With only T20 on his mind in the wake of his ODI retirement, Glenn Maxwell proved himself the money man in an MLC rampage, swatting a staggering 13 sixes in California to blast a sizzling 49-ball century with his parents in the stands.
Seth Jones Wins Stanley Cup With Panthers Following Trade From Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks made a big trade with the Florida Panthers on March 1st that sent Seth Jones to Sunrise in exchange for Spencer Knight and a 2026 first-round pick.
The 30-year-old defenseman didn’t get what he was promised in Chicago and eventually became disgruntled. By the mid-way point of the 2024-25 season, it became clear that the Blackhawks would move him if a team was willing to make a fair deal. The defending Stanley Cup champions did.
When Jones got to Florida, he became “one of the guys” on defense instead of “the guy”. With other stars like Aaron Ekblad and Gustav Forsling in the mix, it’s a lot easier to play your game to the best of your ability.
Jones and Florida made it to the Stanley Cup Final. This is the third year in a row that Florida made it to the big dance, but it is the first time that Jones has been this far.
On Tuesday night, Jones and the Panthers won the Stanley Cup. He went right from the struggling Blackhawks to a team that won the Cup in the same year.
During his run to the ultimate prize, Jones had 9 points over the four rounds. There were big goals, plays made, and the defensive performance his team needed to shut down the opposition.
Jones and the Panthers had to face stars like Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Auston Matthews, Nikita Kucherov, and Mikko Rantanen, amongst others. Without him on the back end, winning the Cup would have been that much more difficult for Florida. It turned out to be a great move.
This was an overall incredible trade deadline for Bill Zito, Florida's GM. In addition to trading for Seth Jones, he also acquired Brad Marchand from the Boston Bruins. Throughout the playoffs, Marchand was one of Florida's best forwards. He would have won the Conn Smythe Trophy if Sam Bennett hadn't scored 15 goals during the postseason.
Now that Jones' name will be engraved on the Cup, he will spend the entire summer celebrating. For going through what he has since coming to Chicago, he deserves it. He was always respectful and deserved the right to be happy with the way things turned out for him.
The Blackhawks are happy knowing that they have an extra 2026 first-round pick in addition to Spencer Knight, who is a young, promising goalie. If he becomes an above-average starter in the long term, both teams are winners with this trade.
Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.
Yankees feel 'extra pressure to get the job done' amid unsettling scoreless streak
If the cure for the common slump is a matchup with a vulnerable pitcher, the Yankees couldn't have asked for a better chance to finally bust loose. After putting together a 20-inning scoreless streak in two hitter-friendly ballparks entering Tuesday's meeting with the Angels, their opposition was Kyle Hendricks, owning the second-worst ERA among all qualified MLB starters.
How lucky can one team be?
But it didn't take long for disgruntled fans to realize the team's latest slump can't be labeled as common. Despite the more-than-favorable bout with Hendricks, the Yankees once again struggled to pack a punch, as they fell to the Angels, 4-0, in the Bronx for a third straight shutout loss. Their scoreless streak has reached a confounding 29 innings. Their losing skid has dipped to a season-worst five games.
The lack of rhythm and timing at the plate also wasted a stellar performance from rookie starter Will Warren, who learned the hard way that allowing three runs across six innings with a career-high 11 strikeouts isn't always good enough. He's not alone, though -- Yankees starters have given up just nine earned runs during this five-game slide.
Befitting of a team mired in some deep funk, the Yankees essentially turned Cy Yuck into Cy Young. In six innings against Hendricks, they struck out nine times -- a season-high mark for the veteran right-hander -- and mustered only four hits. Overall, they left six runners on base and went 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position.
"Baseball. We're one of the best offenses in the league, and had a tough few days. I thought maybe today, pressing a little bit," manager Aaron Boone said after the loss. "We've got to go up and focus on having quality at-bats, and that will happen. We'll get there.... These guys are excellent at turning the page... We'll come in with the right process and really focus on grinding out quality at-bats. And when we start to stack those, we'll take off."
Of course, this dry spell doesn't represent the Yankees as a whole. Their season batting average (.253) still ranks seventh-highest in the majors. Their OPS of .784 is best for second -- the same can be said for their home run total (109). They also scored six runs against the league's ERA leader just last week.
Ain't that a kick in the head?
But they've clearly fallen into a valley, and the mess looks even worse with Aaron Judge enduring his own week of hiccups. Over his last seven games, the Yankees' captain is hitting a measly .125 (3-for-24) with 15 strikeouts. There's no player more entitled to a cold stretch than Judge, but his recent woes can't be shrouded either.
"There's always a certain point where it's not necessarily going your way and you feel it," said Cody Bellinger, who registered the Yankees' lone extra-base hit on Tuesday. "You feel this extra pressure to get the job done. At the end of the day, it's the same game... It's been a wild three games. It's been very frustrating... Obviously, we're not getting the job done. We're going to fight like hell to get the job done tomorrow."
Considering how the Yankees fared against Hendricks, there's no telling how or when they'll break out and resemble their old, dangerous self. But if the cure for this type of slump is a second straight matchup with someone sporting a league-low ERA, they're in luck. Jack Kochanowicz, slated to start for the Angels on Wednesday, is 3-8 with a 5.53 ERA this season.
Former Canucks Roberto Luongo, Nate Schmidt, And Jonah Gadjovich Win Stanley Cup With The Florida Panthers
The 2025 Stanley Cup Champion has officially been crowned, as the Florida Panthers took down the Edmonton Oilers in six games. Florida took the Stanley Cup playoff series with a 5-1 win in Game 6. The same two teams previously met in the Stanley Cup Final the season before, with the 2024 series going to seven games rather than six. Two big pieces in the 2025 championship-winning Panthers team are Jonah Gadjovich and Nate Schmidt. Both players previously spent time with the Vancouver Canucks.
Gadjovich was a 2017 second-round draft pick for the Canucks, going 55th overall. He stayed within the organization from then to 2021, after which he ended up on waivers and got claimed by the San Jose Sharks. In his lone season with Vancouver, he played 4:55 minutes in one game. Gadjovich won the Stanley Cup with the Panthers the season before, though he did not end up taking part in any of their playoff games. In his 15 postseason games in 2025, he scored two goals and an assist.
Schmidt only spent one season with the Canucks, ending up in Vancouver after being traded by the Vegas Golden Knights due to a cap crunch. During his lone season as a Canuck, he had five goals and 10 assists in a COVID-19 shortened season in which he played in 54 games. After, he moved on to the Winnipeg Jets, spending three seasons with them and tallying 13 goals and 54 assists in 211 games. He joined Florida this season, dressing in 80 of their regular season games and putting up five goals and 14 assists. During the playoffs, he scored three goals and nine assists in 22 games.
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Another member of the Panthers’ Cup-winning team is Canucks legend Roberto Luongo, who previously won the championship with Florida the year before. Luongo spent seven seasons with the Canucks and owns a majority of the team’s goaltending records. He was instrumental in Vancouver’s quest for the Stanley Cup back in 2011.
With the Stanley Cup Finals now over, all eyes turn to Florida’s AHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers, who are locked in a battle with the Abbotsford Canucks for the Calder Cup.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, be sure to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum.
Florida Panthers Pending UFA Sam Bennett Wins NHL's Conn Smythe Trophy
The Florida Panthers won the Stanley Cup last year, but the Conn Smythe Trophy went to an opponent. This time, they won both.
After Florida’s 5-1 victory in Game 6 to win the Cup in back-to-back seasons, the Conn Smythe Trophy went to center Sam Bennett.
The Conn Smythe is given "to the most valuable player for his team in the playoffs."
"This is way harder than I thought it would be to win, and to win twice, I mean, we put in so much work," Bennett told Sportsnet's David Amber and Elliotte Friedman on the ice. "I'm so proud of this group. It's incredible the team we have here. I'm so proud of all the guys."
Last year, the Conn Smythe Trophy was awarded to Oilers captain Connor McDavid. However, after this final, the Conn Smythe was presented to a member of the Panthers for the first time in NHL history.
Bennett was the leading goal-scorer of the Stanley Cup playoffs, recording 15 goals in 23 games played. In addition, 13 of those goals were on the road, which set a record in a single post-season.
The 28-year-old didn’t get on the scoresheet in Game 6, but he was all around the net in the final. In those six games, Bennett scored five goals and six points, equalling Brad Marchand for the second-most points by a Panther in the final series.
Bennett is a pending UFA, and there will be no shortage of interest or money to go his way, whether he returns to the Panthers or not.
He played his last game on a four-year contract with a $4.425-million cap hit. With 51 points this season, only seven pending UFAs had more points.
There were a couple of other candidates for Florida to win the Conn Smythe. Marchand was a clear candidate for the award for his incredible production and clutch ability. He would’ve been the oldest player to win the playoff MVP award.
Reinhart was another player who tossed his name in the hat for his play in Game 6. He scored four goals in the Panthers’ Cup-clinching victory, leading the Stanley Cup final in goals with seven and points with 10.
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Flyers 2025 Draft Picks Officially Set with Help from Sergei Bobrovsky
With help from old friend Sergei Bobrovsky, all of the Philadelphia Flyers draft picks in the 2025 NHL Draft are now set in stone, including their three coveted first-round picks.
Bobrovsky, 36, backstopped the Panthers to their second consecutive Stanley Cup triumph, making 28 saves on 29 shots in a 5-1 thrashing of the Edmonton Oilers in Game 6.
With the Oilers officially down and out, the Flyers will hold the 31st overall pick in the 2025 draft, improving one spot on the 2024 32nd overall pick (Sam O’Reilly) they swapped with Edmonton last year.
The Flyers, of course, also have the No. 6 overall pick, their own, and the No. 22 overall pick they acquired from the Colorado Avalanche in last year's Sean Walker trade in addition to the 31st pick.
In Round 2, the Flyers hold picks 36, 40, 45, and 48. Additionally, the Flyers hold the 68th, 132nd, 157th, and 164th picks.
Flyers GM Danny Briere revealed Tuesday that some of these picks could be traded to move up in the draft order or for other players teams are shopping around the league.
As of right now, nothing is imminent on that front, especially with multiple teams jockeying for draft positioning with 11 days to go.
Amazingly, unbelievably, incredibly, the Florida Panthers are back-to-back Stanley Cup Champions
The Florida Panthers are Stanley Cup Champions.
Again.
Just take a moment to let that sink in.
For the second straight season, the Panthers have won Lord Stanley’s Cup.
This time, Florida defeated the Edmonton Oilers in six games, claiming the Cup in front of their home fans at Amerant Bank Arena.
That feels quite deserving for a fanbase that went so long with nothing to write home about.
It wasn’t that long ago that the Panthers were a perennial playoff miss, and a Stanley Cup? Fuhgeddaboudit.
At one point, they went 12 years between postseason appearances.
They went 26 seasons between playoff round victories.
All that feels like SO long ago though, doesn’t it?
Vincent Viola.
Matthew Caldwell.
Bill Zito.
Paul Maurice.
The list goes on from there.
It’s remarkable to think about how the Panthers have now joined a pretty exclusive club.
They’re back-to-back champions.
They’re set up to continue succeeding for years to come.
They’re on the path to becoming the NHL’s next great dynasty.
Soak it in, Panthers fans.
You’re Florida Panthers are Stanley Cup Champions.
Again.
And they might not be done yet.
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Photo caption: Jun 17, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; The Florida Panthers celebrate after winning game six of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)
Jesper Boqvist Among Former Devils Who Win Cup With Panthers
For the second consecutive season, the Stanley Cup was won at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida.
While Florida Panthers forwards Matthew Tkachuk, Aleksander Barkov, and Sam Bennett were hit with a familiar feeling, four former New Jersey Devils players took in the excitement of a Stanley Cup championship for the first time.
Jesper Boqvist, A.J. Greer, Tomas Nosek, and Vitek Vanecek swarmed their teammates in celebration after their 5-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers to become back-to-back Stanley Cup champions.
Greer found a home on the Panthers' fourth line, adding to Florida's already physical presence. The 28-year-old had three points in 16 postseason games.
Greer's linemate, Nosek, finally captured his first Cup after 10 seasons in the NHL. The 32-year-old collected three points in 16 games this postseason.
Boqvist has not appeared in a game since June 6 but stepped up when he was called upon. He finished the playoffs with two goals and five points.
Vanecek was acquired from the San Jose Sharks on March 5, 2025, and has served as Sergei Bobrovsky's backup since. Most noticeably, during warmups before Games 3 and 4, Vanecek and Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner appeared to be staring each other down from opposite sides of the red line.
Former Devils defenseman Dmitry Kulikov won his second Stanley Cup as he was a member of the Panthers last season.
Nosek and Vanecek will become unrestricted free agents on July 1. Boqvist and Greer will remain under contract with the Panthers for the 2025-26 season.
Make sure you bookmark THN's New Jersey Devils site for THN's latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.
Hischier's Manager Patrick Fischer: 'He's Driven to Succeed, but Not Easily Satisfied'
Mets let late three-run lead slip, fall to Braves 5-4 in extra innings
The Mets let a three-run lead slip in the eighth before falling in 10 innings to the Braves, 5-4, on Tuesday night in Atlanta. New York has now lost four straight.
David Peterson cruised through seven innings, but allowed the first two men to reach in the eighth before he was lifted, and the bullpen allowed three runs to score to doom the lefty to a no-decision.
And in the bottom of the 10th after the Mets failed to score, Carlos Mendoza walked Ronald Acuña Jr. intentionally to put runners on first and second in a tie game. Huascar Brazobán got Alex Verdugo on an infield fly before more sloppy baseball hurt the Mets.
On a ball in the dirt that Francisco Alvarez couldn’t backhand cleanly, the runner at second, Luke Williams, was stopped halfway to third. If the catcher ran at him or threw to third, it would have been the second out. Instead, Alvarez quickly tossed to second and the winning run was at third. A walk loaded the bases, and on the first pitch to Austin Riley, he drove a sacrifice fly to the warning track in deep right-center to end the game.
Here are the takeaways...
- Pitching with a lead right away, Peterson walked the leadoff hitter, but got some help from his defense as Pete Alonso made a fine play on a sharp grounder, starting a 3-6 double play when Acuña gave up on the rundown, not wanting to risk cutting back and forth on his knees this close to coming back from a second ACL tear.
Peterson put himself in a tough spot with two down in the third after issuing a walk and an opposite-field single. And after falling behind 3-1 to Matt Olson, the lefty made a good pitch, but it was muscled into center to score the Braves' first run. The lefty limited the damage, but saw his scoreless inning streak snapped at 15.2.
Through five innings, the lefty was giving his infielders a workout, as he got 12 of 15 outs on 10 ground balls. The other outs: Michael Harris II swinging twice on down-and-away sliders and Acuña flying out to center.
The defense, which had been faultless, bit Peterson to start the seventh, as Ronny Mauricio’s low throw to first went for a two-base error. It was an unforced mistake, as Marcell Ozuna was loafing to first. But Peterson got the next three batters with a pair of lineouts around a pop-up to first.
- Peterson came back out for the eighth, but his command didn’t, as he allowed a leadoff walk and a single. Mendoza brought in Reed Garrett (on a week of rest), and the pinch-hitter Verdugo got a single to right to load the bases and put the tying run on first with nobody out.
Garrett rebounded to get Olson looking at a 1-2 splitter that just caught the outside corner, and Riley to flyout to shallow right. But he threw a hanging 2-2 splitter to Ozuna, and he cleared the bases with a double into the left field corner.
Peterson's final line: 7.0 innings, three runs, five hits, three walks, three strikeouts in 93 pitches (55 strikes).
Francisco Lindor may have had a slight chance to get Verdugo at the plate to keep the Mets ahead, but dropped the ball as he went for the transfer on the relay and the game was tied heading to the ninth.
- Edwin Diaz needed 17 pitches for a 1-2-3 ninth with a strikeout to send the game to extra innings. But in the top of the 10th with Luisangel Acuña on second as the ghost runner, Jarred Young went down swinging, Alvarez popped out to shallow right, and Mauricio popped out to the shortstop in shallow left against Atlanta righty Raisel Iglesias, who entered the game with a 6.23 ERA in 26 innings.
- Braves starter Spencer Schwellenbach had the Mets’ number in his previous three games, allowing just nine hits in 73 at-bats (.123) and a .341 OPS with 20 strikeouts and one walk. But the visitors flipped the switch on the right-hander earlier.
With two down in the first, Juan Soto drove a slider that floated over the middle of the plate for a 412-foot opposite-field home run. The signature Soto blast (108.4 mph off the bat) was good for his 14th dinger and 37th RBI of the year.
In the second, Jeff McNeil extended his on-base streak to 19 games by smacking a curveball over the plate for a single to right to start the inning. The big at-bat came when Alvarez worked a one-out walk, after falling behind 0-2 on two whiffs. With two down, Tyrone Taylor lofted a 2-0 fastball into shallow right, but Acuña -- and his bad knees -- couldn’t reach it with a head-first dive and two runs scored on the double.
In the fifth, Taylor, after falling behind in the count 0-2, got a splitter up and clobbered it 407 feet to right for a solo shot, giving him two on the year and 15 RBI.
Schwellenbach managed to work around the four runs to go seven innings, allowing six hits and two walks while getting eight strikeouts.
- The Mets ran themselves out of the third as Soto walked with one out, only to get picked off first (1-3-4) when he started for second and Schwellenbach managed to step off the mound in time. Three pitches later, Alonso lined a slider (105.9 mph) toward the left-field corner and dug for second but was cut down easily as Eli White got to the ball in a flash and made a decent throw to end the inning.
Bad luck got them in the sixth, as Soto lined one sharply to left (100.6 mph), but it was the first out. After Alonso cracked his second single of the game, McNeil roped one (97.9 mph) right at the shortstop, who was able to double Alonso off first with a good throw to end the inning. The two hits that made three outs carried an xBA of .450 and .600.
The combo of bad luck and bad baserunning stung in the top half of the ninth. Soto smashed a single (110.5 mph) into right to start the inning, and Alonso drove one deep to right and Acuña -- bad knees and all -- ranged back to the wall and for a leaping catch. Unfortunately, Soto didn't get a read on the ball or the catch, and was easily doubled off first as he was a dozen feet from second as Acuña started tossing the ball in.
Highlights
JUAN SOTO GOES YARD! pic.twitter.com/mxCx08L0zv
— SNY (@SNYtv) June 18, 2025
David Peterson induces the early double play! pic.twitter.com/1yzNnj52nx
— SNY (@SNYtv) June 18, 2025
A 2-run double for Tyrone Taylor! pic.twitter.com/EiopWOWdsp
— SNY (@SNYtv) June 18, 2025
Tyrone Taylor drills one to left! pic.twitter.com/HLBZRq267Q
— SNY (@SNYtv) June 18, 2025
What's next
The Mets and Braves are right back at it on Wednesday night in Atlanta for a 7:15 p.m. first pitch.
Right-hander Paul Blackburn gets the ball for New York with left-hander Chris Sale starting for the home team.
Panthers defeat Oilers in Game 6 to claim second straight Stanley Cup Championship
The Stanley Cup is back in South Florida.
For the second straight season, the Florida Panthers are the champions of the hockey world, defeating the Edmonton Oilers 5-1 in Game 6 to win the best-of-seven Stanley Cup Final 4-2.
It didn’t take long for the Panthers to get on the board, and it was an amazing play by Sam Reinhart that got the job done.
Picking the puck up just outside the Oilers blue line, Reinhart walked into the zone and dangled around Mattias Ekholm before firing the puck over the glove of Stuart Skinner to give Florida a 1-0 lead at the 4:36 mark.
Florida doubled their lead late in the period off a great showing of patience.
Eetu Luostarinen brought the puck over Edmonton’s blue line on a 2 on 2 rush with Anton Lundell, but then Eetu slowed down and waited for a streaking Matthew Tkachuk, who had just come off Florida’s bench, while Lundell went to the net.
Tkachuk corralled the puck, skated between the circles and wired a shot past a screened Skinner to send Florida into the first intermission with a 2-0 lead.
The Panthers did an excellent job of limiting the Oilers opportunities during the second period, long enough for them to extend their lead once again.
A rebound off the blocker of Skinner hit the ice and died in the left circle, where it was quickly picked up by Sasha Barkov,
The captain one-timed the puck toward the net, but instead of shooting to score, Barkov shot the puck off the skate of Reinhart for a perfect deflection into a wide-open net.
Florida spent the majority of the third period taking the Oilers to Shutdown City, limiting their zone time and opportunities despite them playing for their season.
To put a bow on the evening, Reinhart completed his hat trick by scoring into the vacated Oilers net with 6:34 to go, giving the Panthers a 4-0 lead and sealing the championship.
Then he popped in a fourth goal with 5:05 to go, just for good measure.
It was a very appropriate ending to the Panthers second straight title run.
Sure, Vasily Podkolzin scored to run Bob’s shutout in the final minutes, but that’s fine.
On to the parade!
QUICK THOUGHTS
Reinhart has scored in four straight games, racking up ten points during the goal streak.
Tkachuk has points in four straight and is up to seven points during the Final.
It’s a five-game point streak for Lundell, who has six points over the course of the run.
Luostarinen has three points over his past two games and six over his past four.
Barkov has logged five assists over his past three games.
Carter Verhaeghe finished the Final with nine points in the six games and a total of seven goals and 23 points during the playoffs.
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Photo caption: Jun 17, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers center Sam Reinhart (13) celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal against the Edmonton Oilers during the first period in game six of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena. (Jim Rassol-Imagn Images)
San Jose Earthquakes Owner Hires Bank to Sell MLS Club
San Jose Earthquakes owner John Fisher has hired an investment bank to sell his MLS club, according to multiple people familiar with the billionaire’s plans. An official announcement is expected sometime on Wednesday. Fisher, who owns and recently relocated MLB’s Athletics from Oakland, has retained Moelis & Co. to run the process. The move comes …
The Hockey News Playoff Frenzy Live: React To Game 6 Of The Stanley Cup Final
Welcome to The Hockey News Playoff Frenzy Live, streaming during the NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs.
After each game of the Stanley Cup final, our experts go live to react to the match that was, break down the key moments and storylines and read your opinions.
On tonight's show, Katie Gaus and Michael Augello react to Game 6 between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers with Michael Traikos joining live from Amerant Bank Arena.
During the game, join the conversation in the comment section and send in your questions. They may end up on the post-game show.
Florida Panthers vs Edmonton Oilers Game 6 - Playoff FrenzyWelcome to Playoff Frenzy Live by The Hockey News presented by STIX.com, where we give our live reactions and break down the latest news to all the biggest g...Stay tuned to The Hockey News and Playoff Frenzy Live throughout the Stanley Cup final.
Promo image credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
NHL Hockey News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games 2025-06-18 20:24:53
Rafael Devers ready to put Boston situation behind and start fresh in San Francisco
SAN FRANCISCO — Rafael Devers strolled into the clubhouse side-by-side with home run king Barry Bonds, a fellow left-handed slugger who San Francisco's new big hitter has long admired from afar.
“I think just looking at him my game has already improved a lot,” Devers joked as he was formally introduced by the Giants on Tuesday, when he started at designated hitter batting third in the series opener against the Cleveland Guardians.
Cheered warmly when introduced before first pitch before a rousing ovation when he walked to the batter's box to chants of “Rafi,” Devers struck out swinging on five pitches in his initial at-bat in the first. Fans held their phones high to capture photos and video.
Devers is determined to leave his own lasting mark on the franchise in what is a much-needed fresh start for him and a monumental mid-season acquisition for Buster Posey and San Francisco's front office.
And whatever went wrong in Boston, Devers is done discussing any issues he had with the Red Sox and eager to move forward across the country with the Giants.
“That’s in the past now, I’m looking ahead and focusing on what I have here being a San Francisco Giant,” Devers said. “I’m eager to go out there and play and see what I can do.”
With a bright smile to match his bright new No. 16 jersey, Devers insisted he will play anywhere and do whatever manager Bob Melvin and his staff ask.
“I really like his answers by the way,” said Posey, in his first year as president of baseball operations.
And on Day 1, Devers was out fielding groundballs at first base - something he wouldn’t do in Boston. His batting practice drew a huge crowd at Oracle Park, where fans arrived early wearing his jersey.
The Giants will take on a mega contract after Devers signed a new $331 million, 11-year deal in January 2023. He joins several other stars here with long-term contracts - shortstop Willy Adames has a seven-year, $182 million deal and third baseman Matt Chapman at $151 million over six years through 2030 - as Posey builds a roster he expects will compete for another World Series championship, like the ones the Giants won with him as their star catcher in 2010, ‘12 and ’14.
San Francisco last made the playoffs in 2021, when it won a franchise-record 107 games and edged the rival Dodgers for the NL West title on the final day.
“I think this organization has talent, they have won championships. I am here to play, to win and to win a championship,” Devers said through an interpreter.
Posey thanked ownership for its willingness to go for it and trade for Devers to boost a club that has lacked power and struggled to score runs for extended stretches this year. The trade announced Sunday came together in the past few weeks after countless hours and conversations.
“I think the persistence really paid off,” chairman Greg Johnson said.
While the Giants will gradually get Devers up to speed playing the field again since he has strictly been a DH this year, they know he has plenty of mentors eager to help. Melvin doesn't expect Devers to play third but rather DH and first, the very position he didn't want to play after losing his job at third when the Red Sox signed Alex Bregman to a $120 million, three-year contract in February to be their third baseman - the spot where Devers made 130 starts last year.
“When you have a guy like Barry Bonds around, arguably the greatest hitter of all-time, it's an added benefit for sure,” Posey said.
It will only be a matter of days before Devers' first reunion with the Red Sox, who visit Oracle Park for a weekend series.
He was batting .271 with 14 home runs and 57 RBIs over 72 games as Boston's primary DH. When asked what the differences will be as he begins anew, Devers noted: “It’s the same baseball. I’m here to give my 100%.”
“Been a fan from afar,” pitcher Justin Verlander said. “Excited to add a player like that to our lineup.”
The 28-year-old Devers hadn’t been thrilled with the idea of playing first base in Boston but thanked the people who cheered him, calling them “great fans who supported me my whole time there.”
After all the fanfare of his introduction and receiving his jersey in front of most of his teammates, who made time to be at his news conference before doing their pregame routines, Devers got to work.
“The Giants brought me here for a reason and I will give 100%,” he said. “I'm now happy to be part of the team.”
Shohei Ohtani 'feeling good' after his Dodgers pitching debut and could return to mound this weekend
LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani came out of his pitching debut for the Los Angeles Dodgers in good order, even if he was his own worst critic.
The two-way superstar from Japan gave up a run and a pair of two-strike hits in one inning of work Monday night against San Diego as he returned from right elbow surgery. It was his first outing since August 2023 with the Los Angeles Angels.
At the plate, he had two hits and two RBIs in the Dodgers' 6-3 win.
“I think he's just a little fatigued but feels good,” manager Dave Roberts said Tuesday.
Ohtani was in his usual leadoff spot as the designated hitter Tuesday night against the Padres. He'll likely throw a light bullpen in the next few days.
“Not quite happy with the results overall,” he said through a translator. “But I think the biggest takeaway for me is that I feel good enough to be able to go out for my next outing.”
He threw 28 pitches - 16 for strikes - and his fastball topped out at 100.2 mph - the second-hardest pitch thrown by a Dodgers hurler this season.
“What I noticed is that when I warm up to pitch in the game, I’m already really warmed up going into the game,” he said. "So I did feel a lot better overall than when I’m just DHing.”
Roberts indicated Ohtani could pitch Saturday or Sunday when the Washington Nationals are in town.
“It's kind of a week situation,” he said, “but it’s not like a hard and fast seven days.”
The Dodgers open a six-game trip at Colorado on Tuesday, but it seems unlikely Ohtani would pitch in Denver's high altitude where the thin air reduces the movement of pitches, particularly fastballs and curveballs, and favors hitters.
The team has the option to add an inning in his next start or keep him at one. The decision will be made between the medical staff and Ohtani, Roberts said.
Carefully and cautiously.
Despite a pitching staff that has been decimated by injuries, the team is not putting pressure on their $700 million man.
In fact, it was Ohtani who told the Dodgers he wanted to test himself in a big league game rather than face hitters in simulated at-bats as he'd been doing over the last three weeks.
“This is a unique situation,” Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes said. “We have to make sure that we’re also keeping one of our best hitters in the lineup. So much of it is the back and forth and how he’s feeling and making sure that every step we’ve done along the way is just erring on the side of caution.”
The Dodgers have eight starters, including Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell and Japanese rookie phenom Roki Sasaki, and six relievers on the injured list.
Glasnow (shoulder) threw about 40 pitches over two innings in a live batting practice session Tuesday. The right-hander looked “really good,” Roberts said.
Glasnow could throw a bullpen in a few days and go on a minor league rehab assignment soon.
Blake Snell (shoulder) threw a bullpen Monday.
Sasaki (shoulder) has been shut down from throwing after not feeling comfortable. He's been out since May 9 and Roberts has said “we have to plan on life without him as far as this year.”
Emmet Sheehan takes the mound for the Dodgers on Wednesday, his first start in the majors since his rookie year in 2023. He had Tommy John surgery in May 2024.