NHL free agency officially opened at noon ET Tuesday, but general managers had been busy whittling down the list beforehand.

Gone was top target Mitch Marner, who headed to the Vegas Golden Knights after a sign-and-trade deal Monday. Florida Panthers general manager Bill Zito reached deals with Aaron Ekblad and Brad Marchand, three days after signing playoff MVP Sam Bennett, giving his team a chance at another title.

In a bit of a surprise, Brock Boeser stayed with the Vancouver Canucks as the clock hit noon ET on Tuesday.

But there were other impactful players out there. Mikael Granlund signed with the Anaheim Ducks and Vladislav Gavrikov signed with the New York Rangers, who traded defenseman K’Andre Miller to the Carolina Hurricanes.

Day 2 featured Pius Suter finding a new team but Nikolaj Ehlers still not making his decision.

Follow along as USA TODAY tracks signings and trades after July 1:

Jets sign Gustav Nyquist

Nyquist landed a one-year, $3.25 million contract. He had 28 points in 79 games between the Minnesota Wild and Nashville Predators last season but had a 75-point season in 2023-24. The Jets are losing Ehlers in free agency.

Islanders sign Maxim Shabanov, Emil Heineman

The Islanders signed Kontinental Hockey League forward Shabanov, 24, to a one-year entry-level deal. He averaged more than a point a game last season with Chelyabinsk and had 25 goals the season before. The Islanders also signed Heineman, acquired in the Noah Dobson trade, to a two-year contract.

Blues sign Pius Suter

The forward will average $4.125 million over two years. Suter set career highs with 25 goals and 46 points in 2024-25 with the Canucks while tying his career best of 21 assists.

Penguins sign Anthony Mantha and others

The Penguins have signed forwards Anthony Mantha ($2.5 million) and Rafael Harvey-Pinard ($775,000) to one-year contracts. Mantha was limited to 13 games in 2024-25 because of ACL surgery.

Connor Bedard, Blackhawks talking extension

Bedard, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2023 draft, and the Blackhawks are talking about an extension. He’s eligible for one because he’s entering the final year of his contract.

“I probably don’t want to get too far into it, but we are talking,” Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson said, according to NHL.com. “So, I think that’s an indicator of an openness to discuss. He made his thoughts very clear at the end of the season and subsequently in other interviews, that he’s committed to Chicago and wants to be here long-term and we obviously want him here long-term, so there’s mutual agreement there.”

Bedard won rookie of the year in 2023-24 and has 45 goals and 123 points through 150 games over two seasons.

July 1 signings

Oilers sign Andrew Mangiapane

He’ll average $3.6 million in the two-year deal. The Oilers needed scoring depth after trading Viktor Arvidsson. Arvidsson did score 35 goals in 2021-22, though mostly he’s in the 14 to 18 range, including 14 this past season with the Capitals. The Oilers got to see Mangiapane a lot when he played for the Flames from 2017-24.

Hurricanes sign K’Andre Miller after trade with Rangers

The Hurricanes signed defenseman K’Andre Miller to an eight-year deal with a $7.5 million cap hit after acquiring him in a trade with the Rangers. Carolina gives up defenseman Scott Morrow, a conditional first-round pick and Carolina’s 2026 second-rounder in the trade. The Rangers dealt Miller, 25, to free up the space to sign top free agent defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov.

Miller gives the Hurricanes a young defenseman for their roster with Dmitry Orlov and Brent Burns hitting free agency. ‘Right now, I do not anticipate either of them being back with us,’ general manager Eric Tulsky said. ‘Obviously that could change with one phone call.’

The Hurricanes also signed free agent defenseman Mike Reilly to a one-year, $1.1 million deal. He played for the Islanders last season.

Rangers re-sign Will Cuylle

New York locked up its top restricted free-agent priority to a two-year, $7.8 million deal on July 1, as first reported by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. It will carry an average annual value of $3.9 million. Cuylle’s coming off a sophomore NHL season in which he scored 20 goals while breaking the franchise’s single-season record with 301 hits. – Vince Z. Mercogliano, lohud.com

Sharks sign John Klingberg

The veteran defenseman gets a one-year, $4 million deal. He had played for the Oilers last season, suiting up for 19 playoff games and four in the final. The Sharks also signed forwards Philip Kurashev (one year, $1.2 million) and Adam Gaudette (two years, $2 million average) and traded for goalie Alex Nedeljkovic.

Devils sign Evgenii Dadonov

He’ll get a one-year, $1 million deal that could grow with bonuses. He’s coming off a 20-goal season in Dallas, but his ice time shrank in the playoffs.

Stars sign Radek Faksa

His three-year deal will average $2 million. Faksa played his entire career in Dallas, except for 2024-25, when the depth forward played for the Blues. He won 57% of his faceoffs this past season and he kills penalties. The Stars also are bringing back forward Colin Blackwell on a two-year deal with a $775,000 cap hit.

Mammoth sign Vitek Vanecek

The goalie signs a one-year, $1.5 million contract. He split time between San Jose and Florida last season, getting to lift the Stanley Cup. Utah backup goalie Connor Ingram is out indefinitely after entering the NHL/NHLPA Players Assistance Program.

Ducks sign Mikael Granlund

He gets a three-year deal, with a reported $7 million cap hit. Granlund played on an all-Finland in Dallas after arriving in a trade, but the Stars didn’t have the cap room to keep him. The Ducks continue to be aggressive in trying to get back to the playoffs after earlier trading for Chris Kreider.

Wild sign Nico Sturm

He’ll average $2 million in the two-year deal. Sturm is strong on faceoffs and kills penalties. He spilt time the past between the Sharks and Panthers, winning a Stanley Cup with Florida. He started his career in Minnesota.

Islanders sign Jonathan Drouin

He gets a two-year contract with a reported $4 million average. He averaged 0.76 points per game in two seasons in Colorado but missed nearly half of the 2024-25 season.

Devils sign Connor Brown

He’ll average $3 million in the four-year deal. Brown has reached the Stanley Cup Final the past two seasons with the Oilers. He can move up and down the lineup and teams appreciate that versatility.

Mammoth sign Brandon Tanev

He’ll average $2.5 million in the three-year contract. The forward is fast, kills penalties and has the league’s best team head shots.

Red Wings sign James van Riemsdyk

The forward gets a one-year, $1 million contract. His 16 goals this past season were his most since 2021-22.

Kings sign two defensemen, goaltender

Defenseman Cody Ceci (four years, $4.5 million average) and Brian Dumoulin (three years, $4 million average) will fill the roster spots of Vladislav Gavrikov (signed by Rangers) and Jordan Spence (traded to Senators). Goalie Anton Forsberg gets two years at a $2.25 million cap hit. Kings goalie David Rittich signed a free agent deal with the Islanders.

Kings sign Corey Perry, Joel Armia

Perry, 40, had 10 playoff goals during the Oilers’ run to the Stanley Cup Final. He has been to the final five times in the last six seasons, losing all five (he won in 2007). But for a Kings team that has lost four years to the Oilers. they’ll gladly accept a player who regularly gets past the first round and more. Armia is a penalty killing forward with 17 career short-handed goals.

Perry gets a one-year, $2 million contract and can earn other $2 million in bonuses. Armia averages $2.5 million his two-year deal.

Mammoth sign Nate Schmidt

The defenseman will average $3.5 million in the three-year deal. Schmidt had been bought out in Winnipeg last summer and joined coach Paul Maurice in Florida, where he played a key role in the Stanley Cup run. The Mammoth were in need of a defenseman after trading Michael Kesselring to the Sabres. The Mammoth also signed defenseman Scott Perunovich and forward Kailer Yamamoto to one-year, two-way deals.

Blackhawks acquire Sam Lafferty from Sabres

The forward is returning after previously playing in Chicago for parts of two seasons. He struggled in Buffalo with seven points in 60 games. The Sabres get a 2026 sixth-round pick in return.

Kraken sign Ryan Lindgren

The defenseman will average $4.5 million over four years. He kills penalties and is known for putting his body on the line, but that takes its toll. The team later signed goalie Matt Murray to a one-year, $1 million contract.

Flyers sign Christian Dvorak

He’ll get $5.4 million in the one-year deal. He kills penalties and wins faceoffs. The Flyers ranked 20th in penalty killing and were just below 50% in faceoff winning percentage.

Sharks give William Eklund contract extension

The three-year deal, starting in 2026-27, will average $5.6 million. He finished second on the Sharks this past season with 58 points. His brother, Victor, was just drafted by the Islanders.

Bruins sign Tanner Jeannot, per reports

He’ll average $3.4 million in the five-year contract, per reports. Jeannot is a rugged forward with 211 hits in each of the past two seasons. He scored 24 goals in his second season but hasn’t had more than seven goals since.

Rangers sign Vladislav Gavrikov, per report

He’ll average $7 million over seven year, according to multiple reports. He was the top defensive defenseman in the free agent pool and can slot in next to Adam Fox. The Rangers needed shoring up defensively and Gavrikov (140 blocked shots) will fill that role. He also had 30 points, second best in his career. Does this mean K’Andre Miller gets moved out?

Flyers sign goalie Dan Vladar

He’ll average $3.35 million in the two-year deal. Goaltender was an issue with the Flyers last season, and Vladar will make sure that Samuel Ersson has a steady backup.

Capitals extend Martin Fehervary

He’ll average $6 million in the seven-year extension that kicks in during the 2026-27 season. He had career highs with 20 assists and 25 points this past season.

Avalanche re-sign Parker Kelly

He’ll get four years at a reported $1.7 million average.

Canucks re-sign Brock Boeser

He’s staying with a seven-year deal worth $7.25 million a year. That’s key for the Canucks after he scored 40 goals two seasons ago. His agent, Ben Hankinson, posted that the deal was reached ‘in the final minutes, really, did you expect him to sign anywhere else?’

Free agency officially open

It’s noon and teams can officially pursue players on other teams.

Bruins-Oilers trade

The Bruins acquire forward Viktor Arvidsson from the Oilers for a 2027 fifth-round draft pick, Arvidsson had signed a two-year deal with Edmonton last season and did not work out. He was in and out of the lineup in the playoffs. But he did score 26 goals two seasons ago and could fill a middle-six role in Boston. Edmonton saves $4 million in cap space.

Canadiens-Blues trade

The Canadiens acquire forward Zack Bolduc for defenseman Logan Mailloux. Bolduc adds secondary scoring after scoring 19 goals and 36 points in his first full season. Mailloux, who was taken in the first round of the 2021 draft despite asking not to be drafted, has played eight NHL games. The Canadiens recently acquired Noah Dobson, who fills the role of offensive defenseman.

Jake Allen staying with Devils

He’ll average $1.8 million over five years and will remain in a tandem with Jacob Markstrom. That will disappoint teams that may have been looking for a goalie. He was the top netminder out there.

Islanders re-sign Tony DeAngelo

The defenseman gets a one-year deal worth a reported $1.75 million. His offensive role will grow with the Islanders trading Noah Dobson to the Canadiens.

Hurricanes’ Logan Stankoven gets extension

He’ll average $6 million in the eight-year deal. Stankoven, 22, was the key return when the Hurricanes traded Mikko Rantanen to the Stars. He scored five game-winning goals last season. The contract kicks in during the 2026-27 season.

Panthers sign Daniil Tarasov

The goalie, recently acquired from the Blue Jackets, will get one year at $1.05 million, according to reports.

Canucks sign Thatcher Demko, Conor Garland to extensions

Demko will average $8.5 million in his three-year contract and Garland will average $6 million in his six-year contract. Both deals will take effect in 2026-27. Demko has dealt with injuries but was a Vezina Trophy runner-up in 2023-24. Garland is a two-time 50-point scorer.

Panthers re-sign Tomas Nosek

He’ll get one year at $775,000. Nosek joined the lineup with the Panthers down 2-0 to the Maple Leafs in the second round. The new-look fourth line helped lead the Panthers’ comeback and the team rallied around Nosek after his overtime delay of game penalty proved costly in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final. The Panthers have all 12 forwards from their clinching game under contract.

Maple Leafs announce Matthew Knies deal

He’ll get six years at a reported $7.75 million per year. Knies, a restricted agent, played on the top line with Auston Matthews and just-departed Mitch Marner. He had a career-best 29 goals, 29 assists and 58 points.

Golden Knights make Mitch Marner deal official

The Golden Knights officially announced the Mitch Marner deal on July 1. He was acquired from the Maple Leafs for center Nicolas Roy and will get an eight-year, $96 million contract. The $12 million average makes him Vegas’ top-paid player ahead of Jack Eichel ($10 million). Marner will wear No. 93, his junior hockey number with the Ontario Hockey League’s London Knights.

Best remaining NHL free agents

What time does NHL free agency open?

NHL free agency signing period officially begins at noon ET Tuesday.

Sauce Gardner is ready to soar into a new tax bracket with the New York Jets.

The All-Pro cornerback appeared on ‘The Pat McAfee Show’ on Wednesday, where he addressed his contract situation and called the talks ‘productive’ thus far.

‘We have our goals, in terms of numbers and stuff like that, and the Jets are aware of that,’ Gardner said. ‘And I’m aware of the rest of my peers, like [Jaycee Horn], [Derek Stingley Jr.], even [Patrick Surtain II] got paid, obviously before me, but those are all guys that are well-deserving of the money that they got. It’s definitely something that my team and the Jets are talking about.’

It’s a market that has gained momentum in recent years, with Stingley catapulting to the top with a three-year, $90 million deal from the Houston Texans. Gardner is considered to be someone who could, and probably will, surpass his fellow 2022 NFL Draft classmate as the highest-paid cornerback in terms of average annual value (AAV).

The Jets opened contract talks with Gardner and Garrett Wilson earlier this offseason.

Both players reported to offseason activities, electing to participate rather than force the issue for a new deal. As Gardner indicated, it was important for him to be at minicamp.

‘Man, I just wanted to show my teammates, show my coaches how much I’m bought into this now,’ Gardner told reporters on June 12. ‘I want to win. I want to change the organization. I want to be a part of changing the organization.’

Gardner has continued to be unfazed by the negotiations, maintaining his focus on the activities on the field.

‘My main focus has been being the best football player I can be, but my team and the Jets have been talking and, you know, I feel pretty good about how the talks have been going,’ Gardner added at the time.

And the star cornerback also seems happy with the work that has taken place on the field as well. When asked by McAfee about the coaching staff and, specifically, new head coach Aaron Glenn, Gardner had good things to say.

‘I’m impressed,’ Gardner said of Glenn and the new coaching staff. ‘Obviously I love defensive-minded head coaches, but the thing that sets him apart is he knows so much about offense as well, so much about special teams. And him, just as a person, he wanna get the best out of you.’

Given Glenn’s experience playing cornerback for the Jets, the new coach is in a unique position to guide Gardner to new heights.

The contract figures to be a foregone conclusion, barring any unexpected bumps in the road – meaning it’s a matter of when, not if. Gardner’s rookie deal still has two years remaining on it after the team picked up his fifth-year option, according to Spotrac. He carries a cap hit of $10.6 million for 2025 and $20.1 million for 2026.

Gardner has been patient and taken the road less traveled in this negotiation.

It appears that it will pay off in a big way sooner rather than later.

Rashod Bateman is set to remain with the Baltimore Ravens long-term after inking a three-year, $36.75 million contract extension with the team during the 2025 NFL offseason.

However, Bateman acknowledged his return to Baltimore wasn’t always a sure thing. In fact, there was a time the 25-year-old wide receiver believed he might be traded to the Dallas Cowboys.

‘I went through a lot of things with the Cowboys and all of that with my contract,’ Bateman told The Athletic. ‘There was a time when I didn’t know what was going to happen.’

Bateman’s uncertainty stemmed from an understanding the Ravens had other key players they wanted to re-sign. Knowing that, he delivered a clear message to Baltimore general manager Eric DeCosta.

‘That’s the first thing I told him: I don’t want to go anywhere else. ‘I know you’ve got a lot of stuff to work through and we’ll figure it out when we figure it out,” Bateman said of his conversation with DeCosta. ‘It took time, but it takes time with a lot of people’s contracts. He had a lot of contracts to get done, and maybe more to get done in the future.’

DeCosta worked through some of those priorities, notably signing star running back Derrick Henry to a two-year extension worth up to $30 million. Once that was completed, the Ravens shifted their focus to Bateman, who signed his three-year extension less than a month after Henry’s new deal was finalized.

Bateman praised DeCosta for prioritizing him even during an offseason where Baltimore is exploring another long-term contract with two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson.

‘To be a priority for him in that way is important,’ Bateman said of DeCosta. ‘He shows he values me.’

Still, Bateman is aware things could have played out differently, given he was on Dallas’ radar during an offseason in which the Cowboys traded for George Pickens.

‘(The Cowboys talks) were a thing, for sure. It was a possibility. I don’t want to deny that,’ Bateman said. ‘But you know, DeCosta, he’s always making magic work, and he made it work. And I’m thankful for that.’

Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt has been the subject of conflicting trade rumors as the offseason wears on.

Watt, 30, is set to enter the final year of the four-year, $112 million contract extension he signed in 2021. In early June, the four-time All-Pro sat out of the Steelers’ mandatory veteran minicamp in an attempt to push his team to the negotiating table.

For now, Watt remains without a contract extension.

So as the Steelers’ offseason strategy progressed with a blockbuster trade on Monday, teams around the league began to wonder if a trade for Watt, their star edge rusher, was possible.

Here’s what we know:

T.J. Watt contract

Length: Four years
Total value: $112 million
Average annual value (AAV): $28 million

Watt signed his most recent contract extension in 2021, and 2025 is the last season of the four-year deal.

The overall value of Watt’s current contract ranks fifth among NFL edge rushers. Nick Bosa, Myles Garrett, Joshua Hines-Allen and Brian Burns are all playing on more lucrative overall deals.

In terms of AAV, Watt is the seventh highest-paid edge rusher per year. All five of the aforementioned edge rushers are above him as well as Texans pass-rusher Danielle Hunter on his one-year, $35.6 million deal and the Raiders’ Maxx Crosby making $35.5 million per year for three years.

Crosby and Garrett signed massive extensions earlier in the offseason. Crosby’s deal reset the edge rusher market first, then Garrett’s extension pushed it even further with its $40 million-per-year average over four years.

T.J. Watt trade rumors

ESPN reported Monday that ‘multiple teams’ have discussed making a move for Watt after the Steelers traded safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and a 2027 fifth-round pick for cornerback Jalen Ramsey and tight end Jonnu Smith.

With Ramsey getting a pay bump in 2025 and Smith getting a one-year extension as part of the trade, other teams wondered if the Steelers might have been gearing up to move their star pass-rusher. As Watt remains without an extension and his holdout continues, trade speculation will likely only continue to grow.

However, ESPN also reported that ‘the Steelers are adamant they want Watt to finish his career in Pittsburgh.’

Will the Steelers trade T.J. Watt?

Both ESPN and NFL Network reported that the Steelers don’t want to trade their four-time All-Pro edge rusher.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the team is ‘adamant’ to keep Watt in Pittsburgh for the rest of his career. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported that the Steelers ‘have no interest’ in moving on from the seven-time Pro Bowler.

It remains to be seen whether another team can provide an offer the Steelers can’t refuse while also having the capability to give Watt the extension he seeks.

T.J. Watt career earnings

According to Spotrac, Watt has made $110.9 million in his eight-year career so far. With the $21.05 million he’s set to make in 2025, that number will jump to over $131.9 million after this season.

T.J. Watt stats

Watt has played his entire career for the Steelers. Here’s how his stats looked last year as well as his career totals through eight seasons:

2024

Tackles: 61
Tackles for a loss: 19
Sacks: 11.5
Forced fumbles: 6 (led the league)
Passes defensed: 4

Career

Tackles: 462
Tackles for a loss: 126
Sacks: 108
Forced fumbles: 33
Passes defensed: 49
Interceptions: 7

Watt won the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2021. He’s also on an active Pro Bowl streak of seven straight seasons and has earned four All-Pro nods in his eight-year career.

The Atlanta Braves’ nightmare season has no end in sight, and the latest blow might be too much to overcome.

Spencer Schwellenbach, who grew into an ace role with Atlanta after injuries to Spencer Strider and Chris Sale, will be out until at least September with a fracture in his right elbow.

Schwellenbach, 25, was a good bet to earn inclusion on his first All-Star team after a first half that saw him post a 3.09 ERA in 17 starts and rank third in the National League in WHIP (0.97). But Schwellenbach felt soreness after his most recent start against the Philadelphia Phillies, and imaging revealed a small fracture in his elbow.

The timing is almost too much to be believed: Atlanta’s season went sideways before April when outfielder Jurickson Profar earned an 80-game suspension for a PED violation just days into his three-year, $42 million contract. Profar’s suspension expired this week and he is set to be activated for the July 2 game against the Los Angeles Angels.

Meanwhile, Sale, the defending NL Cy Young Award winner, is out indefinitely with a fractured rib cage suffered two weeks ago. Strider completed a 12-month rehab from Tommy John elbow surgery, made one start and then missed five more weeks with a hamstring injury.

‘Sale went down,’ Schwellenbach told reporters in Atlanta, ‘and as a staff we knew we had to pick things up and now this happens and I feel horrible. I set a goal for myself to throw a bunch of innings and it just sucks.”

Add it up, and the Braves are 38-46 entering play July 2, in fourth place in the NL East and seven games behind first-place Philadelphia.

At stake: Atlanta’s seven-year streak of playoff appearances, which includes six division titles and a 2021 World Series crown. While their deficits aren’t insurmountable, their rotation thins out very quickly after Strider, with Grant Holmes bumped to the No. 2 spot and rookie Didier Fuentes – who has a 10.80 ERA in two starts – suddenly a significant piece of it. Additionally, veteran Bryce Elder is supposed to be depth, but instead has been forced to make 13 starts, posting a 5.82 ERA.

Schwellenbach was a second-round pick in 2021 by Atlanta.

A 12-person Manhattan jury delivered a split verdict Wednesday in the case of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, who was found guilty of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution but was acquitted on the top charge of racketeering and both sex trafficking counts.

The verdict came after allegations of sexual assault and trafficking started mounting against the music mogul following a bombshell lawsuit from his former girlfriend of a decade, Casandra ‘Cassie’ Ventura Fine, who provided devastating testimony during the trial that began May 5 in Combs’ hometown of New York City.

It wasn’t long ago that Combs attempted to join one of the most exclusive clubs in American society: NFL ownership. Here’s a look back at Diddy’s dalliance with ‘The Shield.’

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs wanted to buy Carolina Panthers

Combs first voiced his desire to buy the Carolina Panthers via social media in December 2017. The Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry responded that he wanted to be a part of the ownership group.

Combs’ ownership push came amid the Colin Kaepernick protests that he inspired across the league. In May 2018, however, owners unanimously approved a new national anthem policy that requires players to stand if they are on the field during the performance and extinguished Combs’ desire to own a team, apparently.

‘Man, I really wanted to go in there and be a part of the NFL and try to be a positive change,’ Combs said, via Billboard. ‘This last move, though, I don’t even want to own an NFL team no more.’

The team eventually went to David Tepper.

During an appearance with ‘The Breakfast Club’ following his failed attempt to buy the team, Combs said:

“It was never about me buying the Panthers. It was always about ‘we.’ It was always about ‘we’ need a team,” he said. “I jumped out there to make sure that they understood that they have to consider some Black ownership right now with 80%, 70% of the league being African American. It’s just time.”

Robert Kraft wanted Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs to own NFL team

During a run-in with gossip website TMZ, Patriots owner Robert Kraft voiced his support for Combs when asked about the prospect of the 55-year-old buying into the league.

‘I hope so,’ he told TMZ Sports. ‘I’m a big fan of his.’

Combs later told TMZ that ‘it’s time’ for him to own a team.

PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola remains on track with his rehab process.

That latest step towards the mound for the veteran, who has been out since May 16, has taken place across the last few days at Citizens Bank Park with agility work and throwing on the ground in the outfield ahead of each game of the Phillies’ three-game series vs. the San Diego Padres.

‘It’s going smooth so far,’ Nola told USA TODAY Sports. ‘I’ve thrown probably seven times, no problems. Haven’t really gotten on it super hard yet. Hoping today goes well again and having tomorrow off to recover and back at it on Friday. It is going smoothly.’

Prior to his stint on the injured list on May 16, Nola was in an uncharacteristic rut for the Phillies, who signed him to a new seven-year, $172 million dollar contract in 2023. In nine starts this season, Nola had a 1-7 record with a career-high 6.16 ERA in 49 ⅔ innings pitched.

The Phillies entered Wednesday, July 2 with a two-game lead over the New York Mets in the National League East.

Here’s the latest updates on Nola’s injury and when the Phillies might expect their All-Star right-hander back:

Aaron Nola injury update

Nola went on the injured list for the first time — for a non-COVID injury — since 2017, on May 16 with a right ankle sprain that he sustained while doing agility work ahead of a May 9 road start vs. the Cleveland Guardians.

He pitched with the injured ankle vs. the Guardians and then again on May 14 against the St. Louis Cardinals, two starts in which he’d give up a combined 13 runs on 18 hits and five home runs.

‘I’m just blessed that it’s nothing season-ending or anything huge. But yeah, it’s been a while obviously since we’ve been on the [IL], but it’s part of baseball,’ Nola said, on the injured list for a lengthy period for the first time in his career. ‘A little speed bump that I got to get over and I believe I’m going to get over it and hopefully come back strong and have a fresh arm hopefully.’

Nola said over the last few days, he has been able to continue doing some running and agility work in the outfield, along with getting some tossing in. As for how his arm has responded to the throwing, Nola said it’s ‘feeling good.’ He also said his stress-fractured rib cage is progressing well.

‘We’re doing a good job of planning everything out and I’ve been feeling good every time I’ve thrown. I’m not trying to push it too quickly because I don’t want any setbacks,’ Nola said. ‘Obviously have some days that are a little sore just in the arm because we’re not throwing for three weeks, but that’s just normal.’

He was scheduled to run and toss a bit ahead of Game 1 of the Phillies’ doubleheader vs. the Padres on July 2, and then throw again in two days, where he hopes to get back near the mound.

‘Just to throw a couple up off the mound to feel the slope and feel the push off with my ankle and stuff like that since I haven’t been (doing that) in a little while,’ Nola said. ‘That’s kind of the progression right now.’

In his pregame availability with the media on July 2, Phillies manager Rob Thomson said the hope is to get Nola on the mound for a full bullpen session by the end of the weekend. Thomson also said that once Nola begins to ramp up his throwing program, the Phillies will treat it like a second spring training.

‘I’d say pretty close, yeah, starting over really,’ Thomson said.

Nola reiterated that plan, building up to bullpen sessions on the mound and then getting a few rehab starts — maybe two or three — to get his pitch count up. He additionally said he’s still hopeful for a target date of late July, early August, though he couldn’t tell ‘a date or a week’ for that return.

‘Honestly, trying to take it day by day and pushing the envelope just a little bit more every day I throw and run and work out,’ Nola said. ‘That’s kind of the way it’s going right now.’

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.