May 22, 2021; Arlington, Texas, USA; Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve (27) takes batting practice before the game against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Jose Altuve will miss significant time after suffering a broken thumb during the World Baseball Classic, but one famous actor wants to try to speed up his return.
Mark Wahlberg was in attendance for the Houston Astros’ opener against Chicago on Thursday and sang the praises of Alex Bregman and Jose Altuve due to their exploits against the New York Yankees. Wahlberg even volunteered one of his thumbs to Altuve.
“I am also willing to donate either one of my thumbs to Jose Altuve for sure,” Wahlberg said.
Wahlberg is a Boston native and Red Sox fan, but he might just hate the Yankees more than anything else at this point. The Red Sox and Astros faced off in the ALCS in 2018 and 2021, with each team winning once, so clearly he’s willing to let bygones be bygones.
Altuve is likely to be out until at least June due to his thumb injury, transplant or not.
Cornerback Darius Slay had a brief foray into free agency last month when the Philadelphia Eagles moved on from him for financial reasons, only to bring him back within a matter of days. That was still enough time for Slay to get an offer from another team that he almost took.
Slay revealed on his “Big Play Slay” podcast that he came very close to signing with the Baltimore Ravens after the Eagles decided to let him go. Slay said he even had an offer in hand from the Ravens he was ready to accept, but he gave the Eagles the chance to match it, and they did.
“The Baltimore Ravens were the first team that called and they offered just what I wanted,” Slay said. “I just said, if the Eagles do that, I’m gonna stay an Eagle.”
Ultimately, the Ravens did not go out and sign any other corners, so they apparently just wanted Slay. The Eagles also seemed to prioritize Slay, as they turned down the chance to match an offer that another defensive back ultimately took elsewhere.
Slay’s new deal with the Eagles, which ultimately counts as a restructured, will end up being for two years and $42 million, with $24.5 million of it guaranteed.
Thanasis Antetokounmpo has been punished for going Evander Holyfield during Thursday’s game.
The NBA announced on Saturday that the Milwaukee Bucks forward Antetokounmpo has been suspended one game for headbutting Boston Celtics forward Blake Griffin two nights prior. Antetokounmpo will be serving his suspension during the Bucks’ upcoming showdown with the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday.
Antetokounmpo, the older brother of Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, got frustrated while playing in garbage time of Milwaukee’s 140-99 laugher of a loss to the Celtics. He got physical with Griffin while fighting for a couple of loose balls and responded to a subsequent Griffin foul with a headbutt (video here).
Though the headbutt was not especially strong, Antetokounmpo was still assessed a flagrant 2 foul and ejected from Thursday’s game. Now he will be suspended for another game as well, but the Bucks probably won’t feel his absence much since Antetokounmpo has played just 138 minutes all year.
Oct 4, 2022; Henderson, NV, USA; Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans 92 forward Victor Wembanyama (1) shoots from the free-throw line against NBA G League Ignite center Eric Mika (12) during the third quarter at The Dollar Loan Center. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports
Victor Wembanyama took full advantage of his opportunity on the calendar.
The French basketball phenom went viral Saturday for his post to Twitter. Wembanyama seemingly confirmed that he would be returning for another season with his current team, Metropolitans 92 in France, and not declaring for the 2023 NBA Draft.
But there is one crucial thing to note here — Wembanyama’s tweet was sent on Apr. 1 (known, of course, as “April Fools’ Day” to the friends). The fact that he quote-tweeted the account “Buttcrack Sports” is probably another clear giveaway that it was all just a gag.
The 19-year-old Wembanyama is universally expected to be the top overall pick in next June’s NBA Draft. But while his tweet here was a joke, the absurd height that Wembanyama has grown to actually is not one.
Apr 8, 2022; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; New York Mets manager Buck Showalter (11) walks the dugout during the first inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
The New York Mets were victims of one of the weirdest rules violations of the young MLB season on Opening Day, or so it seemed at the time. However, the league has apparently reached out to tell the organization that the strange call should not have happened.
Mets second baseman Jeff McNeil was hit with an automatic strike by plate umpire Larry Vanover during Thursday’s game against the Marlins because baserunner Pete Alonso returned to first too slowly after taking off on the previous pitch.
McNeil singled on the next pitch, but the bizarre rules interpretation gained attention throughout the league. Mets manager Buck Showalter said Friday that the league office had reached out to tell him that McNeil should not have had a strike charged to him.
“By the time Pete got around third base there was another version out there,” Showalter said, via Mike Puma of the New York Post. “[League officials] wanted to make sure everybody was straight, so I appreciate that.”
The new rule leaves a bit of a gray area for baserunners, since it does not explicitly say anything about their status regarding the clock. Showalter said that going forward, baserunners will receive a warning from umpires if they return to a base too slowly.
The pitch clock is inevitably going to have some bumpy moments early on, this included. This should be a one-off, so teams will instead be able to focus on the other strategic differences that are coming about as a result of its implementation.
Aug 1, 2022; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres pitcher Joe Musgrove (44) smiles in the dugout after his five-year extension was announced to the crowd at Petco Park during the third inning against the Colorado Rockies. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
San Diego Padres pitcher Joe Musgrove went above and beyond to make sure his teammates felt taken care of on Opening Day.
Musgrove gifted all of his teammates personalized Nixon watches for the team’s opener, according to Annie Heilbrunn of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Each watch features the player’s uniform number, along with an engraving on the underside of the timepiece marking the year.
“I was messing around with some of the guys who were like, ‘Hey dude, thanks for the watch’ and I was like, ‘Yeah, that’s so you don’t forget what f—ing time it is,” Musgrove said. “But yeah, it was moreso just getting them something cool. Some of those guys didn’t have any watches at all. It’s something nice to wear on the plane.”
Musgrove signed a big new contract with the Padres last year, so he could certainly afford the expensive timepieces. Still, the gesture will be appreciated by teammates, and help cement his leadership role in the San Diego clubhouse.
Aug 28, 2021; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) walks to the field prior to the game against the Green Bay Packers at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
Buffalo Bills legend Jim Kelly thinks the team needs to do more to help support its star quarterback.
The iconic quarterback attended a charity event this week and spoke about what Allen and the Bills need to do to take the next step. In Kelly’s mind, the Bills need to get Allen a star running back to work off of.
“Josh can’t do everything by himself, and I hope they find a way to get a star running back,” Kelly said. “I always thought (Devin) Singletary was pretty good, I just didn’t think we used him enough. But you know what, when you’ve got a guy as good as Josh Allen, you tend to probably get a little greedy and want to use him more than you probably should.”
The Bills have not leaned that hard on a running back because of Allen’s dual skill set. Many times, he essentially acts as his own lead back. That is part of the reason why the team has never actually supported a 1,000-yard rusher during Allen’s tenure as starting quarterback.
Buffalo did add a new running back this offseason, but few would rate him as a star. Kelly wants them to aim higher, but Allen is just going to keep taking his own carries, regardless of the consequences of doing so.
Dec 10, 2022; New York, NY, USA; TCU quarterback Max Duggan speaks to the media during a press conference in the Astor Ballroom at the New York Marriott Marquis in New York, NY, before the 2022 Heisman Trophy award ceremony. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Heisman Trophy finalist Max Duggan is not likely to be among the first quarterbacks drafted, but he is certainly garnering interest from some noteworthy teams.
Duggan worked out at TCU’s Pro Day this week. According to Jane Slater of NFL Network, Duggan drew interest from several teams, including the Dallas Cowboys.
The Cowboys will likely draft a quarterback in the later rounds this year for added depth behind the likes of Dak Prescott and Cooper Rush. Duggan fits the bill of a mid-round quarterback, and he has already captured the attention of Jerry Jones. The links to Dallas from his time at TCU certainly don’t hurt, either.
As a senior at TCU, Duggan threw for 3,698 yards and 32 touchdowns, and was selected as a Heisman finalist.
Jan 2, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) talks to a television reporter after the game between the Cavaliers and the Chicago Bulls at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mitchell set the franchise record for points with 71. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell is not shying away from rooting for one potential Eastern Conference playoff opponent.
Mitchell admitted that he is eager to face the New York Knicks, the Cavaliers’ likely first round opponent. The Knicks are Mitchell’s hometown team, and he is already relishing the chance to take them on.
“It’s full circle. You wouldn’t want it any other way. What kid wouldn’t want to play against his hometown team in the playoffs?” Mitchell said, via Stefon Bondy of the New York Daily News. “I think for me, I wouldn’t want it any other way. It’s a storybook ending — it’s not ending, but it’s a storyline. Something that’s really special and near and dear to me, being able to play in a playoff game in front of my friends and family, the team that I grew up watching.”
The Knicks and Cavaliers have not mathematically guaranteed a first round matchup, but it is highly unlikely that either team will move in the standings, so Mitchell is almost certain to get his wish.
As an added point of intrigue, Mitchell was strongly pursued by the Knicks before he was ultimately traded to Cleveland last summer. Mitchell even claimed he had come very close to being moved to New York. That will be a huge storyline throughout the series, and it might motivate Mitchell to play at his very best.
Jun 2, 2022; San Francisco, California, USA; NBA commissioner Adam Silver talks to media before game one of the 2022 NBA Finals between the Golden State Warriors and the Boston Celtics at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
The NBA and NBPA reached a tentative agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement early Saturday, ensuring labor peace through at least 2028-29. The deal includes a few significant changes, but one in particular might be quite pleasing to fans.
The NBA will require players to play in at least 65 games to be eligible for postseason awards such as MVP and All-NBA teams, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. The report notes that there are some conditions attached to the minimum, but it was not clear what those are.
This rule is a clear attempt to cut down on load management and try to get teams to play star players more frequently. Leading MVP candidates Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo are short of the 65-game mark for this season, though both would make it if they play in the rest of the regular season schedule. The biggest impact may be on All-NBA teams, which are tied to contractual bonuses for a lot of players.
So-called “load management” has been a divisive topic within the NBA, as teams rest star players at various points during the season in order to keep them fresh for the playoffs. That is detrimental for the fans who want to see the best players play. Despite the criticism, there are some who see the benefits, so the league has to find an acceptable medium here.
