It sounds like the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees may be doing more than competing on the field.

Boston and New York are in the middle of a three-game series at Fenway Park but the 2024 Major League Baseball trade deadline also is just a few days away and the two rivals have been linked to some of the same players.

The deadline will pass on July 30th and the Red Sox and Yankees both reportedly have been pursuing Miami Marlins All-Star Tanner Scott, according to The Athletic’s Jim Bowden.

“Scott is the best left-handed closer available on the trade market and he will be dealt over the next 24 hours, according to Major League sources,” Bowden said. “He’s a late-innings difference-maker, whether he’s used as a closer or set-up reliever. He could end up in the American League East, as the Yankees, (Baltimore Orioles), and Red Sox have all been pursuing him, along with other contenders.”

It’s not hard to see why the Red Sox have shown interest in Scott. Boston’s bullpen hasn’t performed as expected since the second half of the season kicked off and it is thin on left-handed relievers. Scott is one of Major League Baseball’s best left-handed relievers and immediately would give the Red Sox another dynamic option with swing-and-miss stuff toward the end of games.

The Red Sox have struggled since the All-Star break but adding another top-tier reliever could help change their fortunes. Don’t count them out on Scott yet.

More MLB: Red Sox Could Make Big Move For All-Star Slugger According To Insider

PITTSBURGH — Following the third day of Pittsburgh Steelers’ training camp, wide receiver Van Jefferson stayed on the field. He and fellow WR Calvin Austin III took turns catching passes from the Jugs machine and trying to deflect one another’s receptions.

Jefferson didn’t just catch a few balls after practice, he caught 300. Yes, you read that right, 300 footballs after practice. When he finally did leave the field, he was asked where this routine came from. To the surprise of the scrum, Jefferson informed the media that he learned about this practice from Steelers’ and NFL great, Antonio Brown.

“One of the equipment guys said, ‘You know, AB used to catch like 300 every day after practice.’ I just took that from them,” he said. “I think he’s one of the best to ever play in the NFL, so shoot, why not follow what he did?”

It’s a great train of thought for Jefferson, who is looking to have his best offensive season since the 2021 campaign with the Los Angeles Rams. That season, he collected 50 receptions for 802 yards and six touchdowns, all career highs. In the years since, his production’s declined steadily, but this season is his best opportunity to change that.

Which is why a new routine makes sense for Jefferson. Before arriving in Pittsburgh, catching hundreds of balls after practice was not on his schedule. Now, it’s a way for him to show determination and contribute to a determined group of pass-catchers.

Determination is a quality that the Steelers’ wide receiver room shares. It’s one of the main things that Van Jefferson sees in his teammates at the position. When asked how to summarize the team’s WR room, Jefferson chose his words carefully.

“Hungry,” he said. “All of us are just hungry to get out on the field and show what we can do.”

Jefferson continues to bring that hunger every day of training camp, and the wide receiver room will hopefully follow suit. In the meantime, you can catch Jefferson emulating AB and catching 300 balls once practice ends.

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Yes, California really is that expensive

It costs a lot to live anywhere nowadays, but Southern California takes that notion to a whole new level.

Perhaps our biggest motivator for moving back home was California’s affordability (or lack thereof). According to World Population Review, the Golden State ranks third among the most expensive US states to live in in 2024.

Connecticut is also pricey (it falls in the top 15), but once you live in Southern California, most of the country feels like a discount.

From Los Angeles to San Diego, the entire region of Southern California is well above average regarding median home price, yet another metric of unaffordability.

We definitely felt the strain of struggling to pay the rent in one of the most expensive areas in the nation.

I prefer the quieter, slower pace of New England

We lived in Orange County, one of the most densely populated counties in the nation, just south of Los Angeles, one of the most populous cities in the US.

It was very rare to find any sense of escape or solitude in the immediate area. Traffic and light pollution were constant.

Meanwhile, in Connecticut, there are far more small towns where things close at 8 p.m. It’s normal to drive miles without passing another car.

Those may be drawbacks for some people, but it’s peaceful to me.

We missed being close to family

Another major draw to moving back to Connecticut was the proximity to our families.

My husband and I were both born and raised in Connecticut. We had no immediate family on the West Coast.

Although we built a chosen family with dear friends over the years in California, we felt a near-constant undercurrent of homesickness. This was only exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic.

Flights to the East Coast were also expensive, which caused us much financial stress whenever we visited home (see my point above about how expensive it is to live in California).

The weather in California was beautiful, but it became monotonous

I would never suggest someone move across the country only because of the weather. However, it became a factor in why we grew tired of living in California.

The warm, sunny weather is as lovely as everyone says, but after growing up in New England, I realized I much preferred the changing seasons.

Fall, for example, is my favorite time of year in Connecticut. But in California, the fall only means more heat — sometimes this season has the hottest days of the year.

Every September, I grew jealous of my friends on the East Coast enjoying cooler temperatures and hot lattes while I was melting.

As relieved as I am to be back home, I would consider moving back to California one day

There are a lot of things in California I miss — the beautiful and diverse landscape, the low humidity (especially in the summer), the major attractions (I was about 30 minutes from Disneyland), the rich variety of cultures, the food, and my friends.

California became our home in the years we lived there, and I still feel like we barely scratched the surface of all the state has to offer.

So, if opportunity knocks, I’m very open to heading back west.

In the meantime, however, I’m very happy with my decision to return to Connecticut. The slower pace, relative affordability, and proximity to our families have been huge gains since moving back.

And if I do find myself back in California one day, I will be making the trek back to New England every fall.