Author: Vivian Penn

DUNEDIN – Former Toronto outfielder Kevin Kiermaier felt like a rookie again on Friday. After closing out a 12-year big-league career last fall by winning a World Series with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Kiermaier was back in Blue Jays colours for the first time since taking on a part-time role with the team.“I’m a special assistant but an outfield specialist,” he said. “An outfield whisperer as I like to call it. I’ll just do what is needed.”The jovial Kiermaier exchanged hugs and handshakes with old friends and former teammates when he returned to the player development complex ahead of morning…

TORONTO – The first half of the Toronto Raptors’ season ended the same way it started — with a blowout loss at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Donovan Mitchell scored 21 points to lead the Eastern Conference-leading Cavaliers to a 131-108 drubbing of the Raptors on Wednesday at Scotiabank Arena.It mirrored the 136-106 win Cleveland kicked off the campaign with back in October.Toronto (17-38) now sits 13th in the Eastern Conference as it heads into all-star weekend at the Golden State Warriors’ Chase Center in San Francisco, while Cleveland (44-10) is comfortably first.Gradey Dick will be the lone Raptors’ representative…

TORONTO – The Cleveland Cavaliers raced to an early lead and never looked back in a 131-108 blowout win over the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday. Cleveland’s balanced scoring attack was headed by all star Donovan Mitchell, who had 21 points. Big men Evan Mobley (12 points, 15 rebounds) and Jarrett Allen (13 points, 10 rebounds) each contributed double-doubles.RJ Barrett, in his first game back after missing four due to concussion protocol, paced the Raptors with 27 points to go with four rebounds and four assists. Scottie Barnes added 16 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists.It was the final contest for…

Life changed for José Bautista after his momentous bat-flip homer, but the former Toronto Blue Jays slugger felt rewarded with the blast’s impact on Canadian baseball from coast to coast to coast. The 44-year-old Bautista was into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame on Wednesday, along with former Major League lefty Érik Bédard, junior national team head coach Greg Hamilton and women’s national team standout Amanda Asay.Asay will be inducted posthumously as will veterans’ committee selections Arleene Noga and Gerry Snyder in a ceremony in St. Marys, Ont., on June 7.“I think everybody remembers the big moments like that,” Bautista…

DUNEDIN – Question marks hover over the Toronto Blue Jays as the team kicks off spring training Thursday when pitchers and catchers hold their first official workout at the club’s player development complex. Here’s a look at five storylines to watch as preparations begin for the pre-season opener on Feb. 22 against the New York Yankees.VLADDY FUTURESlugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the homegrown face of the franchise, is set to become a free agent this fall unless he signs a contract extension with the Blue Jays.He has said he’s willing to negotiate a long-term deal but only until he reports for…

The NHL 4 Nations Face-Off kicks off Wednesday night when Canada plays host to Sweden at the Bell Centre in Montreal. The tournament will also feature teams representing the U.S. and Finland with games happening in Montreal and Boston.About the 4 Nations Face-OffAt the 2024 All-Star Game, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced that the tournament would be held instead of the traditional All-Star Game in 2025.The All-Star Game has been held since 1947 but the league has been tinkering with the format for years to try and make it more appealing to fans.Back when there were six teams, the reigning…

When the final whistle sounded for Super Bowl LIX on Sunday night in New Orleans, Louisiana, the Philadelphia Eagles had come out on top of the Kansas City Chiefs, 40-22. Eagles safety Sydney Brown was only on the field for a couple of snaps in the game but in doing so became the 17th Canadian to win a Super Bowl ring.The London, Ont. native also became the first Canadian to be a part of a title-winning team in three years, following in the footsteps of a pair of St. Louis Rams – Michael Hoecht and Alaric Jackson.It was a lengthy…

By Joshua Clipperton The Canadian Press Posted February 10, 2025 12:40 pm Updated February 10, 2025 1:10 pm 1 min read Descrease article font size Increase article font size Sidney Crosby is good to go. Canada’s captain for the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament says he’s overcome the upper-body injury that kept him out of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ last two games.The 37-year-old took part in his country’s first practice Monday ahead of the showcase event that represents NHL players’ return to high-level competition. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts…

United States President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday intended to ban transgender athletes from participating in girls’ and women’s sports. The order, titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” gives federal agencies wide latitude to ensure entities that receive federal funding abide by Title IX in alignment with the Trump administration’s view, which interprets “sex” as the gender someone was assigned at birth.“With this executive order, the war on women’s sports is over,” Trump said at a signing ceremony in the East Room that included lawmakers and female athletes who have come out in support of a ban, including former collegiate swimmer Riley Gaines.White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the order “upholds the promise of Title IX” and will require…

Sean M. Higgins, the driver charged with killing NHL hockey player Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew while they biked on a rural road in New Jersey last year, is asking a judge to dismiss his indictment in new court documents that say the brothers were drinking prior to the collision. Higgins, 43, was charged with two counts of death by auto, along with reckless driving, possession of an open container and consuming alcohol in a motor vehicle. In September 2024, it was reported that he had a blood-alcohol level of .087, above the .08 legal limit in New Jersey.Higgins struck the brothers…