MLB
Ichiro Suzuki became the first Japanese player chosen for baseball’s Hall of Fame, falling one vote shy of unanimous when he was elected along with CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner. Suzuki received 393 of 394 votes from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. Sabathia was on 342 ballots and Wagner on 325, which was 29 more than the 296 needed for the required 75%. Sabathia and Suzuki were elected in their first appearance on the ballot. Wagner made it on his 10th and final try. The trio will be inducted into the Hall at Cooperstown on July 27 along with Dave Parker and Dick Allen, voted in last month by the classic era committee. Mariano Rivera remains the only player to get 100% of the vote from the BBWAA.
An 11-year-old collector in Los Angeles has scooped up a one-of-a-kind baseball card featuring National League Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes. Now comes the fun part, seeing what the collector could get for it in a trade. The Pittsburgh Pirates have said they'll offer a package that includes season tickets at PNC Park for 30 years in exchange for the card, which includes Skenes' autograph and a patch from a game-worn uniform. Skenes' girlfriend, LSU gymnast and influencer Livvy Dunne, has also offered the winner a chance to join her in a luxury suite during one of Skenes' starts.
NFL
Josh McDaniels is back in Foxborough for a third stint with the Patriots. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports the former New England coordinator under Bill Belichick is expected to be hired by New England to serve as the offensive coordinator on Mike Vrabel’s staff. McDaniels will replace Alex Van Pelt as New England’s OC, with Van Pelt’s future position with the team uncertain after a 2024 campaign where Maye showcased plenty of development, but the overall offensive output (291.9 points per game, 31st in NFL) left a lot to be desired. McDaniels is no stranger to the Patriots. The 48-year-old coach won six Super Bowls in New England while serving in various roles on Belichick’s staff across two previous stints. He joined the team as an assistant in 2001 before eventually taking over as the team’s offensive coordinator from 2005 to 2008. McDaniels returned to New England to be the offensive coordinator again in 2012 and had been in the same role until taking over as the Raiders’ head coach at the end of the 2021 campaign. Sandwiched between his stints in New England were two disastrous head-coaching ventures with the Denver Broncos (2009-10) and Las Vegas Raiders (2022-23).
Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers is scheduled to go on trial Wednesday for allegedly shoving his girlfriend’s head into a wall and choking her after she received a phone call while they were in bed together. Court documents show the 29-year-old Peppers faces charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and possession of a Class B substance believed to be cocaine. Braintree police say they were called to a home for an altercation between two people in October. Court documents say Peppers allegedly pushed the woman to the ground, shoved her head into a wall and allegedly choked her six times.
The Minnesota Vikings and coach Kevin O’Connell have agreed to terms on a multiyear contract extension. The deal reached Tuesday follows a 14-3 regular season that defied external widespread preseason projections of at least a losing record if not a last-place finish in the NFC North. In three seasons with the Vikings, the 39-year-old O’Connell is 34-17 in the regular season and 0-2 in the playoffs. The Vikings didn’t disclose terms of the deal. It was reached with one year remaining on O’Connell’s existing contract.
NBA
Karl-Anthony Towns had 25 points and 16 rebounds, Jalen Brunson scored eight points down the stretch and finished with 17 as the New York Knicks beat the Brooklyn Nets 99-95. OG Anunoby scored 20 points and Precious Achiuwa had 11 points off the bench as the Knicks won their second straight game. D’Angelo Russell finished with 23 points and 10 assists and Cam Johnson scored 16 for the Nets, who have lost four straight games and nine of their last 10.
Nikola Jokic had 27 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists for his 19th triple-double of the season, Aaron Gordon was nearly perfect from the floor and the Denver Nuggets beat Philadelphia 144-109, extending the 76ers’ losing streak to seven games. Jokic finished his triple-double late in the third quarter with an assist that led to a dunk from Gordon. Jokic didn’t play in the fourth. Denver pushed the pace and tied a season high in points. The team also outscored the Sixers 39-7 in fast-break points. Tyrese Maxey had 28 points and 10 assists for a Sixers team that remains without an injured Joel Embiid.
Anfernee Simons scored 24 points, Deandre Ayton had 22 points and 15 rebounds, and the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Miami Heat 116-107. Jerami Grant finished with 18 points and Deni Avdija added 16 for the Blazers, who lost by 60 the last time they played in Miami on March 29, 2024. Shaedon Sharpe had 12 points while Scoot Henderson and Dalano Banton finished with 11 each. Rookie Kel’el Ware had 20 points and 16 rebounds and Duncan Robinson finished with 22 points for the Heat, playing without leading scorer Tyler Herro, out because of groin tightness. Jimmy Butler had 13.
Scottie Barnes had 17 points and 11 rebounds, RJ Barrett scored 19 points and the Toronto Raptors overcame a 21-point deficit to beat the struggling Orlando Magic 109-93. Gradey Dick scored 17 points and Bruce Brown had 15 as Toronto snapped a four-game losing streak against Orlando. The Raptors won for the first time this season when trailing at halftime. Toronto came in 0-23 in such games. Paolo Banchero had 26 points and 12 rebounds but Orlando couldn’t hold on after taking leads of 10-0 and 32-11 in the opening period.
LeBron James had 21 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds one day after flying to Atlanta and back to watch a football game on his day off, and the Los Angeles Lakers sent the Washington Wizards to their 11th consecutive defeat with a 111-88 victory. James recorded his 121st career triple-double and his ninth of the season. The top scorer in NBA history showed no ill effects from his long trip Monday to watch Ohio State’s College Football Playoff championship game victory over Notre Dame.
The Phoenix Suns have acquired three future first-round picks from the Utah Jazz in exchange for another first-round pick. The teams announced the deal on Tuesday. The Suns now own first-round picks in 2025, 2027 and 2029 that are the least favorable selections between Cleveland and Minnesota in 2025 and between Cleveland, Utah and Minnesota in both 2027 and 2029. The Jazz acquired the Suns’ 2031 unprotected first-round pick.
Victor Wembanyama stood on the center stripe of a new outdoor court in his hometown, his arms outstretched to their full 8-foot wingspan as he posed for a slew of photographers. He could not have seemed happier. Wembanyama unveiled a gift of sorts to his hometown and the next generation on Tuesday, a pair of outdoor courts — one for 5-on-5 play, the other for 3-on-3 play — that were built to the specifications that he wanted and sketched out himself.
NHL
Igor Shesterkin made 20 saves, Alexis Lafreniere had a goal and an assist and the New York Rangers beat the Ottawa Senators 5-0. Arthur Kaliyev, Matt Rempe, Artemi Panarin and Will Cuylle also scored for the Rangers, who are 7-1-3 since Jan. 2 and have won three tsraight at home. The shutout was Shesterkin’s third this season and the 18th of his career. Lafreniere beat Ottawa netminder Leevi Merilainen at 18:48 of the first. Merilainen made 14 saves before he was replaced by Anton Forsberg who finished with 10 saves.
Jiri Kulich had a goal and two assists and the Buffalo Sabres rallied to beat the Vancouver Canucks 3-2 on Tuesday night. JJ Peterka also scored and had an assist for the Sabres, while Tage Thompson scored his team-leading 21st of the season. Rasmus Dahlin registered two assists. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 32 shots for Buffalo. Elias Pettersson and Phillip Di Giuseppe — with his first of the season — scored for the Canucks, and Thatcher Demko made 23 saves.
Rasmus Ristolainen scored in overtime and the Philadelphia Flyers defeated the Detroit Red Wings 2-1 on Tuesday night. Ristolainen tapped a loose puck just across the goal line with at 4:34 in overtime. Detroit defenseman Moritz Seider tried to clear the puck from in front of the goal but happened to pin it against the post, allowing Ristolainen to have the easy tap-in. Joel Farabee scored for the Flyers and Samuel Ersson made 27 saves. Ben Chiarot scored for the Red Wings, who lost their third straight game and fourth in the last five games.
Jake Evans scored the winning goal with 2:15 remaining to rally the Montreal Canadiens past the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2. Juraj Slafkovsky and Alex Newhook also scored and Sam Montembeault stopped 33 shots to help Montreal win for the 13th time in 17 games. Rookie defenseman Lane Hutson extended his points streak to nine games. Patrik Laine added two assists. Nikita Kucherov and Jake Guentzel scored for Tampa Bay. Kucherov pushed his points streak to 10 games. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 19 saves.
Jesperi Kotkaniemi scored both Carolina goals, the second coming 24 seconds after Dallas’ tying goal midway through the third period, as the Hurricanes beat the Stars 2-1 on Tuesday night. Pyotr Kochetkov made 22 saves for the Hurricanes. Thomas Harley scored and Jake Oettinger stopped 17 shots for the Stars. Martin Necas’ two assists give him 54 points in 48 games after having 53 last season in 77 games.
Nick Blankenburg scored at 8:09 of the third to lead the Nashville Predators to a 7-5 comeback victory over the San Jose Sharks. Jonathan Marchessault had a goal and three assists, Tommy Novak scored and had two assists and Fedor Svechkov, Justin Barron, Roman Josi and Filip Forsberg had goals for the Predators, who have won four straight. Juuse Saros and Justus Annunen combined to make 19 saves. Mikael Granlund scored twice, Macklin Celebrini had a goal and an assist and Jake Walman and Luke Kunin also scored for San Jose, which has lost four in a row. Alexandar Georgiev made 34 saves.
Pierre-Luc Dubois had a goal and an assist as the league-leading Washington Capitals won their fifth game in a row, defeating the Edmonton Oilers 3-2 on Tuesday night. Tom Wilson and Matt Roy also scored for the Capitals, who have earned at least a point in an NHL-high 11 straight games. Leon Draisaitl and Corey Perry scored for the Oilers, who have lost two in a row on the heels of earning victories in eight of nine. Logan Thompson made 30 stops in net for the Capitals, while Stuart Skinner recorded just 11 saves in the loss for the Oilers.
Sam Reinhart snapped a three-game goal drought and the Florida Panthers beat the Anaheim Ducks 5-2 on Tuesday night. Carter Verhaeghe had a goal and assist for the Panthers, who picked up a point in their 10th straight game against the Ducks. Evan Rodrigues, Sam Bennett and Uvis Balinskis added goals. Mackie Samoskevich and Tomas Nosek each had two assists, and Sergei Bobrovsky made 28 saves. Frank Vatrano and Mason McTavish scored for Anaheim. Lukas Dostal stopped 24 shots.
WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
OT UConn 80 Butler 78
SOCCER
Liverpool became the first team to guarantee a place in the last 16 of the new Champions League format by beating Lille 2-1 on Tuesday, while Barcelona fought back from two goals down to stun Benfica 5-4 in a thriller. Harvey Elliott’s bouncing, deflected shot gave Liverpool its seventh win from seven games, just after 10-man Lille had equalized following Mohamed Salah’s opening goal. Raphinha scored in added time to complete a rousing comeback as Barcelona beat Benfica despite having been 4-2 down with less than a quarter of an hour remaining.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
The early betting favorite to win next year’s national championship is Ohio State. The question nobody can really answer at this time is what sort of game will the Buckeyes or anyone else return to when they kick it off again seven months from now. A college football program that won the title by spending lavishly and used the transfer portal judiciously joins everyone else in not knowing exactly what the rules will be in this rapidly changing game when next fall rolls around. Still, the Buckeyes are the early 9-2 favorite to win it all in 2025, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
The X Games will experiment judging halfpipe runs this week in Aspen using artificial intelligence, the cutting-edge technology that could someday play a role in the way subjectively judged sports are scored. Long a trendsetter in action sports, the X Games and its new CEO, freestyle skiing great Jeremy Bloom, teamed with Google founder Sergey Brin to build the technology. Using Google Cloud tools including Vertex AI, Bloom thinks this experiment has potential to change the game on halfpipes, then maybe on slopestyle courses, skating rinks and anywhere a judge is used to score a contest.
WNBA
Brittney Griner is testing the free agent market for the first time in her career. Her agent says the All-Star center is taking meetings starting Tuesday with multiple teams. WNBA executives were in Miami for the opening of Unrivaled to talk with Griner and other free agents. Griner has been a free agent before, but always re-signed with the Phoenix Mercury since she was first drafted by the franchise in 2013 as the No. 1 pick. Unrivaled has some of the top unrestricted free agents, like Griner and Courtney Vandersloot, as well as a few players who most likely will play on other teams next season.
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