Latest news with #Giants
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
Giants' Matt Chapman Sends Clear Rafael Devers Message After Position Questions
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. The San Francisco Giants answered any remaining questions about their hopes of contending this season with an emphatic move to bring in slugger Rafael Devers from the Boston Red Sox. That trade should clear up all doubts about whether the front office believes the team can reach the World Series and if it is willing to increase payroll to do so. But bringing in Devers raised some other questions. Primarily, it is unclear where exactly he will play. The Red Sox were only willing to trade him after he initially refused to vacate third base for a new teammate and then adamantly refused to give first base a try. For his part, Devers partially answered the question of his role with the Giants by declaring that he'd be willing to play wherever the team wants him during an introductory press conference. Like the Red Sox, the Giants are in clear need of some more offensive production from first base. Shortly after arriving in San Francisco, Devers worked out at the position and five-time Gold Glove Award winner Matt Chapman offered a clear evaluation of his ability to handle the position. SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 08: Matt Chapman #26 of the San Francisco Giants looks on from the dugout prior to the start of the game agains the Atlanta Braves at Oracle Park on June... SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 08: Matt Chapman #26 of the San Francisco Giants looks on from the dugout prior to the start of the game agains the Atlanta Braves at Oracle Park on June 08, 2025 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) More Henderson/Getty "He's going to be just fine over there," Chapman told president of baseball operations Buster Posey, according to MassLive's Chris Cotillo. Though he's never been considered a stellar defender, Devers was able to man third base for years with the Red Sox. That suggested he would be able to handle first base with a bit of preparation, even though he refused to try it out for his former team. Still, praise from Chapman, who is expected to return to third base for the Giants when he recovers from a hand injury, should mean a lot. He won his latest Gold Glove after joining San Francisco as a free agent last year. But even after Devers' positive workout at first, he's unlikely to take over the position in the near future. "The expectation is that it will take Devers a while to get comfortable at the position and that he'll serve as the Giants' designated hitter, like he did in three games against Cleveland, from Friday to Sunday," Cotillo added. So far, everything about Devers' arrival in San Francisco has been positive. If he can continue his offensive production while effectively taking over first base for the Giants, it will be even more so. More MLB: Mets Make Trade Decision After Brutal Injury Setbacks: Report
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
ESPN's quarter century all-star team has a giant-sized mystery.
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. No two NFL stars are the same though many share recognizable qualities and common ideas. It doesn't matter if they play for the New York Giants or someone else. All want to get paid. All hope they'll one day be remembered among the greats when their playing days are over. The 'alphas' often think about their legacy. How will they be remembered? Have they set their family up for financial success? How many more years of pain can they squeeze out of those weary and battered bodies? Michael Strahan, New York Giants (Photo by) Michael Strahan, New York Giants (Photo by) Photo byThose are the questions they ask themselves. That being said, you know what? Come to think of it, these guys may be more alike in their makeup than most may have thought. Must read: Abdul Carter Headlines a List of Giants Postseason Award Contenders They won't admit it, but they seek the approval and respect of their peers. And, they work their hind parts off for that respect because if their peers, opponents, and teammates respect them that's truly all that matters. All of that has been said to say this. It's easy to wonder what some of the Giants greats of the past quarter century think about this ESPN all-star team. The Giants are snubbed from ESPN's All Quarter Century Team (minus a practice team addition) It's hard to argue with the brilliance and creativity. ESPN dropped some quality content as Aaron Schatz and Seth Wilder cooked up one heck of a write-up in their NFL All Quarter Century team. There's only one problem. There are no New York Giants on the roster! That is, unless you include Michael Strahan's mention as a practice squad member. Okay, so it's been a rough go these past few seasons with Brian Daboll at the helm despite the postseason appearance his team produced in his first season as head coach. Truth be told, we can probably chalk that up to some bad moves by Joe Schoen and the front office. Must read: Kayvon Thibodeaux's Long-Held Promise Haunts in a Crucial Year The Giants can't get one guy on the list though? Not one? Sure, this team has been bad or mediocre more often than they have impressed us over the past quarter century, but this team has had some talent. What about Michael Strahan? Can we at least bump him up to the active roster? What about Eli Manning? He's 2-0 vs. the QB1, Tom Brady, on the Super Bowl stage. No one wants Eli on the squad, huh? Well, goodness gracious. You guys are a tough crowd and tough to please. Must read: A Giants Backup Role Might Not Fit Jaxson Dart's Grand Vision Here's something of note. Bill Belichick was named the team's head coach. Do we give the G-Men a nod because he was once Big Blue's defensive coordinator? No? You guys aren't rolling with that either, huh? Oh well... Maybe Abdul Carter and Malik Nabers can fight their way onto the 2025 all-star team. It will take another 25 years to get there, but at this point, Giants fans and the media have to hope for something.
Los Angeles Times
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Dodgers Dugout: Who was that man on the mound?
Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell. The Dodgers have a new pitcher who looks exactly like Shohei Ohtani. They could be twins. It's uncanny. The Dodgers have played seven games against the Padres and Giants in the last week, and went 5-2 in those games. Let's take a quick look at some important things that happened. We'll start with Ohtani pitching again. In a surprise, the Dodgers announced Sunday that he would start Monday against the Padres, though he would pitch only one inning. He had been pitching live batting practice and, well, let's have Dave Roberts explain: 'Just kind of talking to [pitching coach Mark Prior] and [president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman] and the doctors and medical and just kind of saying, 'OK, we've done the three-inning live, it's a little taxing or more taxing on my body.' You're at a point of, I don't know if it's diminishing returns. But he's ready to pitch in a major league game. He let us know that.' In his start, Ohtani reached 100 mph on his fastball and gave up one run and two soft singles. He wasn't sharp with his command, which is to be expected. Of course, he was also the DH in that game and went two for four with a double and an RBI. If you haven't followed baseball long, it's hard to impress upon you just how incredible what he is doing and has done is. To hit and pitch at a high level is very, very rare. In 2022 with the Angels, he hit .273/.356/.519 with 30 doubles, 34 homers and 95 RBIs at the plate and went 15-9 with a 2.33 ERA in 166 innings on the mound, striking out 219. He finished second in MVP voting and fourth in Cy Young voting. In 2023, he went 10-5 with a 3.14 ERA on the mound in 132 innings before he needed Tommy John surgery. At the plate he hit .304/.412/.654 with 26 doubles, 44 homers and 95 RBIs in 135 games. He led the league in homers, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. He won the MVP award. As Max Muncy said, 'I always understood how hard it was to pitch and then come in and hit, but seeing him come off the mound and go to the dugout — I don't know, it kinda hit a little different seeing it from our side. He didn't even get a drink of water. Just put his helmet on, went right to the batter's box. That's really hard to do.' It is expected that Ohtani will pitch about once a week, going an inning longer each time. Coming off of Tommy John surgery is always difficult, so don't expect miracles. Then again, with Ohtani, miracles seem possible. ———— The Dodgers won two of three from a scrappy Giants team. But the big news took place off the field. The Giants pulled off a trade with the Boston Red Sox, acquiring Rafael Devers, who had grown unhappy in Boston. Devers was unhappy that the Red Sox were asking him to change positions (from third base to DH to first base). The Red Sox were unhappy that he was unhappy, seeing as how they were paying him $313.5 million over 10 years. So the Red Sox unloaded him for four players. Devers immediately said he would play any position the Giants wanted. Which really endeared him to Red Sox fans. But he happens to be one of the best hitters in the game, and immediately makes the Giants better and gives them that superstar they were missing (compared to the Padres and Dodgers). It also shows that Giants GM Buster Posey is going to do whatever it takes to make the Giants win. Devers is a career .279/.349/.510 hitter and has 40-homer potential (his career high is 38). You can peruse his career numbers here. While you never know what will happen when a new player joins a team, it certainly seems safe to predict that it just got harder to win the NL West. ———— The Padres series was interesting because the Padres continue to reinforce their reputation as a bunch of whiny babies. Monday night, Andy Pages was hit by a pitch from Padres starter Dylan Cease. Pages glared at Cease from the batter's box, prompting Padres manager Mike Shildt to yell at Pages, saying, 'Who the f— do you think you are?' It seemed unlikely that Cease was throwing at Pages, but Pages just stared and Shildt escalated things. On Tuesday, Dodgers reliever Lou Trivino hit Fernando Tatis Jr. with a pitch in the third inning. There was a runner in scoring position, so Trivino is not throwing at Tatis in that situation. A couple of innings later, Padres starter Randy Vásquez threw a fastball inside and low to Ohtani, causing Ohtani to jump out of the way. The next pitch was another fastball inside, and it hit Ohtani in the leg. That was much more suspect. The umpires got together and gave a warning to both sides about throwing at hitters. This bothered Roberts, who came out to ask why the Dodgers were being warned when they didn't throw at anyone. The umpire threw him out of the game before he could get two words out, despite letting Shildt ask about the situation. Roberts then got about as mad as you've ever seen him and argued for a while to the delight of the crowd. Wednesday's game was relatively quiet, but Thursday's game heated up in the ninth after Tatis was hit by a pitch (the third time he had been hit this series). This caused Shildt to complain, which brought Roberts out. Shildt said something to Roberts, who didn't like whatever was said. The two got in each other's faces, which caused the benches to empty. Cooler heads prevailed. Ohtani was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the inning. He waved off his teammates from coming out of the dugout, but Padres pitcher Robert Suarez was ejected from the game. In all, eight batters were hit by pitch in the series. It's probably safe to say not all of those were accidents. The teams don't play each other again until August, so there's plenty of time for emotions to cool. ———— It is only one start, so I don't want to get over of my skis here, but Emmet Sheehan looked sharp Wednesday in his first start since missing all of last season because of Tommy John surgery. He could be the boost the rotation has been looking for. However, the Dodgers sent him to the minors Thursday to make room for reliever Jack Little. ———— Thanks to their strong play the last week, the Dodgers now lead the NL West by 3.5 games over the Giants, and five games over the Padres. Arizona is eight back and Colorado 28.5 back. Some bad news on the Roki Sasaki front. He still feels discomfort when he throws, and it looks unlikely that he will return this season. If that's the case, it's one of the more disappointing rookie seasons in Dodgers history. Hopefully, he recovers and reaches his potential, but at this point, all you can do is hope. There was a point a few weeks ago when many people, including me, were wondering how much longer the Dodgers could stick with Andy Pages. He was not hitting well and was struggling defensively as well. The Dodgers are always very patient with players, especially on offense, and kept sending Pages out there. And in June, here's what he is doing: .361/.364/.705, six doubles, five homers, 14 RBIs in 61 at-bats. Overall he's hitting .290/.330/.509 with 12 doubles and 15 homers. He could very well make the All-Star team. And one reason for that improvement? Teammate Teoscar Hernández. Pages told Times reporter Kevin Baxter: 'He's played in the major leagues for a long time now. He's been through a lot of bad times. I went through that at the beginning of the season, for example, and last year too. And he's given me advice that's helped me a lot to get through that time.' Pages' family is still in Cuba, and Hernández has become a big brother, taking him out for dinner on off days or just getting together to play video games. You can read more about Pages here. Another person the Dodgers were patient with is Max Muncy, who got off to a brutal start before he started wearing glasses. Since wearing glasses, here are his numbers: .279/.414/.537, four doubles, nine homers, 34 RBIs, 32 walks, 30 strikeouts in 136 at-bats. Maybe every Dodger should get his eyes checked. Speaking of which.... Michael Conforto had a brief surge in May when he started hitting better and it seemed he had turned a corner. But no. In June, he is six for 40, a .150 batting average. It's like having a non-Ohtani pitcher hitting in your lineup again. The question I get asked more than any other is 'Why do the Dodgers continue to play Conforto?' Well, there are several reasons. They are paying him $17 million and don't want to waste that investment. Conforto has a track record of success and being patient has worked out twice already this season (see Pages, Andy and Muncy, Max). They have the best offense in the NL already and can afford to be patient with him, especially since they are in first place. The pitching is more of a problem than the hitting right now. It's probably a combination of all of those things. A Conforto who can hit is a great advantage to the Dodgers come October, and the Dodgers always play the long game, while the fans are more interested in winning every game. At some point, you have to figure the Dodgers move on and give more playing time to Hyeseong Kim. If it were me, I'd do it now. But I've managed the Dodgers to the same number of victories you have, plus, all the decisions I make on my couch work 100% of the time. So, this is a good way for all of us to learn about patience, and see what happens. But there was good news Wednesday when Roberts said Kim had earned more playing time. Hey, maybe Conforto should start wearing glasses. Some unmarked white vans and SUVs were at Dodger Stadium on Thursday, sparking speculation about immigration enforcement at the stadium. The Dodgers refused to allow the vehicles into the stadium parking lots. Five agents, armed with pistols, stood next to the vehicles. They did not wear identifying items or badges. When asked by a Times reporter which agency they were with, they said 'DHS' and declined to comment further. The Dodgers released this statement: 'This morning, ICE agents came to Dodger Stadium and requested permission to access the parking lots. They were denied entry to the grounds by the organization. Tonight's game will be played as scheduled.' But the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said they weren't at Dodger Stadium, instead saying it was Customs and Border Protection agents. So, why did they identify themselves as DHS? Why did they leave when police arrived? There are more questions than answers at the moment. There have been protests about ICE in downtown Los Angeles, and the Dodgers had been criticized by some of their fans for not making any public statements in support of the people targeted by immigration raids. The team said Wednesday that it had solidified plans to work with immigration groups and would make an announcement Thursday. However, what happened Thursday delayed that announcement. Team president Stan Kasten released a statement saying, 'Because of the events earlier today, we continue to work with groups that were involved with our programs. But we are going to have to delay today's announcement while we firm up some more details. We'll get back to you soon with the timing.' Who are your top 10 Dodgers first basemen of all time (including Brooklyn)? Email your list to top10secondbasemen@ and let me know. Many of you have asked for a list of players to consider for each position. Here are the strongest second baseman candidates, in alphabetical order. Hub Collins, Álex Cora, Tony Cuccinello, George Cutshaw, Tom Daly, Delino DeShields, Mark Ellis, Jim Gilliam, Mark Grudzielanek, Billy Herman, Orlando Hudson, Jon Hummel, Jim Lefebvre, Howie Kendrick, Jeff Kent, Pete Kilduff, Lee Lacy, Davey Lopes, Gavin Lux, Bill McLellan, Charlie Neal, Willie Randolph, Jody Reed, Jackie Robinson, Juan Samuel, Steve Sax, Ted Sizemore, Eddie Stanky, Chase Utley, John Ward, Eric Young. A reminder that players are listed at the position in which they played the most games for the Dodgers, which is why Gilliam and Robinson are listed here and not at other positions they played. Friday: Washington (*MacKenzie Gore, 3-6, 2.89 ERA) at Dodgers (*Clayton Kershaw, 2-0, 3.25 ERA), 7:10 p.m., Sportsnet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020 Saturday: Washington (Jake Irvin, 5-3, 4.23 ERA) at Dodgers (Dustin May, 4-4, 4.46 ERA), 7:10 p.m., Sportsnet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020 Sunday: Washington (Michael Soroka, 3-5, 5.06 ERA) at Dodgers (Shohei Ohtani, 0-0, 9.00 ERA), 1:10 p.m., Sportsnet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020 *-left-hander Federal agents denied entry to Dodger Stadium parking lot, sparking new outrage over Trump sweeps When Dodger baseball meets L.A. reality | Dodgers Debate Shaikin: Why is Dodger Stadium SO LOUD? Shaikin: The Giants just made a big trade. Will the Dodgers make one of their own? Dodgers say Nezza is not banned from stadium for singing national anthem in Spanish Hernández: 'More animated' Shohei Ohtani shows Dodgers a different side of himself Photos: Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani pitches for first time after Tommy John surgery Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter reports to federal prison Hernández: Dodgers finally get to be part of the complete Shohei Ohtani experience Shohei Ohtani to make his Dodgers pitching debut Monday vs. Padres Nezza says she sang national anthem in Spanish at Dodger Stadium against team's wishes Hernández: Cowardly Dodgers remain silent as ICE raids terrorize their fans 'He's 1 of 5.' How Ben Casparius worked his way into the Dodgers' starting rotation An ode to the Garvey-Lopes-Russell-Cey infield. Watch and listen here. Have a comment or something you'd like to see in a future Dodgers newsletter? Email me at and follow me on Twitter at @latimeshouston. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
CBS News
2 hours ago
- Sport
- CBS News
Rafael Devers, Red Sox set to square off in weekend series in San Francisco
The Boston Red Sox just said goodbye to Rafael Devers, but will get reacquainted with their former designated hitter this weekend in San Francisco. Last Sunday's trade that sent Devers from the Red Sox to the Giants was bizarre enough, but it will take another wild turn this weekend when Boston faces Devers and his new team for a three-game series in San Fran. After donning red socks for 1,053 games, Devers will now play his former team just five days after their relationship ended in a messy divorce. Devers initially signed with the Red Sox as a 16-year-old international free-agent in 2013. He made his Major League debut in 2017 and helped the team win a World Series in 2018, when he started to emerge as a big bat in the heart of the order. In 2023, he signed a 10-year, $313.5 million contract extension that made him the face of the franchise. But the relationship soured over the offseason and throughout Spring Training even before the team brought in veteran third baseman Alex Bregman. Devers was hurt by his move from third to DH, and the relationship deteriorated from there. While Devers raked at the plate as Boston's designated hitter, he refused to play the field when the team was in need. He wouldn't try his hand at first base after Triston Casas suffered a season-ending injury, which prompted a visit from principal owner John Henry while the team was in Kansas City. The Red Sox drew a line and decided to move on from their highest-paid player when it was clear the two sides couldn't see eye-to-eye on what was best for the team. Devers was traded to the Giants for four players, with San Francisco taking on the remaining $250-plus million remaining on his contract. When the Red Sox and Giants square off at Oracle Park on Friday night, it will be Devers' fourth game with San Francisco. Through his first three games with his new team, Devers is 3-for-11 with a double, an RBI, and two walks. He's also struck out four times. The Giants are 1-2 with Devers, with their lone win a 2-1 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Thursday. Red Sox on facing Rafael Devers While fans were shocked by the Devers trade, the team has done its best to move on quickly. Boston manager Alex Cora has been stressing how the team needs to turn the page since he first reacted to the deal on Monday, but did admit Friday's game will be a little odd. "Obviously different. And it's so recent, right? He's gonna do everything possible to kick our ass, and we're gonna do everything possible to do the same," Cora told reporters ahead of the series. "So that's the business of it. The only thing is it's so recent that it's gonna feel awkward. But I think both teams have a job to do. Let's play the game and try to win." "It will be a little weird for sure, seeing him in those colors, just because he's been here for such a long time, such a big part of this franchise," said Boston shortstop Trevor Story. "Once the game starts, I'm sure he'll tell you the same -- it's about winning. He wants to win for his team and we want to win for ours. Once the first pitch is thrown, it's all about competition at that point." Devers is obviously hoping to make some big swings and sweep his former team, and may be willing to try something new for his new organization this weekend. Will Devers play first base against the Red Sox? While Devers wouldn't play first base for Boston, he said he's willing to play anywhere in his San Francisco introduction on Tuesday. He was out taking grounders at the position after talking with reporters as a Giant for the first time, and was back at it again ahead of Thursday's game. There's been some rumblings that Devers might play some first against Boston, which would really stick it to his old team. But Devers has never played at the position in the Majors, and he'll likely remain at DH for the Giants will he get acclimated to the new spot. Devers staying at designated hitter will give Red Sox fans a chance to see old friend Dom Smith, who has been filling in at first for the Giants along with Wilmer Flores.
USA Today
4 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Malik Nabers named New York Giants' top Offensive Player of the Year candidate
Malik Nabers named New York Giants' top Offensive Player of the Year candidate The New York Giants are hoping an improved quarterback situation will help star wideout Malik Nabers reach the upper echelon of wide receivers in the NFL. Coming off a historic campaign in which Nabers set the wide receiver record for receptions in a rookie season (109), it's easy to see why there's plenty of hype surrounding the 21-year-old. If not for the equally historic campaign from Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers, we would be discussing Nabers' rookie season as one of the best in recent history. When looking at each team's top candidate to win the Offensive Player of the Year Award, the decision was easy for Jacob Infante of Pro Football Network when it came to the Giants. Despite a disappointing season, the New York Giants seem to have found a franchise cornerstone in wide receiver Malik Nabers. As a rookie, he finished top 10 in the league in both receptions and receiving yards in a Pro Bowl campaign. With improved QB play expected in New York, Nabers could do even more damage this season. Winning the prestigious award is incredibly difficult, especially for a young wide receiver. Only three wide receivers since 2000 have earned the award. Otherwise, it's essentially an award for quarterbacks and running backs. Nabers does have the chance to put together an elite career after what he showed during the 2024 season. Even if Russell Wilson is a shell of his former self as a 10-time Pro Bowler, he should be a vast improvement over what the Giants had under center last season. A betting man likely wouldn't put his money on Nabers winning the award, but this is just a reminder of how vital the young superstar is to the Giants' offense.
