Rafael Devers starts at first base and helps Giants beat Braves 9-0 to snap 6-game skid
Devers was traded from Boston to the Giants in June after his relationship with management deteriorated less than two years into a 10-year, $313.5 million contract he signed in 2023. The Red Sox signed Gold Glove third baseman Alex Bregman during spring training and asked Devers to move to designated hitter. He balked before agreeing, but when Boston first baseman Triston Casas suffered a season-ending injury, he was approached about playing the position and he declined.
San Francisco starter Landen Roupp (7-6) gave up four hits and a walk with six strikeouts in five scoreless innings. The Giants have won five of Roupp's last six starts.
Casey Schmitt hit a solo homer off Davis Daniel (0-1) to highlight San Francisco's four-run second inning. Devers doubled to lead off the fifth and scored on a single by Willy Adames to make it 5-0.
Devers added an RBI single before Wilmer Flores hit a three-run home run in the seventh.
Matt Olson had three hits and Michael Harris II added two for the Braves.
Sean Hjelle and Joey Lucchesi each pitched an inning before Carson Seymour worked the eighth and ninth and. Four Giants pitchers combined for 14 strikeouts.
Adames drew a leadoff walk in the second and Chapman followed with an RBI triple and scored on a sacrifice fly by Flores. After Schmitt's homer, Bailey doubled and later scored on a sac fly by Heliot Ramos to give the Giants a 4-0 lead.
Giants manager Bob Melvin has 1,650 career wins, tied with Mike Scioscia for 20th on MLB's all-time list. Buck Showalter is 19th with 1,726 wins.
San Francisco RHP Justin Verlander (0-8, 4.99 ERA) is scheduled to pitch Wednesday against Atlanta RHP Spencer Strider (4-7, 3.59) .
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
3 minutes ago
- New York Times
The words that should fuel Giants coach Brian Daboll throughout training camp
The results on the field have told the obvious story the past two seasons: The New York Giants have not been ready for Week 1. The Giants were embarrassed 40-0 in a season-opening loss to the Dallas Cowboys, which set the tone for a dismal 2023 season following their surprising success in 2022. The scoreboard wasn't as ugly, but the performance in a 28-6 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in last season's opener was equally demoralizing. Advertisement Adding insult to injury were the comments made by Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell after last season's victory. Addressing a jubilant locker room, O'Connell expressed pride that 'all day long, we looked more prepared. We looked better conditioned.' Again, the on-field results left no doubt that O'Connell was correct. But such words from an opposing coach should fuel Brian Daboll as he prepares for his fourth season. Daboll's return for a fourth year as Giants coach was in doubt as he oversaw the worst season in the franchise's 100-year history. But he's back under the shadow of co-owner John Mara making it clear that he's running out of patience with a regime that has seen its win total decrease by three in each of its first three seasons, bottoming out at 3-14 last year. Daboll can't hide from urgency required to turn things around. 'We have to hit the ground running,' Daboll said on the final day of minicamp in June. 'When training camp hits, I don't have much tolerance for mistakes during training camp. The season is getting close, so we have to be prepared mentally, and we have to be prepared physically.' It will be on Daboll to rediscover the formula that gets his players ready to go for Week 1. The Giants started fast in Daboll's first season, riding a 6-1 opening stretch to a surprising playoff run. The schedule will be a major obstacle. Six of the Giants' first eight opponents made the playoffs last year, including a pair of matchups with the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. One of the opponents that missed the playoffs last season is the Cowboys, who have won eight straight over the Giants and 15 out of 16 in the rivalry. The positive vibes that exist entering camp will be extinguished quickly with another slow start. The Giants started 0-2 last season, just as they have nine times in the past 12 seasons. They finished with a losing record in all nine of those seasons. Advertisement With that in mind, it will be interesting to observe any changes Daboll makes to his approach during camp. Daboll has run a relatively light camp in past years, with the Giants placing an emphasis on health heading into the season. The benefit of that approach has been an avoidance of major injuries to significant players. The downside is the 68-6 result in the past two openers. The biggest change last offseason was Daboll taking over as the play caller after entrusting that role to offensive coordinator Mike Kafka in his first two seasons. That new role contributed to a calmer Daboll, who had frequent sideline eruptions during the 2023 season. The changes obviously didn't produce the desired results. All signs point to Daboll handing play-calling duties back over to Kafka this season. Daboll remained more even-keeled during practices this spring, but his comments indicate he may dial up the intensity this summer if he's unhappy with the team's performance. Whatever approach Daboll adopts, he needs to figure out how to get his players to the opener better prepared and conditioned. The Giants placed left tackle Andrew Thomas (foot) and running back Eric Gray (knee) on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list after players reported for training camp on Tuesday. Additionally, outside linebacker Victor Dimukeje (pec) was placed on the Non-Football Injury list and safety Anthony Johnson (shoulder) was waived injured. Thomas' inclusion on the PUP list isn't a surprise since the team is taking a cautious approach with the vital piece as he returns from the Lisfranc injury he suffered last October. Thomas, who has missed 18 games over the past seasons, is on pace to be ready for Week 1, but don't expect a quick activation from the PUP list. The goal is to avoid any setbacks, so expect a gradual build toward practice participation with the target of an appearance in a preseason game or a joint practice to gear up for the season. Gray remains sidelined after missing the final three open practices of the spring. Any missed time is crucial for Gray, who has been pushed to the roster bubble by the selection of running back Cam Skattebo in the fourth round of the draft. It's notable that Dimukeje was placed on NFI because he has $1.03 million of his $1.17 million salary fully guaranteed. Those guarantees don't apply to players on NFI, however, so the Giants could cut Dimukeje and be left with just $167,500 in dead money from his signing bonus. Dimukeje, who reportedly tore his pec while training in the spring, counts toward the 90-man roster limit while on NFI. Players on the PUP list also count on the 90-man roster. Advertisement Johnson missed the entire spring with a shoulder injury. He was replaced by sixth-year veteran K'Von Wallace, who started seven games for the Tennessee Titans in 2023 when Giants defensive coordinator Shane Bowen had the same role in Tennessee. Wallace was a tryout participant in the Giants' minicamp in June and was signed after another workout on Tuesday. On the positive front, Skattebo, wide receiver Malik Nabers, wide receiver Jalin Hyatt, defensive lineman Darius Alexander and linebacker Bobby Okereke aren't on the PUP list after missing time during the spring. The quiet time before training camp is typically only interrupted by the news of contract extensions. The most surprising extension of the summer came from a front office, with the Chicago Bears giving general manager Ryan Poles a three-year extension that runs through 2029. The Bears have a 15-36 record in three seasons under Poles, who was a finalist for the Giants' GM job in 2022. The Bears fired coach Matt Eberflus, who was hired in the same offseason as Poles, during last season. Poles' contract length is aligned with new coach Ben Johnson. Seeing Poles get an extension leads to obvious questions about the future of Giants GM Joe Schoen, who has an 18-32-1 record in three seasons. It would be unconscionable for the Giants to extend Schoen off a 3-14 season, but Poles' extension could foreshadow a similar commitment to Schoen after the season even if the results on the field aren't dramatically improved. More typical extensions were handed out to New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner, Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson and Kansas Chiefs defensive end George Karlaftis in the final days before the start of camp. That trio joined 2022 draft classmate Derek Stingley, who signed a three-year, $90 million extension with the Houston Texans in March. This offseason was the first time 2022 draft picks were eligible for extensions. The Giants haven't extended any of their 11 picks from the 2022 draft, and it would be a surprise if any extensions are imminent. Advertisement There's no shortage of lists during the dead time of the NFL calendar between minicamps and the start of training camp. Most are good for a quick scroll while sitting by a pool, but the position-by-position top-10 list compiled every July by ESPN's Jeremy Fowler is a notable exception. Fowler's rankings of the best players at every position are based on a survey of more than 70 league executives, coaches and scouts. That provides the best snapshot of top talent across the league because the lists are comprised by those who evaluate players for a living. The Giants had three players crack the top 10 at their position: Dexter Lawrence was voted the No. 1 defensive tackle; Malik Nabers was voted the No. 7 wide receiver; and Andrew Thomas was voted the No. 10 offensive tackle. Fowler includes an honorable mention section for every player who receives a vote at each position. The only other Giants to receive votes were Brian Burns, who finished 11th at edge rusher, and Jevon Holland, who finished 11th at safety. Lawrence jumped to No. 1 from No. 3 last year, unseating Kansas City's Chris Jones from the top spot. Thomas, who missed 10 games last season, clung to a spot in the top 10 after ranking eighth last season. Thomas' highest ranking was No. 1, so he clearly still has at least one true believer in the league after two injury-plagued seasons. Nabers cracked the top 10 on his first try, receiving at least one vote as high as No. 4. It wouldn't be a surprise if Nabers climbs into the top-three discussion with fellow LSU products Ja'Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson after his second season. When comparing the Giants to their NFC East competition, it's easy to see why they're lagging. Not surprisingly, the Super Bowl champion Eagles had a league-high 10 players ranked in the top 10. Philadelphia's talent is evenly distributed throughout the roster, but it's impossible to ignore its loaded offensive line. Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata ranked third and fifth, respectively, among tackles. Landon Dickerson and Cam Jurgens ranked fifth and 14th, respectively, among interior offensive linemen. The Commanders, fresh off a surprise run to the NFC Championship Game, matched the Giants with three top-10 finishers: No. 5 quarterback Jayden Daniels, No. 5 off-ball linebacker Frankie Luvu and No. 7 offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil. Washington has a deeper talent pool than the Giants, however, with seven players receiving votes outside of the top 10 at their positions. The Cowboys had four top-10 finishers: No. 2 interior offensive lineman Tyler Smith, No. 3 edge rusher Micah Parsons, No. 4 wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and No. 8 off-ball linebacker DeMarvion Overshown. Dallas added six more players receiving votes outside of the top 10 at their positions. Advertisement Most impressive about the Eagles' wealth of top talent is that they've been adding to their base while contending for Super Bowls. Since Schoen was hired during the 2022 offseason, the Eagles have added five of their top-10 players and three more players who received votes at their positions. That list of recent acquisitions obviously is headlined by No. 1 running back Saquon Barkley, but there are also five players included that have been drafted by the Eagles since 2022. In addition to Barkley, three players who have left the Giants since Schoen took over made the top 10: No. 3 safety Xavier McKinney, No. 6 defensive tackle Leonard Williams and No. 10 safety Julian Love. Meanwhile, Nabers is the only top-10 player added by Schoen (with Burns and Holland on the doorstep). It will be imperative for Schoen's most recent draft picks to grow into the type of players that garner inclusion on these lists in the future.
Forbes
3 minutes ago
- Forbes
Historic Aaron Judge Run Leads Yankees To Top True Talent Team Ranking
New York Yankees' Aaron Judge (99) celebrates his solo home run against the Atlanta Braves in the ... More first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, July 20, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart) It's time for my annual batted ball-based midseason team true-talent rankings —here's a quick refresher on the methodology. In a nutshell, league averages for each exit speed/launch angle "bucket" are applied to each team's population of batted balls, both for and against, to derive the production they "should have" achieved and allowed. Add back the Ks and BBs, and voila, each team receives an offensive and pitching rating, relative to league average of 100. For hitters, the higher number the better, for pitchers, the lower. Team defense is also measured, in a somewhat unique manner. Clubs' performance is compared head-to-head versus their opponent; the ratio of actual production versus projected performance for both clubs is compared to each other, resulting in a overall defensive multiplier that can also be spread among the individual batted ball types. In 2020, I added a new wrinkle. I introduced a team extreme ground ball-pulling penalty, similar to a concept I use for individual batters. It does not impact the overall team rating, but it more appropriately punishes a team's offense rather than its defense for shortcomings in this area. To qualify for such a penalty, a team had to both A) pull more than 5 times as many grounders as it hit to the opposite field, and B) post actual grounder production lower than the level it 'should have' posted based on its exit speed. The penalty is equal to the amount of that difference. Five clubs were subjected to this penalty, a fairly average number compared to recent norms. Yesterday we reviewed the bottom 15 clubs; today, it's the top 15. This includes 11 of the 12 teams in playoff position at the All Star break, but also three teams presently below .500. Here we go: After years of their subpar offense being carried by a stellar pitching staff, the Mariners offense steps forward……and their pitchers get hurt. Perhaps they can begin to click on all cylinders as the arms return. Led by a command performance from C Cal Raleigh, the M's actually hit 22 more homers than their opponents at the break. Outside of that, this was the epitome of a .500 club - the same exact 89.1 mph average exit speed both for and against, and a very modest -0.3 degree launch angle differential. Their net team K/BB profile is almost exactly neutral, and they put into play all of 33 batted balls fewer than their opponents. A healthy George Kirby and Logan Gilbert would make a big difference - only three MLB clubs had higher projected SLG against in the the first half. Team defense is a strength, particularly in the outfield (88.9 fly ball multiplier) where Julio Rodriguez roams. Sometimes an offense takes on the characteristics of its most distinguishable member - only the Brewers have a lower team average exit speed than the Padres, and only a handful of clubs hit more line drives, as the club mimics the tendencies of Luis Arraez. To deepen the comparison, only two teams have struck out less than the Padres, who put 167 more balls into play than their opponents. Unfortunately, the excess was wasted on the ground ball category, where the Padres were +191. This keyed a -3.6 degree launch angle deficit compared to their opponents, one of the the largest in baseball. The club's 89.9 mph average fly ball exit speed tied the Brewers for the lowest mark in the game in the first half, and their expected fly ball SLG ranked next to last. My method sees them as the third NL wild card. The Rangers very quietly have become a high floor team, respectable in all facets of the game. Unfortunately, there isn't a ton of ceiling here as presently constituted. This is a fairly neutral team across the board, with a level K/BB profile, and a mere +17 batted ball surplus with only one notable batted ball type differential. That one is a negative, however, as their +68 pop up surplus is quite a drag on their offense. That contributes to their +2.5 degree launch angle differential. The positive side of that advantage is borne out by their +14 homer edge. Their pitching is much improved, inducing plenty of grounders and issuing few walks. Infield defense has been a strength, with 2B Marcus Semien and SS Corey Seager keying a 81.3 grounder multiplier. Year after year, the Twins remain one of the Whole Is Less Than The Sum Of Its Parts teams. Their raw materials are solid, their connective tissue weak, kind of the anti-Brewers. Only four teams have a higher average exit speed than the Twins' 89.5 mph. Only three MLB clubs have drawn fewer walks, however. On the pitching side, no team has issued fewer walks or induced more pop ups (thanks, Joe Ryan - trade him at your own risk). Team defense, across the board, continues to be an ongoing, limiting issue. It's most acute in the outfield (113.4 fly ball multiplier), where the likes of Trevor Larnach, Matt Wallner and Willi Castro have all had their problems. A very interesting and surprising ball club. My method sees them as the third AL Wild Card, one of four teams in the playoffs from their division. It's a very unique offense - they rank 4th best in baseball according to my method despite a -25 homer differential. They never strike out, but hit the ball reasonably hard, a rare combo. They put 205 more balls in play than their opponents in the first half, including a whopping +97 line drive differential, the largest in baseball. There are some real run prevention issues, however. Despite that huge batted ball differential, they actually allowed more fly balls than they hit, recording a large -4.4 degree launch angle differential. Team defense is also an issue, particularly in the outfield (111.5 fly ball multiplier), thanks in large part to the efforts of George Springer, Anthony Santander and Jonatan Clase. Our highest ranking sub-.500 club. This really shouldn't be surprising - they've scored more runs than they have allowed, despite being plagued by injuries to their best players all season. They're likely too buried to make the playoffs, but if any lagging team is capable of a run, it's these guys; according to my method, they're the second NL wild card. The Braves are at least somewhat above average in all respects - they've got a positive net K/BB profile, have measurable team exit speed and launch angle differentials, and have hit more (and harder) fly balls and line drives than their opponents. They uncovered a gem in C Drake Baldwin, Ronald Acuna Jr. and Spencer Strider are back healthy and performing, and Chris Sale should join them before long (though Spencer Schwellenbach might not). The near-term future remains bright. Interesting team. My method sees them as the best offensive ballclub in the game, led by prized offseason free agent acquisition Juan Soto. They hit the ball significantly harder (+1.0 mph exit speed differential) and higher (+1.3 degree launch angle differential) than their opponents, keying a +41 homer surplus, second only to the crosstown rival Yankees. Their run prevention efforts have limitations, with injuries churning through their starting rotation and team defense shortcomings all over the field. Soto's defensive struggles contribute to their 108.4 fly ball multiplier, while 1B Pete Alonso and 3B Mark Vientos are chiefly culpable for their 123.2 grounder multiplier. The most improved team in baseball according to my method, and the highest ranked club not currently sitting in a playoff spot. Their offense is largely unremarkable, despite the breakthrough of wunderkind Junior Caminero, but their +80 line drive differential is the second largest in MLB and is keeping them afloat. Their pitching staff kind of lives on the edge - they've allowed an MLB-highest 89.9 mph average exit speed, keying a -22 homer differential. Only three MLB clubs have walked fewer hitters, however, and quite a bit of that excess authority has been muted by the game's foremost team defense. Their infield defense (81.8 grounder multiplier) has been especially good, led by SS Taylor Walls and UT Jose Caballero. A fun, fun ballclub. No team hits the ball harder than the Sox' average exit speed of 90.6 mph. Their +2.2 mph exit speed differential is also the game's best, and their +2.1 degree launch angle differential is also an asset. These factors help drive their sizeable +31 homer advantage. On the other hand, their net K/BB profile is a slight negative, and they have a -46 line drive differential. My method, which doesn't sweat errors so much, instead prioritizing range, thinks much more highly of the club's defense than do more traditional metrics. That's especially true in the outfield (89.0 fly ball, 87.5 line drive multipliers), where Ceddanne Rafaela works his magic. One more key fact to consider - while Fenway is a doubles haven, that doesn't fully explain why the Sox are +75 in doubles. They are simply out-defending their opponents. Considering the Dodgers' massive current and future payroll commitments, anything less than a first place ranking has to be considered as at least somewhat of a disappointment. Their offense remains a clear strength. Despite having only a +86 batted ball differential, the Dodgers are +115 in fly balls (driving a +1.3 degree launch angle differential), and they make it count. Only the Yankees and Red Sox have higher average fly ball exit speeds, and only those two plus the Mets have higher expected projected SLG on fly balls - and none of those three clubs have hit as many fly balls. Their injury churn on the pitching side has given back a bit of their offensive advantages - they've walked a lot of hitters and allowed authoritative contact. Defense has been an issue overall, though Mookie Betts has done a nice job at short, keying a 87.1 grounder multiplier. A cursory look at some summary batted ball numbers might cause one to wonder why the Cubs rank so highly. Their offensive and defensive average exit speeds and launch angles are almost identical. They put only 70 more balls in play than their opponents, mostly due to a +74 walk differential. They are one of the six teams assessed an excessive grounder-pulling penalty, How then, are they +29 in doubles, +8 in triples and +25 in homers? Fly ball volume and impact outfield defense, that's how. Their 910 fly balls led the majors at the break, and their +113 fly ball differential was second to only the Dodgers. Their 76.1 fly ball multiplier was the best in MLB, and was obviously made possible by the stylings of Pete Crow-Armstrong in center field. The formula was always simple for this Tigers club - improve the offense to around the league average range, and find enough pitching help for Tarik Skubal to make the pitching staff truly elite. Mission accomplished. The club has used the same approach as the Cubs - hit the ball in the air, and pull it excessively on the ground, penalty be damned. They had +74 fly ball and +3.3 degree launch angle differentials at the break, keying a +19 homer advantage. Riley Greene and Spencer Torkelson give this team just enough thump to be dangerous. That thump coupled with top-shelf starting pitching and solid all-around team defense also gave the club +23 double and +9 triple advantages at the break. I have a number of committed Phils' fans in my life, and from listening to them you'd think was a deficient ballclub. Sure there are some limitations, but they have a very sound foundation. The starting rotation, led by Zack Wheeler, is without peer. And the offense doesn't get enough credit. They never pop up, hit way more fly balls than their opponents (+69) and have a significant exit speed (+1.5 mph) advantage. (Of course, their 87.8 mph average exit speed allowed is MLB's best.) Team defense is a concern, particularly in the outfield (105.3 fly ball multiplier), where Nick Castellanos is the weak link. Their best players are as good as anyone's, but the connective tissue (and the bullpen) needs shoring up at the deadline. The Astros have for the entire season been what the Milwaukee Brewers have been for the last month or so - an elite run prevention outfit with just enough offense to win. And they've done it despite the loss of mainstays Kyle Tucker and Alex Bregman prior to the season and a spate of starting pitcher injuries and turnover during the season. As usual, they put the ball in play (-178 strikeout, +240 ball in play differential) and that allows them to paper over mediocre team exit speed and launch angle differentials (and a mere +1 homer advantage). They're this efficient at bat - they have a -38 pop up differential despite all those extra batted balls. Team defense is also a strength, particularly in the infield (80.4 grounder multiplier), largely due to the fine work of SS Jeremy Pena and UT Mauricio Dubon. Yup, my method sees these guys as 10 games better than their record at the break, the largest such disparity in the game. It's not that surprising when you look at the underlying data - their 90.4 mph average exit speed is the game's second highest, and their +1.9 mph exit speed differential is the largest. No club hit their fly balls harder (92.5 mph), or with a higher expected SLG. They hit 111 more fly balls than their opponents, driving +39 doubles, +47 homer and +2.5 degree launch angle differentials, and were one of the six clubs assessed an excessive grounder-pulling penalty. Aaron Judge's fingerprints are all over all of this. But they're more than just a bunch of thumpers - their pitchers allowed the third fewest number of liners in either league, and their infield defense (93.6 grounder multiplier) has been stellar, led by Jazz Chisholm, Oswald Peraza and yes, Anthony Volpe.
New York Times
3 minutes ago
- New York Times
Ty Dillon on NASCAR's In-Season Challenge, focusing on mid-field drivers and more: 12 Questions
Each week, The Athletic asks the same 12 questions to a different race car driver. Up next: Ty Dillon of Kaulig Racing, who this week faces off with Ty Gibbs in the championship round of the NASCAR In-Season Challenge. This interview has been lightly edited and condensed, but the full version is available on the 12 Questions Podcast. 1. What was one of the first autographs you got as a kid, and what do you remember about that moment? We went to a bull riding event: PBR (Professional Bull Riders) in Greensboro (N.C.). Ty Murray, the famous bull rider, shared my name. He was married to Jewel, the famous singer, and I remember seeing them sitting there. My grandfather (Richard Childress) walked us over there, and we got his autograph at the PBR. Advertisement In your brother Austin's 12 Questions interview, he said he got Hank Aaron's autograph with you outside the old Braves stadium. Do you remember that at all? I was probably 4 or 5, so I was a little too young to actually remember meeting Hank. But I still have the ball. 2. What is the most miserable you've ever been inside of a race car? This year in Mexico City. I did it in reverse order — I had the stomach flu Wednesday night, the night before we flew out. I actually got sick in the airport while we were all sitting at the terminal at Charlotte Douglas. I was still going through the full motions of the stomach bug — coming out both ends. So that whole 14 hours of travel was very miserable for me getting there. I slept most of the night, and then the next day in practice I was finally hungry and made a really bad decision: I had the tacos they had made for everybody in the garage (from local restaurant Tacos Atarantados). The tacos were amazing, but my stomach was still messed up. So I was in the car, and that was the first time I felt like, 'I'm gonna make a mess inside the car.' I just didn't know what side it was going to come out of. Those were the best tacos I've ever had. I agree. So were the tacos worth it, even though you got sick? Well, I went back the next day and got them. And I got them Sunday, too. So I would not pass on those tacos again. It wasn't worth the feeling I had inside the race car (on Friday), but the tacos were worth it. They did not deter me after that. 3. Outside of racing, what is your most recent memory of something you got way too competitive about? Probably something to do with my brother, I'm sure — competing in golf or anything. We've always competed in everything. I've backed it down a little bit now since I've had kids. I leave it all for the racetrack. But man, when we were younger, Austin and I would fight and carry on about competing. It didn't matter what it was — paintball, hunting, or any sport we played like basketball, football, golf. We're going to compete and probably get way too overboard, and everybody around us is going to be embarrassed by the way we're acting. Advertisement 4. What do people get wrong about you? People tell me, 'You're different than what I thought you would be' when they get to know me. A lot of people, especially early in my career, thought my brother and I were just … we were very blessed to have a grandfather that owned a race team. But I don't think they realized that we really appreciated the opportunity, and that we learned a lot of the hard work behind it. People don't realize the gratitude that we do have — or at least for myself, speaking for myself. So a lot of people say, 'You're different than I thought,' and I think most of the time it's in a good way. 5. What kind of Uber passenger are you, and how much do you care about your Uber rating? I prefer, as an Uber passenger, to not talk — but I will start a conversation every once in a while. I like to talk on my terms, when I'm in the mood. I don't want someone who's just immediately going to start talking and keep going. I'd rather it start with no talking, and then let me bring up the conversation. I know that's very picky. Uber rating — it's not something I really think about much. I feel like it's got to be good. If my Uber rating is bad, then the person just didn't like me from the jump, and there's nothing I could have controlled. 6. I'm asking each person a wild-card question: The In-Season Challenge has drawn attention to your team lately, but I feel like it's overshadowed how well you've actually been running all year compared to the preseason expectations. What's your view on the season you've had? I'm grateful you see that, because I feel the same way. … We've run really well. We've had some bad results based off late-race mistakes, but before that, we were running top 15 or top 18. That's kind of where we've been living — and beating a lot of these top teams. It's not all of them in a Hendrick organization, but we usually beat one or two a week. And that's a pretty solid deal for Kaulig Racing. Our points position doesn't really show what we've done. Advertisement What this in-season tournament has done — usually all the focus is on who's going to make the last spot in the (playoffs) and who's winning the race. That's all the TV shows and media usually talk about. But now that the focus has shifted — racing Atlanta (in Round 1) gave us an opportunity to get this far — people are seeing that there are more interesting things going on in the sport. Our team has been really solid the last three weeks: Eighth, 20th, and 17th (and then 20th at Dover, after this interview was conducted). That's not a bad average finish. We've just executed races better at the end. 7. This is my 16th year doing these 12 Questions interviews, and I'm going back to the first 12 Questions we did together in 2016. Back then, I asked: 'What's a chore you do in your daily life?' And you said, 'I love vacuuming. It's very satisfying. Once I start cleaning something, I can't stop.' You have three kids now; can this still be true? Actually, I vacuum less but I sweep more. We have three kids and our littlest, Bear, likes to throw all his food on the ground — but it's all in one isolated spot, and you don't want to vacuum a bunch of food and leave it in the vacuum, because I don't dump it every time. So I've become more of a sweeper. But I'd say my most consistent chore is every Sunday night when I get home from the race, I'm taking the trash and recycling to the road. It's my humbling moment as a dad and a husband. Doesn't matter what I just did in the race three hours ago — I come home and I still have to take out the stinky, overflowing trash and recycling. Even though most people do that, it's kind of like my funny reminder: 'The trash still has to be to the road by the end of the night.' 8. Other than one of your teammates, name a driver who you would be one of the first people to congratulate in victory lane if they won a race. My brother, for sure. And Kyle Busch (Kaulig has an alliance with Richard Childress Racing). There are a lot of good guys out there. I wish no ill success on anybody, but I'm probably not going to celebrate with too many of them. 9. How much do you use AI technology, whether for your job or your daily life? Man, I use ChatGPT a lot for questions. A lot of finance questions, a lot of math questions. I try to incorporate it as much as possible just to learn it, because obviously, it's a wave of technology that's coming. Hopefully, I race for another 10 years, but there's going to be another part of life that incorporates business and running stuff. So I want to learn that for the next life — how to utilize it best as this wave comes — and be ahead of it. 10. What is a time in your life that you felt was really challenging, but you're proud of the way you responded to it? Last year, being out of the sport for the second time and running Trucks again, and then just having four or five opportunities (for Cup races) with Kaulig Racing. Even in that moment, I didn't know what was next in my life or career. It felt like maybe that would be the last year of racing for me. But I never panicked. I never let it affect my personal life. … Sometimes you can put so much pressure on yourself in those situations to perform and try to earn something back. But I felt very at peace throughout that whole year. I remember telling my wife, 'I want to carry the way I feel at the racetrack now when I have less opportunities into when I'm full-time again.' And I've tried to do that. Advertisement 11. What needs to happen in NASCAR to take the sport to the next level of popularity? We're doing some good stuff as far as going to new places. I think there should be a raised stake for tracks; they should be competing just as much as teams and drivers. Especially this year — we've had so many great attendance numbers and people showing up. But when a track doesn't, now there's something wrong. There should be competition there. If your track doesn't hit a certain attendance threshold, you should lose the race — maybe next year, or in two years, depending on your contract. The tracks should be working just as hard to get fans there and create fun, creative weekends. Also, we need to do a better job of telling the stories of the teams who aren't at the top right now. I've probably been the direct beneficiary of the in-season tournament. We're not a 'key partner team,' but we're beating some of them — teams that have twice the money, twice the people and sometimes five times as many people. … We have to not focus so much on the top guys. We've worn those stories to death, and those drivers and teams aren't really producing much more energy toward the sport. Maybe they're exhausted from being up there, I don't know. But there's a lot of people throughout the field who have stories to tell, and they should get more opportunities to show their personality. 12. Each week, I ask a driver to give me a question for the next person. Last week's question came from Alex Bowman. He asked: What's the worst interview you've ever done, and why was it with Jeff Gluck? I've been pretty genuine in all my interviews. And even if I make mistakes, I'll make fun of myself. So it's hard to have a bad interview if you're not afraid to make fun of yourself in the middle of it. OK, but have you ever had a bad interviewer? Yeah, but you know — a lot of times you can recognize they're new to it, and they're nervous. It gets rough at times, but I try to encourage them to get through it. I'll try to help them out, walk them through it, give them something. But everybody's on a different path. Do you have a question for the next person? What would 10-years-ago-you be proud of you for doing now? If you look back 10 years and look at yourself now, what would you be proud you accomplished? That was a dinner table question my wife and I had.
