SUNRISE, Fla. -- Florida Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk went one step further than simply calling Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final a must-win for his team, indicating that the series hinges on what happens on Thursday night.

"You can't make it a series unless you win this game tonight," said the Panthers star, as the action shifts to South Florida after the Vegas Golden Knights won the series' first two games at home.

"Coming back home, I think it's a breath of fresh air for everyone. To take care of home ice, like we have all playoffs, and make this a series," said Tkachuk.

Florida is only 4-3 on home ice in the playoffs, but they've had some big moments in Sunrise: Avoiding elimination in Game 6 against Boston, putting a stake in the Toronto Maple Leafs with a Game 3 overtime win and then closing an Eastern Conference Final sweep against the Carolina Hurricanes.

"It's a must-win. We know the situation," said forward Anthony Duclair. "I think even going back to the Boston series, it's just not a position you want to be in, but at the same time, it brings the best out of us. We're just looking forward to the challenge, especially coming in at home."

One of the biggest challenges for the Panthers against the Golden Knights has been navigating the physicality of this series. Florida came out hitting in both games. Vegas withstood that barrage and handed out a number of big hits of its own.

Florida coach Paul Maurice said he felt his Panthers were expending too much energy chasing checks against Vegas.

"I think the Boston series was more physical than this series. I think we've made this series more physical than it needs to be," he said. "We had 22 hits in the first period of Game 2. Prorate that out and you don't need 66 hits in a game. There's an energy cost to that. We have hitters. You need to finish checks at times. But I don't necessarily need [winger] Carter Verhaeghe having five [hits]."

Tkachuk said the Panthers will seek to impose their will from the opening faceoff.

"This is by far the biggest game of our season. We know what has made us successful to this point. We're definitely not going to shy away from that," he said.

The Panthers have also struggled with their discipline. Florida has taken 25 penalties for 130 penalty minutes in the first two games of the series. Vegas as taken 17 penalties for 82 minutes. Tkachuk alone has amassed three 10-minute misconduct penalties in the series.

"I think physicality and discipline are two different things. This one is a touchy subject right now for us, and we'll just leave it," said Maurice.

Assuming he's not serving penalties, Tkachuk could see better defensive matchups in Game 3 as Florida gets the last line change. His line saw a lot of the Vegas checking line -- William Carrier, Nicolas Roy and Keegan Kolesar -- in Game 1 and less of them in Game 2. The constant for the Golden Knights against Tkachuk's line in both games was the defensive pairing of Nicolas Hague and Zach Whitecloud, who matched up well against them in the attacking zone.

Maurice downplayed the notion that it was a line-matching series, saying that his concern for Game 3 is more focused on faceoff battles than line vs. line. Tkachuk was more focused on the ways he needs to improve in Game 3, as he's been limited to one point -- a Game 2 goal scored after Vegas had the game in hand -- this series.

"I've got to try to have the puck more and take more pucks to the net. Normally when you're around the net, good things happen," he said. "Their 'D' do a good job of protecting the front of the net, but I think there's more room around it just because they're so close to it. So find those holes."

The Panthers will need Tkachuk and the rest of their top end players to be difference makers soon in this series. As Maurice said, time is running out.

"There's only five possible games left. We've got to win four of 'em. So this one's a big one tonight," said the coach.

Racing at Belmont Park was canceled and the Washington Nationals' home game against the Arizona Diamondbacks was postponed Thursday due to poor air quality from wildfires in Canada.

It's the second straight day the continuing fires north of the border have impacted sports in the Northeastern United States. The New York Giants also called off a practice Thursday scheduled to be held in East Rutherford, N.J.

The New York Racing Association canceled live racing at Belmont Park two days before the facility is scheduled to host the final leg of the Triple Crown with the Belmont Stakes.

As previously announced, morning training was canceled Thursday at both Saratoga Race Course and Belmont Park. The conditions that necessitated the cancelation of training are likely to persist this afternoon and into the evening, according to the NYRA, and a twilight racing program that would kick off the 2023 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival has been cancelled.

"Based on current forecast models and consultation with our external weather services, we remain optimistic that we will see an improvement in air quality on Friday," NYRA President & CEO David O'Rourke said in a statement.

The Diamondbacks-Nationals contest, which was rescheduled for June 22 at Nationals Park, was the third game postponed by Major League Baseball over the last two days. The New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies had their home games postponed Wednesday.

"This postponement was determined following conversations throughout the day with medical and weather experts and the two impacted Clubs regarding clearly hazardous air quality conditions in Washington, D.C.," MLB said in a statement.

Nationals manager Dave Martinez, speaking to reporters before the postponement was announced, said he hoped MLB would make the right decision for both players and fans while adding that he walked his dogs Thursday morning and it "wasn't good."

The game in New York between the White Sox and Yankees was rescheduled as part of a doubleheader Thursday, and the Phillies' game against the Tigers also was reset for Thursday, originally a day off for both teams.

MLB was continuing to monitor the air quality in both cities, but as of Thursday morning, the doubleheader in the Bronx at 4:05 p.m. ET and the contest in Philadelphia at 6:05 ET both were still scheduled to be played.

A National Women's Soccer League game in New Jersey and an indoor WNBA game set for Brooklyn were also called off Wednesday amid hazy conditions that have raised alarms from health authorities.

The Giants' practice Friday also is likely to be canceled, according to coach Brian Daboll. The New York Jets still planned to practice Thursday and Friday at their indoor facility in Florham Park, N.J., some 30 miles west of East Rutherford.

"It is [wild times]," New York offensive coordinator Mike Kafka said minutes after practice was called off. "Have not [seen anything like it] -- have not. Wednesday it was orange [outside]."

The air quality index outdoors in East Rutherford was 198 at 10 a.m. ET on Thursday -- a number that is considered unhealthy. An AQI of 200 and above is very unhealthy.

ESPN's Jordan Raanan, The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

The Rangers have continued their climb up our weekly power rankings and have now usurped the Dodgers for the No. 2 spot, with the Rays holding steadfast at No. 1. But, with the roll Texas has been on as of late and its historic run differential, does it deserve to have the top spot?

Meanwhile, at the other end of our rankings, the Athletics are on a historic pace of their own -- albeit a bad one. Will they challenge the 1962 Mets' modern record of 120 losses? Or will the Royals catch Oakland at the bottom of our list?

Our expert panel has combined to rank every team in baseball based on a combination of what we've seen so far and what we already knew going into the 162-game marathon that is a full baseball season. We also asked ESPN MLB experts David Schoenfield, Bradford Doolittle, Jesse Rogers, Alden Gonzalez and Joon Lee to weigh in with an observation for all 30 teams.

Week 9 | Preseason rankings

1. Tampa Bay Rays

Record: 45-19

Previous ranking: 1

It looked as if Tampa Bay's streak of no more than two consecutive losses on the season might be broken after the Rays dropped two games against the Cubs, but they stormed back by taking three of four against the Red Sox. Teams rarely go an entire season without dropping into a slump at some point, but we are more than two months into the season and the Rays continue to look like one of the most formidable teams in the sport without skipping a beat. -- Lee

2. Texas Rangers

Record: 40-21

Previous ranking: 3

The Rangers had the proverbial good news/bad news kind of week as they increased their lead in the American League West with a sweep of division rival Seattle. Texas outscored the Mariners 30-9 in three games over the weekend, and Marcus Semien has remained hot, with a hit in 25 straight games (ending Wednesday, as he went hitless in the 1-0 loss to the Cardinals) and 31 of 33. The team's +155 run differential through its first 60 games is the best to start a season by any MLB team since the 1939 Yankees. The bad news? Texas lost Jacob deGrom to elbow surgery. It's a major blow, but Bruce Bochy, already the heavy favorite for AL Manager of the Year, has the team depth to keep rolling. -- Rogers

3. Atlanta Braves

Record: 37-24

Previous ranking: 4

Not that the Braves-Mets rivalry needs more juice, but it will be interesting to see what happens moving forward after Pete Alonso bashed a 448-foot home run off a Bryce Elder hanging slider and yelled, "Throw it again! Throw it again, please!" as he rounded the bases. Elder claimed not to hear it and said he didn't view it as an insult. Plus, the Braves got the last laugh as they won the game 6-4 after rallying from a 4-1 deficit. Elder continues to make a strong push for the All-Star Game as he picked up the win to improve to 4-0 with a NL-leading 2.26 ERA. While Alonso hit the home run off a slider, it's been an effective pitch for Elder, as batters are hitting just .152 against it. -- Schoenfield

4. Houston Astros

Record: 36-26

Previous ranking: 7

Astros stalwart Alex Bregman is as unflappable as any player in the game, so if there was some consternation about his slow start, you can be sure none of it was coming from him. A month ago, Bregman was hitting .190/.322/.320 with four homers and 15 RBIs over 34 games. We've seen this act before from the often slow-starting third baseman, whose career slugging percentage in games before May is just .398. Anyway, since that season nadir, Bregman has mashed to the tune of .306/.372/.463 with four homers and 21 RBIs in 28 games. His numbers aren't yet back to career norms, but they appear to be headed that way. As always, third base doesn't look like a problem spot for the Astros as they look to gather momentum for their pursuit of the front-running Rangers in the AL West. -- Doolittle

5. Los Angeles Dodgers

Record: 35-27

Previous ranking: 2

The Dodgers dropped their weekend series against the Yankees, but there are plenty of bright spots for this team between the star-studded lineup continuing to hit and the call-up of top prospect Bobby Miller. Through three starts, the 24-year-old righty has a 1.06 ERA and 0.76 WHIP with 16 strikeouts in 17 innings pitched. Additionally, Mookie Betts has been on fire the past week, hitting four homers in five games while slashing .350/.458/.950. -- Lee

6. Baltimore Orioles

Record: 37-24

Previous ranking: 6

Baltimore suffered a major blow by losing Cedric Mullins to the injured list due to a groin strain, moving Adam Frazier into the leadoff spot in the batting order. To replace Mullins in the lineup, Baltimore signed former Yankee Aaron Hicks, who has looked rejuvenated in his early days in Baltimore. Through five games with the Orioles so far, Hicks has six hits in 15 at-bats, including one homer. If Hicks can return to form, he could provide another offensive threat in what has been a top-10 offense in baseball this season. -- Lee

7. New York Yankees

Record: 36-26

Previous ranking: 5

As the Yankees sit in third place in the American League East, they keep getting hit with the injury bug. Aaron Judge is out after slamming his toe into the wall at Dodger Stadium, and All-Star starter Nestor Cortes is on the IL with a left shoulder strain. New York did, however, see Giancarlo Stanton, Josh Donaldson and Tommy Kahnle all come off the IL in the past week, and Carlos Rodon is progressing toward making his Yankees debut at some point in the near future. -- Lee

8. Arizona Diamondbacks

Record: 37-25

Previous ranking: 8

With every passing week, Arizona continues to show staying power in the NL West, no small task with perennial division winner Los Angeles playing well. Merrill Kelly and Zac Gallen continue to lead the way on the mound, allowing just five earned runs in 25 1/3 innings over their past four starts combined. Arizona will have to lean on them, as the rest of the rotation has been shaky. Improved performance by Ryne Nelson could help -- three of his past four outings have been OK but not nearly good enough for a division contender. Same goes for Tommy Henry, who gave up five runs in 4.1 innings against Washington on Tuesday. -- Rogers

9. Toronto Blue Jays

Record: 35-28

Previous ranking: 9

Alek Manoah's continued struggles have landed him in the rookie-level Florida Complex League, where the Blue Jays hope he'll find his stuff again. It's a big blow to Toronto's viability as a World Series contender, given his former All-Star pedigree. Picking up the slack has been Jose Berrios, who has a 3.66 ERA in 12 starts this season and looks again like the starter Toronto hoped to receive when it traded for him. -- Lee

10. Minnesota Twins

Record: 31-31

Previous ranking: 12

The Twins' offense had been headed in the wrong direction for about three weeks, and now, they will have to try to reverse this trend without their leader in runs created, Byron Buxton, who landed on the IL with a rib contusion. A major issue with the roster is a preponderance of pull-heavy, high-strikeout sluggers. Minnesota leads the majors in strikeout rate and swing-and-miss rate, and only the Braves have pulled a higher percentage of their balls in play. As the season nears the trade deadline, perhaps the Twins might try to balance the lineup by targeting a first baseman-DH type with bat-to-ball skills, or perhaps another outfielder, as Minnesota's collective left field OPS is the worst in the majors. -- Doolittle

11. Boston Red Sox

Record: 31-31

Previous ranking: 11

The Red Sox keep wavering back and forth between streaks of success, like their eight-game winning streak in late April through early May, and coming back down to earth. Boston is getting a bunch of injured players back, such as Christian Arroyo and Adam Duvall -- and Trevor Story is inching his way back toward a return to the lineup -- but it still faces trouble in its rotation, with Chris Sale on the IL due to shoulder inflammation. -- Lee

12. Milwaukee Brewers

Record: 34-28

Previous ranking: 14

Winning three of four against the Reds over the weekend righted the ship for Milwaukee, as what the Brewers lack in power they've made up for in speed, at least over the past week. They hit only .205 as a team but swiped 11 bases, including four from Christian Yelich, who had a good seven days overall at the plate. Yelich is on pace to set a career high in steals with 16 so far, after swiping 19 bases all of last year. The Brewers' offense has been just good enough this season, and Milwaukee is the favorite in the division now. -- Rogers

13. New York Mets

Record: 30-32

Previous ranking: 13

In recent seasons, the Mets' offense has been driven more by batting average than power, but that hasn't been the case in 2023. In 2020, the Mets led the majors with a .272 average and ranked third in OPS (although just 13th in runs as they hit poorly with runners in scoring position). Last year, the Mets were second in batting average and tied for fifth in runs. But this year seems to be following the path of 2021, when the Mets hit just .239 and ranked 13th in the NL in runs. They're hitting .238, which ranks 21st in the majors. Francisco Lindor is down to .216 with a sub-.300 OBP. Jeff McNeil is down nearly 50 points from last year's league-leading .326 average. Alonso, Starling Marte, Mark Canha ... all down. A reason to be optimistic: The Mets are near last in BABIP, so maybe that will start climbing up. -- Schoenfield

14. Miami Marlins

Record: 35-28

Previous ranking: 20

In a four-game stretch from Saturday through Tuesday, Luis Arraez went 5-for-5, 2-for-4, 3-for-4 and 2-for-4 to raise his average from .374 to .401. It's the first time a player has been hitting .400 through his team's first 62 games since Chipper Jones in 2008 (who was at .421 but remained above .400 for just nine more games). It will be interesting to see what kind of support Arraez gets in the fan voting for the All-Star Game. It's not unprecedented for the fans to vote in a Marlins player: Marcell Ozuna was voted in as a starter in 2017 (Giancarlo Stanton, who would go on to hit 59 home runs that year, also started, but as an injury replacement). Meanwhile, Tuesday's win put the Marlins at 34-28, the first time they've been six games over .500 since August 2016. -- Schoenfield

15. Pittsburgh Pirates

Record: 32-29

Previous ranking: 21

Every time you count the Pirates out, they rebound with a good stretch of baseball. The latest came in a weekend sweep of the Cardinals in Pittsburgh, declaring to the baseball world which team is better in 2023. Ke'Bryan Hayes had a huge week, going 9-for-19 with two home runs and a 1.316 OPS. He torched Cardinals pitching, going 7-for-11 in the Pirates' three wins. -- Rogers

16. Seattle Mariners

Record: 30-31

Previous ranking: 10

Well, that was ugly. The Mariners went into Arlington looking to make up ground on the Rangers and lost all three games, by scores of 2-0, 16-6 and 12-3. They managed just three hits in 13 innings against Rangers starters Jon Gray and Nathan Eovaldi. With Marco Gonzales placed on the IL, Bryan Woo made his MLB debut on Saturday and allowed seven hits and six runs in two innings. Bryce Miller allowed seven runs on Sunday, and after posting a 1.15 ERA through his first five starts has now allowed 15 runs over his past two. Manager Scott Servais summed it up: "We're not playing winning baseball against top-flight teams." Yep. The Mariners are 7-0 against the A's and well under .500 against everybody else. -- Schoenfield

17. Los Angeles Angels

Record: 33-30

Previous ranking: 15

The Angels had a chance to make a statement against the Astros but dropped three of four over the weekend. Reid Detmers fell to 0-5 with a 5.15 ERA in the first game, Shohei Ohtani had his worst start of the season as the Astros tallied nine hits and five runs off him in Game 2, and then Patrick Sandoval got knocked out in the fourth inning on Saturday. The Angels did win the finale 2-1 as Griffin Canning allowed just one run in six innings on Sunday.

While Ohtani has been good, the rest of the rotation continues to scuffle, as the Angels are 21st in the majors in rotation ERA. Some of the markers do point to improvement: They have a 4.79 ERA but a 4.52 FIP and 4.53 xFIP. With hard-throwing Ben Joyce (his fastball has averaged 101.7 mph in his three outings) and former first-round pick Sam Bachman now up and in the bullpen, let's see if Phil Nevin goes to even quicker hooks on his starters. -- Schoenfield

18. San Diego Padres

Record: 29-33

Previous ranking: 17

The Padres have not won two consecutive games since having a three-game winning streak snapped on May 2. They are getting some surprising offense from Gary Sanchez, who is hitting .310/.375/.793 with four homers in nine games since joining the Padres. Blake Snell also had two strong starts in the past week, going 12 total innings without allowing a run on five hits while striking out 15 and walking six. Joe Musgrove is also showing signs of a turnaround, allowing just one run in 11 innings over two starts. If Musgrove and Snell can truly turn things around, San Diego will likely see some massive improvement in its record. -- Lee

19. Philadelphia Phillies

Record: 29-32

Previous ranking: 18

Kyle Schwarber hit his first leadoff home run of 2023 on Tuesday -- and it proved to be the only run in a 1-0 victory, just the third time in Phillies history a leadoff home run held up as the winning run (Jimmy Rollins on Aug. 14, 2012, and John Briggs on June 12, 1969). Schwarber now has 16 home runs through Tuesday while hitting .173/.322/.425.

Some fun numbers for Schwarber to chase: (1) Joey Gallo hit 38 HRs in 2021, the most for a player who hit under .200; (2) Schwarber's 105 OPS+ would be the second highest for a player who hit under .200 (Gallo had a 121 OPS+ in 2021, but only two others have finished above 100); (3) Del Young hit .194 in 1937, the lowest batting average by a qualified player in Phillies history (although back then the qualification was 100 games played; the lowest with 502 plate appearances is Pat Burrell's .209 mark in 2003). -- Schoenfield

20. San Francisco Giants

Record: 31-30

Previous ranking: 16

The middle-of-the-pack Giants have a middle-of-the-pack offense, one devoid of stars and long on interchangeability. That doesn't mean Frisco can't win, but it does mean that the real MVP of the organization might be whoever writes marketing copy that effectively makes this team look sexy. Harsh? Yeah, probably.

But right now, the Giants' top three in runs created are LaMonte Wade Jr., Thairo Estrada and J.D. Davis. Certainly, this speaks to the organization's ability to help externally acquired players become the best version of themselves. Wade has exemplified this. He entered the season having struck out more than twice as often as he's walked in his career. This season, his walks and strikeouts are about even and he has become a plus-.400 OBP standout. Nevertheless, somehow, the franchise that has featured Mel Ott, Willie Mays, Barry Bonds and so many other generational star hitters needs to locate its next one. -- Doolittle

21. Cleveland Guardians

Record: 28-33

Previous ranking: 22

Both good and surprising news marked the Guardians' week. The good news was really good: Triston McKenzie returned from the IL after being out since spring training with a shoulder issue. He allowed just one hit over five scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts in a win over the division-leading Twins. The surprising news was that Cleveland created space on the roster by designating righty Zach Plesac for assignment. Plesac looked like a rotation fixture after a strong showing during the abbreviated 2020 season, but it's been all downhill since then. He posted a 7.59 ERA over five starts for the Guardians early in the season, earning a demotion to Triple-A, where he put up the same numbers -- a 7.56 ERA over five outings. -- Doolittle

22. Chicago Cubs

Record: 26-35

Previous ranking: 23

The Cubs' offense has tanked without Cody Bellinger, who remains out of the lineup with a knee injury. They rank in the bottom five teams in OPS since he went down in mid-May. But the bullpen remains the biggest problem and continues to make manager David Ross look bad. Twice in the past week, Ross pulled young starter Hayden Wesneski mid-inning only to see the bullpen blow it moments later. The latest came on Tuesday, when lefty Brandon Hughes walked Shohei Ohtani to load the bases only to see Mike Trout single home two runs. The Cubs might not be underachieving, a word used often to describe them; this could be who they are. -- Rogers

23. Cincinnati Reds

Record: 29-33

Previous ranking: 25

Cincinnati is becoming the "it" team for prospect promotions as Elly De La Cruz was the latest on Tuesday. He scorched a double against the Dodgers for his first major league hit. The Reds' youth has been on display in both good ways and bad recently, as a sweep of the Cubs was followed by losing three of four to the Brewers -- but a ninth-inning comeback over the Dodgers on Tuesday might have been their best win of the season. The Reds' offense ranked second in walks last week, showing plate discipline from a young team. Cincinnati probably isn't going anywhere in October, but the proverbial "future is bright" tag applies here. -- Rogers

24. St. Louis Cardinals

Record: 26-37

Previous ranking: 19

Any positive May vibes have disappeared as St. Louis opened June in losing fashion. A sweep by the Pirates followed by a series loss to the Rangers dropped the Cardinals' record against plus-.500 teams to 17-28. In fact, their record in all areas is bad: They have a losing record against every other division and in interleague play. A once-feared pitching staff is anything but this year: Last week, opposing hitters had a .308 batting average against St. Louis pitching. -- Rogers

25. Chicago White Sox

Record: 27-35

Previous ranking: 26

The White Sox are more or less at full health for the first time all season. Perhaps not coincidentally, they are enjoying their most prolonged stretch of winning baseball in 2023. In part thanks to the inclusive nature of AL Central competition, Chicago has closed in on the Twins, Guardians and Tigers in the division race. Run prevention has been the key, with the pitching staff posting an MLB-best 2.97 ERA since May 13.

Leading that charge has been resurgent righty Michael Kopech, who has a 2.72 ERA over seven starts since the beginning of May, with 10.9 strikeouts per nine innings and a K-BB ratio of 3.25-1. The White Sox have a ways to go before they can even reach .500, much less first place, but things haven't looked this sunny on the South Side for some time. -- Doolittle

26. Detroit Tigers

Record: 26-33

Previous ranking: 24

The Tigers have a 17-10 record in games decided by one or two runs, a big reason Detroit has out-won its run differential-based expectation by more games than any other AL team except for Baltimore. Some of this is good fortune, some of it is the work of manager A.J. Hinch aligning his player usage with leverage situations, and more than some of it is because the Tigers have a pretty good bullpen.

The latter could present a quandary for the Scott Harris-led front office as the trade deadline approaches. Relievers such as Jason Foley, Alex Lange, Will Vest and Tyler Holton will surely come up in trade calls. But what happens if the Tigers continue to hover around the division lead despite underlying metrics that suggest their level of contention won't last? For now, this is only a potential drama, since the Tigers have been a pleasant surprise. -- Doolittle

27. Washington Nationals

Record: 25-36

Previous ranking: 27

The Nationals have received just one home run from their first basemen (mostly Dominic Smith). OK, let's try to put that lack of power in perspective. The fewest home runs from first base in the wild-card era (since 1995 and not including 2020): the 2011 A's with seven. Since the divisional era began in 1969: the 1981 Phillies (Pete Rose) with zero. The Phillies also hit just one in 1980 (Rose again) -- although they nonetheless managed to win the World Series that season. And then there's DH (mostly Joey Meneses), where the Nationals have received just four home runs. So the Nationals have just five home runs from 1B/DH, fewest in the majors ... remarkably, however, they're middle of the pack in OPS from 1B/DH. -- Schoenfield

28. Colorado Rockies

Record: 26-37

Previous ranking: 28

Colorado is doing what Colorado does: hit at Coors Field but not away from it. The Rockies rank in the top 10 teams in the majors in OPS at home but near last on the road. Their run differential is the worst in the NL, but they could catch the Padres for fourth place in the West if they go on a mini run. It's not likely to happen with a team ERA over 5.00. Bud Black will likely join a long list of Rockies managers unable to figure out how to get consistent pitching in Colorado. -- Rogers

29. Kansas City Royals

Record: 18-44

Previous ranking: 29

For most of the past month, currently rostered Royals have ranked dead last in the majors by win probability added in both hitting (Bobby Witt Jr.) and pitching (Jordan Lyles). Lyles has had a dreadful season to be sure, but the 32-year-old isn't exactly a foundation piece for K.C. Witt, on the other hand, very much is. He continues to dazzle observers with his raw tools -- top-end speed, tremendous raw power, etc. But he also has a maddening tendency to try to hit a five-run homer in every situation -- even in the field, as if that were possible.

This hyperaggression contributes to his bottom-basement showing in WPA, which contextualizes a player's situational performance. Entering Wednesday, Witt had a .266/.311/.487 line with the bases empty. But with runners on base, he was at .190/.204/.316 with just two walks in 98 plate appearances. The next big step for Witt is to learn how to channel that aggression more productively. -- Doolittle

30. Oakland Athletics

Record: 14-50

Previous ranking: 30

The Athletics recently reached a hurdle in their move to Las Vegas, as ownership has hit a snag in its plans to build a $1.5 billion stadium. Opposition to passing the public funding for part of the stadium has been growing in the city. If the franchise does not receive enough votes for the construction of the ballpark in Vegas, it could renew its lease for another year in Oakland, as the sentiment that funding stadiums with taxpayer dollars ends up being a bad deal for the public increases in Las Vegas. -- Lee

Britain's Alfie Hewett is on course for a fourth French Open men's wheelchair singles title after reaching the final with a 6-2 6-2 win over Argentine third seed Gustavo Fernandez.

Hewett and his partner Gordon Reid are also in the men's doubles semi-finals and are aiming for a fourth successive Roland Garros title.

The pair are 16-time doubles champions at the four majors.

They will face Dutch pair Maikel Scheffers and Ruben Spaargaren or Belgian Joachim Gerard and Oda on Friday.

Japan's Miyu Kato won the French Open mixed doubles title four days after what she called an "unjust" disqualification for hitting a ball girl with a ball in the women's event.

On Sunday, Kato and Indonesia's Aldila Sutjiadi were disqualified from the women's doubles tournament.

"I hope this is redemption for you after what happened," Puetz said.

Reading from a prepared statement, an emotional Kato said: "It has been really challenging mentally for me in the past few days due to the unjust disqualification from the women's doubles.

"To my coach, I thank [you] for always being with me when I was having a hard time. To Tim, I'm so glad to have you as a partner, I thank you for always supporting me and cheering me up.

"I want to thank also the players, coaches and everyone for the heartfelt messages of support. I was able to use that positivity so I could be here."

In the women's doubles last-16 match on Sunday, Kato and Sutjiadi were losing 7-6 (7-1) 1-3 against the pairing of Marie Bouzkova from the Czech Republic and Spain's Sara Sorribes Tormo when the incident happened.

Kato sent a ball cross-court towards the ball girl, hitting her shoulder and leaving her visibly distressed.

The 28-year-old player was initially given a warning by the umpire but after protests from their opponents, Kato and Sutjiadi were disqualified. Kato, who apologised to the ball girl, was penalised by losing her prize money and ranking points.

After winning the mixed doubles final - her first Grand Slam title - Kato added: "It was unfortunate we were disqualified but I'm doing my best so we can return one day and claim the women's doubles final. Hopefully, the ball girl is OK.

"To Sara and Marie, my opponents in the women's doubles, I hope we can play each other again somewhere and have a great match.

"Lastly, to Roland Garros, it's unfortunate about the disqualification decision but I'm looking for a positive outcome of my appeal so I can receive my points and prize money."

Britain's Jack Draper will miss the grass-court season, including Wimbledon, with a shoulder injury.

"It's clear my shoulder is going to need time and rehab to get back to where it needs to be," Draper wrote on Instagram.

"My team and I have made the difficult decision to miss the grass-court season this year."

He added: "I guess in this sport there are so many ups and downs but this one is tough to take.

"The only thing for sure is that I will keep persevering. Thank you for all the support, it means a lot."

Draper was losing 6-4 1-0 to Etcheverry when he had to withdraw after having to serve underarm at times in the opening set.

"It's difficult. It's extremely tough, tougher than playing and losing. I feel a bit mentally destroyed," he said afterwards.

"It's really frustrating. But I will get there. It's just a brutal sport. I hate being the guy who is injured a lot."

Ranked 55th in the world, Draper has suffered a number of physical problems in his young career. This was the third successive Grand Slam match where his performance had been affected by injury.

After retiring from his US Open third-round match against Karen Khachanov last September with a hamstring problem, the British men's number four was compromised by cramping in his Australian Open defeat by Rafael Nadal in January.

He also retired from his meeting with Spain's world number one Carlos Alcaraz in Indian Wells in March.

Draper reached the second round of Wimbledon in 2022, and then beat sixth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime on his way to round three of the US Open.

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the governor of Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, sat beside each other during a CNBC interview wearing comfortable smiles of longtime friends.

That was one of many surprises.

They announced a blockbuster commercial partnership that seemed so unfathomable only a few months ago because they were adversaries in the bitter antitrust lawsuit initiated by Saudi-funded LIV Golf — and because two months ago, they had never even met.

What brought them together in a roundabout way was Monahan appointing Jimmy Dunne — a power broker in golf and on Wall Street with a personal connection to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks — to the PGA Tour board of directors last fall.

It was Dunne and Ed Herlihy, chairman of the PGA Tour policy board, whom Monahan leaned on to set his first meeting with Al-Rumayyan a short time after the Masters.

They were the only PGA Tour principals involved in the deal that joins the commercial business of the PGA Tour, European tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund in a for-profit entity that for now goes by “Newco” — new company.

Part of the deal is ending all litigation.

“I came to the table not being comfortable with criticism why we didn’t meet with them,” Dunne said. “If you look at what happened (with LIV), we never would have done anything they did. We never would have hired Greg Norman. We never would have him flying to an event in a parachute. We never would have done so many of these things.

“What does that tell me? That I have no idea what they’re thinking,” Dunne said. “And when you have no idea what an adversary is thinking, I want to ask them, not their lawyers. I want to ask them directly.”

Herlihy, a New York attorney, is the chairman of the PGA Tour board, and for nearly 40 years a partner at Wachtell, Lipton, Rose & Katz. His focus is mergers and acquisitions of banks and financial institutions.

“The first conversation that I was not a part of was what was the most important conversation because of the position I’ve been in and what we’ve been trying to do with our tour,” Monahan said. “I wanted to rely heavily on those two fine gentlemen to have that first conversation.

“But when they came back and said it was a positive conversation and that I should have a follow-up meeting, I think that’s when things started to develop.”

That Dunne would be arranging the meeting is telling.

Only a year ago, when LIV Golf held its first 54-hole event outside London, Monahan was interviewed on CBS during the Canadian Open. He was asked about the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and the links to Saudi Arabia.

“I would ask any player who left (for LIV), or any player that would ever consider leaving, have you ever had to apologize for being a member of the PGA Tour?” Monahan said.

For Dunne, it’s deeply personal.

Dunne is a good golfer, a member at Augusta National and Shinnecock Hills, the president of Seminole Golf Club. During a phone interview Wednesday, Jon Rahm and Lee Trevino were among those trying to reach him. Justin Thomas and Rickie Fowler have stayed at his house.

He began working at Bear Stearns before co-founding the investment banking firm of Sandler O’Neill & Partners (now Piper Sandler). The firm formerly was located on the 104th floor in the south tower of the World Trade Center.

Dunne was trying to qualify for the U.S. Mid-Amateur on Sept. 11, 2001. He lost 66 employees that day. He doesn’t forget, nor does he choose to talk about it now. As he said to Sports Illustrated last year, “I would not be the fairest judge of Saudi involvement” in LIV because of the friends and colleagues who perished.

Dunne is all about finding solutions, and the PGA Tour was in need of answers.

Monahan said reshaping this year’s schedule with 13 “designated events” averaging $20 million in prize money forced the Tour to dip into its reserves, and there were questions how long this could be sustained.

“Between our reserves, the legal fees, our underpin and our commitment to the DP World Tour and their legal fees, it’s been significant,” Monahan said.

Rory McIlroy, one of five player-directors for the PGA Tour board, wasn’t aware of the deal until Dunne called him about 6:30 a.m. Tuesday — some four hours before it was to be announced — and walked him through the details.

“From what I gather, the Tour felt they were in a real position of strength coming off of the back of the DP World Tour winning their legal case in London. It sort of weakened the other side’s position,” McIlroy said.

“And they went in there, and the way Jimmy described it: ‘Rory, sometimes you got 280 over water, you just got to go for it.’ And that’s what they did.”

Dunne said he has been in Monahan’s ear about the Tour at least talking to the Saudis — not Monahan at first, but Dunne or Herlihy, or perhaps someone from the European tour (DP World Tour is the commercial name).

“After the Masters we decided — we had won a bunch of cases — let’s find out what they’re all about,” Dunne said.

In dealing with a group that’s strategy was to outspend, the objective was to unite golf under one umbrella with Monahan in charge and end the litigation that was costing millions.

PIF’s business includes LIV Golf, which is now under the umbrella of the new company — Monahan is the CEO, al-Rumayyan is the chairman, Dunne and Herlihy join them on the executive committee.

That’s what led McIlroy to say on Wednesday, “Technically anyone that is involved with LIV now would answer to Jay. So the PGA Tour have control of everything.”

It’s a lot to digest. Monahan has to work through credibility issues after spending a year fighting a rival that now is his partner, and then dropping the news without warning.

“Circumstances change, and they’ve been changing a lot over the last couple years,” Monahan said. And then it hit warp speed, starting with Dunne and Herlihy.

The 2022-23 European domestic season is over. With the club campaign finished, players jump on flights bound for all corners of the globe, returning home for a summer of recovery or, if selected, international football.

Players in the frame for the U.S. men's national team will have plenty of opportunity to play for their country, with the Concacaf Nations League finals and Gold Cup both beginning in June. Which of them will be primed to perform, though, and who will require an arm around the shoulder after a trying season with their club?

ESPN whittled down a list of 26 Europe-based American players (26 being the number allowed in an international squad) and asked Jeff Carlisle, Kyle Bonagura, Bill Connelly, Cesar Hernandez and Arch Bell to assess each of their 2022-23 campaigns and assign them a letter grade. Behold: the Americans Abroad year-end grades.

Brenden Aaronson | 22 | Midfielder | Leeds United

2022-23 grade: D+

Their story of 2022-23: The 2022-23 campaign has to go down as a disappointment for Aaronson, both in terms of Leeds' relegation and his personal performances. The season started so promisingly for the U.S. midfielder, especially when he robbed Chelsea keeper Edouard Mendy to score the opener in a 3-0 win. That was back in August ... and it proved to be the only goal Aaronson managed to score all season. He tallied just three assists as well, highlighting a lack of end product.

Although he was a consistent starter for most of the campaign, he saw his minutes diminish by the end of the season, with his last five appearances coming as a substitute. The upheaval in the manager's chair -- the club went from Jesse Marsch to Javi Gracia to Sam Allardyce -- certainly did Aaronson no favors, either.

Outlook for 2023-24: ESPN can confirm a report in The Athletic that Aaronson has a relegation release clause in his contract, so it's unknown just where he will land next season, although remaining in the English Championship wouldn't be the worst thing. Aaronson is tailor-made for a pressing system, which will likely be a significant factor in terms of where he ends up. -- Jeff Carlisle

- Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)

Tyler Adams | 24 | Midfielder | Leeds United

2022-23 grade: B

Their story of 2022-23: The season set up really well for Adams: He got a move to the Premier League (Leeds United) to play for a coach (Marsch) who had been an advocate for him at multiple stops in his career. The possibility for a breakout season on the biggest of stages was there, all with the opportunity to captain the United States at the World Cup in the middle of the season.

In many ways, that happened. He was a key player for Leeds and, at times, earned praise for his ability to put out fires in the middle of the park. The problem, of course, is that a single fire engine can't put out a forest fire and two managers were axed before Leeds were relegated back to the Championship (Adams missed the final three months with a hamstring injury).

Outlook for 2023-24: Adams, who was one of the USMNT's best players in Qatar, is reportedly on the radar of several large clubs and nearly guaranteed a move to stay in a top-flight league. -- Kyle Bonagura

Folarin Balogun | 21 | Forward | Stade de Reims

2022-23 grade: A+

Their story of 2022-23: This is how every loan is supposed to work. After scoring two goals in 209 total minutes for Arsenal in recent seasons, and after an only moderately successful short-term spell with Middlesbrough, Balogun went to Reims and ignited in 2022-23, scoring 21 goals with two assists from 37 chances created on an excellent counterattacking squad.

As the top young scorer in Ligue 1, the 21-year old's stock skyrocketed, and the dual-national ended up the subject of an almost college-football-like recruiting battle, eventually committing to the U.S. over England and Nigeria.

Outlook for 2023-24: Whether he now fights for a spot at Arsenal or moves away via transfer (one that would command far more money than it would have a year ago), Balogun will likely feature prominently somewhere in Europe's big five leagues, just as he takes over as the No. 1 American scoring threat internationally. -- Bill Connelly

Reggie Cannon | 24 | Right-back | Boavista

2022-23 grade: B

Their story of 2022-23: Things went well for Cannon in 2022-23 as he surpassed the 2,000-minute mark in league play, following a slight dip to 1,718 minutes in 2021-22, with 26 starts in 30 appearances. One negative in the FC Dallas alum's game was that he was sent off twice.

Outlook for 2023-24: Traditionally a right-back, Cannon was played slightly out of position more as a right-sided center-back for most of the season and even as a right-wing-back. The hope for next season is that he'll return to more of his usual right-back spot. -- Arch Bell

Cameron Carter-Vickers | 25 | Centre-back | Celtic

2022-23 grade: A+

Their story of 2022-23: What more could you ask of the 25-year-old central defender? He was selected in the 2022-23 Scottish Premiership Team of the Year, was vital in Celtic's run to this season's league title and also occasionally stepped up as captain when needed.

Outlook for 2023-24: The only doubt regarding him is whether he'll recover in time for the start of next season after suffering a knee injury in late April. -- Cesar Hernandez

Sergino Dest | 22 | Right-back | AC Milan

2022-23 grade: D-

Their story of 2022-23: After starting 40 LaLiga matches the previous two seasons for Barcelona at ages 19 and 20, Dest's career has taken a sharp reversal. Dest was loaned to AC Milan following preseason with Barca and failed to make an impact in Serie A, starting just two matches and playing 329 minutes in the league. He did, however, have a solid showing at the World Cup, and his role with the national team has been more or less unaffected by the lack of stability at the club level.

Outlook for 2023-24: The most important thing now is that he finds a club where he can play regularly. His ceiling remains very high and with the right situation, he can get things back on track. -- Kyle Bonagura

Luca de la Torre | 25 | Midfielder | Celta Vigo

2022-23 grade: B-

Their story of 2022-23: When De la Torre moved to Celta Vigo this past July, it was seen as something of a gamble as he moved to a new league and a new country just prior to the World Cup. The U.S. midfielder started out slowly, making just five appearances -- none of them starts -- prior to his departure for Qatar, as a hamstring injury slowed his progress.

Post-World Cup, though, De la Torre's fortunes improved. By the end of the season he was a regular in the side, making 28 league appearances (16 of them starts), usually as a left-sided midfielder in manager Carlos Carvalhal's 4-4-2. His insertion into the lineup coincided with Celta's rise out of the relegation battle and into the middle of the LaLiga table, but a terrible run at the end of the year saw the club struggling to avoid the drop. Celta ultimately survived, and in the process, De la Torre showed off his prowess as more of a link man than a pure attacking midfielder, connecting on 86.6% of his passes but averaging just 0.63 key passes per 90 minutes.

Outlook for 2023-24: With his inaugural season in Spain now behind him, he's in position to establish himself more firmly in the Celta side. -- Jeff Carlisle

Ethan Horvath | 27 | Goalkeeper | Luton Town

2022-23 grade: A-

Their story of 2022-23: A key figure in Luton Town's fairy-tale promotion into the Premier League, despite not needing to do much during May's playoff final. Despite a few questionable moments in the Championship, the 27-year-old found a way to collect an impressive 20 clean sheets.

Outlook for 2023-24: On loan from Nottingham Forest, his future remains unclear, as someone who can thrive in the English second division but also has room for improvement with his interventions in the box. -- Cesar Hernandez

Weston McKennie | 24 | Midfielder | Juventus and Leeds United

2022-23 grade: D-

Their story of 2022-23: It was a lost season of sorts for the 24-year old. After combining four goals with 31 chances created and a 79% pass completion rate in 1,968 total minutes for Juventus in 2021-22, the FC Dallas product fell out of favor with manager Massimiliano Allegri and made a midseason loan move to Leeds United, whose primary transfer strategy of late seems to have been "We need more Americans!"

The season ended with McKennie getting jeered by Leeds fans. It wasn't his fault that the team fell apart down the stretch -- they panic-fired manager Marsch in February, replaced him with a stylistic opposite (Javi Gracia), then replaced him with Allardyce in early May -- but his presence didn't help matters. And in all competitions in 2022-23, he ended up with far more minutes (3,038 in all) but less offensive production (three goals, 24 chances created, 70% pass completion rate) and defensive disruption.

Outlook for 2023-24: With Leeds relegated, McKennie heads back to Juventus, but it appears unlikely he will stay there. Wherever he lands, his production will require a rebound. -- Bill Connelly

Mark McKenzie | 24 | Centre-back | Genk

2022-23 grade: A

Their story of 2022-23: This has been McKenzie's breakout season in Europe. After Genk transferred Jhon Lucumi to Bologna, McKenzie became the regular starter (35 starts in 35 appearances) and leader of the team's defense with his aerial ability and ball recovery. He even became a scoring threat with four goals in the final two months of the season, aiding in their title chase even though they fell just short on the Belgian season's final day.

Outlook for 2023-24: Another season like this and he'll be playing for a bigger club. -- Arch Bell

Yunus Musah | 20 | Midfielder | Valencia

2022-23 grade: C+

Their story of 2022-23: It's been a difficult campaign for Musah, even as he has spent more time in his preferred central midfield position. Musah is a player who thrives when there is belief in him from his manager, but Valencia had three different head coaches this season (including interims) and were stuck in a relegation battle for most of the year. There were multiple formation switches as well, which at times meant Musah was shunted to his less preferred position on the wing.

Through all of that, Musah was a consistent presence for most of the campaign, though he was on the subs' bench the past few weeks. His ability on the defensive side of the ball stood out, with his tackle percentage of 60.3% third best among LaLiga midfielders with more than 900 minutes this season. He didn't fare as well on the ball.

Outlook for 2023-24: Musah is only 20, and as such is still viewed as a player with immense upside, meaning a departure away from the Mestalla could very well happen. -- Jeff Carlisle

Erik Palmer-Brown | 26 | Center-back | Troyes

2022-23 grade: B-

Their story of 2022-23: The good news: Palmer-Brown was a locked-in starter for Troyes in Ligue 1, starting 35 matches and playing more than 3,000 minutes. The bad: Troyes was relegated after a conceding a league-worst 81 goals.

Outlook for 2023-24: He signed a deal that keeps him with Troyes through the 2023-24 season, but it's possible he considers a move to another top-flight league. -- Kyle Bonagura

Jordan Pefok | 27 | Forward | Union Berlin

2022-23 grade: C-

Their story of 2022-23: As part of an inspiring Union Berlin squad that clinched a first-ever UEFA Champions League invitation, there's no denying Pefok's role in the overall process. Individually though, he had a subdued end to the season. After kicking off his 2022-23 run with three goals and two assists in his first five games, injury issues and a lack of form has led to an ongoing goalless run since February.

Outlook for 2023-24: More is expected of the 27-year-old. He has to increase his goal-scoring numbers. -- Cesar Hernandez

Ricardo Pepi | 20 | Forward | Groningen

2022-23 grade: A-

Their story of 2022-23: Like Balogun, Pepi enjoyed a lovely loan spell in 2022-23, and really, it only paled in comparison to Balogun's. Loaned from FC Augsburg to Groningen in the Eredivisie, Pepi scored 13 goals in all competitions, with three assists and 32 chances created. He remained an active presser, and after struggling to create space for himself in the box at Augsburg, he thrived in the Netherlands.

Outlook for 2023-24: He couldn't prevent Groningen from suffering relegation, but transfer rumors now tie him to clubs such as PSV Eindhoven and others much further up the Dutch table. His stock is rebounding. -- Bill Connelly

Christian Pulisic | 24 | Forward | Chelsea

2022-23 grade: D

Their story of 2022-23: Very little went right for Pulisic during the 2022-23 club season. A knee injury sidelined him for two months in January, just after he had reestablished himself in the starting lineup following the World Cup. By the time he returned, Chelsea's spending spree meant it was difficult to get back into the side, making just two league starts and seven league appearances overall since March 1. Not even the return of Frank Lampard as caretaker manager, who had given Pulisic plenty of opportunities during his previous stint as Chelsea boss, was enough to get the American back in the team.

As a consequence, all of Pulisic's numbers per 90 minutes were down, be it touches (45.98), goals (0.1), expected goals (0.14), shots (1.75) and shots on target percentage (27%).

Outlook for 2023-24: Now Pulisic's time at Stamford Bridge seems certain to end, assuming Chelsea's valuation can be met. A realistic transfer fee would fall somewhere between $15m and $20m. We'll see if Chelsea ultimately agree. -- Jeff Carlisle

Tim Ream | 35 | Center-back | Fulham

2022-23 grade: A-

Their story of 2022-23: "If you were 24 instead of 34, you'd be playing for me." Those were the words spoken by Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola to Ream after a City-Fulham match earlier this year.

It sums up what was an outstanding year for the veteran defender that was cruelly cut short by an arm fracture in April. Ream made 33 starts in the Premier League, helping Fulham to a comfortable midtable finish, and exceeded expectations in going up against some of the world's best attacking players.

Outlook for 2023-24: The 35-year-old is recovering from injury and will be a year older, so it will be difficult to match what was a wonderful renaissance this season. -- Arch Bell

Giovanni Reyna | 20 | Midfielder | Borussia Dortmund

2022-23 grade: B

Their story of 2022-23: Let's toss the World Cup debacle to the side. Nothing about the Reyna experience was positive for anyone.

That doesn't change the fact that he has more upside than any player in the U.S. player pool and has the talent to become the best American player ever. With Borussia Dortmund, as the Black and Yellows chased the Bundesliga title until the season's dying minutes, there were flashes of what he can be.

Although he started just four matches in the league, he featured in 22, scoring a career-best seven goals with two assists. That goal production outpaced the 2020-21 season, when he started 23 matches and played more than three times the amount of minutes. His lack of opportunity was more a product of playing on a team that was playing well; the competition for minutes was difficult.

Outlook for 2023-24: Two keys for next year: a bigger role and staying healthy. Ideally, that comes at Dortmund, but if a change of scenery is required, then that should be considered. -- Kyle Bonagura

Chris Richards | 23 | Defender | Crystal Palace

2022-23 grade: C

Their story of 2022-23: A hit-or-miss season for the 23-year-old who hasn't reached his potential. Richards should feel proud of some of his performances -- especially against Manchester United in January -- but those appearances came to a paltry total of only nine.

Outlook for 2023-24: If he can stay fit and avoid the injury issues that heavily impacted his role in late 2022, Richards should be able to claim more appearances in 2023-24. -- Cesar Hernandez

Antonee Robinson | 25 | Left-back | Fulham

2022-23 grade: A-

Their story of 2022-23: After becoming one of the best left-backs in the English second division last season -- and a stalwart for his national team -- Robinson moved up with Fulham to the Premier League in 2022-23 and more than held his own. Only three EPL full-backs combined at least 235 ball recoveries with at least 20 chances created this season: Newcastle United's Kieran Trippier, Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold and the 25-year old Robinson. That's awfully good company.

Outlook for 2023-24: After years of yo-yoing between the first- and second division, Fulham finished a surprising 10th this season. Robinson was a major reason. His contract expires in 2024, so in the coming months we'll find out if he remains a building block at Craven Cottage, or if spring transfer rumors -- both Newcastle United and Manchester City were allegedly interested -- turn out to be true. -- Bill Connelly

Josh Sargent | 23 | Forward | Norwich City

2022-23 grade: B

Their story of 2022-23: Sargent led Norwich City in scoring this season in the English Championship with 13 goals, but it was a disappointing midtable finish for the Canaries. He made 40 appearances overall, accruing more than 3,000 minutes, and did well in frontline defending, but found himself playing more on the wing, rather than as center-forward.

Outlook for 2023-24: With Teemu Pukki departing the club, Sargent stands to start 2023-24 as Norwich's No. 9, which will play more to his strengths. -- Arch Bell

Joe Scally | 20 | Full-back | Borussia Monchengladbach

2022-23 grade: B

Their story of 2022-23: Scally was a mainstay in the Gladbach starting XI until the final month of the season, when he played just a minute in the final five games, ending with 25 starts and 28 appearances, slightly falling short of being a wire-to-wire starter. He continues to improve defensively, allowing him to play in a more conventional right-back role. His aerial game and ball retention are on the rise, and for a player so young, he is technically quite adept.

Outlook for 2023-24: Scally could stand to improve on his progressive passing and tackling as he looks to the next Bundesliga season. If he does that and returns to being a regular starter in 2023-24, the offers from elsewhere will start flooding in. -- Arch Bell

Zack Steffen | 28 | Goalkeeper | Middlesbrough

2022-23 grade: B

Their story of 2022-23: The good news, more than anything else, is that Steffen got plenty of minutes. On loan from Manchester City, the goalkeeper amassed more than 40 Championship appearances for a Middlesbrough side that made it to the semifinal round of the promotional playoffs. That said, with an underwhelming mark of minus-1.14 goals prevented (via TruMedia/StatsPerform), more could have been done this season.

Outlook for 2023-24: Looking ahead, his focus will now be on recovering after a recent knee surgery that will reportedly keep him out for three to four months. -- Cesar Hernandez

Malik Tillman | 21 | Forward | Rangers

2022-23 grade: B+

Their story of 2022-23: Another wonderfully successful loan spell for a young American. The 21-year-old spent a few seasons attempting to crack Bayern Munich's deep rotation of attacking midfielders, but after making seven appearances for the German giants last season, he went to Rangers on loan and thrived, combining 10 goals and four assists for what was the second-best team in Scotland.

Outlook for 2023-24: Rangers have been pushing to make his acquisition permanent, but leadership turmoil at Bayern might mean he has to wait a bit longer to find out next year's home. -- Bill Connelly

Auston Trusty | 24 | Centre-back | Birmingham City

2022-23 grade: A

Their story of 2022-23: This was a case of a loan working out spectacularly well. Trusty was an ever-present force in City's backline, making 44 league appearances, mostly as a left-sided center-back in a back-three system. He capped off his season by being named Birmingham's Player of the Year, as voted by the club's supporters.

Outlook for 2023-24: While Trusty will need to clean up his passing (68.7% completion), his tackling and prowess on set pieces served him well, and likely will continue to do so in another season on loan away from Arsenal. -- Jeff Carlisle

Matt Turner | 28 | Goalkeeper | Arsenal

2022-23 grade: B+

Their story of 2022-23: For a guy who not so long ago was a long shot to be a professional soccer player, the fact that he just finished a season as an Arsenal player and started for the United States at the World Cup is simply incredible. An all-time great story of development. On the other hand, the opportunities to play in games at Arsenal were limited, and while that doesn't mean he hasn't improved -- his ability to play with his feet, for example, is significantly better than it was a year ago -- it's not a perfect situation.

Outlook for 2023-24: He's good enough to serve as the No. 1 in the Premier League. The question is, 12 months after moving to north London, whether he's willing to bet on himself and make another move to prove it. -- Kyle Bonagura

Haji Wright | 25 | Forward | Antalyaspor

2022-23 grade: A-

Their story of 2022-23: After several seasons spent bouncing around northern Europe with little success, Wright has blossomed in the Turkish Super Lig.

Outlook for 2023-24: After bagging 31 goals in all competitions in the past two seasons with Antalyaspor, including 16 this season, he looks set to move on to bigger challenges. -- Jeff Carlisle

With the summer transfer window scheduled to open on June 14 in the Premier League (find out about the rest of Europe here), we're set for major deals and speculation around the biggest stars in the soccer world.

- Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)

It also promises to be a big window for American players as several key U.S. men's national team players will be on the move. Here is a look at six players who face pending moves in the weeks ahead.

Christian Pulisic, 24, attacking midfielder, Chelsea

The time has come. Pulisic had some nice moments at Chelsea -- especially during Project Restart and in their Champions League title run -- but his time there ultimately fell short of expectations. For the past couple of years, Pulisic has maintained that he wanted to fight for his place at Chelsea as the club's managerial carousel was spinning, but it's no longer worth it.

Chelsea had all but given up on him this year -- even after an American, Todd Boehly, took control of the club -- and it would be too much of a risk for him to try again next year.

There has reportedly been interest from multiple clubs in Italy, which all sound intriguing, but the most important factor should be his role: it must be as an every-game player. The prospect of him not getting regular minutes would invite this same conversation all over again next year, and as he approaches what should be his prime years and the 2026 World Cup, that would be a disaster.

Tyler Adams, 24, midfielder, Leeds United

With Leeds United headed down to the Championship, it all but assures a move for Adams. While some players might benefit from a year in a second-division league -- American teammate Brenden Aaronson, for example -- Adams would not. Even on a bad team, Adams proved he can play a meaningful role in the Premier League, so a move to a mid-table club feels about right for the USMNT's World Cup captain.

Where that makes the most sense will be system dependent. He's never going to be the deep-lying guy who sprays the ball around the field, and he's best suited to play in a midfield with others who are more comfortable progressing the ball. What he can be is an elite ball winner, a skill that will draw a lot of suitors.

Sergino Dest, 22, full-back, AC Milan

Even as Dest remains a key figure for the USMNT at right-back, his club situation is trending poorly. From Barcelona starter to seldom-used loanee at AC Milan, Dest's value has taken a hit, and the idea that he can become a world-class right-back -- something that seemed like a real possibility when he moved to Barca -- is almost dead.

But let's remember: he's still only 22, and he is brilliant on the ball. Plenty of clubs would slot him into the starting XI from day one, and reports of Bundesliga interest are appealing. Like his American teammates on this list, his priority should be playing time. After struggling for minutes, he needs to go to a team where that doesn't project as an issue. And if that means going to a smaller club, so be it. He can't reverse course again if he's not on the field.

Weston McKennie, 24, midfielder, Juventus

McKennie's loan move to Leeds was immediately undercut by Jesse Marsch's dismissal, leading to a forgettable spring in the Premier League. McKennie has been linked to several Premier League clubs over the past two years, and a new, permanent move from Juventus to England should be the expectation.

Brighton is one landing spot that has popped up most frequently of late, but it's too early in the summer to forecast McKennie's options with much clarity.

Ricardo Pepi, 20, striker, FC Augsburg

Pepi is the rare case of someone who was able to dramatically improve his stock on a team that was relegated. He scored 12 league goals in 29 matches for last-place Groningen, which managed just 31 as a team in 34 matches. Reports of interest from top Dutch clubs Feyenoord Rotterdam and PSV Eindhoven (where former U.S. Soccer general manager Earnie Stewart is the new technical director) signal two interesting options for the FC Dallas product.

After Pepi scored consistently in the Netherlands on a poor team, it would be fascinating to see what kind of goal tally he could manage in the league while surrounded by better talent.

Malik Tillman, 21, attacking midfielder, Bayern Munich

Tillman's loan deal at Rangers from Bayern Munich was a success. He was a top XI-caliber player in the Scottish Premiership and significantly improved his transfer value. Another year in Scotland could be good for his development, but if Bayern views him as a squad player and has a consistent role for him -- whatever that looks like -- it would be interesting to see how he would adapt.

There are several possible types of landing places in between, of course, and Tillman could easily play his way into a prominent national team role sooner rather than later if everything breaks his way.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Smoke from Canadian wildfires that have spread across the Eastern seaboard in the United States forced the New York Giants to cancel practice Thursday.

The Giants organized team activity, which was scheduled to be held indoors, was scrapped at the last minute because of the air conditions, according to team officials. A slight haze had made its way inside the Giants' fieldhouse, and the team decided to call off the practice.

The air quality index (AQI) outdoors in East Rutherford, N.J., was 198 at 10 a.m. ET on Thursday morning -- a number that is considered unhealthy. An AQI of 200 and above is very unhealthy.

The Giants' practice on Friday also is likely to be cancelled, according to coach Brian Daboll.

"It is [wild times]," Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka said minutes after practice was called off. "Have not [seen anything like it] -- have not. Wednesday it was orange [outside]."

Veteran players were excused early Thursday by the Giants and were out of the building by mid-morning, while rookies remained for meetings.

The Giants, whose final two spring OTAs had been slated for Thursday and Friday, conclude their offseason program with mandatory minicamp next Tuesday and Wednesday.

The New York Jets still planned to practice Thursday and Friday at their indoor facility in Florham Park, N.J., some 30 miles west of East Rutherford.

The fires have wreaked havoc on the northeast in recent days, with hazy conditions and the smell of smoke. The New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies had home games postponed Wednesday night because of poor air quality. A National Women's Soccer League game in New Jersey and WNBA game in Brooklyn also were canceled.