Latest news with #BradKeller
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
WNBA Legend Candace Parker Turns Heads After Major Personal News
WNBA Legend Candace Parker Turns Heads After Major Personal News originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Chicago Sky announced last week that Candace Parker, who helped win the 2021 WNBA championship for the franchise, would have her jersey retired by the organization on August 25. Advertisement Parker was a legendary figure both for the Sky and WNBA in general. She won two MVP awards and three championships, and she earned 10 All-WNBA selections and made seven All-Star teams during her 16-year career before retiring last offseason. On the heels of this major personal news, Parker was a guest at the Chicago Cubs game on June 1 against the Cincinnati Reds. There, she threw out the ceremonial first pitch before the contest. She caught plenty of attention for both her presence at Wrigley Field, as well as the pitch that she threw. Fans took to social media to respond to this announcement, and several had glowing compliments of Parker. Advertisement "A WNBA legend graces the building today," one fan replied. "Greatness in the air." "Candace Parker gets a big ovation as she comes out for a ceremonial first pitch," another fan wrote. "Fires one from the mound over the plate." "When you see a GOAT respect her!!" a fan commented. "I love Candace Parker always looks good 😍😍." Former Chicago Sky forward Candace Parker (3).Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images "Candace Parker threw out the first pitch to Brad Keller? Two Chicago GOATs," replied one fan. "NAPERVILLE CENTRAL LEGEND 🐐," another fan wrote. "I literally just went to the Cubs game yesterday and left Chicago this afternoon and WDYM I JUST MISSED CANDACE PARKER THROWING OUT THE FIRST PITCH BY A DAY😭😭," a fan complained. Advertisement Parker's jersey retirement will take place on August 25, when the Las Vegas Aces come to Chicago to play the Sky. Parker won the 2023 WNBA championship with the Aces under head coach Becky Hammon, so she should see plenty of familiar faces at Wintrust Arena. Related: Angel Reese Praised by Chicago Sky Teammate After Second Straight Win Related: Cameras Catch Angel Reese's Reaction After Scoring on DiJonai Carrington This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
Washington Post
3 days ago
- General
- Washington Post
Ben Brown stars as the Cubs blank the Reds 2-0 for a 1-hit shutout
CHICAGO — Drew Pomeranz, Ben Brown, Brad Keller and Daniel Palencia combined on a one-hitter, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Cincinnati Reds 2-0 on Saturday. Chicago used Pomeranz as an opener in front of Brown, and the strategy worked on a cool, blustery afternoon at Wrigley Field. Pomeranz pitched a 1-2-3 first before Brown struck out nine in six dominant innings for the NL Central leaders.
Chicago Tribune
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
How an increase in fastball velocity is helping Chicago Cubs reliever Brad Keller find success
CINCINNATI — Brad Keller grinned at the mention of his fastball velocity. After his four-seam fastball sat at 93.8 mph last year, Keller's heater is averaging 97 mph with the Chicago Cubs. The dramatic increase hasn't escaped Keller's attention. He topped it out at 100 mph on a 1-2 pitch to the Los Angeles Dodgers' Teoscar Hernández with the bases loaded and nobody out in the seventh inning April 22, attempting to hold the Cubs' two-run lead. 'It's sick — I surprised myself a couple times, like hitting 100, never thought I would ever do that,' Keller told the Tribune. 'It's pretty cool, but it's fun going after guys now instead of like before just relying on movement, things like that, in the zone. Now I still have the movement, but with added velo, just a little bit more confidence to be in the zone attacking guys and see what they can do.' Some of it has to do with usage, tapping into more velocity out of the bullpen in shorter stints rather than needing to reserve enough as a starter to get through multiple innings, and smoothed out mechanics. But perhaps the biggest centers around Keller's health. Keller, 29, was diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) in 2023 and underwent surgery after that season. The mental impact of finally getting a diagnosis after months of unknowns at what was causing his sudden and seemingly random inability to throw a baseball was as much, if not more, of a relief than from the physical ailments he dealt with that included being unable to grip a baseball and intense shooting pain deep into his right armpit that ultimately required surgery. Keller was told by doctors he likely had been pitching through varying symptoms of TOS as far back as 2020. Now healthy and after his first normal offseason in years, Keller is thriving with the Cubs. Entering the series opener Friday against the Cincinnati Reds, Keller owns a 2.70 ERA with a 1.029 WHIP, career-best 3.43 strikeout-to-walk ratio and 148 ERA+ in 21 appearances spanning 23 1/3 innings, 'Over the last really three years or so just battling the TOS and everything with that, just not really feeling great when going out there, but I think that I'm finally feeling healthy, feeling like I'm bouncing back well after outings,' Keller said. 'Us bullpen guys, we want to be available every single day to obviously help the team win. And so I wasn't sure how my body would respond to something like that because I've never done it before, and so I'm really happy with how I've been able to stay in a good routine, to stay healthy and feel good every single day.' There are encouraging trends for the right-hander beyond the significant jump in velocity. Keller has the highest Whiff% (24.7%), 1st Pitch Strike% (64.5%) and Chase% (32.5%) of his career, all of which highlight how his success isn't rooted solely on his four-seam fastball's improved velocity. A more effective slider has played off well against the fastball. Hitters produced a lot of damage off Keller's slider in 2024, tagging it for four doubles, five home runs and a .581 slugging percentage. This year, Keller is throwing his slider 13% less and seeing less hard contact, extra-base hits and slug (.286) while increasing his sweeper usage by 8%, a pitch he started using in 2023 that is 1-for-19 against. 'I think that's every pitcher's dream is to add velocity like that and kind of organically do it, really,' manager Craig Counsell said. 'And I think he's gotten better in some other areas too. … It's credit to Brad and our staff. They've collectively done a great job working together, getting him to a good spot and a spot where he's really confident. You watch him go out there, and it's really good stuff. Couldn't be happier with where Brad's at.' Counsell remembers speaking with Keller a lot over the winter trying to recruit him to sign with the Cubs, which he did on a minor-league deal with a camp invite before being added to the big-league roster before the start of the season. Keller has become a versatile arm for Counsell, especially as the Cubs have navigated injuries to the pitching staff early in the season. They gained a veteran reliever Friday with the return of right-hander Ryan Brasier from the injured list and optioned right-hander Ethan Roberts to Triple-A Iowa. Keller, who first debuted in the majors at 22 with the Kansas City Royals in 2018, is the type of high-upside pitcher the Cubs have needed to find out of the bullpen. 'He's got so much career ahead of them, I think one of just really emphasizing that to him about how much he's got left in terms of as a pitcher, and that I love players that have accomplished a lot at a young age,' Counsell said. 'I think that means it's in there. And injuries and other factors can derail you, but that means that success is in there and fortunate that he chose us to be the ones to help him get it back going the right way.'
Newsweek
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
These Two Relivers Have Unexpectedly Helped Cubs Succeed
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Early on in the season, the Chicago Cubs were losing several games due to major bullpen struggles. The acquisition of Astros closer Ryan Pressly has not yet paid off and both Porter Hodge and Julian Merryweather, usually trustworthy relievers, have both struggled. Because of that, someone else has been needed to carry the load, and two surprise relievers have stepped up for Chicago and helped calm down what was a wild and unreliable bullpen to begin the season. MIAMI, FLORIDA - MAY 21: Brad Keller #40 of the Chicago Cubs pitches in the eighth inning against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot park on May 21, 2025 in Miami, Florida. MIAMI, FLORIDA - MAY 21: Brad Keller #40 of the Chicago Cubs pitches in the eighth inning against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot park on May 21, 2025 in Miami, Keller was signed prior to spring training and his performance earned him a spot on the opening day roster for Chicago, and he's been there ever since. Keller has already made 21 appearances for the Cubs this season, his most since he made 35 for the Kansas City Royals in 2022. He has a 2.70 ERA and 24 strikeouts across 23 2/3 innings. He has also not allowed a home run yet this season in his appearances. He has not had an ERA under 4.50 since the COVID-shortened 2020 season, and he is well on track to have a career season with the Cubs. He is one of two under-the-radar relievers that Chicago acquired in the offseason. The second of those moves was the Cubs' trade for left-handed reliever Drew Pomeranz a little under a month into the season. Pomeranz had not appeared in a major league game since 2021, so it was a bit of a puzzling trade by Chicago. It has indeed paid off and looked like a genius move by the front office, as Pomeranz has allowed just four hits and no runs in 11 appearances and 10 2/3 innings this season. All four of the hits allowed by Pomeranz this season have come in his last five appearances, meaning his first six appearances for Chicago this season were nearly perfect. With the trio of Pressly, Hodge and Merryweather, it's hard to imagine that Pomeranz and Keller would've been the unlikely duo that helped settle down the Cubs bullpen. If those two continue to have success and the rest of the Chicago relievers can figure things out, the Cubs could have one of the best and most reliable bullpens across the league. More MLB: Mystery Surrounds Phillies Reliever Target As Bullpen Remains In Limbo
CBS News
22-05-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Kyle Tucker homers for second straight game to help Cubs beat Marlins 2-1
Kyle Tucker had a homer among his three hits and knocked in the tiebreaking run with a single and fielding error by Miami in the eighth inning as the Chicago Cubs beat the Marlins 2-1 on Wednesday. The NL Central-leading Cubs took two games of the three-game set against Miami after a walk-off loss on Monday and have won seven of their last nine games. Chicago rookie Matt Shaw drew a leadoff walk against Marlins reliever Anthony Bender (1-3) in the eighth and stole second. Tucker's second single advanced Shaw, who then sprinted home with the eventual game-winning run when Marlins left-fielder Kyle Stowers overran the ball. Brad Keller (1-0) threw 1 1/3 innings of relief and earned his first win since 2023. Daniel Palencia worked a perfect ninth for his first save. For the second consecutive day, Tucker gave the Cubs a first inning lead with a solo homer. Tucker sent a slider from Marlins starter Max Meyer 385 feet over the wall in right for his 12th homer. The Marlins tied it in the bottom half on Connor Norby's RBI infield single. Meyer allowed one run and five hits over six innings with a walk and four strikeouts. Making his second major league start, Cubs right-hander Cade Horton threw 5 1/3 innings of one-run ball. He allowed six hits, walked three and struck out three. Key moment With the bases loaded and two outs, the Marlins had an opportunity for additional runs in the first when Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner dove and caught Matt Mervis' grounder and threw him out. Key stat The Marlins had all six of their hits through the first three innings. Up next The Cubs have not announced a starter for the opener of a three-game series at Cincinnati on Friday. The Marlins open a three-game set at the Los Angeles Angels on Friday with RHP Sandy Alcántara (2-6, 7.99) scheduled to pitch.
