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New York Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Is Eugenio Suárez the bat to watch at the trade deadline? Plus: Acuña's incredible throw
The Windup Newsletter ⚾ | This is The Athletic's MLB newsletter. Sign up here to receive The Windup directly in your inbox. Does your team need Eugenio Suárez? Is he even available? Plus: The A's might be dealing pitchers, the Reds remind us that learning is supposed to be fun, and holy moly, did you see the throw? I'm Levi Weaver, here with Ken Rosenthal — welcome to The Windup! With the All-Star break officially behind us, and the trade deadline just 10 days away (here's our deadline big board for a catch-up), let's look at a player who I think could be the most impactful bat available: Arizona third baseman Eugenio Suárez. First things first: Will the Diamondbacks even sell? At 50-50, they're just 4 1/2 games out of a playoff spot. But as Ken tells us here — with so many Arizona players set to hit free agency this year — their deadline strategy should be about more than just this year. Advertisement If they do intend to sell, Suárez has gotten hot at exactly the right time: Not only does he have a .929 OPS, but he hit two home runs each Saturday and Sunday to bring his NL-leading total to 35. Being a third baseman also adds to the allure — here are four playoff hopefuls whose fWAR contributions from third base rank in the bottom half of the league: Cubs: minus-0.5 (T-27th out of 30 teams) Brewers/Mariners: 0.6 (T-22nd) Mets: 1.0 (19th) Additionally, the Yankees just jettisoned DJ LeMahieu and moved Jazz Chisholm Jr. to second base. They're definitely in the market. And add in teams who have faced recent injuries — Alec Bohm (ribs) in Philadelphia, Isaac Paredes (hamstring) in Houston and Max Muncy (bone bruise)with the Dodgers. Suárez, 34, isn't a defensive whiz — his DRS of minus-5 ranks 15th out of 17 qualified players. But that sort of offensive production covers up a multitude of defensive sins. This feels like the sort of perfect storm to muster up a bidding war that could help set the Diamondbacks up for years to come. More trade deadline coverage: It's a lot! We have stories on the Mets, Guardians, Blue Jays, Giants, Mets again, Phillies, Twins and Cardinals, and Jed Hoyer praising Craig Breslow's 'conviction.' Miller on the move? A year ago, Athletics closer Mason Miller was untouchable. To this point, the A's messaging this season — we're not talking about him — is pretty much the same. But according to sources briefed on the team's plans, that stance is subject to change. The way the A's see it, only a few teams are bold enough to propose an offer for Miller worthy of consideration. General manager David Forst might engage those teams as the deadline nears. But for now, he appears willing to let them grow more desperate. Advertisement Which teams might tempt the A's? The Philadelphia Phillies, who reached an agreement yesterday with free-agent reliever David Robertson, probably would be No. 1 on the list. The Los Angeles Dodgers, with free agents Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates performing below expectations, almost certainly would be in the mix. So would the New York Yankees, who face the losses of Devin Williams and Luke Weaver to free agency. The San Diego Padres just sent three relievers to the All-Star Game, but general manager A.J. Preller can never be ruled out on top talent. Nor, for that matter, can Seattle Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto. Still, the A's asking price for Miller would figure to be exorbitant. Miller, 26, is earning $765,000 this season, just $5,000 above the league minimum, then is under club control for four additional seasons through salary arbitration. His expected 2.84 ERA is well below his actual 4.04 mark, thanks in part to a 40.1 percent strikeout rate that was in the top 1 percent of the league. Sears, Springs, Severino all in play: At a time when the supply of controllable starting pitching is decidedly scarce, the Athletics are listening not just on right-hander Luis Severino but also lefties JP Sears and Jeffrey Springs. Before the Cleveland Guardians knocked him around Sunday, Springs, 32, had a 2.94 ERA since June 1 and 3.93 mark overall. He is earning $10.5 million this season and guaranteed another $10.5 million next season. His deal also includes a $15 million club option for 2027. Sears, 29, might not crack a contender's playoff rotation, but some teams might consider him a viable back-end starter for the rest of the regular season. His 84 starts since 2023 are tied for fifth in the majors. And his ERA at Sutter Health Park this season (5.61) is nearly a run higher than it is on the road (4.78). Advertisement For the A's, the idea of trading Sears would be to turn back the service clock by acquiring pitchers whose timelines lined up better with their young position players. Sears is under control through arbitration for three more seasons and eligible for free agency after 2028. Then there is Severino, 31, the most vocal objector to Sutter Health Park. His underlying metrics will scare off some clubs, as will his $25 million salary in 2026 and $22 million player option for '27. If a team acquires him, it surely will point to his 3.10 road ERA, compared to his 6.68 home ERA, as justification for the move. More notes here. When I was a kid, my dad used to play a game with us. In retrospect, it was definitely a baseball drill, but he game-ified it. If his mitt was directly in front of his face when he caught a throw: two points. If it was in front of any other part of his torso: one point. Anywhere else: no points. My brothers and I played this for hours, and wouldn't you know it — our accuracy improved. Baseball teams do these types of drills a lot in spring training, but you don't hear about it that much in the regular season. But Rosecrans has a fun story about the Reds doing just that … and how it immediately paid off. First off, the team showed up a day early in New York to start the second half, allowing it to get a workout day in (this is newsworthy on its own, I think). On that workout day (Thursday), the Reds played a game, similar to a home run derby, but the points were assigned for hitting the ball to the opposite field. Two points for a single, three for a double and five for a home run. Not only did Austin Hays win the competition, but the next night, he hit two opposite-field home runs in a win over the Mets. Cincinnati took two of three over the weekend and is 2 1/2 out of the last NL wild-card spot. More Reds: Could Noelvi Marte's most helpful role be as an outfielder? We're going to find out … It has been quite some time since I've seen a throw that immediately felt like an all-timer. But watch this one from Ronald Acuña Jr. to end the third inning of Friday night's game against the Yankees. UNBELIEVABLE 🤯 RONALD ACUÑA JR. WITH THE CANNON 💪 — MLB (@MLB) July 19, 2025 From another angle… David O'Brien has more here, with quotes from Acuña, along with Braves manager Brian Snitker and pitcher Spencer Strider, who was on the mound when it happened. Because the throw got to third base in the air, it got me wondering: What's the longest recorded throw in the Statcast area? That was an easy answer: It was Ramón Laureáno's 321-foot throw in 2019 to double off Eric Young Jr. (This one was probably longer, but didn't get counted because it was thrown too far). Advertisement But the search also led me to a name I didn't recognize, and I can't rob you of this arcane bit of information: The world record for longest baseball throw apparently belongs to a man named Glen Gorbous, who played just 117 big-league games for the Reds and Phillies in the 1950s. Gorbous' throw didn't happen in a game — it was an exhibition at a minor-league game — but 445 feet, 10 inches is pretty remarkable. More on baseball rabbit holes: This is also a good place to tell you that today is the 20th anniversary of the Baseball-Reference Bullpen, which is a treasure trove for rabbit-trail chasers like myself. David O'Brien has more here, with quotes from Acuña, along with Braves manager Brian Snitker and pitcher Spencer Strider, who was on the mound when it happened. Because the throw got to third base in the air, it got me wondering: What's the longest recorded throw in the Statcast area? That was an easy answer: It was Ramón Laureáno's 321-foot throw in 2019 to double off Eric Young Jr. (This one was probably longer, but didn't get counted because it was thrown too far). But the search also led me to a name I didn't recognize, and I can't rob you of this arcane bit of information: The world record for longest baseball throw apparently belongs to a man named Glen Gorbous, who played just 117 big-league games for the Reds and Phillies in the 1950s. Gorbous' throw didn't happen in a game — it was an exhibition at a minor-league game — but 445 feet, 10 inches is pretty remarkable. More on baseball rabbit holes: This is also a good place to tell you that today is the 20th anniversary of the Baseball-Reference Bullpen, which is a treasure trove for rabbit-trail chasers like myself.
New York Times
16-07-2025
- Business
- New York Times
What cities did WNBA players think would suit expansion? Not where the league picked
The WNBA is at an inflection point. The league has experienced record-breaking jumps in attendance, ticket sales and TV viewership in three consecutive seasons. A massive media rights deal valued at $2.2 billion over 11 years begins in 2026. After more than a decade of staying stagnant at 12 teams, the WNBA finally expanded to Golden State this season and will have welcomed five teams, Valkyries included, by 2030. Advertisement All of this growth comes with the looming backdrop of collective bargaining negotiations. The current collective bargaining agreement expires on Oct. 31, 2025, and the players and league appear far apart on a resolution, as Satou Sabally called the league's latest proposal a 'slap in the face.' Though players fought for the WNBA's survival during the last round of negotiations in 2019, they now have leverage thanks to the exploding business of women's sports. Today's section of The Athletic's anonymous player poll deals with player priorities for the CBA negotiations, as well as their desires for salary increases and on league expansion. Earlier this week, players weighed in on who they think will be the face of the league in five years and who's the league's best player and biggest trash-talker. Our reporters spoke to nearly 40 players from the start of the 2025 season. All 13 teams are represented, but none of the 30 rookies on rosters are included as the survey attempted to gather veterans' perspectives, making up a field composed of nearly a third of the league's non-rookies. Players were granted anonymity to speak freely. They were also permitted to skip individual questions; as a result, each question shows the total number of responses for full transparency. Players were not allowed to vote for their team or teammates. The players union identified five priorities for the new CBA when it decided to opt out: a new economic model, player salaries, minimum professional standards, retirement benefits, and pregnancy and family planning benefits. Those issues are all echoed in these results, with the added priority of extra roster spots (the general consensus was 14 per team) earning three votes. In its more recent public messaging, union leadership emphasized the importance of a more equitable revenue sharing system in this CBA so that the players can participate in the growth of the business. The present agreement has revenue sharing beyond certain targets. Although the league has brought in substantial revenue over the past three seasons, the revenue targets are cumulative, and the economic impact of the pandemic in 2020 and 2021 meant that the WNBA has been playing catch-up on those targets and unable to hit them. As a result, players currently receive about only 10 percent of the basketball-related income the league brings in. Their counterparts in the NBA have a 50-50 split. Advertisement For now, the rank-and-file membership of the union is predominantly interested in higher salaries, which earned 70 percent of the votes. What shows up on a paycheck is top of mind for most players, though the best way to ensure continually growing salaries would be through a higher percentage of revenue share. That way, as the WNBA brings in more money, players will consistently partake in that growth. Because salaries were highlighted in the answers, we also asked players what they thought they should earn with a WNBA maximum salary. The majority of players (25 total out of 30 answers) said "as high as possible," $1 million or "at least" $1 million. Two players said $1.5 million and there was one vote apiece for $750,000 and $500,000. Another simply answered, "something fair." The maximum salary in the WNBA in the 2025 season is $249,244, so the majority of respondents want to at least quadruple that. The current CBA doubled maximum salaries from the previous agreement, but the players have a much stronger negotiating position this time around, and many players hope that can be leveraged into seven-figure salaries for the first time in league history. 'Raise salaries, as much as we can raise them.' 'With more money in the league, people are going to try to play around and find loopholes and all this other s---. I just want to make sure that there's clarity in terms of making sure players are protected and that they know their rights.' 'Bigger apartments, daycare stipend, little things like that'll help alleviate stress (for parents) during the season." The timing of this survey meant that most players were polled before the announcement of expansion teams coming to Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia, and some were polled afterward. Even so, there wasn't much enthusiasm for those three cities. Cleveland collected only two votes and Philadelphia one. Advertisement The winner with 37 percent of the vote was Miami, which has to make the founders of Unrivaled feel good about their choice of headquarters. Players like the idea of adding Miami to their travel schedule. That city also fulfills a geographic need for the WNBA, as its footprint continues to evade the Southeast, excluding Atlanta. Beyond Miami, Nashville (which put in a bid during the most recent expansion process) was the second-most popular answer, Charlotte third, and one answer was simply 'somewhere in the Southeast.' Boston was tied for third with Charlotte. It seems unlikely that Boston will join the WNBA so long as Connecticut still has a franchise, considering their close proximity. (Boston hosted its second annual Sun game at TD Garden Tuesday against the Indiana Fever and played in front of a sellout crowd.) However, Connecticut has explored selling its team, and a relocation to Boston could help retain some of the fans in that market. 'Atlanta is in an eight-state radius of the next WNBA team. So somewhere else in the Southeast or that area. A Nashville, Miami or South Carolina. We need more basketball around there. There are a lot of girls that play basketball around there that have to drive hours to see a game or are forced to watch it on TV.' 'Tropical destination.' 'Somewhere down there in the South.' 'It's beautiful there (in Miami), and I think they'll have a lot of fans there as well.' 'It would be so nice to travel (to Miami) in the summer." 'I feel like it's time (for Boston), and I feel like another big market NBA franchise would be great.' Thursday What's the best-run franchise? What's the worst-run franchise? Friday What's the best rivalry? Who's going to win the WNBA championship? (Illustration: Demetrius Robinson / The Athletic; Photos: Patrick McDermott / Getty Images, istock)
New York Times
15-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Luka Modric completes move to AC Milan after leaving Real Madrid
AC Milan have completed the signing of Luka Modric on a one-year deal, with the option of a further year, which is likely to see the Croatian continue playing at the top-level beyond his 40th birthday in September. The Athletic reported in June that the Serie A side were interested in signing the midfielder after he announced in May that he would leave Madrid as a free agent after 14 years in the Spanish capital. Advertisement Modric, 39, stayed at Madrid for the new-look Club World Cup in the United States, not agreeing official terms with Milan until after the tournament. Speaking to Milan's social media channels, Modric said he was very happy 'to be starting a new chapter' of his career. The Croatia international played 597 times for Madrid after joining from Tottenham Hotspur in 2012, scoring 43 goals and winning 26 trophies. Modric won four La Liga titles, while he helped his side to a record-levelling six Champions League trophies. Following Madrid's Champions League victory in 2017-18, as well as his role in Croatia's run to the World Cup final in Russia, Modric won the Ballon d'Or and became the first player other than Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi to do so since Kaka in 2007. Milan finished eighth in Serie A last season, two points off European football places for the 2025-26 campaign. They sacked manager Sergio Conceicao after five months in charge in May, replacing him with Massimiliano Allegri. The Italian returns after being out of work since being dismissed by Juventus in May 2024. Allegri has spent the entirety of his managerial career in Italy, three-and-a-half seasons of those with Milan between 2010 and January 2014 where he won a Scudetto in his first season. Modric joins Milan's midfield after the Italian club sold Tijjani Reijnders to Manchester City in June. Real Madrid reached the semi-final of the Club World Cup in July. Modric came on for Jude Bellingham in the 64th minute as the Spanish side lost 4-0 to Paris Saint-Germain. He will wear the No 14 shirt for Milan.
