Max Scherzer is returning to the Toronto Blue Jays.

Two weeks into spring training, the three-time Cy Young Award winner has agreed with the reigning American League champions on a US$3 million, one-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press early Thursday.

The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal was subject to a successful physical and had not been announced.

The 41-year-old Scherzer can earn another US$10 million in performance bonuses.

Scherzer went 5-5 with a 5.19 ERA in 17 starts and 85 innings for the Blue Jays last season, his 18th in the major leagues. Then he made three starts in the postseason, beating Seattle 8-2 in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series before getting the ball twice in the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The right-hander pitched 4 1/3 innings of one-run ball in Game 7 and left to a rousing ovation from fans in Toronto, but the Blue Jays lost 5-4 in 11 innings.

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Scherzer signed a US$15.5 million, one-year contract with Toronto in February 2025. A free agent again this winter, he’s set to rejoin the Blue Jays and provide even more depth for a strong rotation expected to feature some combination of Dylan Cease, Kevin Gausman, Shane Bieber, Trey Yesavage, Cody Ponce, José Berríos and Eric Lauer.

“He’s not afraid to question baserunning, question defense, question offense. He still thinks he’s our best baserunner on the team from his days with the Nationals,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said about Scherzer last fall. “He’s not afraid to push the envelope. He’s not afraid to be curious. He’s not afraid to share things that he’s been through that maybe I haven’t been through.”

Scherzer has won two World Series titles, with Washington in 2019 and Texas in 2023. The eight-time All-Star is 221-117 with a 3.22 ERA for the Diamondbacks, Tigers, Nationals, Dodgers, Mets, Rangers and Blue Jays.

He ranks 11th on the career list with 3,489 strikeouts — 20 behind Hall of Famer Walter Johnson.

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CLEVELAND — At this point, you have to pick a side. Or assign blame. The system or KAT? KAT or Mike Brown? They’ve left us no choice.

Earlier this season, their messaging, if not the results, reflected congruity. The Knicks’ new offensive system, predicated on pace and conceptual basketball over playcalling, was the problem. As Brown often said, Karl-Anthony Towns’ adjustment was the most difficult given the vast responsibilities of the center.

There was a learning curve.

But Brown’s messaging has shifted lately, emphasizing repeatedly since the All-Star break that Towns is “right where he should be” in the offense.

TORONTO – When the Toronto Raptors announced their starting lineup against the San Antonio Spurs, there was a small surprise at centre with rookie Collin Murray-Boyles taking the tipoff instead of veteran Jakob Poeltl.

The seven-foot, 253-pound Poeltl is the tallest player on the Raptors by three inches and the heaviest by eight pounds. He’s also one of the most experienced players on Toronto’s roster and would presumably be able to give seven-foot-four Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama a hard time.

Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic had other plans, however.

“Our focus was to be physical with them in general, particularly Wemby,” said Poeltl of the strategy. “We know when he finds his rhythm and can play free, he’s a really good basketball player, a really good shotmaker.

“We try to make it as hard on him as possible and physicality was a big part of that.”

On an individual level, the plan worked. Wembanyama was limited to 12 points but had seven rebounds and five blocks. Poeltl finished with 15 points, seven rebounds and three blocks.

Toronto came up short overall, losing to San Antonio 110-107 on Wednesday, their second loss in a row. The Raptors dropped a 116-107 decision to the Oklahoma City Thunder the day before as Toronto hosted the top two teams in the NBA’s Western Conference on back-to-back nights.

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“I’m satisfied, but not happy,” said Rajakovic. “I thought that on a back to back, playing against such a good team, we really gave them a hell of a fight over there.

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“I thought that we did a really good job, made it really hard, on their main guys. Did as well as you can do against Wembanyama.”

The 22-year-old Wembanyama was the first overall pick in the NBA’s 2023 draft. He was the 2024 Rookie of the Year and is a two-time all-star. He was averaging 24.2 points, 11.3 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game heading into the game against Toronto.

Poeltl appreciated Rajakovic’s strategic gambit against the Spurs’ dominant centre.

“I really don’t mind either way,” said Poeltl. “They wanted CMB to be really aggressive with Wemby.

“I don’t mind. I like playing with the bench unit. I like playing with the starters. I’ll figure out a way to fit in.”

Toronto led the Spurs by as many as 15 points in the game and had a 12-point advantage heading into the fourth quarter. San Antonio opened the final period on a 15-2 tear to take back control of the game.

Rajakovic had chosen not to put all-stars Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes on the floor to start the fourth.

“Brandon never starts the fourth quarter because he played for the entire third quarter,” said Rajakovic, who noted that Barnes had aggravated a right quad contusion he’d suffered on Tuesday against the Thunder. “(Barnes) was really playing through the pain, so he was in constant communication with us.

“He was saying, ‘if you guys don’t have to play me, try to keep the momentum.’ So we had that technical communication.”

Ingram had a double-double with 20 points and a season-high 11 rebounds. Barnes scored 15.

It was the fifth time this season Toronto had lost after holding a double-digit lead, the most in the NBA.

The loss dropped the Raptors to 4-15 against the league’s top 10 teams with three of those wins against the Cleveland Cavaliers before they acquired 11-time all-star James Harden in a trade with the Los Angeles Clippers on Feb. 4.

“I think this is good for us, especially me,” said Toronto point guard Immanuel Quickley. “I feel like just the last couple games I have gone against some really good defenders.

“This is good for me and for the rest of our team, just being able to get a taste of that experience of teams that are being really physical, especially the good teams.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 26, 2026.

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A memorial grows at the arena in Jasper where Danica Hills, 18, and her best friend and teammate Kayla Peacock, 17, laced up for the last time Monday night — mere hours before being killed while driving home from practice.

The two girls played for the co-ed U18 Jasper Bearcats hockey team but lived in Hinton, about 75 km to the east in western Alberta.

Jasper Minor Sports called the teenagers “bright shining lights” when announcing their deaths and said the entire community is in deep shock.

“These kids have grown up playing mixed teams between Hinton and Jasper for a few years now,” said Grant Bradley, president of Jasper Minor Sports.

He said both played on the local Jasper Grizzlies girls team before opting to join the Jasper mixed U18 non-body contact team this year.

“They were widely accepted and well respected,” he said.

The loss of hockey players on winter roads is, sadly, not a new tragedy in Canada. From the Humboldt Broncos crash eight years ago that killed 16 people and wounded 13 others, to the more recent crash that killed three teenage boys headed to practice earlier this month in southern Alberta, the hockey community is hurting.

“It’s heartbreaking, yeah, it’s very hard,” Bradley said. “To see it here and being directly impacted by it is hard… From a parental point, that’s where I get emotional on it.

“I’ve hugged my kids a little tighter the last couple days and just, you know, trying to be aware of the vulnerabilities that happen with youth.”

Playing hockey was Kayla and Danica’s favourite thing to do, said a GoFundMe to cover funeral costs for the Hills family.

“If you didn’t catch Danica fishing, you’d find her making jokes, dancing to country music, or always by Kayla’s side.”

They both loved the Edmonton Oilers, their favourite player was Leon Draisaitl and both girls planned to play in adult beer leagues after aging out of minor hockey.

The post said Danica made the most of her short 18 years on earth.

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“Laughing and lighting up every room she walked into, you are privileged if you had the opportunity to know Danica.”

The girls were close, as evident in an 18th birthday post last month by Kayla’s mom Stacey Peacock who expressed gratitude for her place in the family’s life.

It contained a joint high school graduation portrait of the two, plus photos of the girls living their lives: at hockey, riding horses, and at the Rimbey Rodeo — where Kayla was named queen in 2025.

The Rimbey Rodeo said it was deeply saddened to share the news of her passing.

“Kayla was an incredible ambassador for the sport of rodeo, representing our community with grace, kindness, and unwavering dedication. She touched the lives of so many, and her presence will be profoundly missed,” said a post by the central Alberta organization.

A second GoFundMe for the Peacock family said in a single moment, two bright, beautiful young lives were taken far too soon.

“Kayla was just 17 years old and on the brink of graduation from Harry Collinge High School in Hinton. She had her whole future ahead of her — dreams forming, milestones approaching, and a life full of promise.”

Flags were lowered to half mast at the high school in Hinton, where classes were cancelled on Tuesday and Wednesday but the school remained open for grieving students to gather and seek counselling.

Both girls were set to graduate this spring.

The fundraiser described a bright young girl with a busy life — a “proud cowgirl and a fierce competitor on the ice” who “brought heart, determination, and grit to every game.”

“Whether she was horseback or lacing up her skates, Kayla lived with strength, passion, and an undeniable spirit.”

A year and a half ago, the people of Jasper were forced to flee a wildfire that consumed hundreds of homes in the small mountain town and now, this tragedy brings about is a new wave of shock and grief.

“It’s been now some layering of trauma and stressful situations that people are trying to deal with,” Bradley said.

“It’s hard to even decipher right now, whether that trauma is from this particular incident or it’s from the other incidents both communities have witnessed in the past couple years.”

A memorial hockey game featuring teams from two neighbouring communities will take place Friday for the girls, with all proceeds going to their families.

The Hinton Canadians and Edson Eagles will play their second semifinal playoff game at the Jasper arena, and Jasper Minor Sports is holding a 50/50 fundraiser.

“Everything that will go to the families of Kayla and Danica and we’re trying to spread that. We’re just getting the posters done now, the QR codes, and we’ll try to spread it across Western Canada to help support them,” Bradley said.

On Tuesday, Hinton Mayor Brian LaBerge noted his town, Jasper, Edson, and the Yellowhead County area are closely connected and plenty of locals travel between the communities each day for work and other commitments. Bradley echoed that sentiment, in particular between Jasper and Hinton.

“We’re tight-knit communities between the two of us.”

The crash happened around 7:15 p.m. Monday, about 45 minutes after practice ended.

Peacock was behind the wheel of a pickup and Hills was a passenger, when their truck and a semi tractor-trailer collided on Highway 16, east of Jasper.

Both girls died on scene. RCMP said slippery road conditions are believed to be a factor.

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The team to be named later on USC’s football schedule was identified Wednesday.

The Trojans will open the season against San Jose State on Aug. 29 at the Coliseum after Notre Dame fell off their schedule, necessitating the addition of another nonconference opponent.

The early date of the game was a result of USC having two byes on its schedule. Playing on Week Zero at home instead of internationally or at a neutral site required an exemption from the NCAA. San Jose State qualified as an opponent that fit the Trojans’ needs because it faces Hawaii this season, providing the Spartans the option of playing an additional game; it will be the first time they have played a 13-game schedule since 2017.

With the exception of the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, this will be the first season that USC will not play Notre Dame since the end of World War II. The teams are on an indefinite break from facing one another after discussions to continue the rivalry broke down in December.

The Trojans pivoted to what might feel like a certain victory. USC has gone 6-0 in its history against San Jose State, with every game coming at the Coliseum. In their most recent meeting, the Trojans beat the Spartans, 56-28, in their 2023 season opener.

San Jose State is entering its third season under coach Ken Niumatalolo, the former longtime Navy coach who has gone 10-15 with the Spartans. After his dismissal from the Midshipmen, Niumatalolo spent one season as director of leadership at UCLA in 2023 — when the Bruins beat the Trojans at the Coliseum — before taking the San Jose State job. Niumatalolo led his new team to an appearance in the Hawaii Bowl during his first season before the Spartans slipped to a 3-9 record last season.

San Jose State will face long odds in its return to the Coliseum given that teams from the Mountain West Conference have gone 1-1-39 against the Trojans (including two wins vacated because of NCAA penalties).

USC will play Fresno State on Sept. 5 at the Coliseum followed by another home game Sept. 12 against Louisiana. It will be a home-heavy start to the season for the Trojans, who will play five of their first six games at the Coliseum.

Two Winnipeg Jets stars were at the opposite sides of the border Tuesday ahead of the team’s first game back from the Olympic break.

Kyle Connor returned to the Jets instead of joining his U.S. men’s hockey teammates at the White House, while goaltender Connor Hellebuyck stayed stateside and attended U.S. President Donald Trump’s state of the union address that night.

Trump announced that Hellebuyck, who stopped 41 shots in the 2-1 gold-medal victory against Canada Sunday, will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honour.

Hellebuyck, whose 41 saves included a crucial desperation paddle stop on defenceman Devon Toews, tapped his heart as those in the chamber applauded.

“Watching him have the game of his life was incredible,” said Connor, who only played two games during the Winter Olympics.

“He was fantastic, and being a part of it was an experience I’ll never forget.”

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The 29-year-old forward told reporters after practice that he “just wanted to get back,” given that the team plays in Vancouver against the Canucks Wednesday night.

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Head coach Scott Arniel told reporters Monday that Connor was expected to be with his U.S. teammates Tuesday.

“It’s a big second half, so I wanted to make sure I was ready,” Connor said.

“It’s a quick turnaround. Obviously, I haven’t been playing, so I wanted to get a practice under me and be ready for that game.”

The U.S. men’s team chartered into Miami on a flight from Italy on Monday and dined together in Miami Beach before visiting a nightclub where hundreds of fans clamoured to get inside.

They then made their way to Washington Tuesday. Videos and photos shared on social media by Trump administration aides showed the hockey players posing for a photograph in front of the South Portico. They walked along the West Wing colonnade where Trump has posted portraits of every U.S. president just steps away from the Oval Office, where they were welcomed by Trump.

As they approached the Oval Office, some of the players popped into the press office’s open door to flash their medals. It was the Americans’ first gold medal in men’s hockey since the “Miracle on Ice” in Lake Placid, N.Y., in 1980.

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With the Olympics in the rearview mirror, the Jets must now pivot back to the reality of the NHL’s stretch run.

Winnipeg is currently 11 points out of the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference. The Jets have 26 games remaining on their regular-season schedule, which will be played over a stretch of just 51 days.

Backup goalie Eric Comrie is expected to start Wednesday’s road game against the Canucks, with Hellebuyck slated to return to the crease on Friday when the Jets visit the Anaheim Ducks.

The Jets will also be without defenceman Josh Morrissey Wednesday as he returns from Italy to be evaluated by team doctors after suffering an undisclosed injury in Canada’s opening game.

When Hellebuyck does return, the Jets are hoping his Olympic high will provide a much-needed spark for a team trying to string together wins.

“The confidence that he has in himself doesn’t waver,” captain Adam Lowry said Monday.

“To know his game is at an elite level at the world stage, I’d expect he can carry that over coming back to us.”

— with files from The Canadian Press and The Associated Press

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TORONTO – RJ Barrett is keeping the Toronto Raptors’ struggles against the NBA’s top-tier teams in perspective.

Barrett, from Mississauga, Ont., had 21 points, eight rebounds and four assists as Toronto failed in its comeback bid against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday, losing 116-107.

Barrett said that the loss to the reigning NBA champions and a 113-95 rout by the Detroit Pistons on Feb. 11 aren’t disappointments but actually an indication of how far the Raptors have come since they finished last season with a 30-52 record.

“I mean, we’ve made a huge jump from where we were last year. You’ve got to think where we were last year versus now,” said Barrett. “A lot of these teams have either already been good, already been in playoff situations like tonight, won a championship. These teams already know.

“They’re already battle tested, and it’s good for us to play those teams right now.”

Immanuel Quickley had 17 points and Ja’Kobe Walter came off the bench for 17 as Toronto (34-24) saw its modest two-game win streak snapped.

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The loss dropped the Raptors to 4-14 against the league’s top 10 teams with three of those wins against the Cleveland Cavaliers before they acquired James Harden in a trade with the Los Angeles Clippers on Feb. 4.

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“Go through these tough losses right now during the season so that we’ll figure it out,” said Barrett about playing teams bound for the post-season. “Today, we started good, went down 20, fought all the way back so that we’re already learning something there.

“We’ve just got to continue to learn how to scratch and claw and beat these good teams, and we will.”

Toronto jumped out to an early lead in the first quarter, outscoring the visitors 32-25. That was largely thanks to taking better care of the ball as the Raptors had just two turnovers in the first quarter while OKC had seven.

That tilted in the other direction for the rest of the game as the Raptors coughed up the ball 14 more times while the Thunder only had nine more turnovers in the remaining three quarters.

“Hopefully the film is going to help us understand better but second, third quarter was not us and it was not our identity,” said head coach Darko Rajakovic. “That was not what we did in the first quarter to start the game. We were dictating and dominating on the offensive end, creating a lot of turnovers, which fuelled our offence and we took our foot off the gas.”

Raptors all-stars Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes were held to 15 points apiece by the Thunder’s smothering defence.

Worse yet, Barnes suffered a right-quad contusion and was listed as questionable for Wednesday night’s game against the visiting San Antonio Spurs.

Barnes had been the backbone of Toronto’s defence against Oklahoma City, finishing with three steals, four blocks and a plus-18 defensive rating as the rest of the Raptors had negative ratings.

“I felt that he did a really good job there, defensively, and he was very, very disruptive,” said Rajakovic. “I think he really pushed our pace as well.

“When he’s going to the rim, I think he’s outstanding. I thought a couple of times that he was getting to the rim, and he was not getting the foul call.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 25, 2026.

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