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Right-handed batter among Mets' interests after Jeff McNeil trade: report

After Monday's Jeff McNeiltrade with the Athletics, the Mets are interested "in adding a right-handed batter to balance out their lineup," according to a report by Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic.

New York officials view the move "as more about roster reconstruction than payroll restructuring" since McNeil "no longer held a spot in the infield and was locked into left field," Rosenthal and Sammon reported.

The Mets recently signed the switch-hitting Jorge Polanco to a two-year, $40 million contract with versatility -- first base included -- as a plus.

New York's interest in a right-handed batter, however, "could end up being someone who can also play first base," Rosenthal and Sammon reported.

At first base, the Mets did not re-sign the right-handed Pete Alonso, who inked with the Baltimore Orioles for five years and $155 million earlier this month.

Fellow right-handed batter Mark Vientos, who primarily plays third base, joins Polanco on New York's depth chart at first base after slashing .233/.289/.413 with 17 home runs and 61 RBI in 121 games last season.

Elsewhere in the infield, the Mets landed right-handed batter and three-time All-Star second baseman Marcus Semien from the Texas Rangers through a deal for outfielder Brandon Nimmo late last month.

Third baseman Alex Bregman and shortstop Bo Bichette are among the top right-handed bats on the free-agent market but "likely will command more years than the Mets want to tolerate," Rosenthal and Sammon reported.

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Takeaways: In Storybook Fashion, Penguins Snap Eight-Game Skid On Crosby's Historic Night

Who could have guessed that all it was going to take for the Pittsburgh Penguins to climb their way out of an eight-game skid was a milestone, a shootout, and a dream?

Well, all of that came together in dramatic fashion Sunday against the Montreal Canadiens. Not only did they secure a much-needed win, their captain also made history with his biggest career accomplishment to date. 

The Penguins defeated the Canadiens, 4-3, in a dramatic shootout victory that was led by Arturs Silovs - who has, all season long, struggled immensely in shootouts, and sparked by Sidney Crosby, who accomplished a major feat early on in the game and set the tone for the remainder of it. 

With a first period goal - then a power play assist - Crosby tied then subesequently broke Mario Lemieux's all-time franchise record for points, earning his 1,723rd then his 1,724th. The crowd went berserk, the bench cleared to mob their captain, and the moment inspired this teammates the rest of way. 

Simply put, the Penguins refused to lose this hockey game. They could have. Several times. But they had every intention of winning it so they could finally break their skid and so that Crosby could actually enjoy his moment.

"That's a huge day for us, you know?" Silovs said. "Sid did an amazing job breaking a franchise record. Like, you don't see that every day. Fantastic player. And managing to win as a team effort, that's like a cherry on top. I think that's a great day to play hockey."

BREAKING: Sidney Crosby Breaks Mario Lemieux's Franchise Record To Become Penguins' All-Time Leader In PointsBREAKING: Sidney Crosby Breaks Mario Lemieux's Franchise Record To Become Penguins' All-Time Leader In PointsPittsburgh Penguins' captain Sidney Crosby has broken a once-unbreakable Mario Lemieux franchise record

Montreal got off to a good start in this one, and Oliver Kapanen broke through first with his 11th goal of the season seven and a half minutes in to give the Habs a 1-0 lead. But, instead of reeling, the Penguins - and Crosby - answered back pretty much right away.

27 seconds after Kapanen's goal, the Penguins' first line - with Rickard Rakell back on it - was pushing in the offensive zone. Crosby took a shot at the net that ended up back on Erik Karlsson's stick at the point, and Karlsson recognized a wide-open Crosby in the low-slot area. He fed Crosby one of his patented shot-passes, and Crosby didn't miss on the redirection. 1-1, and Crosby tied Lemieux with his 20th goal of the season. 

And the big moment came a little less than five minutes later. 

Rookie forward Rutger McGroarty drew a tripping penalty on Adam Engstrom, and the Penguins headed to the power play. They got set up and in the offensive zone and were cycling, and Crosby slapped a puck toward the net from the left circle that hit Bryan Rust. The puck trickled over to Rakell on the other side of the blue paint, and he put it home - giving Crosby the secondary apple and the point that put him alone at the top of the Penguins' all-time scoring list. 

"I think, in the moment, we were just trying to score," Rust said. "I saw Raks score, went to go celebrate with him, and then it kind of clicked. It's cool. Obviously, it's a humongous moment for him, for this organization, and I couldn't be happier for him."

Crosby knew it was only a matter of time before he reached the big moment, and it had certainly been challenging over the past handful of games. 

"It's kind of mixed emotions because that number, I've been hanging around," Crosby said. "The hockey gods made me earn it, I feel like, the last few games. But just to get the win, to get a win in a shootout, it all kind of lined up well tonight."

Alone At The Top Of Penguins' History, Sidney Crosby Keeps Redefining GreatnessAlone At The Top Of Penguins' History, Sidney Crosby Keeps Redefining GreatnessPittsburgh Penguins' captain Sidney Crosby has officially surpassed NHL legend Mario Lemieux for the most points in franchise history - and he continues to redefine and reinvent greatness.

Unfortunately, the Canadiens tied things up early in the second period courtesy of rookie Ivan Demidov, who registered his eighth goal of the season. There was some back-and-forth action to follow, and - just past the midway point of the period - Kris Letang was behind his own goal line, and he airmailed a Murphy dump to a breaking Noel Acciari in the offensive zone. From the left circle, Acciari sniped a top-shelf wrister past Habs' goalie Jakub Dobes to give the Penguins a 3-2 lead heading into the third. 

The third period has been a nightmare for the Penguins of late, as they have surrendered more leads than they can count. It happened again on Sunday, as Noah Dobson put home a backhander from the slot to tie the game again. The Penguins - and Silovs - responded well, but neither team could finish. 

Then, in overtime - where the Penguins are 0-3 this season - Pittsburgh really tempted fate. Montreal controlled possession for nearly the entire extra frame and hit two posts, but Silovs also made some saves to keep the Penguins' hopes alive. Somehow, they escaped overtime only to go to a shootout, where things have been even worse this season.

The Penguins were 0-5 in shootouts going into this one. They had only three shootout goals on the season, and Silovs had only made one shootout save. The odds were stacked against them, and they certainly knew that. 

After Eighth Straight Loss, Where Do The Penguins Go From Here?After Eighth Straight Loss, Where Do The Penguins Go From Here?The Pittsburgh Penguins are at a crossroads after their 4-0 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday, which handed them their eighth straight loss. What's next for the organization?

So, in response, they changed things up. Instead of trotting out the standard shootout lineup of Bryan Rust, Sidney Crosby, and Kris Letang, they tried something else. They first sent out Kevin Hayes, who placed a soft shot over the right shoulder of Dobes and into the net. Then, Silovs made a save on Alexandre Texier. Crosby was stopped. Cole Caufield scored on Silovs.

And this is another area where the Penguins are sure glad to have Rakell back, as he has scored at over a 40 percent clip for his career in the shootout. Rakell came in slowly and meandered from the right side, dragging and showing forehand until the last second, when he deked backhand and found space between Dobes's right arm and his body to put it home. 

Silovs - with the game in his hands - was up to the task on Nick Suzuki, who he stymied with the left pad. He dropped to one knee and did an uppercut in celebration, and the Penguins' shootout curse was finally lifted. 

"It means a lot because we haven't done it yet," head coach Dan Muse said. "Honestly, you know, it's a matter of time. It's been a tough couple weeks. It's been tough, and you go back, and every game's been a little bit different. But it is. It just f---ing wears on you, and obviously, when you go through these types of stretches, that's just the reality of it. They're hard, and it's emotional.

"But these guys care. They care a lot. They want to win, and they're going to win. And, so, you have a stretch like this... I think it was only fitting that we kind of come out of a tough couple of weeks with a shootout win."

All in all, the win was a full-team effort. The Penguins, again, refused to lose this game, and they were able to give Crosby some space to celebrate his special night. 

The Penguins NEEDED Sunday's Win And They Got ItThe Penguins NEEDED Sunday's Win And They Got ItThe Pittsburgh Penguins needed a win in the most significant way, and they secured it.

But, most importantly, it's wins like this that can be a catalyst for a struggling team. Just as the loss that resulted from a shorthanded goal by the Anaheim Ducks with 0.1 seconds on the clock back on Dec. 9 could have defined their season, a cathartic win that came together the way it did on Sunday can also define a season. And the Penguins are hoping that it's the start of better days to come. 

"It's huge," Crosby said. "I mean, you look at how close the standings are, and those points are massive. So, hopefully this gets us over the hump."

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NBA, FIBA to begin formally talking to teams about NBA Europe in January

Whatever is happening with domestic expansion, the NBA Europe league is moving full speed ahead.

The NBA and FIBA announced Monday that they "will in January move forward in their joint exploration of a new professional, pan-European men's basketball league by engaging prospective teams and ownership groups in the process to join the league." While for the last year there have been informal meetings with potential teams — and J.P. Morgan has looked into the financials of potential investors — things are now about to become much more formal.

The 12-16 team league is projected to have several "permanent" members — Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich have been mentioned as teams the league met with — but also will provide "a merit-based pathway" to qualify each year, either through FIBA's Basketball Champions League or another European league tournament. The new NBA league will need some big-name existing clubs to get the fan buy-in it seeks across Europe.

"[The NBA has met with] a combination of existing clubs, organizations that own clubs in other leagues, city officials, many of whom I've met with, as well, governmental leaders of states in terms of their interest," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in Las Vegas last week before the NBA Cup final. "I'd say we've heard a lot of very positive interest in our moving forward.

"I think we at the league office are still working on the economic model, want to make sure it makes sense. As I've said before, many of the cities we'd like to be in don't have a sufficient arena infrastructure, so that's something that we would need to work on in terms of private investment, maybe work with those municipalities, as well."

What the NBA will want is a formal salary structure (likely with a hard cap) to build out this league, and the NBA is banking on its business model — and ability to get some new arenas constructed — to turn this into a profitable venture for both the teams involved and the league.

With its announcement, the league also said both it and FIBA "plan to dedicate financial support and resources to the continued development of Europe's basketball ecosystem, including domestic leagues, club team academies, and the NBA and FIBA's existing programs to develop aspiring players, coaches and referees at all levels of the game."

The goal has been a fall 2027 launch for the new NBA Europe league.

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Nets recall rookie Ben Saraf from G League after 40-point performance

After dropping a career-high 40 points in the G League on Monday afternoon, the Nets are recalling rookie Ben Saraf.

Saraf, one of Brooklyn's five first-round picks in the 2025 NBA Draft (No. 26 overall), was dominant for the Long Island Nets in their 116-97 win over the Oklahoma City Blue in the NBA G League Winter Showcase. 

The point guard shot 54 percent in the scoring outburst, going 14-for-26 from the field, including 6-for-10 from three. He also added in six rebounds, four assists, and a steal.

Saraf does have a right ankle sprain, but is being listed as probable for Tuesday's game against the Philadelphia 76ers.

The rookie has played in just 12 NBA games so far with five starts. In those limited minutes (16.9 per game), he's averaging 5.4 points, 2.8 assists, and 1.6 rebounds per game.

With Cam Thomas still sidelined due to a hamstring injury, Saraf will look to make the most of his opportunities and hope his scoring can translate to the association.

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Mets sign Luke Weaver

The Mets announced Luke Weaver's signing Monday. Reports surfaced last Wednesday that New York and the right-handed reliever were finalizing a two-year contract worth $22 million.

"Over the past few seasons Luke has emerged as one of the most reliable leverage relievers in baseball and we're excited to add him to our pen," said Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns. "Luke's stuff, combined with his experience in high pressure situations in New York, sets him up well for success going forward."

Weaver, 32, spent the past two-plus seasons with the Yankees, who claimed him off waivers in September 2023.

In 148.2 IP over 126 regular-season games from 2024-25, Weaver went 11-7 with a 3.21 ERA and 0.969 WHIP.

"He got a really good deal that he earned," said Yankees manager Aaron Boone this past Friday. "When we got him, it seemed like not a big move at the time, late in the '23 season -- to turn into the reliever and the role he ended up having for us.

"He threw a lot of really big games and productive games over the last couple of years -- credit to him for going out there and making a little alter to his career and it truly paying dividends for him."

Weaver's MLB career has included stints with the St. Louis Cardinals (2016-18), Arizona Diamondbacks (2019-22), Kansas City Royals (2022), Cincinnati Reds (2023) and Seattle Mariners (2023).

The Cardinals selected Weaver from Florida State University with the No. 27 overall pick in the first round of the 2014 MLB Draft.

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Latest Draymond-Kerr spat overshadows heroic Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler efforts

Latest Draymond-Kerr spat overshadows heroic Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler efforts originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – From the roster through the coaching staff and all the way up to the front office, the Warriors have longed for the kind of tag-team performance delivered Monday night by Jimmy Butler III and Stephen Curry.

They were terrific and timely, the baton going from one to the other, and it led directly to a 120-97 victory over the Orlando Magic.

Unfortunately for the Warriors, Butler, Curry and their dual glories had to share the spotlight with an inglorious moment in the third quarter between Draymond Green and coach Steve Kerr.

“We got into it, obviously,” Kerr said. “And I took the timeout because I thought we lost our focus there a little bit. And we had it out a little bit. And he made his decision to go back to the locker room to cool off.”

It was during the timeout with 8:31 left in the third quarter that matters reached a boiling point. Kerr was facing the bench, within a couple feet of Draymond, and it became clear their blowup was escalating. Green left his seat on the bench and headed into the locker room, with player development coach Anthony Vereen on his heels.

“Tempers spilled over,” Green said. “And I thought it was best that get out of there. I didn’t think it was a situation where it was going to get better. So, it was best to remove myself.”

Though this was not the first or second or third time that Kerr and Green have clashed in their 11-plus years together, this was the most public display. Once Draymond went to the locker room, Kerr basically considered him done for the night.

“Well, he left, he went back to the locker room,” Kerr said. “We moved forward, and the guys played great. They helped win with a really good second half, and I’m very proud of the team.”

Both Kerr and Green insisted that the raw emotions will not linger, and maybe they won’t. They have, again, a history of tempestuous moments and have continued to be supportive of each other.

“We’ve been at this now for a long time,” Green said. “So, sometimes when you’re with people for a long time, there’s a level of comfort, and s–t happens. We move forward.”

What can’t be ignored is that this is the second consecutive game Golden State has flourished without Green. After he was ejected in the second quarter Saturday against Phoenix, the Warriors flipped a 10-point deficit into a six-point win. This time, the team’s response was even more emphatic, as they outscored the Magic 54-26 after Green left the game.

“There’s a sense of urgency when he’s not out there because our margin for error goes down without his presence,” Curry said. “So that’s the frustrating part about this whole thing. Being 15-15, we feel like we’re playing better than your record shows because we can respond. We were resilient.

“You know, being able to respond like we have these last two games doesn’t mean anything long term. I don’t know, but it makes it fun, because you have adversity, whether it’s from the other team or something self-inflicted and you’re able to respond the way that you need to, to get a win because it matters. And nobody’s letting go of the rope.

It was Curry and Butler who had the tightest grip on this night. As Curry struggled through an abysmal first half, Butler’s obscene efficiency kept the Warriors afloat against the lengthy and pesky Orlando Magic. He took six shots and turned them into 16 points.

When Curry – who scored eight points on 13 field-goal attempts in the first – came out of halftime with a 15-point third quarter on 6-of-6 shooting, including 3-of-3 from deep. Butler subtly slid over so the franchise player could open the door to a 120-97 victory that put the Warriors back at .500 (15-15).

It was as if Butler and Curry had swapped capes at halftime.

“Two of the best players in the league when we got Jimmy last year, that’s what it looked like,” Kerr said. “Two stars, carrying the team. Draymond at center, holding down the defense. We go 23-8 and win a round in the playoffs. We’ve seen this. It’s just that here in the early part of this season, we haven’t been able to capture that same momentum.

“But I’ve been saying this for weeks. I’m very confident in this group, and I think we’re going to we’re going to find it. And I think you saw, you know what, what that can look like tonight.”

There is a hitch in the comparison to last season’s late surge. Draymond played fewer than 18 minutes, and the Warriors did their best work without him. On a night when Kerr and Green were snapping at each other, Butler and Curry held it down. It worked splendidly in this game. If only that would assure that the next few days and games will be free of drama.

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Foster Griffin and Nationals finalize 1-year, $5.5 million contract

WASHINGTON — Left-hander Foster Griffin and the Washington Nationals finalized a $5.5 million contract.

Griffin, who pitched in Japan for the Central League’s Yomiuri Giants the past three years, is the first free agent signing for new Nationals president of baseball operations Paul Toboni, hired by the team in late September.

The 30-year-old Griffin was a first-round pick by the Kansas City Royals in Major League Baseball’s 2014 amateur draft and made his big league debut with that franchise in 2020.

Griffin also appeared with the Royals and Toronto Blue Jays in 2022, and his full experience in the majors consists of seven games, all in relief, with a 1-0 record and a 6.75 ERA.

Toboni is beginning the job of reconstructing the Nationals, who fired president and general manager Mike Rizzo and manager Dave Martinez in July. They have endured six consecutive losing seasons since winning the World Series in 2019, including a 66-96 record this year that placed Washington 14th out of 15 clubs in the National League.

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Mets jettison Jeff McNeil in trade to A’s, follows departures of Alonso, Nimmo and Díaz

NEW YORK — The Mets jettisoned another core player as part of their retooling, trading second baseman Jeff McNeil to the Athletics for minor league right-hander Yordan Rodriguez.

New York will send cash to the A’s to offset some of the $17.75 million remaining in McNeil’s four-year, $50 million contract.

McNeil follows Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo and Edwin Díaz in departing the underperforming Mets, who failed to reach the playoffs this year despite the second-highest payroll behind the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.

McNeil, who turns 34 in April, won the NL batting title with a .326 average in 2022, when he was picked for his second All-Star team. He hit .243 with 12 homers and 54 RBIs in 122 games this year, when he made his season debut on April 25 after recovering from a strained right oblique.

He has a $15.75 million salary next year as part of a deal that includes a $15.75 million team option for 2027 with a $2 million buyout.

Rodriguez, who turns 18 on Jan. 29, signed with the A’s for a $400,000 bonus this past January and went 2-0 with a 2.93 ERA in one start and seven relief appearances for the Dominican Summer League A’s. He struck out 20 and walked eight in 15 1/3 innings.

New York had added closer Devin Williams, infielder Jorge Polanco and Gold Glove second baseman Marcus Semien, and the Mets have a pending deal with free agent reliever Luke Weaver.

The A’s designated left-hander Ken Waldichuk for assignment.

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Red Sox acquire All-Star first baseman Willson Contreras from Cardinals for three young righties

BOSTON — The Boston Red Sox acquired three-time All-Star Willson Contreras from the St. Louis Cardinals in a trade for right-hander Hunter Dobbins and two pitching prospects.

The 33-year-old Contreras is a .258 hitter with 172 homers and 548 RBIs in 10 seasons with the Cubs and Cardinals. He spent most of his career as a catcher before moving to first base last year, when he batted .257 with 20 homers and 80 RBIs.

Dobbins, 26, went 4-1 with a 4.13 ERA as a rookie in Boston last year before tearing the ACL in his right knee and missing the second half of the season. The Cardinals also will receive Single-A righties Blake Aita and Yhoiker Fajardo.

St. Louis also sent cash to Boston as part of the deal.

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Two New Jersey Devils Hit Milestones On Sunday

Two New Jersey Devils players hit milestones on Sunday night against the Buffalo Sabres. Colton White played his 100th NHL game, and Luke Glendening appeared in his 900th NHL game.

White has spent most of his career with the Devils after being drafted in the fourth round of the 2015 NHL Draft.

The 28-year-old played for the Devils from 2018-19 until 2021-22 before joining the Anaheim Ducks for the 2022-23 season. This season, he returned to the Devils and has appeared in four games with the team.

White has four assists in his 16 games and reached a milestone on Sunday, appearing in his 100th NHL game. 54 of those games were with the Devils, while 46 were played with Anaheim.

In total, White has earned 14 points, all assists, in his time in the league.

In Colton White's Return To NHL He's Proven Invaluable To Devils In Colton White's Return To NHL He's Proven Invaluable To Devils As <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-jersey-devils/latest-news/amid-inconsistent-play-devils-gm-tom-fitzgerald-must-make-trade">New Jersey Devils</a> Public Address Announcer&nbsp;Adam Hamway announced the in-game Dessert Race from his booth at the top of Prudential Center on Friday night, down below on the ice was <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-jersey-devils/players/new-jersey-devils-utica-comets-spengler-cup-colton-white-nhl-ahl">Colton White</a>&nbsp;skating small laps near his team's bench.&nbsp;

Luke Glendening also hit a milestone, playing in his 900th NHL game on Sunday.

Glendening began playing for the Detroit Red Wings in 2013-14 after going undrafted. The 36-year-old spent eight seasons with the Red Wings before joining the Dallas Stars for two seasons, the Tampa Bay Lightning for two seasons, and finally found his way to the New Jersey Devils this season.

In 36 games this season, the center has three assists. In his entire career, he has scored 83 goals and tallied 86 assists for a total of 169 points.

The two Devils celebrated their milestones alongside one another at the Prudential Center.

The Devils ultimately fell 3-1 to the Buffalo Sabres; however, the players' accomplishments were not overlooked.

Make sure you bookmark THN's New Jersey Devils site for THN's latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.

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Remembering Former Devil Paul Gagne

Former New Jersey Devils forward Paul Gagne passed away on December 17th following a battle with cancer. ​

Gagne was the 19th overall pick in the 1980 NHL Entry Draft. He played two seasons with the Colorado Rockies before the team was relocated to New Jersey. ​

Following the relocation, Gagne played for the New Jersey Devils from 1982-83 to 1985-86. ​

In a total of 390 career games, Gagne earned 211 points, tallying 110 goals and 101 assists.​

The Devils organization shared a message following the passing of their former player.

​“The Devils’ organization is saddened to learn of the recent passing of Paul Gagné. Paul spent six seasons with the franchise as a forward, including being an original Devil when the team moved to New Jersey, and is remembered as a member of the ‘Kid Line’. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends at this time.”​

The NHL alumni association shared a similar sentiment.

​“The NHL Alumni Association is deeply saddened to learn that Paul Gagné has passed away at the age of 63...Paul suited up for the Colorado Rockies, New Jersey Devils, Toronto Maple Leafs, and New York Islanders, respectively, over the course of his NHL career...​We send our heartfelt condolences to Paul's family, friends, and former teammates during this incredibly difficult time.” ​

The 63-year-old spent a total of six seasons with the Devils.

His legacy as a Devil will be remembered forever. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's New Jersey Devils site for THN's latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.

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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.