#player-resurgence

#player-resurgence

But last season was an awful one for Duclair. He went down with a groin injury early in the season and did not fully recover. He appeared in 44 games, scoring just seven goals and 11 points. The overall year was disappointing for the Islanders, with Duclair being the whipping boy. Duclair needed to take a step back to recover physically and mentally. It seems the break, plus the change in management, helped the 30-year-old turn things around.

The outfielder/designated hitter was the first player the Blue Jays ever signed to a nine-figure contract. Although he was productive in both 2021 and 2022, he spent large parts of the season on the shelf, including playing just 78 games in 2021. By 2023, it looked as if Springer was declining. That season, he slashed .258/.327/.405 with 21 home runs in 683 plate appearances, giving him a 103 wRC+ and 1.9 fWAR, both were the worst of his career.

Porter's not just producing in Brooklyn, he's emerging as an All-Star candidate. And Nets head coach Jordi Fernández understood the extra meaning behind Sunday's matchup and didn't shy away from it. "If I [were] in his shoes, I would be very excited to play this game," Fernández said. "And I have no doubt in my mind that he's going to go out there and perform on both ends. So, it's an exciting, exciting day for for all of us, especially for him."

Rafael Leao is looking like a man reborn under Massimiliano Allegri, with his output for AC Milan surging in recent games.

"I could probably write a book about last year's season," he told TSN Radio 690 Montreal on August 21. "I could probably write a book about just [Alex Ovechkin] last year, and then I could write a second book about the season, about everything."