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Hawaii's Kanekoa Texeira selected to MLB All-Star Futures Game staff
After logging time in the major leagues as a pitcher, Maui native Kanekoa Texeira is once again climbing the professional baseball ladder, this time from the dugout. Texeira, a Kamehameha Schools graduate from Kula, Maui, is in his second season as the Triple-A manager for the Gwinnett Stripers, the Atlanta Braves' top affiliate in the International League. The former big-league reliever, who pitched 67 innings across two seasons with the Seattle Mariners and Kansas City Royals from 2010 to 2012, has quickly gained respect as a rising managerial talent. That reputation has earned him a new honor, a spot on the coaching staff for the 2025 All-Star Futures Game, set for July 12 at Truist Park in Atlanta. "Hey, you know, it's fun," Texeira said. "It's always been part of my dream to stick in this game as long as I can. Reach out to lots of kids or players that I can share in the knowledge I've learned. I still get shocked sometimes, managing a Triple-A team, one step away from the big leagues. If it happens, it happens. If not, I'm still proud of what I've done and what I'm doing right now." Texeira's selection to the Futures Game staff came via a text from Braves legend Chipper Jones. "Chipper texted me and said, 'Hey, you want to coach third base?'" Texeira recalled. "I said, 'Of course.' Then he said, 'Good, because you're going to be with me in the Futures Game.' I told him, 'I'd be stupid to say no to Chipper Jones, man. I got you.'"
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New York Times
30 minutes ago
- New York Times
Twins' minor-league adventure: Tampa, Sacramento trips marked by ‘difficult' playing conditions
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The risk simply wasn't worth it for Carlos Correa. Recognizing the soreness developing in the middle of his back after two days of slipping and sliding in a rock-hard batter's box at Sutter Health Park, the Twins shortstop elected to sit out the final two contests of a four-game series at the new, temporary home of the Athletics. Advertisement In abandoning Oakland to spend three seasons in the California state capital before they move to a new ballpark on the Las Vegas Strip, the A's made a controversial decision by voluntarily relocating to a Triple-A stadium they're sharing with a minor-league affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. While the refurbished facility's amenities drew rave reviews from every Twins player interviewed by The Athletic, including Correa, several noted a number of 'minor-league' issues with its playing surface. After playing in West Sacramento and at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, the temporary home of the Tampa Bay Rays and spring training facility for the New York Yankees, during their recent three-city road trip, the Twins have a fresh perspective on Major League Baseball's minor-league issues as the weather heats up. From Tampa's oppressive heat and humidity to its poor outfield lighting and short foul poles to a batter's box in Sacramento multiple players described as akin to hitting on cement and a rigid pitcher's mound that's drawn the ire of hurlers across the league, the Twins experienced the full range of challenges these parks present in playing seven away games against the Rays and A's since May 26. Correa's experience with the batter's box represents one of the bigger hardships Twins players faced during their minor-league adventure. 'It's the worst box I've ever stepped in,' Correa said. 'I like (the park). The ball travels very well. The facilities are good. They did it right. The plate is the only problem. … I'm not going to sacrifice two months of my season because of a couple of at-bats here.' How the clubhouses at both temporary stadiums are arranged isn't an issue. But the playing conditions are a different story. In Sacramento, the dirt and the disconnected dugouts create difficulties for the home and visiting players. Both teams' clubhouses are located beyond the left-field fence at the ballpark, which means players and trainers are often commuting across the field between innings. Advertisement Athletics pitcher Luis Severino voiced his frustration with his home stadium last month. During a typical start, Severino reportedly likes to retreat to the clubhouse between innings to watch film and move around, something he can't do at Sutter Health Park. This season, Severino, who signed a multi-year contract with the A's in free agency, has a 0.87 road ERA and a 6.99 ERA at home. Before their four-game series began Monday, Twins manager Rocco Baldelli joked about how awkward it would be to get ejected, as he did in Seattle on Saturday night. Noting fans described the potential scenario as a walk of shame, Baldelli suggested he'd be worried about how his stride would look with such a long walk. Still, Baldelli determined if an ejection occurred, he'd make the most of it. 'It's the march of triumph,' he said. The batter's box and mound, which are pored over by the grounds crew daily to handle a combined 156-game schedule for the Athletics and Triple-A River Cats, also have been heavily criticized for their firmness. When he pitched in Sacramento on May 24, Philadelphia Phillies starter Zack Wheeler struggled to dig a hole on the mound in front of the rubber with his foot because of the hard clay used. Wheeler said he couldn't 'get into the dirt to drive' through his pitches, which left him throwing 'all arm.' Wheeler's phrasing stuck with Twins pitcher Joe Ryan, who wondered aloud if a firm mound played a role in the significant injury suffered by teammate Pablo López this week in Sacramento. Coming off a daytime start in which he pitched in 100-degree temperatures in Tampa, López suffered a Grade 2 teres major muscle strain on Tuesday and is expected to miss eight to 12 weeks. Ryan is perplexed by how a teammate as fit and process-oriented as López — 'he spends hours a day (warming up) to go play catch' — could suffer such an injury. Advertisement 'The first thing I thought of was Wheeler saying, 'I was all arm when I was here,'' Ryan said. 'Does that play into that? Someone was mentioning it. We're in the big leagues and we have these amenities for a reason. It's to get prepared and go inside if you need to for a second. Whatever your routine is, you can't do that here. You can't do that in Tampa. As (Lopez's) teammate, it makes it sting a little bit more. I don't think Pablo is the kind of guy that's going to say (the mound was the issue), but I'll say it.' During his May 28 start in Tampa, López called a timeout in the first inning for groundskeepers to fix the mound. Ryan also took issue with the mound in Tampa and said it was much different than the one he warmed up on in the bullpen before his start. 'Tampa was a fricking sh– box and they have a massive mound in the bullpen before,' Ryan said. 'It's a huge contrast.' According to players, the issues in Tampa — which is scheduled to be used by the Rays for only the 2025 season after Hurricane Milton destroyed the roof of Tropicana Field last September and caused massive flood damage — include poor outfield lighting, a short porch in right field and short foul poles. The miniature poles likely cost Aaron Judge a home run in an April 20 game as the ball appeared to incorrectly be ruled foul. Poor lighting seemed to hamper Twins outfielder Trevor Larnach's ability to track fly balls in a May 26 loss to the Rays. 'I could see better at Tampa at the beginning of the game and then at night it was really difficult for me,' Larnach said. '(In a regular park), the lights are bright and you see the ball a tad bit better, whether it be in the outfield, at the plate or whatever.' Lighting doesn't seem to be an issue at Sutter Health Park, which has a berm beyond the fence in right field with trees that offers fans a unique way to catch a major-league game. But the lack of a third deck in both stadiums allows wind to impact the ball in different ways. The ball carries extremely well in Sacramento, which Baseball Savant ranks as tops in the majors — tied with the Baltimore Orioles' Camden Yards — in Park Factor, meaning it is the most hitter-friendly park in baseball. Advertisement Athletics outfielder Lawrence Butler hit a three-run homer Monday, a 100.9-mph, 28-degree fly ball, which Ryan and Byron Buxton swore would have been an out at the Twins' home ballpark, Target Field. However, Buxton also benefitted at the plate as the wind turned what likely would have been an out into a two-run double. By comparison, Steinbrenner Field currently is playing as a neutral venue, according to Baseball Savant's Park Factor. 'Big-league stadiums, you don't have the ball dancing like these balls are moving here,' Buxton said of Sacramento. 'My double, fly out, wind takes it, almost takes it out and it's like, 'What?' … (Butler's) ball, I'm (normally) catching at the warning track.' Players described the wind in Tampa as swirling and unpredictable. Twins outfielder Willi Castro raced toward the left-field foul line during a May 27 game, only for the wind to spin the ball back into play — well out of his grasp — for a double. Even the view of left field from the visiting dugout in Tampa is deceiving. From his perch atop the dugout, Baldelli couldn't see any plays that occurred in left field. The park's configuration is such that the visiting dugout juts out into the field of play with the left-field foul pole situated about 15 feet behind where Baldelli stands. 'Every ball that's hit down the left-field line, we think it's foul by like 100 feet,' Baldelli said. 'It looks like it's foul off the bat, like the hitters not even hitting it, and it's getting blown up, and they're fair.' Both parks are expected to heat up like a microwave as summer arrives. The heat issues in Tampa are concerning enough that MLB scheduled the Rays away from home for a 10-game road trip in July and a 12-gamer to the West Coast in August. Despite pitching at night in Tampa on May 27, Twins starter Chris Paddack went through four baseball caps and jerseys as well as multiple undershirts. For the teams' May 28 day game, the temperature was sweltering as Twins players scrambled for minimal shade in the visiting dugout. Advertisement 'I was sweating a ton right after (batting practice),' Twins infielder Royce Lewis said. 'Sweating through batting gloves and stuff. The heat for some guys definitely played a part. To stand out in the sun for hours is depleting.' Still, it's not all bad. Although the layout of the visitors locker room, weight room and cafeteria at Steinbrenner Field is unlike almost any other ballpark in the majors, the two batting cages for visiting teams were lauded by nearly every Twins hitter. Staffers also noted there was ample space to perform their different activities. 'We're finding our bearings,' Baldelli said. 'We're finding meeting rooms and weight rooms. It's not set up where it's all in one space, like guys are typically used to, but it's nothing that we can't get familiar with and figure out.' Similarly, players raved about the behind-the-scenes setup at Sutter Health Park. Multi-million dollar offseason upgrades at the stadium included a renovated visiting clubhouse, a revamped scoreboard and a new playing surface. Though MLB originally wanted the Athletics and River Cats to play on synthetic turf, a decision was made to use real grass. Buxton described the outfield grass as playing faster than the grass at most parks, while Baldelli described the turf as squishy. Stadium officials plan to re-sod the playing surface during the middle of July to help combat dead spots during a stretch where temperatures are expected to soar above 100 degrees. As much as each stadium has its drawbacks, nothing compares to Sacramento's hard dirt, several Twins hitters said. Throughout their four-game series, Twins hitters could be seen slipping in the batter's box when swinging at pitches. Correa slipped during his first at-bat Monday (a double) and tried to improve his footing by changing into catcher Ryan Jeffers' metal spikes. After dealing with plantar fasciitis in each foot over the past two seasons, Correa ditched metal spikes in favor of moldings, comfortable shoes that don't grip the ground as well. But he quickly rid himself of Jeffers' spikes because they began to hurt his feet. Advertisement Over the next two days, Correa's back began to hurt. He experienced back issues earlier in his career and could tell the new soreness was in a different location. He believed it was related to slipping in the batter's box and overcompensating with his back. To test and confirm his hypothesis, Correa hit on flat ground in the indoor batting cages and felt fine each time. At that point, Correa determined he would sit out the final two games of the series rather than risk a severe back injury. 'The plate here is killing me right now,' Correa said. 'It's very slippery. … For us that play with moldings, it's a tough time getting grip on the plate, but it's better than your feet hurting.' (Top photo of Twins reliever Jonah Bride pitching at Sutter Health Park: Scott Marshall / Associated Press)
USA Today
41 minutes ago
- USA Today
3 major trade packages Patriots could offer for Falcons TE Kyle Pitts
3 major trade packages Patriots could offer for Falcons TE Kyle Pitts Few NFL prospects have entered the league with as much hype as Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts. The former Florida Gator was a matchup nightmare in college and a tight end in name only. At 6-foot-6 with elite speed, Pitts was billed as a unicorn, a hybrid weapon too athletic for linebackers and too big for corners. That promise led to him being selected fourth overall in the 2021 NFL draft by the Falcons, which is the highest a tight end has ever gone. Since then, the results have Pitts had a strong rookie year, finishing with over 1,000 receiving yards, but he hasn't come close to replicating that production since. His last three seasons: 2022 : 28 receptions, 356 yards, 2 touchdowns : 28 receptions, 356 yards, 2 touchdowns 2023 : 53 receptions, 667 yards, 3 touchdowns : 53 receptions, 667 yards, 3 touchdowns 2024: 47 receptions, 602 yards, 1 touchdown Injuries, inconsistent quarterback play and schematic misuse have all contributed to his stalled development. Now entering his age-25 season and the final year of his rookie deal (with a fully guaranteed $10.8M fifth-year option), Pitts is at a crossroads, and Atlanta may be willing to move on. For the Patriots, this could be a rare buying opportunity. Why Kyle Pitts Makes Sense for New England The Patriots are in the early stages of rebuilding around rookie quarterback Drake Maye. They have cap space, a need for more offensive firepower and the flexibility to take calculated swings on upside talent. Pitts checks every box. If he succeeds, he becomes a core piece of the Maye era. If not, they move on after the season with minimal long-term damage. It's the kind of risk a team in New England's position should be taking, especially considering the relatively weak tight end market in both free agency and the draft. With that in mind, let's break down three potential trade packages the Patriots could explore to acquire Pitts. Option A: Conditional draft pick flyer Patriots receive: Kyle Pitts 2026 seventh-round pick Falcons receive: 2026 fourth-round pick (conditional) Condition Details: Becomes a third-round pick if Pitts makes a Pro Bowl or All-Pro in 2025 and signs a new deal below top-10 tight end AAV Becomes a second-round pick if Pitts makes a Pro Bowl or All-Pro and signs a deal above top-10 TE AAV Remains a fourth-rounder if the Patriots let him walk in free agency or if he underperforms. If he extends, above or below top-10 tight end AAV, but doesn't make Pro Bowl or All-Pro, it is a fourth-rounder. Why it works:This is a classic "prove-it" trade. Atlanta gets future value if Pitts thrives in New England, while the Patriots protect themselves from overpaying. A flexible structure like this can bridge the gap between perceived value and actual production. Option B: Aggressive draft capital move Patriots receive: Kyle Pitts 2026 seventh-round pick Falcons receive: 2026 third-round pick 2026 sixth-round pick (acquired from Kansas City in the Joshua Uche trade) Why it works:This version skips conditions and sweeteners. It's a more aggressive approach from New England, offering a Day 2 pick and an additional sixth-rounder to entice Atlanta. The pick swap (seventh for sixth) helps slightly balance the scales. If the Patriots believe in Pitts' upside, this is a cleaner, faster deal. Option C: The creative player swap Patriots receive:Kyle Pitts2025 fifth-round pick Falcons receive:Kendrick Bourne (WR)Austin Hooper (TE)2025 sixth-round pick Why it works:This is a rare player-for-player trade that could benefit both teams. The Patriots send out two veteran contributors—Kendrick Bourne, who is coming off an injury and may be on the roster bubble, and Austin Hooper, a serviceable TE2 who signed as depth. In return, they get a younger, more dynamic player in Pitts, while preserving draft flexibility. Pitts wouldn't need to be the focal point right away, sitting behind Hunter Henry and surrounded by targets like Stefon Diggs and Kyle Williams. He could develop without pressure while the Patriots evaluate his long-term fit. Atlanta gets two experienced, lower-cost veterans to help a playoff-caliber roster, while moving on from a player who may need a change of scenery. Plus, they pick up an extra Day 3 pick in the process. Final thoughts: Should the Patriots pull the trigger? If the price is right, absolutely. Kyle Pitts hasn't lived up to the No. 4 overall hype, but that doesn't mean his value is gone. He's still a 25-year-old, 6-foot-6 athletic freak with a 1,000-yard season on his résumé. For a rebuilding team with a young quarterback on a rookie deal, a stable veteran tight end in Henry and a glaring need for explosive upside, Pitts is a gamble worth taking. Whether it's a conditional pick, a draft package or a creative player swap, the Patriots have the flexibility and motivation to make something happen. The only question is: Do they believe they can unlock what Atlanta couldn't? Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook.
Fox Sports
41 minutes ago
- Fox Sports
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver: Expansion 'will be on the agenda' in July
There is a board of governors meeting in Las Vegas next month, and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver thinks it's likely that those owners will decide at that time whether or not to take the next official step toward expanding the league in the coming years. Officially exploring the notion of adding teams seems likely. "It will be on the agenda to take the temperature of the room," Silver said Thursday night in his annual news conference before Game 1 of the finals. "We have committees that are already talking about it, but my sense is at that meeting they're going to give direction to me and my colleagues at the league office that we should continue to explore." That does not mean it will definitely happen, even though there are certain markets — Seattle and Las Vegas among them — that are known to want NBA teams. "I'd say the current sense is we should be exploring it," Silver said. "I don't think it's automatic." Silver said he and the league office have gotten numerous calls from groups about potential expansion, with the standard response — until now — being that the NBA appreciates the interest but isn't ready for any real talks. That's what will likely change, with the plan — if the owners give the go-ahead — set to include engagement with outside advisors evaluating market opportunities, media opportunities and other factors. Speaking on the topic of next year's All-Star Game for a second straight day, Silver said he hasn't given up on finding a formula that works. Silver revealed in an interview on FS1 on Wednesday that a U.S. vs. the world game is possible in some form for next year's All-Star Game, which will be aired in mid-February on NBC — smack in the middle of the Winter Olympics, also on NBC. So, the U.S. vs. World theme would fit perfectly with Olympic coverage. [Related: NBA All-Star Game: Could Team World actually beat Team USA?] "I think we're on to something," Silver said. The idea — U.S. vs. World — has been bandied about for months, and top international players like San Antonio's Victor Wembanyama and Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo have said they would be intrigued by such an idea. "We are looking at something that brings an international flavor into All-Star competition," Silver said. "We're still experimenting internally with different formats and talking with the players' association about that. I don't think straight-up U.S. vs. World makes sense, but that's not what they did in the NHL either." Silver was referring to the 4 Nations Face-off, which was a smashing success during a stoppage during the NHL season this past February. Reporting by The Associated Press. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience National Basketball Association recommended Get more from National Basketball Association Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more in this topic
