Dodgers prez: ‘Strong hope’ Kershaw back in ’23
Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw will be a free agent after the season, but team president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said the club wants the longtime star to return.
“Nothing has changed,” Friedman said on Tuesday. “My strong hope is that Clayton Kershaw is pitching here next year, but like I said last year, for him to take the time to put his head together with [his wife] Ellen and figure out what makes the most sense for their family is what we’ll afford them the time to do.”
Friedman also said manager Dave Roberts will return next year. Roberts signed a three-year extension earlier this year.
“Expectations here are incredibly high and that’s awesome,” Friedman said. “I love how passionate our fans are. Those expectations are shared by everyone that works here, in the front office, the coaches room, Dave, our players. I personally don’t think the criticism Dave has received has been fair. I think it’s human nature to want to point the finger at someone. I feel this was an organizational failure in the postseason.”
Friedman said he is still digesting one of the worst — if not the worst — collapse in team postseason history. After posting a franchise-record 111 wins and making their 10th consecutive playoff appearance, the Dodgers lost 3-1 in the National League Division Series against the San Diego Padres, a team they beat 14-5 in the regular season.
During the NLDS, the Dodgers had an 0-for-20 stretch with runners in scoring position.
“The last three days have been incredibly difficult, and I’m not sure exactly when that’s going to dissipate,” Friedman said.
“I think it’s natural to go back and think through it. Obviously, everyone wants a clear-cut answer,” he said. “If you’re able to boil it down in its simplest form, in the regular season, we led baseball in every statistical category with runners in scoring position. In this series we were not good … the question is, is it baseball or are there things we can do to improve on that?”
Friedman was visibly annoyed when asked if it was Roberts or the front office making on-field decisions in the playoffs.
“After every single postseason I’ve answered that question, so I don’t feel that’s the narrative,” Friedman said.
Asked if Roberts makes those decisions, Friedman said: “One hundred percent. We’ve answered this a lot of times. I’d really like to not answer it next year. Well, next year, hopefully it’s after a parade. It’s been very clearly answered here a lot of different times. If it ever changes, I’ll let people know. I don’t think it ever will. If it ever does, I will let you know.”
Another key decision for the Dodgers is the status of third baseman Justin Turner, who resurrected his career with Los Angeles and became one of the best hitters in baseball, but it’s unclear if the Dodgers will pick up his $16 million option for 2023.
“Those are all personnel things that we’ll spend more time on,” Friedman said. “He’s been a huge part of our success. Been right in the thick of everything as long as I’ve been here. Answering definitively about what next year’s team is going to look like right now is really difficult. We’re going to take time and meet as a group to get into those things.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Dave Wilson
AUSTIN, Texas — A week after Arch Manning struggled in a loss at Ohio State, Texas coach Steve Sarkisian saw his quarterback bounce back in a 38-7 win over San Jose State and said this game showcased more of Manning’s style.
Manning matched a career high with four touchdown passes, going 19-of-30 for 295 yards, and added a 20-yard touchdown scramble, tiptoeing down the left sideline at the end of the third quarter.
“I thought today was a by-product of the week of work. He played aggressive throughout the week. He studied the game plan. He knew exactly what we were trying to do, and I thought today he played more of his style,” Sarkisian said. “He extended plays, used his legs, scrambles for a touchdown. That’s the style of player that he is.”
On several plays, Manning rolled out and found receivers. A few of his passes were dropped, with Sarkisian saying Texas “didn’t catch the ball great for him.” But Sarkisian was pleased that Manning made plays when things broke down.
“Him playing his game and not trying to play at somebody else’s style of game, I think it is important for him,” Sarkisian said.
Manning also threw a bad interception while under pressure, heaving the ball into double coverage from the Spartans’ 14-yard line. San Jose State defenders had a shot at picking off a couple of his other throws but failed to haul them in.
“A lot to work on,” Manning said. “I thought it was sloppy for my part. Can’t turn the ball over in the red area. I’ve got to play better. I think all around, it was a little sloppy.”
Manning started slowly, going 3-of-6 for 11 yards on his first two drives. But then, on a third-and-3 with 2:52 left in the first quarter, Manning found Parker Livingstone along the left sideline, and he turned it upfield for an 83-yard touchdown.
The touchdown throw was part of a stretch where Manning went 5-for-5 for 142 yards and four touchdowns, including TDs on three consecutive passing attempts — a 3-yarder to Livingstone, then 36- and 16-yarders to tight end Jack Endries.
“Anytime you can get points on the board after a slow start, it feels good,” Manning said. “Then, [we] finally got some rhythm. Defense started stepping up, too, so we’ve just got to start quicker next week.”
The Longhorns, who committed 12 penalties for 115 yards, have four new offensive line starters, and many new players at wide receiver and tight end. And even Texas stars such as edge rusher Colin Simmons (two penalties for offsides, one for roughing the passer) didn’t perform their best.
“I think as our team in general goes, this is not the best version of Texas football this season that we’re going to see,” Sarkisian said. “My foot’s got to get in their butt here on Monday morning. That’s unacceptable. And there’s a standard in which we want to play the game, and 12 penalties does not meet that standard.”
Manning said all week that he had to play better for Texas to win. He was encouraged by his performance Saturday, finding a way to make plays, but doesn’t believe he’s at his best.
Sarkisian said Manning is gifted with his dual-threat abilities, but his team is learning on the fly how to block for him while he’s scrambling or that he could throw while on the move.
“There’s things that we’re learning as we go as a team, but those are some of the growing pains that we have to work through,” Sarkisian said.
Those growing pains still resulted in an easy win at home Saturday. For Sarkisian, he said he can see the trust growing among his players, including Manning.
“The guys rally around him, you can feel it today on the sidelines,” Sarkisian said. “They really like playing with Arch, and that’s important.”
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Andrea Adelson
The father of Florida State linebacker Ethan Pritchard was on the sideline Saturday for the Seminoles’ game against East Texas A&M.
Earl Pritchard and another family member were on the sideline wearing his son’s No. 35 jersey. Ethan Pritchard remains hospitalized in Tallahassee after surviving a gunshot wound to the head last weekend.
Prayers up. pic.twitter.com/NCTZyoxiTV
— Warchant.com (@Warchant) September 6, 2025
Florida State safety Earl Little Jr. brought out a No. 35 jersey to midfield for the coin toss, and Florida State players wore No. 35 wristbands to honor their teammate.
All Garnet with the Gold lids
Continuing to think about Ethan 🙏🏼#NoleFamily | #KeepCLIMBing pic.twitter.com/FD6GSNpo5F
— FSU Football (@FSUFootball) September 6, 2025
#NoleFamily 🍢 pic.twitter.com/HSTjx9e7xp
— FSU Football (@FSUFootball) September 6, 2025
Defensive tackle Darrell Jackson Jr. wore a T-shirt with Pritchard’s face on it during pregame warmups.
According to Earl Pritchard, Ethan Pritchard was driving his aunt home when he was shot in the back of the head in Havana, Florida, 16 miles from Tallahassee, on Sunday night.
The Seminoles routed East Texas A&M 77-3 on Saturday, after which coach Mike Norvell presented Earl Pritchard with the game ball, and asked him to break the rock – a tradition generally given to the player of the game after each Seminoles victory.
💛♥️ #NoleFamily pic.twitter.com/kg2kJtMNRA
— FSU Football (@FSUFootball) September 6, 2025
Norvell grew emotional as he discussed Pritchard during his postgame media availability.
“The way that he plays the game … he loves it, he absolutely loves it. To know that right now that’s taken away from him in a senseless act, you don’t always know why you have to go through things in life but I do believe God has his hand over Ethan and this football team,” Norvell said.
“To have Earl here today – He’s a wonderful man, and being with him I know it’s so very hard. I know it’s hard for anybody to have to go through, but he told me early in this week, ‘I know where my boy wants to be so I’m going to go stand in his place for him.'”
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