He’s one of the last ones off the practice field every day.

He runs a mini version of the day’s practice script, to get himself ready for the weekend’s game and to help the young Detroit Lions teammates who stay out there with him — Hendon Hooker and Jameson Williams, among others — understand what it takes to succeed in the NFL.

And when Teddy Bridgewater finally gets to the locker room, there’s almost always a card game waiting at the table a few steps from his locker.

Tonk is Bridgewater’s deal of choice, and Bridgewater has a reputation as the best player in a running game that draws teammates from every corner of the room. Practice squad quarterback David Blough, linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin, and defensive tackle Benito Jones are regulars, and on a recent Thursday, practice squad receiver Tom Kennedy, tight end Brock Wright, and newly-signed defensive tackle Tyson Alualu peered in, watching and talking as cards shuffled by.

For Bridgewater, the game has little to do with taking his teammates’ money. It’s about getting to know their souls inside and out.

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‘Y’all see it as us playing cards, but I’m learning about different guys,’ Bridgewater told the Free Press earlier this month. ‘It started out just me and Benito Jones playing cards, now we get a group of guys around the table. It’s fun. I get to learn about their families, their upbringing, what motivates them, things like that. So for me, every day is something new.’

And in what he swears will be his last NFL season, Bridgewater, who told the Free Press he plans to retire whenever the Lions season comes to a close, said it’s part of what has made his last hurrah a memorable one, even though he’s barely seen the field.

‘Everyone sees the wins and losses, and it’s the small victories, the daily victories that take place in this locker room,’ he said. ‘You talk about a team that is young, quick to run to their phones after practice, after games, and you see guys like mingling and just having conversations. Ping-pong, card table, cornhole. Guys sitting on the couch. Like, that’s what it’s about. That’s the league that I came into and I’m happy that I get to just see and be a part of this great locker room.’

The Lions signed Bridgewater this summer to provide veteran insurance for Jared Goff in a deal that truly was years in the making.

When general manager Brad Holmes traded Matthew Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams for Goff and three draft picks in January of 2021, one of the deals he passed up was acquiring Bridgewater and the No. 8 overall pick from the Carolina Panthers.

Lions coach Dan Campbell spent two seasons with Bridgewater with the New Orleans Saints, watched him keep the Saints’ playoff hopes alive with five emergency starts — all of them victories — in 2019, and has long championed bringing him to Detroit.

Campbell and Bridgewater stayed in regular communication last offseason, with Bridgewater contemplating retirement after the birth of his second son, until one day in the summer Bridgewater decided, yes, he did want to play one more year — and he wanted to do it with friends and people he considers like family in Detroit.

‘I was really like content with being done,’ Bridgewater said. ‘And it wasn’t really like much that went into it, it was just I felt healthy, I could walk away on my own terms and that was that. But when Dan, like we talked, and we talked, and we talked, and we talked, and it was like, ‘Man, all right, Dan, I got you.”

Campbell wasn’t the only familiar face that drew Bridgewater to the Lions.

Bridgewater had longstanding relations with Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard and practice squad receiver Maurice Alexander before coming to Detroit.

‘He was like, ‘Man, I’m telling you, man, you’ll make a huge impact in Hendon and Jamo’s life just being here,” Bridgewater recalled. ‘Dan, yeah, but I’m going to come here for those two guys as well. So I’m close to Hard Time (Alexander), but Hendon and Jamo, I tell them all the time you’re the reason I signed here.’

Bridgewater has always been the altruistic sort.

Alexander said Bridgewater is ‘the neighborhood hero’ back home in the hard-scrabble Liberty City area of northwest Miami where Bridgewater grew up.

Bridgewater helped Alexander, who grew up in nearby Florida City, break into the NFL by calling coaches he knew and urging them to give Alexander a look after Alexander missed two years of football because of the COVID-19 pandemic and was making a position change from quarterback to receiver in the USFL.

He had the football field dedicated to him at Bunche Park in Miami Gardens this summer, and he hosts random toy and school supply giveaways annually that draw little fanfare outside of his neighborhood.

‘Teddy’s one of them guys, it can be July, he could have a U-Haul full of toys, bookbags, bikes and he’ll pass it out,’ Alexander said. ‘He’s on a pedestal, he’s on the higher of the high, ’cause he always keep his face clean, do right by people, always keep a smile on his face, give you the shirt off his back. That’s just who he is. Down to earth.’

A first-round pick by the Minnesota Vikings in 2014 after a star-studded career at Louisville, Bridgewater seemed to be on the fast track to stardom early in his NFL career.

He started 12 games as a rookie, led the Vikings to an 11-5 record and division title in his second year, then suffered a gruesome knee injury during training camp in 2016.

Bridgewater returned as a backup late in the 2017 season and has spent the past six years with six different NFL teams: The New York Jets, who traded him before he ever played in a game; the Saints, Panthers, Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins and Lions.

Reflecting on his journey now, Bridgewater said his injury brought both perspective and peace to his life.

‘I was young and I was trapped in this lifestyle thinking that I was a football player 24-7, and when I got hurt I realized that I’m only a football player for three hours on a Sunday afternoon,’ Bridgewater said. ‘Outside of that, I’m Theodore Bridgewater, so it just put everything into perspective and it really helped me not even have to think about not being a starter (anymore). It’s like, ‘Man, I still got purpose.’ And my purpose is bigger than the game of football. Football is just a platform that I have.’

Part of that purpose is to groom the next generation of what he hopes will be stars.

Bridgewater said he took a special interest in Hooker, the Lions’ third-round pick who is in the process of returning from a college knee injury, because, ‘I was once Hendon.’

‘A young rookie in this league. I was once injured, so I just figured that, man, I could give him everything that I’ve learned from the different quarterback rooms that I’ve been in and poured into him and he has a 15-year career,’ Bridgewater said.

With Williams, the Lions’ uber-talented second-year receiver whose impact has been dulled so far by his own college knee injury and the four-game gambling suspension he served to start the year, Bridgewater said, ‘He just reminds me of someone from where I’m from.’

‘I’ve had boys who had the same talent as him, the same personality, the same skill set — everything that he possess, and they didn’t get the opportunity to make it,’ he said. ‘So I just constantly remind him like, ‘Man, you’re here for a reason, you’re special. Let’s be a pro. Learn how to be a pro and I guarantee you you’ll play 15 years in this league because you got the one thing that everyone wants, you can run.’ So, just, man, those two guys have really meant a lot to me, and just, Hard Time been running routes with me since like 2019, so just those three guys.’

Alexander, Hooker and Williams all said they’re appreciative of Bridgewater, too.

‘I really can’t explain it, but he just did so much good for me just me knowing him the couple months I knew him,’ Williams said. ‘A lot of people from where we’re from or a lot of people from around the world don’t get a chance, but he just make sure the ones who do stay on the right track and don’t fall off.’

Campbell brought up Bridgewater’s name unprompted Thursday, ahead of Saturday’s game against one of Bridgewater’s old teams (the Broncos) and old head coaches (ex-Saints boss Sean Payton).

‘Teddy’s been unbelievable for a lot of people here,’ Campbell said. ‘He’s a huge asset for us, aside from the obvious, which is if we need him, he’s a guy that can go in and win for us. But, man, he does so many things behind the scenes that I think a lot of people don’t even realize. He’s a valuable asset for our team.”

If things go according to plan, Bridgewater will have already played his last NFL snap.

He played the final series of a Week 5 win over the Carolina Panthers, handed the ball off once to Craig Reynolds for a 4-yard gain and took two kneel-down snaps.

Bridgewater said he plans to retire after the season so he can be a father to his two boys and continue to make an impact in his community back home that he said ‘is food for my soul.’

He plans to coach high school football next season — the head coaching job at his alma matter, Miami Northwestern, is open — and he has no interest (for now) coaching in college or the NFL (‘I don’t like the hours’). Instead, he’ll be a regular at his favorite breakfast spot, MLK (My Little Kitchen) in Liberty Square.

But there’s a chance that Bridgewater’s career could come full circle.

The Lions play the Vikings in two of their final three regular season games, including in Week 18 at Ford Field. Bridgewater said he’s bound to get emotional before that during the national anthem, the ‘one place that reminds me that I’m special,’ and after the game when he goes to say a prayer at midfield.

If the Lions have a playoff spot and seeding all locked up by then, there’s a chance Bridgewater could make one final start against his old team, if the Lions decide to rest Goff.

‘Everything happens for a reason,’ Bridgewater said. ‘Injuries, highs, lows, the success, the failures. It all, it builds character, and that’s what it did for me. Like I never look like, ‘Oh man, what if?’ Nah. Whatever was meant for me, it played out the exact way it was meant. And I’m still with that mindset every day and I’m just really appreciative that I’m in Year 10, I tell everyone this is my last year, so I’m in my final year and I’m just enjoying it all, man.’

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. – Nez Balelo, wearing a white T-shirt, cream-colored pants and tennis shoes, sips on his vanilla latte Friday morning, sitting relaxed in room 640 at the Newport Beach Marriott.

No more frenzied and secret recruiting trips.

No more frantic telephone calls.

No more listening to erroneous reports.

No more negotiations.

HOT STOVE UPDATES: MLB free agency: Ranking and tracking the top players available.

The most lucrative free-agent sweepstakes in sports history, culminating with Shohei Ohtani signing a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, is finally over.

And finally, ever so slowly, after six weeks of restless nights, Balelo exhales.

“I think there’s just a sense of really big relief that it’s now behind us. He knows where his home is going to be for a long, long time.’’

Ohtani ‘should be praised’ for deferred payments

Balelo is being widely celebrated for his historic deal, but also hears the criticism. Ohtani’s massive deferrals, paying him $2 million a year and deferring $68 million each year, lowers the overall value to $460 million, according to Major League Baseball’s valuations.

“It was just a sense of incredible accomplishment,’’ Balelo tells USA TODAY Sports in a 90-minute interview. “It’s so surreal. Just kind of taking it in, taking a deep breath, and detoxing from all of it.’

Frankly, he and Ohtani couldn’t care less, and Balelo is not about to apologize for Ohtani’s burning desire to win.

“There’s no need to defend yourself on this,’’ Balelo said, “because it is the most incredible act of unselfishness and willingness to win that I’ve ever experienced in my life, or ever will. He did not care at all about the present value inflation. And you know what, neither did I.

“He should be praised for this. He did not want to handcuff a team with his salary. He said, “How can I contribute to a team and allow them to stay competitive? So he took the most unselfish approach possible and deferred everything.’’

Besides, deferred or not, it is still $700 million dollars that will be paid to Ohtani, nearly twice as much as any baseball player in history.

“Even at $2 million, he still will be the highest-paid player in baseball for at least the next five years,’’ Balelo said. “He’s in such a unique position because he’s going to make so much money off the field.’

Ohtani is projected to earn at least $50 million in endorsements beginning next year, so until someone is earning more than $52 million a year, no one will be higher paid. Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout receives the second-most money in endorsements at just $5 million.

“Basically,’’ Balelo says, “he’s in the most unique position of any player in the history of the game to be able to do this. It’s not like we’re setting a precedent that every player now is going to defer everything out in his contract.’’

Agent rips ‘reckless reporting’ about Blue Jays

If there’s a precedent to be made, says Balelo, co-head of baseball at CAA Sports, it may be how he conducted negotiations with teams. The entire process was cloaked in secrecy, frustrating reporters, and leading to a series of erroneous reports a week ago that Ohtani was signing with the Toronto Blue Jays.

“I felt really, really bad for the country of Canada,’’ Balelo said. “And I felt really, really bad for the Toronto Blue Jays organization. They are really good people. What they had to endure, and the pain, wasn’t right. I felt so bad for all of them that they had to go through that because it was the extreme emotional roller coaster of thinking that they had him and then finding out they didn’t.

“That was about the most reckless reporting I’ve ever experienced in this game.’

The false reports provoked several teams to frantically call Balelo to see exactly what was true. The Dodgers knew the reports were false because Balelo had asked them earlier in the day, according to Andrew Friedman, president of baseball operations, if they would be willing to meet the request of the 10-year, $700 million contract with $680 million deferred. The Blue Jays knew Ohtani wasn’t on a plane to Toronto because nothing was scheduled. And certainly, they were well aware that Ohtani has not reached an agreement with them.

Balelo met with Ohtani at 5 p.m. at his home Friday when Ohtani informed him that he wanted to sign with the Dodgers. It was no surprise to Balelo. The Dodgers were always at the forefront in talks. They even laughed at the uproar caused when Dodgers manager Dave Roberts candidly revealed at the winter meetings that the Dodgers and Ohtani had a private meeting at Dodger Stadium, remembering a published report that anything coming publicly from a team would be used against them.

“That was ridiculous,’’ Balelo said. “Those words never came out of my mouth. Doc swallowed an honest pill that day. There was nothing wrong with it at all.

“As you can see, it sure didn’t have an effect, did it?’’

The most agonizing aspect of the ordeal was informing teams Saturday morning that Ohtani didn’t choose them. Balelo called Friedman Saturday morning at his son’s soccer game in Anaheim, and informed him that Ohtani picked the Dodgers and soon would be announcing his decision on his Instagram account. He called the Blue Jays. He called the San Francisco Giants. He called the Chicago Cubs. And he called the Los Angeles Angels, Ohtani’s home for the past six years.

The Dodgers, despite reports, never suddenly increased their offer in the last moments to make Ohtani change his mind. The Giants actually had the identical contract proposal on the table that Ohtani accepted with the Dodgers, according to Farhan Zaidi, Giants president of baseball operations. The Blue Jays’ proposal was similar. And the Angels simply refused to match.

“The Angels are special to Shohei,’’ Balelo said Thursday at the Dodgers’ press conference. “He was there for the last six years. Everybody has to understand. We felt that they earned the right to at least have a discussion at the end. And that’s what we did. …

“The Angels had every opportunity. And we had every opportunity. But at the end, it just wasn’t going to work.’’

One high-ranking executive familiar with the Angels’ negotiations said team owner Arte Moreno refused to accept the heavy deferrals. The Angels don’t have a single player with deferred money, and weren’t about to start now.

If the Angels had agreed to match the Dodgers’ offer, would Ohtani have elected to stay with the Angels?

“We’ll never know,’’ Balelo said, “will we?’’

What we do know is that Ohtani will be spending perhaps the rest of his career with the Dodgers, where 70 million viewed his televised press conference, shown at 8 a.m. in Japan.

The biggest star in the game is now playing for one of baseball’s iconic franchises that has just one World Series title, in the shortened 2020 COVID season, since Kirk Gibson’s home run was heard ‘round the world in 1988.

There’s no clause in his contract that specifies the Dodgers have to be competitive, but considering they have reached the postseason 11 consecutive years with 10 NL West titles, it’s obvious the Dodgers aren’t about to go into a rebuild any time in the next few decades.

Ohtani’s unprecedented contract, which counts for $46 million in the competitive balance tax ledger instead of $70 million, is already paying dividends. The Dodgers used that savings to acquire Tampa Bay Rays ace Tyler Glasnow in a trade Friday, giving him a five-year, $135 million contract that includes $110 million in new money.

Yes, Sho-Time has started in Los Angeles before he even put on his first pair of spikes.

Ohtani, who officially signed his contract Thursday afternoon in the Dodger Stadium offices just before the press conference, ended his day by thanking Balelo and hugging him. They did this together, pulling off a deal in which no one envisioned that it would reach historic levels.

Sure, maybe $500 million. OK, possibly $600 million. But $700 million for a two-way player who underwent elbow surgery in September and won’t pitch again until sometime in 2025 at the earliest?

Really, it started back in spring training when Ohtani decided he wanted to test the free-agent market after the season. He privately informed the Angels that didn’t want to negotiate during the year, and the Angels abided by his wishes. They didn’t trade him at the deadline, holding out hope they could reach the postseason, which would help keep him.

Ohtani, a private man who wouldn’t even disclose the name of his new dog (Dekopin, or Decoy in English), until the press conference, never shied away from letting everyone know the importance of winning to him. You saw it in his face during the World Baseball Classic. When he led Japan to the WBC gold medal, striking out teammate Mike Trout for the final out, it let him know what it felt like to be competing on the biggest stage after never reaching the postseason with the Angels.

“When I went down onto the field and embraced him,’’ Balelo said, “I can honestly say I ‘ve never seen that glow from him before. I knew how important that moment was for him and his country. He understood the impact that he made on the country of Japan.

“There was just such a sense of relief like, “I did it!’

“Of all the incredible things that I’ve witnessed him doing, that was the one that really captured who he truly is as an athlete.’’

Ohtani, 29, one of the most prepared and meticulous athletes in the world, handled his free agency the same way with Balelo. They invited everyone to have a conversation. They distinguished the serious bidders from those who were it only for publicity. And they orchestrated a strategy to assure that everything was handled professionally and not a circus.

What happened at the general manager meetings

When the general manager meetings began at the Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa in Scottsdale, Arizona, Balelo was in town, but at a different hotel. The only ones who saw him were team executives who visited Balelo and gave their recruiting pitches.

“I felt the GM meetings were a good gauge of where the interest level was,’’ Balelo said, “to understand who was serious, and who really who was just kicking the tires. There were a lot of teams that weren’t going to be in play because of the level of [money] where they all felt this was going to go. So that that pretty much eliminated half the field.

“But the preparation started when Shohei told me that we were going to exercise our rights and free agency no matter what. We were going to go ahead and explore the market. So you start going into scenarios in your mind about how to approach the free agency, how to approach teams, how to approach negotiation. It’s not just let’s just get to the GM meetings and figure it out. It was strategic. It was a well thought-out approach, but knowing that there would be audibles along the way.’’

The key to the negotiations, Balelo said, was privacy. It never turned into a media frenzy. No one really knew who was out, who was in, who was in the lead or all of the places Ohtani visited.

Balelo asked teams to keep everything private, and every team readily agreed. Really, it’s the way teams would prefer to operate. Who wants to tip off their competition? And no one wants to look like losers in the high-stakes sweepstakes.

“I’m so glad we did it this way, and I would do the same thing over and over again,’’ Balelo said. “There’s not even a question in my mind. The clubs appreciated it and respected it. There wasn’t a team that said, ‘You know what, let’s just get this out.’

“Shohei and I wanted to be able to control the narrative, and teams were on board with it. I heard that some media members felt that I needed to share information because this is a historical moment, but I 100% disagree. I can’t even begin to even think how that makes sense. There has to be a level of confidentiality. …

“This was arguably the most highly exposed free agent ever on the market, and ultimately, I got the best result. So how can you judge and criticize the way that I approached this?’

In the end, it all worked out the way it was meant to be.

Ohtani, who insisted he was open to playing in colder climates, now gets to stay in Southern California.

The Dodgers land baseball’s biggest and brightest star where they can expand globally.

Major League Baseball has a TV ratings bonanza having Ohtani performing in the second-largest market in the country.

And baseball has a hero, forfeiting his present day-valued paychecks for potential future World Series championships.

“I don’t think we’re going to see anything like this,’’ Balelo said, “ever again.’’

Follow Bob Nightengale on X @Bnightengale

CLEVELAND (AP) — Cleveland Browns star defensive end Myles Garrett was fined $25,000 by the NFL for “public criticism of officiating’ after he made pointed remarks following last week’s game against Jacksonville, a person familiar with the situation told USA TODAY Sports.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the league has yet to announce the fine. 

Garrett was informed of the fine Saturday.

Angered by the Jags not being penalized for holding him, Garrett called the officiating a travesty following Cleveland’s 31-27 win and said it’s time for the officials to be held to a higher standard.

“Someone has to hold them accountable for the plays or the calls they don’t make,” he said. ‘And they need to be under the same kind of microscope as we are every single play.”

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Garrett’s frustration had been building at what he feels is a lack of penalties being called against offensive linemen while blocking him. He’s been stuck on 13 sacks for three weeks and believes the officials haven’t been treating him fairly.

“It had been something that had been stoked for the last couple weeks, and then other rushers have been also dealing with the same thing,” Garrett said following practice Friday. “I can only speak for myself, but once you’ve got a whole position kind of fed up of how they’re being treated, then you know something’s kind of off.”

Pittsburgh’s T.J. Watt, another of the league’s elite pass rushers, recently made similar comments to Garrett’s.

On Friday, Garrett said he didn’t regret his outburst.

‘Absolutely not,” he said, adding he doesn’t fear any backlash.

‘Right now I’m not getting any calls, so it can’t get much worse than that,” the four-time Pro Bowler said. “But I hope it has a positive effect. I’m not trying to offend anybody. I just want them to do their job to the best of their ability.”

Browns coach Kevin Stefanski had no issues with the dominant Garrett speaking his mind.

“We’re not the thought police,” he said. ‘Our guys can voice their opinions. “I remind the officials of it every game. Just so they’re aware that teams are going to be doing everything in their power to slow down (No.) 95. That’s what they’re talking about in their building.

‘So when he’s being clearly restricted, we expect it to be called.”

The Browns (8-5), who are trying make the playoffs for just the second time since 2002, host the Chicago Bears (5-8) on Sunday. The last time the teams played in 2021, Garrett recorded a career-high 4 1/2 sacks and the Browns sacked quarterback Justin Fields nine times in a 26-6 win.

BOURNEMOUTH, England – Luton captain Tom Lockyer was responsive in the hospital after suffering cardiac arrest and collapsing on the field during the English Premier League match at Bournemouth on Saturday.

The 29-year-old Lockyer received about seven minutes of treatment on the field as fans at Vitality Stadium looked on with concern. The game was abandoned soon after he was carried away on a stretcher.

The score was 1-1 at the time and referee Simon Hooper made the decision to abandon the game, with the clock having stopped in the 65th minute.

“Our medical staff have confirmed that the Hatters captain suffered cardiac arrest on the pitch, but was responsive by the time he was taken off on the stretcher,” Luton said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter. “He received further treatment inside the stadium, for which we once again thank the medical teams from both sides.

“Tom was transferred to hospital, where we can reassure supporters that he is stable and currently undergoing further tests with his family at his bedside.”

The club said players from both teams “were in no state of mind to continue with the game” after seeing Lockyer collapse. They returned to the field later to applaud the supporters who stayed back and chanted Lockyer’s name. Luton manager Rob Edwards was in tears.

“We thank everyone for the wonderful applause and singing of Locks’ name inside the stadium at such a difficult time,” Luton said. “Now is the time for all of our players, staff and supporters to come together as we always do and give our love and support to Tom and his family.”

Lockyer, a center back who plays for Wales’ national team, fell to the grass without any other player near him.

Players from both teams called for help. Edwards also ran onto the field of play and appeared distressed.

It’s the second time this year that Lockyer has collapsed during a game. He also did so against Coventry in the second-tier Championship playoff final at Wembley Stadium in May and underwent heart surgery.

Luton took the lead in Saturday’s game in the third minute through Elijah Adebayo before Dominic Solanke equalized in the 58th.

The Woods kids are growing up.

It’s an all-out family affair for the Woods’ at the PNC Championship in Orlando, as Tiger Woods’ eldest child, daughter Sam Woods, will be caddying for her dad in the first round of the tournament on Saturday.

Sam Woods could be seen on the bag as her father took some practice shots prior to the first round of the 36-hole event being held at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club.

It’s proving to be an all-out Woods event at the 36-hole scramble, as the event famously pairs golfer with members of their family in the tournament. Charlie Woods is teaming up with his dad, meaning both of Woods’ children are participating in a golf tournament with him for the first time ever. Sam Woods is 16 years old and Charlie Woods is 14.

“Sam was fantastic,” Tiger said later, according to Golfweek. “This is the first time she’s ever done this, so it couldn’t have been any more special for all of us.

“For me to have both my kids inside the ropes like this and participating and playing and being part of the game of golf like this, it couldn’t have been more special for me, and I know that we do this a lot at home, needle each other and have a great time. But it was more special to do it in a tournament like this.”

The Woods family will play this weekend as the 15-time major champion continues his recovery from an injury that was reaggravated by his plantar fasciitis. Woods most recently played at the Hero World Challenge, the tournament he hosts in Albany, Bahamas, which occurred from Nov. 30 to Dec. 3.

Team Woods finished at 8-under 64 after the first round, seven shots behind Team Kuchar.

When Max Scherzer exited his World Series Game 3 start with a back injury, it was far more serious than it appeared.

Scherzer underwent recent back surgery to repair a herniated disk, Rangers general manager Chris Young told reporters Friday, an injury that will sideline him for most of the 2024 season’s first half.

And with Scherzer, a three-time Cy Young Award winner and future Hall of Famer, set to celebrate his 40th birthday in July, it’s a significant setback for a pitcher with nearly 3,000 innings pitched on his odometer.

Scherzer will earn $43.3 million in 2024, the final year of a three-year deal he signed with the New York Mets before the 2022 season. Yet when the Mets slipped from contention last season, he agreed to a trade to Texas, where he backfilled a rotation slot left by Jacob deGrom’s elbow injury.

The Mets agreed to pay $30.8 million of Scherzer’s 2024 salary, with the Rangers responsible for the remaining $12.5 million.

HOT STOVE UPDATES: MLB free agency: Ranking and tracking the top players available.

He posted a 3.20 ERA in eight starts with Texas, but suffered a teres major shoulder strain that ended his season in September. Scherzer rehabbed the injury as the Rangers began their playoff run and made a pair of so-so starts in the American League Championship Series against Houston.

Scherzer had pitched three scoreless innings in World Series Game 3 when he motioned to the dugout that he could not continue.

Young told reporters Thursday that Scherzer attempted ‘conservative treatments in pain management’ before opting for surgery, considered a last resort for managing disk herniation.

Wednesday, the Rangers agreed to a two-year contract with starter Tyler Mahle, who won’t be available at the start of the season as he recovers from Tommy John surgery. They also expect deGrom to return and join World Series hero Nathan Eovaldi and Jon Gray in the rotation, along with holdovers Andrew Heaney and Dane Dunning.

The NHL trade deadline is March 8 and already a few moves and other transactions are trickling in.

The latest was a trade between the Seattle Kraken and Colorado Avalanche.

General managers will be guided by another year of a tight salary cap, but it’s expected to rise next season to $87.7 million. Last summer, a lot of players signed low-cost, one-year deals, increasing the pool of potential unrestricted free agents who could be moved out for draft picks or prospects.

Follow along this season for news and analysis on deals, major transactions and other announcements that have happened in the months leading up the trade deadline:

WINNERS AND LOSERS: First quarter of NHL season has dizzying turns

Dec. 15: Seattle Kraken acquire forward Tomas Tatar from Colorado Avalanche

The Avalanche receive a fifth-round pick in the trade. The Kraken rank near the bottom of the league in scoring, and they’re hoping for the Tomas Tatar of previous seasons, not this season. He’s a seven-time 20-goal scorer who has just one goal this season after not getting a free agent contract until September. But he’s a veteran of 810 games with 212 career goals, including 50 on the power play. He’ll help Seattle deal with injuries among its forwards. The team also placed Jaden Schwartz on long-term injured reserve, called up 2022 No. 4 overall pick Shane Wright and sent down Tye Kartye.

In a depth trade Friday, the San Jose Sharks acquired center Jack Studnicka from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for defenseman Nick Cicek and a sixth-round pick.

Dec. 15: Columbus Blue Jackets’ Patrik Laine suffers fractured clavicle

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Patrik Laine, who has had problems recently staying healthy, will be out six weeks after suffering a fracture clavicle during a win against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the team announced Friday. He left the ice holding his shoulder in the second period after he was tripped by Toronto’s William Lagesson and slid into the boards. Laine had scored his sixth goal of the season during the first period. He was in his second game back after missing three games with an illness. He missed nine games early this season with a concussion and also was a healthy scratch once. Last season, Laine was limited to 55 games by injury or illness and played only 56 the season before.

Dec. 12: St. Louis Blues fire coach Craig Berube, name Drew Bannister as interim

General manager Doug Armstrong said he started having sleepless nights after a Dec. 8 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. After the short-handed Detroit Red Wings rallied to hand St. Louis its fourth consecutive loss, Armstrong fired Craig Berube and named Drew Bannister, head of their American Hockey League affiliate, the interim coach. ‘Your mind is starting to work when you’re everybody’s homecoming game,’ Armstrong told reporters on Wednesday, a day after making the move.

Coaching changes have turned around the fortunes of the Edmonton Oilers and Minnesota Wild this season, and Berube took a last-place Blues team to the 2019 Stanley Cup title after his midseason hire. Bannister isn’t necessarily the coach for the rest of the season, though. Armstrong said he is looking for a full-time coach but didn’t have a timetable on when he’ll make a hire.

The Blues rank near the bottom of the league in power play and goals per game. They traded Robert Bortuzzo and waived Jakub Vrana, who’s headed to the AHL with Mackenzie MacEachern being recalled. Armstrong said he and the players share in the blame for the team’s performance. ‘Nobody should feel safe in our group,’ he said.

Dec. 8: New York Islanders acquire St. Louis Blues’ Robert Bortuzzo

The New York Islanders acquired defenseman Robert Bortuzzo from the St. Louis Blues on Friday in exchange for a seventh-round pick. The trade was announced after the team said Ryan Pulock (lower body) was going on the injured list, joining fellow defensemen Adam Pelech and Sebastian Aho. Bortuzzo, 34, won a Stanley Cup with the Blues in 2019 but has been limited to four games this season and often was a healthy scratch. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Dec. 7: Nashville Predators’ Tyson Barrie discusses trade request

Nashville Predators defenseman Tyson Barrie knew he was about to be uncomfortable with the questions that were going to come his way Thursday, ones about him requesting a trade after being a healthy scratch last weekend. About the Predators granting him permission to talk with other teams.

‘I’m trying not to really air it out in the media,’ Barrie said.

As much as he might have wanted to, Barrie didn’t exactly bury any hatchets, either.

‘Well, if we’re getting into it, I’m in the stands so it doesn’t really feel like a great fit,’ he said. ‘My goal is to be playing hockey. Whether that’s here or elsewhere is up for the powers that be to decide.’ – Paul Skrbina, The Tennessean

Dec. 6: Detroit Red Wings announce when Patrick Kane is expected to make debut

Star Patrick Kane is scheduled to make his Detroit Red Wings debut on Thursday at home against the San Jose Sharks, coach Derek Lalonde told reporters. Kane was signed last week to a one-year, $2.75 million contract after offseason hip resurfacing surgery. Lalonde plans to play him with former Chicago Blackhawks teammate Alex DeBrincat and will try the pair with different centers. Kane’s minutes will be monitored. ‘There’s a lot of unknowns still there so we’ll all be patient with it and kind of let it play out a little bit,’ Lalonde said.

Also: The Buffalo Sabres acquired winger Eric Robinson from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for a conditional seventh-round pick in 2025. The fourth-liner has 82 points in 266 career games, including one goal in seven games this season. The Blue Jackets later placed defenseman Adam Boqvist, goalie Elvis Merzlikins and forward Cole Sillinger on the injured list. Boqvist (shoulder) is expected to miss four weeks. … The Toronto Maple Leafs announced defenseman John Klingberg will have season-ending hip surgery. He signed a one-year, $4.15 million deal in the offseason but hasn’t played since Nov. 11. The Maple Leafs, also missing defensemen Mark Giordano and Timothy Liljegren, are looking for a replacement through a trade. ‘It’s no secret we’ve investigated what the market is, what those costs could be,’ general manager Brad Trevling told reporters. … Jacques Martin, who has been a head coach for nearly 1,300 NHL games (692 with Ottawa), was named an advisor to the Senators’ coaching staff.

Dec. 4: Winnipeg Jets sign Nino Niederreiter to three-year extension

He’ll average $4 million in the contract that kicks in next season. He is the third player signed long-term since the Jets moved out Pierre-Luc Dubois and Blake Wheeler during the summer, following Mark Scheifele and Connor Hellebuyck. Niederreiter, 31, is tied for fourth on the Jets with six goals and is sixth with 14 points.

Dec. 1: Simon Nemec called up amid New Jersey Devils’ issues on defense

Simon Nemec, the No. 2 pick of the 2022 NHL draft, made his NHL debut after being called up amid the team’s major absences on defense. He played 22:38, had two assists and three shots, and was a minus 2 in the 6-3 loss to the San Jose Sharks. Before the game, the Devils announced that top defenseman Dougie Hamilton is out indefinitely after having surgery on his left pectoral muscle. Also, defenseman Brendan Smith was suspended for two games for slashing Philadelphia Flyers forward Travis Konecny. He will forfeit $11,458.34 in pay and Konecny was fined $5,000 for his cross-check on Smith. The Devils also announced that forward Tomas Nosek had surgery on his right foot.

Also: The Montreal Canadiens and goalie Sam Montembeault agreed to a three-year, $9.45 million extension. The Quebec native had been claimed off waivers from the Florida Panthers in 2021

Nov. 30: Vancouver Canucks acquire defenseman Nikita Zadorov

The Vancouver Canucks got stronger on defense by adding rugged 6-foot-6, 248-pound defenseman Nikita Zadorov from the Calgary Flames. The Canucks gave up the fifth-round pick they acquired a day earlier in the Anthony Beauvillier trade, plus a 2026 third-round pick. Calgary’s return doesn’t seem high for a player who led the Flames in hits and is going to a division rival, but Zadorov had requested a trade and is a pending unrestricted free agent. The Flames, who have pushed closer to a playoff position after a tough start, also have forward Elias Lindholm and defensemen Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev in the final years of their contracts.

Nov. 28: Chicago Blackhawks waive Corey Perry, trade for Anthony Beauvillier

The Chicago Blackhawks placed Corey Perry on unconditional waivers on Tuesday in order to terminate his contract. The team said it determined that Perry ‘engaged in conduct that is unacceptable, and in violation of both the terms of his Standard Player’s Contract and the Blackhawks’ internal policies intended to promote professional and safe work environments.’ The Beauvillier trade happened later. The Vancouver Canucks, who acquired Beauvillier last season in the Bo Horvat trade, will receive a fifth-round draft pick. More important for Vancouver, the Blackhawks take on his entire $4.15 million cap hit, giving them flexibility before the trade deadline. Beauvillier, a winger like Perry, has two goals and six assists in 22 games this season.

Perry issued an apology Thursday for his ‘inappropriate and wrong’ behavior.

BLACKHAWKS: More details on why Chicago is cutting ties with Corey Perry

Nov. 28: Detroit Red Wings sign Patrick Kane

The one-year, $2.75 million deal will reunite Patrick Kane with Detroit’s Alex DeBrincat, his former linemate on the Chicago Blackhawks. DeBrincat had two 40-goal seasons while in Chicago. The question is how Kane will perform after hip resurfacing surgery during the offseason.  Though recent videos showed Kane going through intense workouts, Capitals star Nicklas Backstrom is taking a leave of absence to determine his future after having the same surgery during the 2022 offseason. Considering Kane wanted to play for a contender, that says something about his faith in the Red Wings’ direction after they try to end a seven-year playoff drought. Daniel Sprong is giving up his No. 88 for Kane and will wear No. 17 instead.

Also: The Buffalo Sabres loaned rookie goalie Devon Levi to Rochester (New York) of the American Hockey League. He had been in a three-goalie system with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Eric Comrie and his numbers were down from the strong start he had last season after leaving Northeastern University. The move allows Levi to see more action than he would in the NHL. “We’re super excited about Devon, believe in him,’ general manager Kevyn Adams told reporters on Wednesday. ‘This is an opportunity for him to get in a rhythm, get sharpened up.”

Nov. 27: Minnesota Wild fire coach Dean Evason, hire John Hynes

John Hynes is back in the NHL after being hired to replace fired Minnesota Wild coach Dean Evason on Monday. The Wild made the switch after a 5-10-4 start in which the team struggled defensively and especially on the penalty kill. Hynes, who knows Wild general manager Bill Guerin from their days in the Pittsburgh Penguins organization, was a midseason replacement previously with the Nashville Predators. He was fired last summer after missing the playoffs. He also coached the New Jersey Devils and has a 284-255-63 NHL record, making the playoffs four times.

Nov. 25: Chicago Blackhawks’ Corey Perry to be away from team for foreseeable future

Corey Perry will be away from the Chicago Blackhawks for the foreseeable future, general manager Kyle Davidson said Saturday. Perry, 38, hasn’t played since a 3-2 loss to Buffalo last Sunday. He was a healthy scratch for the last two games.

“It’s been a team decision so far to hold him out, and that’s about all I’m able to provide,” Davidson said.

In a statement provided to Hockey Night in Canada, Pat Morris, Perry’s agent, said the forward stepped away from the team to attend to personal matters.

Perry was acquired from Tampa Bay in a June trade, then agreed to a one-year, $4 million contract. He has four goals and five assists in 16 games. His absence comes as the Blackhawks deal with a series of injuries among their forwards. Taylor Hall, another offseason acquisition, is scheduled for right knee surgery on Monday in Minnesota. – Associated Press

Also: The New York Islanders claimed veteran defenseman Mike Reilly off waivers from the Florida Panthers and placed defenseman Adam Pelech (upper body) on long term injured reserve.

Nov. 24: Colorado Avalanche’s Sam Girard enters mental health treatment

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Sam Girard is entering the NHL/NHL Players’ Association Player Assistance Program. He announced through his agent that his severe anxiety and depression had gone untreated too long and had led to alcohol abuse.

‘Taking care of your mental health is of the utmost importance, and I encourage everyone to speak up and seek help should you feel like you need it,’ he said in a statement.

Girard, 25, has played all but five games of his seven-year NHL career with the Avalanche and had a career-best 37 points last season. He had one goal and three assists through 15 games this season and had missed the past two games for personal reasons.

Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said the team supports Girard going to get help.

“You’ve got to take care of yourself first before you’re able to come and help a team,’ he said.

Nov. 24: Winnipeg Jets coach Rick Bowness returns from leave of absence

Winnipeg Jets coach Rick Bowness returned behind the bench Friday for the first time since he took a leave of absence on Oct. 23 after his wife Judy had a seizure. He said she’s doing as well as expected with her new medication and will stay with their children when he’s on the road. Associate coach Scott Arniel went 9-2-2 in Bowness’ absence. The Jets beat the Florida Panthers 3-0 with Bowness behind the bench.

Also: Buffalo Sabres forward Zach Benson played his 10th NHL game on Friday, meaning he’s staying in the league and not being returned to his junior hockey team. Benson scored his first NHL goal on Wednesday with a spectacular move. … The Washington Capitals said forward T.J. Oshie won’t travel with the team after a hard collision in Friday’s 5-0 loss to the Edmonton Oilers.

Nov. 23: Chicago Blackhawks’ Taylor Hall to have ACL surgery

Chicago Blackhawks winger Taylor Hall, the former No. 1 overall pick who was acquired to mentor and play alongside rookie Connor Bedard, will have ACL surgery and is expected to miss the remainder of the season.

‘It came from an accumulation of a bunch of little injuries from the game and even in practice the other day,’ coach Luke Richardson told reporters. ‘It became unstable and we need to fix it.’

SABRES: Rookie Zach Benson scores first NHL goal in spectacular fashion

Hall had been limited to 10 games (four points) this season because of injuries.

“It’s heartbreaking — someone that loved to play so much and every game is so impactful, such a good hockey player and such a good person,’ Bedard said.

The Blackhawks also placed forward Andreas Athanasiou (groin muscle) on the injured list and called up Joey Anderson and Cole Guttman.

Nov. 17: Florida Panthers activate Brandon Montour, Aaron Ekblad

The defending Eastern Conference champion Florida Panthers got off to a 10-5-1 record even with key absences. Now, they’re getting defensemen Brandon Montour and Aaron Ekblad back, activating them from the injured list after they recovered from offseason surgery for playoff injuries.

Montour set a franchise record for points by a defenseman (73) and was their top-scoring blueliner in the playoffs. Ekblad, like Montour a right-hand shot, was taken No. 1 overall in the 2014 draft. Defenseman Josh Mahura went on the injured list to make the salary cap situation work.

Nov. 12: Edmonton Oilers fire coach Jay Woodcroft

The Edmonton Oilers fired coach Jay Woodcroft on Sunday after a 3-9-1 start and replaced him with Kris Knoblauch, the Hartford Wolf Pack coach and Connor McDavid’s former junior hockey coach. That’s the third recent move with a connection to three-time MVP McDavid. His agent, Jeff Jackson, was hired earlier as CEO of hockey operations and the team also signed his former junior hockey linemate Connor Brown.

McDavid said Monday he was surprised by the move and said Woodcroft ‘never lost the room.’

The Oilers were a trendy pick to go far in the playoffs, but have disappointed this season. Last season’s No. 1-ranked offense is 26th this season, with McDavid possibly slowed by an injury that cost him two games. Their goaltending issues have been worse. Jack Campbell was sent to the American Hockey League in the second year of his five-year contract. Stuart Skinner, a rookie of the year finalist last season, ranks last in the league in goals saved above expected, according to MoneyPuck.

Knoblauch – and newly hired Oilers legend Paul Coffey coaching the defense – will be tasked with getting the Oilers back to a playoff spot. There’s precedent: Woodcroft went 26-9-3 down the stretch in 2021-22 as a midseason replacement and led the team to the Western Conference final. 

Also: The Colorado Avalanche announced that goalie Pavel Francouz (lower body) will miss the rest of the season. He has yet to play in 2023-24 and will return to the Czech Republic to be with his family. The team also signed forward Joel Kiviranta to a one-year deal.

Nov. 10: Pittsburgh Penguins to retire Jaromir Jagr’s number

Jaromir Jagr, drafted fifth overall in 1990, won Stanley Cup titles in his first two seasons and ranks fourth in franchise history with 1,079 points in 806 games. He played 11 seasons with Pittsburgh before being traded to the Washington Capitals. He ranks second all-time in NHL history in points and fourth in goals. His No. 68 will be retired on Feb. 18.

Nov. 8: Minnesota Wild trade Calen Addison to San Jose Sharks, acquire Zach Bogosian from Tampa Bay Lightning

Addison was sent to the San Jose Sharks for forward Adam Raska and a 2026 fifth-round draft pick. The defenseman is a power play specialist, but he is unreliable in his own zone. That led to him being a healthy scratch often down the stretch last season. With the Wild getting Jared Spurgeon back soon from injury (he was activated from long-term injured reserve on Friday), the power play opportunities will dwindle. Addison will be more valuable to the Sharks, who dealt Erik Karlsson last summer. He will be a restricted free agent at season’s end.

Bogosian lacks Addison’s offense, but the veteran takes care of his end of the ice. He’s a right-handed shot, like Addison.

“He’s a big guy,’ Minnesota general manager Bill Guerin told reporters. ‘He still skates well. He brings heaviness. He brings some grit and we need that.”

The trade buys the Lightning a little bit of salary cap breathing room. Bogosian, in the final season of a three-year contract, has a $850,000 cap hit.

Nov. 7: Edmonton Oilers place goalie Jack Campbell on waivers

Campbell, who signed a five-year, $25 million free agent deal in 2022, hasn’t played well since arriving. Stuart Skinner surpassed him last season and was a rookie of the year finalist. This season, Campbell was chased in the season opener and has gone 1-4 with a 4.50 goals-against average and .873 save percentage. He cleared waivers and will work on his game in the American Hockey League as the struggling Oilers try to get into a playoff spot. Edmonton recalled Calvin Pickard from Bakersfield (California) to back up Skinner.

Oct. 13: Colorado Avalanche sign defenseman Devon Toews to seven-year extension

He’ll average $7.25 million in the deal, which begins next season. Heading into the season, Toews led the league with a +120 plus-minus rating since he was acquired from the New York Islanders in 2020. He’s right behind defenseman Cale Makar in average ice time during that time.

Oct. 10: Carolina Hurricanes acquire forward Callahan Burke from the Colorado Avalanche for defenseman Caleb Jones

The Hurricanes loaded up on defense this offseason and Jones was the odd man out. Both players will play for the American Hockey League’s Colorado Eagles.