Dodgers Q&A: Fabian Ardaya on the trade deadline, Shohei Ohtani, 2026 and more
Dodgers beat writer Fabian Ardaya will answer subscribers' questions about the team and organization during a live Q&A on Monday, June 30, at 11 a.m. PT.
Fabian Ardaya June 29, 2025 2:00 pm EDT
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New York Times
29 minutes ago
- New York Times
After loss to Tigers, Twins make room for Royce Lewis' return by designating Jonah Bride
DETROIT — Following Tarik Skubal's dominance on Sunday night, the Twins designated backup infielder Jonah Bride for assignment, presumably to make room for Royce Lewis. A team source confirmed Bride was DFA'd by the Twins after a 3-0 loss to the Detroit Tigers, a contest controlled by Skubal. The American League's reigning Cy Young winner tied a career high with 13 strikeouts, and he and two relievers combined on a two-hit shutout. Advertisement Bride, who was acquired for cash in a trade from Miami on April 16, received hugs and handshakes from several coaches after manager Rocco Baldelli informed him of the decision. The move properly aligns with the return of Lewis, who should be activated before the Twins open a three-game series at the Miami Marlins on Tuesday night. Out since June 15 with a left hamstring strain, Lewis emerged healthy after appearing in a third consecutive rehab game for Triple-A St. Paul on Sunday afternoon. Lewis played third base Sunday after operating as the team's designated hitter in the first two games. He went 0-for-8 with a walk and two strikeouts on his assignment. Though he's struggled at the plate this season, the Twins could have used the potential right-handed thump from Lewis against Skubal, who retired the first 13 batters he faced before Ty France singled with one out in the fifth inning. The Twins were no match for Skubal, who struck out eight of the first nine batters he faced. THIRTEEN SHUTOUT FRAMES. TARIK. SKUBAL. — MLB (@MLB) June 30, 2025 'He's (one of the) best pitchers, if not the best pitchers, in the game right now,' catcher Ryan Jeffers said. 'You try and come up with a good plan to try and attack your at-bats, but he's really good and has the ability of doing whatever. He can throw all changeups, and you're on the fastball — you go up on the fastball for an at-bat, and he uses all changeup or you go up there, 'Hey, I'm going to try to be on the changeup,' and then he'll just throw 99 at you. He does a really good job of not letting you find a pattern or get on one pattern or one pitch.' Lewis, who's hitting .202/.282/.303 with two home runs and nine RBIs in 110 plate appearances, missed the Twins' first 35 games after straining the same left hamstring on March 16. Upon returning to the lineup on May 6, Lewis immediately struggled, going hitless in his first 15 at-bats. Though Lewis went nine for his next 30, he slumped again, this time going hitless in 32 at-bats, a streak which ended on June 4. Advertisement Right before his latest injury, Lewis finally found rhythm at the plate, going 11-for-28. He suffered the injury running down the line after hitting a single in a June 14 loss at Houston. Despite his struggles at the plate, the Twins are 18-12 with Lewis in the lineup. The Twins are 22-32 when Lewis doesn't play. Facing a slew of position player injuries in April, the Twins acquired Bride after the Marlins designated him for assignment. The Twins hoped they could help Bride rediscover the form that led him to hit .276/.357/.461 with 11 homers for Miami last season. After making a slight adjustment with the positioning of his hands, Bride began his Twins tenure by going 7-for-14. However, with Brooks Lee, Kody Clemens and Lewis receiving the bulk of the playing time, at-bats became more sporadic for Bride, who only had eight hits in his last 58 at-bats for the Twins. Bride gained far more notoriety for pitching in blowout losses. He worked in four games, allowing 10 earned runs and 14 hits in six innings. (Top photo of Royce Lewis from June 10 against the Texas Rangers: Stephen Maturen / Getty Images)
Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Jon Jones Faces Serious Allegations Shortly After Retiring, Ends UFC Career With Shame and Scandal
Jon Jones Faces Serious Allegations Shortly After Retiring, Ends UFC Career With Shame and Scandal originally appeared on Athlon Sports. When UFC CEO Dana White abruptly revealed Jon Jones' retirement during a press conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, many UFC fans and media have expressed disappointment that Jones' career ended without a unification bout against Aspinall, a fight many viewed as crucial to cementing his legacy. Advertisement Shortly after his retirement from the UFC was announced, however, the former heavyweight champion was hit with a misdemeanor charge for allegedly fleeing the scene of a car crash in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Chris Unger-GettyImages The incident, first reported by the Albuquerque Journal, resurfaced this week as police filed a criminal complaint accusing Jones of leaving the scene of an accident involving an intoxicated woman found partially unclothed in the passenger seat. According to the Albuquerque Police Department report, officers responded to a single-vehicle crash and found a woman "naked from the waist down" who claimed Jones was driving before fleeing on foot. The woman told police she had consumed alcohol and psychedelic mushrooms at Jones' home earlier that night and recalled needing to change clothes due to a bathroom incident before the crash. Advertisement Jones allegedly called her repeatedly from the scene, slurring his words and making "allusions to violence" toward a police aide during the conversation. Jones' attorney, however, has denied the allegations, calling the case "baseless" and claiming that the woman involved fabricated the story to avoid a DWI arrest. The attorney also argued that Jones was not in the car during the crash and criticized police for "targeting" the fighter. Unfortunately, this is not the first time Jones has faced allegations of this magnitude. Despite being widely regarded as the greatest MMA fighter of all time, with a 28-1 record, two divisional titles, and a record-setting reign, his image has been damaged by countless controversies. From his failed drug tests to domestic violence arrests, Jones' behaviour has often eclipsed his fighting career. With the timing of this allegation surfacing just hours after his retirement was announced, it is with a cruel twist of irony that his UFC career is punctuated with a situation as controversial as this. Rather than a farewell fight or a celebration, Jones will have to reconcile that his career ended with a whimper. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 23, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
33 minutes ago
- Yahoo
UFC Hall-of-Famer Demetrious Johnson Questions Jon Jones GOAT Status Over Failed Steroid Tests
UFC Hall-of-Famer Demetrious Johnson Questions Jon Jones GOAT Status Over Failed Steroid Tests originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Performance-enhancing drug usage has long been an issue in sports, but especially in the world of combat sports like boxing and MMA. While some fighters have built untarnished reputations, others have seen their accomplishments overshadowed by doping scandals. The question of how PED violations should impact an athlete's standing in the "greatest of all time" conversation remains controversial. A clean record should, however, be a non-negotiable trait when deeming someone the GOAT as cheating in such an egregious way sullies the integrity of a sport. Advertisement Demetrious Johnson, UFC hall-of-famer and one of MMA's most decorated champions, recently weighed in on the debate during an interview with Ariel Helwani in Las Vegas heading into Saturday's UFC 317 fight card. Jon JonesChris Unger-GettyImages "Mighty Mouse," who has never failed a drug test, emphasized the importance of a clean career when discussing all-time greatness, saying, "I've never failed a drug test. Khabib has never failed a drug test. GSP has never failed a drug test. We've never been stripped.' Johnson drew a clear line between fighters with clean records and the record of Jon Jones, who has multiple PED violations. He argued that evidence of PED usage should disqualify him from GOAT consideration. Advertisement "If you go back and peel back the onion, and you look at the whole entire career, I'm not saying Jon Jones didn't do great things, he was an amazing athlete.' Johnson said, acknowledging Jones' undeniable talent. Despite admitting Jones' achievements, Johnson listed athletes considered the GOATs of their respective sports and noted that they were never found guilty of using any PEDs. 'When you start talking about the greatest of all time, you look at Muhammad Ali, I don't think he's ever failed a drug test. You look at Floyd Mayweather, he's never failed a drug test. You look at [Oleksandr] Usyk, He's never failed a drug test. When you start looking at the greatest athlete, Usain Bolt, he's never failed a drug test,' Johnson said. 'Name one athlete that's considered the greatest of all time in a sport that's failed a drug test.' Jones' history includes multiple suspensions, overturned results, and controversies that forced the relocation of UFC 232, and even forced Dana White to strip him of the UFC light heavyweight championship belt. Advertisement This debate, however, isn't just about Jones. It's about the standards UFC fans and media analysts should uphold when evaluating legacies. Demetrious Johnson's career is the ultimate counterpoint to Jones' case as a GOAT. DJ proves that longevity and success can coexist with accountability. Related: Dana White Makes Massive Announcements About Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall Related: Jon Jones Faces Serious Allegations Shortly After Retiring, Ends UFC Career With Shame and Scandal This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 27, 2025, where it first appeared.
