Latest news with #JuricksonProfar
New York Times
11 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Jurickson Profar, Addison Barger and more top fantasy baseball waiver wire adds
Time for the weekly waiver report. Our most added names include a bunch of solid hitters on hot streaks. Here are your most added hitters on Yahoo: I'll actually start with the one name not included, because his 2025 stat line stops after the first four games: Jurickson Profar. He is eligible to return from his suspension on July 2, and if you want him on your team, you'll need to pick him up now. As for which version of him shows up, only time will tell. Last year was his best season by far, and it continued his long pattern of yo-yoing between good seasons and forgettable ones. The big difference in 2024 was his power, so if we see a ball hit over 110 MPH and (after a few weeks) a hard hit rate over 40%, that will hint at him maintaining last year's level. Advertisement We've mentioned many of these names recently, but other than Andy Pages, roster rates still hover in the 20-40% range. As for Pages, the breakout has officially arrived. Go get him if he's somehow still out there in your league. Addison Barger, Nick Kurtz, Gavin Sheets, Ryan McMahon, Alec Burleson, Colton Cowser and Wenceel Pérez all do the large majority of their damage against righties, and tend to sit against lefties. Of those seven, the first three feel the most solid. Barger and Kurtz have serious raw power and enough of a hit tool to back it up, while Sheets seems to be fully earning his batting line. McMahon has a similar Statcast profile to Sheets, but with more walks and strikeouts, and a huge difference in park. Sheets will give you a better average, McMahon does more for power. Burleson is useful enough in deep leagues, but the lack of power leaves me underwhelmed. Cowser has been swinging for the fences since returning from the IL. Baltimore is a nice place for lefty power hitters, and Cowser can do plenty of damage. The average will rise, but you can still pencil in something like the 30% strikeout rate he has last year, so he will hurt you in that category. There's nothing in Pérez's history to suggest he is suddenly one of the premier power hitters in MLB, but he's enjoyed three weeks of that existence. I listed him among the righty-crushers because the Tigers haven't used him much against lefties last year or this one, but he is actually a switch hitter who has raked against lefties the few times he's seen them. The funny thing is he's not actually riding some random BABIP or HR/FB luck. There is no way he maintains an 18.8% barrel rate, but he's worth rostering in most leagues just to see where this goes. While we're discussing inexplicably good Tigers, so much of Javier Báez's profile looks unchanged from last year. Swinging strike rate, K%, BB%, barrel rate, exit velocity, maxEV … all basically the same. And yet, last year he had an unplayable wRC+ of 43, and this year he's near-star level at 126. So what's changed? His BABIP, first of all, has gone from .220 to .340, bringing his average up 100 points with it. His HR/FB% has doubled to 16.7%. He's chasing a little less and making more contact in the zone. Like Pérez, he's pulling a lot, aiming for homers and doubles down the left field line. He will cool off, and he's capable of some ugly cold streaks, but he's made himself deep-league relevant and playable for now in 12-teamers. Advertisement Cam Smith shook off a rough first month, and now we're seeing what he can do with his top-notch tools. Get him now if you still can. Michael Toglia came back from the minors and hit three homers in two games. That puts him on pace for over 100 homers for the rest of the season, which is pretty good. In all seriousness, if he's tamed the strikeout issue to the point his power and speed can play, he can be a huge boost in the second half. Cam Smith (OF, HOU) — See above Evan Carter (OF, TEX) — Sure, there's some volatility here, but that comes with huge upside. He's still one of the fastest players in MLB, with enough power and contact to dream on a monster season. I mentioned Carter, Kyle Stowers (OF, MIA), Sal Frelick (OF, MIL), and Jo Adell (OF, LAA) last week. I'm still interested in all of them (in that order, with tweaks depending on your needs). Ryan O'Hearn (1B/OF, BAL) — Another righty-masher. He may cool off a bit, but what he's doing looks mostly sustainable. Nick Kurtz (1B, ATH), Ryan McMahon (3B, COL) — See above Rhys Hoskins (1B, MIL) — He has gone cold, but I still like him long term as a slugger who won't hurt you too much in batting average. J.P. Crawford (SS, SEA) — The power and speed are both unexceptional, but he's been hitting very well and should be good for counting stats from the leadoff spot. Jeff McNeil (2B, NYM) — There isn't enough raw power for me to buy his recent homer surge as a new level, but, like Crawford, he has plenty to offer despite not being a big contributor in homers or steals. He should have plenty of guys on base in front of him to make use of those contact skills. Alejandro Kirk (C, TOR) — He doesn't have the power of some other catchers, but he's a legitimately good hitter. Advertisement Agustín Ramirez (C/1B, MIA) — The average should rise, he has power, and he plays every day. Carlos Narváez (C, BOS) — Playing a little over his head, but the power is real. Jordan Beck (OF, COL) — Mentioned last week. I remain a fan. Jesus Sanchez (OF, MIA) — Another righty-masher with huge power. The park and the lineup drag him down, but in the right matchups, he's very dangerous. Matt Wallner (OF, MIN) — Again with a guy who crush righties. Wallner also has serious power, and the average should be more in the .240-range going forward. Not a ton to get excited about down here, but we'll see what we can do. The upside play is Brady House (3B, WAS), who we'll get to below. Nolan Schanuel (1B, LAA), Carlos Santana (1B, CLE), and Ty France (1B, MIN) all continue to provide boring but solid production and are at least deep-league fillers. Of those, I lean France for the power upside, but Schanuel is your guy if you want a high average and the occasional steal. Brooks Lee (3B/2B/SS, MIN) has similarly middling power and contact with good positional versatility. Colt Keith (1B/2B, DET) has the tools to be a great player, but he's been losing playing time as the Tigers get healthy. Hyeseong Kim (2B/SS/OF, LAD) — More playing time is on the horizon, and Kim looks like he'll contribute plenty of average, speed, and runs. Otto Lopez (2B/SS, MIA) — Plenty of speed, decent power, and x-stats that say his batting average should be at least last year's .270 instead of this year's .230. Max Muncy (2B/3B, LAD) — He has started to hit in the past couple of weeks. Still more of a deep-leaguer for me, but he can contribute across the board if he gets going. Dillon Dingler (C, DET) — Nice high average with decent power and a good lineup. Advertisement Victor Caratini (C, HOU) — Deep leagues only, but hey, he plays most days and isn't terrible! Christian Moore (2B, LAA) — I have my doubts the 22-year-old is ready to be a difference-maker right away, but if you need power, he's a decent speculative add. Where I'm less certain is if he'll make enough contact to take advantage of it. He carried a high swinging strike rate and strikeout rate through the minors, and due to the Angels' aggressive promotion, he has spent all of 79 games in the minors since being drafted eighth overall last year. Brady House (3B, WAS) — House has a similar power-and-strikeouts profile, but I trust him more because he's had more time in Triple A. He appears to have the job in Washington until further notice. Grant Taylor (RP, CHW) — Another aggressive promotion. He put up comical strikeout rates in Single and Double A. For fantasy purposes, he's a deep league saves dart throw and ratio helper, but in most leagues you can find a more established commodity for that purpose. Hayden Birdsong (SFG); Ryan Yarbrough (NYY); Brandon Walter (HOU); Ben Brown (CHC) Birdsong has looked good as a starter so far. He's figuring this out on the fly, but the arsenal is great and his home park helps contain the damage. Presumably, he'll stick in the rotation as long as he's performing after a certain trade you may have heard about. Yarbrough has tinkered with his pitch mix to favor the slower, bendier stuff, and it's been working. He's gotten the K% up to a workable 22% (which would be the best of his career over a full season), and SIERA and xERA, which factor in contact quality, say he has actually deserved better than his ERA. You're forgiven for not knowing about Walter, a Red Sox prospect who took a step back in 2023, missed all of 2024, and is now suddenly pitching like an ace for the Astros. It's too early to know what we're looking at here (or even if he keeps a rotation spot), but the stuff is legit, and he's worth picking up now. One more great start and the hype train will leave the station. Advertisement Brown has been giving up a lot of hard contact, which has undermined his strong strikeout and walk numbers. I'd tread carefully for now, but strength of contact rates for pitchers fluctuate a fair amount, and he's worth keeping an eye on. I'm trying to not repeat myself too much, but I'm still in on Chad Patrick, Cade Horton, Landen Roupp, and Jose Soriano, who looked great against the Yankees. Edward Cabrera (MIA); Michael Soroka (WAS); Bryce Elder (ATL); Lucas Giolito (BOS); Ben Casparius (LAD) Cabrera has looked good after a shaky first month, and he may have found a better version of his kitchen sink approach. He won't pick up a lot of wins — he doesn't always make it through five innings and the run support is subpar, but the ERA and K% are some of the best you'll find at this depth. Soroka is the sort of passable arm you may be looking for at this depth. He is throwing more in the zone this year, which has cut his walk rate, but may be contributing to a higher hard hit rate. Expect a mid-4s ERA and a 22% K-rate. While we're on boring-but-effective NL East pitchers, Elder is exactly that. The 20% K rate is fine in deeper leagues, and the sinker-heavy approach produces lots of grounders. SIERA and xFIP give him a sub-4 ERA. Giolito flashed better velocity in his dominant start against the Mariners (six shutout innings, 10 Ks). The optimistic take is he's shaking off the rust after missing last year and will start to see better results. We'll need to see him do that for another couple of outings before calling it a new level, but he's at least worth monitoring for now. Casparius' role is constantly in flux, but he's been a value whether he's starting, relieving, or bulk relieving (when he has a great shot at getting a win). He showed potential control issues in the minors, but so far he has kept the walk rate tidy and paired that with great stuff. Advertisement Shelby Miller has the job in Arizona, is pitching well, and is somehow there for the taking in a majority of leagues. Tommy Kahnle is likely to be the primary ninth-inning option in Detroit while Will Vest is out, and he will continue to get saves here and there when Vest returns. Calvin Faucher has righted the ship for now, and is the closer in Miami. (Photo of Jurickson Profar: Orlando Ramirez / Getty Images)
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Braves Make Jurickson Profar Announcement Ahead of Mets Series
Braves Make Jurickson Profar Announcement Ahead of Mets Series originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Left field has been a revolving door for the Atlanta Braves this season, with the team struggling to find steady production from the position. Advertisement Some help could soon arrive, as Jurickson Profar is set to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports. Profar, 32, was Atlanta's lone significant free agent addition last winter, signing a three-year, $42 million deal in January. He was pencilled in as the team's starting left fielder, but has yet to play a home game for the Braves. After appearing in four games, a series against the San Diego Padres, Profar was handed an 80-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs on March 31. Mar 24, 2025; Mesa, Arizona, USA; Atlanta Braves outfielder Jurickson Profar (7) hits against the Chicago Cubs in the first inning at Sloan Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images© Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images Initially eligible to return on June 29, rainouts have pushed that date back to Jul 2. Any further postponements would delay Profar's return another day. Advertisement Braves left fielders have combined to hit just .217 with two home runs, a .283 slugging percentage (29th in the majors at the position) and a .554 OPS (29th). Atlanta is currently 13 games back of the New York Mets for the National League East division lead and 7 1/2 games out of the final Wild Card spot. Related: Tigers Provide Update on Closer Will Vest After Injury Scare This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Times
7 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Braves build momentum behind Ronald Acuña Jr. as suspended Jurickson Profar nears return
ATLANTA — Jurickson Profar, the Atlanta Braves' only significant free-agent addition last winter, still hasn't played a home game for the team, because he was slapped with an 80-game performance-enhancing drug suspension during their season-opening trip. So, it'll be interesting to see and hear the reaction at Truist Park when the left fielder makes his return and his home debut, which is expected to be July 2 in the second game of a three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels. Advertisement The Braves, who beat the Colorado Rockies 12-4 in a series opener Friday night, hope Profar will be able to provide a boost from the left-field position. It's been one of the weakest spots for an Atlanta offense that's been mediocre to awful in far too many games but has shown recent signs of a power resurgence. They trailed for much of Friday night before a pair of three-run homers from Michael Harris II in the sixth inning and Marcell Ozuna in the seventh turned a 4-1 deficit into a lead that gave an embattled Atlanta bullpen some cushion with which to work, then they added five more runs in eighth for good measure against the sloppy Rockies. Ronald Acuña Jr., who's been brilliant since returning last month from a yearlong recovery from ACL surgery on his left knee, had his third consecutive three-hit game, including a first-inning leadoff double before scoring the Braves' only run before the Harris and Ozuna homers. It was the third win in four games for the Braves since a 3-14 skid that included six consecutive series losses. 'I feel like it was just a little weird stretch,' said Harris, who has three homers in the past six games, following a career-high 42-game homerless drought in which he had a meager .612 OPS. 'We know what kind of team we are. I feel the way we were tonight, it's who we should be. And we didn't have that over that stretch. 'I'm just looking forward to trying to be that team from here on out.' 💸 MONEY MIKE 💸#LocalFordDealer | — Atlanta Braves (@Braves) June 14, 2025 The Braves entered Friday in fourth place in the NL East, 15 games out of first in the division and with the fourth-worst record in the NL. They were ninth in the wild-card standings, nine games out of the final spot if the postseason would've started Friday. They hoped this win, after two homer-fueled wins at the Milwaukee Brewers, was a harbinger. Advertisement 'I mean, it's tough to get through those,' manager Brian Snitker said of the 3-14 stretch. 'But we just keep grinding away. Like I say, hopefully, it's always something that can springboard and get you going. 'These are big games, all of them. As we know, we've (made up deficits on teams) before. Not this far back, but you know what, it's possible to chase guys down after the All-Star break. But I think for our psyche and everything, these are all big games for us.' The Braves snapped their series losing streak by winning two of three at Milwaukee in a series that featured two homers and seven hits from Acuña, who has sizzled with a .375 average, six homers and a 1.125 OPS in 19 games since coming off the injured list. His three consecutive three-hit games match the longest such streak of his career, which he did in his MVP season in 2023. 'Energy,' Harris said of Acuña's biggest contribution. 'He's an MVP, so you know the talent is there. Just brings a lot of energy up at that (leadoff) spot, getting on base and being able to be on base to cause havoc for pitchers.' Acuña led the NL with 1.3 fWAR since his May 23 debut before Friday, when he had hits in each of his first three plate appearances. He stole second base in the fifth inning when he was running on a 3-2 count with Alex Verdugo hitting to avoid a potential double play. It goes down as the first stolen base and attempt this season for Acuña, who walked and scored again in a five-run eighth inning when the Braves turned the game into a rout. Acuña led the majors with 73 stolen bases in 2023, when he had 41 homers — the first and only 40-70 season in history — while hitting .337 with a 1.012 OPS. He was a unanimous choice as NL MVP. Snitker said before Friday's game that team officials talked to Acuña about stealing bases after coming back from surgery, and he agreed he would ease into it when he felt ready. He doesn't have a red light, but Acuña was advised to be selective as to when and where to run full bore, which he's done. Advertisement The ACL surgery was the second for Acuña, who tore the one in his other knee in 2021. 'But you see you get down the line when he has to, and the speed's still there,' Snitker said. 'I think it's just, the kid's been through a lot for having (surgery) twice. You know, at some point I'm sure he's gonna let that thing eat. But I think it's good for him to kind of (ease back into sprinting all out). I feel like he's been really smart in doing that.' The Braves had envisioned a strong outfield with the cannon-armed Acuña in right, defensively spectacular Harris in center and Profar in left, and in less than three weeks they could finally have that group together for the first time. 'Obviously, in spring training, we were excited to have that trio,' Harris said. 'But we're still happy to have whoever's on this team to produce. When we get him back, that'll be exciting. But still got to worry about who we have now.' Profar's eligible return date would've been June 29 if not for rainouts that pushed that back. If there's another game postponed between now and July 2, his return would be pushed back another day. Snitker said Profar is at the Braves' spring training site in North Port, Fla., taking live batting practice as Acuña did before Acuña began his minor-league rehab assignment last month. Profar can begin playing minor-league games Tuesday and will gradually work up to playing nine innings in the field. Profar, 32, signed a three-year, $42 million contract in January, and was penciled in as the Braves' left fielder. But he played just one series — four games at the San Diego Padres against his former team — before being suspended March 31, before a series opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers, the second series on that winless seven-game trip. Left field has been a figurative black hole for the Braves, with four players combining to produce a .213 average with just two home runs, a .281 slugging percentage that ranks 29th in the majors at the position and a .547 OPS that's 28th. Advertisement Profar had career bests in average (.280), OBP (.380) and slugging percentage (.459) in 2024 for San Diego. He also had a career-high 24 homers and a 133 OPS+ that was 18 points above his previous best and 35 points above his career 98 OPS+ over 12 seasons. He was to have been paid $12 million this season and $15 million each of the next two, but the suspension was without pay, meaning Profar forfeited nearly $6 million. He tested positive for human chorionic gonadotropin, a fertility drug that's often taken after steroids. It's the drug that Manny Ramirez was suspended 50 games for using in 2009. When they signed Profar, the Braves attributed his power and overall offensive gains made in his career-best season in 2024 to adjustments he made with his lower body in his batting stance, after working out with former Padres teammate Fernando Tatis Jr. and Tatis' father during the winter before the 2024 season. There will be plenty of scrutiny when Profar returns, given the PED suspension and interest in how he performs after testing positive and missing half a season. Profar won't be eligible for the postseason if the Braves make it. He will resume left-field duties that have been handled by several players in his absence including Bryan De La Cruz, since waived and signed by the New York Yankees; Verdugo, who signed with Atlanta in the final week of spring training; and Eli White, a journeyman who hit .295 with 11 extra-base hits and an .814 OPS in a 25-game stretch through May 20 but was 3-for-37 with one extra-base hit in his past 15 games before Friday. (Photo of Ronald Acuña Jr.: Jordan Godfree / Imagn Images)
New York Times
09-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Dodgers, Padres meet in rematch of last October's ‘best' teams. What can we expect?
On the penultimate day of last October, the Los Angeles Dodgers won a cathartic World Series. Yet, to hear them tell it, their biggest test arrived weeks earlier. A National League Division Series against the San Diego Padres brought heated competition and TMZ-level extracurriculars. Then-Padres left-fielder Jurickson Profar robbed a home run and later had baseballs and beer cans hurled in his direction. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts publicly accused Padres third baseman Manny Machado of targeting him with a throw into the dugout. Between the chalk lines, the Dodgers found themselves pushed to the brink of elimination. Then they rallied behind the strength of their bullpen, tossing 24 consecutive scoreless innings to stun the Padres and end the series. Advertisement In November, after lifting a trophy, Dodgers star Mookie Betts described the 2024 Padres as 'way more talented than we were. … They were the best team in baseball.' Monday night at Petco Park will bring a rematch of the sport's defending champions and the challenger that came closest to ousting them. To preview the three-game series, The Athletic convened a discussion between Dodgers writer Fabian Ardaya and Padres counterpart Dennis Lin. Lin: This continues to feel like the No. 1 rivalry in baseball, even after the Dodgers and Padres experienced very different offseasons. The Dodgers had a parade and spent a bunch more money. The Padres spent only a little and dealt with an ownership dispute. Now, to the surprise of most people, the Padres trail the Dodgers by only one game in the National League West standings. But let's go back once more. Games 4 and 5 of the NLDS seem like the definition of a sliding-doors moment. Where do you think the Dodgers would be if they hadn't pulled off those back-to-back shutout wins? Ardaya: Well, Roberts wouldn't be the team's manager, most likely. It's something Roberts wasn't as willing to acknowledge in the moment, but he felt it. Everyone felt it. Three consecutive first-round exits would have been difficult for any manager to survive. That series cemented his legacy in Los Angeles. But it's hard to see a scenario in which the Dodgers would've spent less had they lost, considering how much they spent even after winning a World Series. What about the Padres? Just about everyone associated with the Dodgers said San Diego was the toughest challenge they had in their run. Do the Padres go all the way if they had settled the series in four games? Lin: The Padres believe they would have. The rest of the postseason field, as the Dodgers demonstrated, was underwhelming. Before the offense delivered a pair of fatal clunkers, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jackson Merrill were red-hot. Joe Musgrove's torn elbow might have made it difficult for the Padres to survive subsequent longer series, but it felt like San Diego's best shot in years — decades, maybe — at winning its first championship. Especially because we now know Peter Seidler's widow and brothers were already fighting in the background. Had the Padres won it all, perhaps the sides would have resolved things more quickly and poured more resources into a title defense. Advertisement Anyway, the Padres aren't going away just yet. This should be an interesting summer. What is going on with the Dodgers? What's kept them from gaining more distance in the West? Ardaya: It's been a familiar sight for the Dodgers. Once again, their pitching staff is worn thin by injuries. Their injured list is 14 names long. Their three biggest pitching acquisitions the last two seasons (Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell and Roki Sasaki) are all on the IL. The pitching staff the Dodgers will roll into San Diego with looks much different from the one the team originally envisioned. Their lineup might be the best in baseball, churning more than five runs per game. That's what has kept them afloat, going 10-9 to start a 29-game stretch in which they play nothing but legitimate postseason contenders. Lin: Not much unites these teams and fan bases, but the Padres can relate — at least a little. They're not yet halfway through a stretch of 26 games in 27 days. Their best starting pitcher, Michael King, could be sidelined into July because of a pinched nerve that locked up his throwing shoulder. Their most experienced starter, Yu Darvish, still might be weeks away from his season debut. And their lineup isn't the best in baseball. The offense has been anemic for close to a month, Tatis and Merrill have simultaneously slumped, the Padres haven't won a game by more than two runs since May 14, and their lack of depth is glaring in left field and behind the plate. Somehow, though, they've won nine of their past 14 games. Their rotation is holding up well despite the inexperience at the back of it. A weary bullpen deserves a ton of credit. So does Machado. Speaking of bullpens, what's plaguing old friend Tanner Scott? Ardaya: It might be as simple as throwing too many strikes. Scott has shown better signs over his last couple of outings, which he attributes to a mechanical tweak suggested by Dodgers pitching coaches Mark Prior and Connor McGuiness (along with bullpen coach Josh Bard). He was flying open too early, causing him to miss locations over the heart of the plate. His stuff is still strong, but he's not putting it in spots to get swing-and-miss and chase. Instead, it's a lot of hard contact. Advertisement It's certainly not ideal to have Scott struggling while much of the Dodgers bullpen is on the shelf due to injury, but they have time to sort things out, and there have still been enough flashes to believe in Scott in the first year of his massive four-year deal. The Dodgers joked this winter about being sellers at the deadline. Now, I imagine they'll at least pursue a reliever by the time July 31 rolls around. I'm sure A.J. Preller will keep San Diego busy, right? Lin: I'll go out on a limb and say Preller is going to do something very Preller-y. King and Dylan Cease are set to become expensive free agents in a handful of months. Musgrove should return next year, but Darvish might not have many bullets left in his late-30s arm. With the Padres still in striking range, it's understandable that Preller is again thinking big on the trade market. I'd be shocked if he trades top prospect Leo De Vries to address the black hole in left field. I wouldn't be surprised if he moves fellow top prospect Ethan Salas for, say, Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran — although the stress fracture in Salas' back could complicate any potential deal involving the young catcher. Of course, there's a good chance the Padres can't afford a player of Duran's caliber. They have multiple needs and limited remaining trade capital. Not that they need to be reminded they're going up against the deepest and richest franchise in the sport. Shohei Ohtani hasn't even thrown his first pitch yet in a Dodgers uniform. How's that coming along? Ardaya: So, Ohtani will be taking the mound Tuesday at Petco Park — just a few hours before first pitch. It will be Ohtani's third time participating in a simulated game as he continues his buildup as a pitcher. More reinforcements are coming. Snell appeared to throw a bullpen session recently, his first time throwing off a mound since April. Glasnow was scheduled to throw his second bullpen session over the weekend. Emmet Sheehan is in the final stages of his rehab assignment after undergoing Tommy John surgery last year. The bullpen already has Kirby Yates and Michael Kopech back and could add Edgardo Henriquez to that group relatively soon. Believe it or not, the Dodgers have just two starters left from their Opening Day rotation. Even more surprising, one of those two is Dustin May, whose star-crossed and injury-plagued career has delayed what has been seen as a rise to stardom. May will start Monday, having already logged a career-high 61 2/3 innings this season. The results have been mixed for May, but the stuff remains elite and he has posted for every start. That's a massive win for Los Angeles. Who is starting for San Diego? Lin: Nick Pivetta will take what has quickly become one of his favorite mounds. The former Red Sox pitcher signed a backloaded four-year deal in spring training. If he keeps up what he's since done, he'll opt out after the 2026 season and earn a larger contract. Much of his early success has come at Petco Park, where he has a 1.69 ERA in six starts. (He has a 4.94 ERA in as many road starts.) It should be a fun matchup from the first pitch. During his short time in San Diego, we've learned Pivetta is an outwardly intense competitor. (Top photo of Mookie Betts in Game 4 of the NLDS: Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images)
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Braves Receive Positive Ronald Acuna Jr. News After Video Emerges
The Atlanta Braves haven't been all that impressive in the first quarter of the 2025 MLB season. With a record that has been on the verge of .500, they began 2025 losing their first seven games and have been battling their back into baseball relevancy. Advertisement It's been difficult for the Braves after newly acquired outfielder Jurickson Profar was suspended 80 games for testing positive with PEDs. Atlanta Braves outfielder Jurickson Profar warms up at a spring training workout at CoolToday Park in North Lang / Sarasota Herald-Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images On top of this, starting pitchers Spencer Strider (hamstring strain) and Reynaldo Lopez (shoulder inflammation) haven't been playing for the Braves. With all of this drama filling Atlanta's organization, they have also been awaiting a return of franchise star and 2023 NL MVP Ronald Acuna Jr. Acuna Jr. has been dealing with a torn ACL he suffered on May 26 of 2024. The six-foot, 205-pound outfielder from Venezuela has been the Braves' best player since making his MLB debut in 2018. Advertisement With a .289 batting average, .379 on-base percentage, .525 slugging and .904 OPS – alongside 165 home runs, 417 RBIs and 196 stolen bases – Ronald Acuna Jr. has been on of baseball's top players since he's been in the league. May 4, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Atlanta Braves right fielder Ronald Acuña Jr. (13) reaches second on a double against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the sixth inning at Dodger A. Vasquez-Imagn Images Ronald Acuna Jr. hits home run in first rehab start He could be expected to return sometime in May or possibly early June, but he was able to make his first rehab start on Tuesday and he looks like himself. In his first game back, Acuna Jr. hit a bomb for the Braves' Florida Complex League team. He is looking like his old-self before he suffered a torn ACL almost a year ago exactly. Advertisement His specific date to return hasn't been released, but his first rehab start will make Braves fans excited for the rest of Atlanta's season. He'll be a clear upgrade once he's implemented into the Braves' lineup as they look to bounce back from a slow start. The rest of the league should be prepared for the return of the 2023 NL MVP.
