Sitting on a shelf in Sonny Gray’s locker in the corner of the Boston Red Sox clubhouse is a small black notebook. It holds many of the secrets of the most successful season of Gray’s 14-year career.
When the Red Sox added Gray as their No. 2 in the rotation behind Garrett Crochet, many thought it a tall ask for a starter in the backend of his career.
Still, Gray has anchored the staff, which has been without Crochet for most of the season. Gray has a 2.78 ERA over 21 starts and has thrown at least six innings in all but six outings.
The 36-year-old has implemented a method over the years that has made him successful. Writing things down — his schedule for the day, his workouts, how to attack hitters, notes on his performances — is the key.
The process started in 2019 at the suggestion of Cincinnati Reds pitching coach Derek Johnson, who also coached Gray at Vanderbilt University.
“DJ always carried a little book with him, taking notes,” Gray said. “He would always just be like, ‘Need to get you one of these.’”
Gray initially used index cards and would throw them out at the end of the day. Then he realized organizing in a notebook would be more beneficial. He estimates he has 20 at his house.
“You have a reference that you can go back to when you feel like you may get off-tilt,” Gray said. “What did my days look like when things are good?”
Gray has tweaked his method over the years, and while he doesn’t know how many notebooks he uses a season, he has a library detailing the second half of his career.
It’s likely no coincidence some of his best seasons have come since he began taking notes. In 2019, he posted a 2.87 ERA in 31 starts and finished seventh in National League Cy Young Award voting. He landed second in voting for the American League Cy Young in 2023, after posting a 2.79 ERA in 32 starts for the Minnesota Twins.
Over his career in baseball, Red Sox pitching coach Andrew Bailey, 42, has worked with few pitchers as detail-oriented as Gray.
“He’s definitely cerebral,” Bailey said. “He’s well-prepared. He knows what he wants to do, what he does really well and his identity as a pitcher.”
Another piece of Gray’s success has been working with bullpen catcher Charlie Madden, who works with Gray between starts while Gary’s de facto personal catcher, Connor Wong, manages the rest of the pitching staff.
“It’s been good because our brains are similar,” Gray said of Madden. “He understands my quirkiness or my structure and attention to detail that is important to me. I think his brain is similar, so he knows where I’m coming from when I get a little weird.”
Why the Red Sox resurgence is historic
Ken Rosenthal and Johnny Sweet
Time and again throughout his career, Gray has reinvented himself. This year is no different. He has his lowest strikeout rate since 2018, and while his walks are up compared to the last two years, he has limited the damage. His hard-hit rate is his lowest in six years, and he’s allowed his lowest barreled ball rate since 2022.
Although Gray was left off the AL All-Star roster last month, his performance is viewed favorably across the league.
“Sonny Gray has reinvented himself,” said one National League evaluator who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to speak publicly about other teams’ players. “It’s so impressive to watch at his age. For hitters, it must feel like trying to hit a butterfly with a shovel.”
Wong has caught all of Gray’s starts since May 30 as the two have found a rhythm, adjusting on the fly in-game when Gray doesn’t have a pitch or recognizing when batters are sitting on another one. Their dynamic is a product of their pre-start meetings.
“He almost does it in the third person, like when he’s explaining how he wants to attack someone, he says, ‘you,’” Wong explained. “I actually don’t know if that’s him talking to himself or if he wants us to feel like we are throwing the pitches, but it’s pretty interesting in that aspect.”
Gray shares only so many details of the routine documented in his little black book.
After finding what works for him, the Red Sox hope he can keep it up deep into October.
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — New York Giants coach John Harbaugh emphasized the importance of the second week of training camp when the Giants returned to action last Monday after their lone day off during a nearly two-week stay in West Virginia.
“The second week is the big week of camp. This is your opportunity to really grow as a football team,” Harbaugh said. “You build your foundation in training camp for your team. The second week should be where you cover the most miles, gain the most ground. We want to put the most miles behind us as far as developing the foundation of our team this week.”
So, after the Giants wrapped up their sixth straight day of practice on Saturday before heading home to New Jersey, how did Harbaugh think the important second week went?
“I think we got a lot better,” Harbaugh said. “We improved tremendously. … I think we can look back and say that we’ve come a long way.”
Giants conclude training camp in West Virginia
Dan Duggan
The Giants certainly didn’t take any shortcuts on the path to improvement. They practiced on 10 of the 11 days in West Virginia and wore full pads five times, which was the maximum allowable by the current collective bargaining agreement. The Giants finished with four straight practices that ran longer than two hours, including a marathon two-hour, 25-minute session on Friday. Before getting on a plane to return to New Jersey, Saturday’s practice featured young backups competing in a live-tackling, goal-line period. The offense scored three touchdowns on the five plays from the 2-yard line, setting off a celebration from the entire offense.
There hadn’t been a lot for the offense to celebrate early in camp, as quarterback Jaxson Dart often looked uncomfortable while running a system that is drastically different from his rookie year. Dart left West Virginia on a high note, however, with his best performance of camp coming in Friday’s grueling practice. Dart completed 16-of-19 passes during 11-on-11 periods, capping a 14-play drive with a 3-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Darius Slayton to finish the day.
Dart continues to make the transition from the RPO-heavy offense he ran at Ole Miss and last season to the under-center scheme of new offensive coordinator Matt Nagy. The growing pains are evident, but the hope is that Dart gets comfortable in an offense that will be centered on a power rushing attack from heavy personnel with a play-action passing game.
“I’m happy with where we’re at,” Harbaugh said. “It’s just a matter of keeping your head down and staying after it every day. Never taking a breath in terms of your mindset and determination to get better.”
The next step will be leaving the distraction-free surroundings of the Allegheny Mountains to return home to team headquarters, which remain under construction as part of a major renovation. Harbaugh gave the experience at the luxurious Greenbrier resort an “A-plus.” The resort was appealing because it had a turnkey NFL-caliber practice facility the team could inhabit. There was a strong showing of roughly 2,000 fans at most of the six practices open to the public.
With the Giants’ facility upgrades not expected to be completed until the start of the 2028 season, all options — including a return to West Virginia — are on the table for training camp next year.
The depth chart is coming into focus after 10 practices, although there are sure to be more changes after Saturday’s preseason opener against the Vikings. Here are the most notable depth chart developments from the first two weeks of camp:
• Cam Skattebo has been the first running back up in team periods on most days, with Tyrone Tracy Jr. taking the majority of snaps in two-minute drives. That figures to be a time share, with Skattebo the 1-A and Tracy the 1-B. Devin Singletary has been the only other back to get significant reps with the first-team offense. Running back remains a position where the Giants figure to seek a reinforcement before the season, particularly if they can find a dynamic runner.
• The top wide receivers on the depth chart are Slayton, Malik Nabers, Malachi Fields, Darnell Mooney, Calvin Austin, Odell Beckham Jr., Braxton Berrios and JuJu Smith-Schuster. Nabers is obviously the No. 1 receiver, and Fields has started to make strides toward claiming the No. 2 role. Beyond that, it’s wide open. None of the other receivers have stood out. The preseason games should go a long way in settling the battle for the final receiver spots, with Dalen Cambre looming as a dark horse based on his special teams acumen.
• Isaiah Likely and Theo Johnson are the top two tight ends, with Chris Manhertz re-signed because the Giants value his blocking ability. Pat Ricard will factor in at tight end because he lines up in-line and in the backfield at fullback. That likely doesn’t leave room for another tight end. However, 2025 seventh-round pick Thomas Fidone II has flashed impressive hands since getting involved in team periods after being limited early in camp as he recovered from the foot injury that prematurely ended his rookie season.
It will be interesting to see how much Johnson’s playing time gets squeezed since Likely is the top receiving tight end, and Ricard and Manhertz have defined roles as blockers. Johnson is the most well-rounded tight end on the roster, but his maddening drops have continued in camp. Johnson should see plenty of snaps alongside Likely in two-tight end sets, but he needs to become more consistent.
• There has been no competition for any starting jobs on the offensive line. Left guard Jon Runyan, right guard Francis Mauigoa and right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor have taken every first-team rep. The same applied to center John Michael Schmitz before he left Friday’s practice to get evaluated for a concussion. Left tackle Andrew Thomas may have more job security than any player on the roster, so when he has rotated with Marcus Mbow that has only been part of a maintenance plan for the veteran.
The second-team offensive line has been similarly consistent with Mbow at left tackle, Josh Ezeudu at right tackle, Daniel Faalele and Aaron Stinnie at the guard spots, and Lucas Patrick at center. Patrick has been battling through a knee injury that has limited his participation. Bryan Hudson has a prime opportunity to make a push, as he took first-team center reps on Saturday with Schmitz and Patrick not participating in team periods. The 31-year-old Patrick’s experience is appealing as a backup, but he has a lengthy injury history that could work against him in a competition with the 25-year-old Hudson.
Rookie sixth-round pick JC Davis has been the third-team left tackle, but his draft status could enable him to leapfrog Ezeudu for a roster spot. Evan Neal has been the third-team right guard throughout camp with no indications that he’s in the mix for a roster spot.
• Second-year pro Darius Alexander has had a strong start to camp to solidify his spot alongside veteran defensive linemen DJ Reader and Shelby Harris. Leki Fotu and Josh Tupou have gotten the most first-team reps among the crowd of defensive tackles competing for backup jobs. Rookie sixth-round pick Bobby Jamison-Travis has mostly played with the third-team. He’s a player the Giants likely could slide to the practice squad if necessary. Defensive tackle stands out as a position that the Giants, who are fifth in the waiver order, will look to upgrade before the season.
• There isn’t much intrigue at either linebacker position. Brian Burns, Abdul Carter, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Chauncey Golston are locked in as the four outside linebackers. Thibodeaux has been working inside much more this summer, as he’ll likely be an interior rusher on passing downs.
Tremaine Edmunds and rookie Arvell Reese, who looks ready to make an immediate impact, never come off the field at inside linebacker, while Micah McFadden has had a strong camp as the top backup. Rookie sixth-round pick Jack Kelly has solidified his spot as McFadden’s running mate on the second-team. The fate of Zaire Barnes and Darius Muasau will be determined by special teams (more on that below).
• Cornerback continues to be unsettled, with four players getting first-team reps. This is my unofficial tally on who has taken the most first-team reps, in order: Greg Newsome II, Deonte Banks, Paulson Adebo and Colton Hood. Newsome has been steady on the outside and has gotten some work in the slot with Dru Phillips sidelined by a sprained knee. Newsome had a scare during the final practice in West Virginia on Saturday when he went down with an apparent non-contact knee injury. He checked out OK, although he understandably didn’t finish practice.
Banks continues to play better than he has in his first three seasons, although there have been more completions in his direction as camp has progressed. Even though it’s a new coaching staff, there has to be some internal trepidation about relying on Banks after his past performance. That he has moved ahead of Adebo is telling about how disappointing the big-money corner has been. Adebo has given up far too many completions in camp for supposed No. 1 corner, and his standing on the depth chart reflects the coaching staff’s dissatisfaction with his play.
Hood doesn’t look ready to be a Day 1 starter, which is fine with the Giants facing the Cowboys and Rams’ high-octane passing attacks to start the season. Phillips has remained the starting slot corner, but he has split reps with Ar’Darius Washington depending on the situation.
• Jevon Holland Tyler Nubin appeared to be locked in as the starting safeties, but Jason Pinnock suddenly has been rotating with Nubin on the first team. Pinnock has made 46 career starts, including 37 for the Giants from 2022 to 2024, so it’s conceivable that he could push Nubin for the starting job. Washington will have a role as a Swiss Army knife in the secondary, while Elijah Campbell will need to excel on special teams to force the Giants to carry a fifth safety.
• The special teams depth charts always give a clue on which bubble players are best positioned to make the roster. McFadden, Kelly, Barnes and cornerback Art Green are starters on all of the core for special teams units (kickoff, kickoff return, punt, punt return). Banks and Muasau are starters on three units, while Campbell and cornerback Nic Jones are starters on two units.
The special teams depth chart is fluid, and coordinators know they’ll have to adjust based on offensive and defensive needs. But it’s noteworthy that players like Barnes and Green have such prominent roles in the kicking game, which is deeply valued by Harbaugh.
• The biggest head-to-head position battle of camp is between kickers Dominic Zvada and Ben Sauls. Sauls has bounced back after a dreadful spring, but he is still lagging in the competition. Sauls is 35-for-44 (79.5 percent) on field goals in camp. Meanwhile, Zvada has made 41-of-45 (91.1 percent) of his field goal attempts. Zvada’s leg strength is obvious, and he’s the heavy favorite in the competition as the focus shifts to preseason games.
Undrafted rookie long snapper Ben Mann has been consistently accurate with his snaps. Mann can secure the job if he covers punts well in preseason games.
Injury tracker
The Giants left West Virginia encouragingly healthy. Schmitz and Phillips were the only starters to get injured during the first 10 practices of camp. Harbaugh didn’t confirm if Schmitz, who missed a game last season with a concussion, is in the concussion protocol but said, “It wasn’t anything terrible.” So it sounds like Schmitz won’t be sidelined for long.
Phillips went down with what Harbaugh called a “mild knee sprain” in last Wednesday’s practice. Phillips was moving well while working with a trainer during Saturday’s practice, so it doesn’t seem like he’s due for an extended absence.
The most important — and encouraging — development on the injury front has been Nabers’ comeback from a torn ACL and meniscus. Nabers participated in individual drills and install periods in nine of the 10 practices in West Virginia. He ramped up his workload by the end of the trip, showing an explosiveness that suggests he is ready for the next step in his return.
Harbaugh said late last week that Nabers will be “working his way back into practice more and more.” That could mean participation in team periods this week as the team continues to target having Nabers in the lineup for the Sept. 13 opener against the Cowboys.
Sources said Gozo would join Palace for around $15 million (£11 million). Rob Gray / Getty Images
Crystal Palace are finalizing the signing of American winger Zavier Gozo from Real Salt Lake.
Sources briefed on the situation, granted anonymity to protect relationships, said Gozo was in London on Monday to undergo a medical with Palace and complete the paperwork for his move.
Palace and Real Salt Lake have reached an agreement worth around $15 million (£11 million) for Gozo, allowing the 19-year-old to travel to the UK. It’s a new club-record for RSL, sources say.
Gozo will join up with his new teammates for preseason this week.
Gozo scored six goals and made five assists for RSL in 16 games this season playing as a wing-back, after initially breaking through as a winger. He has added quality in the final third to his game that already featured elite athleticism and dribbling ability. He made 50 first team appearances for RSL in total.
RSL has developed a number of first team regulars and is no stranger to big outbound deals to Europe, with Andres Gomez joining French side Rennes for $11 million in 2024. But Gozo becomes the club’s new gold standard for academy to first team pathway, complete with a marquee transfer to Europe.
Gozo is a strong candidate to make his senior U.S. national team debut this fall, as he narrowly missed out on a late push to make the 2026 World Cup squad. He has been a regular in youth national teams.
Real Salt Lake hoped to keep the player for the season but, as Gozo made it clear he wanted to take the next step this summer and bids intensified, the club agreed to a deal with Palace.
Crystal Palace named Pierre Sage as their new head coach this summer after Oliver Glasner’s successful stint with the club came to an end, following a UEFA Conference League final triumph over Rayo Vallecano that qualified the club for a place in this season’s Europa League. Glasner has since moved to Nottingham Forest. Palace previously ended their 70-year trophy drought with an FA Cup win in 2025.
Fellow American Chris Richards remains a key player for Palace, who begins the Premier League season on August 22 against Everton.
The Russian Athletics Federation has filed a new claim with the Court of Arbitration for Sport to challenge sanctions imposed by World Athletics.
Athletes from Russia and Belarus have been banned from international competition under the world governing body since the country’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Russian Athletics says the ongoing sanctions “infringe on the organisation’s rights”, adding they “prevent it from fully representing the interests of Russian athletes on an international level.”
The International Olympic Committee provisionally lifted Russia’s suspension in July, potentially allowing the country to compete at the 2028 Olympics Games in Los Angeles.
Cas, based in Lausanne, Switzerland, serves as sport’s highest arbitration body and hears disputes involving athletes, federations and governing organisations.
“The sanctions against Russian Athletics are unprecedented. No other sports federation faces such severe restrictions,” Boris Yaryshevskiy, chief executive director of Russian Athletics, said in a statement.
“They not only hinder the federation’s normal operation but also hold back the development of athletics in Russia, particularly among young athletes, preventing us from properly representing our sport in the international arena.
“That is why we will consistently defend our rights, pursue the lifting of the sanctions through the courts, and continue our work in this direction. We are already preparing our next steps to restore justice.”
Russian Athletics lodged a separate appeal on 9 July challenging a decision by the World Athletics Council – the main rule-making and executive body of World Athletics – to extend the ban on Russian athletes from international events.
Other sporting federations, including World Gymnastics, World Aquatics and World Boxing, have this year eased restrictions on Russian athletes competing.
Some Russian and Belarusian athletes competed as neutrals at both the 2024 Paris Games and this year’s Winter Olympics in Milan.
