Kevin Pillar signs minor-league contract with Rangers

Kevin Pillar is back in an MLB clubhouse.

Despite telling USA Today‘s Bob Nightengale that he would likely retire at the end of the 2024 season, Pillar’s stint with the Los Angeles Angels has him back trying to extend his career.

The Texas Rangers announced Sunday morning that they signed the 36-year-old to a minor-league deal with an invite to MLB spring training.

If Pillar can crack Texas’s MLB club, he will suit up for his 13th MLB season with his 10th big league team.

If he can’t earn a shot with the Rangers, Pillar won’t be looking for ways to fill the time. The West Hills, Calif., native told reporters Sunday that he picked up some new hobbies this off-season. He’s now the proud owner of about 50 chickens and six llamas — three of which are pregnant.

Pillar spent the first 17 games of the 2024 campaign with the Chicago White Sox before being released and latching on with the Angels.

Once in L.A., the longtime Toronto Blue Jays outfielder turned his season around. Over 83 games with the Angels, Pillar slashed .236/.291/.378 with seven home runs, 41 RBIs and 10 stolen bases.

He told Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi last August: “When I say it’s over, it’s over, there’s no coming back.” He added that officially deciding to hang up his cleats will be a “tough decision.”

Pillar spent time in all three outfield spots with Los Angeles last year, but was most successful playing centre field, racking up three defensive runs saved over 312.1 innings.

From 2013-19 with the Blue Jays, Pillar wowed fans with his acrobatic catches in the outfield, often pulling home runs back at the Rogers Centre wall. With the bat, he carried a .692 OPS over his seven seasons in Toronto, collecting 55 homers, 231 RBIs and 69 stolen bases.

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Haaland left out of Man City squad for Premier League clash with Liverpool

MANCHESTER, England — Erling Haaland was left out of the Manchester City squad for Sunday’s Premier League clash with Liverpool after failing to recover from injury in time.

The Norway international was an unused substitute against Real Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday, having been forced off late in the previous game against Newcastle.

City manager Pep Guardiola had said Friday he did not know if his leading scorer would be available.

Haaland has scored 27 goals in all competitions this season.

“It’s better to have Erling on the pitch. Everybody is responsible for the good things and bad things for the team but obviously with Erling we are better,” Guardiola said Friday.

January signing Omar Marmoush was named in attack in his place, having also started in the 3-1 loss to Madrid.

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Maple Leafs’ Steeves active, Stolarz to start in net vs. Hurricanes

The Toronto Maple Leafs will return from the 4 Nations break with Anthony Stolarz between the pipes and a new face back in the lineup.

According to Terry Koshan and Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun, Stolarz will start in net for the Maple Leafs Saturday against the Carolina Hurricanes, and Alex Steeves will draw into the team’s forward group with Max Pacioretty out for the weekend.

Joseph Woll will start Toronto’s game Sunday against the Chicago Blackhawks.

Stolarz, 31, returned to the Maple Leafs crease on Feb. 6 after missing nearly two months of action, picking up a win in his first game back.

Over 18 contests this season, the eight-year NHL veteran has been a revelation for the Maple Leafs with a 10-5-2 record, 2.08 goals-against average and .929 save percentage.

Steeves, meanwhile, was recalled from the AHL’s Toronto Marlies on Tuesday. He has appeared in four games with the Maple Leafs this season — the last of which came on Nov. 27 — registering zero points.

The 25-year-old  leads the Marlies in scoring with 29 goals and 46 points in 40 games.

Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube told reporters Friday that Pacioretty was unlikely to play this weekend after tweaking something during Wednesday’s practice.

The 36-year-old has been limited to 37 games this season due to injuries and has five goals and eight assists.

Finally, Berube provided an update on forward Connor Dewar, who has been out with an upper-body injury since Jan. 22, but could return as soon as Sunday for Toronto.

You can watch as the Maple Leafs return to action against the Hurricanes on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT.

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Jets sign Vladislav Namestnikov to two-year contract extension

The Winnipeg Jets are locking up their second-line centre.

Forward Vladislav Namestnikov has been signed to a two-year, $6-million contract extension, the team announced Saturday. The deal carries a $3 million AAV.

Namestnikov, 32, has 10 goals and 29 points in 52 games for the first-place Jets. He joined Winnipeg ahead of the 2023 trade deadline from Tampa via San Jose.

Drafted 27th overall by the Lightning in 2011, Namestnikov has also spent time with the New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators, Colorado Avalanche, Detroit Red Wings and Dallas Stars.

In 760 career NHL games, he’s amassed 136 goals and 191 assists.

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Senators’ Tkachuk, Sanderson and Jensen game-time decisions vs. Canadiens

The Ottawa Senators have a few decisions to be made just before puck drop Saturday night.

Head coach Travis Green said that forward Brady Tkachuk and defencemen Jake Sanderson and Nick Jensen will be game-time decisions against the Montreal Canadiens.

Tkachuk and Sanderson are coming off an appearance in the final of the 4 Nations Face-Off with the U.S. against Canada.

Both Josh Norris and Shane Pinto remain out with injuries that kept them out before the tournament.

Fortunately for Ottawa, goaltender Linus Ullmark is good to go and is expected to start against Montreal.

Ullmark did not play in Sweden’s final game against the U.S. because of an illness.

In his first season in Ottawa, Ullmark is 12-9-2 with a 2.49 goals-against average and .915 save percentage in 25 games.

Watch the Senators take on the Canadiens on Hockey Night in Canada at 7 p.m. ET on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+.

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