J.T. Miller involved with Penguins trade

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Penguins added another first-round selection ahead of the NHL Draft, acquiring the No. 12 overall pick from the New York Rangers on Tuesday.

The deal completes an earlier trade agreement involving a conditional draft pick originally sent to the Vancouver Canucks. The Rangers had acquired forward J.T. Miller, a former East Palestine resident, from Vancouver in January, with the Canucks receiving a conditional first-round pick that was later flipped to Pittsburgh in a separate trade for defenseman Marcus Pettersson.

The condition allowed New York to retain its 2025 first-round selection if it landed in the top 10, or defer the pick to 2026. With the pick landing at No. 12 overall, the Rangers had the option to keep it or send it to the Penguins. General manager Chris Drury chose to part with the selection and hold onto the team’s 2026 first-rounder instead.

For Pittsburgh, the move gives general manager Kyle Dubas back-to-back first-round picks in Friday’s draft, as the Penguins also hold the No. 11 selection. It marks the first time since 2012 that Pittsburgh owns multiple picks in the opening round.

The Rangers will now make their first pick in the second round at No. 43 overall.

The 2025 NHL Draft begins Friday night in Los Angeles.

Former Guardian still trying

CHICAGO (AP) — Noah Syndergaard will attempt to make a comeback with the Chicago White Sox, who have signed the veteran right-hander to a minor league deal.

Syndergaard has reported to the team’s spring complex in Glendale, Arizona, the White Sox confirmed Tuesday.

The 32-year-old last pitched in the majors in 2023, when he was cut by Cleveland. He went 2-6 with a 6.50 ERA in 18 combined starts for the Guardians and Los Angeles Dodgers that year.

Nicknamed “Thor” for his long blond hair and 6-foot-6 frame, Syndergaard debuted for the New York Mets in 2015 and won a World Series start that season. He was an All-Star in 2016, but injuries have sidetracked his career.

Syndergaard is 59-47 with a 3.71 ERA in eight major league seasons.

Gillis to host ESPY awards

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shane Gills will host ESPN’s annual awards show, the ESPYS, the network announced Tuesday.

The ceremony, which honors the top athletes and sports moments of the past year, will be held in Los Angeles on July 16 and broadcast live on ESPN.

The 37-year-old Gillis is one of the nation’s most successful touring comics and the creator and star of the Netflix series “Tires.” He also hosts “Matt and Shane’s Secret Podcast” with fellow comedian Matt McCusker.

“I’m excited to be at the ESPYS this year,” Gillis said in a statement. “I like sports so this should be a good time.”

The ESPYS began in 1993 and benefit the V Foundation for Cancer Research, the charity founded by ESPN and the late basketball coach Jim Valvano at the first ESPYS ceremony.

Mogilny finally gets the call

Alexander Mogilny’s long wait for the Hockey Hall of Fame is over, as the high-scoring Russian winger was named Tuesday as part of the eight-member class of 2025.

Mogilny was joined by fellow former NHL players Joe Thornton, Zdeno Chara and Duncan Keith as well as women’s hockey stars Brianna Decker and Jennifer Botterill. Mogilny had been eligible for election 16 previous years dating to 2009, passed over time after time until getting in on the 17th chance.

Ron Francis, chairman of the 18-person selection committee for the first time, in announcing Mogilny’s inclusion mentioned that Mogilny is one of just 30 players in the Triple Gold Club for winning the Stanley Cup and gold at the Olympics and world championships. Mogilny also led the league in goals in 1992-93 with a total of 76 that is tied for the fifth most in a single season.

Thornton, Chara and Keith all got in in their first year of eligibility. Thornton’s 1,539 points rank him 14th all time, while Chara captained Boston to the Cup in 2011 and Keith won it three times with Chicago, including in 2015 as playoff MVP.

Decker and Botterill going in at the same time adds another American and Canadian among women inducted, making it a total of 12.

Longtime Boston University coach Jack Parker and women’s coach Daniele Sauvageau were elected in the builders category. Sauvageau, currently the general manager for Montreal in the Professional Women’s Hockey League, is the first woman to make it in as a builder.

“When I received the call, I couldn’t talk,” said Sauvageau, who got the news hours before the PWHL draft after interviewing a player who could be chosen. “The timing could not have been better.”

Jays slam Guards

CLEVELAND (AP) — George Springer broke the game open with a grand slam in the eighth inning, Eric Lauer held Cleveland scoreless until the sixth and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Guardians 10-6 on Tuesday night.

Springer’s eighth career slam and 11th home run this season gave the Blue Jays a 10-4 lead. He went 3 for 5 with three runs scored to pace Toronto’s 14-hit night.

Lauer (4-1) allowed one run — a solo shot by Carlos Santana in the sixth inning — and five hits in 5 1/3 innings. The left-hander struck out five and walked three to stretch his winning streak to three games.

It was the second time Lauer pitched in Cleveland during his seven-year career. He grew up in Grafton, Ohio, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) from Cleveland and played at Kent State.

Alejandro Kirk hit RBI singles in the first and fifth innings for the Blue Jays. Jonatan Clase extended the lead to 6-1 with a two-run single in the seventh.

Lane Thomas drew the Guardians to within 6-4 with a three-run home run in the seventh. Kyle Manzardo connected in the ninth.

Cleveland starter Logan Allen (5-5) gave up four runs (three earned) and eight hits over 5 2/3 innings.

Ortiz hits two homers to doom Buccos

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Joey Ortiz homered twice and Caleb Durbin added a three-run shot as the Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 9-3 on Tuesday night.

Durbin and Ortiz — the last two hitters in Milwaukee’s lineup — went a combined 4 of 8 with four runs and seven RBIs. They hit back-to-back homers off Andrew Heaney with two outs in the fourth inning to extend the Brewers’ lead to 6-0.

Ortiz also broke a scoreless tie with a two-run blast in the third as the Brewers won for the fifth time in six games. Ortiz has gone 12 of 26 over his last six games, raising his batting average from .188 to .217 and improving his OPS from .506 to .572.

Pittsburgh’s Nick Gonzales hit a three-run homer one night after going 5 for 5 in a 5-4 victory over the Brewers. The homer was his third of the season.

Milwaukee’s Freddy Peralta (8-4) held Pittsburgh scoreless until he ended his night by allowing two singles and Gonzales’ homer to start the sixth inning. Peralta struck out eight and yielded seven hits and no walks.

Heaney (3-7) struck out three and allowed seven runs, three walks and seven hits in four innings.

Key moment

The Pirates failed to break a scoreless tie in the second inning despite loading the bases with nobody out on consecutive singles by Spencer Horwitz, Ke’Bryan Hayes and Adam Frazier. Horwitz was forced out at home when Henry Davis hit into a 5-2 fielder’s choice. After Peralta struck out Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Brewers left fielder Isaac Collins ended the threat by making a sliding catch on a fly ball from Oneil Cruz.

Key stat

The two homers by Ortiz doubled his season total to four. His last homer before Tuesday came on May 22, also against the Pirates.

Up next

This series closes Wednesday afternoon with Paul Skenes (4-6, 1.86 ERA) pitching for Pittsburgh and Jacob Misiorowski (2-0, 1.64) starting for Milwaukee in a highly anticipated matchup of flamethrowing right-handers.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB