Kyle Teel gets a new shirt as he joins the Chicago White Sox for big league debut
CHICAGO — Kyle Teel has a new collared shirt and his own big league opportunity.
Teel, one of the majors' top prospects, was brought up by the Chicago White Sox on Friday. The 23-year-old catcher was in the starting lineup for the opener of a weekend series against Kansas City, batting sixth.
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Washington Post
27 minutes ago
- Washington Post
‘Inside the NBA' was perfect. Now let it rest in peace.
It felt as if viewers attended a six-game wake for the 'Inside the NBA' brand last week. The final run at times seemed more like a long farewell to Ernie, Chuck, Shaq and Kenny than a showcase for the Eastern Conference finals. Still, someone must have cracked open the lid to the coffin, because its presence lives on. Which explains how, on Thursday night, Shaquille O'Neal could crash the set of ESPN/ABC's 'NBA Countdown' in Oklahoma City before Game 1 of the NBA Finals. 'Hello, Malika. Hello, Bob,' Shaq said in his baritone murmur to half of the crew. Then he gave his handheld microphone to Stephen A. Smith: 'Hold this,' he said, and pretended to throw body blows at former nemesis Kendrick Perkins. Through the surprised — and likely relieved — cackles from the personalities on set, viewers couldn't exactly make out what Perkins was yelling over his own laughter. Shaq's cameo caught everyone off guard and provided the most pure and authentic moment of ESPN's pregame programming. It happened live on air, of course, and reminded basketball fans of the kind of unscripted chaos that TNT had perfected over the decades. But, please, let it die already. The show and its concept worked for that four-man crew. Nobody plays the straight man quite like Ernie Johnson. No former athlete tells the truth as savagely as Charles Barkley. No analyst has the chops to play along with the gags but also provide a measure of sobriety like Kenny 'The Jet' Smith. And there is no showman like Shaq. They turned game nights into comedy hour with a side of NBA, and we ate up our sweet dessert every Thursday. But thanks in part to those years of treats, sports broadcasting too often now just wants to feed viewers the gooey stuff. For the French Open, TNT has rolled out the 'MacZone' with brothers John and Patrick McEnroe, offering a hint of the 'ManningCast' with Peyton and Eli but also a needy attempt to re-create 'Inside' on red clay. With John McEnroe playing the role of a country club version of Charles Barkley, 'MacZone' has produced a mixed bag. Some viewers clearly love the brotherly banter. Others would prefer their tennis commentary with a bit more, say, tennis (and less musing about the New York Knicks, John's favorite NBA team). In another obvious 'Inside' effort, 'NHL on TNT' feels desperate at times to create buzzy moments, with former player Paul Bissonnette as equal parts jester and analyst. Some of the biggest 'Inside' imitators are found on NBA podcasts because it seems the majority of the empty calories in sports props up the NBA conversation. It's not just that the discourse feels negative rather than celebratory, a complaint among some current players. The talk is often so shallow. How this guy couldn't play in the golden age of ball. Or that guy needs to step up and score 30 a night. Maybe the average NBA fan has a weak palate for substance, explaining why the most popular podcasts feature ex-pros offering little about the NBA game, just spoonfuls of dated takes and sophomoric jokes. Or perhaps, the success of 'Inside' has influenced sports broadcasting too much. 'Inside' was gold. But the show was intended as entertainment, not education about the game. Perkins, a former player and now a paid analyst for one of the league's broadcast partners, even called out 'Inside the NBA' for its casualness around the league it covers. 'Obviously they don't watch basketball,' Perkins said back in April. Those fighting words continued a rivalry between himself and Shaq and Charles. However, with the 'Inside' format moving to ESPN, they're kissing and making up in public. But Perkins's opinion, shared only a few months ago, rang with truth. 'Inside' pulled off the irreverence and even ignorance because of the co-stars and their unmatched chemistry. In the wrong hands, however, we're left with former jocks just spilling tea from their glory days or mispronouncing the names of the current somebodies. And yet that hasn't stopped analysts or the networks they work for from trying to reproduce the inimitable and creating bad dupes that feel like Guccis found at a flea market. During ABC's pregame show, Stephen A. Smith set the scene for viewers, explaining the teams in the most rudimentary fashion for the viewers who might not have known that the Oklahoma City Thunder remained in existence after Kevin Durant left. Then, still near the top of the telecast, the talk shifted to what makes a superstar. Nothing on Tyrese Haliburton and the zombie Indiana Pacers who keep coming back from double-digit deficits (which would have been a prelude for things to come in that exciting Game 1), nor a deeper dive into Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's MVP season. Just more fluff about a topic that matters only to the talking heads who need to fill segments with … something. 'Countdown' waited until its final segment to show clips explaining how Gilgeous-Alexander creates separation for his midrange scoring — about six minutes before the show went off the air. That was followed by the news that the Thunder was moving Cason Wallace into the starting lineup — like, real actual news. Bob Myers, the former Golden State Warriors executive who rarely looks comfortable in ESPN's contrived attempt at on-set chemistry, tried explaining why he didn't like this adjustment, made before the teams even played one minute of the Finals. He was cut off by Perkins because there needed to be a fake debate — and for all the criticism, the 'Inside' arguments never felt contrived. 'Let me ask you this: Is Cason Wallace a setback? Absolutely not,' Perkins said. Perkins must have studied at the College of Chuck because he spends most segments trying to sound like the most resolute — and provocative — person on set. Although Perkins clearly does watch NBA basketball, his analysis can be overshadowed by his hot takes. During the Western Conference finals, Perkins gave Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards unsolicited advice about his personal life, claiming he needed to find a wife and settle down as a family man to become the face of the league. The statement went as viral as he intended. Charles would cross the line — and often — but he could get away with it. Why? Because his show was about having fun — old NBA veterans respecting the game just enough but never taking it or themselves too seriously. That was their pattern, and it worked. With the 'Inside' crew, the audience knew what it was getting. Forget game analysis; we watched the most influential basketball show on television for the laughs. We didn't tune in to soak up Kenny's halftime analysis. We wanted to see whether Shaq would spin around and race Kenny to the big screen. We watched to find out whether Charles would finally know what team Garrett Temple plays for and to laugh along with him as the butt of the joke. There will never be another 'Inside,' and sports broadcasting should stop trying to create the next one.
Yahoo
43 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Letters to Sports: Dodgers must figure out their injured pitcher problem
Injured Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow throws in the outfield at Dodger Stadium before a game against the New York Mets on June 4. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times) The Dodgers now have 15 pitchers on the injured list. This team, with all of its talent, is going nowhere without frontline pitching. Andrew Friedman realized this when he emptied Fort Knox during the offseason. But, like previous seasons, they are dropping like flies, with shoulder and forearm issues. Other MLB teams don't seem to have these issues, at least not to this degree. Advertisement At what point do we begin to look at the training staff, starting with pitching coach Mark Prior? What is it that he's asking (and teaching) these guys to do with their arms, to get that extra 'something' out of them? Too often that extra something becomes nothing at all. Rodger Howard Westlake Village The underperforming, injury-plagued — and very well-paid — Dodger pitching staff illustrates the true financial advantage of big-market teams willing and able to spend. Yes, the Dodgers can afford to sign and pay frontline players, but, just as important, they can also afford to set aside or simply eat the contracts of those expensive players if they become hurt or ineffective, and replace them with additional highly (over)paid players. It's almost a lock that, if their staff isn't healthier and more reliable come August, the Dodgers will probably trade for pitching help and take on even more salary. Small-market teams such as the Reds, Guardians and Pirates can't sign many top-tier players in the first place, let alone replace them if they don't pan out. John Merryman Redondo Beach Instead of spending hundreds of millions on pitchers to sit on the injury list for the majority of every year, I recommend the Dodgers instead allocate those funds to put nine All-Star offensive players in the lineup. Then just do what the team always winds up doing anyway — rely on inexpensive, lower-tier and journeyman pitchers for the season. Advertisement Jerry Leibowitz Culver City Time to say goodbye It's about time that the Dodgers separate from Clayton Kershaw. Yes he has been with them forever, and was very good. But that was then, not now. The Dodgers separated from Chris Taylor, and Austin Barnes, long-term team members, now it's time to do the same with Kershaw. Deborah R. Ishida Beverly Hills Dear Clayton, It's time to say goodbye. Injuries have taken their toll. Don't ruin what has been a first-ballot Hall of Fame career by performing at a level that is a shadow of yourself. It's been a great run, but you are hurting the team. Announce that you're leaving so the fans can give you the send-off you deserve. Please don't hang around and make us watch you continue to pad the worst stats of your career. Advertisement Geno Apicella Placentia At 37 and having pitched more than 3,000 innings, there's no doubt Clayton Kershaw still has the smarts if not the scintillating fastball of days gone by to help the Dodgers race toward another World Series appearance. Manager Dave Roberts says he trusts him to keep taking the mound, and so do I. Like the headline reads, 'History says don't count out Kershaw.' Marty Zweben Palos Verdes Estates Max retention While we all lament and understand the need to move on from fan favorites, thank goodness the Dodgers resisted the urge to go the youth route with Max Muncy. And it's not his glasses. Have you seen his swing of late? Probably not — it's too fast for the naked eye. Advertisement Robert Gary Westlake Village Too much Ohtani praise? Look, I get it. Ohtani is great. Amazing. Remarkable. Fill-in-the-blank with any superlative. But it seems like every week Dylan Hernández writes the exact same column, praising Ohtani for his greatness and saying how important he is to the Dodgers. And it was the same when he was on the Angels. Everyone knows that. I'd like to see Dylan mix it up with his critique and commentary a bit more. Greg Wagner Huntington Beach It looks like "Plaschkeitis" has spread to another LAT sportswriter. In his report of the Dodgers' 18-2 win over the Yankees, Jack Harris writes, "It was a statement, a reminder and a warning all wrapped into one." It was also just one game, and 24 hours later, the Dodgers lost to the Yankees. Advertisement Try to hold it down fellas; you're giving everybody whiplash. Ralph Martinez Arcadia Don't run from rivalry An easier path to the playoffs is no reason to cancel the most storied intersectional rivalry in sports. If USC cannot defeat Notre Dame, USC does not belong in the playoffs. Recruit and coach a team to beat them. Don't look for a way to claim success by running away from them. Jay McConnell Los Angeles USC football coach Lincoln Riley makes excuses why his team can't or won't play Notre Dame. I think the truth is he's scared to play Notre Dame because he feels overmatched. USC lost to Notre Dame in 2023 and 2024, and Riley can't handle another loss. Advertisement Neil Snow Manhattan Beach Verdict on Bauer There are two subjects I hope never to read about again in The Times' Sports section: 1. The 2017 Houston Astros.* 2. Trevor Bauer. Jim Lawson Santa Barbara Night terrors Got an unused night light? Send it to Mookie Betts. Mike Eberts Los Feliz The Los Angeles Times welcomes expressions of all views. Letters should be brief and become the property of The Times. They may be edited and republished in any format. Each must include a valid mailing address and telephone number. Pseudonyms will not be used. Email: sports@ Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Spencer Torkelson supports Tarik Skubal with home run in Detroit Tigers' 3-1 win over Cubs
Tarik Skubal clapped to acknowledge the fans. A sellout crowd of 40,132 cheered for him. "Skub," they chanted. The reigning American League Cy Young winner dominated for the Detroit Tigers on Friday, June 6, leading them to a 3-1 win over the Chicago Cubs in the opener of a three-game series at Comerica Park. He lost his scoreless streak at 21 innings in the sixth inning and fell short of completing the eighth inning, but he put the Tigers in a position to win. Advertisement And so they did, for the 42nd time this season. Celebrate the Tigers with our new commemorative book! Detroit Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson (20) celebrates batting a solo home run against Chicago Cubs during the sixth inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Friday, June 6, 2025. ROSTER MOVES: Detroit Tigers call up Jahmai Jones; Andy Ibáñez optioned to Triple-A Toledo The Tigers (42-23) were saved by right fielder Kerry Carpenter with two outs in the top of the eighth inning, when Seiya Suzuki hit a fly ball off right-handed reliever Will Vest — who had just replaced Skubal — that kept carrying toward the wall. Carpenter made a leaping catch to keep the Tigers ahead, 2-1. The Cubs have a 39-24 record, dropping just behind the New York Mets in the National League. In the bottom of the eighth, Jahami Jones — called up from Triple-A Toledo for his Tigers debut — came off the bench to pinch-hit for Carpenter against left-handed reliever Génesis Cabrera. On the first pitch he saw, Jones crushed a curveball for a solo home run to left-center field. Advertisement The Jones homer made it 3-1. The Tigers took a 2-1 lead in the sixth inning, thanks to Spencer Torkelson's 15th home run in 62 games. Torkelson fell behind 0-2 in the count, but he refused to chase three consecutive down-and-away curveballs, working a 3-2 count. On the sixth pitch, he hit a 97 mph fastball from right-hander Ben Brown to left-center field for a solo home run. [ MUST LISTEN: Make "Days of Roar" your go-to Detroit Tigers podcast, available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify) ] Key hits from Gleyber Torres, Kyle Tucker The Tigers and Cubs traded runs in the fifth and sixth innings, respectively. Advertisement In the bottom of the fifth, Gleyber Torres hit an RBI single off Brown. He delivered the third two-out single in a row to put the Tigers ahead, 1-0: Javier Báez and Parker Meadows set the table, then Torres cashed in. With that single, Torres increased his on-base percentage to .378 through 222 plate appearances, ranking 22nd among qualified MLB players — ahead of superstars such as Bryce Harper, Juan Soto, Trea Turner and Francisco Lindor. In the sixth, the Cubs tied the game, 1-1. Kyle Tucker hit an RBI double off Skubal's slider in a 3-1 count with one out in the sixth inning. It was the first run allowed by Skubal since the sixth inning May 20 against the St. Louis Cardinals, snapping a 21-inning scoreless streak. Advertisement The 21 scoreless innings in a row matched Skubal's career high. For the Cubs, Brown allowed two runs on seven hits and one walk with seven strikeouts across seven innings, throwing 92 pitches. He entered with a 5.72 ERA — and lowered that mark to 5.37 in his 13th game (11th start) against the Tigers. Brown primarily threw fastballs and curveballs. Big break in fifth inning The Tigers benefitted from a big break in the fifth inning. The Cubs should've had runners on second base with no outs, but Pete Crow-Armstrong was thrown out on the bases. He rounded third base on Dansby Swanson's double to left field, then jammed on the breaks and retreated. Advertisement The Tigers caught him easily on his way back. It seemed like a mistake from Cubs third base coach Quintin Berry, who waved Crow-Armstrong around third base before suddenly throwing up the stop sign way too late. Berry, now 40, played 94 games for the Tigers in 2012, stealing 21 bases in 21 attempts. He also hit .258 with 10 doubles, three triples and two home runs, helping the Tigers reach the World Series, where they lost to the San Francisco Giants. Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@ or follow him @EvanPetzold. Listen to our weekly Tigers show "Days of Roar" every Monday afternoon on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. And catch all of our podcasts and daily voice briefing at Advertisement Order your copy of 'Roar of 125: The Epic History of the Detroit Tigers!' by the Free Press at This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers take first matchup of MLB's best with 3-1 win over Cubs
