquisitions when he signed a five-year, $92.5 million contract on Jan. 20. He's been a disappointment, however, with a .179 batting average, six home runs and 18 RBIs over 50 games before Toronto put him on the injured list on May 30 with left shoulder inflammation. He was then transferred to the 60-day IL on July 4. When he will return and what he can contribute are two unknowns, so another reliable bat could be an asset. Possible targets: St. Louis Cardinals slugger Nolan Arenado could be available but he comes with a hefty price tag: He has two years and $42 million remaining on his contract beyond this season, earning $27 million in 2026 and $15 million in 2027. Arizona Diamondbacks power hitter Eugenio Suarez would also add some pop to Toronto's lineup — he already has 36 home runs this year — and will become a free agent this winter. MINOR THREAT Any trade the Blue Jays make will likely involve one of their prospects. Toronto general manager Ross Atkins has spent the past couple of years restocking the organization's minor-league system, but it will still be a fine line to walk trying to win now but also save for the future. Shortstop Arjun Nimmala is considered the top prospect in the Blue Jays' organization, currently playing for the single-A Vancouver Canadians. It's unlikely that the 19-year-old would be traded as he will be Bo Bichette's replacement if the former all-star gets traded or decides to sign elsewhere when his contract expires this off-season. According to MLB, Toronto's next highest-ranked prospects are all pitchers: right-hander Trey Yesavage (AA), lefty Ricky Tiedemann (AAA), southpaw Johnny King (A) and righty Khal Stephen (AA). This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 28, 2025. John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press

Rider Rumblings Ep 171: Roughriders sit atop the West
Rider Rumblings Ep 171: Roughriders sit atop the West

National Post

timean hour ago

  • National Post

Rider Rumblings Ep 171: Roughriders sit atop the West

The Saskatchewan Roughriders own the top record in the CFL through eight weeks of the season. Article content After a 21-18 victory over the Edmonton Elks on Friday, the Roughriders improved to 6-1 on the year which has them in first place in the West Division. Article content Article content In Episode 171 of the Rider Rumblings podcast, Leader-Post sports editor Taylor Shire and columnist Darrell Davis discuss Saskatchewan's recent victory over the Elks and what still needs to improve. The duo talks about what the Green and White need to do to close out games and why they've been having a tough time doing to lately. Article content This week's podcast also previews the Roughriders' upcoming game this Saturday in Montreal against the Alouettes before the team takes its second bye week of the season. Article content

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