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Blue Jays, ex-Padre Dylan Cease agree to $210M, 7-year deal: AP source

Blue Jays, ex-Padre Dylan Cease agree to $210M, 7-year deal: AP source originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Free-agent pitcher Dylan Cease and the Toronto Blue Jays have agreed to a $210 million, seven-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Wednesday night.

The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal was pending a physical and had not been announced.

Cease would join a terrific rotation with the reigning American League champions. The right-hander, who turns 30 next month, went 8-12 with a 4.55 ERA in 32 starts last season for the San Diego Padres. He struck out 215 batters and walked 71 in 168 innings.

Cease spent his first five years with the Chicago White Sox, including a 2022 season in which he went 14-8 with a 2.20 ERA despite leading the majors in walks. He finished second in AL Cy Young Award balloting.

After one more year in Chicago, he was traded to San Diego in March 2024 and went 14-11 with a 3.47 ERA that season, finishing fourth in NL Cy Young Award voting.

His numbers on the mound slipped this year but he still reached 32 starts for a fifth straight season.

Cease has also had five consecutive years with at least 214 strikeouts, which helps offset his penchant for walks.

Cease was one of the top free-agent pitchers on the market this offseason. He’s set to join the Blue Jays, who won the AL East this year and advanced all the way to Game 7 of a thrilling World Series before losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-4 in 11 innings.

Toronto’s rotation already features Kevin Gausman, Trey Yesavage, Shane Bieber and José Berríos. Chris Bassitt and 41-year-old Max Scherzer, the three-time Cy Young Award winner who started Game 7 of the World Series, became free agents this month.

AP Baseball Writers Noah Trister and Mike Fitzpatrick contributed to this report.

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Why Sonny Gray is capable of being Red Sox' No. 2 starter in 2026

Why Sonny Gray is capable of being Red Sox' No. 2 starter in 2026 originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Red Sox made their first major move of the offseason on Tuesday, acquiring three-time All-Star right-hander Sonny Gray in a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals. Gray will add much-needed depth to Boston’s starting rotation, but what kind of upside does the 36-year-old offer at this stage of his career?

Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow clearly still thinks highly of the 13-year veteran as he parted ways with right-hander Richard Fitts and promising left-handed pitching prospect Brandon Clarke. Gray is owed $41 million in 2026, but the Cardinals will pay $20 million of that hefty salary. So with a price tag of about $21 million, the Red Sox will owe Gray roughly what they would have paid Lucas Giolito had they extended the fellow righty a qualifying offer.

Gray makes perfect sense as a Giolito replacement, and contrary to popular belief, he’s still capable of taking on the No. 2 starter role behind Cy Young runner-up Garrett Crochet next season if Boston doesn’t add another big arm. Here’s a deeper dive into Gray’s recent numbers, which should make Sox fans optimistic about Breslow’s latest move.

Stats show Gray was unlucky in 2025

A quick glance at Sonny Gray’s Baseball Reference page may leave some Sox fans scratching their heads. His 2025 ERA (4.28) marked his worst since 2021, and his 1.23 WHIP was his highest since 2018. However, a closer look shows he may still have some of his All-Star stuff.

Gray’s FIP last season was a respectable 3.39, so a good chunk of those runs that contributed to his 4.28 ERA were out of his control. That was the fourth-largest FIP/ERA gap among qualified right-handed starters in 2025.

Sticking to the idea of Gray as a Giolito replacement, Giolito was the antithesis of Gray in 2025. He finished the campaign with a rock-solid 3.41 ERA but a 4.17 FIP, indicating he had some luck on his side.

Tarik Skubal, Garrett Crochet… Sonny Gray?

In 2025, Gray struck out 201 hitters while walking only 38 over 32 starts. Those impressive totals gave him the best strikeout-to-walk ratio in the National League and the fourth-best in MLB, trailing only Tarik Skubal, Garrett Crochet, and Bryan Woo.

That was no fluke. In 2024, Gray notched 203 strikeouts and 39 walks over 28 starts. He and Crochet are among the five MLB pitchers to record at least 200 strikeouts in each of the last two seasons, per ESPN.

A stabilizing presence

Unlike some of the veteran hurlers Boston has brought in over the last few years, Gray has been remarkably durable. Age hasn’t changed that as the 36-year-old made 32 starts in 2023, 28 in 2024, and 32 again in 2025. He has pitched 166 or more innings in each of the past three seasons.

Even if he’s no longer an All-Star-caliber arm, Gray should provide value as an innings eater who can post every fifth day.

Projections love Gray for 2026

Steamer projections, which are widely used to predict future performance in baseball, are high on Gray for next season. The model has Gray finishing 2026 with a 3.68 ERA, a 3.44 FIP, and a 3.9 fWAR that ranks 10th among MLB starters and fifth in the AL. If these projections are even remotely accurate, Gray profiles as a legitimate No. 2 for the Red Sox.

That said, Breslow and Co. shouldn’t shy away from adding another impact arm (Joe Ryan, anyone?) to the mix.

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Knicks' Landry Shammet to miss at least a month with sprained shoulder

Landry Shamet has been one of the success stories for the Knicks this season, returning to the team on a veteran minimum contract and carving out a key rotation role, averaging 9.3 points a game and shooting 42.3% from 3-point range.

Now he will be out at least a month with a right shoulder sprain, a story broken by Shams Charania of ESPN and since confirmed by other reporters. Shamet will be re-evaluated in four weeks.

While a month is a long time, this qualifies as good news. Shamet separated that shoulder a year ago and if he separated it again it likely would have meant surgery that might have cost him the rest of the season. While the Knicks have yet to confirm the injury (in classic Knicks fashion), the return timeline suggests a sublexation — a temporary, partial dislocation where the shoulder head partially slides out of the socket and is quickly put back in — rather than another full dislocation. The hope is that rebab, which has already begun, is all Shamet will need.

The injury occurred Saturday in Orlando, when Shamet was pressuring Jalen Suggs as he brought the ball up the court and ran full speed into a screen by Wendel Carter Jr. at midcourt. Shamet went to the ground, got up grabbing his shoulder and ran straight to the Knicks locker room, not to return in that game.

Shamet, 28, returned to the Knicks this season on a one-year, veteran's minimum contract and will be a free agent next summer.

With Shamet out, expect to see a lot more Miles McBride, Jordan Clarkson and Tyler Kolek.

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Top 100 Hockey Players 21-And-Under: 41 To 60

The online countdown of the top 100 hockey players aged 21-and-under continues.

The Hockey News' Prospects Unlimited issue's annual ranking of hockey's youngest talent is compiled by Ryan Kennedy, and while he uses our Future Watch rankings as a resource, this is a completely independent compilation.

Future Watch is based on a survey of NHL scouts, while the PU Top 100 is cobbled together by Kennedy based on his projections of what the players will be once they hit their primes.

Since different positions have different prime years, take that to mean we are projecting how good these forwards will be when they are 23 or 24 years old, the defensemen when they are 24 or 25 and the goalies when they are 25 or 26.

The birth year cutoff for this year’s list is 2004. Ages noted are as of Oct. 1.

As we share the top 100 list on TheHockeyNews.com, you can see the full list with player bios and draft information for each of them right now by being a subscriber to The Hockey News and accessing the Archive or by opening the magazine if you've already received it in your mailbox.

Catch up on the players ranked 61st to 80th and 81st to 100th. Here's the next batch.  

60. Jackson Smith, D, 18 years old, Columbus Blue Jackets
Penn State (Big Ten)

59. Trey Augustine, G, 20, Detroit Red Wings
Michigan State (Big Ten)

58. Dmitri Simashev, D, 20, Utah Mammoth
Utah (NHL)

57. Kevin Korchinski, D, 21, Chicago Blackhawks
Rockford (AHL)

56. Tynan Lawrence, C, 17, Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
NHL Draft: 2026

55. Denton Mateychuk, D, 21, Columbus Blue Jackets
Columbus (NHL)

In his second season with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Denton Mateychuk has already made an impact on and off the ice. If he continues along that path, a hometown billboard will be next.  Go to the full feature on Mateychuk by clicking here. 

54. Mikhail Yegorov, G, 19, New Jersey Devils
Boston Univ. (HE)

53. Max Penkin, C, 16, Adler Mannheim (Ger.)
NHL Draft: 2027

52. Ivar Stenberg, LW, 18, Frolunda HC (Swe.)
NHL Draft: 2026

51. Mason West, C, 18, Chicago Blackhawks
Fargo (USHL)

Jiri Kulich (Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images)

50. Jiri Kulich, C, 21, Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo (NHL)

49. Gabe Perreault, RW, 20, New York Rangers
Hartford (AHL)

48. Isaac Howard, LW, 21, Edmonton Oilers
Bakersfield (AHL)

47. Alexis Joseph, C, 16, Saint John Sea Dogs
NHL Draft: 2027

Thanks to his size and skill, Sea Dogs center Alexis Joseph has pushed his way into the debate over who'll be the No. 1 pick in 2027. Go to the full feature on Joseph by clicking here.  

46. Marco Kasper, C, 21, Detroit Red Wings
Detroit (NHL)

A quick study after making his NHL debut last season, Marco Kasper has already established himself as a big part of the Detroit Red Wings' core. With the trust of his coaches and teammates already on his side, the future looks bright. Go to the full feature on Kasper by clicking here.  

45. JP Hurlbert, RW, 17, Kamloops Blazers (WHL)
NHL Draft: 2026

44. Berkly Catton, C, 19, Seattle Kraken
Seattle (NHL)

43. Jacob Fowler, G, 20, Montreal Canadiens
Laval (AHL)

Logan Cooley (Rob Gray-Imagn Images)

42. Logan Cooley, C, 21, Utah Mammoth
Utah (NHL)

41. James Hagens, C, 18, Boston Bruins
Boston College (HE)

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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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JT Toppin has double-double, No. 20 Texas Tech beats UNO for 43rd non-conference home win in a row

JT Toppin scored 19 points and grabbed 16 rebounds as No. 20 Texas Tech rebounded from a lopsided loss to beat New Orleans 82-50 on Wednesday. Christian Anderson added 23 points with six 3-pointers and five assists for the Red Raiders (5-2), who were coming off a 30-point loss to No. 1 Purdue five days earlier in the Bahamas. Donovan Atwell had 13 points in 23 minutes before fouling out with 8:43 left in the game, and Luke Bamgboye also scored 13 points and LeJuan Watts had 12.

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Knicks' Landry Shamet diagnosed with shoulder sprain, to be re-evaluated in four weeks

Knicks guard Landry Shamet, who left last Saturday's loss to the Orlando Magic early, has been diagnosed with a shoulder sprain and will be re-evaluated after four weeks. 

Shamet previously dislocated this same right shoulder during the 2024 preseason and was able to avoid surgery then. Per SNY NBA Insider Ian Begley, there is optimism that Shamet, who is currently rehabbing the injury, can once again work his way back without needing surgery.

Shamet, who started Saturday's loss to the Magic with OG Anunoby injured, collided with Jalen Suggs and Wendell Carter Jr. and immediately made his way to the locker room. 

The veteran sharpshooter has been a key piece of the Knicks' rotation under head coach Mike Brown. 

Playing just under 21 minutes per game, Shamet has averaged 9.3 points and two rebounds while shooting 42.4 percent from beyond the arc.

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NHL Waivers: Maple Leafs' Blais Hits The Wire, Rangers' Parssinen Clears

The Toronto Maple Leafs placed left winger Sammy Blais on NHL waivers on Wednesday, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

Friedman also reported that New York Rangers center Juuso Parssinen has cleared waivers after hitting the wire on Nov. 25.

The Maple Leafs claimed Blais off waivers at the beginning of the 2025-26 season from the Montreal Canadiens. If Montreal claims him back, and no other team submits a claim, the team can assign him to the AHL.

Blais appeared in eight games this season with the Maple Leafs, posting one goal, three points, 28 hits and a minus-2 rating. This is after he recorded 14 goals, 26 assists, 40 points, and 44 penalty minutes in 51 games with the Abbotsford Canucks of the AHL last season. 

If the Canadiens don't claim Blais back, he could generate interest from clubs looking for more grit and forward depth. This is especially true given that he has a $775,000 cap hit for just this season. 

As for Parssinen, he can now be assigned to the Rangers' AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack, after clearing waivers.

In 14 games this season with the Rangers, the 6-foot-3 forward has posted two goals, one assist, 20 hits, and a plus-3 rating. This is after he had six goals and 16 points split between the Nashville Predators, Colorado Avalanche and Rangers last season. 

With Parssinen being only 24 years old, it seemed possible that a team could claim him. However, him being signed until the end of the 2026-27 season with a $1.25 million cap hit could have been what kept teams away. 

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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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Odds For The Five Most Likely Stanley Cup Finalists

It’s never too early to start predicting which teams will meet in the Stanley Cup final.

If you’re wondering, there are a bunch of prospective matchups that are about as likely to occur as being struck by lightning. 

A Buffalo Sabres vs. Calgary Flames Stanley Cup final is one such example, with a 0.01 percent probability. 

With that far-fetched notion taken under advisement, which are the more feasible possibilities at the quarter mark of the regular season?

Florida Panthers vs. Colorado Avalanche (+1400)

The Florida Panthers meeting the Colorado Avalanche in the Stanley Cup final is the most likely matchup. This prospective final has a 6.67 percent chance of happening. 

It shows the faith BetMGM oddsmakers have in the back-to-back Stanley Cup champions making it to a fourth consecutive Stanley Cup final despite being on the outside of the playoff picture. 

Colorado Avalanche vs. Carolina Hurricanes (+1450)

Oddsmakers give this prospect a 6.45 percent chance of coming to fruition. It would pit the league’s current best team and Stanley Cup odds favorites against the Eastern Conference finalists from two of the previous three seasons. 

Florida Panthers vs. Edmonton Oilers (+2500)

I doubt many people desire another Panthers vs. Edmonton Oilers final. It would be the third time in three seasons that those teams battled for the Holy Grail. 

I cannot fathom the Oilers losing three Stanley Cup finals in a row to the same team. That unthinkable possibility, if it occurred, would mark the first time a team would lose three straight finals to the same foe, a remarkable prospect considering the NHL started with six teams.  

Carolina Hurricanes vs. Dallas Stars (+3500)

Two teams that seemingly can’t summit the final hurdle have a 2.78 percent chance of meeting in the dance. The Dallas Stars reached the Western Conference final in the previous three seasons, losing to the Vegas Golden Knights and the Oilers twice. 

The Hurricanes, meanwhile, fell to the Panthers in two of the previous three seasons, winning just one of nine games. 

Ottawa Senators vs. Edmonton Oilers (+10000)

How about a whimsical thought to cap things off? The last all-Canadian Stanley Cup final occurred in 1989, when the Calgary Flames beat the Montreal Canadiens in six games. 

The Senators represent a solid dark horse pick. If Linus Ullmark can start resembling the form that won him a Vezina Trophy, anything is possible. In this case, it amounts to a 0.99 percent chance.