Raptors: OG Anunoby injury comes at worst possible time

Raptors: OG Anunoby injury comes at worst possible time

The Toronto Raptors are fighting as hard as they can to make sure that they can stay alive in the Eastern Conference. Despite going into their matchup against the Golden State Warriors relatively healthy, the latest OG Anunoby injury update sandblasted all of their positive vibes away. Anunoby was fouled hard while going up for […]
Raptors: OG Anunoby injury comes at worst possible time – Raptors Rapture – Raptors Rapture – A Toronto Raptors Fan Site – News, Blogs, Opinion and More

Read More

Author: Mike Luciano / Raptors HQ

The Blue Jays sign five players to minor league deals with invites to spring training, including 2015 opening day starter Drew Hutchison

It’s hard to believe that pitchers and catchers will be reporting to Florida in just a few short weeks.

Today, the Blue Jays Twitter account announced that they’ve signed five players to minor league deals, with an invite to spring training.

OFFICIAL: We’ve signed the following free agents to Minor League deals with invites to Spring Training. pic.twitter.com/t9bE8koWTM
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) January 6, 2023

There were already a couple of players that we were aware of. You can read my deep dive on right-handed pitcher Julián Fernández here. The skinny is that he throws hard, has a nice changeup, but struggles with control and command. Furthermore, right-handed pitcher Casey Lawrence was on the 40-man roster last season, before being outrighted around the start of free agency. You can read his article here.
So what about Paul Fry, Drew Hutchison, and Rob Brantly?
Paul Fry:
The Seattle Mariners drafted the left-hander back in the 17th round of the 2013 draft, but he made his debut for the Baltimore Orioles in 2018. He spent parts of five seasons with the bad birds of the AL East, posting a career 4.82 ERA and 4.02 FIP in 177.1 innings pitched. He also has a career 24.6 K% and 12.3 BB% while sitting in the low 90s.
Fry’s best season came in the plague year, where he posted a .245 ERA and 3.69 FIP in 22 innings pitched. The 30-year-old also had a 29.6 K% and 9.2 BB%, a career best in both those numbers. He struggled with his ERA in 2021 (3.93 FIP that year), before once again having issues in 2022.

Paul Fry, Nasty 86mph Slider. 🍟🍔😨 pic.twitter.com/aXFnKSkGSK
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 11, 2021

Last season, he posted a 6.23 ERA and 4.50 FIP in 13 innings pitched (one with the Arizona Diamondbacks). Fry’s K% dropped from 27.9% in 2021 to 23% this season as well.
He has options and has shown to be able to get batters out, so this is a nice pickup.
Rob Brantly:
The definition of a depth catcher for Triple-A, the 33-year-old Brantly has spent the past two seasons in the New York Yankees organization, registering 24 plate appearances. For his career, he has a .225/.287/.326 slash line with seven homers in …

Read More

Author: Brennan Delaney / Blue Jays Nation

Maple Leafs depth at centre could be a cause for concern if an injury occurs

Maple Leafs depth at centre could be a cause for concern if an injury occurs

The injury bug has hit the Maple Leafs hard early this season, but they’ve been lucky that their centremen have stayed healthy.
Auston Matthews and John Tavares are two players who I’d consider to be number one centre’s on any NHL team. Though after that, the skill down the middle for Toronto drops off a cliff.
And that’s something they’re going to need to address by the trade deadline.
The Maple Leafs entered the season with a vacancy at fourth line centre, with plenty of players auditioning for the role. In a perfect world, I believe Toronto would love to have David Kämpf play that part. But for now, it’s Pontus Holmberg.
It’s not the worst thing in world to have the 23-year-old rookie as your fourth line centre, especially when he’s playing the way he is. Holmberg has earned everything that he’s been given in the first 13 games by Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe.
But what happens if there’s an injury at that position?
Toronto has been playing incredible with the amount of injuries they’ve had this season. Their defence, in particular, had a hell of a stretch with players like T.J. Brodie, J …

Read More

Author: Nick Barden / The Leafs Nation

3 awesome Raptors Media Day quotes you may have missed

3 awesome Raptors Media Day quotes you may have missed

For a team that has built an ethos around hard work when no one else is watching and not giving opposing teams anything to hold onto with flamboyant quotes, Masai Ujiri and the Toronto Raptors uncorked quite a few noisemaking quotes during their annual Media Day exercises. While many of the big names gave fairly […]
3 awesome Raptors Media Day quotes you may have missed – Raptors Rapture – Raptors Rapture – A Toronto Raptors Fan Site – News, Blogs, Opinion and More

Read More

Author: Mike Luciano / Raptors HQ

‘I’m not going to let Canada tell me what I do:’ Philadelphia Phillies C J.T. Realmuto on being unvaccinated, missing series against Toronto Blue Jays

Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto has drawn a hard line in the sand. He’s not going to let Canada tell him what to do.

The veteran will be missing the Phillies’ two-game series against the Jays on Tuesday and Wednesday, because he isn’t vaccinated against COVID-19.

J.T. Realmuto said he consulted with doctors he knew and decided he did not need a COVID vaccine. He will forfeit close to $260,000. “I’m not going to let Canada tell me what I do and don’t put in my body for a little bit of money,” Realmuto said. “It’s just not worth it.”
— Matt Gelb (@MattGelb) July 12, 2022

J.T. Realmuto on not being able to join the Phillies in Toronto due to his vaccination status: pic.twitter.com/7suM66OYaB
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) July 12, 2022

“I’m not going to let Canada tell me what I do and don’t put in my body for a little bit of money,” Realmuto said. “It’s just not worth it.”
Realmuto, as well as teammate 3B Alec Bohm, and starters Aaron Nola and Kyle Gibson. He was questioned by reporters Monday night after the Phillies dropped a 6-1 decision to the St. Louis Cardinals.
Consistently, we’ve heard the same ol’ narrative that the Toronto Blue Jays are at some kind of advantage through teams’ inabilities to bring unvaccinated players to play at Rogers Centre. But truth be told, it’s a two-way street. The U.S. still doesn’t allow unvaccinated people into their country.
Realmuto is one of the Phillies better players. He’s been consistently hitting fifth in the lineup and is slashing .236/.310/.369 with seven dingers on the season
The Phillies are going with a bullpen game Tuesday to kick off a quick, two-game series.
Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach@oilersnation.com.
POINTSBET IS LIVE IN ONTARIO
PointsBet is live in Ontario. Get …

Read More

Author: Zach Laing / Blue Jays Nation

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson rips Chris Broussard’s silly Raptors take

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson rips Chris Broussard’s silly Raptors take

The Toronto Raptors are going hard after Kevin Durant in trade talks, as his fit with Toronto could be a match made in basketball heaven. While most prognosticators seem to be in on the fit and the package the Nets could receive, consider Chris Broussard skeptical. He came under fire for his comments about the […]
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson rips Chris Broussard’s silly Raptors take – Raptors Rapture – Raptors Rapture – A Toronto Raptors Fan Site – News, Blogs, Opinion and More

Read More

Author: Mike Luciano / Raptors HQ