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Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Dodgers Predicted to Make Bold Shohei Ohtani Lineup Change After Potential Trade
Dodgers Predicted to Make Bold Shohei Ohtani Lineup Change After Potential Trade originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani is well on pace for his fourth MVP Award, and he's doing so from a familiar spot. Advertisement Ohtani has hit leadoff in all 59 games, batting .288 with 23 home runs and a 1.039 OPS for the NL West-leading Dodgers. Theoretically, it doesn't make sense to change what's working, especially with Ohtani in position for a second straight 30-30 campaign. However, Dodgers skipper Dave Roberts might want to re-evaluate his lineup if the club acquires Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran. Bleacher Report's Zachary D. Rymer proposed the Dodgers trade three prospects—catcher/outfielder Dalton Rushing, left-handed pitcher Jackson Ferris, and shortstop Emil Morales—to the Red Sox for Duran, a 2024 All-Star with three seasons of team control left. Not only would Duran theoretically replace the struggling Michael Conforto in left field, but Rymer believes he'd hit leadoff. That would push Ohtani down in the lineup to a "more traditional RBI spot." Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei OhtaniJayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images "The more at-bats he takes with men on base, the better," Rymer explained. Advertisement Rymer didn't specify if he believes the Dodgers would bat Ohtani second or third. Ohtani batted .314 with 19 home runs, 46 RBI, and a .989 OPS in 69 games as the No. 2 hitter last year. Things obviously worked out fine for the Dodgers, who won their second title in five seasons. Ohtani hasn't publicly requested or outright demanded Roberts keep him hitting leadoff. First, though, the Dodgers need to acquire Duran—and we expect them to face plenty of competition, so long as the Red Sox are willing to trade the speedy outfielder. Related: Dodgers' $17 Million Bust Has Words About Playing With Shohei Ohtani Related: Dodgers Trade Proposal Reunites Shohei Ohtani With $55 Million Former Teammate This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 4, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani Predicted to Win Third Consecutive MVP Award
Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani Predicted to Win Third Consecutive MVP Award originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Last season, Los Angeles Dodgers' superstar, Shohei Ohtani, won the first-ever MVP award for a primary DH. It was his third such award and his second in consecutive seasons. This season, it appears he's well on his way to earning a fourth. Advertisement In a poll conducted by 41 respondents were polled on who they thought were going to be named AL and NL MVPs. On the AL side, New York Yankees' star Aaron Judge predictably leads the field. On the NL side, Ohtani is the favorite, garnering 31 first-place votes, leading Pete Crow-Armstrong, who has five. Jason Foster wrote this about Ohtani: 'Ohtani hit .260 with six homers and an .834 OPS through his first 24 games. After his historic 50-50 season, that felt underwhelming. Since then? How about .316 with 16 homers and a 1.196 OPS? His 22 homers are tops in the NL and his 1.045 OPS entering Monday ranked second. And now that he seems to be well on his way back to the mound? He could be headed to another unanimous MVP Award.' Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) reacts at bat during the first inning against the New York Mets at Dodger Parkhurst-Imagn Images To Foster's point, if Ohtani does well in his return to the mound, the MVP award is his to lose. But other than pitching, Ohtani has already compiled an astounding stat line. In 233 at-bats entering Tuesday, Ohtani is hitting .292/.386/.661 with 23 home runs and 64 runs, both of which lead the MLB. His .661 SLG leads the National League, and he has also tallied 11 steals. Advertisement Ohtani is one of 14 players who have won back-to-back MVP awards. However, if he should win one this year, he will join a club of only one other player to win three consecutive MVPs. Barry Bonds holds the MVP winning streak with four in a row (2001-2004). But this isn't the only rare feat Ohtani is on the cusp of achieving. Should Ohtani win another MVP in his career, he will have claimed his fourth. Again, the only other player in this exclusive club is Bonds, though Ohtani has a long way to Related: Dodgers' Tanner Scott Drops Three-Word Message on Latest Struggles This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Derrick Rose Drops Surprising GOAT Take And Picks Chicago Legend
Derrick Rose Drops Surprising GOAT Take And Picks Chicago Legend originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Former Chicago Bulls star Derrick Rose retired from the NBA before the 2024-25 season. The 2011 MVP appeared in 723 NBA games with the Bulls, New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Detroit Pistons and Memphis Grizzlies. Advertisement Rose became the youngest MVP in NBA history during the 2010-11 season with his hometown Bulls. The Chicago native averaged 25.0 points, 4.1 rebounds, 7.7 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.6 blocks in 81 games. Rose finished his NBA career with averages of 17.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.3 blocks. He made three All-Star teams and one All-NBA team and won the 2009 Rookie of the Year Award. Rose and Michael Jordan are the only players in Bulls history to win the MVP Award. Since Rose grew up in Chicago, it wouldn't be much of a shock if Jordan was Rose's G.O.A.T. over LeBron James or Kobe Bryant. Derrick RoseDavid Banks-Imagn Images However, during an interview with Cyro Asseo de Choch of HoopsHype, Rose admitted that Detroit Pistons legend Isiah Thomas is his GOAT. Advertisement Rose and Thomas were born and raised in Chicago. "I mean, my G.O.A.T. now is Isiah Thomas because he's from Chicago," Rose said. "The only guy who beat Magic [Johnson], Mike [Jordan], and [Larry] Bird all in their prime at 6-3. Chicago's way of doing [expletive]. "I used to say MJ, but it wasn't MJ. I said it because I was intrigued by his story and how he won. But I'm not a two-guard. I don't score like him at all. So it was just me just admiring his story." Thomas spent his entire career with the Pistons. The Hall of Famer had a fierce rivalry with Jordan, who hated Thomas back then and still hates him to this day. Advertisement Thomas won two rings and one Finals MVP with the Pistons. He averaged 19.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, 9.3 assists, 1.9 steals and 0.3 blocks. Related: Former LeBron James Teammate Delivers Verdict on GOAT Debate With Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
Fox Sports
29-05-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
A summer promise and lessons learned: Why Anthony Edwards and the Wolves have work to do
A few weeks ago, it seemed as though Anthony Edwards could lead the Minnesota Timberwolves to their first championship in franchise history. They had systematically dismantled the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors in five games apiece in the first two rounds of the playoffs behind a grinning Edwards, a fleet of players shining in their roles and a swarming defense. Throughout their 8-2 postseason run leading up to the Western Conference Finals, Edwards was being hailed as the future face of the league; Julius Randle had transformed into a star again; Jaden McDaniels was making a name for himself and, after a monster performance in Game 5 against the Lakers, Rudy Gobert was even drawing comparisons to Shaquille O'Neal. But the Oklahoma City Thunder exposed the Timberwolves' frailties, using a suffocating defense to make it painfully obvious that both Edwards and his team aren't ready for the big stage. That was never more apparent than Wednesday's Game 5, when they were eliminated from the Conference Finals by a 124-94 drubbing. With their season on the line, the Timberwolves essentially waved the white flag midway through the first quarter. They were simply overpowered in every aspect by the Thunder, who led by as much as 39 points. This much is clear. The 23-year-old Edwards has a ways to go before being likened to Michael Jordan, who famously shined despite the Detroit Pistons' game plan essentially being a photo of him with an X through it. It took a while for Jordan to figure out how to get through triple-teams and throngs of elbows and, similarly, Edwards is going to need to learn how to play to his potential regardless of what defenses do. The fact that Edwards has some growing to do was highlighted next to the 26-year-old Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who somehow exceeded expectations this postseason despite leading the league in scoring in the regular season and winning the MVP Award. Gilgeous-Alexander was reliable every night. Edwards was the best player on the court some nights. Others, he'd defer too much, such as when he took only two shots in the first half of Game 4. Then there were times when Edwards was swallowed by the Thunder, who he likened to "15 puppets, 1 string" in Game 5 after he had just 19 points, including shooting 1-for-7 from beyond the arc. Edwards has grown so much this season. Aside from Stephen Curry, he might be the most fun player to watch in the NBA, with his acrobatic dunks, smooth shot, charismatic grins and nonstop trash-talk making him a class 1A showman who's on a fast track to becoming a superstar. Edwards averaged career-highs this season in points (27.6) and 3-point percentage (39.5 percent) while playing lockdown defense. He also developed as a leader, who would constantly credit his teammates on national TV following games in which he shined. The cool thing about Edwards is he's honest and unfiltered. He's just as happy to share the spotlight with his teammates as he is to call them out when he believes they're slacking. After dropping four straight games in November, he lamented the Timberwolves' lack of communication and defensive breakdowns, saying, "We soft as hell as a a bunch of little kids." But with a combination of both tough love and encouragement, Edwards helped the Timberwolves transform from a team that opened its season with an 8-10 record into one that reached the Conference Finals two years in a row. It took a while for the Timberwolves to find their rhythm after a blockbuster trade sent Karl-Anthony Towns to New York and brought Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to Minnesota in September. They needed to learn how to play together – and injuries waylayed their progress. But things gelled after the All-Star break, with the Timberwolves going 18-8 to avoid the play-in tournament. Before meeting the Thunder in the postseason, they sailed through the first two rounds of the playoffs with a plus-7.1 differential. Even against the Thunder, they showed their grit and fight, winning Game 3 by 42 points and turning Game 4 into a free-throw shooting contest down the stretch which ended in a two-point loss. Ultimately, the Thunder just played their game better than them. Remember the Timberwolves' dizzying physicality that stunned the Lakers and Warriors? The Thunder's defense made the Timberwolves' effort on that end resemble the gentle spinning of Merry Go Round. Meanwhile, the Thunder put Minnesota through an industrial-sized dryer on high mode. Against the Thunder, Randle went from averaging 23.9 points, 5.9 rebounds and 5.9 assists this postseason to being reduced to scoring six points or fewer in two games. As for Gobert, he went from looking like Shaq to resembling a G League alternate, especially in Game 5, when he had two points and five rebounds. And McDaniels and Naz Reid were often irrelevant against the Thunder. Meanwhile, Edwards learned an important lesson. While he's one of the biggest emerging stars in the league, he needs to take his game to another level to take his team across the finish line. He's the first to acknowledge it. "I'm going to work my butt off this summer," he said. "Nobody's going to work harder than me this summer, I'll tell you that much." LeSean McCoy breaks down the Minnesota Timberwolves' 124-94 Game 5 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, then explains why the Western Conference Finals loss is not bad for Anthony Edwards. Melissa Rohlin is an NBA writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the league for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Times, the Bay Area News Group and the San Antonio Express-News. Follow her on Twitter @ melissarohlin . recommended Get more from National Basketball Association Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more in this topic
Newsweek
29-05-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Padres Outfield Gap Could be Filled in Trade for Silver Slugger Outfielder
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. The San Diego Padres have work to do to replace Jason Heyward in left field. The 35-year-old was placed on the 10-day injured list on Saturday with an oblique strain, and the Padres have gone with a committee of players to fill the void. It's expected for them to pursue an outfielder from a selling team at the trade deadline. R.J. Anderson of CBS Sports named Cedric Mullins as a potential target for the Padres. BOSTON, MA - MAY 24: Cedric Mullins #31 of the Baltimore Orioles makes a sliding catch on Ceddanne Rafaela #3 of the Boston Red Sox during the seventh inning of game one of a doubleheader... BOSTON, MA - MAY 24: Cedric Mullins #31 of the Baltimore Orioles makes a sliding catch on Ceddanne Rafaela #3 of the Boston Red Sox during the seventh inning of game one of a doubleheader at Fenway Park on May 24, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. More"Mullins is in the midst of his most productive season since 2021 (when he finished ninth in MVP Award voting) despite a Baseball Savant page that's bluer than the Tick," wrote Anderson. "He's mastered the art of pulling the ball in the air, allowing him to outslug his meager exit velocities, and he's successfully stolen bases at an 80% clip for his career. He's also walking more than normal, having reduced his swing rate to a full-season low." Mullins is expected to be shipped to a contender after the Baltimore Orioles have continued to fall apart this season. The O's centerfielder entered Thursday hitting .226 with 10 home runs and 31 RBI. The 30-year-old outfielder has recorded a 122 OPS+ which is slightly above league average. While Mullins would provide an upgrade to the Padres offensively over what they have now as well as Heyward, Anderson believes teams will take a defensive-first approach with Mullins. "What it comes down to, then, is how teams view his defense, wrote Anderson. "A club who believes he's at least average in center could view him as a comfortably above-average talent nearing his date with free agency." Pairing Mullins with a young phenom in Jackson Merrill is certainly something general manager AJ Preller would be willing to do. Mullins would give the lineup more flexibility as well if Merrill needs a day off. Mullins will be a free agent at the end of the season, so the Padres wouldn't have to give up much for the Orioles to ship him out west. More MLB: Phillies Could Pursue All-Star Closer From Division Rival Ahead of Deadline
