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Who's won the most MVPs in MLB history? Where Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani now rank

Who's won the most MVPs in MLB history? Where Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani now rank originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani have gone back-to-back.

The New York Yankees slugger and Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star were named the American League and National League MVPs, respectively, for the second straight year on Thursday.

It’s the third straight season Ohtani has picked up an MVP trophy and his fourth win overall. And all four of his MVPs were awarded in unanimous fashion.

While Judge was also a unanimous MVP winner last year, he faced fierce competition from Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh this time around. Judge earned 17 of 30 first-place votes en route to 355 total points, while Raleigh finished as the runner-up with 13 first-place votes and 335 points.

So, after Judge and Ohtani added to their MVP hauls, where do they now stand on MLB‘s all-time leaderboard? Here’s what to know:

How many MLB players have won multiple MVPs?

Since 1931, when the Baseball Writers’ Association of America started voting for MVP, 30 players have won the award multiple times, according to MLB.com.

How many MVPs has Aaron Judge won?

Judge has pulled into a tie with 10 other all-time greats, including Yogi Berra, Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle, for the third-most MVP awards with three. Judge took home AL MVP honors in 2022, 2024 and 2025.

How many MVPs has Shohei Ohtani won?

Ohtani, meanwhile, stands all alone in second place with four MVP trophies. The two-way sensation won AL MVP with the Los Angeles Angels in 2021 and 2023, before repeating as NL MVP with the Dodgers in 2024 and 2025.

Ohtani is the first player across the NBA, NFL, NHL and MLB to ever win an MVP and a championship in each of his first two seasons with a team, according to OptaSTATS.

How many MLB players have won MVP in both leagues?

Ohtani last year joined Frank Robinson as the only players to ever win MVP in each league, and he’s now the first player to win multiple AL and NL MVPs.

Who has won the most MVPs in MLB history?

Ohtani sits three MVP award wins away from matching Barry Bonds‘ all-time record. MLB’s home run king captured the award seven times over his 22-year career, more than any other player in baseball history.

Bonds won MVP twice with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1990 and 1992 before repeating as the winner for the first time in his debut 1993 season with the San Francisco Giants. He then won MVP four straight times with the Giants from 2001-04.

MLB players with the most MVPs

Here’s a full look at every player with multiple MVPs (* = active player):

1.Barry Bonds: 7

2. Shohei Ohtani*: 4

T-3. Yogi Berra: 3

T-3. Roy Campanella: 3

T-3. Joe DiMaggio: 3

T-3. Jimmie Foxx: 3

T-3. Aaron Judge*: 3

T-3. Mickey Mantle: 3

T-3. Stan Musial: 3

T-3. Albert Pujols: 3

T-3. Alex Rodriguez: 3

T-3. Mike Schmidt: 3

T-3. Mike Trout*: 3

T-14. Ernie Banks: 2

T-14. Johnny Bench: 2

T-14. Miguel Cabrera: 2

T-14. Juan Gonzalez: 2

T-14. Hank Greenberg: 2

T-14. Bryce Harper*: 2

T-14. Carl Hubbell: 2

T-14. Roger Maris: 2

T-14. Willie Mays: 2

T-14. Joe Morgan: 2

T-14. Dale Murphy: 2

T-14. Hal Newhouser: 2

T-14. Cal Ripken Jr.: 2

T-14. Frank Robinson: 2

T-14. Frank Thomas: 2

T-14. Ted Williams: 2

T-14. Robin Yount: 2

Editor’s note: The original version of this story was published in November 2024.

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Who's won the most MVPs in MLB history? Where Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani now rank

Who's won the most MVPs in MLB history? Where Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani now rank originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani have gone back-to-back.

The New York Yankees slugger and Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star were named the American League and National League MVPs, respectively, for the second straight year on Thursday.

It’s the third straight season Ohtani has picked up an MVP trophy and his fourth win overall. And all four of his MVPs were awarded in unanimous fashion.

While Judge was also a unanimous MVP winner last year, he faced fierce competition from Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh this time around. Judge earned 17 of 30 first-place votes en route to 355 total points, while Raleigh finished as the runner-up with 13 first-place votes and 335 points.

So, after Judge and Ohtani added to their MVP hauls, where do they now stand on MLB‘s all-time leaderboard? Here’s what to know:

How many MLB players have won multiple MVPs?

Since 1931, when the Baseball Writers’ Association of America started voting for MVP, 30 players have won the award multiple times, according to MLB.com.

How many MVPs has Aaron Judge won?

Judge has pulled into a tie with 10 other all-time greats, including Yogi Berra, Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle, for the third-most MVP awards with three. Judge took home AL MVP honors in 2022, 2024 and 2025.

How many MVPs has Shohei Ohtani won?

Ohtani, meanwhile, stands all alone in second place with four MVP trophies. The two-way sensation won AL MVP with the Los Angeles Angels in 2021 and 2023, before repeating as NL MVP with the Dodgers in 2024 and 2025.

Ohtani is the first player across the NBA, NFL, NHL and MLB to ever win an MVP and a championship in each of his first two seasons with a team, according to OptaSTATS.

How many MLB players have won MVP in both leagues?

Ohtani last year joined Frank Robinson as the only players to ever win MVP in each league, and he’s now the first player to win multiple AL and NL MVPs.

Who has won the most MVPs in MLB history?

Ohtani sits three MVP award wins away from matching Barry Bonds‘ all-time record. MLB’s home run king captured the award seven times over his 22-year career, more than any other player in baseball history.

Bonds won MVP twice with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1990 and 1992 before repeating as the winner for the first time in his debut 1993 season with the San Francisco Giants. He then won MVP four straight times with the Giants from 2001-04.

MLB players with the most MVPs

Here’s a full look at every player with multiple MVPs (* = active player):

1.Barry Bonds: 7

2. Shohei Ohtani*: 4

T-3. Yogi Berra: 3

T-3. Roy Campanella: 3

T-3. Joe DiMaggio: 3

T-3. Jimmie Foxx: 3

T-3. Aaron Judge*: 3

T-3. Mickey Mantle: 3

T-3. Stan Musial: 3

T-3. Albert Pujols: 3

T-3. Alex Rodriguez: 3

T-3. Mike Schmidt: 3

T-3. Mike Trout*: 3

T-14. Ernie Banks: 2

T-14. Johnny Bench: 2

T-14. Miguel Cabrera: 2

T-14. Juan Gonzalez: 2

T-14. Hank Greenberg: 2

T-14. Bryce Harper*: 2

T-14. Carl Hubbell: 2

T-14. Roger Maris: 2

T-14. Willie Mays: 2

T-14. Joe Morgan: 2

T-14. Dale Murphy: 2

T-14. Hal Newhouser: 2

T-14. Cal Ripken Jr.: 2

T-14. Frank Robinson: 2

T-14. Frank Thomas: 2

T-14. Ted Williams: 2

T-14. Robin Yount: 2

Editor’s note: The original version of this story was published in November 2024.

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Yankees' Aaron Judge wins 3rd career AL MVP award, edges Mariners' Cal Raleigh

Yankees' Aaron Judge wins 3rd career AL MVP award, edges Mariners' Cal Raleigh originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Aaron Judge has done it again.

The New York Yankees outfielder won his third career American League Most Valuable Player award on Thursday, edging out Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh and Cleveland Guardians third baseman José Ramírez.

Judge, 33, previously won MVP in 2022 and 2024. He’s just the fourth player to win the award at least three times for the Yankees — joining Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra and Mickey Mantle — and the first to do it in the four-year span. Judge joins Berra and Mantle as the only Yankees to win consecutive MVPs.

While Judge’s counting numbers were down from his previous two MVP runs, he still put together a monster season. The Yankees’ captain hit a career-best .331 with 53 home runs and 114 RBIs — leading the AL in runs scored, walks, batting average, slugging percentage, on-base plus slugging, total bases and intentional walks.

Raleigh was Judge’s closest competition this season, leading the AL with 60 home runs and 125 RBIs. The Mariners star hit just .247 though, not getting on base nearly as much as Judge.

Judge received 17 first-place votes and 13 second-place votes to Raleigh’s 13 first-place votes and 17 second-place votes, giving Judge a 355-335 victory in total points.

While it was another season of accolades for Judge, he still seeks his first World Series for the historic franchise. Judge and the Yankees lost to the eventual AL champion Toronto Blue Jays in the Division Series. New York’s other three-time MVPs, albeit in a different era, won seven (Mantle), nine (DiMaggio) and 10 (Berra) World Series rings.

Aside from the three MVPs, Judge has now racked up seven All-Stars, five Silver Sluggers, two Hank Aaron Awards and a batting title in his 10 years with the Yankees (2016-25).

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Carlos Alcaraz beats Lorenzo Musetti to put Alex de Minaur in last four: ATP Finals tennis – as it happened

Already through to the semi-finals, Carlos Alcaraz was far too good for Lorenzo Musetti, a 6-4 6-1 win ensuring he ends the year as world no 1

Of course my wife ordered the shopping to arrive, then went to a work dinner. But it’s in, you’ll be relieved to learn, and they’re still knocking up.

Alcaraz, meantime, looks focused. He’ll not be taking it easy tonight, I’m sure.

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San Diego Padres could be up for sale as Seidler family considers options

The family of the late San Diego Padres owner Peter Seidler is exploring the possibility of selling the franchise.

The Padres announced the Seidler family’s decision to examine a sale. The club has hired BDT & MSD Partners, which served as an adviser on similar discussions in recent years to the NBA’s Boston Celtics and MLB’s Chicago White Sox.

John Seidler, who became the Padres chairman after his brother’s death in November 2023, said his family is “evaluating our future with the Padres, including a potential sale of the franchise.”

“We will undertake this process with integrity and professionalism in a way that honors Peter’s legacy and love for the Padres and lays the foundation for the franchise’s long-term success,” John Seidler added in a statement. “During the process and as we prepare for the 2026 season, the Padres will continue to focus on their players, employees, fans and community while putting every resource into winning a World Series championship. We remain fully committed to this team, its fans, and the San Diego community.”

Peter Seidler was part of a group that purchased the Padres for $800 million in 2012, and he became the team’s primary owner in November 2020 after buying out Ron Fowler’s majority stake. He quickly endeared himself to Padres fans with his aggressive spending in an attempt to win San Diego’s first major professional sports championship.

After the two-time cancer survivor died two years ago, his wife, Sheel, sued her brothers-in-law Matthew and Robert in an attempt to prevent John Seidler from becoming the team’s control person. Sheel Seidler alleged Peter Seidler wanted her to succeed him, but Matthew Seidler said Sheel Seidler’s claims were “entirely untrue, and we will vigorously defend ourselves against them.”

Peter Seidler, a grandson of former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Walter O’Malley, built the foundation for the longest sustained stretch of winning in Padres history.

San Diego has made the postseason four times in the past six years, winning at least 90 games in each of the last two seasons with an exciting roster built around stars Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado. The Padres continued to win despite reducing their payroll in 2024 following Peter Seidler’s death, with general manager A.J. Preller maintaining the aggressive mindset encouraged by Peter Seidler with a series of ambitious moves.

The Padres won 90 games this year before losing a tense three-game Wild Card Series to the Chicago Cubs. Preller introduced former Padres reliever Craig Stammen as the club’s new manager.

The Padres’ large, loyal fan base and their home the well-regarded Petco Park would be significant assets for a potential new owner. The club has set a franchise record for home attendance in each of the past three seasons while drawing more than 3 million fans for the first three times in team history, capped by 3,437,201 in 2025 — a record average of 42,435 per game.

The San Diego metropolitan area is among the top 20 largest markets in the U.S., yet the Padres were the only major professional sports team in town between the departure of the NFL’s Chargers in 2017 and the arrival of Major League Soccer’s expansion San Diego FC this season.

Not every consideration of a potential sale leads to an actual sale in MLB.

Los Angeles Angels owner Arte Moreno explored a sale of his franchise for several months in late 2022 before deciding to keep the team. Last August, the Pohlad family took the Minnesota Twins off the market and instead took on two limited partnership groups.

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Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani wins his fourth unanimous MVP award

Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani wins his fourth unanimous MVP award originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Dodgers’ two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani won his fourth unanimous MVP award Thursday after a standout season that saw his successful return to the mound and a second consecutive World Series title for Los Angeles.

Ohtani has back-to-back National League MVP awards. He was named AL MVP twice during his time with the Angels.

Other top contenders in the NL this season included the Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber and Mets’ Juan Soto.

Ohtani, an MVP winner in four of the last five seasons, also collected the 2025 National League Silver Slugger Award, his third straight, for designated hitters.

Coming off his landmark 50-50 season, Ohtani hit a career-high and Dodgers franchise-record 55 home runs to finish second in the NL. He batted .282 with 102 RBIs and paced everyone in several offensive categories.

Ohtani led the league in slugging (.622), OPS (1.014), OPS+ (179) and total bases (380). His MLB-high 146 runs scored were the most by any Dodger since the beginning of baseball’s modern era in 1900, according to MLB.com.

Barry Bonds holds the record for the most MLB MVP awards with seven. Bonds won in 1990, 1992, 1993, and four consecutive times from 2001–2004.

The MVP awards were announced Thursday, a day after the Pirates’ Paul Skenes won the National League Cy Young Award in a unanimous vote. Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal won his second straight American League Cy Young Award.

World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto of the Los Angeles Dodgers finished third in Cy Young Award voting.

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World Juniors: Should Ducks' Sennecke, Flames' Parekh And More Be Loaned To Team Canada?

The World Junior Championship is just over a month away, and we should start to hear about what the rosters look like in the coming weeks.

One of the most interesting questions every year is what NHL teams will do with their U-20 players. Do they keep them on the NHL roster, or are they willing to send them to the world juniors to be leaders for their country for a few weeks? 

It’s obvious some youngsters will stick in the NHL. There’s no shot that the San Jose Sharks are even contemplating whether to send Macklin Celebrini, as he sits near the league lead in scoring. He’s more likely to play for Canada’s Olympic team in February than to play for their world junior team over the holidays.

Other players have had a taste of NHL action, but we’ve already seen them sent back to their junior clubs. Guys like Jett Luchanko and Brady Martin are virtual locks on the roster for Canada. 

There are a few players who are in limbo. They are still playing in the NHL, but they’ve been playing in a lower role, or they have been in and out of the lineup because teams want to ease them into the NHL.

Let’s look at eight Canadians and whether they are likely to stay in the NHL or get released to the world junior team.

Matthew Schaefer, D, New York Islanders

This feels like the easiest player to discuss on the list.

Schaefer should stay in the NHL. He’s been borderline dominant already for the Islanders, and he should continue to face the toughest competition in the world.

The argument for sending U-20 players in the NHL to the world juniors is to give them a chance to get back to dominating the competition, but Schaefer seems to be doing just fine. It doesn’t make much sense for the player or the team for Schaefer to be released for the tournament. 

Beckett Sennecke, RW, Anaheim Ducks

This one is a bit tougher. Sennecke has been great for the Ducks, and they have outperformed expectations thus far, but there have been a few hiccups for Sennecke in the early going.

Sending him to the WJC would allow him to assert himself as one of the best, if not the best, players at the tournament. That said, having him in the NHL, where he can work through his mistakes, will allow him to develop his overall game further.

Sticking around the Ducks makes a lot of sense, and that’s probably what happens. 

Harrison Brunicke (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)

Ben Kindel, C, And Harrison Brunicke, D, Pittsburgh Penguins

The Pittsburgh Penguins' rookie duo could both be important pieces for Team Canada. They are in slightly different situations right now, though.

Kindel has been playing fairly consistently, and he’s found himself in the Penguins' top six as of late. His pace and playmaking have always been strengths, but his five goals have been nice to see early in the year, as he goes to the hard areas and gets rewarded for it. He’s playing solid minutes and earning more power-play time as well.

Brunicke’s been scratched since Nov. 3, having played nine games. The 10th game would burn off the first year of his entry-level contract, so the Penguins are staying patient before deciding what they want to do.

He’s been solid at both ends of the ice, but there have been rookie mistakes along the way.

The team has spoken of a detailed plan for Brunicke's deployment in the NHL. They could be holding him out of the lineup for an extended period so that they can send him to the AHL on a conditioning stint, a seldom-used loophole for getting a 19-year-old some AHL time in the short term.

When it comes to the world juniors, Brunicke should likely be loaned out if he hasn’t been returned to junior yet. As for Kindel, there's a bit less certainty there. The case for him to be lent to Hockey Canada is simple: let him go and be a key piece before returning in January to pick up where he left off. 

Sam Dickinson, D, And Michael Misa, C/W, San Jose Sharks

Dickinson and Misa are in two different boats at the moment.

Dickinson is benefiting from his time in the NHL. He’s getting a fairly regular shift, and he’s working through the ups and downs of being a rookie blueliner in the NHL. 

Misa’s dealing with a foot injury at the moment, and while he’s been fairly steady in his games, he hasn’t truly hit his stride. An AHL conditioning stint when he returns from injury could get him ready for the WJC with Team Canada, where he could go and be one of the team’s most impressive talents. A stint with the WJC squad could set him up for a very nice second half in San Jose.

Berkly Catton (Bob Frid-Imagn Images)

Berkly Catton, C/W, Seattle Kraken

Having surpassed the nine-game plateau, Catton has burned the first year of his entry-level contract, but he still could be sent back to junior hockey, as doubtful as that may be.

Catton has played top-nine minutes and has flashes of really intriguing play. He only has three points, but he’s looked well.

Depending on how his season is going in a month, the Kraken could look to use the world juniors as a way to give Catton a break from the grind and allow him to chase down a gold medal. They did this a few years back with Shane Wright before sending him back to the OHL. With Catton, it feels like he would be back in the NHL after the experience with Team Canada. 

Zayne Parekh, D, Calgary Flames

Parekh's start to the season hasn’t been as smooth as many expected. The uber-skilled offensive blueliner hasn’t made his mark in the attacking zone, and his defensive game has been exposed at times.

He was injured in a recent game and was deemed week-to-week with an upper body injury, so health will also play a factor.

If Parekh returns by the beginning of December, sending him to the AHL for a conditioning stint would make some sense, and then loaning him to Team Canada could give him a chance to gain some of his confidence back after a rocky start to the season in Calgary. Being a leader and a go-to option for Canada would be a great thing for Parekh's development this season.

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Count On Maple Leafs' John Tavares Staying Hot Versus LA Kings

The Toronto Maple Leafs are coming off three straight losses and will be looking for a much-needed bounce-back game when they host the LA Kings on Thursday. The Kings enter the matchup after winning three of their last four games, including impressive victories over the Jets, Penguins, and Canadiens, snapping several winning streaks along the way.

This game promises plenty of intrigue for fans and bettors alike, with the potential for high-scoring action and standout individual performances. We aim to build on our early-season momentum, having strung together multiple wins in the Pad Stack Challenge and holding an 8-2 record so far for our bank-building challenge. That momentum has carried over into other picks, including a perfect 4-0 night last Friday with the Penguins-Capitals game.

All betting lines are from BetMGM Sportsbook and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly. 

Sign up with BetMGM, make a deposit, and place your first wager on any game using your First Bet Offer token. If that bet with the token applied loses, you’ll get your original stake paid back in Bonus Bets, up to $1,500! Get in the game today with BetMGM.

Red Wings Set For Bounce Back in Offensive Frenzy Versus DucksRed Wings Set For Bounce Back in Offensive Frenzy Versus DucksDetroit eyes a crucial victory against Anaheim, aiming to ignite their offense and overcome recent struggles with a high-scoring performance.

Toronto Maple Leafs vs LA Kings Best Bets

Over 6.0 Goals (-105)

John Tavares Anytime Goal (+170)

Corey Perry Over 0.5 Points (+110) Longshot Pick

The Buds offense has been red hot lately, ranking third in the NHL with 62 goals through 17 games. However, their defense has been their Achilles' heel to start the season. With 65 goals allowed, Toronto is tied with Nashville for the most goals allowed this season.

The struggles are compounded by heavy reliance on Anthony Stolarz, who has 13 starts this season with a 3.51 goals-against average and an .884 save percentage. In Toronto's most recent loss to the Bruins, Stolarz appeared rattled, allowing three goals on 11 shots in the first period.

This defensive vulnerability could give the Kings an opening. Los Angeles sits tied with the Washington Capitals for 20th in the NHL for goals per game with a 2.88 average. The Kings are known for their elite defensive structure, which typically places them among the top two or three defenses in the league. Currently, they are inside the top ten, allowing 2.88 goals per game, tied with the Carolina Hurricanes. This structure has often resulted in low-scoring matchups against Toronto, with six of the last ten games totaling five goals or fewer. However, an unexpected high-scoring game or shootout is possible.

For tonight, the young Dennis Hildeby is confirmed to start for Toronto and has struggled this season, with a 3.75 goals-against average in three appearances. On the other side, LA's Darcy Kuemper has been solid over his last three starts but has faced challenges versus Toronto, holding a 3-5-0 record, a 3.01 goals-against average, and an .887 save percentage in ten starts against the Maple Leafs.

The question is who will take advantage of what could be a high-scoring affair. For Los Angeles, attention turns to 40-year-old Corey Perry. The longtime NHL veteran has seven goals in his last ten games and has scored in three of his last four games versus Toronto. While a longshot pick, Perry should be able to contribute at least a point, especially alongside returning Toronto native Jeff Malott, who will be looking to score against his hometown team.

For Toronto, the focus is on John Tavares. With superstar center Auston Matthews sidelined for the next week, Tavares has moved up to the team’s top line. He has 11 goals and 14 assists for 25 points over his last 24 games versus the Kings, including a four-game point streak entering the contest. Tavares has scored in six of his last eight games against Los Angeles and has totaled 21 points in his last 18 matchups. Entering Thursday, he is red hot with goals in three of his last four games, contributing five points.

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Tampa Bay Rays to return to Tropicana Field in 2026 after hurricane repairs

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays are heading home.

The team announced it will return to an updated Tropicana Field for the 2026 season after playing its entire 2025 home schedule at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa while damage to the Trop caused by Hurricane Milton in October 2024 was repaired.

“We are excited to return home to Tropicana Field in April and to once again join our fans and neighboring businesses in downtown St. Petersburg in celebrating the return of Rays baseball,” team CEO Ken Babby said in a statement.

Repairs to the stadium’s roof and other internal areas are ongoing, and the Rays are planning to play their home opener against the Chicago Cubs on April 6 after starting the season on the road.

The team announced several new ticket options that go on sale, as well as ballpark upgrades including an expanded main videoboard, new video displays behind home plate and along both foul poles, a new sound system and updated suite interiors.

The club is planning events to celebrate former Rays third baseman Evan Longoria to commemorate his time with the franchise, including induction into the team hall of fame.

The Rays finished with a 41-40 record at Steinbrenner Field, the spring training home of the New York Yankees, and sold out 61 of 81 games while drawing 786,750 fans. Playing home games in an open-air ballpark for the first time, the Rays experienced 17 rains delays over 16 games for a total of 17 hours, 47 minutes.

Tropicana Field’s roof was torn to shreds by Hurricane Milton. The stadium that opened in 1990 featured what the team called the world’s largest cable-supported domed roof, with the panels made of “translucent, Teflon-coated fiberglass” supported by 180 miles of cables connected by struts.

The team has new owners, who are starting a search for a new ballpark that could open in 2029.

The Rays have struggled with poor attendance at the Trop, although they have at times been successful on the field with World Series appearances in 2008 and 2020.

Tampa Bay went 77-85 this year and missed the playoffs.

The team also announced infielder Bob Seymour has been released to pursue a playing opportunity in Asia, and left-hander Nate Lavender was returned to the New York Mets after clearing outright waivers.

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‘We’re ready for the All Blacks’: Maro Itoje builds belief in improved England

  • Borthwick’s side chasing 10th straight victory

  • ‘The quality of the playing squad has improved’

England have endured plenty of agonising near misses against New Zealand in recent years but there is no shortage of belief this time around.

The home captain, Maro Itoje, says he believes his side are “ready” to secure a first victory over the All Blacks since 2019 and suggests they now have the rising confidence and mental clarity to extend their winning run to 10 games.

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Maple Leafs Place David Kampf On Waivers To Terminate Contract

The Toronto Maple Leafs placed center David Kampf on unconditional waivers for the purpose of contract termination.

TSN’s Darren Dreger reported this roster transaction a few hours before the Maple Leafs announced it Thursday afternoon.

If Kampf clears waivers on Friday, his current contract will be terminated, and the UFA will have an opportunity to sign with another team.

Kampf is in the third year of a $9.6-million contract, earning $2.4 million per season.

He started this season playing in the AHL with the Toronto Marlies after Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube cut him in training camp.

Even while centers Scott Laughton and Steven Lorentz dealt with injuries early in the campaign, Kampf wasn't called up to the Maple Leafs’ lineup.

With the Marlies, the 30-year-old from Czechia made four appearances and recorded one assist before leaving the team to ponder the future of his hockey career, as he reportedly had no interest remaining in the AHL.

This season’s stint in the minors was the first of Kampf’s career since he played 33 games with the Rockford IceHogs in 2017-18, ahead of his first NHL campaign.

Regarding Kampf’s leave, he was eventually suspended without pay by the organization. Ultimately, that set the table for the center’s departure from the club.

David Kampf (David Kirouac-Imagn Images)

Kampf played four seasons for the Maple Leafs, featuring in 301 regular-season contests and 26 post-season appearances along the way. He scored 31 goals and 85 points in his tenure with Toronto, including a career-high 11 goals in 2021-22 and 27 points in the following campaign.

Before the Maple Leafs brought on Berube, Kampf was a reliable forward in the three seasons under Sheldon Keefe. According to naturalstattrick.com, he led all forwards in average ice time on the penalty kill during that span.

He also registered a 51.8 faceoff percentage, winning 1,676 draws. Only John Tavares and Auston Matthews won more faceoffs than him between 2021-22 and 2023-24. In some instances, Keefe would send Kampf to start overtime to win the opening draw and head back to the bench in exchange for another forward.

On a broader scale, Kampf has played eight NHL seasons, split between the Leafs and the Chicago Blackhawks. In 536 career NHL games, Kampf scored 48 goals and 143 points.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

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Wedgewood Signs One-Year Extension With Avalanche Through 2026-27 After Stellar Start

DENVER — Since joining the Colorado Avalanche, Scott Wedgewood has performed at the peak of his career, a level of excellence now recognized with a well-earned contract extension.

The 33-year-old netminder inked a one-year, $2.5 million extension, the team announced on Thursday.

NHL (@NHL) on XNHL (@NHL) on XSCOTT WEDGEWOOD 🤯 TAKE A BOW!

Before the Wedgewood joined the Avalanche in a trade from the Nashville Predators last season, the peak of Wedgewood’s performance had come during the 2022–23 campaign with the Dallas Stars, when he posted a 2.72 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage across 21 games. Few anticipated that Wedgewood would emerge as a bona fide force between the pipes upon arriving in Denver.

Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) on XColorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) on XMore lumber more yards - Scott Wedgewood

But that has certainly been the case. In 19 appearances for the Avalanche last year, he compiled a 13–4–1 record while posting career-best numbers: a 1.99 GAA and a .917 save percentage. This season, Wedgewood was tasked with stepping into the void left by Mackenzie Blackwood, who began the year recovering from offseason surgery to repair a lower-body injury.

Coming off a 4–1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday night, Wedgewood now boasts a 10–1–2 record, a 2.26 GAA, and a .913 save percentage, underscoring his pivotal role for Colorado this season.

Over 168 career contests for five NHL teams, Wedgewood, who was drafted in the third round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft by the New Jersey Devils, sports a .907 save percentage and 2.82 GAA.

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Guardians’ Chris Antonetti focusing on improving team as Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz face charges

LAS VEGAS — Cleveland Guardians executive Chris Antonetti is sticking with the same approach that he adopted when pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz were placed on non-disciplinary paid leave in July.

Days after Clase and Ortiz were indicted on charges they took bribes from sports bettors to throw certain types of pitches to ensure successful proposition bets, Antonetti is focused on helping the Guardians return to the playoffs.

“I think from the very beginning, I just tried to understand what do we need to do next and what’s the next best thing to do?” Antonetti said at Major League Baseball’s general managers meetings.

“Obviously, there are lots of things outside of our control at this point. What we’re trying to do is focus on what we can and that’s build the best Cleveland Guardians team we can.”

Ortiz pleaded not guilty, and both players have maintained their innocence through their attorneys. Bettors allegedly made at least $460,000 off the rigged pitches.

In reaction to the scandal, MLB worked with its sports-betting partners to impose a $200 limit on so-called micro bets and to remove them from parlays.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has called for the Ohio Casino Control Commission to end player-specific micro betting entirely.

“I realize it’s a really complicated issue,” said Antonetti, the president of baseball operations for the Guardians. “I’m grateful for the efforts by Major League Baseball and Gov. DeWine to try to find some way to address what seemed to be a problem, so hopefully that’s a step in the right direction.”

Prop bets also are at the center of a scandal in the NBA. Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier was arrested Oct. 24 and accused of providing inside information on teammates’ injuries to gamblers and removing himself prematurely from a game.

Team officials at the GM meetings said they weren’t sure if more needed to be done to raise awareness of baseball’s gambling regulations, pointing out that the rules are posted in each clubhouse.

“We have those conversations, a lot of them,” Arizona Diamondbacks GM Mike Hazen said. “It’s not something that is ignored or isn’t addressed repeatedly. How many times do you do it? I don’t know what the answer is to that.”

Agent Scott Boras said every player will be scrutinized even more in the aftermath of baseball’s latest gambling scandal, and he advocated eliminating prop bets altogether.

“I think for the players, the concern they have is for their integrity,” Boras said. “It raises the question when a player is out on the mound and throws a pitch that goes 55 feet. You have to create a system that does not allow such a bet. ... You have to remove those products to make sure the integrity of the players isn’t questioned.”

The Athletics had their own recent experience involving a player and sports betting. Reliever Michael Kelly and three other players were reinstated June 5 after a yearlong suspension for betting on baseball while in the minor leagues. All four received the same punishment for betting less than $1,000 each.

The A’s, who recently finished the first of three scheduled seasons in West Sacramento, California, plan to move to Las Vegas in 2028.

“Can’t help but think a team in Las Vegas will have even more in the spotlight on it, and hopefully all the guys are educated on avoiding it,” A’s GM David Forst said. “We had Michael Kelly in the clubhouse with a year’s suspension, and we’re very aware of those things.”

Playing without Clase — a three-time All-Star closer — and Ortiz, Cleveland rallied from a 15 1/2-game deficit in July to catch Detroit and win the AL Central. The Guardians were eliminated by the Tigers in the first round of the playoffs.

“We didn’t have either guy available to pitch for us,” Antonetti said. “So we had to figure out how to make it (work).”