New Details Emerge Regarding Threats Toward $85 Million Astros All-Star
New Details Emerge Regarding Threats Toward $85 Million Astros All-Star originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
In an age where gambling and online conjecture have taken centerstage in the world of professional sports, it's not surprising that players have discussed an uptick in threats and abuse from fans.
Advertisement
Strained relationships between players and the fans is nothing new, but has become a corollary of today's betting society.
2018 Most Valuable Player Christian Yelich told the AP that online abuse has gotten "worse in recent years," even saying it's a nightly occurrence for players.
'You get a lot of DMs or stuff like that about you ruining someone's bet or something ridiculous like that,' veteran Red Sox reliever Justin Wilson said. 'I guess they should make better bets.'
Two players have been hit particularly hard by this uptick: Red Sox reliever Liam Hendriks and Astros starter Lance McCullers Jr.
Houston Astros starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. celebrates a strikeout at Yankee Stadium during the 2022 ALCS.Brad Penner-Imagn Images
McCullers only made it through 1/3 innings in his start May 10th versus the Reds; his seven earned runs in that span ballooned his ERA to 15.75.
Advertisement
Shortly after the game, McCullers reported he and his family received threats from fans, which was a rude awakening for his wife, Kara and five-year-old daughter, Ava.
'She asked me when I came home: 'Daddy like what is threats? Who wants to hurt us? Who wants to hurt me?'' McCullers said. 'So, those conversations are tough to deal with.'
Liam Hendriks, who survived a battle with Stage 4 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2023, received threats after a tough outing for the Red Sox in May, and had to speak out about it online.
The AP reported Friday that McCullers reached out to the Astros about what could be done to protect him and his family after the threats, and that owner Jim Crane hired 24-hour security for the starter's family.
Advertisement
No player should ever receive threats and need to hire 24-hour security after a tough start where they were simply not themselves or outplayed by their opponent, yet here we are.
Related: Astros Suffer Major Injury Blow After Fluke Accident
Related: Giancarlo Stanton Sent Clear Message To Yankees After 'Participation Trophy' Ceremony
Related: Yankees Announce Jazz Chisholm Jr. News Before Dodgers Series
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on May 30, 2025, where it first appeared.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fast Company
an hour ago
- Fast Company
5 read-it-later alternatives now that Pocket is shutting down
It's official: Mozilla has announced that its extremely handy read-it-later app Pocket will be shutting down on July 8, 2025, with user data exports available until October 8, 2025. If this leaves you looking for a new home for your saved articles, videos, and web pages, the good news is you've still got plenty of excellent options. Here are five solid alternatives to Pocket that offer a variety of features and pricing structures to suit your needs. Matter Matter is a premium read-it-later solution that goes beyond simply saving articles. For one thing, it also lets you read email newsletters in an environment that's superior to dealing with them in your inbox. Available in iOS and web versions, it also offers powerful highlighting and annotation tools that allow you to capture your thoughts directly on the text. The anpp integrates with popular third-party services and curates a daily digest of interesting articles from your saved sources, adding a discovery element. There's a free version available with an uncapped read-later library, mobile and web extensions, and sharing features. Matter Premium starts at $8 a month and includes text-to-speech, newsletter sync, unlimited highlighting and note-taking, Kindle export, and other goodies. Readwise Reader If you're already familiar with Readwise for its highlight export features, then Readwise Reader is a natural extension. It boasts a clean interface, strong highlighting and note-taking capabilities, text-to-speech, AI features, and the ability to import various content types (web articles, PDFs, newsletters, YouTube transcripts, and more). Readwise Reader is included with a Readwise subscription, which offers a free 30-day trial and then runs $10 per month. Raindrop If you're a highly visual person or deal with a wide variety of content formats, this one's for you. While many read-it-later apps focus primarily on text, Raindrop shines as a universal bookmark manager that's both visually appealing and versatile. You can save articles, images, videos, PDFs, and even entire collections of links while leveraging organization features like tags, nested collections, and a powerful search engine. Raindrop offers a pretty generous free plan with unlimited bookmarks, collections, and devices. The Pro plan runs $28 per year and adds AI suggestions for organization, full-text search, a permanent library (copies of saved pages), more upload space, cloud backup, and other enhancements. Recall It then uses AI to summarize the interesting bits from your saved content. You can ask it questions about the content, create notes, and organize it all in one central place. Recall offers a free plan which includes 10 free content summaries, unlimited read-it-later storage, and unlimited personal notes. The 'Plus' plan starts at $10 per month and offers unlimited content summaries, automatic categorization, unlimited AI questions, and more. Instapaper For those of us of a certain… well, vintage, Instapaper is something of a household name. A pioneer in the read-it-later space that's now almost old enough to vote, it saves and presents articles in a clean, minimalist format that's ideal for focused reading. It's straightforward to use as well, offering offline reading capabilities, adjustable fonts, and simple highlighting. If your primary goal is distraction-free reading of saved articles, Instapaper is worth a look. Instapaper offers a free version with unlimited article saving, syncing, folders, and integration with third-party apps. Instapaper Premium starts at $6 per month and includes full-text search, a permanent archive of articles, unlimited notes, text-to-speech, speed reading, and an ad-free website.
CBS News
an hour ago
- CBS News
Here's who has qualified for next week's U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club
The field is nearly set for next week's U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club. The best golfers in the world will be teeing it up next week for the 125th playing of the U.S. Open and from a Pittsburgh native to a number of past champions trying to win the championship again, there are plenty of big storylines to follow. The U.S. Open will tee off on June 12 and here are some of those big storylines to follow. Matt Vogt, a former Oakmont caddy qualifies for the U.S. Open Matt Vogt was among those who qualified for the upcoming U.S. Open during final qualifying on Monday. Final qualifying consisted of a grueling 36-hole competition known as "Golf's Longest Day." Vogt, who caddied at Oakmont for six years and now a dentist based out of Indianapolis, shot 68-68 at the Wine Valley Golf Club in Walla Walla, Washington to earn medalist honors and a spot in the U.S. Open next week in his hometown. After qualifying for the U.S. Open, Vogt said Oakmont and the tournament being held in Pittsburgh means so much to him, but he tried to block out those thoughts while attempting to qualify. "It took every ounce of energy in my body to not think about that all day," Vogt said. A caddie turned dentist turned U.S. Open competitor! 👏 👏 👏 If you watch one Golf's Longest Day interview, make sure it's this one from Matthew Vogt. — U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 3, 2025 Vogt said he hasn't been at Oakmont since 2021 and hasn't seen the recent renovations at the course that have been implemented since then. "It was very hard then," Vogt said. "You know, I'm a different player. I'm a better player, I know that. But I'm playing with the best players in the world, so I will soak up every single second of that week and stay insanely present. It's just a dream come true." High School Junior Mason Howell qualifies for U.S. Open Another big storyline that came out of final qualifying on Monday happened at the Piedmont Driving Club in Atlanta, Georgia as 17-year-old Mason Howell made big headlines. Howell, a high school junior who is committed to play college golf at the University of Georgia, qualified for the U.S. Open by shooting 63-63 and finishing 18-under par to earn his spot at Oakmont Country Club. "That was one of the greatest moments of my life," Howell said after qualifying. High school junior Mason Howell won the Atlanta U.S. Open qualifier with an incredible 18-under score over 36 holes. 😳🔥 📺 Golf Channel — Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) June 3, 2025 Howell, currently 8th in the American Junior Golf Association ranking list, earned his spot in the U.S. Open without making a single bogey across his 36 holes of final qualifying. Cameron Young qualifies for U.S. Open in playoff One of the higher profile final qualifying events was held at the Kinsale Golf and Fitness Club in Columbus, Ohio and featured some prominent PGA Tour names who were trying to earn a spot at next week's U.S. Open. Erik Van Rooyen earned medalist honors with a stunning 13-under par score, six shots better than the next player in the field, but the big storyline from the qualifier was the playoff for the final qualifying spot. Rickie Fowler and Max Homa, who was carrying his own bag, both shot 5-under par to earn their way into the playoff. This is what Golf's Longest Day is all about! 6x @PGATOUR winner Max Homa out here grinding 36 holes with his own bag on his back in an effort to play in his sixth-consecutive U.S. Open. — U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 2, 2025 Cameron Young also made the playoff, making a necessary birdie on the last of his 36 holes to move to 5-under as well. CAMERON YOUNG CLUTCH! A birdie on the first playoff hole and he's on to Oakmont! Homa, Fowler, Cole and Johnson are heading home. — U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 3, 2025 In the playoff, Young birdied the first hole, securing him a spot in the U.S. Open. Can Bryson DeChambeau go back-to-back? Defending champion Bryson DeChambeau, last year's winner at Pinehurst, is aiming to become just the second back-to-back champion of the last 75 years, a feat achieved by Brooks Koepka in 2017 and 2018 and by Ben Hogan in 1950 and 1951. PINEHURST, NORTH CAROLINA - JUNE 16: Bryson DeChambeau of the United States plays his third shot out of a greenside bunker on the 18th hole during the final round of the 124th U.S. Open at Pinehurst Resort on June 16, 2024 in Pinehurst, North Carolina. / Getty Images Should DeChambeau be able to repeat, he'll join a relatively exclusive club of players to win the U.S. Open three or more times that includes Tiger Woods, Hale Irwin, Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan, Bobby Jones, and Willie Anderson. Phil Mickelson still chasing the career grand slam Can Phil Mickelson find lightning in a bottle to contend at this year's U.S. Open and complete the career grand slam? Mickelson would love to become the seventh all-time player to achieve the grand slam, already having won the Masters, the PGA Championship, and the Open Championship. CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - MAY 15: Phil Mickelson of the United States hits out of a greenside bunker on the fourth hole during the first round of the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Country Club on May 15, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. / Getty Images Six times a runner up at the U.S. Open, Mickelson has struggled as of late at major championships. Since winning the PGA Championship at Kiawah Island in 2021, Mickelson has missed the cut in 10 of his 14 appearances at majors. In the four times he made the cut, he had a 2nd place and 43rd place finish at the Masters, 58th place finish at the PGA Championship, and 60th place finish at the Open Championship. Is Scottie Scheffler the favorite to win at Oakmont? When the players tee off at Oakmont next week, Scottie Scheffler will likely be the favorite to win the tournament. Scheffler, the world's No. 1 ranked player, is on a hot streak currently, having won three of the last four competitions he has played in. With wins at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson, the PGA Championship, and the Memorial, Scheffler has now been victorious 16 times on the PGA Tour since winning the 2022 WM Phoenix Open. DUBLIN, OHIO - JUNE 01: Scottie Scheffler of the United States acknowledges the crowd on the 18th green during the final round of the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday 2025 at Muirfield Village Golf Club on June 01, 2025 in Dublin, Ohio. / Getty Images In seven U.S. Open appearances, Scheffler has posted three top 10 finishes, including a tied for second place result in 2022 at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts. Scheffler competed in the 2016 U.S. Open at Oakmont as an amateur, but missed the cut. Former champions in the field at Oakmont Along with defending champion Bryson DeChambeau (2024 and 2020), a number of past U.S. Open champions will be in the field at Oakmont last week. Past champions in the field include: Wyndham Clark, 2023 at Los Angeles Country Club Matt Fitzpatrick, 2022 at The Country Club Jon Rahm, 2021 at Torrey Pines Gary Woodland, 2019 at Pebble Beach Brooks Koepka, 2018 and 2017 at Shinnecock Hills and Erin Hills Dustin Johnson, 2016 at Oakmont Jordan Spieth, 2015 at Chambers Bay Justin Rose, 2013 at Merion Rory McIlroy, 2011 at Congressional Lucas Glover, 2009 at Bethpage Black A full list of players who will be competing in next week's U.S. Open can be found here.
Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
Paul Goldschmidt Better Than Ever With New York Yankees
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - MAY 27: Paul Goldschmidt #48 of the New York Yankees looks on in the dugout ... More during the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 27, 2025 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by) Aaron Judge might get most of the headlines with the New York Yankees. Deservedly so. Judge is a phenomenal talent, who is on a tear this season. Before the Yankees series opener with the Cleveland Guardians June 3, Judge is hitting a whopping .391/.485/.764/.1.248, with 21 homers and 50 RBIs in 262 plate appearances. But Judge isn't alone in creating havoc in the Yankees lineup. First baseman Paul Goldschmidt, 37, may be in the midst of his best year ever. Prior to the Yankees series with Cleveland, Goldschmidt has hit .333/.388/.486/.874, with six homers, and 28 RBIs in 238 plate appearances. The Yankees have a 5.5 game lead in the American League East. The dual threats of Judge and Goldschmidt can help erase the sting of Yankees fans losing Juan Soto to the cross-town New York Mets. SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 19: Paul Goldschmidt of the Diamondbacks looks on during an Arizona ... More Diamondbacks MLB training session at Sydney Cricket Ground on March 19, 2014 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by) At 6-2, 225 pounds, 'Goldy' doesn't have overwhelming size. He does, however, get plenty of strength from a proven, measured swing that has served him well for all of his 15-year career. Goldschmidt was an 8th round pick of the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2009 MLB draft. A six time All Star with Arizona, Goldschmidt played parts of eight seasons with the Diamondbacks, compiling a .297 batting average in 4,708 plate appearances. He hit 209 home runs, and drove in 710 in that span. Goldschmidt also made the All Star team with the 2022 Cardinals. Goldschmidt won three first base Gold Gloves with the Dbacks, and one with the Cardinals. Goldschmidt has won five Silver Slugger Awards. In 2018, when Goldschmidt was about to become a free agent, the Diamondbacks traded him to the St. Louis Cardinals; receiving catcher Carson Kelly, pitcher Luke Weaver, and infielder Andrew Young in return. Goldschmidt played six seasons with the Cardinals. He hit a combined .278, with 153 home runs, and 477 RBIs in 3,584 plate appearances. When he reached free agency this past fall, Goldschmidt signed with the Yankees on December 30, 2024. Goldschmidt is working on a one-year Yankees contract, worth $12.5 million. Goldschmidt's contract may be among the best pure values of any baseball player this season. In his career, Goldschmidt has earned: The 2023 National League Hank Aaron Award, which is bestowed upon the best offensive player in each league. The 2015 Wilson Defensive Player of the Year, which was awarded to the best defensive player at each fielding position in baseball. Membership on the 2022 All-MLB Team The 2022 National League Hank Aaron Award, as a repeat winner. The 2022 National League Most Valuable Player Award The 2023 Lou Gehrig Memorial Award, which is awarded to the player who best exemplifies the spirit and character of Lou Gehrig, both on and off the field. TAMPA, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 18: Paul Goldschmidt #48 of the New York Yankees poses for a portrait ... More during the New York Yankees Photo Day at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 18, 2025 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo) To this old scout, Paul Goldschmidt brings more than his baseball skills to the New York Yankees. Goldschmidt has always been an active participant in community events, and his leadership skills and compassion are evident to those in his presence. Strong, quiet, and unassuming, this writer remembers the times 'Goldy' and his wife spent in Children's Hospital and reaching out to other organizations in Phoenix. Diamondbacks fans, and the entire Phoenix community, deeply felt the loss of the Goldschmidt family when they moved to St. Louis. Young players, and even veterans who watch Goldschmidt, will see a player with very sound fundamentals on both offense and defense. Goldschmidt is not flashy. He may not be noticed on the diamond until he makes an outstanding play at first base, or hits the ball to the gap to drive in a run. Paul Goldschmidt leads by example. The Yankees made a great choice when they signed Paul Goldschmidt to the one-year contract. He has earned every penny already, and is in store for an even bigger pay day at the end of the year. All at the age of 37. 'Goldy' may be having the best year of his career. Yankees fans should get ready to see Paul Goldschmidt in his eighth All Star game. This time, however, he will be wearing Yankee pinstripes.
