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Ryan Minor, the Baltimore Orioles infielder who became part of baseball history when he replaced Cal Ripken at the end of his record-setting consecutive games streak in 1998, has died. He was 49.

The University of Oklahoma — where Minor starred in baseball and basketball — said he died of cancer Friday. The Orioles also released a statement on social media.

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of former third baseman and longtime minor league manager Ryan Minor, who courageously fought cancer,” the Orioles said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with Ryan’s family and friends at this time.”

Drafted by the Orioles in 1996, Minor made his big league debut late in the 1998 season. Then, a week later — Sept. 20 — he was thrust into the spotlight. In the team’s final home game of the season, Ripken decided to end his streak at 2,632 consecutive games. Minor started at third base for the first time in his career.

“I had no idea when I was coming to the park,” Minor said at the time.

Minor went on to play parts of four seasons for the Orioles and Montreal Expos, appearing in 142 major league games. This summer, the Delmarva Shorebirds — an Orioles minor league affiliate — made his No. 44 the first jersey number in team history to be retired. He hit 24 home runs for Delmarva in 1997 while working his way toward the majors, and he later managed the team from 2010 to 2012 and 2014 to 2017. He also had multiple stints managing the Frederick Keys.

At Oklahoma, Minor pitched and played first base. He helped the Sooners win a national title in baseball in 1994, and he was named Big Eight Player of the Year in 1995 on the basketball court. The 6-foot-6 Minor finished with 1,946 points and was drafted in the second round by the Philadelphia 76ers in 1996, the same year the Orioles took him.

The Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame recently announced that Minor would be part of its 2024 class of inductees.

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Flames’ Zary gets 2 games for elbowing Pettersson

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Flames' Zary gets 2 games for elbowing Pettersson

NEW YORK — Calgary forward Connor Zary was suspended two games without pay Thursday for elbowing Vancouver defenseman Elias Pettersson during the Canucks’ 4-3 shootout victory over the Flames.

Zary, 23, was assessed a minor penalty for interference on the play at 11:19 of the first period Wednesday night. The suspension will cost him $8,993 in salary.

After Pettersson knocked Calgary center Nazem Kadri off his skates just as Kadri unloaded the puck and crossed the blue line, Zary retaliated with a blindside hit that led to the penalty.

Pettersson had the tying goal with 6:44 remaining in regulation and scored in the first round of the shootout. Conor Garland added the winner in the fourth round of the shootout.

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Devils’ Hamilton out for regular season, GM says

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Devils' Hamilton out for regular season, GM says

New Jersey Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton will miss the remainder of the regular season and “possibly” the playoffs due to a lower-body injury, general manager Tom Fitzgerald said.

When pressed if Hamilton could return if the Devils reach the second round of the postseason, Fitzgerald wasn’t too optimistic on Wednesday.

“We’re not planning on it, how’s that?” Fitzgerald said during an appearance on the “Krackin’ Canuckleheads” podcast.

Hamilton has been sidelined since he was tangled up with Stars forward Mason Marchment in the first period of a 4-3 loss to Dallas on March 4.

Hamilton, 31, has 40 points (nine goals, 31 assists) in 63 games this season. He is competing in the fourth campaign of his seven-year, $63 million contract.

Hamilton has totaled 501 points (151 goals, 350 assists) in 834 career games with the Boston Bruins, Calgary Flames, Carolina Hurricanes and Devils.

Hamilton was selected by the Bruins with the ninth overall pick of the 2011 NHL draft.

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Devers: Willing to do whatever Red Sox want

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Devers: Willing to do whatever Red Sox want

Rafael Devers told reporters Thursday that he’s “good to do whatever” the Boston Red Sox want him to do, an indication that he’s willing to move away from third base and serve as the team’s designated hitter this season.

A switch of roles didn’t seem likely last month, when Devers balked at the idea at moving to DH in the wake of Boston signing Alex Bregman.

“Third base is my position,” Devers said then.

But the three-time All-Star said Thursday that he spoke with manager Alex Cora and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow a few weeks ago and told them “I’m good to do whatever they want me to do.

“I’m here to help,” he said through his interpreter, according to The Athletic. “I’ve already spoken with them about that and they know where I stand, but I’m just ready to play.

“I’m not going to share what we talked about here just because it would make me come off … those are private conversations. So I told them everything of my point of view, how I see things, and they know that.”

Devers has yet to appear in an official spring training game for Boston. It was supposed to happen Tuesday but got pushed back to this weekend. He battled soreness in both of his shoulders last season and spent the first couple of weeks of spring training trying to strengthen them ahead of the regular season.

He did play in an intrasquad game Thursday in Fort Myers, Florida, before he spoke with the media, and had a home run off new Red Sox starter Walker Buehler.

Asked if he expects to be ready for Opening Day against the Rangers on March 27 in Texas, Devers said: “I expect to be there.”

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