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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Kyle Okposo knew it all in Buffalo. Through nearly eight seasons, Okposo set a tone for the Sabres. He was a guy with the answers.

Then Okposo was traded to Florida — for defenseman Calle Sjalin and a conditional 2024 seventh-round pick — on March 8.

Suddenly, he had nothing but questions.

“It’s so many little things,” Okposo told ESPN. “Like, what do you wear on the plane here? Do you wear ties? Where do you sit on the bus? All those details you don’t have to think about when you’re somewhere for a really long time. You feel like a young guy again now, which is fine; which is good. But it’s a whirlwind. I was just in one place for years. I’ve never done an in-season trade like this before. You’re trying to find a rhythm. It’s new. And it’s hard.”

This is the trade deadline‘s messy aftermath. The human side.

When the months and weeks and days filled with breathless commentary and speculation about who’s going where finally ends, the players swapped by their teams have only just begun to figure out their new normal.

In Okposo’s case, it began with phone calls. Dozens of them.

“Everything just starts blowing up,” he said. “There’s text messages [first] and then you start to get calls from the people in the organization here in Florida. You’re answering Florida numbers, but you don’t really know who they are. You’re just talking to different people, having little conversations to get to further conversations about logistics, and then once the logistical things are handled, then you get to take a moment. And I went to talk to my kids. But your phone never stops ringing throughout the whole day.”

It was less than 18 hours later that Okposo said goodbye to his wife and four (still bemused) children in Buffalo to catch a ride to Florida. The Panthers were hosting the Calgary Flames, and Okposo wanted to be in the building.

“I had a flight at 6 a.m. [on March 9], landed at 1:30 p.m. after I was delayed in Atlanta,” he recalled. “Then I drop my stuff off [at the hotel], go immediately to the [rink], work out, meet the guys, and then go have a glass of wine after the game and you’re in bed at like 1 a.m. So, it was just a long day, a long process. And I feel like I haven’t really caught my breath yet.”


OKPOSO IS THRILLED to be a Florida Panther. The veteran had no trade protection in his one-year, $2.5 million deal, but Sabres’ GM Kevyn Adams was cognizant of where Okposo would like to land if a move were to materialize and Florida was it.

Adams made the trade happen. His emotional post-deadline press conference revealed how hard Adams took it though, seeing Okposo shipped off after almost a decade of service to the Sabres.

“Kyle Okposo, he’s just an unbelievable person,” Adams said. “I have a lot of respect for people that are selfless in this game, and what he’s given this organization, his heart and soul. When I think about some of the struggles we’ve been through together and the care he had, that’s a unique relationship. I want to thank him.”

Okposo saw Adams’ comments and admitted it was “hard” bowing out in Buffalo. The Sabres simply couldn’t gain any momentum this season as they tried to turn a corner and end their 12-year playoff drought. Okposo wanted to be part of the solution. But he left with head held high.

“I put absolutely everything that I had into Buffalo and into the city, the team, the organization,” he said. “I gave everything I had and I hope that the guys there can take some things that I hopefully taught them and apply it to the future. But one thing that I am not naive to is that there is not one person in the history of professional sports that has outlasted an organization. Organizations will always move on, they will move forward. That’s just how it goes. Somebody told me that really early in my career and I’ve never forgot that.”

The Panthers have Okposo’s full attention now. Florida was honest with Okposo before the trade about what to expect and how he’d fill a role. They are the league’s best team after all, and have an established, robust bottom-six forward rotation with Nick Cousins, Ryan Lomberg, Eetu Luostarinen and Evan Rodrigues. Okposo — who’s collected 242 goals and 614 points in 1,047 games to date — would have his chance, though, and with a playoff contender no less.

He’s ready to take that in.

“My No. 1 goal is to win a Stanley Cup,” Okposo said. “You know, early in my career, early in my life, I was seeking validation from outside sources, and I don’t really need that anymore to be honest with you. I am who I am. I know what kind of person I am. And on the ice, I know what kind of player I am. I know I’m not 25 anymore, but I can still play. I can still do some things particularly well, and I think that I can help the group. The organization has extremely high standards and there’s no secret what the expectations are in this room for the organization. And that’s an exciting thing.”

There has been discussion on the other side about how he’ll contribute, as well.

“He’s a veteran guy that wants to fit in and understands the team dynamic,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. “We wanted to get him in some games, get him a little bit comfortable. I think we practice a little differently here. There’s just a lot of new for him here. So [we’ve been] discussing some of the new, some quickness that can come back into his game, some physicality that could come back into his game.”

Okposo is willing to make adjustments there, too; he can add it to the list. Fortunately there was a built-in support system waiting for him down south. Sam Reinhart was a long-time teammate of Okposo’s in Buffalo turned best friend. And Okposo’s played with a handful of other guys in the room as well. That familiarity makes a transition less jarring. Because in other respects, Okposo is still flying blind.

“I’m trying to figure out a place to live right now,” he said. “When you land at the airport when you come home [from a road game], you want to go home; you don’t want to go to another hotel. Especially for me, I’m 35 years old; I’ll be 36 here soon. I’m used to going back to see my family. So that part has been difficult, but it’s part of it. I’m just digging in. I know why I’m doing this and my family knows why I’m doing it. I think my new teammates know why I’m doing this. I’m doing it for no other reason than to be successful on the ice and to be a good guy in the locker room. So through all of that logistical stuff, I have a further goal in mind.”

That’s the message Okposo sends back to his kids. It was a heart-wrenching choice to leave them and wife Danielle up in Buffalo; there’s palpable ache in his voice just discussing it.

“They’re okay. They know that I’m going to be gone for a while,” he said. “And they’re going to come down [to visit]. But it’s hard. I try to talk to them as much as I can, I FaceTime them. But it’s hard not being there for the experiences every day. My oldest is 10, and there’s different things that are happening at school with friends, with her dance and just little things that you miss as a dad. But they’re doing okay. They know it’s temporary and you know, they don’t quite understand the full picture, but I will be back to them soon.”

Not too soon, though. Florida looks primed for a long spring that could take them back to a consecutive Stanley Cup Final. The Panthers lost there a year ago — as verifiable underdogs — to the Vegas Golden Knights. If the Panthers get there again, it’ll be with a target on their back the whole way.

Okposo is ready for the ride. He hasn’t played in a postseason tilt since 2016 with the New York Islanders, when they — coincidentally — topped Florida in the first round before falling to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the second.

It’s been eight long years since Okposo has experienced the emotional weight of a playoff game. He shouldn’t have to wait much longer.

And then he’ll have one more answer — that it was worth it, right? All those hard days and tough choices it took to chase the dream?

“I still remember the butterflies that you get night before the playoffs,” he said. “If you’re [starting on] the second night, you’re watching the first night at just how hard they’re going. And that first round is just murder to get out of. It’s a ton of fun, and it’s all consuming. It’s just there’s nothing else that matters, but hockey. And that’s an exciting thing to be a part of. I just can’t wait for that feeling again.”

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Red Sox deal All-Star Devers to Giants in stunner

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Red Sox deal All-Star Devers to Giants in stunner

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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Ohtani to return to mound vs. Padres on Monday

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Ohtani to return to mound vs. Padres on Monday

Shohei Ohtani will make his long-awaited return to pitching on Monday night in a matchup against the division-rival San Diego Padres, the Los Angeles Dodgers announced.

Ohtani, 21 months removed from a second repair of his ulnar collateral ligament, will be used as an opener, likely throwing one inning. Because of his two-way designation, Ohtani qualifies as an extra pitcher on the roster, giving the Dodgers the flexibility to use a piggyback starter behind him.

That is essentially what will take place in his first handful of starts — a byproduct of the progress Ohtani has made in the late stages of his pitching rehab.

Ohtani, 30, initially seemed to be progressing toward a return some time around August. But he made a major step during his third simulated game from San Diego’s Petco Park on Tuesday, throwing 44 pitches over the course of three simulated innings and compiling six strikeouts against a couple of low-level minor leaguers.

Afterward, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said it was a “north of zero” chance Ohtani could return before the All-Star break. When he met with reporters prior to Sunday’s game against the San Francisco Giants — an eventual 5-4 victory — Roberts said it was a “possibility” Ohtani could pitch after just one more simulated game.

After the game, Roberts indicated the timeline might have been pushed even further, telling reporters it was a “high possibility” Ohtani would pitch in a big league game this week as an opener, likely during the upcoming four-game series against the Padres.

“He’s ready to pitch in a big league game,” Roberts told reporters. “He let us know.”

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What blockbuster trade means for Rafael Devers’ fantasy baseball potential

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What blockbuster trade means for Rafael Devers' fantasy baseball potential

If you’re just getting back home from your Father’s Day activities, you had better sit down, because Sunday evening’s Boston Red SoxSan Francisco Giants trade is a doozy.

Rafael Devers, second among third basemen and seventh among hitters in fantasy points this season, is headed to the Giants, traded minutes before their game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Boston’s return includes pitchers Kyle Harrison, who was the Giants’ scheduled starting pitcher Sunday night (subsequently scratched), pitcher Jordan Hicks, outfield prospect James Tibbs III and pitching prospect Jose Bello.

Expect Devers to continue to serve in a designated hitter-only capacity with his new team, considering his season-long stance, which is primarily an issue for his position eligibility for 2026. He might factor as the Giants’ future first baseman if given a full offseason to prepare for the shift to a new position — or it could happen sooner if he has a change of heart in his new environment.

As for the impact on Devers’ numbers, the move from Fenway Park to Oracle Park represents one of the steepest downgrades in terms of park factors, specifically run production and extra-base hits. With its close-proximity Green Monster in left field, Fenway Park is a much better environment for doubles and runs scored, Statcast reflecting that it’s 22% and 10% better than league average in those categories, respectively, compared with 8% worse and only 2% above par for Oracle Park.

Devers is a prime-age 28, with a contract averaging a relatively reasonable $31.8 million over the next eight seasons, and he’s leaving a Red Sox team where his defensive positioning — he has played all but six of his career defensive innings at third base — was a manner of much debate, to go to a team that has one of baseball’s best defensive third basemen in Matt Chapman (once he’s healthy following a hand injury). Devers’ unwillingness to play first base probably played a big part in his ultimately being traded, and it’s worth pointing out that one of the positions where the Giants are weakest is, well, also first base.

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Perez: Devers gives Giants a ‘really good offense’

Eduardo Perez, David Cone and Karl Ravech react to the Giants acquiring star 3B Rafael Devers from the Red Sox.

Devers’ raw power is immense, as he has greater than 95th percentile barrel and hard-hit rates this season. He has been in that tier or better in the latter in each of the past three seasons as well. He’s at a 33-homer (and 34 per 162 games) pace since the beginning of 2021, so the slugger should continue to homer at a similar rate regardless of his surroundings. He should easily snap the Giants’ drought of 30-homer hitters, which dates back to Barry Bonds in 2004. Devers’ fantasy value might slip slightly, mostly due to the park’s impact on his runs scored and RBIs, but he’ll remain a top-four fantasy third baseman.

If you play in an NL-only league, Devers is an open-the-wallet free agent target. He’s worth a maximum bid, considering he brings a similar ability to stars you might invest in come the July trade deadline, except in this case you’ll get an extra month and a half’s production.

Harrison is an intriguing pickup for the Red Sox, though in a disappointing development, he was immediately optioned to Triple-A Worcester. A top-25 overall prospect as recently as two years ago, Harrison’s spike in average fastball velocity this season (95.1 mph, up from 92.5) could be a signal of better things ahead. Once recalled to Fenway Park, his fantasy prospects would take a hit, as that’s a venue that isn’t forgiving to fly ball-oriented lefties, but he’d be a matchups option nevertheless.

Expect Hicks to serve in setup relief for his new team, though he’d at best be fourth in the Red Sox’s pecking order for saves.

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