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I want to see Connor McDavid raise the Stanley Cup.

I want to see all that regular-season hardware — five scoring titles, three Hart trophies as league MVP, the four-time NHLPA most outstanding player — metaphorically traded for a Stanley Cup ring, like when you turn in smaller prizes for a larger one during a carnival game. I want him rewarded for his 10 years of trying to will the Edmonton Oilers to their first Stanley Cup since 1990. Those fans deserve another party, with McDavid as the master of ceremonies.

I want to see him permanently overwrite those images of himself as an empty husk after Game 7 last season, his soul seemingly drained from his body by a series so emotionally erratic that he was voted the playoffs’ most valuable player moments after losing in the championship finale.

I want to see the laziest counterargument to McDavid’s status as a hockey deity — that he “never won the Cup” — rendered immaterial, as it eventually was for players such as Alex Ovechkin and Nathan MacKinnon. I want that cathartic scream when he picks up the chalice for the first time. The king deserves his crowning moment.

Unfortunately, what I want and what the Florida Panthers are willing to give McDavid aren’t at all aligned. They deprived him of his Stanley Cup win last season. They’ve going to do it again in this Stanley Cup Final rematch, despite the sportsbooks and the majority of pundits believing that it’s McDavid’s moment.

Here are five reasons the Panthers are likely headed for a repeat:


Florida is better than last season’s Cup winner

It’s undeniable that the Oilers are a better team than they were last season.

Edmonton’s roster is deeper and more cohesive than the 2024 Western Conference champions. They’re scoring more (4.06 goals per game) than last season. Their 5-on-5 defense is remarkably better: 1.89 goals per 60 minutes, down from 2.55 last postseason.

Perhaps the most impressive part of the Oilers’ defensive game has been the ability to close out games — witness their shot suppression in the last three wins over the Dallas Stars. They were a minus-6 in the third period last postseason; they’re a plus-11 this season through 16 games. The only downgrade year-over-year is their penalty kill, which has given up 16 goals in 16 games while it gave up four in 25 games last season. One assumes the return of Mattias Ekholm will help.

But the Panthers are also better.

Like, a lot better. Which is scary.

Florida is a plus-27 in goal differential through 17 games, after finishing at a plus-11 last season. The Panthers are scoring more (3.88) and giving up less (2.29). At 5-on-5, they’ve gone from 2.39 goals per 60 minutes last season to 3.53 goals per 60 this season. Their power play is up year over year — something to keep in mind if the Oilers keep struggling on the PK — and the penalty kill is about the same.

They also upgraded in a few roster spots during the season, primarily with the additions of Seth Jones to their second defense pairing and Brad Marchand to their third line.

Last season, Florida paired Niko Mikkola with Brandon Montour, a good puck-moving defenseman who parlayed his success with Florida into a free agent deal with the Seattle Kraken. The Panthers registered 49% of the shot attempts and averaged 1.84 goals for and 2.03 goals against per 60 minutes when that pair was on the ice. Mikkola’s pairing with Jones is a marked upgrade: 56% of the shot attempts, 4.14 goals for and 1.69 goals against per 60 minutes at 5-on-5. The duo has an expected goals against of 1.48 per 60 minutes — Montour and Mikkola were at 2.37 last postseason.

That’s not just the addition of Jones to the Panthers’ top four. Mikkola has leveled up into something special, defending better and flashing a surprising amount of offensive speed for a 6-foot-6 defender nicknamed “The Condor.”

“Meeks has been a beast. All playoffs, he’s everywhere,” Marchand said. “I don’t think he gets enough credit. He’s extremely tough to play against. Then when you play with him, and you realize that he’s not flashy, but he closes so quick, he’s always on top of guys and he’s physical.”

The addition of Marchand has also made the Panthers a more dangerous team than last season — and not only in terms of what’s said on the ice during games. The third line of their Cup-winning team was anchored by center Anton Lundell and winger Eetu Luostarinen, a solid duo that skated with a variety of wingers. Putting Marchand with those two after acquiring him at the trade deadline from Boston improved the team in several ways.

Marchand, Lundell and Luostarinen have earned 53% of the shot attempts at 5-on-5. They average 4.2 goals and 0.82 goals against per 60 minutes. Marchand has 14 points in 17 games. Luostarinen has 13 points in 17 games. Lundell has five goals and seven assists, and continues to give this team preposterous center depth as sort of a “Baby Barkov” for the Panthers.

By solidifying that line with Marchand, it allows the Panthers to keep their top six solidified. One duo is Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart. The other duo is Sam Bennett and Matthew Tkachuk. They shuttle Carter Verhaeghe, one of the playoffs’ most clutch scorers, and Evan Rodrigues, an analytics darling, between those lines on the wing. Both combinations have yielded results for Florida.

But beyond what’s happening on the ice — or perhaps as a catalyst for it — the Panthers are playing with the poise and confidence of a champion, fortified by a proof of concept that comes only after a Stanley Cup skate.


Bobrovsky vs. Skinner

These two goalies have had similar postseason journeys: Inconsistent and middling results early in the playoffs, followed by dominant runs that began in the middle of the second round and carried through to the Stanley Cup Final.

“Middling” is probably putting it kindly for Skinner’s playoffs, where he was benched in the first round and got back into the playoffs only when Calvin Pickard was injured against the Vegas Golden Knights. But from Game 4 against Vegas to the Cup Final, he’s been scorching hot: 6-1, .944 save percentage, 1.41 goals-against average and three shutouts.

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Stuart Skinner makes an unbelievable diving save

Stuart Skinner makes a beautiful stick save to keep the game tied 2-2 for the Oilers vs. the Golden Knights.

Bobrovsky wasn’t all that great early either until a Game 4 shutout against the Maple Leafs. After that, he went 7-2 with a .944 save percentage, a 1.34 goals-against average and two shutouts.

The Florida netminder had a chaotic Stanley Cup Final last season, but ended it with a 23-save effort at home in Game 7 to clinch the Cup. It was the kind of game that reinforced the “Playoff Bob” legend that the Oilers will no doubt hear about again this season.

Averaged out, Skinner and Bobrovsky were both at replacement levels for the totality of the playoffs according to Stathletes. Over their past five games, Bobrovsky (2.35 goals saved above expected) has been better analytically than Skinner (1.89).

Skinner is playing well enough where he shouldn’t lose this series for Edmonton, which is really all they can ask from him and Pickard. But Bobrovsky, assuming he’s in “Playoff Bob” mode, can win this series for Florida. That’s the difference.


The Panthers are road warriors

The most significant change year-over-year between these teams is that the Oilers have home-ice advantage this time. Unfortunately, that might play into the Panthers’ hands.

Florida is 8-2 on the road, which is tied for the sixth-best winning percentage in NHL postseason history (minimum eight road games). Their 4.80 goals per game would make them the highest-scoring road playoff team in Stanley Cup history (again, minimum eight road games). That plus-27 goal differential in the postseason? It has all come on the road, where they’ve scored 48 times and given up 21 goals. They’re even (18 for and 18 against) at home.

“It’s us against the world. That kind of feeling,” defenseman Gustav Forsling said.

There are two clear reasons for the Panthers’ road dominance. The first is that Florida is at its absolute best when it trims the flourish out of its offensive game to become a blunt instrument.

“Our mindset is just play as simple as we can,” Verhaeghe said. “Get the puck deep, get on their defense and forecheck, which is our strength.”

The other reason: The Panthers absolutely love to suck the energy out of a road arena and send the opposing fans home feeling miserable.

“It’s fun when you’re on the road and it goes quiet. It feels like we’re doing our job,” Verhaeghe said.

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Fortenbaugh’s best bet for Panthers-Oilers Stanley Cup rematch

Joe Fortenbaugh explains why he’s taking the Panthers to repeat as champions against the Oilers.


Aleksander Barkov

Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl can exert their will on a period, a game and a series. McDavid is coming off a series against Dallas in which he had nine points in five games, for example.

Florida has one of those guys, too. Barkov doesn’t get mentioned with the same breathless praise as the Oilers’ duo or Auston Matthews or Nathan MacKinnon or Sidney Crosby. He has broken 90 points only once in his career, although his points-per-game rate between 2017-25 (1.11) ranks him 12th among all skaters, right between Crosby and Cale Makar. He’s not the most vocal guy, nor does he have the most boisterous personality — Panthers coach Paul Maurice joked that Barkov is “not doing a podcast when he’s done [playing].”

All of those players mentioned are Hart Trophy guys. Barkov is a Selke Trophy guy, having been named as the NHL’s best defensive forward for the third time in his career this week. You can’t be both. Since the best defensive forward award was first handed out in 1977-78, only two players have ever won a Hart and a Selke at some point in their careers: Sergei Fedorov and Bobby Clarke. As of this season, the highest Barkov ever placed for MVP was sixth in 2020-21.

But he’s just as much of a game changer and series shifter as any other superstar, only his ability to do so sometimes starts in the defensive zone. Against Edmonton last postseason, the Panthers outscored the Oilers 5-2 with Barkov on the ice during those seven games, earning the majority of the shot attempts and scoring chances.

He can create something out of nothing with his puck control and large frame.

Witness the series clincher against Carolina:

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Verhaeghe puts Panthers back in front

Carter Verhaeghe fires home a big-time goal to give the Panthers a lead late in the third period.

Rodrigues said that goal “speaks to who [Barkov] is as a person” after Game 5.

“He’s so even-keeled,” Rodrigues said. “Doesn’t get too high, doesn’t get too low, and just when games get intense and very emotional, he’s able to play his game and just do the right things over and over again.”

Which brings us to perhaps the most salient point in this prediction.


They’ll take what Edmonton gives them

This might be hyperbolic but that’s never stopped me before: I think the Panthers are basically built to be an Oilers countermeasure.

They can score with the Oilers. They can defend as good as any team in the NHL. They have impactful star players and effective role players. They’re unfazed by chaotic road environments. They’re well-coached. They play with a physicality, swagger and antagonism. They can dish it out and take it and then dish it out again.

But they also have that special trait shared with other great NHL champions, which is that they’re willing to win on their terms or on whatever terms the opponents will set for them.

Think about the Western Conference finals. Think about how the Dallas Stars felt like they had toppled into an abyss when the Oilers would score the first goal. Think about how they could send only four shots on Skinner in the third period of must-win games, frustrated to no end that they couldn’t play their game.

The Panthers don’t get flustered. They don’t lose their confidence or have their hope extinguished if things aren’t to their liking. They maximize the opportunities they earn. They’re meticulous and patient where others are harried and panicked.

Carolina was a stingy defensive team. The Panthers waited for their chances to pounce, and when they did, the games changed dramatically. In each of their wins over the Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference finals, the Panthers scored multiple goals within four minutes of each other. Florida is the most “blood in the water” team in the NHL. In Game 3, it was five goals in 9:08. In Game 5, it was three goals in 4:36.

“We go into the game, we know exactly what we need to do,” Barkov said. “The confidence level is high and everyone’s having fun right now.”

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Panthers take care of Hurricanes in 5 to advance to Stanley Cup Final

The Florida Panthers win 5-3 in a back-and-forth Game 5 battle vs. the Hurricanes to advance to their third consecutive Stanley Cup Final.


Prediction: Panthers in six

GM Bill Zito and his staff have constructed a Stanley Cup champion whose core players have the postseason competence and drive that other teams desperately try to import into their lineups at the deadline every season. The Panthers don’t need an infusion of “rings in the room.” They almost all have them now. Playoff self-assurance is a nucleotide in their hockey DNA.

Their “win at all costs” style has earned them detractors, but it has also earned them three consecutive trips to the Stanley Cup Final.

Based on the Panthers’ recent play and their advantages in this matchup, it’ll also earn them a second straight skate with Stanley.

And if I’m wrong, then Connor McDavid has his championship moment. Which would be awesome, too.

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‘Just a top-shelf human being’: Teammates, opponents remember Ryne Sandberg

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'Just a top-shelf human being': Teammates, opponents remember Ryne Sandberg

Chicago Cubs Hall of Fame second baseman Ryne Sandberg died on Monday at age 65. Sandberg, known for his power, speed and defensive prowess during his 16-year major league career, was the face of the Cubs during his 15 seasons with the franchise and a fan favorite throughout the sport.

Originally diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer in January of 2024, Sandberg was still around the Cubs as recently as spring training — and just as he did in his playing days, he made his presence felt with his signature combination of power and grace.

As the baseball world mourns the loss of an icon, those who knew Sandberg best shared their favorite stories about the Hall of Famer.


‘Ryno would be out there at 9 a.m.’

Sandberg was traded from the Philadelphia Phillies to the Cubs in January 1982 after struggling during his first call-up in Philly. A legendarily hard worker, Sandberg was willing to do whatever it took to make sure his stay in Chicago would go differently.

Larry Bowa, who was dealt along with Sandberg in the trade for veteran infielder Ivan DeJesus, remembers the hours Sandberg put in as he transformed from a light-hitting rookie in Philadelphia to a budding superstar in Chicago.

“I think about how he handled himself when he first got called up. He struggled out of the gate. I watched this guy not let it affect him. It might have affected him on the inside, but the way he handled himself on the outside was great,” Bowa said.

“Ryno would be out there at 9 a.m. [Manager] Jim Frey would tell him [to] hit every ball over the tarp and into the seats down the left-field line in foul territory. Hit it with authority over that tarp. Ryno looked at him like he was crazy. ‘I want every ball with authority over that tarp,’ Frey kept telling him. He did it for a week straight. That’s how he learned how to pull the ball.”


‘Just ungodly consistent’

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How Ryne Sandberg will be remembered in Chicago

Jesse Rogers reflects on Ryne Sandberg’s career in Chicago after he died on Monday at the age of 65.

After his power stroke clicked, it didn’t take long for Sandberg to take his game to the highest level. He was named National League MVP in 1984 after hitting .314 with 19 home runs and 19 triples, stealing 32 bases and leading the Cubs to their first postseason appearance in 39 years.

Perhaps no one had a better view for Sandberg’s dominant campaign than his close friend, Cubs leadoff hitter Bobby Dernier. The two batted 1-2 in the Chicago lineup and earned the nickname “The Daily Double” as they combined to score 208 runs that season.

“Just ungodly consistent,” Dernier said of what made Sandberg so great. “And the style of game back then demanded a little bit of baserunning prowess and being capable of stealing bases and scoring a lot of runs. And so that was our style. He was tremendous.

“Pitchers were always paying a little more attention to me on the bases than him at the plate, and that was a big mistake and he’d take full advantage. He’d almost giggle about it, is what I remember in the dugout.”

Sandberg cemented his legacy during that season with a signature game against the St. Louis Cardinals on June 23, forever known in Chicago as “The Sandberg Game.” He hit two game-tying home runs off Hall of Fame closer Bruce Sutter in the ninth and 10th innings before the Cubs won the game in the 11th — in front of a national TV audience.

“After he tied it up, I ended up hitting the ball off the wall, but if mine goes out, it’s probably never called the Sandberg game,” outfielder Gary Matthews said with a laugh. “He was great at everything that he did. I hit behind him and he was always on base.”


‘He had a perfect swing for his home ballpark’

Sandberg hit 282 career home runs during an era of baseball where second baseman weren’t known for that kind of power, but he was more than just a long ball threat. Six of those home runs — the second most off an opposing pitcher — were hit off Hall of Famer John Smoltz, who recalled one memorable afternoon for Sandberg.

“I gave up two home runs to him in a game and I had a [autograph] card show after the game and everyone in the world knew I gave up two home runs to Ryne Sandberg,” Smoltz said. “One was an inside-the-park home run. Those fans at the card show reminded me of that.

“He had a perfect swing for his home ballpark. He had a flatter swing that worked great for the angles at Wrigley Field, especially when the wind was blowing in.”

Sandberg was more than just an offensive threat; he also won nine consecutive Gold Glove awards during his time with the Cubs and posted a 123-game errorless streak.

“I used to tell Joe Morgan, ‘This guy doesn’t have to take a second seat to anybody on defense,'” Matthews said. “Morgan would say Ryne’s uniform was always clean. I said, ‘Well, you have to dive because you can’t get in front of it! Don’t get on him for perfecting the backhand.’ In the end Joe said, ‘You’re right.'”


‘He’s in a class by himself’

For all of his accomplishments on the field, the way Sandberg handled himself as a competitor and away from the game is what many who knew him best will remember about him.

“He’s an outstanding human being,” Bowa said. “That’s what I think of. Such a good family guy. His mental toughness is off the charts. Don’t let people deceive you by that little laugh he has all the time. He wanted to win as much as anybody. I’ve been around Pete Rose, and Ryno is right there.”

Smoltz added: “He’s in a class by himself. You would never know he was one of the greatest players ever, just by the way he carried himself and the ‘aw, shucks’ type attitude.

“I love competing against greatness that has integrity and character like Ryne Sandberg had. The way he carried himself, the way he was as a person is what I think about. It sure was nice to see him represent the sport and the city he played for.”

“Joy,” Dernier said. “That’s the first thing, and way so many more happiness types of stories. And it’s a grin on my face to think about him. And yeah, right now it’s melancholy that we know he’s gotten called up to the real big leagues. But I’m glad I knew him and I loved him being underestimated.”


‘Oh, man, I loved Ryno, but he’s lucky he was that good at baseball’

Of course, there were a few moments in Sandberg’s career where he wasn’t as gracious. In the Cubs clubhouse, teammates saw a different side of the Hall of Famer — a playful troublemaker and prankster.

“We had those chairs directors they use making movies, held together by sticks,” Matthews said. “Ryno would always take the sticks out, put the seat back in, and daily I’d fall to the ground. He’d be over there snickering or walking away.

“Or he would load your cigarette up and make it explode in a non-harmful way. Then when you figured it out, he would put two of those in the pack. He thought that was the funniest thing.”

Despite that kind of back-and-forth, Matthews and Sandberg often golfed together.

“I would ask for a few strokes,” Matthews said. “He would politely say, ‘no strokes, play better.’ He would hit some balls you couldn’t believe. Ball after ball. He would hit one and know it’s a good one but he’d ask, ‘Do you think that was any good?’ And just smile at me.

“Oh, man, I loved Ryno, but he’s lucky he was that good at baseball,” Matthews said with a laugh.

“He’d stir the pot and then walk away and look over his shoulder,” Bowa added. “He’d be cracking up after getting us going. He was so quiet outwardly with you guys [media], but not with us.”


‘He made such an impact on me ‘

After his playing days, Sandberg served as the manager of the Philadelphia Phillies from 2013 to 2015 before returning to Chicago, often putting on a uniform as a spring instructor and imparting the lessons from his Hall of Fame career to a new generation of Cubs.

“I just think it’s cool that he’s somebody that has kind of done everything in our sport but still doesn’t approach the game with any kind of ego,” current Chicago second baseman Nico Hoerner said. “He doesn’t talk like he has the answers to everything or the conversation is never about him.

“He’s kind of softspoken, but then if you got him going on something he really cared about, it’s really cool to hear him open up, whether it’s routines he had or how he took care of his body or just fun memories with teammates or playing at Wrigley.”

Shortstop Dansby Swanson added: “Just such a top-shelf human being. He made such an impact on me even in my short time of being able to be around him. Just an unbelievable human being and someone that I’m very, very grateful to have met and spent time with, whether it’s talking about life or talking about ball.”

It’s those attributes, the ones the baseball world got to see on the field and the ones only his teammates were able to witness, that were missed in retirement. But his attitude about life stands out for everyone.

“We talked about a lot of things, about defense and offense, but we talked about life, too,” rookie third baseman Matt Shaw said. “When he first came up, he struggled a little bit early on and he was like, ‘No matter what happens, you just got to keep believing in yourself and keep going.’ And I definitely take that to heart, and that’s something that I definitely think about a lot — is that belief to just to keep going.”

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Cubs Hall of Famer Sandberg dies at age 65

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Cubs Hall of Famer Sandberg dies at age 65

CHICAGO — Ryne Sandberg, a Hall of Fame second baseman who became one of baseball’s best all-around players while starring for the Chicago Cubs died Monday at age 65.

Sandberg was surrounded by his family when he died at his home, according to the team.

Sandberg announced in January 2024 that he was diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer. He had chemotherapy and radiation treatments, and then said in August 2024 that he was cancer-free.

But he posted on Instagram on Dec. 10 that his cancer had returned and spread to other organs. He announced this month that he was still fighting, while “looking forward to making the most of every day with my loving family and friends.”

Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts said Sandberg “will be remembered as one of the all-time greats in nearly 150 years of this historic franchise.”

“His dedication to and respect for the game, along with his unrelenting integrity, grit, hustle, and competitive fire were hallmarks of his career,” Ricketts said in the team’s statement.

The Cubs said they would wear a special jersey patch to commemorate Sandberg for the rest of the season.

Sandberg was born and raised in Spokane, Washington. He was selected out of high school by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 20th round of the 1978 amateur draft.

He made his major league debut in 1981 and went 1-for-6 in 13 games with the Phillies. In January 1982, he was traded to Chicago with Larry Bowa for veteran infielder Ivan De Jesus.

It turned into one of the most lopsided deals in baseball history.

Sandberg hit .285 with 282 homers, 1,061 RBIs and 344 steals in 15 years with Chicago. He made 10 All-Star teams — winning the Home Run Derby in 1990 — and collected nine Gold Gloves.

“Ryne Sandberg was a legend of the Chicago Cubs franchise and a beloved figure throughout Major League Baseball,” MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said. “He was a five-tool player who excelled in every facet of the game thanks to his power, speed and work ethic.”

Even with Sandberg’s stellar play, the Cubs made only two postseason appearances in his time there.

He was the National League MVP in 1984, batting .314 with 19 homers, 84 RBIs, 32 steals, 19 triples and 114 runs scored. Chicago won the NL East and Sandberg hit .368 (7-for-19) in the playoffs, but the Cubs were eliminated by San Diego after winning the first two games of the NL Championship Series at Wrigley Field.

The 1984 season featured what Cubs fans still call “The Sandberg Game,” when he homered twice and drove in seven runs in a 12-11 victory over St. Louis in 11 innings on June 23.

The Cubs paid tribute to Sandberg and that game when they unveiled a statue of the infielder outside Wrigley Field on that date in 2024.

“He was a superhero in this city,” Jed Hoyer, Cubs president of baseball operations, said during a TV broadcast of the team’s game on July 20. “You think about [Michael] Jordan, Walter Payton and Ryne Sandberg all here at the same time, and I can’t imagine a person handling their fame better, their responsibility for a city better than he did.”

Sandberg led Chicago back to the playoffs in 1989, hitting .290 with 30 homers as the Cubs won the NL East. He batted .400 (8-for-20) in the NLCS, but Chicago lost to San Francisco in five games.

Sandberg set a career high with an NL-best 40 homers in 1990 and drove in a career-best 100 runs in 1990 and 1991, but he never made it back to the postseason. He retired after the 1997 season.

“When you examine the offense and defense, you’ll find some years where he was the best player you’ve ever seen in your life,” former Cubs first baseman Mark Grace said.

Sandberg was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2005, receiving 76.2% of the vote by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America in his third year on the ballot. The Cubs retired his No. 23 that same season.

“Ryne Sandberg had a relentless work ethic and an unshakable positive outlook,” Hall of Fame chair Jane Forbes Clark said. “With it, he inspired all those who knew him.”

Sandberg also managed the Phillies from August 2013 to June 2015, going 119-159. He got the interim job when Charlie Manuel was fired, and he resigned with the Phillies in the middle of a difficult 2015 season.

Sandberg is survived by his wife, Margaret; his children, Justin, Lindsey, Steven, BR and Adriane; and 11 grandchildren.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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D-backs 3B Suárez hit on hand, X-rays negative

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D-backs 3B Suárez hit on hand, X-rays negative

DETROIT — Arizona Diamondbacks All-Star third baseman Eugenio Suárez hopes he avoided a major injury when he was hit on the right index finger by a pitch late in Monday night’s 5-1 loss to the Detroit Tigers.

Suárez, who is a candidate to be traded to a contender, was struck by a 95.6 mph sinker from Will Vest in the ninth inning. Suárez immediately doubled over in pain and quickly left the field.

“The good news is that the X-rays were negative, but it still obviously hurt,” said Suárez, who was not bending the finger. “There are more tests scheduled for [Tuesday], and we will go from there. I’ll come back as quickly as I can.”

The 34-year-old infielder is hitting .248 with 36 homers and 87 RBIs in 104 games this season — the seventh time he has hit at least 30 homers across the past eight full campaigns.

“He’s very tough, and he never even winces,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “When he reacts like that, you know it isn’t good.”

Lovullo said he didn’t blame Vest.

“I don’t think there was any intent there,” Lovullo said. “He’s one of the most impressive hitters in MLB, and you don’t want to take those type of players off the field.”

The Diamondbacks are 51-56 and already have signaled they will be unloading players at the deadline. One of the teams believed to be interested in Suárez is the Tigers. The Venezuelan was signed by Detroit at age 17 and made his debut for the club in 2014, before being traded to the Cincinnati Reds after that season.

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