Pent Up Energy Release

Maple Leafs Weekly Recap - July 13 to 19, 2026

Week 10 saw the scripts flipped in more ways than one.

Crix Taveras hit two very different round trips this weekend. 

CBL state media must have ripped up its power rankings and drafted a hasty rewrite.

This weekend, the Toronto Maple Leafs seized everyone's attention like noisy neighbours back from holiday.  They opened the second half of the season with two road wins against top-5 clubs.  In two games they amassed 27 hits and 19 runs.

It was an unusual week not because of that. 

The Leafs had four games on the schedule.  Two of them were postponed and another shifted to Sunday.  Poor air quality resulting from forest fires in northern Ontario wiped out a big chunk of the CBL schedule.  

The Leafs' Wednesday, Thursday and Friday night games were all postponed, wreaking havoc on players' routines.

As the days went by, the team did not hold any practices.  I asked some players how they filled the time.  Each quote below is from a different player.

"Did my own personal work outs waiting for the next game to happen."

"I just did individual work at a local cage."

"I just kind of took it easy for those few days. I still got my workouts in, went to the batting cages to get some swings, and stayed active on my own. I saw a few of the guys at the facility while I was working out, so it was nice to catch up with them too. Other than that, I mostly just chilled indoors and stayed ready for whenever we got back to playing."

"The games were banged very last minute so we were prepping for them all as if we were going to play. We all did what we needed to do to feel ready. Some of us probably used the time to chill and rejuvenate, some of us hit some workouts. Everybody’s different. I feel all of us were very excited to finally play again and released all that pent up energy."

By Saturday, the skies cleared enough for normal play to resume.  The Leafs traveled to Guelph and Barrie and the pent up energy was released!

And now, here is the recap of Week 10 in Maple Leafs baseball.

Wednesday, July 15, 2026 - Brantford Red Sox vs Toronto Maple Leafs (rescheduled rainout) 

Postponed due to poor air quality.

Thursday, July 16, 2026 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Barrie Baycats

Postponed due to poor air quality.  Rescheduled to Sunday, July 19.

Friday, July 17, 2026 - Kitchener Panthers vs Toronto Maple Leafs

Postponed due to poor air quality.

Saturday, July 18, 2026 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Guelph Royals

Crix Taveras belts a ninth-inning home run. (image: Guelph Royals YouTube)

Fresh off his win at the 2026 CBL All-Star Game, Toronto Maple Leafs pitcher Nick Veselinovic continued his winning ways.

The giant southpaw pitched five innings at Hastings Stadium and the bullpen did the rest.  

At the plate, his teammates outhit the Guelph Royals and took advantage of some sloppy fielding to earn a 7-4 victory.

The Leafs got off to a romping start.  Shortstop Brando Leroux hit a leadoff single off starter Edgar Garcia.  Right fielder Yasiel Puig followed him and smacked his first triple of the year.  Leroux scored and the visitors went ahead 1-0.

In the bottom of the first inning, Veselinovic walked leadoff man Franklin Torres.  He advanced around the bases on a ground out, passed ball and sac fly to tie the game.

The top of the second opened with a walk to third baseman Spenser Ross.  A passed ball allowed him to take second.  Catcher Matt Brandt hit a grounder to third that was thrown out of play.  Brandt was awarded second base and Ross trotted home.  With one out, second baseman Crix Taveras enjoyed an adventure on the basepaths.  He hit a shot through the infield that was picked up by the centerfielder and thrown in to Garcia.  Taveras rounded for second and Garcia fired the ball there.  The ball went all the way back to centerfield.  Brandt scored easily and Taveras followed him in with a little league home run (officially a double in the boxscore).  After the game, Guelph manager Dino Roumel described the inning as "disastrous."  The Leafs were ahead 4-1 and they never relinquished the lead.

A sac fly brought in another run for the Royals to make it 4-2 through two innings.

Bottom three, Garrett Takamatsu singled and scored on a triple by Victor Mascai.  4-3 Leafs through three.

In the top of the fifth, the Leroux-Puig one-two-punch landed on Garcia again.  Leroux singled and Puig launched a bomb over the fence in left to make it 6-3.

Bottom of the inning, Mascai hit a solo homer off Veselinovic to make it 6-4.

Acting manager Brian Sewell turned the rest of the game over to the Mapes bullpen.  Reinaldo de Paula and Luis Florentino combined to pitch four innings.  Three hits, three walks, seven strikeouts.  Most importantly, zero runs.

Taveras continued his adventurous evening by hitting a ninth inning home run off reliever Marek Deska.  He followed his second inning little leager with a no-doubt big fly over the right field wall.  It was Taveras's first multi-homer game since college.

"I honestly was just trying to get on base, get a rally going," Taveras said after the game.  "Give us some insurance late in the game just to give my boy Flo some cushion in the ninth to close it."

The 25-year-old California native is playing his first season with the Leafs.

"I’ve always wanted to come to Canada," he said.  "Always heard good things but never had the chance so I’m thankful for this opportunity."

The insurance run turned out to be surplus.  Florentino snuffed out a flickering Royals rally with a three-swings-and-misses strikeout to seal the 7-4 FINAL.  Veselinovic got his third win of the season, Garcia his second loss, and Florentino notched save number three.

Toronto 7 10 0

Guelph 4 7 2

W - Veselinovic (3-2, 4.54)

L - Garcia (3-2, 6.68)

S - Florentino (3)

BOXSCORE

Sunday, July 19, 2026 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Barrie Baycats (game rescheduled from Thursday)

J.J. Dutton smacks a double during the Leafs' hit barrage.

The Toronto Maple Leafs rolled into Athletic Kulture Stadium and put the ball in play, over and over again.  Real assembly line stuff.

They racked up 16 singles and a double en route to a 12-8 win over the Barrie Baycats.

The game opened with singles by the Leafs' first three batters, shortstop Brando Leroux, right fielder Yasiel Puig and centerfielder J.J. Dutton.  Dutton's stroke drove in a run.  Barrie's starting pitcher Saul Vasquez struggled for control, plunking two batters to bring in another run.

The Leafs held a 2-0 advantage until the fourth inning, when they blew the game wide open.  Two walks and a throwing error loaded the bases, then the Leafs started cranking out the hits.  Leroux, Puig and first baseman Mike Cecchetto each produced an RBI single.  Left fielder Dennis Dei Baning singled to score two runs.  Third baseman Spenser Ross reached on an error that scored one more run.  Through four innings, the Leafs enjoyed an 8-0 lead.

On the mound for Toronto, Wilgenis Alvarado had a great day.  He pitched into the fifth and gave up one run on five hits, three walks and five strikeouts.  He was one agonizing out away from being in position to earn the win, but manager Rob Butler made the call to the bullpen before the fifth inning ended.

The Mapes added two runs in the top of the sixth thanks to a Cecchetto sac fly and an RBI single by catcher Matt Brandt.

In the top of the seventh, pinch hitter Ben Sitarenios hit into a fielder's choice that scored a run, and Dutton ripped an RBI double, the team's only extra-base hit of the afternoon.  Midway through the seventh, the Leafs led 12-1 and the park began emptying out.

In the bottom of the eighth, Dei Baning made the catch of the game.  With two out, Barrie slugger Ryan Rijo sliced a high shot towards the corner in left.  Dei Baning went full extension Superman to make the grab and end the inning.

Fans who stuck around watched the Baycats battle back for seven runs over the last three innings.  Relievers Frankie Gulko, Kyle Poapst, Graham Sim and Alex Lanigan combined to record the requisite number of outs before Barrie could score any more.

FINAL score was 12-8.  Gulko, from Long Island, New York, scooped up his first win as a Leaf and Vasquez took the El.

Dutton, Dei Baning, Cecchetto and Ross each drove in two runs.  Dutton's four hits included a double.  Leroux and Puig each recorded three hits and one RBI.

Toronto 12 17 3

Barrie 8 11 2

W - Gulko (1-2, 7.06)

L - Vasquez (3-1, 5.40)

BOXSCORE

The second half opens with the 8-17 Leafs in 8th place in the CBL standings.  They are 8.5 games behind the Barrie Baycats and 6.5 games away from a postseason slot.

The week ahead:

Wednesday, July 22 - Guelph Royals vs Toronto Maple Leafs, 7:30 pm at Christie Pits

Thursday, July 23 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Kitchener Panthers, 7:05 pm at Jack Couch Park

Friday, July 24 - Welland Jackfish vs Toronto Maple Leafs, 7:30 pm at Christie Pits

Sunday, July 26 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Chatham-Kent Barnstormers, 1:05 pm at Fergie Jenkins Field

CBL Odyssey: Toronto

Dominico Field at Christie Pits, Toronto

In 2026, the Intercounty Baseball League set off on a whole new journey.

It shed its name and sailed into new waters as the Canadian Baseball League.  Bigger, better, bolder.

Early feedback from fans and players has been positive.  Rosters have improved and teams have gotten tougher to play.  Clubs continue to build up their game-day experiences and add more fun.  

This is also the summer of The Odyssey, a film that is already being hailed as the blockbuster of the year.  It's the legendary tale of one man's journey through practically every nook and cranny of the Mediterranean before finally getting home.

With all this in mind, I'm making 2026 the summer of the CBL Odyssey.  I'm revisiting the league's ballparks with a fresh set of eyes, starting at home.

All this time, while producing this blog I never actually sat "on the Christie hillside" to watch a game.  So I did so.  I brought a blanket to a Sunday afternoon game, flopped down under the big tree on the north slope and took in the experience from there.  

DOMINICO FIELD AT CHRISTIE PITS

GETTING THERE - it's the centre of the universe, our own Ithaca.  Most of the time, I will take a long walk from downtown to get there.  If pressed for time, I ride the subway to Christie Station.  Driving there is probably hell.

PARKING - there is no parking lot.  I don't even know where the players park.  Some pavement beside the clubhouse is set aside for visiting team vehicles.  There is some parking at street level.  Beyond that, there are neighbouring streets but have a gander at the posted signs so you don't get ticketed.

BALLPARK VIBES - it's literally a park, open to all.  No grandstand or seating other than a few rows of benches surrounding the infield.  Fans gather around the diamond while others pass through.  Beyond the outfield is a busy skatepark; beyond that is a picnic area and kids' playground.  Plenty of noise and atmosphere.  During the Dominico heydays, someone described the place as The Angry Confines.  Fans can be boisterous, egged on by the heckling of the Bushmen, the league's most notorious fan group. 

IN-GAME ENTERTAINMENT - Michael Roudbari is the Leafs' in-game host and a constant presence between innings.  There's a hot dog vs pretzel race, there's a Mr. Freeze race.  There are contests and giveaways.  Some nights lucky fans get free glow sticks.  Music BLARES.  Like, a lot.

FREEDOM TO ROAM AND TAKE PHOTOS - it's wide open.  You can get right beside the players' benches or go to the furthest corner of the hillsides.  Go wherever you please.  If you want to partake of the reserved area behind third base, that's twenty bucks (with free food and drink provided).

BALLPARK CUISINE - available at a snack bar behind centerfield and at a small concessions tent near the third base line.  The offerings are standard stuff, but just steps away is Bloor Street with an entire United Nations of food available.  You can bring anything (legal) into the park.  Recently I tried a walking taco from the snack bar.  Basically it's a small bag of Doritos sliced open with nacho toppings dumped onto the chips.  A perfect snack if you don't want to be too full during the game.

BALLPARK BEER - Leafs Lager, provided by Left Field Brewery.  Goes down nicely.  The beer tent and snack bar have other beers and drinks available.

TEAM MASCOT - Christie the Dog.

DO KIDS RUN THE BASES? - Yes they do!

OVERHEARD - 

"What would you rather have, ketchup chips, or--"

"A longer life."

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS - hard to knock the place that has been my summer home for over a decade.  I love Christie Pits.  I have made friends here and I have been free to conduct my freelancing shenanigans without incurring the ire of ownership.  The park atmosphere puts everyone in a good mood.  Kids and dogs run around, people sprawl on the hillsides, everyone is chill.  

The absolute number one feature of Christie Pits is that the Leafs charge no admission.  No other pro sports team in the city lets everyone in for free.  It's a quirk that comes from playing in a public park, but with the cost of everything always rising, it's wonderful to have this in Toronto.  Free baseball for free!

WOULD I WANT THIS TO BE MY TEAM'S HOME BALLPARK? - this question is more for the other parks I'll be visiting.  As for Christie Pits, there are certainly some amenities that could be improved.  The restrooms for example.  The nonexistent parking.  If there was more to complain about I'd certainly let the club know.

The CBL Odyssey will continue in Hamilton...

Leafs Light Up CBL All-Star Game

J.J. Dutton and Nick Veselinovic featured in the 2026 CBL All-Star Game.

J.J. Dutton and Nick Veselinovic stamped a couple of Leaf-shaped impressions on the 2026 Canadian Baseball League All-Star Game.

The inaugural CBL All-Star Weekend took place in Chatham.  Three players were chosen to represent the Toronto Maple Leafs.

During Sunday's North vs South matchup, Dutton entered the game in the seventh inning, replacing starting left fielder Noel McGarry Doyle of the Barrie Baycats.  Dutton went 1-for-2 at the plate, driving in two runs and scoring another.  

Dutton helped pad the North siders' lead in an 8-4 final.

Veselinovic pitched the sixth inning of the game.  He gave up one hit, one walk and one run, and ended up being the winning pitcher.

Yasiel Puig was also named to the North team, but did not participate in the weekend.

The second half of the season begins in earnest this week, with the Leafs in pursuit of a postseason spot.

Many People Are Saying Things About the Toronto Maple Leafs

Maple Leafs Weekly Recap - July 6 to 12, 2026

Author's Note: 

Apologies for the delay in posting this week's recap.  The hours got away from me so I fed some game data into ChatGPT.  Without further ado, here is the AI-generated recap of Week 9 in Toronto Maple Leafs baseball.

Wednesday, July 8, 2026 - Hamilton Cardinals vs Toronto Maple Leafs  

In today's rapidly changing world, many people are saying that the Toronto Maple Leafs are Canada's favorite baseball team.

The "Leafs" are an exciting group of players who were all popular in high school.  Whenever they take the field, they astound and amaze audiences with their energetic style of play.

This essay will delve into specific examples to illustrate how the "Leafs" overcome challenges and win baseball games to the delight of millions.

Last Wednesday night at Crispy Pits in Toronto -- the capital city of Ontario -- the "Leafs" hosted a visiting baseball team from Hamilton, Ontario.  They are known as the "Cardinals".

Prior to the contest, the "Leafs" had overcome adversity to defeat a powerful sporting adversary known as the "Majors".  Many people are saying that this successful effort was similar to the awakening of a sleeping giant.

Nick Veselinovic was the starting pitcher for the "Leafs" on Wednesday night.  

He played baseball with great style and class.  These arguments are underscored by his performance.  He completed six of the game's nine innings.  While four "Cardinals" were able to hit his pitches, he struck out seven "Cardinals" with ferocity and no one scored.  Many people are saying they would like to have Veselinovic as their son-in-law.  

When it came time for the "Leafs" to score, they were wildly successful.  Each player was able to hit a pitch except for second baseman Yordan Marra who was almost killed and required to leave the game.

In the sixth inning of the game, the "Leafs" exploded with bombastic aplomb.

Brando Leroux is a mighty woodsman and he hurled trees at "Cardinals" defenders.  One flew out of the park to trigger enormous celebrations.  This is commonly known as a home run.

Spenser Ross and Matt Brandt increased their already-high popularity by recording hits that saw the "Leafs" add to their lead.

Kirk Gibson is the hero of the 1988 World Series and he expanded his heroic status by recording a 2-run hit.

After this whirlwind of activity, the "Leafs" were winning the game 5-0.  However, the "Cardinals" attacked relief pitcher Reinaldo De Paula and scored three times.  That being said, Luis Florentino came to the rescue and saved his friend by halting any further progress by the "Cardinals".  Florentino put smiles on all the children's faces.

After the game was concluded victoriously, Veselinovic was declared Canada’s greatest athlete.  Guns and cannons were fired in his honor, and the ecstasy among "Leafs" supporters reached epic levels.  

In conclusion, many people are saying that this triumph will be the springboard that launches the "Leafs" to glory in the second half of this baseball season.

Hamilton 3 7 0

Toronto 6 12 1

W - Veselinovic (2-2, 4.40)

L - Ramirez (1-1, 3.76)

S - Florentino (2)

BOXSCORE

Friday, July 10, 2026 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Hamilton Cardinals

Error Message: insufficient effort.

Toronto 1 3 1

Hamilton 11 12 4

W - Yan (3-0, 2.02)

L - Alvarado (1-4, 8.72)

BOXSCORE

Following Week 9 of the 2026 Canadian Baseball League season, the Toronto Maple Leafs are in ninth place with a 6-17 record.  They are 10 games behind the Barrie Baycats and 7.5 games away from a postseason berth.

The week ahead:

Wednesday, July 15 - Brantford Red Sox vs Toronto Maple Leafs, 7:30 pm at Christie Pits (rescheduled rainout)

Thursday, July 16 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Barrie Baycats, 7:38 pm at Athletic Kulture Stadium

Friday, July 17 - Kitchener Panthers vs Toronto Maple Leafs, 7:30 pm at Christie Pits

Saturday, July 18 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Guelph Royals, 7:05 pm at Hastings Stadium