Sometimes going to your happy place makes all the difference.

Kelce made an appearance in Adam Sandler-led golf comedy flick ‘Happy Gilmore 2’ as a restaurant manager who is something of a bully to his subordinate Oscar, played by singer and entertainer Bad Bunny.

Kelce is in a pair of scenes in the movie, but the more notable one features Bad Bunny’s character ‘Oscar’ going to his happy place, in which he slathers honey over a half-naked Kelce, who is tied to a post. Kelce is then left to be devoured by a bear in the fantasy sequence.

Earlier, Kelce chest-bumps Xander Schauffele and Collin Morikawa through a restaurant table.

‘I thought he was tremendous, and could totally be a superstar in acting,’ star Sandler said about Kelce in a recent interview.

The movie also features cameos by some of golf’s biggest stars, past and present, including Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo, Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Justin Thomas and Will Zalatoris.

As far as Netflix producing another comedy hit? Well, Happy Gilmore accomplished that feat no more than an hour ago.

I kept waiting for a besotted, hoodwinked boyfriend to show up at ACC media days.

All I saw was a football coach.

If you’re like me, you followed the breathless offseason coverage of NFL legend turned North Carolina coach Bill Belichick, his relationship with 24-year-old girlfriend Jordon Hudson, and her apparent sway over the veteran coach.

Some even suggested Belichick’s self-described “muse” put him under her spell, like she’s some sort of Svengali who bamboozles her 73-year-old boyfriend.

If you’re like me, you see this situation as a molehill, built into a mountain during the slow news portion of the college football calendar.

When Belichick spoke Thursday at his conference’s media days, he looked and sounded like a college football coach. He spoke to how he spent the offseason “reinforcing the roster.’ North Carolina’s transfer haul that 247Sports ranks as the third-best in the ACC supports this. He explained his excitement for coaching college players, because they’re more receptive to coaching and have formed fewer bad habits than their older NFL counterparts.

Belichick is longer in the tooth than most coaches, but he’s a shade younger than Nick Saban, and, as he spoke to the evolution of the fullback position, he sounded like a man in possession of his wits. Belichick navigated this presser more coherently than a couple of U.S. presidents I’ve observed, anyway.

As for Hudson’s apparent influence over Belichick, I wouldn’t call that a nothing burger. It was strange to see the clout she wielded and roadblocks she erected during that now-infamous interview Belichick gave to CBS, while he attempted to promote his book.

This, though, seems more of a single-patty burger than a gut-busting triple patty, so long as Hudson doesn’t start calling plays or dictating recruiting strategies.

Jordon Hudson influences Bill Belichick’s brand. So what?

Belichick has said Hudson’s place in his life is personal and “doesn’t have anything to do with football.” She’s not employed by the university. She manages activities related to Belichick’s personal brand, and she clearly flexes muscle on his public appearances and messaging.

Belichick is hardly the first coach to acquire an affection for a younger woman, and Hudson, a former cheerleader, is hardly the first WAG to massage her man’s media messaging.

The Athletic obtained and reported on emails Hudson sent to North Carolina’s communications and marketing staff in which she suggested messaging strategies. In those emails, she came off as overbearing, but strategically sound.

I’ve been in plenty of postgame news conferences where a spouse listens intently from the back of the room. I’ve covered a program where the coach’s wife sometimes attended practice.

At North Carolina, wide receiver Jordan Shipp told an ESPN Radio affiliate that Sally Brown, wife of former coach Mack Brown, had an active and visible presence around the program.

Saban occasionally credited his wife, Terry, for her suggestions on his messaging and how he comported himself, and he said she influenced his retirement decision. Terry Saban also helps steer her husband’s kids foundation.

I’m not saying Belichick’s new-to-the-block “muse” will be the next Terry Saban, the ultimate stateswoman of coaches’ spouses.

But, how can we be sure Hudson won’t help Belichick’s public persona?

Mississippi coach Lane Kiffin used to date a 20-something former cheerleader. He still raves about how she positively influenced his worldview.

Belichick, with Hudson’s help, botched the CBS appearance, but it’s not as if the man was loquacious while coaching the New England Patriots. At Thursday’s ACC event, Belichick came off calculated and confident and even mildly humorous.

Belichick survived and thrived operating within the unrelenting spotlight of an east-coast NFL media market. Compared to that, navigating college football media should be a cakewalk. Not a single reporter asked Belichick about Hudson or her involvement with how he operates the Tar Heels during his media days news conference. He fielded nothing but softball questions from the gathered press.

Will Bill Belichick succeed at North Carolina? Talent is the key

Here are the brass tacks. Belichick will succeed at North Carolina if he maintains booster buy-in (meaning NIL dollars) and uses that to assemble and develop a roster capable of contending in the ACC.

I don’t care who you’re dating or how often she interrupts your book-tour interview with CBS, college football is a profession of talent assembly. If Belichick attracts more talent than his peers and develops it well, the Tar Heels should fare OK, as long as he’s checked-in mentally. If he fails to do that, he won’t succeed.

Veteran defensive back Will Hardy described sensing a “new spark” and a “new energy” injected into the program upon Belichick’s hire.

That extends to the fan base. UNC announced that all of its home games are sold out.

Belichick and his staff flipped the roster after inheriting a squad that finished 6-7. UNC’s haul of more than 40 transfers includes capable players from schools like Penn State, Florida, Nebraska and Washington. The Tar Heels also acquired Gio Lopez, a top quarterback from the Group of Five ranks. High school recruiting seems to be going well enough.

Many players transferred out, too. That happens whenever a coaching change occurs.

Those who stayed, and the newcomers who arrived, feel like they have “something to prove,” transfer defensive back Thaddeus Dixon said.

I’d imagine that feeling also applies to a coach who won six Super Bowls guiding the Patriots, before his NFL career fizzled after Tom Brady left his side. He returned to coaching with a muse at his side. So what?

SMU showed it’s possible to quickly climb the ACC’s ladder. The Mustangs made the College Football Playoff in their first season as an ACC member.

With the right coach, UNC could become a playoff contender, too.

Is Belichick the right coach? It’s too soon to wager more than a guess, but I wouldn’t bet against it just because his girlfriend inspires him. I didn’t see a hypnotized codger at media days, only a veteran coach who sounded intent on building a winning program.

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.

On what was a momentous day for WWE, it only made sense for arguably its biggest star ever to appear. It was Jan. 6, the Netflix debut of Raw, and inside of the Intuit Dome, “Real American” hit the speakers.

For nearly 40 years, the song and emergence of Hulk Hogan generated one of the biggest pops in wrestling, getting everybody in the crowd on their feet and rocking.

On this day, people were on their feet, but it was far from a warm welcome. It was booing, drowning out everything coming from the WWE Hall of Famer’s mouth. He thanked the fans for supporting him his entire career. It didn’t change the negative reception.

That wound up being Hogan’s final WWE appearance before his death on July 24. Should it have ended like that? No. But can you blame them? No.

There isn’t a way to measure what Hogan meant to wrestling. It might not be a worldwide phenomenon if it wasn’t for him. He was a real-life Captain America, a larger-than-life inspiration and role model for the youth that if they ate their vegetables, took their vitamins and did the right thing, they too could be a superstar like him. He transcended the wrestling ring and paved the way for people like Dwayne Johnson and John Cena to find careers outside of the business.

If there was a Mount Rushmore of wrestlers — just on their contributions to the business — there’s no doubt Hogan would be there.

But that’s the thing; Hogan’s career can’t be viewed as just what he contributed to wrestling. It has to include the things that tainted his legacy, largely because of himself. 

It’s no secret steroid use was rampant in the early days of WWE. But for years, Hogan denied using performance enhancements. How could the perfect role model cheat his way to the top?

The mystique all came crashing down in 1994, when Hogan testified in United States v. McMahon, under immunity, he did take steroids. His admission came as he saved WWE founder Vince McMahon from prosecution.

It should’ve been known it was the start of decades of countless lies and fabrications. For as big as Hogan was, his ego might’ve been larger. He was constantly feeding lies, trying to make himself look like the greatest thing to walk this planet. Whether it was saying Metallica wanted him as a bassist or MLB teams scouted him, Hogan wasn’t afraid to lie.

It even came at the expense of other wrestlers. He claimed The Undertaker hurt him at Survivor Series 1991, and the eventual WWE Hall of Famer wasn’t fired only because video evidence saved him. 

Those lies within wrestling also came with him flexing the power he gained. Do you remember seeing Hogan lose? It was as rare as him telling the truth. He buried so much talent for his own personal gain, whether it was in WWE or WCW. So many stars left in the clutches of a man that couldn’t envision anyone else being bigger than him. 

If it happened, there was a bus for Hogan to throw them under. It was so common, there’s a meme in the wrestling community when a veteran wrestler beats younger talent, their name becomes (first name) Hogan. What a way to stay relevant.

However, there’s no greater negative impact Hogan had on wrestling than stopping the unionization of it. All Jesse Ventura’s vision needed was Hogan’s support. Instead, Hogan told McMahon of the plans, putting an end to wrestler’s rights and leaving McMahon in the control of WWE.   

All that, and we haven’t even touched what’s happened outside of wrestling.

What happened in 2015 ended any chance of Hogan being remembered in a positive light. The extremely racist rant — all done in a sex tape, mind you — showed not just who Terry Bollea was, but who Hogan is. He admitted in the clip he was racist.

A real American, fighting for the rights of every man? Let me tell you something brother, that’s far from the truth — but that’s just on par for Hogan. 

With a legacy so tarnished, it made sense Hogan decided to go full-send on becoming a mascot for President Donald Trump during the 2024 election. And just in case we forgot about his views, he made sure to openly question former Vice President Kamala Harris’ race and joke about wanting to body slam her, making sure we all knew exactly who he was up until the end.

For those that used to be wrestling fans and remember watching Hogan be remarkable, the news of his death was likely a sad one. Spending time watching old clips, overcoming heels, reminiscing on how cool he was to watch and how ingrained he was in their childhood.

But for those still following wrestling know it’s a complex day that can’t just celebrate and honor Hogan. His final WWE appearance is proof he damaged his reputation so much, it was impossible for him to be known as “the immortal” Hulk Hogan again.

While the chorus of boos rained in the arena and Hogan looking at the crowd for what ended up being the last time, commentator Michael Cole said something undoubtedly true.

“If it wasn’t for Hulk Hogan, we would not be here tonight,” he said.

It’s a shame it can’t be his full lasting legacy.

“Hulkamania” indeed ran wild, and that might have just been the problem.

Thyman Arensman had a flair for the dramatic during the final mountain stage of the 2025 Tour de France.

The Dutch rider passed Tour de France leaders Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard on the final climb up La Plagne in the French Alps to win Stage 19 on Friday, July 25. It was Arensman’s second stage win in less than a week at this year’s Tour de France and occurred on a shorter-than-expected course.

With just two stages left in the 2025 edition of cycling’s biggest event, Pogačar is closing in on his second-straight Tour de France title (and fourth overall) when the riders make their way down the Champs-Élysées in Paris on Sunday for the traditional finale. Here’s a look at the complete stage 19 results and 2025 Tour de France standings after Friday, July 25, as well as what’s coming up this weekend:

Stage 19 results

Here are the final results of the 93.1-kilometer Stage 19 course from Albertville to La Plagne at the 2025 Tour de France on Friday, July 25 (with position, rider, team, time):

Thymen Arensman, Ineos Grenadiers (2 hours, 46 minutes, 6 seconds)
Jonas Vingegaard, Team Visma | Lease a Bike (2:46.08)
Tadej Pogačar, UAE Team Emirates XRG (2:46.08)
Florian Lipowitz, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe (2:46.12)
Oscar Onley, Team Picnic Postnl (2:46.53)
Felix Gall, Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team (2:47.40)
Tobias Johannessen, Uno-X Mobility (2:47.47)
Ben Healy, EF Education-Easypost (2:48.25)
Valentin Paret Peintre, Soudal Quick-Step (2:49.53)
Simon Yates, Team Visma | Lease a Bike (2:50.00)

Tour de France 2025 standings

Tadej Pogačar, Slovenia: 69 hours, 41 minutes, 46 seconds
Jonas Vingegaard, Denmark: 69:46.10 (4 minutes, 24 seconds behind)
Florian Lipowitz, Germany: 69:52.55 (11 minutes, 9 seconds)
Oscar Onley, Great Britain: 69:53.58 (12 minutes, 12 seconds)
Felix Gall, Austria: 69:58.58 (17 minutes, 12 seconds)
Tobias Johannessen, Norway: 70:02.00 (20 minutes, 14 seconds)
Kevin Vauquelin, France: 70:04.21 (22 minutes, 35 seconds)
Primoz Roglic, Slovenia: 70:07.16 (25 minutes, 30 seconds)
Ben Healy, Ireland: 70:09.48 (28 minutes, 2 seconds)
Ben O’Connor, Australia: 70:16.20 (34 minutes, 34 seconds)

2025 Tour de France jersey leaders

Yellow (overall race leader): Tadej Pogačar, Slovenia
Green (points): Jonathan Milan, Italy
Polka dot (mountains): Tadej Pogačar, Slovenia
White (young rider): Florian Lipowitz, Germany

Who’s wearing the rainbow jersey at 2025 Tour de France?

In addition to the four traditional colored jerseys at the Tour de France, the reigning world road race champion wears a rainbow-colored jersey. It’s white with five colored stripes – blue, red, black, yellow and green (same as the colors of the Olympic rings) – and is currently worn by Tadej Pogačar of Slovenia.

2025 Tour de France next stage

Stage 20 of the 2025 Tour de France is a 184.2-kilometer course on hilly terrain from Nantua to Pantarlier on Saturday, July 26. It is the penultimate race of this year’s event.

LATROBE, Penn. – DK Metcalf heard a knock at the door shortly after he checked into his room at Rooney Hall earlier this week.

“I thought it was my front door, and it was actually my bathroom door,” Metcalf, the new Pittsburgh Steelers receiver, explained after the first training camp practice on Thursday.

Surprise, surprise. Metcalf has a suite mate. And one who comes with big benefits.

“He was like, ‘Aw man, I was hoping it was you,” Metcalf said.

Of course, it is no mere coincidence that the legendary quarterback and big-play receiver are sharing a suite, their dorm rooms separated by a bathroom. The arrangement has Mike Tomlin’s fingerprints all over it. The crafty Steelers coach has been known to sometimes assign stalls in the locker room while seeking to position new players near certain personalities, for one reason or another. So, why not in this case?

That Rodgers and Metcalf will be in such close proximity during training camp – and this camp comes with the need for some serious bonding with several prominent new faces in tow – comes with the potential for all sorts of intangible benefits.

“We can talk about a lot of stuff that we see the same on the field, conversations that we might not get to talk about in the meeting room,” Metcalf said. “He gets to listen to a lot of my music tastes or hear me yell at the video game sometimes. But it will be fun having him across the hall.”

Aaron Rodgers went to Mike Tomlin’s backyard cookout. There was chemistry (and good food)

They will expedite the curve of getting to know each other, that’s for sure. Metcalf, the seventh-year veteran obtained in a trade with the Seattle Seahawks, enjoys playing video games in his spare time. Rodgers caught wind of that on Wednesday as Metcalf played an NCAA-themed game on his console.

“He walked in my room yesterday and said, ‘Oh, you’re gaming!” Metcalf said.

“And then he just walked out.”

Rodgers, 41, has had a healthy share of roommates and suitemates during an NFL career that began 21 years ago in the Green Bay Packers camp at St. Norbert’s College. Metcalf, it seems, fits the profile for an ideal suitemate in his mind for reasons that go beyond strengthening the connection with a go-to target.

“I was here Tuesday night and not many other guys were here other than the rookies, and when I got in the room and realized we were sharing something, I was secretly hoping it wasn’t a big lineman or something,” Rodgers said. “Maybe somebody who cared about their hygiene a little bit. So, when I walked in, I saw a standard suitcase. I said, ‘Oh, I think it’s going to be good. This is probably DK.”

Training camp clearly provides the setting to develop chemistry, and the Steelers’ old-school setup – Pittsburgh is one of the few NFL teams that still goes away to a college campus for camp, at St. Vincent’s College for the 58th year – amplifies that theme.

In the case of Rodgers and Metcalf, though, this chemistry was launched months ago. In March, while Rodgers contemplated his future, Metcalf flew to Los Angeles and worked out with the quarterback at UCLA. It added fuel to the speculation that Rodgers would ultimately sign with the Steelers…and laid a foundation for the current prospects.

“We talked about a lot of football stuff,” Rodgers said. “We FaceTime, we texted during the offseason after minicamp. So, we’ve got a good relationship. It’s going to just keep on growing.”

Metcalf: “I’m going to try to soak up as much knowledge as I can. I’m going to listen to everything. Even the criticisms he has; I’m going to be really open, searching for those answers from him. He’s had great receivers in the past. I’m just trying to be among them.”

There is no denying that the bond that Metcalf and Rodgers develop as a go-to connection will be essential to the best-case scenario for the Steelers offense. Yet it’s also evident that Rodgers, a newcomer assuming the ultimate leadership position for an established team, has made it a priority to quickly try developing bonds throughout the team.

Since signing just before the team’s mandatory minicamp in June, though, Rodgers has tried to make up for lost time. In the window before training camp, he hosted skill-positioned players for workouts in Malibu, Calif., where he has a home.

Steelers’ star pass rusher T.J. Watt got his megadeal. Now comes the hard part

Also, on the day he signed his one-year contract in June, Rodgers attended a cookout at Tomlin’s house and spent several hours mingling with members of the coaching staff. The next day, he went to a cookout that veteran defensive end Cam Heyward hosted at his house for players. And the day after that, Rodgers showed up at Heyward’s charity golf tournament.

The effort to mesh with his new team was surely noticed.

“I know it wasn’t on everybody’s time frame for when things were supposed to happen, but I can only speak to the man I met,” Heyward told USA TODAY Sports. “When a guy comes to my golf outing or comes to my house and interacts with my family, with me and my teammates, that’s all I can ask for. I think that’s a good start.”

How it ends remains to be seen for a team hoping to become a legitimate contender. Yet Rodgers seems to be all-in for the bonding – and his new suitemate can vouch for that.

Contact Jarrett Bell at jbell@usatoday.com or follow on social media:

On X: @JarrettBell

On Bluesky: jarrettbell.bsky.social

Major League Baseball’s annual transaction bazaar is nearly here. And for fans of less-dominant teams, the concept of “selling” at the trade deadline holds some appeal.

It might indicate their favorite franchise is showing some semblance of direction, that the hope of the unknown remains preferable to the drudgery of the present. But in this era of deadline gridlock thanks to extra wild card berths and clubs clutching their best prospects ever closer to them, the gifts that arrive at the end of July are more suitable for a white elephant exchange than an actual holiday.

And for clubs hovering around or just below .500, selling means kicking the can down the road again, at least in part because internal “playoff odds” might not suggest earnestly competing is the best choice.

So just what did last year bring, and are the sellers better off?

Not a lot: Of the 83 prospects acquired, three have become replacement-level big league regulars, and one – Marlins slugger Kyle Stowers – an All-Star. Two more are platoon players.

Yet just two traded prospects cracked the top five of the acquiring team’s most recent prospects list as rated by Baseball America, while 17 others are currently in an organizational top 30. And not a single current top 100 overall prospect changed organizations.

Just call the following an exercise in managing expectations.

USA TODAY Sports examined the biggest deals in the last week leading up to the 2024 deadline, excluding trades that didn’t involve obvious buyers and sellers, blatant cash dumps, those involving players designated for assignment and similarly minor moves.

As that seven-day window opens for 2025, is it worth it for clubs to get ‘something’ instead of nothing? Let’s see:

The biggest deals

Dodgers get: INF/OF Tommy Edman, RHP Michael Kopech, RHP Oliver Gonzalez

Cardinals get: RHP Erick Fedde, OF Tommy Pham

White Sox get: INF Miguel Vargas, INF Jeral Perez, INF Alexander Albertus

Outcome: Dodgers win World Series; Cardinals finish 83-79; White Sox finish 41-121

Aftermath: The two Dodger blockbusters certainly pushed them over the top to a World Series title and they even convinced Edman to stick around a while. Kopech was a regular season and playoff savior, posting eight scoreless outings in 10 postseason games, although he’s been injured almost all this year. The Cardinals failed to make the postseason and Fedde, though solid down the 2024 stretch, was designated for assignment last week. For all those moving parts, the White Sox got little assurance of a future cornerstone. Vargas flourished momentarily with a long runway for big league at-bats but now has a .221/.304/.402 line with 12 homers. Perez, 20, is ranked 22nd in the Sox system and has a .296 OBP at high A while Albertus has played just 19 career games outside of complex league ball.

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Dodgers get: RHP Jack Flaherty

Tigers get: SS Trey Sweeney, C Thayron Liranzo

Outcome: Tigers win wild-card series, lose in AL Division Series

Aftermath: The trade that broke all conventions. The Dodgers snagged the most significant starting pitcher upgrade just before the deadline and Flaherty started three of the Dodgers’ 11 postseason victories. Meanwhile, the Tigers regrouped behind a “pitching chaos” plan, gained an everyday shortstop in Sweeney, reached the playoffs – and re-signed Flaherty in the off-season. Kids, don’t try this at home. Something about the exception that proves the rule.

As for assets? Check back. After solidifying shortstop last season, Sweeney has produced negative WAR and a 63 adjusted OPS this season, which included a brief trip to Class AAA. Liranzo, 22, is No. 4 in Baseball America’s midseason re-rank of the Tigers’ system, with a .748 OPS at Class AA.

∘∘

Padres get: LHP Tanner Scott, RHP Bryan Hoeing

Marlins get: LHP Robby Snelling, RHP Adam Mazur, LHP Jay Beshears, INF Graham Paulling

Outcome: Padres win wild-card series, lose in NL Division Series; Marlins finish 62-100

Aftermath: San Diego won the stakes for the top reliever on the market and gave the Dodgers their toughest fight of October, losing a five-game NLDS thriller. Scott left as a free agent; Hoeing remains a member of the Padres’ bullpen.

The Marlins fortified their system, getting their current No. 4 (Snelling), No. 7 (Mazur) and No. 22 (Paulling) prospects, though only Snelling – having a nice bounceback year at Class AA and AAA – projects as a potential impact player.

∘∘

Blue Jays get: INF/OF Will Wagner, INF/OF Joey Loperfido, RHP Jake Bloss

Outcome: Astros lose AL wild card series; Blue Jays finish 74-88

Aftermath: A pretty good ol’ fashioned deadline deal here, even as there’s no carrying potential star in the return. Kikuchi pitched great in Houston (5-1, 2.70 ERA) yet somehow did not start a playoff game before the Astros went two-and-out. Wagner and Loperfido have played in 33 and 10 games respectively for the Jays, each sitting on 0.0 WAR (and if that’s not the perfect illustration for the modern trade deadline return…). Bloss, now the Blue Jays’ No. 13 ranked prospect, underwent Tommy John surgery in May after six rocky outings at Class AAA.

∘∘

Yankees get: INF Jazz Chisholm

Marlins get: C Agustin Ramírez, INF Jared Serna, INF Abrahan Ramírez

Outcome: Yankees advance to World Series

Aftermath: Chisholm was a key immediate and future piece for the Yankees, producing an .825 OPS and 11 regular season homers and filling a massive hole at third, sometimes with difficulty defensively. He’s their everyday All-Star second baseman this year.

It looked like a strong return for the Marlins after Agustin Ramírez debuted April 21 and slugged six homers with a .923 OPS in his first 23 games. He’s hit eight more homers but with just a .674 OPS and 19% K rate in the 54 games since. Abrahan Ramírez is their No. 22 prospect but at 20 is still in the Florida complex league; Serna, 23, is on the 40-man roster but has a .569 OPS at Class AA.

∘∘

Orioles get: LHP Trevor Rogers

Marlins get: OF Kyle Stowers, INF Connor Norby

Outcome: Orioles lose in AL wild card series

Aftermath: Like the Flaherty trade above, this one went haywire from the jump. Rogers was bad and injured for a very good Orioles team down the stretch; he’s now very good for a bad Orioles team this season. Meanwhile, the Orioles made a potentially crushing mistake in choosing Stowers to deal from their surplus of outfielders. After three years on the Baltimore-AAA shuttle, he’s an All-Star and possible superstar in Miami, with 22 homers, a .295 average and .937 OPS. Norby started out hot in Miami but has cooled, with a .291 OBP and 13 homers in 108 games as a Marlin. Still, he’s a useful big league piece and if there’s anything we learned from this deadline, it’s this: The Marlins seem to know what they’re doing.

∘∘

Orioles get: RHP Zach Eflin and cash

Rays get: INF Mac Horvath, RHP Jackson Baumeister, OF Matthew Etzel

Outcome: Rays finish 80-82

Aftermath: Eflin served his purpose, delivering a 2.60 ERA in 10 starts and a representative playoff outing; he’s been injured and inconsistent in 2025 and, having just returned from the IL, is a likely candidate to get traded again this week. The modern front office is unafraid to trade within divisions and the Orioles appeared to pull this deal off without getting burnt by the savvy Rays.

Baumeister, a second-round pick and the highest-drafted pitcher in the Mike Elias era, fell out of the Rays’ top 30 and is on the 60-day IL in Class AA after a 6.86 ERA in 10 Class AA starts. Horvath (23, .765 OPS at high A) and Etzel (23, .707 at AA) don’t appear to be impact players.

∘∘

Phillies get: RHP Carlos Estévez

Angels get: LHP Samuel Aldegheri, RHP George Klassen

Outcome: Phillies lose in NLDS; Angels finish 63-99

Aftermath: Kind of the platonic ideal deal for both franchises. The Phillies burn trade capital to try and win now under Dave Dombrowski, who’s ultimately undercut by his bullpen. And the Angels acquire OK talent that’s, in Aldegheri’s case, rushed to the majors with uninspired results. Aldegheri posted a 4.85 ERA in three starts last year and two relief appearances this year; he has a 4.75 ERA at Class AA and is ranked No. 8 in the system. Klassen, 23, has a bit more upside, ranked No. 4 in the system and a Futures Game pick this year thanks to what Baseball America calls “mid-rotation upside.” But his command remains iffy, with a 5.86 ERA and 28 walks in 58 ⅓ Class AA innings.

∘∘

Padres get: RHP Jason Adam

Rays get: RHP Dylan Lesko, OF Homer Bush Jr., C J.D. Gonzalez

Aftermath: Padres first-rounders are drafted to be traded and in two years Lesko went from 15th overall pick to the Rays’ system, as Adam was a stalwart in ’24 and an All-Star this year for the ever-contending Padres. The cost? Not much. Lesko, 21, made just four starts this year at high A before he was shut down. Bush is ranked No. 24 in the Rays’ system and has speed (33 steals at Class AA) but zero power. Gonzalez, 19, is on the 60-day IL at high A rehabbing an injured elbow and has slipped out of the organizational top 30.

∘∘

Royals get: RHP Lucas Erceg

Athletics get: RHP Mason Barnett, RHP Will Klein, OF Jared Dickey

Outcome: Royals win AL wild card series, lose in ALDS: Athletics finish 69-93

Aftermath: A great pickup for Kansas City, giving it a stout bullpen for the playoff drive and a controllable relief arm; in fact, Erceg may be flipped this year as the Royals hover near the buy-sell line. The A’s landed their now-No. 4 prospect in Barnett, who shined at Class AA before a mixed stint at AAA this year. Klein was sold to Seattle in January.

∘∘

Mariners get: OF Randy Arozarena

Rays get: RHP Brody Hopkins, OF Aidan Smith and a player to be named

Outcome: Mariners finish 85-77

Aftermath: The Rays have built mini-empires off trading with Jerry Dipoto, though this one was pretty symbiotic. Seattle missed the playoffs last year but Arozarena is still producing at an All-Star level this year, even as Tampa Bay has largely readjusted its offense without him. Hopkins, a Futures Game selection, has made gains in the Rays pitching program and is now their No. 5 prospect, with 99 strikeouts in 81 innings and a 3.32 ERA in 18 Class AA starts. Smith, who turned 21 July 23, is No. 12 in the Rays’ system and trending well at Class AA, his 10 homers and 26 steals auguring a versatile offensive profile.

∘∘

Guardians get: OF Lane Thomas

Nationals get: LHP Alex Clemmey, INF Rafael Ramirez Jr., INF Jose Tena

Outcome: Guardians win AL Central, lose in AL Championship Series; Nationals finish 71-91

Aftermath: Thomas hit an epic postseason home run in Cleveland, though his overall production tailed off switching leagues in the trade. The Nationals hit on Clemmey, a Futures Game participant who’s now their No. 5 prospect, but still has a long climb ahead from A ball. Tena has shown no power or speed and league-average hit ability in major league stints, while Ramirez has spent all season on the Class A injured list.

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Guardians get: RHP Alex Cobb

Giants get: LHP Jacob Bresnahan and player to be named (INF Nate Furman)

Outcome: Guardians win AL Central, lose in AL Championship Series; Giants finish 80-82

Aftermath: Cobb didn’t pitch for the Giants in ’24 due to injury but made three effective starts down the stretch and started two playoff games for the Guardians, who won his ALDS outing against Detroit before he was injured again in the ALCS.

Bresnahan, 20, is ranked 16th in the Giants system and having a decent year in low A; Furman has yet to play in their system due to injury.

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Royals get: RHP Michael Lorenzen

Rangers get: LHP Walter Pennington

Outcome: Rangers finish 78-84

Aftermath: In a weird buy-sell deadline for the Rangers, the Royals got the veteran arm they needed for a playoff drive as Lorenzen posted a 1.57 ERA down the stretch, joined the playoff bullpen and re-signed in K.C. Pennington made a one-game debut with the Rangers but was placed on waivers in April and claimed by Baltimore.

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Marlins get: INF Deyvison De Los Santos, OF Andrew Pintar

Outcome: Diamondbacks finish 89-73, miss playoffs on tiebreaker

Aftermath: Puk pitched splendidly down the stretch for Arizona, but underwent an internal brace elbow reconstruction in June; he should recover to pitch in the 2026 second half before hitting free agency. Whle De Los Santos, now the Marlins’ No. 18 prospect, led all the minor leagues with 40 homers in 2025, his strikeout rate – 27% this year, with 11 homers – has long diminished his stature as a prospect. Pintar, 25, has reached Class AAA but is not on the 40-man roster.

The middling middle

Mariners get: DH/INF Justin Turner

Blue Jays get: OF RJ Schreck

Aftermath: Turner was solid (.363 OBP, .766 OPS) in 48 games with the Mariners and while they didn’t make the playoffs, his lasting impact was as hitting counselor for franchise player Cal Raleigh. Schreck, 24, is Toronto’s No. 16 prospect and has reached Class AA (.941 OPS in 41 games).

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Mariners get: RHP Yimi Garcia

Blue Jays get: OF Jonatan Clase, C Jacob Sharp

Aftermath: Garcia was a decent high-leverage relief prize (2.70 ERA) at the deadline but didn’t pitch nearly as well (6.00) in 10 games with Seattle. For that, the Blue Jays got a utility guy who produced a 64 adjusted OPS in 112 plate appearances this year before heading to the minors, and a 23-year-old Class AA catcher with a .195 slugging percentage.

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Brewers get: RHP Nick Mears

Rockies get: RHP Bradley Blalock, RHP Yujanyer Herrera

Outcome: Brewers lose in NL wild card; Rockies finish 61-101

Aftermath: Mears is still paying dividends for the ever-contending Brewers, with a 0.85 WHIP this year. Blalock has a 7.18 ERA in 14 games, 11 starts, for Colorado the past two years and has an 8.32 ERA at Class AAA. Herrera, 21, underwent Tommy John surgery in October.

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Mets get: OF Jesse Winker

Nationals get: RHP Tyler Stuart

Outcome: Mets lose in NLCS

Aftermath: The vibes were good enough for Winker in New York, who goes back to childhood in Orlando with Francisco Lindor, that they re-upped him in the winter, and he’s produced at replacement level for a calendar year. Stuart, who turns 26 in October, is the Nationals’ No. 18 prospect but is out for the year with an elbow injury that’s limited him to 10 appearances.

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Rangers get: C Carson Kelly

Tigers get: RHP Tyler Owens, C Liam Hicks

Aftermath: Kelly’s star turn wouldn’t come until he joined the Cubs this year; he provided an 84 adjusted OPS to Texas’ futile playoff run. Owens, 24, is Detroit’s 16th-ranked prospect and made three relief appearances this season, but has been hit hard in Class AAA Toledo’s pen.

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Padres get: LHP Martín Pérez

Pirates get: LHP Ronaldys Jimenez

Outcome: Pirates finish 76-86

Aftermath: Pérez was a near-ideal deadline stopgap, pitching to a 3.46 ERA in 10 starts, though he did not make San Diego’s postseason rosters. Jimenez, 19, has a 4.28 ERA as a reliever for the Pirates’ Florida complex team.

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Brewers get: RHP Frankie Montas

Reds get: RHP Jakob Junis, OF Joey Wiemer, cash

Outcome: Reds finish 77-85

Aftermath: The fifth trade of Montas’s career, he made 11 starts for the Brewers and one playoff start, his 3 ⅔ innings apparently convincing the Mets to give him an ill-advised contract last winter. Junis was on an expiring contract, while Wiemer played in two games for the Reds and was a throw-in in the winter deal sending Jonathan India to Kansas City for pitcher Brady Singer. He’s spent all season in Class AAA.

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Diamondbacks get: RHP Dylan Floro

Nationals get: INF Andres Chaparro

Aftermath: Floro had a 2.06 ERA when the Nationals flipped him; he posted a 9.37 mark in 15 games with Arizona. Chaparro, 26, got three hits in his major league debut with Washington but batted .186 (24-for-132) since and has a .228/.333/.465 line at Class AAA.

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Rangers get: LHP Andrew Chafin

Tigers get: RHP Joseph Montalvo, RHP Chase Lee

Aftermath: Yet another uncommon W for the Tigers, who deal a major league regular yet finish 34-19 and reach the playoffs while adding Lee, now their No. 15 prospect and a reliable (1.05 WHIP) member of their big league bullpen.

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Yankees get: RHP Mark Leiter Jr.

Cubs get: INF Ben Cowles, RHP Jack Neely

Outcome: Cubs finish 83-79

Aftermath: A classic get-us-an-arm deal, Leiter provided the Yankees a relief body and was actually better (1.98 ERA) in the postseason than the regular season (4.98). Cowles, 25, has a .233/.296/.379 line at Class AAA; Neely made six relief appearances for the Cubs last season but has a 6.91 ERA in AAA.

Smaller potatoes

Red Sox get: RHP Luis Garcia

Angels get: RHP Ryan Zeferjahn, CF Matthew Lugo, RHP Yeferson Vargas, 1B/DH Niko Kavadas

Outcome: Red Sox finish 81-81

Aftermath: A classic modern Red Sox half-measure, where they don’t really sell but also don’t buy anything of significance and leave fans wondering what the point was. Garcia logged an 8.22 ERA in 15 games; while the Red Sox basically gave the Angels a bunch of guys, Zeferjahn, Lugo and Kavadas have made their major league debuts, with Lugo a potentially useful utility player. Warm bodies, anyway, more than the Red Sox can now say about Garcia.

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Red Sox get: C Danny Jansen

Blue Jays get: SS Eddinson Paulino, INF Cutter Coffey, RHP Gilberto Batista

Aftermath: See above. Jansen capped off the worst year of his career by hitting .188 in 30 games for Boston. None of the Jays’ acquisitions rank in their top 30, and only Paulino, a 155-pound 23-year-old, is playing above A ball.

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Mets get: RHP Huascar Brazoban

Marlins get: OF Wilfredo Lara

Aftermath: Brazoban was good (2.90 ERA) for the Marlins, bad (5.14, no playoff run) for the Mets, though he’s still around as a sentient member of the Mets’ bullpen, striking out a batter an inning. Lara, 21, has a .203/.300/.326 line at high A.

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Pirates get: INF Isiah Kiner-Falefa

Blue Jays get: OF Charles McAdoo

Outcome: Pirates finish 76-86; Blue Jays finish 74-88

Aftermath: Hey, remember the time the Pirates were buyers, kind of? Yeah, we don’t, either. But Pittsburgh was 55-52 before finishing 21-34  and just two games ahead of Toronto – which added who’s now its 20th-ranked prospect in McAdoo, 23, who has a .749 OPS and 10 homers at Class AA.

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Pirates get: LHP Jalen Beeks

Rockies get: LHP Luis Peralta

Aftermath: Those swashbucklin’ Pirates were active at the deadline, though Beeks produced a 1.79 WHIP in 26 games for them. Peralta has made 24 relief appearances over two sesons with the Rockies but has a 10.72 ERA at Class AAA this year.

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Mets get: RHP Paul Blackburn

Athletics get: RHP Kade Morris

Aftermath: Blackburn was hurt before this deal and also this year but was a five-start stopgap for the NLCS finalists. Meanwhile, the A’s coached up Morris, 23, into their No. 8 overall prospect after a strong half season at Class AA.

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Diamondbacks get: 1B Josh Bell

Marlins get: Cash considerations

Aftermath: The “or player to be named later” never showed up so this was just a cash dump; Nationals fans should have similar expectations with Bell on the block once again, though he did have a .796 OPS in Arizona’s failed playoff drive.

COOPERSTOWN, NY – They come from Appalachia; Aichi, Japan; Wampum, Pennsylvania; Vallejo, California; and Cincinnati, Ohio.

They are sluggers, a slap hitter, an ace and a closer.

The quintet makes up one of the most diverse Baseball Hall of Fame classes in history, including three Black players and the first Japanese-born inductee.

Outfielder Ichiro Suzuki, starting pitcher CC Sabathia, reliever Billy Wagner and deceased Dave Parker and Dick Allen all will be inducted Sunday, July 27, into the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in front of a crowd that could be the largest in history.

“It’s an incredible Hall of Fame class,’ Hall of Fame closer Goose Gossage tells USA TODAY Sports. “These guys all come from different backgrounds and eras, but the thing I love about these guys is their respect for the game, and their place in history.’

CC Sabathia

Sabathia, the 2007 AL Cy Young winner who won 251 games, is hoping that his induction will help pave the way for more young Black pitchers in the game. He will be only the third Black pitcher to be elected into the Hall of Fame with only 15 Black pitchers who have won 20 games, with David Price the last in 2012.

“The one thing that keeps crossing my mind is who’s next?” says Sabathia, who is a special assistant to Commissioner Rob Manfred. “I’m on the search for who’s next and what I can do to get that person or kid on the mound and going in the right direction.’

Sabathia meets with young players today in camps across the country, letting them know that if a kid like him can make it out of Vallejo, they can do it, too.

“Especially with where I came from, just knowing that I’m going to be someplace where the best that ever played have been honored,’ Sabathia says, “is really amazing. When I was still playing, Reggie (Jackson) would tell me that having the Hall of Fame attached to my name would give me an edge in life. It’s going to be amazing to finally get there.”

Ichiro Suzuki

When Suzuki arrived in Seattle in 2001, he was already a star in Japan, but he had no idea whether his success would translate to the United States. Well, 3,089 hits, 10 All-Star selections and 10 Gold Gloves later, and he helped open the door for three-time MVP Shohei Ohtani and the current crop of Japanese players in MLB.

“We’re able to play this game because of players of the past,” says Suzuki. “Baseball is human beings playing against human beings, and to have the passion and the energy that is created by that is something that I really hope is still part of the game. That’s what I really value. It is very important to me that baseball continues to be a game that has the human element to it, with all the emotions and everything that comes along with having humans play this game. …

“If I can be of any help to the players, that’s why I’m here.”

Billy Wagner

Wagner, who already is allotting time for interruptions during his Hall of Fame speech to wipe away tears, will remind everyone that he came from poverty. His dinners often consisted of crackers and water while growing up in the homes of different relatives with his parents divorcing when he was 5, and attending 11 different schools.

“I was just a poor kid,’ Wagner said, “who didn’t back down.’

Wagner will let everyone know that he’ll continue to do everything in his power to help grow the game as a high school baseball coach, knowing it may not be the same as when he played, but the game still remains great.

‘Our game’s always going to evolve,’’ Wagner says, “and there’s always going to be parts that we like and we don’t like. Every era has that moment. … But I think the game on the field is as great as it’s ever been. But I guess the way we portray it, and push it forward, that’s the biggest thing.’

Dick Allen

Dick Allen, who died in 2020, represents the strength of fighting racism during his career. He received death threats playing in Little Rock, Arkansas, as the minor league team’s first Black player, and was later pelted with batteries and garbage playing for the Philadelphia Phillies.

Fergie Jenkins, who along with Bob Gibson were the only other Black Hall of Fame pitchers before Sabathia, vividly remembers the pain. They were not only teammates, but roommates in Little Rock.

“Dick was a real personal guy, I mean, he got along with everybody,’ Jenkins told USA TODAY Sports. “Nobody ever bothered me, but then Dick bought a car, and I think that was the wrong thing to do. They bannered that thing all of the time. They were always putting stuff on it. There were people in the stands who didn’t like him with name calling.

“It was just those times in segregation. We couldn’t stay with the same players on the road. We stayed in a brothel one year in the summer. Another year we stayed in a funeral home. We couldn’t eat in the same restaurants. We had to give our money to other players, have them order the food, and have them bring it back to us in the bus.

“I only stayed a month and a half. Dick was there all year. He never forgot it.’

Allen went on to become one of the greatest sluggers of his era, hitting 351 homers with a .534 slugging percentage, but his refusal to accept the bigotry and racial hatred in the country prevented him from getting the accolades he deserved.

“Dick Allen played the game in the most conservative era in baseball history,’ Hall of Famer Willie Stargell once said. “It was a time of change and protest in the country, and baseball reacted against all that. They saw it as a threat to the game. The sportswriters were reactionary too. They didn’t like seeing a man of such extraordinary skills doing it his way. Dick Allen was ahead of his time. His views and way of doing things would go unnoticed today.’’

Says Gossage: “He’s the greatest ballplayer I’ve ever seen play in my life. There’s no telling the numbers this guy could have put up if all he worried about was stats. He’s the smartest baseball man I’ve ever been around in my life. He taught me so much about pitching and how to respect the game. He’s probably the most misunderstood player in the history of the game.’

Dave Parker

The shame is that Allen, and Parker, aren’t alive to stand on the stage themselves to deliver their speeches. Parker, who died just a month ago from Parkinson’s, let his son know just what he wanted to convey before he died.

“That’s just heartbreaking,’ said Gossage, who was also teammates with Parker. “Dave was one of my all-time favorite teammates. He was a true five-tool player. He was like Dick. There was not one ounce of BS from those guys.’

Parker’s speech will remind folks of the leadership legacy he left behind. Sure, he was a fabulous player as an MVP, seven-time All-Star, three-time Silver Slugger winner, three-time Gold Glove winner, two-time batting champion and two-time World Series champion. Yet he will be remembered as one of the game’s finest team leaders, guiding the Pirates to the 1979 World Series title while mentoring Reds stars Barry Larkin and Eric Davis in Cincinnati.

“The Pirates meant a lot to me,’ Parker said in a Zoom call after learning of his election in December. “They were a great brotherhood, and they were always behind me. I could leave, come back, and everything is the same.’’

Now, they’ll be immortalized together, with Suzuki, Sabathia and Wagner on stage and Allen and Parker smiling from the heavens.

They’ll be enshrined in this beautiful hallowed place where Suzuki visited seven times, easily the most by an active player during his career. The next time he walks in he’ll see his plaque inside the gallery room alongside his new Hall of Fame teammates.

“Ichiro would go all of the time and I always wondered why,’ Sabathia said. “Now I know. It would have been super-motivating as a player. It’s almost like a church. It’s surreal to be in that room, especially now as a Hall of Famer, with my peers.

“When I walked in there, I almost came to tears. The way the sun beams through, it’s almost magical.’

Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

Who is getting inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame?

The 2025 Baseball Hall of Fame class features five inductees

Ichiro Suzuki
CC Sabathia
Billy Wagner
Dave Parker
Dick Allen