Addison Barger, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. homer on consecutive pitches as Blue Jays beat Red Sox 5-3
By KEN POWTAK Associated Press
Addison Barger and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. homered on consecutive pitches from Walker Buehler in the first inning and Toronto capitalized on the right-hander's wildness to add two runs in the fourth in a 5-3 win over the Boston Red Sox on Sunday.
Andrés Giménez and Nathan Lukes each had an RBI single as Toronto took two of three games in the weekend series and improved to 7-3 against Boston this season.
Buehler (5-6), who is guaranteed $21.05 million in a one-year free agent contract signed during the offseason, is 1-4 with a 7.80 ERA in his last six starts.
Carlos Narváez hit a solo homer and Ceddanne Rafaela an RBI double for the Red Sox, who have lost seven of eight. Boston reliever Zack Kelly walked off the mound with a trainer due to right oblique tightness.
Yariel Rodríguez (2-0) got five outs in scoreless relief and earned the win. Jeff Hoffman struck out three batters in the ninth for his 18th save.
Barger hit a slider into the right-field seats and Guerrero Jr. sent a fastball over the Green Monster at Fenway Park.
Key moment
After Boston rallied to tie the game at 2, Buehler gave up a go-ahead run-scoring single to Giménez and then walked the next two batters - Jonatan Clase and Tyler Heineman - to force in a run. He issued three walks in the inning.
Key stat
Boston dropped its third straight series and has lost three of four since trading Rafael Devers to San Francisco two weeks ago.
Up next
Blue Jays RHP Max Scherzer (0-0, 5.63 ERA) makes his second start since coming off the injured list from a right thumb injury on Monday in a home game against the Yankees. LHP Carlos Rodón (9-5, 2.92) is scheduled for New York.
Red Sox LHP Garrett Crochet (7-4, 2.06) is slated to start Monday against Cincinnati RHP Chase Burns (0-0, 5.40).
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New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
What I'm hearing about Pius Suter's market, Canucks' approach to free agency
The Vancouver Canucks spent Sunday filling out their roster for development camp, and regrouping after the NHL Draft. The club was thrilled with its 2025 draft class, as most teams are in the immediate aftermath. In particular, the Canucks were happy with the outcome from their process. They're confident that first-round pick Braeden Cootes is a special person, with an opportunity to be an organizational fixture for years to come. There is also excitement about second-round selection Aleksei Medvedev, the London Knights netminder who goaltending scout Ian Clark insisted on throughout the scouting process. Advertisement As the attention turns to the upcoming free-agent frenzy, there is some frustration that the Canucks have been unable to meaningfully tend to their significant short-term needs at centre to this point. Vancouver acquired winger Evander Kane last week to add some heaviness and skill to the forward group, but there's still a gaping hole in the middle of the top six. The Canucks had an understanding dating back two months that the unrestricted free agent market was unlikely to yield a high-impact forward. Vancouver's hockey operations leadership had also understood that attempting to fill short-term needs on the trade market would represent improving their team 'the hard way.' Aside from a trio of trades for John Gibson, Charlie Coyle and Noah Dobson, there was surprisingly little major player movement over the weekend. Most of the acquisitions fell into the Jordan Spence, Declan Chisholm or Justin Sourdif tier of minor deals. Like the leaguewide cash crunch in the fall of 2020, or the cap crunch conditions that teams operated in throughout the flat cap era, we're now seeing a talent crunch gum up the NHL marketplace. Simply put, there is more available cap space in the system at the moment than there are high-quality unrestricted free agent players on whom to spend it. Teams have enough cap flexibility that, to this point, there's limited external pressure to proactively fix roster problems or to trade NHL-level contributors for cap-neutral asset capital like draft picks or prospects. And given how much market desirability is impacting contractual outcomes, every team is scrambling to identify the players open to being part of their organization. Everyone is terrified of falling too deep into a Chicago or San Jose-like scorched-earth rebuild. As I worked the phones on Sunday to try to get a sense of where the Canucks stood ahead of July 1, the word of the day from the organization was 'caution.' Advertisement The Canucks need to be careful in navigating their way through what remains of the so-called silly season, and balancing their short-term goals with the long-term reality of a franchise that's both in transition and under significant pressure to build momentum next season. Some of the players who will be available could help Vancouver now, but they're unlikely to be especially efficient additions. As much as the Canucks want to improve their roster and try to win now, there's an understanding that overpaying for short-term upgrades could inhibit their ability to make a more impactful move down the line, when the leverage is greater, and the options more impactful. This is the time of year, after all, when mistakes get made. Conscious of that, and the significant pressure the organization is feeling to improve, the Canucks are going to spend the next 48 hours or so trying to be selective. It's fair to be skeptical. It's been well over a decade, after all, since anybody won a cent betting on the Canucks being selective with the long view in mind. Whether they're intent on managing expectations locally, or more actively recalibrating their short-term goals in light of their options and the sky high prices in free agency and on the trade market, that's the balance the Canucks are attempting to judiciously weigh as the clock ticks down toward July 1. Every time I ask my industry contacts about pending unrestricted free agent Pius Suter and what his market value could look like, the number gets a little bit higher. It's like the opposite of Jose Canseco's 40 time. What was $3.2 million ('he could double his salary') at the deadline, rather quickly became '$4 million or more' after Suter's 'ka-ching' goal-scoring run late in the season. Now, over the past two weeks, the conversation has morphed from 'maybe $4.5 million with term,' climbing all the way to between $4.5 million and $5 million, which is the figure an executive on Sunday evening suggested that Suter could realistically land on the open market. And that was before the new Morgan Geekie comparable. Advertisement Clearly, the market has broken heavily in Suter's favour. Not only have centres continued to demand a significant premium on the trade market and at the draft table, but most of the older pivots with name-brand value — Matt Duchene, Claude Giroux, John Tavares, Brock Nelson and Sam Bennett — have already extended with their teams. Outside of Mikael Granlund, Suter is probably the most credible top-six centre option still unsigned as July 1 approaches. It's also worth noting that Suter scored more goals this season (25) than Granlund did (22). The Canucks have remained in contact with Suter's camp throughout this process, but the two sides haven't been grinding away to find common ground. Given Vancouver's inability to land a significant centre upgrade on the trade market during draft weekend, however, Monday is shaping up to be a key day in determining whether or not Suter will ultimately make it to market this week. For the Canucks, it's last call on Suter, and I wouldn't be surprised if Vancouver took one final run at retaining the versatile, productive forward, with an understanding that he's surely gone if he makes it to market on Tuesday. The Canucks have always been big fans of Suter as a player and person. He's earned a significant raise and is coming off a career year. The conversation really centres on that. Was it just a career year, a one-off, or a new level of performance that Suter is likely to be able to sustain? How the Canucks ultimately decide to answer that question will determine their willingness to meet Suter's price at the 11th hour. If I were to handicap this one, it seems more likely than not that Suter will go to market. The door remains open just a crack, however, and I do get the sense that Vancouver will engage Suter's camp one last time on Monday before the door shuts for good. 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I have begun to get the sense, though, in talking through offseason planning with team sources, that there's also an increasing internal recognition that this team is in transition. A realization that, perhaps, exercising some patience may be required. That recognition is in obvious tension with the fact that there is a lot of pressure, both in the Vancouver market and structurally on the Canucks, to find a way to take a big swing and connect on landing a difference-maker to improve this team. To excite this market. To convince Quinn Hughes to stay. But the Canucks want to be mindful of not doing something just to do something. Especially if that 'something' costs them an amount or an asset that they would view as reckless. Based on what team sources told The Athletic on Sunday, there appear to be moves that the Canucks could make to improve this team short-term. However, the most worthwhile among those options could cost them a key asset like their 2026 first-round pick, Jonathan Lekkerimäki, Tom Willander or defender Elias Pettersson. Advertisement That's not a price that Vancouver has been willing to pay. I even get the sense that it's a price the Canucks are unlikely to be willing to pay, period, unless the return is genuinely transformative. We'll have to see if the significant pressure and desire to improve wins out over the rational plan to be disciplined. For what it's worth, the Canucks do expect the trade market to shake loose somewhat in the days and weeks ahead, especially as some teams move money around to facilitate major acquisitions. That won't necessarily apply to every team, but management appears to be keeping close tabs on these types of situations in case a scenario presents itself, one that would permit the Canucks to land a short-term, contributing player at a more manageable acquisition price. In the event, which has been more probable than not for weeks, that both Suter and Brock Boeser walk as unrestricted free agents on Tuesday, I'm hearing that the Canucks will be shopping for a centre when the market opens. The Canucks would need to send cap commitments out the door to really get into the bidding on Granlund. While I believe that Vancouver would have some interest in the player, all things being equal, breaking the bank to add him doesn't seem to be an especially probable outcome. Even with a player like Jack Roslovic, a slick-skating, right-handed forward who can play centre and who the Canucks have kicked the tires on in the past, I expect that the market will price out their interest. The Canucks, it seems, are prepared to roll with Filip Chytil and Räty as top-nine centres to open next season, but I'd also look for the team to be linked to names like Radek Faksa. Even assuming Vancouver is able to stay disciplined and focus on the long view, the Canucks will still look to strengthen down the middle this week. They just may be looking somewhat further down their lineup than they had hoped to. (Photo of Pius Suter: Simon Fearn / Imagn Images)
New York Times
2 hours ago
- New York Times
Cardinals' Brendan Donovan emerges as a leader during transition season
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It's not much — a memento acknowledging the milestone — but the sentiment behind the gesture carries considerable weight. The Cardinals were more than halfway through the 2023 season when this tradition began, but Donovan's season was over after elbow surgery in August. St. Louis was struggling through its worst season in over three decades. Donovan couldn't help on the field, but felt he could make an impact behind the scenes. 'I was trying to build a culture,' Donovan explained. 'How do I make people comfortable? How do I make them feel they belong?' Donovan began asking these questions nearly two years ago, and he hasn't stopped since. He does have some answers, and it shows in how he navigates a clubhouse where he's gained full respect. Throughout this transition year in St. Louis, no player has grown into more of a leadership role than Donovan. It has required him to far surpass his comfort zone, and he's had to learn a lot. 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How can I give competitive at-bats? How can I run the bases?' Donovan said. 'That's how I look at it: What can I do to try to help this team win on a daily basis?' His play certainly helps. The Cardinals (47-38) are fresh off a three-game sweep of the Cleveland Guardians and sit a season-best nine games over .500, firmly in the National League playoff hunt. Donovan has been instrumental in leading them. At the season's halfway mark, he's hitting .297 with a team-best .376 on-base percentage. His .793 OPS ranks second on the Cardinals to Alec Burleson's .804. Donovan has the defensive skills to play around the diamond, but he's been so solid at second base that the Cardinals are reluctant to move him to the outfield unless it's truly necessary. He's a unanimous choice around the clubhouse to represent the team at the All-Star Game. Donnie goes deep on the FIRST pitch of the game! — St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) June 28, 2025 But there is more to the game than producing, at least from Donovan's perspective. When the Cardinals announced their plans to reset in 2025, Donovan could have felt stuck in the middle. He was entering his fourth full season in the majors but still not experienced enough to be considered a veteran. As the organization shifted its focus to young and upcoming players, it would have been understandable if Donovan felt like he was on the outside looking in. Instead, he realized he had an opportunity to share his insight. 'That's what I took to this offseason, but that's what I've tried to do my whole career,' Donovan said. 'I didn't see it as anything different. We have some guys that are learning how to become themselves, learning about the game. Unfortunately, the best teacher of this game is failure. So I thought, 'How can I aid some of these players? How can I be a shoulder or an ear they can come to?' And I can listen and hopefully provide some guidance.' Advertisement It took some trial and error. Donovan is not a flashy personality. He prefers to lead by example. But that leadership style isn't what the clubhouse needed from him this season. The Cardinals needed young players to be accountable and lead the charge for the next wave of talent. Veteran players Willson Contreras and Nolan Arenado encouraged this dynamic, reasoning that if the focus is on the future, the future needs to step up. So Donovan took a few uncomfortable steps forward. 'I don't seek it,' he said. 'I don't want to be loud and obnoxious. I don't want to be that guy. But I think it's important for me to try to raise the level of play through preparation. I've seen it through former teammates. I've seen it with my parents, my military mom running a household while dad's on deployment. Being the same person every day, setting the example of working hard, no excuses. That's what I try to do. 'Where do I think I've grown in that? I think I've tried to invest more in people. I've tried to get to know them as a person to show that I genuinely do care about them, and that they can feel comfortable coming to me, speaking to me, knowing they can confide in me.' It can be as simple as a text message, a suggestion in the batting cages or a short conversation over a meal. In Thomas Saggese's case, it was an offer to break down some video. Saggese, a 23-year-old infielder who has bounced between Triple A and the majors, was in his first stint with the Cardinals this season when he saw Donovan make a break for the film room after the game. Curious, Saggese asked where he was going. An invitation followed. 'Come with me.' Donovan's rigorous routine isn't just for pregame. After most games, he heads straight to the Cardinals' video room to break down plays and swings with head video coordinator Chad Blair and first-base coach Stubby Clapp. With Saggese in tow, Donovan helped analyze specific moments, good and bad. Film clips ranged from solid defensive stops and balanced swings to questionable defensive routes and base-running gaffes. These film sessions allow Saggese to explain what he was thinking in real-time. When asked, Donovan shared what he would have done and how he might go about things differently. He detailed what he liked about the play and what he didn't. Advertisement Bouncing ideas off each other helps both players, Donovan explained. The goal isn't to get on players if they make a mistake. The goal is to teach through an open dialogue. 'I try to do things like him,' Saggese said, unable to contain a sheepish smile. '(Donovan) is someone you can really trust. He's pretty quiet, so you have to go up to him and talk to him. I've made that one of my priorities. … He's definitely a big part of this team.' For all the teaching he's been doing, Donovan is still evolving himself. He became a first-time father last year; his wife, Aly, and 1-year-old daughter, Viviane, accompany him to most home games and on many road trips. Donovan is far from a perfect player, but he takes exceptional pride in ensuring he's at his best every day. 'There are only a few things you can control in this game: your mentality, your preparation and your hustle,' Donovan said. 'I might get a little more nicks and bruises, but I enjoy playing hard.' Younger players aren't the only ones taking note. Earlier this month, Contreras applauded Donovan's defense at second base, his diligence and, most notably, his growth. 'You can see him working,' Contreras said. 'He's a professional on and off the field. It's really good to have a guy like him who goes to work and puts 100 percent effort in day in and day out. His energy and work ethic are contagious.' As the Cardinals continue to force their way into playoff conversations, heightened tensions loom. For many of these players, including Donovan, it would be the first time they have faced pressure of this nature. Donovan welcomes such scrutiny. As with his everyday play, he's not shying away from anything. The future core of this club will continue to be a focus. 'A player's dream is to be with one organization their whole career, and to win a lot and to bring a lot of success and a lot of joy to a fan base,' Donovan said. 'I would love to be a part of that.'
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Ranking The Last 10 NBA Finals MVPs: Where Does SGA Fall On The List?
Ranking The Last 10 NBA Finals MVPs: Where Does SGA Fall On The List? originally appeared on Fadeaway World. We dropped our article ranking the last 10 NBA champions, and now it's time to elevate the narrative by spotlighting the Finals MVPs who burned brightest on that stage. Yes, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's incredible haul, Finals MVP, and regular-season MVP in 2025 was historic. Advertisement But how does he stack up against the emotional saviors like Jaylen Brown last season or the superstar powerhouses like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Stephen Curry, who dominated Finals MVP hearts and spotlights? We're taking the same ESPN-quality lens: every Finals MVP from the last decade goes under the microscope, stats, storylines, impact, and stage presence. Then we'll see where SGA lands. Did he eclipse some of the biggest names in NBA history with his Finals performance? 10. Jaylen Brown - 2023-24 Boston Celtics Jaylen Brown stepped into the spotlight in the 2024 Finals, putting up 20.8 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 5.0 APG, 1.6 SPG, and 0.8 BPG over five games to earn Celtics MVP honors. His scoring efficiency wasn't great (44.0% FG, 23.5% 3-PT FG, 73.3% FT), but nobody shot well in the series, and it was what Brown did across the court and in key moments that earned him the recognition. Advertisement His presence was capped by Game 5's 21 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists in a 106–88 championship clincher. Beyond box score numbers, Brown's quiet leadership was also critical to Boston's identity shift. He and Jayson Tatum formed a historic duo and etched their names into Celtics lore with their unselfishness. His defense, especially swarming Luka Doncic late in games, set the tone while Tatum did his thing on offense (22.2 PPG). It was a Finals where poise mattered, and Brown delivered on both ends, just enough to edge out Tatum for MVP. 9. LeBron James - 2019-20 Los Angeles Lakers LeBron delivered one of the most polished Finals MVP performances of his career in the 2020 NBA Finals, averaging 29.8 PPG, 11.8 RPG, and 8.5 APG across six games against the Miami Heat. His efficiency was elite, and he mounted a vintage Game 2 with 33 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists. Advertisement LeBron also topped the Finals leaderboard in rebounding (226 total) and assists (184) while finishing second behind Anthony Davis in scoring and win shares. In Game 6, he secured the title with 28 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists, his fourth Finals MVP, and the first player ever to earn that honor with three different franchises (Heat, Cavs, Lakers). His leadership held through the unpredictable pandemic bubble, guiding a Lakers team that had missed the playoffs the year before to a 16-5 postseason run, and matching the Lakers-Celtics record of 17 titles. His achievement "only" ranks 9th because we have seen LeBron achieve this level of greatness before, and his previous performances in the Finals series were even better than this one. 8. Stephen Curry - 2021-22 Golden State Warriors Curry's crowning moment was cathartic and compelling. After years of heartbreak, he dropped 27.4 PPG in 22 playoff games and averaged 31.2, 6.0 RPG, 5.0 APG in the Finals, including a 43-point barrage in Game 4. His bucket-heavy, game-tilting injection of brilliance reminded the league who defined spacing and shooting for this generation. Advertisement This MVP was emotional relief in motion. It completed his redemption arc, solidified his legacy, and defused his critics with a dominant, championship-clinching season. It certainly helped that the Boston Celtics were not ready to be champions, but Curry took advantage, and the Warriors flexed their championship experience in an impressive series. 7. Kevin Durant - 2017-18 Golden State Warriors Durant's 2018 MVP run confirmed his 'best-player-on-court' status a year after complete domination. He averaged 28.8 PPG and delivered a monstrous 43-point explosion in Game 3 out of Cleveland's strong defense, a performance many regard as his most dominant Finals outing. Advertisement In the context of a Finals sweep, Durant's scoring wasn't just prolific, it was surgical, neutralizing LeBron and dismantling every defensive scheme thrown his way. Beyond the numbers, it was the dominance. The Warriors dismantled Cleveland 4-0, and Durant not only punished mismatches, he dictated the tempo, hitting game-winning buckets and closing each quarter with surgical efficiency. His back-to-back Finals MVPs (2017, 18) positioned him as a modern legend of postseason dominance and basketball ruthlessness. 6. Nikola Jokic - 2022-23 Denver Nuggets Nikola Jokic's MVP run rewrote the big-man script. Averaging 30.0 PPG, 13.5 RPG, and 9.5 APG, he led the playoffs in all three major categories, becoming the first player ever to do so. Advertisement In the Finals, Jokic was even more dominant, posting 30.2 PPG, 14.0 RPG, and 7.2 APG. His Game 5 clincher (28 points and 16 rebounds) was a tour de force, and the Miami Heat simply had no chance at stopping the talented Serbian. This MVP showed brains, back-breaking finesse, and evolution in a modern playmaking big. A cerebral masterclass that changed how dominance is defined in modern basketball, and we rank his performance in the 2023 Finals in fourth because of that. Sure, the Nuggets might not have had the toughest run to the Finals, and the Heat was massively overmatched, but what Jokic did on the stat sheet doesn't make sense. He put up videogame numbers and delivered Denver's first title in franchise history. 5. Shai Gilgeous‑Alexander - 2024-25 Oklahoma City Thunder Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's Finals MVP in 2025 was both historic and dominant. He averaged 30.3 PPG, 5.6 APG, 1.9 steals, and 1.6 blocks across the series, displaying dominance at both ends. In Game 7, he scored 29 and dished 12 in a performance that sealed the championship and embodied calm leadership. Advertisement He joins an elite cohort, only the fourth player ever to win regular-season MVP, scoring title, and Finals MVP in the same year (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal). SGA set or tied multiple records: most total points (3,172), highest regular-season PPG (32.7), and most 30-point/5-assist playoff games (15). His composure, efficiency, and statistical dominance in pivotal moments secure his spot comfortably in the top five, not just for talent, but for historical transformation. Credit has to go to SGA for also surpassing Kevin Durant as the greatest player in Thunder history. 4. Kevin Durant - 2016-17 Golden State Warriors The 2018 season for Durant was surgical, but his 2017 Finals performance was annihilation. Durant exploded for 35.2 PPG, 8.2 RPG, and 5.4 APG, lifting Golden State to a historic 16-1 playoff run, the best winning percentage in NBA postseason history. Advertisement His takeover in the Finals, capping an unstoppable dynasty, was scoop-pour dominance, rounding out a season where the Dubs were offense, defense, and pure basketball excellence personified. This Finals was Durant at peak assertiveness: he took over every game, every quarter, and every possession that mattered. He carried the scoring load, held the ball under the critical minutes, and prevented Cleveland from mounting any real challenge. This MVP didn't just validate him, it vaulted him into the pantheon of all-time greats. We can't knock Durant out of the top-five because he joined a 73-9 team, because there wasn't a player on the planet who could have done what he did against LeBron and the Cavs. 3. Giannis Antetokounmpo - 2020-21 Milwaukee Bucks Giannis Antetokounmpo's annihilation of Phoenix in 2021 was raw, untamed dominance. He averaged 35.2 PPG, 13.2 RPG, 5.0 APG, including a 50-point Game 6 finish, shooting 17-for-19. His two-way game not only suffocated Devin Booker's Suns but reminded fans why 'Greek Freak' is more nickname than novelty. Advertisement Milwaukee's 50-year drought ended on his back, and ended spectacularly. His relentless drive, transformative athleticism, and stat-stuffing performance made this MVP thunderous among anything else. A mountain-standing performance deserving of top-tier recognition, we have to rank Giannis' Finals MVP performance third on the list. The Bucks were probably not expected to win the title, but dealing with the Kevin Durant-led Nets in the second round and eventually the Booker-led Suns in the Finals was no easy feat. 2. Kawhi Leonard - 2018-19 Toronto Raptors Kawhi Leonard's MVP run with the Toronto Raptors was cold-blooded execution. In the Finals, he averaged 28.5 PPG, 9.8 RPG, and 4.2 APG on an unreal 62% TS. He outperformed Steph and Klay, dismantling Warriors defenses and delivering ice-cold dagger-snap moments, without even mentioning the iconic dagger he hit in Game 7 against the 76ers. Advertisement And it wasn't just volume either, it was clutch moment after moment. Quiet, calculated, methodical, Kawhi's performance ended Canada's championship drought and made history as the first title by a non-U.S. franchise. What made it even more impressive is that Kawhi achieved this in his first and only season with the Raptors, and while he had a tremendous supporting cast featuring Pascal Siakam, Kyle Lowry, Fred VanVleet, and Marc Gasol, it was Leonard who ultimately made the difference and the season was a fairytale from start to finish. 1. LeBron James - 2015-16 Cleveland Cavaliers LeBron's 2016 Finals MVP is the gold standard. Over the seven-game series, he averaged an epic 29.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, and 8.9 assists, leading in all five major statistical categories, a feat no other player has ever accomplished. Advertisement His 'Block' on Iguodala and Kyrie's clutch dagger came in Game 7, moments that defined not just the Finals, but LeBron's legacy. Facing down a Warriors team that had just gone 73-9, LeBron delivered a playoff run that transcended stats and echoed as one of the greatest individual crusades in sports history. The Cavaliers rallied from a 3-1 series deficit for the first time in Finals history, and LeBron did it all against the backdrop of a city's championship drought of 52 years. His Finals run became narrative folklore and permanently altered the trajectory of his career, which is why he is the best Finals MVP over the last 10 years. Related: Ranking The Last 10 NBA Champions After OKC Thunder Win 2025 Title This story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jun 24, 2025, where it first appeared.
