Ontario Sports News

What to know about Ohtani, interpreter controversy

SportsNets - Wed, 03/27/2024 - 07:41

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Only a week has passed since the Los Angeles Dodgers abruptly fired Ippei Mizuhara, the translator and constant companion of their new $700 million slugger, Shohei Ohtani.

But the biggest story of baseball’s spring is still murky — and shocking — as the regular season begins in earnest Thursday.

The scandal encompasses gambling, alleged theft, extensive deceit and the breakup of an enduring partnership between the majors’ biggest star and his right-hand man. Investigations are being undertaken by the IRS and Major League Baseball, and Ohtani publicly laid out a version of events Monday that placed the responsibility entirely on Mizuhara.

Here are the basics as Ohtani and the Dodgers prepare for their home opener against St. Louis on Thursday:

WHY WAS IPPEI MIZUHARA FIRED BY THE DODGERS?

Ohtani claims his close friend repeatedly took money from his accounts to fund his illegal sports gambling habit. Ohtani also says he was completely unaware of the “massive theft,” as his lawyers termed it, until Mizuhara confessed to him and the Dodgers last week in South Korea, where the team opened its regular season against the San Diego Padres.

Mizuhara has given more than one version of his path to this trouble, which was catalyzed by the IRS’ investigation of Mathew Bowyer, an alleged illegal bookmaker. Mizuhara has consistently said he has a gambling addiction, and he abused his close friendship with the Dodgers’ superstar to feed it.

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DID SHOHEI OHTANI EVER BET ON SPORTS?

That’s the biggest question to be answered in Major League Baseball’s investigation, and the two-time AL MVP emphatically says he has never gambled on sports or asked anybody to bet on sports for him.

Further, Ohtani said Monday he has never knowingly paid a bookie to cover somebody else’s bets. Mizuhara also said Ohtani does not bet, and Bowyer’s attorney said the same.

Mizuhara told ESPN on March 19 that Ohtani paid his gambling debts at the interpreter’s request, saying the bets were on international soccer, the NBA, the NFL and college football. If that were true, Ohtani could face trouble even if he didn’t make the bets himself — but ESPN said Mizuhara dramatically changed his story the following day, claiming Ohtani had no knowledge of the gambling debts and had not transferred any money to bookmakers.

MLB rules prohibit players and team employees from wagering — even legally — on baseball. They also ban betting on other sports with illegal or offshore bookmakers.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR OHTANI?

Ohtani has played in every Dodgers game since the story broke, and is expected to be their designated hitter in most regular-season games this season while baseball’s investigation continues.

Ohtani says his legal team has alerted authorities to the theft by Mizuhara, although his team has repeatedly declined to say which authorities have been told, according to ESPN.

Ohtani’s new interpreter is Will Ireton, a longtime Dodgers employee and fluent Japanese speaker who has filled several jobs with the team in everything from game preparation and analytics to recruiting free-agent pitches. But Ireton won’t be Ohtani’s constant companion, and manager Dave Roberts said Tuesday he’s optimistic that Ohtani will become closer to his teammates without the “buffer” provided for years by Mizuhara.

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WHAT DON’T WE KNOW?

MLB’s investigation of Ohtani’s role in the events could last weeks or months, and it’s unlikely to be publicized until it’s complete. No one outside of Ohtani’s inner circle knows what it will find or how serious any repercussions could be, and nobody outside the circle is making informed speculation about the process.

One major question looms: How did Mizuhara have enough access to Ohtani’s bank accounts to get the alleged millions without Ohtani knowing? Is the slugger overly trusting, or is he wildly negligent in managing his vast fortune, which includes years of lavish endorsement deals in addition to his baseball salaries? Why didn’t the team around him, including his agent, do more to prevent the possibility of the theft he claims?

Finally, where is Mizuhara? Anybody who knows isn’t saying. He was fired in South Korea and apparently didn’t travel home with the Dodgers. Japanese media have visited his home in Southern California to look for him. Although born in Japan, Mizuhara’s life is in the U.S. — but his life will never be the same.

More from Sportsnet

With Ohtani’s name at stake, MLB has a ready scapegoat


Dodgers’ Ohtani says he never bet on sports, interpreter stole money, told lies

At The Letters: What’s ahead for Blue Jays in 2024?

SportsNets - Wed, 03/27/2024 - 06:26

With the 2024 season about to begin, Arden and Ben start with the latest news out of Blue Jays camp (00:39) before discussing the high stakes for the coming season (38:07) and whether the team has enough bats (53:02).

‘You couldn’t script it any better’: Hockey fans celebrate Josh Doan’s big night

SportsNets - Tue, 03/26/2024 - 22:11

It might be time to give the NHL script writers a raise.

In his first NHL game, with his dad Shane watching on, Josh Doan scored his first NHL goal against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday and brought the Mullett Arena crowd to its feet.

To make the script even more perfect, he did it wearing No. 91, a reference to his father’s No. 19 which is almost certainly the most iconic jersey in Coyotes franchise history.

And if that wasn’t enough for you, while playing with Arizona State, he also scored the first goal in the history of Mullett Arena.

Talk about a guy who knows how to make a debut.

To make it even sweeter, Scottsdale’s favourite son doubled up in the third period with a cheeky tip-in to give the Coyotes the lead and build on a night to remember.

With this score, he also became the first skater in franchise history to record multiple goals in their NHL debut.

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Josh, 22, was selected in the second round (37th overall) of the 2021 NHL Draft by the Coyotes. He then signed a three-year, entry-level contract in March 2023.

With the way his NHL career started, we are sure it won’t be the first time he gives Coyotes fans something to cheer about.

Here are some of the best reactions to the feel-good moment:

No matter how this plays out, Jontay Porter allegations mean NBA has a problem

SportsNets - Tue, 03/26/2024 - 15:17

TORONTO — A quick story that was relayed to me recently: 

An NBA player of note goes out for dinner after a game with another well-known athlete from another sport, now retired.

The first topic of conversation?

The player’s dinner companion says that the player cost him $500K.

Why? Because the retired athlete had bet that the player he was out for dinner with would score more than a certain number of points for the game that night but left the game early, one point short.

“Man, if I’d known, I would have checked back in,” the player says to laughs all around.

Another example: A veteran player who has been on and off the injured list over the course of a season has a friend who loves to place bets and texts him regularly to find out if he’s playing when he’s been listed as questionable.

The simple solution for the player to ignore him, but if he happens to reply — one way or the other — and the friend benefits on a bet?

It might not look very good for anyone involved if it were ever red-flagged.

From strangers on the street wanting to know lineup information to friends of players asking for inside information, to fans online complaining when a bet didn’t go their way, it’s hard for NBA players to withstand the whirlwind of legalized betting that swirls around them.

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“All anyone talks to players about now,” said one player agent who didn’t want his name used, “is their stupid, f—ing bets.”

It is very much the environment professional sports exists in now, especially since sports betting has been legalized in most jurisdictions in North America.

The point was driven home on Monday night when ESPN reported that Toronto Raptors two-way big man Jontay Porter was being investigated by the NBA for two games in which he may have manipulated his performance to benefit bettors wagering that he would not hit certain statistical targets.

Porter, who has missed the Raptors’ most recent game for personal reasons and was not at practice on Monday, allegedly pulled himself from the games after just a few minutes, with his statistics falling well short of the betting lines. Meanwhile, Draft Kings reported that there was a surge of interest in bettors’ under totals before each game and that bets on Porter’s performance were the most profitable on the platform each day.

Given Porter’s status — as a reserve center on a non-playoff team who doesn’t even have a full-time NBA contract — the idea of him being at the centre of so much gambling activity would seem to raise a red flag or two or three.

It remains to be seen how widely this all spools out.

Is it all just some remarkable coincidence that significantly better traffic was generated by Porter on the same day he pulled himself from games, not just once, but twice?

Is Porter part of some kind of organized scheme in which he was paid up front by a third party to compromise his play and then that person or organization used that knowledge to lay bets in a large enough volume to make up for what Porter was (hypothetically) paid and still turn a significant enough profit? This, while keeping in mind that Porter will earn $415,000 this year and is on the cusp of an opportunity to make multiples of that if can achieve his lifelong goal of cracking an NBA roster full-time.

In the above scenario, did Porter (allegedly) do it willingly? Or will we learn he was somehow coerced?

Or maybe it’s the simplest scenario of all: Porter saw an opportunity as a relatively low-impact player on a losing team playing games of limited consequence where he could no-show for a few games, and he and a small circle of “friends” would benefit. Perhaps — like news of a house party being spread on social media, and a riot following — word of a sure thing got out and spread like wildfire.

Is it all a misunderstanding? One man acting alone? Organized crime? Or a 24-year-old who saw an angle but didn’t think through all of the possible consequences and now may be facing the end of his basketball career.

The latter doesn’t seem entirely implausible. In a story by Adam Laskaris for the DailyHive.com that outlines the Raptors big man’s passion for stock tips, cryptocurrency trading and the odd bit of sports gambling talk, it seems that Porter has a passion for finding ways to turn a quick profit and an enthusiasm for sharing his information.

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But we’ll see. Regardless, the NBA and Porter have a problem. If it turns out it was just Porter trying to pull a fast one, he’s proven how easily NBA results can be manipulated to benefit bettors, which should be a red flag. If it turns out that Porter was somehow the victim of coercion by shady underworld types, well, the league might have a bigger issue on its hands. And if it ends up Porter turns out to be a 20-something with an an itch to turn a quick buck, well, the league needs to tighten up its messaging against players gambling on NBA-adjacent events because it’s unlikely that Porter is the only player who might fit that profile.

But nothing the league can do will likely curb the volume of fan-player interactions on the subject of gambling. That will likely depend on the common sense and integrity of the players themselves.

On one level, risking your career and your reputation to bet on anything to do with the NBA, let alone quit on your team so you or someone around you can turn a temporary profit seems like the kind of thing most people would only have to be told about once.

As another agent said to me: “I honestly never run into this because it goes without saying. It’s like, know what a travel is, or double dribble. Players know you just don’t do it. And on top of that, they’re constantly reminded by the union not to do it. If a guy still does it, he’s got a gambling addiction, has serious money issues or is stupid to the point he can’t distinguish right from wrong.”

The Raptors had a team meeting on Tuesday to brush up on existing league policies and rules around gambling, but for veteran Bruce Brown, it was unnecessary. He says that apart from the ubiquitous social media noise from fans upset about bets, those around him know better than to pry him for information or drag him into temptation.

“All my people know not to hit me up about stuff like that,” Brown said. “Even if they do, like, I won’t answer. I won’t say anything. … Everybody knows I can’t do it. Everybody knows what the rules are. People around me know the rules. So, they know I’m not for any of that.”

But no one has ever been wrong betting on the possibility of young men with money to burn and time on their hands being prone to bouts of poor judgment.

Sure, there are warnings about gambling on professional basketball (NBA players can gamble on other sports, as long as it’s with a legally recognized bookmaker in a jurisdiction where sports betting is allowed) posted in every NBA locker room, and, yes, the league and the players association have education programs to warn players of the risks posed by gambling, but people are people, NBA players included.

“The NBA’s the best job in the world, but it’s still a job, and just like any other job, no one wants to be at work a second longer than they have to,” said one agent. “So, they have those meeting after practices about this stuff and guys aren’t paying attention, they just want to get out of there as soon as possible.”

In that regard, perhaps the Porter situation will serve a greater benefit. The league and players certainly have a lot to gain by being so cozy with legalized sports betting — the teams and players share basketball-related income on a roughly 50-50 basis, after all.

But they have a lot to lose if fans and gamblers alike can’t trust that the product on the floor represents a fair an honest competition.

However the Porter story ends up breaking, the shock of it could serve a purpose.

As one of the agents I spoke with put it, “This [guy] will be a wake-up call for everyone.”

More from Sportsnet

Toronto police not investigating Raptors centre Porter amid match fixing allegations


Jontay Porter probe puts spotlight on ‘wild, wild west’ of sports gambling

Euro 2024 Playoff Roundup: Georgia beats Greece in penalty shootout to qualify

SportsNets - Tue, 03/26/2024 - 15:14

TBILISI, Georgia — Georgia and star forward Khvicha Kvaratskhelia are going to their first major tournament after beating Greece in a penalty shootout following a 0-0 draw in their European Championship qualifying playoff on Tuesday.

Nika Kvekveskiri placed a decisive spot-kick low into the corner to seal Georgia’s 4-2 win in the shootout. Greece captain Tasos Bakasetas had his opening penalty saved by goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, and then Giorgos Giakoumakis pulled his shot wide of the goal.

Kvaratskhelia, the talismanic Napoli winger known as “Kvaradona” to its fans, was watching from the sidelines after being substituted off in the second half of extra time.

Fans from the crowd of 50,000 at the national stadium in Tbilisi poured onto the field to celebrate and some climbed the goalposts to sit on the crossbar.

Georgia will be a low-ranked outsider in the 24-team Euro 2024 lineup in Germany going into Group F with Portugal, Turkey and the Czech Republic.

In playoff finals later Tuesday, Wales was hosting Poland and Ukraine was playing Iceland with places at Euro 2024 at stake. Ukraine was the “home” team in Wroclaw, Poland, for security reasons during the Russian military invasion.

It was Georgia’s eighth attempt to qualify for the European Championship as an independent nation since the Soviet Union broke up. Georgian players from Dinamo Tbilisi were key to a high-class Soviet Union team that went to the 1982 World Cup.

At Euro 2024, Georgia will start against Turkey on June 18 in Dortmund, then play the Czechs on June 22 in Hamburg, and finish against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal on June 26 in Gelsenkirchen, at the home stadium of Schalke.

Georgia coach Willy Sagnol played most of his career in Germany with Bayern Munich, and in the previous major tournament final staged in Berlin. Sagnol was right back in the France team that lost the 2006 World Cup final on penalties to Italy.

In Tbilisi on Tuesday, a tight, testy game of few chances burst into life in extra time toward the end of the first period.

Greece struck the crossbar from a header by Konstantinos Mavropanos in the 102nd then needed goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos to save a sharp, low shot from Georgia substitute Zuriko Davitashvili who had just come on the field.

The Greek defence targeted Kvaratskhelia for rough treatment — yellow cards were shown to Mavropanos and George Baldock for first-half fouls.

When tempers flared into a confrontation involving both benches, 2022 World Cup final referee Szymon Marciniak showed a red card to Georgia backup goalkeeper Giorgi Loria.

Regulation time finished with Kvaratskhelia’s free kick blocked after another yellow card foul on him to stop a fast break.

More from Sportsnet

MLS, referees reach seven-year labour deal, ending 37-day lockout


Euro 2024 playoff finals: Which teams will lock up remaining spots in Germany?

When should Maple Leafs make decision for No. 1 in net?

SportsNets - Tue, 03/26/2024 - 15:13

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Daryl Watts and PWHL Ottawa are heating up at the right time

SportsNets - Tue, 03/26/2024 - 14:19

Daryl Watts hit the ice on Saturday with a singular goal: shut down Toronto’s win streak.

By game’s end, she had three — goals, that is — her hat trick propelling PWHL Ottawa to a statement win.

“It felt great,” Watts says of the 5-3 victory that handed Toronto its first loss since late January and halted the Ontario rival’s 11-game run. “To be at home in front of the crowd — and the crowd was huge that night, so that was amazing — and to end Toronto’s streak and then to get a win before we go into this three-week break, there’s just a lot of good positives.”

The victory couldn’t have come at a better time for Ottawa, a team heating up at a pivotal point in the season. The club now finds itself in fourth place, sitting in playoff position with a five-point lead over fifth-place Boston and five games to go once the PWHL schedule picks up again in mid-April, following the break for the women’s world championship.

Ottawa’s win over New York last week, on the same night Toronto edged Boston, saw the club in the nation’s capital jump into the post-season picture for the first time all year and tee up an important matchup on Saturday to stay there.

“It just seemed like the most perfect opportunity to end their streak,” says Watts.

After Toronto jumped to a 2-0 lead with a pair of markers from PWHL scoring leader Natalie Spooner, Watts got Ottawa on the board with just five seconds left in the frame. She credits teammates Gabbie Hughes, newly launched from the penalty box to tee up a power play (Toronto’s Renata Fast was just 30 seconds into a roughing minor at the time), and Savannah Harmon for driving to the net and making space for Watts to receive a pass from Brianne Jenner.

“Kristen Campbell, she’s a big goalie, so I just figured, you know, a low blocker shot would be a smart idea,” Watts says. “And it worked out. We went into the third with a goal and that was awesome.”

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Harmon also helped set up Watts’ second goal, a third-period score that wound up being the game-winner.

“Harmon had the puck and she made a beautiful pass — like, the most perfect bank pass — to me, so I kind of had a half breakaway … and then I kind of reached it over Soupy’s shoulder,” explains Watts. “Soupy,” she’s quick to note, is Campbell, her pal — and, on Saturday, her opponent. They were roommates at Wisconsin when Watts first transferred to the Badgers in 2019-20, and have remained great friends since.

The two shared a little laugh post-game about some first-period hijinks in Campbell’s crease when Watts went barreling into the netminder and earned herself a two-minute minor for goalie interference. “It wasn’t me!” the Ottawa forward insists with a smile, adamant that she was pushed. No hard feelings, though. Such is life in the PWHL, when every stop on the schedule brings you face-to-face with former teammates and friends-turned-frenemies for 60-minute increments.

Campbell was on the bench for Watts’ third goal of the night, an empty-netter with another helper from Jenner.

Watts heaps praise on her captain and linemate, who drew Toronto’s defenders in before firing it to Watts.

“She knew that I was coming up the wall, so she dished it to me,” Watts says of the play. “She kind of sucked everyone in, sprung me, and then I kind of cut to the middle because there were a bunch of Toronto players trying to block the net, and then I just shot it into the net.”

Watts is feeling the chemistry with Jenner and fellow linemate Katerina Mrázová — “we’re in rhythm, we feel good,” she says.

It certainly shows. Watts, who entered the game with five goals to her name, now sits tied for third in league goal-scoring, alongside New York’s Alex Carpenter and Montreal’s Marie-Philip Poulin. The 24-year-old, held to just one goal and two points through the first nine games of the season, is enjoying a run of success with four goals in her last two games and seven points in her last five.

Watts says it feels “shocking” to see her name so high on the league leaderboard now. “Up until five games ago, I was having probably the worst — not probably, I was having the worst — season of my life,” she says. “I wasn’t producing at the beginning of the year. I wasn’t getting a lot of minutes. So, it was just a mental struggle — you’re not playing a lot, you don’t have confidence.”

She’s grateful to put the team’s season-opening woes in the rear-view mirror and optimistic about the road ahead.

“At the beginning of the season, we were at the bottom for a bit and it sucked, to be honest,” says Watts. “In the locker room, we couldn’t help but be down and be confused.”

Up next, five days off for Watts and the league’s other players not headed to Utica, N.Y., for the worlds, followed by a return to practices and training until the tournament wraps up. And after that, it’s an all-out sprint to the playoffs.

“It’s crazy how things turned — and they’ve turned quickly,” she says. “All of a sudden, it’s like, ‘Wait, we’re in fourth place. We could catch the top three teams!’”

Playoff Push: Which teams have the toughest remaining schedules?

SportsNets - Tue, 03/26/2024 - 13:52

We’re getting near the wire in the NHL’s regular season with April around the corner, and who you play against is becoming nearly as important as how many games you have left.

So, as we look at the playoff picture, we’re considering how strong, or weak, everyone’s remaining schedule looks. With a little help from Tankathon.com, we can get an idea of whose position is advantageous and who has a little more work left to do before they cross the finish line.

In today’s playoff push, we’re listing several teams still in a playoff race, along with the combined points percentage of all their remaining opponents. If the number is high, so is the degree of difficulty.

Of course, for fans of non-playoff teams, you might be interested in this for different reasons. Take the Calgary Flames, for example, whose fans might prefer losses right now to improve their lottery odds. They actually have the NHL’s easiest remaining schedule by this measure, though there are some challenging opponents mixed in with the weaker ones. The Montreal Canadiens, meanwhile, have the league’s second-hardest rest-of-season schedule, with all their remaining games against playoff teams, or those still in the heat of a race.

But I digress.

This is the playoff push, after all, so let’s push on to the playoff picture…




Boston Bruins, .606: With first place in the Atlantic Division still on the line, as well as home ice advantage through the playoffs with the Presidents’ Trophy, the Bruins have 10 games remaining and face the toughest schedule of all. They’ll go head-to-head with rival Florida twice more — including Tuesday night — twice against Carolina, and once each against Tampa Bay and surging Nashville. Seventh in the league by points percentage, Boston’s climb to the top may be the steepest, and their final two games (against Washington and Ottawa) are on a road/home back-to-back.

Detroit Red Wings, .576: Detroit’s recent 3-9-0 stretch has put them on a pursuit of a playoff spot for the first time since 2016. They have the second-most challenging remaining schedule among Eastern Conference playoff contenders, having to face Tampa, Toronto, Florida, Carolina and the New York Rangers over their final 11 games. They do, however, get to face the Washington Capitals two more times — one at home and one on the road — as those loom large since the Lightning have pulled seven points ahead. If they’re in it until the end, the Wings will wrap up the regular season with a home-and-home against Montreal.

Washington Capitals, .574: Washington has the advantage of holding the East’s second wild-card spot with at least one game in hand of everyone chasing it. The Capitals would have ranked much higher on this list just days ago and have helped themselves greatly with recent wins against Winnipeg, Carolina and Vancouver. Alex Ovechkin could not have timed a better hot streak, with eight goals in his past five games, over which time Washington has gone 4-1-0.

Toronto Maple Leafs, .557: Seemingly locked into the Atlantic’s third seed not all that long ago, the Maple Leafs are beginning to feel pressure from the Lightning, whose recent hot streak has pulled them to within four points. And it’s Toronto that faces the marginally more difficult schedule the rest of the way. The Leafs still have to face the tough Florida Panthers two more times, but those may not be their most important games. Toronto will also have to face Tampa Bay two more times, including in the season finale. The Leafs play the New Jersey Devils more than anyone in their final 12 games, having to face them three times.

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New York Islanders, .549: Still just hanging on by a thread after winning just once in their past eight games, the Islanders’ toughest opponents the rest of the way include Tampa, Florida, Nashville and two games against the rival Rangers, who themselves have something to play for. The Islanders’ next three games could be especially important, with difficult road matchups against the Panthers and Lightning followed by a trip to Philadelphia, where they have an outside chance of still catching the Flyers.

Florida Panthers, 544: Third in the NHL by points percentage, the Panthers have one less game played than the Bruins, who they also hold a sizeable lead on for the first tie-breaker (regulation wins). The Panthers could have a big role to play in how the East shakes out, given they play both Boston and Toronto twice more, and also will meet wild-card contenders in Detroit and the Islanders. When it comes to Florida’s pursuit of the Atlantic title or Presidents’ Trophy, they have a fairly nice home schedule to finish off with, facing Ottawa, Columbus and Buffalo before wrapping against the Leafs in the season’s final week.

Tampa Bay Lightning, .538: Here they come, folks. Over the past month, Tampa’s .727 points percentage is fifth in the league and second in the Eastern Conference, as they’ve gone 7-2-2 and averaged nearly four goals per game. Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point have been dominant. The only thing missing has been Andrei Vasilevskiy returning to scary playoff form (so far), as he’s allowed three goals or more in eight of his past 10 starts. The first wild card has all but been sewn up, so now Tampa has the Leafs in its crosshairs and get to face them twice in April. Seven of the Lightning’s last 11 games come against non-playoff opponents, a great opportunity to build confidence and pile up points. But, ultimately, the two remaining games against Toronto are must-haves for Tampa if it’s going to push for the Atlantic’s third seed.

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New York Rangers, .526: First in the NHL by points and points percentage, the Rangers may have the inside track for the Presidents’ Trophy given that they only have three more games against teams occupying a playoff spot — and two of them come this week (vs. Philadelphia; at Colorado). The Rangers will also have to face the motivated Red Wings and Islanders (twice) as they’ll be hungrily making playoff pushes, but there are no more back-to-backs to contend with or any road trip longer than this week’s two-gamer west.

Philadelphia Flyers, .513: The Flyers have been the popular pick to fall out — certainly the Devils, Islanders and Penguins were counting on that — and while they are hanging on, we should note Washington has passed the Flyers in points percentage. Philadelphia faces the top-seed Rangers two more times (including Tuesday night), the Islanders next week, and there’s a potential for fireworks in their final game of the season against the Washington Capitals if third in the Metro is still on the line. Although all those games are huge, the Flyers have no more room for error if they’re to stay ahead of the Capitals and need to get their points against lightweights Chicago, Montreal (x2), Buffalo and Columbus. Don’t let those be the ones that burn you.

Carolina Hurricanes, .511: The hottest Eastern Conference team at 8-1-1 in their past 10, the Hurricanes have gotten points in seven straight games, five of which came against teams holding a playoff spot. Though Carolina has the easiest remaining schedule of all the East teams, we should note that they play Boston twice more and also draw Detroit and Washington in the middle of their races; and if the St. Louis Blues are still alive on April 12, that means they’re probably on a heater and ready to give the Canes a run at home. If the Metro or Presidents’ Trophy is still up for grabs in the last week of the season, Carolina will benefit by having only Columbus and Chicago left to play.




Winnipeg Jets, .592: Dropping three straight games, only one of which was against a playoff opponent, and really running along closer to .500 over the past two months, the Jets are losing ground in the Central race. And though they’ll return home from a five-game road trip on Tuesday, they’ve got to face Edmonton and Vegas this week. And if you don’t think that’s difficult enough, in April the Jets set off on another week-long road trip, where they’ll meet Nashville, Dallas and Colorado, and in their final game of the season, Winnipeg hosts Vancouver. As we consider that difficult stretch and meander down this list to get a glimpse of Nashville, when should we start wondering if the Predators’ run could end up in the third seed of the Central?

Colorado Avalanche, .588: Winners of nine straight, the Avalanche have taken care of business over a stretch where seven of their opponents are outside the playoffs. But after Tuesday’s game against Montreal, Colorado will host the Rangers and Nashville, which handled the Avalanche 5-1 at the start of March. Then, as it also takes a run at divisional and league regular-season titles, Colorado will meet only one team that has a sub.-500 points percentage (Columbus) and also has two back-to-back situations, with Edmonton and Vegas as the back-end opponents on the road. It won’t be the easiest path to a regular season accomplishment, but at the very least this stretch should help ramp up the Avalanche for Round 1.

Vegas Golden Knights, .561: With Monday’s win against St. Louis, Vegas created a little buffer in the wild card and is setting up now to take a run at Los Angeles for third in the Pacific — and, who knows, maybe Edmonton for second. Vegas is 6-2-0 since its trade deadline mayhem and, ahem, Tomas Hertl hasn’t played a game yet. With 11 games remaining, five of those will come against teams in a top-three spot within its Western division. Adin Hill is now out, too, though having 2022-23’s season-opening starter Logan Thompson ready to jump back in is a nice solution. If the Golden Knights are playing for any position in the last week of the season, their final two games are at home, against Chicago and Anaheim.

Vancouver Canucks, .554: A nice run of recent home games by Casey DeSmith, in for injured Thatcher Demko, has the Canucks on the brink of clinching a playoff spot and has all but locked in the Pacific’s top seed and home-ice advantage through the first two rounds, at least. Tied with the Rangers atop the NHL in points, as the Canucks are in the running for the Presidents’ Trophy, we wonder if load management is a bigger concern for them in the final weeks. Demko is still working his way back, and Elias Lindholm is meeting with a specialist this week to look over something that’s been nagging at him after missing Monday’s game. After this home stretch ends next week, Vancouver will spend more time on the road in April, including stops in Vegas, Los Angeles, Edmonton and Winnipeg.

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Edmonton Oilers, .554: With the Pacific Division crown probably out of reach, even for a Connor McDavid-led team, the Oilers have an eye on the two teams lining up behind them that are on four- and three-game winning streaks. With 13 games remaining, the Oilers have more left to play than any other team and have three remaining back-to-back situations, including their final two games of the season (will we get Jack Campbell along the way?). They’ll have to face Vegas and Los Angeles once more each, but also all three of the teams atop the Central.

Nashville Predators, .534: Still riding that streak of 17 games of getting at least a point, the Predators can’t set a record, but if they keep it going to the end of the season, they’ll tie for second on the all-time list (1977-78 Montreal Canadiens, who had 28). While they have two more back-to-backs left, none of those opponents are in a playoff spot. But there are still tough opponents left in Vegas (Tuesday night), Colorado, Boston and Winnipeg, so if the Predators can ride this wave to the playoffs, not only will they be a tough out, but they may have a chance to pass the Jets ahead of them.

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Dallas Stars, .531: Currently in the middle of a four-game road trip where Vancouver will be their only playoff opponent, the Stars end up with a heavy home schedule in April, where three of their final four games come against Buffalo, Seattle and St. Louis. Winners of four straight, the Stars may be the Western Conference team best positioned to take a run at the league’s regular season title.

Los Angeles Kings, .487: After going a weeks-long stretch playing around .500 hockey, the Kings have won four in a row, and five of six, to stay ahead of the Golden Knights and within range of the Oilers. After they face Edmonton and Winnipeg on their current road trip, and then Vancouver at home on the first Saturday in April, the Kings’ last five games all come against non-playoff teams, with two against the Ducks and one each against the Flames, Wild and Blackhawks. They have one back-to-back remaining, with San Jose as the back-half opponent.

St. Louis Blues, .487: The Jekyll and Hyde Blues had a nice little run to give the Golden Knights a scare, and then got into extra time against Vegas Monday night, but that 2-1 loss was a real setback in their push. If there’s a silver lining, it’s that St. Louis has one of the easier remaining schedules, with San Jose up twice, and Anaheim and Chicago once. That’s not to say there won’t be challenges, as Edmonton and Carolina await, and a road game against Dallas is how St. Louis’ season will finish.

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Flyers’ Tortorella apologizes for recent non-answer

SportsNets - Tue, 03/26/2024 - 13:28

Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella apologized to local media on Tuesday for a recent non-answer he gave when asked about goalie Felix Sandstrom.

“I made a terrible mistake with you guys the other night,” Tortorella said. “My body language was wrong.”

Tortorella was apologizing for how he acted following Sunday’s 4-1 loss to the Panthers. In his post-game press conference, Tortorella was asked about Sandstrom’s performance. Instead of answering, the coach raised both his hands up in the air in a sort of shrug motion, twice, then walked off the podium.

Sandstrom has made five appearances for the Flyers and three starts this season. He replaced Cal Peterson as the primary backup to Samuel Ersson at the beginning of March.

“What I should have said to you was… he’s trying, Sandy’s trying,” Tortorella said Tuesday. “Things happened this year that put our goaltending situation into a little bit of a state of flux. Sandy did not deserve that from me, you had a perfect right to ask the question, he did not deserve that from me and it was wrong.”

Ersson will start for the Flyers against the Rangers Tuesday night.

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Why Blue Jays starter depth and health will determine their AL finish

SportsNets - Tue, 03/26/2024 - 13:21

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Why Matt Murray’s path will be clearer after upcoming doctors’ visit

SportsNets - Tue, 03/26/2024 - 13:15

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Anaheim Ducks’ Trevor Zegras returning from ankle injury vs. Kraken

SportsNets - Tue, 03/26/2024 - 13:12

Anaheim Ducks star Trevor Zegras will return from an ankle injury against the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday night, the team announced.

Zegras has been out since early January after having surgery to repair an ankle fracture.

It was the second major injury Zegras has dealt with this season and he has seven points in 20 games this season.

Ducks reporter Aly Lozoff indicated that Zegras will be on the third line as the centre between Isac Lundestrom and Brett Leason.

Toronto police not investigating Raptors centre Porter amid match fixing allegations

SportsNets - Tue, 03/26/2024 - 12:53

Toronto police and Canada’s sport watchdog say they are not investigating Raptors backup centre Jontay Porter, who is the subject of an NBA gambling probe.

The league is looking into whether Porter purposely left two games early to impact bets involving his performance.

Both games where Porter allegedly fixed the bets took place in Toronto.

Although online gambling is legal in Ontario, the NBA has strict policies in place preventing players and team or league employees from participating in bets on professional basketball.

Canadian law enforcement is limited in its ability to prosecute match-fixing because there are no specific provisions in the Criminal Code that prevent it.

The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport says it has no jurisdiction over match-fixing in the NBA, and Canada doesn’t currently have a national program to address competition manipulation.

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The latest buzz from Toronto Blue Jays camp as Opening Day nears

SportsNets - Tue, 03/26/2024 - 12:50

DUNEDIN, Fla. — Here are a few impressions on how spring training went for the Toronto Blue Jays now that camp has broken and Thursday’s season-opener at the Tampa Bay Rays nears:

“We’re in the moment,” says shortstop Bo Bichette. “Showing up every day, it seems that everybody comes to the field to work at a really high level. It’s not that we didn’t before, but it’s just it’s a different level, I think, which is important for us. Seems like we’re in the moment and looking forward. It’s a good thing.”

“Our starters are all really, really good,” says right-hander Chris Bassitt. “The lineup is something really good. I think they’re super focused. Obviously, a lot of guys came into spring training in different shape than they were, say, last year. For the most part, I think a lot of guys are hungry to kind of prove people wrong, kind of thing. I know a lot of people have said that, but it’s true.”

“On the hitting side, I can already see what we’ve been able to do,” says ace righty Kevin Gausman. “I haven’t been to every game this spring, but the games I’ve watched, our guys look really good. They’re hitting the opposite way, taking pitches where they’re at, not trying to do too much in spots. We’ve been running the bases really well. That’s one thing I’ve noticed. We’re doing things to create some havoc out there. I’m excited to see that.”

“Just having guys understand what they’re good at and what pitches they’re trying to hit or what zones they’re trying to really cover, and then in turn how they’re getting a pitcher into those spots, that’s been cool,” says manager John Schneider. “The overall prep and the conversations that happened before and during games, the results have been good. You don’t want to read too much into it in spring training. Plans are much more in depth in season. But it’s been nice to see that, and it gives you a lot of confidence with the plan because the talent is obviously here. That was our main goal with the offence, have a really good plan in place for each and every one of them and then in turn, see how that lines up one through nine.”

All of the above will soon be tested in practice when the grind begins at Tropicana Field. But before we get there, let’s empty out the spring training notebook:

Watch Blue Jays Opening Day on Sportsnet


The Toronto Blue Jays are officially back as they begin the season with Jose Berrios on the mound against the Tampa Bay Rays. Watch Opening Day, beginning with a special edition of Blue Jays Central, beginning at 3 p.m. ET / noon PT on Thursday, March 28, on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+.

Broadcast schedule

TWO-HOLE TRANSITION?: Sunday, in the Blue Jays’ penultimate game of the spring, Schneider had Vladimir Guerrero Jr. batting second with Bichette batting third, a small flip behind leadoff man George Springer.

Will it stick?

“It could be either one, you know what I mean?” said Schneider. “I really like the way (Guerrero) is swinging the bat. I think having him in between George and Bo is a good thing. There’s no real perfect way to slice it, you know what I mean, when you’re talking about those three guys. Pretty sure we’re set on how we’re going to roll it out. But you’ll see on Thursday.”

Schneider’s goal is to keep the lineup as consistent as possible, a sentiment shared by Bichette.

“I prefer it to be consistent, whatever it is,” he said. “(Batting third) is fine. Other lineups are fine. I prefer for it to be consistent.”

BIGGIO’S UNUSUAL BUILDUP: Left shoulder pain caused by biceps tendonitis has been a constant in Cavan Biggio’s life for two years now, but this off-season he experienced a new level of misery. When he tried swinging, he’d feel a sharp pain. When he’d reach into his cupboard to grab something, he’d experience a sharp pain. He switched hands on the steering wheel to avoid those jolts while driving.

So when he got to spring training, his initial focus was on strengthening the shoulder rather than taking cuts. He and Andrew Pipkin, the club’s medical director, developed a gradual buildup plan to progressively get him ready for the season, something he feels like he is, now that camp has wrapped up.

“Definitely, it was a different spring training for me, for sure, just from not picking up a bat until the end of February,” Biggio said after ripping an RBI double in Monday’s pre-season finale. “But the No. 1 thing overall is just that I got healthy as fast as I could. When I got here to Florida, I was in a lot of pain, even just in my everyday life. Getting treatment on it for hours a day before you get back in baseball stuff really paid off. I can’t thank our PT staff enough. Getting into baseball things, I had a plan to continue to work on things I was working on last year. We definitely sped up a little bit but I’m happy with where I’m at going into the season.”

Biggio said there’s no longer pain “in my everyday life, but it’s still a work in progress.” While he isn’t limited physically, “some days I’m sore, some days I’m not and it’s just making sure that I stay on top of it to have more days where I’m not sore.”

BRESLOW’S BEGINNINGS: Craig Breslow spent the final season of his pitching career in the Toronto Blue Jays system, splitting time between double-A New Hampshire and triple-A Buffalo. The experience remains a vivid one for the Boston Red Sox’s new chief baseball officer, particularly a “galvanizing moment for me that let me know it was time to retire.”

“I was in double-A and I was 38 years old in 2018,” he recalled. “And Vlad and Bo and those guys were there, and I looked around the room and felt like, man, these guys seem like they’re half my age. And then I did the math, and literally they were half my age. So, I was 38 and (Guerrero) was 19. (Bichette was 20). And I realized at that point it was probably time to walk.”

That New Hampshire team also included Biggio, Santiago Espinal, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Jordan Romano, among other future big-leaguers, under the tutelage of one John Schneider. The Blue Jays had hoped to keep Breslow in the organization, with Ben Cherington, then a special assistant in the front office and now GM of the Pittsburgh Pirates, “put together a bit of a multi-disciplinary opportunity for me that would give me exposure across a wide swath of baseball operations responsibilities.”

But Theo Epstein, then still running the Chicago Cubs, lured him over by making him director of strategic initiatives for baseball operations, and Breslow remained there until joining the Red Sox this off-season.

Still, his experience with the Fisher Cats and Blue Jays continues to resonate and inform his thinking.

“I tried to serve in whatever mentorship type role I could and provide whatever counsel I could to those guys,” said Breslow. “To see them go on to have so much success and thrive has been gratifying. I also think it marks a successful blueprint for what successful organizational building can look like in the AL East, where there’s a core of homegrown talent that emerges as the cornerstone group, and that’s supplemented through free agency and through trades. In some ways, that’s what we’d look to replicate in terms of our core position players here in Boston.”

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VOGEY, YUSEI AND GOOGLE TRANSLATE: When Daniel Vogelbach and Yusei Kikuchi first saw each other in the Blue Jays clubhouse this spring, they immediately greeted one another with a big hug.

Their friendship dates back to their time as teammates with the Seattle Mariners, when the burly slugger went out of his way to connect with the just-over-from-Japan lefty.

“He always invited me to dinner, just one-on-one, and that was surprising,” Kikuchi said through interpreter Yusuke Oshima. “We were able to communicate only using Google translate. That was pretty memorable. When we started our (2019) season in Japan, I was able to take him out there, get sushi, steak, wagyu beef. We got to really know each other.”

While on the surface they’d seem to make an odd couple, Vogelbach’s initiative is reflective of the type of teammate he strives to be.

“I can’t imagine coming to a new country, not knowing the language, totally different time zone, not having your family and then on top of it, trying to perform at the same time,” he said. “You never know what people are going through. You never know how a little thing can go a long way for somebody. …

“This game is very hard,” he added later. “You can’t control slumps, you can’t control bad weeks, bad months, everybody has them, the person that wins MVP is going to have a bad month. That’s just how it goes. But you can control the type of person you are every day. You can control how you come into the clubhouse and putting a smile on your face. Some days, you’ve got to fake it. But when you’re in there, it’s a choice and it’s something that I pride myself in, being a good teammate and being the same person every day.”

NO ROOM FOR NATHAN: Ernie Clement and had a phenomenal camp and made the Opening Day club. Nathan Lukes had a similarly impressive showing and did not. Such is the cruelty of roster construction, the outfielder in this case being hurt by the fact he had options remaining while the infielder did not.

Schneider described the conversation with Lukes, who’s slated to open the season at triple-A Buffalo, “as tough” because “the things that we’ve asked of him, he’s done them and then some, when it’s his whole game, offence, defence, base-running.

“He’s been a victim of roster construction, whether it’s two other left-handed hitting outfielders and another one that can play the outfield in Cavan,” Schneider continued. “It was a tough spot for him. He totally gets it. He knows he’s not a typical 4A player that’s not on the 40-man and kind of bouncing around. We have all the trust in the world in him, and if there’s an extended period of time that he needs to come and play, we’re comfortable with that. That is valuable to have on your 40-man. And, right now, the timing aspect of it was tough. So, he gets it. He understands that his game is in a really good spot right now. And sometimes you’ve got to just be patient.”

DINGER FOR DAMIANO: A spring ago, Damiano Palmegiani was just making the jump from high-A Vancouver to double-A New Hampshire, the Blue Jays curious but unsure how he’d fare jumping up a level. Monday, he capped off his first big-league spring training with his first two hits, including a home run that went 428 feet at 108.4 mph off the bat.

“It’s a process and baseball is always a marathon, it’s not a sprint,” said the corner infielder from Surrey, B.C. “It’s just all the little stuff we’ve been working on in the cage and in the games, through the ups and downs of everything. I wasn’t trying to get too big up there or anything like that, really. I was trying to keep it simple, and it all came together, so I feel like I’m ready for the season to start.”

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NIMMALA’S NO-DOUBTER: A fun moment in camp came March 20 when Arjun Nimmala, the club’s first-round pick last summer, made his first ever Grapefruit League at-bat count by taking veteran lefty Brian Moran deep.

Nimmala, 18, is 17 years younger than Moran and during a discussion with Schneider before the game, the messaging had been to simply enjoy the experience and get his work in. Then he crushed a 3-1 fastball well over the left-field wall and the excitement in the Blue Jays dugout as he returned made for quite the scene.

“It was a lot of fun inside of that moment,” said Nimmala. “Words really can’t explain it. It’s like, wow, first at-bat, first home run, it was definitely a lot of fun and I tried to embrace the moment as much as I can. Got a lot of congrats and pats on the back from all the coaches and teammates. It was a great moment.”

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Shortstop Ezequiel Tovar and Colorado Rockies finalize $63.5 million, 7-year contract

SportsNets - Tue, 03/26/2024 - 12:34

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Shortstop Ezequiel Tovar and the Colorado Rockies finalized a $63.5 million, seven-year contract on Tuesday, a deal that includes a team option for 2031 that if exercised would boost the agreement to $84 million over eight seasons.

The 22-year-old gets a $1.5 million signing bonus and salaries of $1.5 million this season, $4 million in 2025, $5 million in 2026, $8 million in 2027, $11 million in 2028, $14 million in 2029 and $16 million in 2030. The Rockies’ option is for $23 million with a $2.5 million buyout.

Tovar’s deal supersedes a one-year contract agreed to Feb. 29 that called for a $745,000 salary while in the major leagues and $361,000 while in the minors.

“He has already proven he is one of the best shortstops in baseball, and we see him as a cornerstone of this franchise for years to come,” Rockies general manager Bill Schmidt said in a statement.

Tovar, a Venezuelan native, made his big league debut on Sept. 22, 2022, and last year became the youngest Rockies player to start on opening day at 21 years, 240 days. He hit .253 with 15 homers, 73 RBIs, 11 stolen bases last season. He had 166 strikeouts and 25 walks. His .988 fielding percentage set a record for rookie shortstop, topping .987 by the Rockies’ Troy Tulowitzki in 2007.

Tovar signed with the Rockies in 2017 for an $800,000 bonus.

Buffalo Sabres could see Jack Quinn play Wednesday vs. Senators

SportsNets - Tue, 03/26/2024 - 12:29

Jack Quinn could play his first game since Jan. 27 when the Buffalo Sabres play the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday.

The 22-year-old has been out since suffering a lower-body injury and then undergoing surgery during the all-streak break, according to the club.

Quinn has been skating since March 15 and joined the team for full practice Tuesday as the Sabres get set for a run of five games at home, beginning with the Senators on Wednesday.

“He looked really good in practice,” head coach Don Granato said on the team’s website. “He fit in. I mean, obviously he had lots of time while we were gone to skate. He skated every day or every day he was available to push it hard every day. He was cleared for that in rehab skates. You know, I thought it’s totally different when you hop in a practice. Conditioning level, puck battles against.

“So, that was a big day for him and I’m sure he’s tired as a result. I’ll talk to him after, but he’s very close. I would say he’s officially day to day. Meaning it could be tomorrow based on a conversation we’ll have following this.”

Quinn suffered the injury when he fell awkwardly following a collision with the boards in a 5-2 win over San Jose.

The forward had had posted 12 points in 17 games before going out with the injury, after a delayed start to his season due to Achilles surgery in the summer.

The Sabres-Sens game can be seen on Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+.

Raptors’ Rajakovic keeps focus on basketball amid Porter allegations

SportsNets - Tue, 03/26/2024 - 12:27

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Raptors’ Barrett, Quickley both make appearances at practice

SportsNets - Tue, 03/26/2024 - 11:32

The Raptors saw some positive developments on Tuesday when RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley both participated in practice, after missing time for personal reasons.

When asked about the chances the pair could be available for Wednesday’s game against the Knicks, head coach Darko Rajakovic said, “It’s a possibility, but we’ll see how realistic,” according to Sportsnet’s Michael Grange.

Barrett has been away from the team since March 11 because of the death of his younger brother.

Quickley last played in a loss to the Magic on March 17, contributing 12 points, seven rebounds, and five assists in 31 minutes of time. He has been away due to unspecified personal reasons.

Why committing to the Toronto Blue Jays this year feels different

SportsNets - Tue, 03/26/2024 - 11:20

TORONTO — At the outset of the 2024 Major League Baseball season, there are high expectations of what would constitute success for the Toronto Blue Jays. And yet, there is also low confidence amongst the fanbase that they can meet those expectations.

It’s a peculiar situation from the outside looking in, though for Blue Jays fans who have lived through the team’s most recent competitive window, such a circumstance is well-earned.

Blue Jays fans are well aware that they are approaching the later stages of this competitive window, and for all of the promise that Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette brought with them, the team’s results have ultimately been disappointing, punctuated by soul-punishing conclusions to almost every season in their careers so far.

Add in that the most dramatic moment for fans in recent memory was an ill-fated plane ride that did not bring the game’s most coveted free agent to Toronto, and one can understand how even your most measured Blue Jays supporter is more than a little irritable and twitchy these days.

They say hope springs eternal at this point of the baseball season, but given the wariness that trends toward cynicism, there’s not much margin for error for this year’s Blue Jays. If the series of recent failures would make any fan leery, the punishingly frustrating 2023 season has left many fans feeling contemptuous of the team.

Moreover, an off-season that was a letdown for the futile pursuit of Shohei Ohtani and generally underwhelming otherwise has left some fans wondering whether the front office feels the same level of disappointment at the past results, or the same urgency to compete.

Watch Blue Jays Opening Day on Sportsnet


The Toronto Blue Jays are officially back as they begin the season with Jose Berrios on the mound against the Tampa Bay Rays. Watch Opening Day, beginning with a special edition of Blue Jays Central, beginning at 3 p.m. ET / noon PT on Thursday, March 28, on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+.

Broadcast schedule

Even with the benefit of inherent enthusiasm for a new year, this prologue of past calamities will weigh heavily on the current season. It means that every negative outcome on the field will take on added meaning. Every setback and bad break will be an extension of the recent history of disappointment and futility.

It certainly won’t be a season to assuage someone with an offhanded assertion that “it’s still early,” unless you are seeking to be rebuked by an ornery fan.

Of course, baseball is a game of failure, and there will be plenty of it in the season ahead. More than a thousand runners will be left on base. Likely more than 100 double plays grounded into. Well over 1,000 strikeouts. Likely more than last year’s 71 errors committed. Somewhere close to 500 walks allowed and 200 home runs against Jays pitchers.

Even in the best-case scenarios for the Blue Jays, they’ll lose around 60 games. That’s at least two full months of days and evenings in which fans will end the day on a bad note.

When you consider it all this way … man, does supporting the Blue Jays ever sound like a lousy existence. When did we become as miserable as (gulp) Yankees fans?

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(Some of this perspective clearly comes from the author of this piece being so utterly and terminally online, a place where people aren’t likely to show up to declare how sanguine they feel or how well-adjusted they are.)

So, why do it? Why commit to the next six months of misery and suffering and torment? Especially in the scant few days of warmth and sunshine and summer that are allotted to Canadians?

Maybe it’s because under all of the dust and ashes of past misfortune, there’s some glimmering lights of optimism to be found.

Emerging players such as Davis Schneider and Ernie Clement played their way into roles on the big-league roster by following a good finish to 2023 with a solid spring this year. And Bowden Francis has built upon a succession of improvements to arrive on the roster as a plausible contributor to the rotation this year and in the future.

There is also the matter of a certain Hall of Fame-worthy Canadian who was signed late in the off-season. While even Joey Votto would agree that there are no guarantees for how he could fit in this roster or contribute to the Blue Jays’ success, the possibilities for a finally healthy generational hitter to have real and meaningful moments in his hometown at long last is an exciting possibility.

And finally, there are Guerrero Jr. and Bichette themselves. Every player says all the right things in February and March, but the Jays’ franchise cornerstones arrived in camp carrying themselves much differently, both physically and mentally. They look and sound prepared to grasp the responsibility of leading the team on the field and in the clubhouse, no longer willing to allow others to serve as the veterans on the team.

It could be that the history of this club in the context of this competitive window will continue to cast a considerable shadow over the team’s fortunes and the fanbase’s mood. But ultimately, fans support a team because they want them to succeed. Hopes for the 2024 Toronto Blue Jays may be diminished, but they aren’t extinguished.

And hope is a powerful thing.

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Lakers’ LeBron James ruled out vs. Bucks with ankle injury

SportsNets - Tue, 03/26/2024 - 11:10

MILWAUKEE — LeBron James won’t play for the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night against the Milwaukee Bucks because of an issue with his left ankle.

The Lakers issued an injury report Tuesday that ruled James out with peroneal tendinopathy in his ankle. The injury report listed Lakers center Anthony Davis (Achilles) as probable.

This will be the 10th game that James has missed this season.

The four-time MVP also didn’t play in the Lakers’ other matchup with the Bucks this season because of an ankle problem. The Lakers still won that game 123-122 on March 8 in Los Angeles, as D’Angelo Russell scored 44 points and hit a go-ahead jumper with 5.9 seconds remaining.

Milwaukee listed two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo (left hamstring) and three-time All-Star Khris Middleton (left ankle) as probable. Milwaukee’s Patrick Beverley (sprained right wrist) is doubtful.

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