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SEATTLE — The Seattle Mariners will head into the offseason with four key players needing downtime or surgery to heal injuries, including AL Rookie of the Year favorite Julio Rodriguez.

Jerry Dipoto, Seattle’s president of baseball operations, said Wednesday that Rodriguez broke his left pinkie during Game 3 of the AL Division Series against the Houston Astros. Dipoto said an exit exam this week revealed the injury to the 21-year-old All-Star, but he’s not expected to need surgery.

Also needing downtime to recover from injuries are catcher Cal Raleigh (thumb) and standout reliever Andres Munoz (foot), while outfielder Jesse Winker has already undergone one of two operations needed to repair injuries he dealt with during the season.

“There’s quite a few,” Dipoto said.

Rodriguez got hurt sliding headfirst into second base on a double in the eighth inning of what became an 18-inning marathon the Mariners lost 1-0 to Houston that ended their season. Rodriguez also dealt with back and wrist injuries during the season, with the lower back strain popping up late in the season and costing him time when the Mariners were pushing for a postseason spot.

“He just needs to have some downtime, get his body feeling good again,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said. “He went through a lot. He’s never played this much baseball, certainly at this level, the intensity and the emotional toll that it takes on you when you go through a season like that.”

Raleigh played the final month of the season with a torn ligament in his left thumb, a painful injury that never got worse but never improved. Raleigh is expected to see a hand specialist in the coming days to determine whether surgery will be needed.

Raleigh was a huge piece of Seattle’s run to the postseason, including the home run on Sept. 30 that clinched its first playoff berth since 2001 and another long ball in Game 1 of the wild-card series in Toronto.

“The physical and emotional toughness that he showed in the final six weeks of this season when he was playing a lot, and especially in September when he was playing through a pretty painful injury,” Dipoto said. “Especially when you catch baseballs that are flying at very high speeds with unpredictable movement. I can’t say enough about the job that Cal did and gutted his way through it and had huge moments for us.”

There was some question about the situation with Winker when he wasn’t around the team during its postseason run. That was cleared up a bit when Dipoto said Winker was in New York having surgery on his left knee and is expected to undergo another operation to repair an issue with his neck.

Winker struggled badly in his first season with the Mariners after being the centerpiece of a spring training trade that brought him and third baseman Eugenio Suarez to Seattle. Suarez exceeded expectations both at the plate and in the field, while Winker was a defensive liability and hit just .219, more than 80 points lower than he did in 2021 when he was an All-Star with the Cincinnati Reds.

The Mariners believe Winker can rebound, but he might end up fighting for a role next season.

“(He) has a really good track record hitting in this league,” Servais said. “He has other some things you need to improve on, yes. There’s no question about that and he’ll be the first admit it. So I think there’s a spot for him on this club going forward.”

Seattle doesn’t face many free-agent questions, but the biggest involves right fielder Mitch Haniger, who is coming off another season that was derailed by injuries. When he was healthy, Haniger looked great. But he missed more than four months with an ankle injury.

“I think everyone would like to see us find a way to find common ground with Mitch,” general manager Justin Hollander said. “But players work a long time to get to free agency. It’s really hard to get six years of service to get there, and I know Mitch, as much as he wants to be here, also wants to gauge what else is out there. So we’ll keep talking.”

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Johnson, 2-time Cup winner with Lightning, retires

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Johnson, 2-time Cup winner with Lightning, retires

Tyler Johnson has announced his retirement after playing 13 NHL seasons and winning the Stanley Cup twice with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Johnson called it a career in a lengthy message posted on social media Monday. Johnson had battled injuries in recent years and is set to turn 35 on July 29.

“As a short kid from a small town, I saw my chances of playing in the NHL as very slim,” Johnson wrote on Instagram. “But my family — my parents, Ken and Debbie, and my grandparents — believed in me when doubt clouded my mind. Their unwavering faith turned that dream into reality.”

Listed at 5-foot-8 and 191 pounds, Johnson won at just about ever level, capturing the Western Hockey League and Memorial Cup championships in 2008 with his hometown Spokane Chiefs and the Calder Cup championship with Norfolk of the American Hockey League in 2012.

The NHL brought more success, as he skated in 863 regular-season and playoff games since debuting in the league in 2013, putting up 498 points. Johnson was part of the Lightning’s core when they reached the final in 2015 and helped them hoist the Cup back to back in 2020 and ’21.

Johnson finished with Chicago, playing three seasons with the Blackhawks, and Boston, signing with the Bruins early last season following his training camp tryout.

“After a lifetime devoted to hockey, I’m ready for what’s next,” Johnson said. “This moment is bittersweet, but I leave the game with no regrets.”

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‘Gritty’ McBain secures 5-year deal from Mammoth

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'Gritty' McBain secures 5-year deal from Mammoth

SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Mammoth re-signed center Jack McBain to a five-year contract worth $21.25 million on Monday.

McBain will count $4.25 million against the salary cap through the 2029-30 NHL season, which was announced a little more than 24 hours since the team elected salary arbitration with the restricted free agent forward.

“He is a big, strong, physical player who competes hard on a nightly basis and brings a gritty toughness to our group,” general manager Bill Armstrong said. “Jack is an important part of the championship-caliber team we are building, and we look forward to having him back on our roster for the foreseeable future.”

McBain, 25, is coming off setting a career high with 27 points and playing all 82 games. He was one of six players to skate in every game of the organization’s first season in Salt Lake City.

“Jack’s versatility as a player, his care for his teammates and his demonstrated willingness to do whatever it takes to win, are all critical elements to our future team success,” president of hockey operations Chris Armstrong said.

McBain has 82 points in 241 games with the franchise, which moved to Utah from Arizona. Since debuting in April 2022, he ranks third in the league with 832 hits.

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‘Workhorse’ York nets five-year deal from Flyers

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'Workhorse' York nets five-year deal from Flyers

Cam York and the Philadelphia Flyers agreed to terms Monday on a five-year contract worth $25.75 million, with re-signing the restricted free agent defenseman completing perhaps the team’s last important piece of offseason business.

York, 25, will count $5.15 million against the salary cap through the 2029-30 NHL season. That price could turn out to be a bargain with the upper limit rising from $88 million this past season to $113.5 million by 2027-28.

“Cam has been a workhorse for our team over the last few seasons,” general manager Danny Briere said. “We’re excited by his development and look forward to his continued growth and emergence as a young leader within our group.”

The Flyers are trying to shift from rebuilding to contending, and York was the final player on the roster without a contract. They acquired Trevor Zegras in a trade from Anaheim last month and signed fellow center Christian Dvorak and backup goaltender Dan Vladar on the first day of free agency.

York, the 14th pick in the 2019 draft, has skated nearly 21 minutes a game so far in his pro career, all with Philadelphia. He has 77 points in 235 games for the Flyers, who have not made the playoffs since 2020.

“I believe in this team, and I love the direction we are heading,” York said. “I couldn’t be more excited to continue this journey and build something special together.”

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