
What we’ve learned from MLB spring training: Breakout teams, surprise stars and key position battles
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1 year agoon
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adminBelieve it or not, the 2024 MLB regular season begins in one week — when the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres open play in Seoul, Korea on March 20 and 21 before all 30 teams take the field on March 28.
Before we turn our focus to the long season ahead, we asked ESPN MLB reporters who have been all over Arizona and Florida to break down what has stood out most to them during spring training.
From stars in the making to big names raking, here’s what has caught our eyes.
Who is one player who has impressed you most in spring training?
Jorge Castillo: There’s a guy named Juan Soto the New York Yankees acquired over the offseason, and he is smashing baseballs in spring training. We all expect Soto to rake. But he’s made quite the impression on the Yankees in less than a month — on and off the field. Gerrit Cole said he loves watching Soto in the batter’s box. Aaron Boone said he expects Soto to kill the ball every time he’s at the plate. Everyone seems to be raving about him.
Hitting in front of Aaron Judge should, on paper, give Soto plenty of pitches to hit. Playing at Yankee Stadium should provide him the intense environment he covets. It could be the recipe for an MVP performance — and the ideal platform season entering free agency.
Alden Gonzalez: I know he isn’t necessarily lacking in coverage, but still — what Shohei Ohtani is already doing, less than six months removed from another major elbow surgery, is quite impressive. He was wowing Dodgers coaches and teammates with his first few rounds of on-field batting practice in early February, and he has been locked in throughout Cactus League play, with four walks and 11 hits — including two homers, a double and a triple — in 23 plate appearances.
Keep in mind: Ohtani missed the season’s first month coming off his first Tommy John surgery in 2019. Now there is no question he’ll be the Dodgers’ designated hitter when they open up in South Korea, even though they’ll start a week early.
Buster Olney: Reynaldo Lopez threw three hitless innings in our exhibition broadcast against the Red Sox and his stuff was absolutely filthy. Lopez was an under-the-radar signing with the Braves, who moved aggressively in locking him down for $30 million over three years even before Thanksgiving turkeys went into the oven.
Lopez bounced around last year among three teams, from the White Sox to the Angels to the Guardians, and he seemed to get better at every stop; in Cleveland, he didn’t allow any runs in 12 appearances. He seems poised to play a significant role for the Braves, who are expected to ramp up his innings in a hybrid role this year.
Jesse Rogers: Eloy Jimenez has always been a slugger but he hasn’t been able to stay healthy. Now fully ensconced as the Chicago White Sox designated hitter, this is his chance to put together a career year. His timing is in midseason form right now and the only concern is if he can keep it up until the season starts.
Jimenez has been slowed by myriad ailments during his career, some fluky, so keeping him out of the outfield might get him in the lineup often enough to form a dynamic offensive duo with Luis Robert.
David Schoenfield: James Wood was the top prospect acquired by the Nationals in the 2022 Juan Soto trade and he has blasted three home runs this spring — including one mammoth moon shot in first at-bat. The 6-foot-7 outfielder will likely always be strikeout-prone (he fanned 173 times in the minors last season), but he’s drawn as many walks as K’s this spring.
What one team are people sleeping on that they shouldn’t be for the season?
Castillo: Teams coming off a pennant run usually aren’t overlooked, but the Arizona Diamondbacks haven’t been getting much love. Yes, their run to the World Series was improbable — some would even argue fluky — after a 84-win regular season. Yes, the mighty Dodgers are in their division. But the D-backs still have Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly atop the rotation. Franchise cornerstones Corbin Carroll and Gabriel Moreno are back after shining as rookies in 2023. And Arizona is even better than last season with the additions of Eduardo Rodríguez, Joc Pederson and Eugenio Suárez. Put it all together and Diamondbacks could again be a dangerous club in October.
Gonzalez: Perhaps it’s overly optimistic, but one thought seemed to hover over the Padres as they navigated what became a cost-cutting offseason: They’ll definitely be less talented in 2024, but perhaps they’ll actually be better. The Padres missed the playoffs despite a plus-104 run-differential last year, the product of a head-scratching inability to produce in clutch situations and win one-run games. Some of that (a lot of that?) might be luck. If those numbers improve and they get better performances from five-star players who are certainly capable of more — Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr., Xander Bogaerts, Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove — they can win more than 82 games. A.J. Preller still needs to make moves, particularly in the outfield, but there’s bounce-back potential here — even without Juan Soto, Blake Snell and Josh Hader.
Olney: The Seattle Mariners, who might have put us to sleep a little this winter because of how they had to find creative ways to generate payroll flexibility. But they have arguably the best rotation in the division — maybe in the whole sport — and if the likes of Mitch Haniger can stay healthy, Seattle could be very dangerous.
Rogers: The Cincinnati Reds. Their confidence is bubbling over and their offseason additions could be sneaky good. At the very least, there’s a ton of new, veteran leadership in the room to help a talented but young roster. Plus, they have more depth than a lot of teams in the division. The end of last season should also help as Cincinnati battled until the final weekend while waking up a sleeping giant in the stands. Great American Ballpark was rocking. If they get off to a good start, watch out.
Schoenfield: I’m not saying they’re going to win the AL East, but don’t write off the Boston Red Sox — even with Lucas Giolito‘s injury. This team will score some runs, especially given what we saw from Triston Casas in the second half and if they get anything from a healthy Trevor Story. Obviously, the pitching is thin: Maybe they go out and sign Jordan Montgomery or Michael Lorenzen.
What is one thing that has surprised you this season?
Castillo: How nobody — absolutely nobody — is talking about the rules implemented last season. A year ago, the topic dominated the spring training discourse. Some people hated them. Others loved them. It was a grand experiment that would surely ruin the game in some eyes. Now the rules are just part of the game, having converted plenty of the haters from a year ago.
Gonzalez: Nothing is more surprising than the amount of free agents who remain unsigned. We’re into the second full week of March and Blake Snell, the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner, doesn’t have a team. Neither do the likes of Jordan Montgomery, J.D. Martinez, Michael Lorenzen, Brandon Belt and Tommy Pham. Cody Bellinger and Matt Chapman didn’t sign until well into spring training.
Several teams have blamed uncertainty over their regional sports networks as a reason for cutting costs; many others have noted that Scott Boras, notorious for his willingness to prolong free agency, represents so many of the aforementioned players. Whatever the reason, players and agents everywhere are concerned.
Olney: I am most surprised by the optimism oozing out of Toronto Blue Jays camp, in the spring after a really frustrating and brief appearance in the playoffs last fall. On paper, they didn’t seem to do that much this winter, beyond teasing with their Shohei Ohtani flirtation, and they really need upgrades to their every-day lineup. But Vladimir Guerrero reported to camp in excellent shape and maybe that is the source of a lot of optimism. Toronto needs the incumbent position players to perform better, and Vlad’s offseason effort fueled a belief that he and Daulton Varsho and others can make this happen.
Rogers: Seeing the hysteria around the Dodgers is actually quite jolting. It’s an all-out party in the Cactus League when L.A. takes the field. If you plan on coming, leave your hotel early: the wait to get into the parking lots is nearly as bad as a Taylor Swift concert. OK, maybe it’s not that bad but hordes of fans are following every move made by Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. They are undoubtedly the show to watch this season.
Schoenfield: It’s not necessarily a surprise, but definitely a “pay attention” situation with the Yankees’ rotation: Gerrit Cole is getting an MRI on his elbow as he’s had discomfort recovering from his outings; Carlos Rodon is still trying to find his form and velocity after a lost 2023 and has served up three home runs in 5⅔ innings; Nestor Cortes, returning from shoulder issues, has allowed 17 hits and nine runs in 10 innings. Is there enough concern here to push the Yankees to sign Blake Snell or Jordan Montgomery?
What is one position battle you are watching closely from your time at spring training?
Castillo: It’s not necessarily a position battle, but the Yankees’ backup-infielder situation is something to keep an eye on. On Saturday, manager Aaron Boone said Oswald Peraza will be shut down for at least six weeks because of a shoulder injury. Peraza, once a highly touted prospect, was projected to make the team’s Opening Day roster — but the Yankees were already seeking to improve the spot before Peraza’s injury. Super utlityman Kiké Hernández said he chose to sign with the Dodgers over the Yankees in late February. Amed Rosario, another free agent infielder, picked the Rays over the Yankees. Peraza’s injury could push the Yankees back into the search for a veteran addition, whether via free agency or trade.
Gonzalez: I’m wondering what the Baltimore Orioles are going to do with their wealth of position-player talent, much of which seems ready to matriculate to the major leagues. It has been fascinating to see whether Jackson Holliday — the 20-year-old infielder who is the team’s third consecutive No. 1 prospect in the sport — can win the everyday second base job out of spring training. But Baltimore’s outfield picture is interesting too. Austin Hays, Cedric Mullins and Anthony Santander are locked into starting roles, but Heston Kjerstad, Colton Cowser and Kyle Stowers — all young, talented outfielders who bat left-handed — are gunning for one or two potential open backup spots.
Rogers: I’m interested in seeing how the Reds’ infield depth chart shakes out. This feels like a situation where how they start the season isn’t likely to be how they finish it, especially with a few early injuries and now a suspension for highly touted prospect Noelvi Marte. At full strength, the Reds might have an enviable problem: too many talented players with too few spots for them all. Cincinnati stressed a need for depth during the offseason, and they are already needing it.
Schoenfield: Dodgers shortstop. Gavin Lux booted the first two grounders hit to him and he had some throwing-accuracy issues even when he played second base — so now L.A.’s shortstop apparently is … former right fielder/second baseman Mookie Betts (with Lux sliding over to second). As if we need further testament to Mookie’s greatness. Still, this feels like a question in progress and it wouldn’t surprise if Miguel Rojas, a better defender, ends up playing the most innings at shortstop.
Olney: I agree with Dave — we are all on Dodgers shortstop watch after Lux’s long absence last year and the questions of whether he can hold down a crucial position on this dynamic team. At the very least, the Dodgers need someone who catches the ball and makes routine plays, and so it’ll be interesting to see how Lux progresses this spring. Rojas is a good fallback for a team with a massive payroll, but there is already speculation in other front offices that the Dodgers could make a move for Willy Adames if the Brewers punt on 2024, as some evaluators expect.
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Olney: The 7 MLB execs under the most pressure at the trade deadline
Published
6 hours agoon
June 16, 2025By
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Buster OlneyJun 16, 2025, 07:00 AM ET
Close- Senior writer ESPN Magazine/ESPN.com
- Analyst/reporter ESPN television
- Author of “The Last Night of the Yankee Dynasty”
The Boston Red Sox might be the best embodiment of the emotional swings that teams go through in this era of major league baseball.
Ten days ago, they had dropped nine of their past 12 games, and industry executives were eyeing the strongest parts on Boston’s roster in case the team was forced to start dealing players before the July 31 trade deadline. But instead, right-hander Hunter Dobbins notched two wins against the New York Yankees, Roman Anthony arrived in the big leagues (finally) and the Red Sox are back to .500, fostering a run at the postseason, real or imagined.
Then, a Father’s Day trade, out of the blue: Craig Breslow, the head of baseball operations for the Red Sox, shipped Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants. He addressed all the necessary business at once — dumping the contract of the unhappy Devers, adding pitching depth, and creating opportunity for the team’s young position players by opening the team’s DH spot.
He and the Giants’ Buster Posey completed what seems destined to be the biggest trade of the summer. In doing so, they shifted more onus onto some of their peers. Here are seven more who have the most at stake as trade season heats up.
Mike Hazen, general manager, Arizona Diamondbacks
Hazen will have a lot of say about what happens at this year’s trade deadline because if Arizona decides to trade talent, he’ll dangle a highly marketable set of players. Josh Naylor (Could the Mariners be interested? Or the Giants?), Eugenio Suarez (Yankees would be in on him), Merrill Kelly and Zac Gallen would become some of the best options, and other GMs like to trade with Hazen because they find him communicative and decisive.
But Hazen has also seen success when his team has been on the fringe of contention. Two years ago, the D-backs won 84 regular-season games and, after upsetting the Phillies in the playoffs, came within two victories of winning the World Series. Arizona just lost Corbin Burnes and reliever Justin Martinez to major injuries, but with an extraordinary core of talent, could Hazen add help, rather than trade away players? Knowing that Burnes will miss most or all of next year, could Hazen start constructing the team’s 2026 rotation? A lot is riding on his choices this trade season.
Arizona’s chances for making the playoffs, according to FanGraphs, are 34.9%.
David Dombrowski, president of baseball operations, Philadelphia Phillies
Over the past couple of years, Dombrowski installed two younger starting pitchers into his rotation, 28-year-old left-hander Cristopher Sanchez and 27-year-old Jesus Luzardo, acquired in a trade with the Marlins. Meanwhile, Andrew Painter, the highly regarded 22-year-old right-hander the Phillies held out of the Garrett Crochet trade talks last summer, has reached Triple-A.
However, the Phillies’ group of position players is older, with Bryce Harper in Year 7 of the 13-year deal he signed and Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto in the last years of their respective contracts. The team’s window is now. Jose Alvarado could return from his PED suspension before the end of the regular season, but he will be ineligible for the postseason. The Phillies need bullpen help, just as they did last season, and Dombrowski will need to augment that group before the deadline.
“He’s been through this plenty of times before,” one of his peers said. “He’ll make deals. He always does.”
Jerry Dipoto, president of baseball operations, Seattle Mariners
Seattle has been wildly inconsistent while sorting through some rotation injuries. George Kirby has gradually improved over the five starts since being activated from the injured list, and Logan Gilbert was just activated off the IL and will start Monday against the Red Sox. If not for Aaron Judge, Cal Raleigh would be the front-runner for the American League MVP Award.
But despite Raleigh’s power, the Mariners are struggling for offense at first base (their group has a wRC+ of 90, 22nd among the 30 teams) and DH (24th in wRC+, at 89). There is a clear need for a thumper, whether it’s Ryan O’Hearn or Josh Naylor — or someone of that ilk. As with the Orioles a year ago, the Mariners’ farm system is loaded, and Dipoto can present a buffet table of options to rival executives looking for a match.
Chris Young, president of baseball operations, Texas Rangers
Last July, with the Rangers coming off their first championship in 2023, Young waited and waited for a turnaround that never came before the trade deadline, refusing to deal. This year’s problems are a little different, but still similar. Jacob deGrom is dominating, but the offense has been shockingly sparse, with Texas ranked 26th in runs scored. There are reasons for hope: Evan Carter, impacted by injuries over the past 18 months, is hitting .387 in June (although he has been experiencing a wrist issue in recent days), and Wyatt Langford is getting better. It’s also hard to imagine Marcus Semien hitting .224 all year.
Young bet on a turnaround last summer. Will he do so again this year?
Mike Elias, general manager, Baltimore Orioles
The hole the Orioles have dug this season might be too deep to escape — they’re 6½ games out of the last AL wild-card spot. The Orioles were just 2½ games out of the wild-card race in 2022 when Elias chose to trade talent away rather than acquire it. But the context is different now, with Baltimore’s group of prospects older. By year’s end, Adley Rutschman will have four years of service time.
One way or another, Elias has to start building a rotation for next season. Maybe dealing Ryan O’Hearn and/or Cedric Mullins and others will help.
J.J. Picollo, general manager, Kansas City Royals
With the recent spate of losses, Kansas City is under .500 — and their playoff chances are 13.3%, per FanGraphs. Picollo’s track record is well-established: He has done what he can to win, signing free agents such as Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha and Carlos Estevez, and more recently, promoting top prospect Jac Caglianone and bypassing the opportunity to manipulate his service time.
But Cole Ragans is out indefinitely because of a strained shoulder, and Lugo has an opt-out on his deal after this season — and at 35 years old, it makes sense for him to take advantage of his leverage. Maybe that’s a contract extension with the Royals, or maybe that’s testing free agency. If the Royals’ recent malaise takes root, Lugo would be coveted in the trade market.
Jed Hoyer, president of baseball operations, Chicago Cubs
Chicago is so good — its offense so dynamic and versatile, its defense so efficient — that one evaluator believes that the question for Hoyer is not whether the Cubs will make the playoffs (their playoff chances, per FanGraphs, is 88.5%), but what will make them more dangerous in the meaningful games they’re bound to play at the end of the season. Especially with Kyle Tucker, the heart of the offense this year, headed for free agency in the fall.
Pitching is needed, with Justin Steele out for the season. The talented-but-young Ben Brown has an ERA of 5.71, and Colin Rea has been inconsistent. The Diamondbacks’ Kelly or Gallen might be a perfect fit, while the Orioles’ Zach Eflin would be an upgrade.
The Cubs’ payroll is well under the luxury tax threshold — 12th highest in the majors — but Chicago’s offer to Alex Bregman wasn’t competitive, even though he would’ve been a perfect fit. Rival evaluators wonder if Cubs ownership will green-light the sort of pricey acquisition that could help this team compete for its second title in the past decade.
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Can Calvin Pickard backstop another Cup Final rally for the Oilers?
Published
11 hours agoon
June 16, 2025By
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Kristen ShiltonJun 16, 2025, 07:00 AM ET
Close- Kristen Shilton is a national NHL reporter for ESPN.
There is an art to becoming a full-time NHL starting goaltender.
There is art, too, in being a successful NHL backup.
It requires embracing the unknown. It’s preparing to play without actually playing. There are long stretches of no puck touches — but the expectation of delivering your best at a moment’s notice.
That kind of pressure isn’t for everyone. But Edmonton Oilers‘ goaltender Calvin Pickard isn’t just anyone. He has forged a career excelling in secondary roles, the classic blue-collar contributor exemplifying work ethic and a straightforward mentality. One day at a time. One game after another.
It’s not easy. Pickard just makes it seem that way.
“I guess you’d say he’s one of the rare goalies,” Oilers forward Evander Kane said. “He’s just a normal guy. He’s really popular in [our] room.”
And how. Pickard has helped save Edmonton from back-breaking deficits in this NHL postseason not once, but twice. And Pickard could be on track to keep the Oilers alive again as they face elimination in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET, TNT/Max).
That’s as pressure-packed as it gets, yet Pickard’s most recent efforts showcased a goalie at his peak.
Pickard entered the Final as Edmonton’s No. 2 behind Stuart Skinner. He looked on as the Oilers split the series’ first two games, and then entered troubled waters. Skinner started again in Game 3, and Florida pounded Edmonton 6-1. Coach Kris Knoblauch replaced Skinner with Pickard late in that debacle, where all Pickard could offer was cleanup duty.
Edmonton moved on to Game 4 with a 2-1 series deficit, carrying an undeniable whiff of fragility that was about to be painfully exposed.
Knoblauch passed over Pickard for Skinner as his starter. The result was disastrous. Skinner gave up three goals on 14 shots in the first period, for an .824 save percentage. Edmonton limped off the ice down 3-0 and Knoblauch had to do something.
Enter Pickard.
The 33-year-old took over Edmonton’s crease and backstopped them to a shocking comeback as the Oilers scored three second-period goals for a 3-3 tie heading into the third. Pickard was excellent holding off the Panthers’ attack with tough, critical stops that gave the Oilers a chance to offer some goal support at the other end. And Edmonton’s eventual 5-4 victory in overtime would not have been possible without Pickard’s 22 saves.
2:24
How ‘clutch’ Calvin Pickard helped spur Oilers to Game 4 win
Steve Levy and Kevin Weekes break down the Oilers’ comeback win in overtime in Game 4 to even the series with the Panthers.
It was simple enough then that when the series returned to Edmonton tied 2-2 going into Game 5 on Saturday that Pickard would have at least 24 hours notice of his next playing time. That it was happening in the Cup Final could rattle other goalies who hadn’t actually started a full game in five weeks.
But then again, Pickard isn’t a typical backup. He’s built differently.
“I guess you could look at [Game 5] as the biggest game in my life, but the last game was the biggest game in my life until the next one,” Pickard said. “It’s rinse and repeat for me. It’s been a great journey; I’ve been to a lot of good places. Grateful that I had the chance to come to Edmonton a couple years ago, and this is what you play for. I’m excited.”
The game itself didn’t go to plan for Edmonton. The Oilers fell behind early — again — and this time no number of eye-popping stops by Pickard (including a massive one on Carter Verhaeghe in the first period) could save Edmonton from itself in a 5-2 loss.
Pickard’s stat line was weak — giving up four goals on 18 shots for a .778 save percentage — but Knoblauch wasn’t convinced he was the problem. Nor would Knoblauch commit to him for Game 6.
“I’m not going to make that decision right now after a tough loss tonight,” the coach said after Game 5. “But from what I saw, I think Picks didn’t have much chance on all those goals. Breakaways, shots through screens, slot shots. There was nothing saying that it was a poor performance.”
It was Pickard’s first loss in the postseason, a testament to his body of work. It wasn’t so long ago he was in control of the Oilers’ crease. A stronger team effort in front of Pickard could have him shining there again Tuesday; Edmonton has been outscored 15-8 in its past three games, a frustrating reality given the Oilers’ depth of offensive talent and defensive capabilities.
“The quality of opportunities were really good [in Game 5], so there’s no fault at Calvin at all on any of those goals,” Knoblauch said. “When the pressure’s not on [the goalies] that they have to make every single save to keep this close or keep us ahead [it’s better]. It’d be nice to get some goal support. [Game 5] was a case where we were having difficulty generating offense. It’d be nice to have that lead and play knowing that they have to open things up when they’re trailing.”
THE OILERS WERE in a bad spot midway through the first round.
They’d entered the playoffs among the field’s Cup favorites after making the Final a year ago, falling there in Game 7 to the same franchise they’re battling now. The Oilers rebounded in a strong regular season, finishing third in the Pacific Division with 101 points.
It was worrisome then that they started the postseason with a thud, falling behind 2-0 in their first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings. Skinner was Edmonton’s starter at the time, and had given up 11 goals in those two defeats. Pickard had watched (almost) all of it happen from the bench, save for a brief appearance late in Game 2.
Knoblauch tapped Pickard to start in Game 3. Cue another comeback.
Pickard helped the Oilers reel off four straight wins to vanquish the Kings and send Edmonton to the second round. He peeled off another pair of wins against the Vegas Golden Knights to spot Edmonton a 2-0 series lead — only to sustain a lower-body injury in Game 2 that would cut his magical postseason run off at 6-0-0 with an .892 save percentage and 2.76 goals-against average.
Edmonton again turned to Skinner, who responded with a sensational run of his own leading the Oilers through their Western Conference finals series against the Dallas Stars. The now-healthy Pickard was more of a spectator again. Biding his time had become second nature.
“The last couple of years, [Skinner] has played much more than I have,” Pickard said. “So, practice time is huge for me. [Our staff] has me dialed in when I’m not playing and doing different drills to replicate situations in games, and for when that chance comes.”
Pickard has learned how to leverage his reps, perceiving each one as meaningful even when the outcome is a foregone conclusion.
“Getting the time in Game 3 [of the Final] at the end, even when it was out of hand there [with the score], it’s still good ice time for me to get out there and see game action,” Pickard said. “That propelled me to be ready for Game 4. [Any of that] practice time’s huge.”
It’s also fitting for a goalie like Pickard — who can revel entering a rout — to be on the path to a potentially distinctive feat. According to ESPN Research, the last time multiple goalies on a Cup-winning team recorded decisions in a Final for non-injury related reasons was when the Boston Bruins alternated between Gerry Cheevers and Eddie Johnston in 1972. Cheevers started Game 1, Game 3 and the clinching Game 6 in that series.
Skinner and Pickard are also only the second tandem in NHL history to have each recorded at least seven victories in a single postseason, joining Marc-Andre Fleury (nine wins) and Matt Murray (seven) during the Pittsburgh Penguins‘ Cup run in 2017.
But Pickard’s road here wasn’t quite like his predecessors — or his current goalie teammate.
Pickard was drafted by Colorado in the second round at No. 49 in the 2010 NHL draft. His first and only season as a starter for the Avalanche was in 2016-17, when he filled in for injured Semyon Varlamov.
Colorado exposed him that summer in the expansion draft and Pickard was selected by Vegas, with the idea he’d be Fleury’s backup. But the Golden Knights also selected Malcom Subban off waivers and put him behind Fleury instead. Pickard was then put on waivers and picked up by the Toronto Maple Leafs, who sent him to the minors.
From there, the New Brunswick, Canada, native kept moving around, waived by Toronto and then Philadelphia before a brief stint in Arizona. In July 2019, Pickard signed as a free agent with the Detroit Red Wings — his fifth team in two years — and still couldn’t take hold in the NHL. He toggled between the Red Wings and the American Hockey League for three seasons.
In July 2022, Pickard arrived in Edmonton … sort of. He signed a two-year, two-way deal with the club and spent his first season in the AHL. Pickard finally saw sustained NHL play the next season as the Oilers grappled with struggling starter Jack Campbell, giving Pickard his most games in the league (23) since 2016-17. That was enough to keep him on as Skinner’s backup this season.
The rest, as they say, is history. Pickard’s patience through the process has impressed those teammates now relying on him to pull them through to a Cup title.
“He’s been doing this for a long time, he has a ton of experience and been to a lot of different dressing rooms,” Kane said. “That can help you along when you do come on to different teams, making a little bit of an easier transition. Now you’re just seeing that off-ice translate on to the ice with his performance, and how much he’s helped us to where we are here today … in the Stanley Cup Final.”
If people weren’t paying attention to Pickard when he stepped in for Skinner against the Kings, there’s no doubt all eyes are on him now. It’s attention that Pickard has earned.
“[Pickard is] someone who’s just kind of stuck with it all along and he’s been a true pro and a great person all the way through,” Edmonton captain Connor McDavid said. “I think good people get rewarded and he works as hard as I’ve seen. Couldn’t be more deserving.”
KNOBLAUCH ISN’T ONE to be rushed.
He has been cagey about naming a starter throughout the Final. That will hold true again for Game 6.
“[It’s] a conversation with the staff, obviously our goaltending coach, Dustin Schwartz, but with all the assistants, the general manager,” Knoblauch said. “[We’ll] kind of weigh in how everyone feels and what’s best moving forward. It’s not an easy decision. We’ve got two goalies that have shown that they can play extremely well, win hockey games and we feel that no matter who we choose, they can win the game.”
Pickard’s numbers in the series (.878 SV%, 2.88 GAA) are stronger than Skinner’s (.860 SV%, 4.20 GAA) and they are on par for the entire postseason (Pickard holds an .886 SV% and 2.85 GAA to Skinner’s .891 SV% and 2.99 GAA). Their records, though, are quite different: 7-1 for Pickard, 7-6 for Skinner.
So, who gives the Oilers their best chance to win Game 6 and drag Florida back to Edmonton for a second straight Game 7 finale between these teams in the Cup Final?
If Pickard does get the call, it will be a culmination of 10 years of consistent effort to be trusted when there’s no tomorrow. There’s only the present moment — where the right backup goalie has always been trained to stay ready.
1:26
Weekes perplexed by Oilers: ‘They look like a shell of themselves’
Kevin Weekes calls out the energy level by the Oilers in their Game 5 loss to the Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final.
Sports
Red Sox deal All-Star Devers to Giants in stunner
Published
20 hours agoon
June 16, 2025By
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The San Francisco Giants acquired three-time All-Star Rafael Devers from the Boston Red Sox on Sunday in a stunning trade that sent a player Boston once considered a franchise cornerstone to a San Francisco team needing an offensive infusion.
Boston received left-handed starter Kyle Harrison, right-hander Jordan Hicks, outfield prospect James Tibbs III and Rookie League right-hander Jose Bello.
The Red Sox announced the deal Sunday evening.
The Giants will cover the remainder of Devers’ contract, which runs through 2033 and will pay him more than $250 million, sources told ESPN.
The trade ends the fractured relationship between Devers and the Red Sox that had degraded since spring training, when Devers balked at moving off third base — the position where he had spent his whole career — after the signing of free agent Alex Bregman. The Red Sox gave no forewarning to Devers, who expressed frustration before relenting and agreeing to be their designated hitter.
After a season-ending injury to first baseman Triston Casas in early May, the Red Sox asked Devers to move to first base. Devers declined, suggesting the front office “should do their jobs” and find another player after the organization told him during spring training he would be the DH for the remainder of the season. The day after Devers’ comments, Red Sox owner John Henry, president Sam Kennedy and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow flew to Kansas City, where Boston was playing, to talk with Devers.
In the weeks since, Devers’ refusal to play first led to internal tension and helped facilitate the deal, sources said.
San Francisco pounced — and added a force to an offense that ranks 15th in runs scored in Major League Baseball. Devers, 28, is hitting .272/.401/.504 with 15 home runs and 58 RBIs, tied for the third most in MLB. Over his nine-year career, Devers is hitting .279/.349/.509 with 215 home runs and 696 RBIs in 1,053 games.
Boston believed enough in Devers to give him a 10-year, $313.5 million contract extension in January 2023. He rewarded the Red Sox with a Silver Slugger Award that season and made his third All-Star team in 2024.
Whether he slots in at designated hitter or first base with San Francisco — the Giants signed Gold Glove third baseman Matt Chapman to a six-year, $151 million deal last year — is unknown. But San Francisco sought Devers more for his bat, one that immediately makes the Giants — who are fighting for National League West supremacy with the Los Angeles Dodgers — a better team.
To do so, the Giants gave a package of young talent and took on the contract that multiple teams’ models had as underwater.
Harrison, 23, is the prize of the deal, particularly for a Red Sox team replete with young hitting talent but starving for young pitching. Once considered one of the best pitching prospects in baseball, Harrison has shuttled between San Francisco and Triple-A Sacramento this season.
Harrison, who was scratched from a planned start against the Dodgers on Sunday night, has a 4.48 ERA over 182⅔ innings since debuting with the Giants in 2023. He has struck out 178, walked 62 and allowed 30 home runs. The Red Sox optioned Harrison to Triple-A Worcester after the trade was announced.
Hicks, 28, who has toggled between starter and reliever since signing with the Giants for four years and $44 million before the 2024 season, is on the injured list because of right toe inflammation. One of the hardest-throwing pitchers in baseball, Hicks has a 6.47 ERA over 48⅔ innings this season. He could join the Red Sox’s ailing bullpen, which Breslow has sought to upgrade.
Tibbs, 22, was selected by the Giants with the 13th pick in last year’s draft out of Florida State. A 6-foot, 200-pound corner outfielder, Tibbs has spent the season at High-A, where he has hit .245/.377/.480 with 12 home runs and 32 RBIs in 56 games. Scouts laud his command of the strike zone — he has 41 walks and 45 strikeouts in 252 plate appearances — but question whether his swing will translate at higher levels.
Bello, 20, has spent the season as a reliever for the Giants’ Rookie League affiliate. In 18 innings, he has struck out 28 and walked three while posting a 2.00 ERA.
The deal is the latest in which Boston shipped a player central to the franchise.
Boston traded Mookie Betts to the Dodgers in February 2020, just more than a year after leading Boston to a franchise-record 108 wins and a World Series title and winning the American League MVP Award.
Devers was part of that World Series-winning team in 2018 and led the Red Sox in RBIs each season from 2020 to 2024, garnering AL MVP votes across each of the past four years. Devers had been with the Red Sox since 2013, when he signed as an international amateur free agent out of the Dominican Republic. He debuted four years later at age 20.
Boston is banking on its young talent to replace Devers’ production. The Red Sox regularly play four rookies — infielders Kristian Campbell and Marcelo Mayer, outfielder Roman Anthony and catcher Carlos Narvaez — and infielder Franklin Arias and outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia are expected to contribute in the coming years.
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