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Mariners snag All-Star Brendan Donovan in three-team trade

MLB: Cincinnati Reds at St. Louis CardinalsSep 16, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz (44) is out at second base as St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan (33) turns a double play in the fifth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Puetz-Imagn Images

Needing one more piece to solidify their everyday lineup, the Seattle Mariners acquired All-Star infielder Brendan Donovan from the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday to highlight a three-team deal that also included the Tampa Bay Rays.

The versatile Donovan, 29, earned an All-Star spot last year as a second baseman, but he appeared at every position except pitcher, catcher and center field during his four-year run with the Cardinals that featured a slash line of .282/.361/.411. He earned a Gold Glove for his utility work during his rookie year in 2022.

To nab Donovan, who has a $5.8 million deal for 2026 and another year beyond that before becoming a free agent, the Mariners reportedly are sending 2024 first-round pick Jurrangelo Cijntje, a switch-pitcher, and 2023 first-round pick Tai Peete to St. Louis and second-year third baseman Ben Williamson to Tampa Bay.

The Rays, in turn, are sending Double-A outfielder Colton Ledbetter and a Comp B draft pick to the Cardinals.

Donovan gives the Mariners a fourth All-Star for their lineup — joining catcher Cal Raleigh, center fielder Julio Rodriguez and left fielder Randy Arozarena. Donovan can fit in at third base, which Eugenio Suarez vacated as a free agent ticketed for the Cincinnati Reds, or he can move to second if the Mariners decide 22-year-old Cole Young isn’t ready to be a regular there.

Cijntje provides the Cardinals yet another young starter with six years of control. The 22-year-old Netherlands native made 26 appearances (23 starts) between High-A Everett and Double-A Arkansas last season and compiled a 5-7 record with a 3.99 ERA, 120 strikeouts and 51 walks.

Of the 459 batters he faced last year, Cijntje threw right-handed to 397 of them. He piled up 111 strikeouts versus 32 walks as a righty but nine strikeouts and 19 walks as a lefty.

Peete, 20, hit just .217 while spending all last season at High-A Everett, but he produced 19 homers and 25 steals while playing center field.

Williamson, Seattle’s second-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, made his big-league debut last year and compiled a .253/.294/.310 slash line in 85 games with one homer, 21 RBIs and five steals. The 25-year-old did not appear during the Mariners’ postseason run to Game 7 of the American League Championship Series.

Ledbetter, 24, spent all of 2025 with Double-A Montgomery and fashioned a .265 average with 37 stolen bases and seven homers. Ledbetter and Cijntje were teammates at Mississippi State in 2023.

–Field Level Media

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Hurricanes blow lead, come back to edge Senators

NHL: Ottawa Senators at Carolina HurricanesFeb 3, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal (11) checks Ottawa Senators defenseman Tyler Kleven (43) during the first period at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images

Seth Jarvis scored two goals, Sebastian Aho supplied a goal and two assists and Jordan Staal scored the tiebreaking goal with 5:07 remaining as the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Ottawa Senators 4-3 on Tuesday night in Raleigh, N.C.

Brandon Bussi made 22 saves, including strong work down the stretch, to boost his record to 22-3-1 as a rookie. The Hurricanes, whose points streak increased to a season-best nine games (7-0-2), saw a two-goal lead vanish. However, they recovered on Staal’s 14th goal of the season when the Senators were slow to respond on a line change.

Stephen Halliday, Tim Stutzle and Jake Sanderson, who also had an assist, scored for the Senators, who fell short of notching their first five-game winning streak of the season. Nick Cozens provided two assists. James Reimer, a former Carolina goalie (2019-21), made 14 saves in defeat.

The Hurricanes, competing in their final home game prior to the Olympic break, managed only two shots on goal in the third period.

Jarvis scored twice in a span of 3 minute, 2 seconds in the second period as the Hurricanes built a 3-1 lead.

But 40 seconds after his second goal, Stutzle posted a power-play goal. Then Sanderson pulled the Senators even on a power-play goal 4:57 into the third period.

It marked the third time in a six-day span that the Hurricanes didn’t protect a multiple-goal lead, but they’ve recovered to win two of those.

Halliday tipped in a Jordan Spence shot for the game’s first goal 2:46 into the game.

Jarvis boosted his goals total to 25. Aho has a three-game goals streak and he became Carolina’s third player to reach the 20-goal mark this season. Staal, the captain, has surpassed his goal total of last season.

–Field Level Media

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Elvis Merzlikins, Blue Jackets blank Devils for 6th win in row

NHL: Columbus Blue Jackets at New Jersey DevilsFeb 3, 2026; Newark, New Jersey, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins (90) makes a save as New Jersey Devils left wing Paul Cotter (47) looks for the puck during the second period at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

Elvis Merzlikins made 24 saves for his first shutout of the season and Mathieu Olivier scored two goals in the Columbus Blue Jackets’ 3-0 win over the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday in Newark, N.J.

The Blue Jackets extended their season-high winning streak to six games. Columbus is 10-1-0 in its past 11 games and has won five straight away games after completing a 3-0-0 road trip on Tuesday.

Merzlikins earn his 12th career shutout while improving to 11-8-1 on the season. After some early struggles, Merzlikins has played better during the Jackets’ hot streak, splitting starts with Jet Greaves.

Olivier’s two goals and Dante Fabbro’s go-ahead goal all came during a commanding third period for the Blue Jackets, who outshot New Jersey 13-7 in the final frame.

Jacob Markstrom stopped 23 of 25 shots for the Devils, who are 1-4-0 in their past five games.

Nico Hischier and Arseny Gritsyuk each hit the post in the third period as New Jersey took its sixth shutout loss. The Devils have scored only 142 times this season, tied for the third-fewest goals of any team in the NHL.

A would-be goal from the Blue Jackets’ Danton Heinen 5:10 into the first period was nullified after the Devils made a successful goalie-interference challenge. That was as close as either team came to scoring over the first 45 minutes, in part due to solid goaltending at both ends.

Columbus finally broke the deadlock 5:24 into the third period, as Fabbro’s shot from outside the circle beat a screened Markstrom. Fabbro was making his return to the lineup after a foot laceration kept him out of the previous six games.

Olivier extended the lead at the 12:05 mark as the Jackets took advantage of a sloppy New Jersey line change. Cole Sillinger’s pass found a wide-open Olivier, who converted a slick backhanded shot.

Markstrom was pulled with just under five minutes remaining in the third period, but it was the Blue Jackets who took advantage while down 6-on-5. At the 16:00 minute mark, Dougie Hamilton slashed Olivier when the Jackets forward was approaching the empty net, and Olivier was awarded an automatic goal.

–Field Level Media

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Cade Cunningham, Pistons hold off Nuggets for series sweep

NBA: Denver Nuggets at Detroit PistonsFeb 3, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) tugs on the shorts of Denver Nuggets guard Tim Hardaway Jr. (10) before trying to drive past him in the second quarter at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

Cade Cunningham had 29 points and 10 assists as the host Detroit Pistons held off the Denver Nuggets 124-121 on Tuesday night.

Duncan Robinson scored 20 points and Jalen Duren supplied 19 points and 13 rebounds in a game the Pistons never trailed. Detroit was coming off a 53-point victory over Brooklyn on Sunday, the largest margin in franchise history.

Tobias Harris contributed 11 points and six rebounds, including a key 3-pointer late. Isaiah Stewart chipped in 11 points with six rebounds, while Ausar Thompson had 10 points and six rebounds.

Jamal Murray led Denver with 32 points and eight assists. Nikola Jokic had 24 points and 15 rebounds, while Peyton Watson had 17 points and Julian Strawther added 15.

Jonas Valanciunas had 11 points with 11 rebounds for the Nuggets, but the Pistons clinched the two-game season series. They won in Denver 109-107 a week earlier.

During a chippy first half, the Pistons pulled away to a 69-50 halftime lead. There were five technicals and a flagrant foul assessed during the first two quarters.

Cunningham led the way with 17 points and seven assists and backcourt partner Robinson tossed in 14 points. Murray led the Nuggets with 14 points and five assists.

The Pistons finished the half on a 10-0 run. Cunningham assisted on a Thompson basket, then drilled a 3-pointer. A steal and fast break dunk by Thompson, followed by another Cunningham 3-pointer, closed out the half.

The lead increased to 20 when Thompson made a layup two minutes into the third quarter. Late in the quarter, Denver had a 7-0 spurt — capped by a Murray layup — to pull within 11. Detroit’s lead was 93-80 heading into the fourth.

Jokic hit a 3-pointer to cut the Pistons’ lead to 98-89. After the Nuggets pulled within eight, Robinson hit a 3-pointer with 4:10 left.

The Nuggets refused to fold, as a 9-0 surge capped by a Murray 3-pointer cut Detroit’s advantage to 112-110. Harris answered with a 3-pointer to give the Pistons some breathing room. The Nuggets never got closer than three points the rest of the way.

–Field Level Media

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