Rangers get lefty closer Chapman from Royals

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2 years ago

July 1, 2023

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Alden Gonzalez, ESPN Staff WriterJun 30, 2023, 07:43 PM ET
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The Texas Rangers, who have emerged as one of the most dominant teams in the majors this season, pulled off the first major trade of the summer on Friday, snagging perennial All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman from the Kansas City Royals.

Cole Ragans, a 25-year-old starting pitcher, and Roni Cabrera, a 17-year-old outfielder, were acquired from the Royals in exchange.

Chapman, a free agent at season’s end, will join fellow lefty Will Smith and right-hander Josh Sborz in the back end of the Rangers’ bullpen, forming a devastating mix late in games. The Rangers’ bullpen ranks 24th in the majors in ERA, but Smith and Sborz have combined for a 2.71 ERA, 0.84 WHIP and 4.59 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Chapman, 35, posted a 2.45 ERA with 53 strikeouts and 20 walks in 29 1/3 innings in his first season with the Royals and was expected to be one of the most highly coveted relievers before the Aug. 1 trade deadline. The Rangers got a leg up on the competition by aggressively pursuing him more than a month in advance, fortifying a team that boasts a 49-32 record and a plus-157 run-differential while in first place in the American League West.

A towering left-hander with one of the most electrifying fastballs in the game’s history, Chapman established himself as one of the sport’s best closers from 2012 to 2019, posting a 2.10 ERA while collecting 272 saves and striking out more than 15 batters per nine innings. But Chapman was also suspended 30 games by Major League Baseball in 2016 over an alleged domestic violence incident with another woman that ended in him firing eight gunshots in his garage. His six-plus-year stint with the New York Yankees ended with him skipping a mandatory workout before the 2022 American League Division Series and then being left off the postseason roster.

The incident put a sour end on a two-year stretch that saw his ERA increase to 3.79 and his walk rate balloon to 16.4%, the highest in the majors among those who made at least 100 appearances from 2021 to 2022. Chapman was then forced to sign a one-year, $3.75 million contract with a Royals team that was clearly in a rebuilding phase. His walk rate didn’t get much better in Kansas City, but his fastball and sinker ventured into the triple digits on a more regular basis and his slider got some of its life back, prompting opposing hitters to slug just .188 against him.

In Ragans, a former first-round pick, the Royals received a controllable left-hander who struggled through a 5.92 ERA in 24 1/3 major league innings this season but could slot into their rotation for the foreseeable future. Cabrera slashed .247/.361/.407 in 52 games at the Rangers’ Dominican Summer League these last two years.

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NHL playoff standings: Resetting the postseason races after the trade deadline

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12 hours ago

March 8, 2025

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NHL playoff standings: Resetting the postseason races after the trade deadline

The final week ahead of the 2024-25 NHL trade deadline brought new faces to contending teams across the league, reaching a crescendo on deadline day, with Mikko Rantanen traded to the Dallas Stars, Brad Marchand shipped to the Florida Panthers and the Colorado Avalanche loading up with two new centers (Brock Nelson and Charlie Coyle).

And now, the race for the playoffs is officially on!

In the East, the Atlantic Division seeds seem pretty well set, and that goes for two of three Metro Division seeds as well; the New Jersey Devils, in the No. 3 spot, are dealing with major injury woes. They are currently without Jack Hughes, Dougie Hamilton and Jonas Siegenthaler.

But it’s in the wild-card race where things get truly, well, wild. The Columbus Blue Jackets (68 points in 62 games) and Ottawa Senators (67 in 61) hold those positions heading into Saturday’s slate of games. But five teams are within four points of the Sens, with around 20 games left each.

There are six teams in the West that seem fairly secure in their playoff position — the top three Central teams (along with the Minnesota Wild in the first wild-card spot), as well as the Vegas Golden Knights and Edmonton Oilers in the Pacific. The Los Angeles Kings (71 points in 60 games) and Vancouver Canucks (69 in 62) have some work left to do to stave off the Calgary Flames (68 in 62), St. Louis Blues (68 in 64) and Utah Hockey Club (66 in 63).

There is a lot of runway left until the final day of the season on April 17, and we’ll help you keep track of it all here on the NHL playoff watch. As we traverse the final stretch, we’ll provide detail on all the playoff races — along with the teams jockeying for position in the 2025 NHL draft lottery.

Note: Playoff chances are via Stathletes.

Jump ahead:
Current playoff matchups
Saturday’s schedule
Friday’s scores
Expanded standings
Race for No. 1 pick

Current playoff matchups

Eastern Conference

A1 Florida Panthers vs. WC1 Columbus Blue Jackets
A2 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. A3 Tampa Bay Lightning
M1 Washington Capitals vs. WC2 Ottawa Senators
M2 Carolina Hurricanes vs. M3 New Jersey Devils

Western Conference

C1 Winnipeg Jets vs. WC2 Vancouver Canucks
C2 Dallas Stars vs. C3 Colorado Avalanche
P1 Vegas Golden Knights vs. WC1 Minnesota Wild
P2 Edmonton Oilers vs. P3 Los Angeles Kings

Saturday’s games

Note: All times ET. All games not on TNT or NHL Network are available to stream on ESPN+ (local blackout restrictions apply).

New York Rangers at Ottawa Senators, 12:30 p.m.
Seattle Kraken at Philadelphia Flyers, 12:30 p.m. (ABC/ESPN+)
Boston Bruins at Tampa Bay Lightning, 3 p.m. (ABC/ESPN+)
Buffalo Sabres at Florida Panthers, 6 p.m.
Toronto Maple Leafs at Colorado Avalanche, 7 p.m. (NHLN)
Montreal Canadiens at Calgary Flames, 7 p.m.
Chicago Blackhawks at Nashville Predators, 8 p.m.
St. Louis Blues at Los Angeles Kings, 8 p.m.
Dallas Stars at Edmonton Oilers, 10 p.m.
New York Islanders at San Jose Sharks, 10 p.m.

Friday’s scoreboard

Winnipeg Jets 6, New Jersey Devils 1
Washington Capitals 5, Detroit Red Wings 2
Chicago Blackhawks 4, Utah Hockey Club 3 (OT)
Vancouver Canucks 3, Minnesota Wild 1
Vegas Golden Knights 4, Pittsburgh Penguins 0
St. Louis Blues 4, Anaheim Ducks 3

Expanded standings

Atlantic Division

Points: 81
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: A1
Games left: 19
Points pace: 105.4
Next game: vs. BUF (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: A2
Games left: 20
Points pace: 104.5
Next game: @ COL (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 78
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: A3
Games left: 20
Points pace: 103.2
Next game: vs. BOS (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 67
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 21
Points pace: 90.1
Next game: vs. NYR (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 85.4%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 66
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 20
Points pace: 87.3
Next game: @ CGY (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 19.8%
Tragic number: 40

Points: 66
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 19
Points pace: 85.9
Next game: @ OTT (Monday)
Playoff chances: 8.3%
Tragic number: 38

Points: 64
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 18
Points pace: 82.0
Next game: @ TB (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 2.5%
Tragic number: 34

Points: 54
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 21
Points pace: 72.6
Next game: @ FLA (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 30

Metro Division

Points: 90
Regulation wins: 34
Playoff position: M1
Games left: 19
Points pace: 117.1
Next game: vs. SEA (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 78
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: M2
Games left: 19
Points pace: 101.5
Next game: vs. WPG (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 72
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: M3
Games left: 18
Points pace: 92.3
Next game: @ PHI (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 86.5%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 68
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 20
Points pace: 89.9
Next game: @ NYR (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 27.1%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 67
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 20
Points pace: 88.6
Next game: @ OTT (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 31.1%
Tragic number: 41

Points: 63
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 21
Points pace: 84.7
Next game: @ SJ (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 29.7%
Tragic number: 39

Points: 62
Regulation wins: 17
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 19
Points pace: 80.7
Next game: vs. SEA (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 9.5%
Tragic number: 34

Points: 58
Regulation wins: 16
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 17
Points pace: 73.2
Next game: @ MIN (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 26

Central Division

Points: 92
Regulation wins: 36
Playoff position: C1
Games left: 18
Points pace: 117.9
Next game: @ CAR (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 84
Regulation wins: 34
Playoff position: C2
Games left: 20
Points pace: 111.1
Next game: @ EDM (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: C3
Games left: 19
Points pace: 98.9
Next game: vs. TOR (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.6%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 19
Points pace: 98.9
Next game: vs. PIT (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 94.4%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 68
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 18
Points pace: 87.1
Next game: @ LA (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 37.2%
Tragic number: 36

Points: 66
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 19
Points pace: 85.9
Next game: vs. TOR (Monday)
Playoff chances: 26.4%
Tragic number: 36

Points: 53
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 20
Points pace: 70.1
Next game: vs. CHI (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 25

Points: 48
Regulation wins: 17
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 19
Points pace: 62.5
Next game: @ NSH (Saturday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 18

Pacific Division

Points: 82
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: P1
Games left: 20
Points pace: 108.5
Next game: vs. LA (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: P2
Games left: 20
Points pace: 100.5
Next game: vs. DAL (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.7%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 71
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: P3
Games left: 22
Points pace: 97.0
Next game: vs. STL (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 84.1%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 20
Points pace: 91.3
Next game: vs. DAL (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 30.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 68
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 20
Points pace: 89.9
Next game: vs. MTL (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 27.5%
Tragic number: 40

Points: 61
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 20
Points pace: 80.7
Next game: vs. NYI (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 33

Points: 56
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 19
Points pace: 72.9
Next game: @ PHI (Saturday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 26

Points: 43
Regulation wins: 12
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 18
Points pace: 55.1
Next game: vs. NYI (Saturday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 11

Race for the No. 1 pick

The NHL uses a draft lottery to determine the order of the first round, so the team that finishes in last place is not guaranteed the No. 1 selection. As of 2021, a team can move up a maximum of 10 spots if it wins the lottery, so only 11 teams are eligible for the draw for the No. 1 pick. Full details on the process can be found here. Sitting No. 1 on the draft board for this summer is Matthew Schaefer, a defenseman for the OHL’s Erie Otters.

Points: 43
Regulation wins: 12

Points: 48
Regulation wins: 17

Points: 53
Regulation wins: 20

Points: 54
Regulation wins: 20

Points: 56
Regulation wins: 21

Points: 58
Regulation wins: 16

Points: 61
Regulation wins: 19

Points: 62
Regulation wins: 17

Points: 63
Regulation wins: 22

Points: 64
Regulation wins: 21

Points: 66
Regulation wins: 21

Points: 66
Regulation wins: 20

Points: 66
Regulation wins: 22

Points: 67
Regulation wins: 29

Points: 68
Regulation wins: 23

Points: 68
Regulation wins: 22

Sports

Winners and losers of the 2025 NHL trade deadline including the Panthers, Stars and double-flip deals

Published

1 day ago

March 8, 2025

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Winners and losers of the 2025 NHL trade deadline including the Panthers, Stars and double-flip deals

Multiple Contributors

Mar 7, 2025, 08:20 PM ET

The days leading up to the 2025 NHL trade deadline were a furious final sprint as contenders looked to stock up for a postseason run while rebuilding clubs added prospects and draft capital.

After the overnight Brock Nelson blockbuster Thursday, Friday lived up to expectations, with Mikko Rantanen, Brad Marchand and other high-profile players finishing the day on different teams than they started with. All told, NHL teams made 24 trades on deadline day involving 47 players.

Which teams and players won the day? Who might not feel as well about the situation after trade season? Reporters Ryan S. Clark, Kristen Shilton and Greg Wyshynski identify the biggest winners and losers of the 2025 NHL trade deadline: