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RK PLAYER POS HOMETOWN HT WT STARS GRADE SCHOOL

1 QB-PP Los Alamitos, CA
Los Alamitos High School 6’3” 185 93

2 QB-PP Detroit, MI
Martin Luther King High School 6’3” 210 93

3 QB-DT Denton, TX
John H. Guyer High School 6’1” 195 93

4 DT Alabaster, AL
Thompson High School 6’3” 275 93

5 QB-PP New Orleans, LA
Isidore Newman School 6’3” 204 93

6 OT Bradenton, FL
IMG Academy 6’6” 325 92

7 WR Las Vegas, NV
Bishop Gorman High School 5’10” 172 92

8 DT Katy, TX
Patricia E. Paetow High School 6’4” 270 92

9 OLB Montgomery, AL
Carver High School 6’3” 230 91

10 OT Runnells, IA
Southeast Polk High School 6’6” 315 91

11 S Hoschton, GA
Mill Creek High School 6’0” 190 91

12 DE Tampa, FL
Berkeley Prep 6’5” 245 91

13 WR Los Alamitos, CA
Los Alamitos High School 5’11” 180 90

14 CB Lakeland, FL
Lakeland High School 6’2” 165 90

15 OLB Tallahassee, FL
Lincoln High School 6’2” 215 90

16 ILB Denton, TX
Billy Ryan High School 6’2” 230 90

17 S Denton, TX
John H. Guyer High School 6’0” 195 90

18 OLB Raleigh, MS
Raleigh High School 6’3” 200 90

19 CB Bradenton, FL
IMG Academy 6’2” 185 90

20 DE North Kansas City, MO
North Kansas City High School 6’5” 230 90

21 OG Braintree, MA
Thayer Academy 6’5” 300 90

22 RB Lehigh Acres, FL
Lehigh Senior High School 5’11” 195 89

23 QB-PP Downey, CA
Warren High School 6’6” 195 89

24 RB Buford, GA
Buford High School 5’10” 185 89

25 DT Montgomery, AL
Carver High School 6’3” 300 88

26 WR DeSoto, TX
DeSoto High School 6’0” 175 88

27 S Lynn, MA
Saint John’s Prep 6’0” 200 87

28 WR Fort Lauderdale, FL
Stranahan High School 6’3” 200 87

29 QB-PP Zachary, LA
Zachary High School 6’4” 225 87

30 RB Orlando, FL
Edgewater High School 6’2” 220 87

31 QB-DT Pittsburg, CA
Pittsburg High School 6’4” 185 87

32 CB Arlington, TX
James Martin High School 6’1” 185 87

33 DE Bradenton, FL
IMG Academy 6’4” 240 87

34 WR Plantation, FL
American Heritage High School 6’0” 190 87

35 DE Venice, FL
Venice High School 6’4” 235 87

36 QB-PP Snellville, GA
Brookwood High School 6’2” 210 87

37 CB Phenix City, AL
Central High School 6’2” 180 87

38 WR Atherton, CA
Menlo High School 6’3” 215 87

39 ATH Washington, DC
Archbishop Carroll High School 6’5” 225 87

40 TE-H Phoenix, AZ
Pinnacle High School 6’6” 235 86

41 OLB Tampa, FL
Jesuit High School 6’1” 210 86

42 QB-PP Birmingham, AL
Briarwood Christian School 6’3” 205 86

43 CB Cincinnati, OH
Winton Woods High School 6’0” 180 86

44 RB El Campo, TX
El Campo High School 5’11” 180 86

45 WR Houston, TX
Langham Creek High 5’11” 180 86

46 CB Florence, AL
Florence High School 6’2” 170 86

47 WR Longview, TX
Longview High School 6’2” 185 86

48 ATH Mustang, OK
Mustang High School 6’3” 185 86

49 DE Baltimore, MD
St. Frances Academy 6’4” 255 86

50 DT Tyler, TX
Tyler Legacy High School 6’4” 245 86

51 OT Monroe, LA
Neville High School 6’5” 300 86

52 CB Dallas, TX
South Oak Cliff High 5’11” 170 86

53 DT Gardendale, AL
Gardendale High School 6’5” 280 86

54 S Venice, FL
Venice High School 6’0” 190 86

55 OG Lee’s Summit, MO
Lee’s Summit North High School 6’5” 310 86

56 OT Mount Pleasant, SC
Oceanside Collegiate Academy 6’7” 285 86

57 S New Iberia, LA
Westgate High School 6’2” 185 86

58 OG Wyomissing, PA
Wyomissing High School 6’4” 285 86

59 OLB Baton Rouge, LA
University Laboratory School 6’1” 210 86

60 WR Round Rock, TX
Stony Point High School 6’2” 175 86

61 OT Ramsey, NJ
Don Bosco High School 6’5” 290 86

62 WR Miami, FL
Gulliver Prep High School 6’1” 170 86

63 ATH La Grange, TX
La Grange High School 5’11” 185 86

64 OT Findlay, OH
Findlay High School 6’5” 260 86

65 DE Bellflower, CA
St. John Bosco High School 6’5” 265 86

66 OT Rock Island, IL
Alleman High School 6’6” 305 86

67 WR Rolesville, NC
Rolesville High School 6’2” 185 86

68 DT Oradell, NJ
Bergen Catholic High 6’6” 325 86

69 DE Miami, FL
Miami Central High School 6’3” 255 86

70 CB Seminole, FL
Osceola High School 6’1” 180 86

71 DT Warner Robins, GA
Warner Robins High School 6’5” 270 86

72 DE Eufaula, AL
Eufaula High School 6’3” 220 86

73 WR Baton Rouge, LA
Catholic High School 6’4” 185 85

74 OLB Orlando, FL
Jones High School 6’2” 235 85

75 WR Bellflower, CA
St. John Bosco High School 5’11” 190 85

76 OG Ashburn, VA
Broad Run High School 6’5” 280 85

77 QB-DT Maize, KS
Maize High School 6’2” 175 85

78 OLB Merrillville, IN
Andrean High School 6’2” 215 85

79 S Shiner, TX
Shiner High School 6’1” 175 85

80 WR Phenix City, AL
Central High School 5’11” 180 85

81 OG Odessa, TX
Permian High School 6’4” 300 85

82 CB Quincy, FL
Robert F. Munroe High School 6’1” 190 85

83 TE-H Bixby, OK
Bixby High School 6’3” 215 85

84 DE Platte City, MO
Platte County R-III High School 6’5” 210 85

85 TE-H Bradenton, FL
IMG Academy 6’5” 230 85

86 DE Phenix City, AL
Central High School 6’4” 255 85

87 DT Hyattsville, MD
DeMatha Catholic High School 6’6” 260 85

88 OT Alabaster, AL
Thompson High School 6’7” 310 85

89 DE Bradenton, FL
IMG Academy 6’5” 240 85

90 DT Seminole, FL
Osceola High School 6’3” 300 84

91 CB Tampa, FL
Wharton High School 6’1” 187 84

92 WR Orlando, FL
Boone High School 6’2” 180 84

93 RB Saint Louis, MO
Christian Brothers College High School 6’1” 195 84

94 S Alabaster, AL
Thompson High School 6’2” 190 84

95 WR Flower Mound, TX
Marcus High School 6’3” 175 84

96 OG Orange Park, FL
Orange Park High School 6’4” 295 84

97 ILB Barnesville, GA
Lamar County High School 6’1” 220 84

98 ATH Houston, TX
Dwight D. Eisenhower High School 5’10” 170 84

99 TE-Y Fairburn, GA
Langston Hughes High School 6’5” 230 84

100 CB Gardena, CA
Junipero Serra High School 5’11” 175 84

101 DE Bradenton, FL
IMG Academy 6’4” 250 84

102 OLB Murfreesboro, TN
Riverdale High School 6’5” 205 84

103 WR Ridgeland, MS
Ridgeland High School 6’3” 190 84

104 S Fort Lauderdale, FL
Saint Thomas Aquinas High School 5’11” 180 84

105 CB Melbourne, FL
Eau Gallie High School 5’11” 180 84

106 DE Norman, OK
Community Christian School 6’4” 215 84

107 S Fulton, MS
Itawamba Agri High School 6’0” 200 84

108 OT Fairburn, GA
Langston Hughes High School 6’7” 290 84

109 ATH Houston, TX
The Kinkaid School 5’11” 170 84

110 OT Tuscaloosa, AL
Northridge High School 6’7” 300 84

111 QB-PP Ankeny, IA
Ankeny High School 6’6” 230 84

112 CB Plantation, FL
American Heritage High School 6’2” 185 84

113 OLB Lehi, UT
Skyridge High School 6’4” 220 84

114 DE Springdale, MD
C. H. Flowers High School 6’6” 230 84

115 OLB Crandall, TX
Crandall High School 6’1” 210 84

116 RB Dexter, MI
Dexter High School 5’11” 180 84

117 TE-Y Folsom, CA
Folsom High School 6’5” 235 84

118 DE Colleyville, TX
Covenant Christian Academy 6’5” 260 84

119 WR Heathsville, VA
Northumberland High School 6’2” 225 84

120 OT Windsor, CT
Loomis Chaffee School 6’6” 310 84

121 DE New Hope, MN
Robbinsdale Cooper High School 6’4” 245 84

122 TE-H Austin, TX
Westlake High School 6’2” 220 84

123 OT East Saint Louis, IL
East St. Louis High School 6’7” 355 84

124 OLB Tampa, FL
Tampa Catholic High School 6’0” 200 84

125 DE Seminole, FL
Osceola High School 6’5” 270 84

126 OT Clearwater, FL
Clearwater Academy 6’7” 300 84

127 TE-Y Saint Louis, MO
De Smet Jesuit High School 6’4” 250 84

128 OLB Hoschton, GA
Mill Creek High School 6’3” 200 84

129 ATH Dallas, TX
South Oak Cliff High 5’11” 170 84

130 OLB Fairfax, VA
Fairfax High School 6’2” 205 84

131 OT Austin, TX
Westlake High School 6’4” 310 83

132 OLB Teague, TX
Teague High School 6’2” 225 83

133 DT Camden, SC
Camden High School 6’5” 325 83

134 OG Douglasville, GA
South Paulding High School 6’4” 300 83

135 OT Roebuck, SC
Dorman High School 6’4” 305 83

136 TE-Y Thompson’s Station, TN
Independence High School 6’5” 225 83

137 OT McDonough, GA
Eagles Landing Christian Academy 6’7” 335 83

138 CB Long Beach, CA
Long Beach Polytechnic High School 6’0” 175 83

139 S West Orange, FL
West Orange High School 6’2” 205 83

140 RB Derby, KS
Derby Senior High School 5’8” 155 83

141 S Denton, TX
John H. Guyer High School 6’0” 175 83

142 WR Miami, FL
Miami Edison Senior High School 5’9” 170 83

143 DE Bradenton, FL
IMG Academy 6’3” 250 83

144 WR Thomasville, GA
Thomas County Central High School 5’11” 175 83

145 CB Saint Louis, MO
De Smet Jesuit High School 6’0” 175 83

146 ATH Tampa, FL
Gaither High School 5’11” 170 83

147 ILB Bradenton, FL
IMG Academy 6’2” 225 83

148 RB Baton Rouge, LA
Liberty Magnet High School 5’11” 200 83

149 CB Waxahachie, TX
Waxahachie High School 5’11” 180 83

150 QB-PP Cornelius, NC
Hough High School 6’3” 225 83

151 ATH Idaho Falls, ID
Skyline High School 6’4” 225 83

152 DT Jacksonville, FL
Westside High School 6’4” 300 83

153 DE American Fork, UT
American Fork High School 6’4” 240 83

154 CB Miami, FL
Gulliver Prep High School 6’2” 175 83

155 ATH Lincoln, NE
Lincoln East High School 6’5” 200 83

156 DE Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
Santa Margarita Catholic High School 6’7” 255 83

157 WR Lakeland, FL
Lakeland High School 6’4” 190 83

158 CB Kankakee, IL
Kankakee High School 6’2” 170 83

159 WR Raleigh, NC
Millbrook High School 6’3” 200 83

160 TE-H Santa Rosa Beach, FL
South Walton High School 6’6” 210 83

161 CB Bellflower, CA
St. John Bosco High School 6’2” 185 82

162 WR Milton, FL
Milton High School 6’3” 205 82

163 DE Hickory, NC
Hickory High School 6’4” 230 82

164 DT Saint James, MD
St. James School 6’4” 275 82

165 RB Picayune, MS
Picayune Memorial High School 6’1” 215 82

166 DE Concord, NC
J. M. Robinson High School 6’5” 260 82

167 ILB Many, LA
Many High School 6’2” 205 82

168 CB Roswell, GA
Roswell High School 5’11” 165 82

169 OG West Bloomfield, MI
West Bloomfield High School 6’3” 280 82

170 DE Detroit, MI
Cass Technical High School 6’3” 245 82

171 DT Chandler, AZ
Chandler High School 6’4” 295 82

172 RB Farmerville, LA
Union Parish High School 5’8” 180 82

173 CB Coppell, TX
Coppell High School 6’1” 190 82

174 OG Huber Heights, OH
Wayne High School 6’3” 280 82

175 QB-DT Nashville, TN
Montgomery Bell Academy 6’1” 170 82

176 WR Converse, TX
Judson High School 5’11” 170 82

177 OLB Jacksonville, FL
Andrew Jackson High School 6’3” 215 82

178 ATH Waco, TX
Connally High School 6’2” 190 82

179 DE Ellenwood, GA
Cedar Grove High School 6’6” 210 82

180 QB-DT Hendersonville, TN
Pope John Paul II High School 6’2” 205 82

181 CB Ellenwood, GA
Cedar Grove High School 5’11” 170 82

182 DE Austin, TX
Westlake High School 6’5” 230 82

183 OLB Durham, NC
Southern Durham High School 6’4” 215 82

184 ATH Temple, TX
Temple High School 6’0” 185 82

185 ILB Smyrna, TN
Smyrna High School 6’1” 215 82

186 CB Jacksonville, FL
Bartram Trail High School 6’0” 165 82

187 ATH Dublin, GA
Trinity Christian School 6’0” 180 82

188 CB Chandler, AZ
Basha High School 5’10” 175 82

189 ILB Fayetteville, GA
Whitewater High School 6’1” 220 82

190 OT Garland, TX
Naaman Forest High School 6’4” 285 82

191 DE Amarillo, TX
Tascosa High School 6’3” 255 82

192 QB-DT Brentwood, TN
Ravenwood High School 6’0” 210 82

193 OT McDonough, GA
Eagles Landing Christian Academy 6’5” 300 82

194 S Fort Lauderdale, FL
Dillard High School 6’1” 180 82

195 OLB Manteca, CA
Manteca High School 6’3” 215 82

196 ILB Altamonte Springs, FL
Lake Brantley High School 6’1” 200 82

197 DE Indianapolis, IN
Lawrence Central High School 6’4” 225 82

198 TE-H Ashdown, AR
Ashdown High School 6’5” 215 82

199 QB-PP Baton Rouge, LA
Woodlawn High School 6’3” 185 82

200 WR Chula Vista, CA
Mater Dei Catholic High School 6’1” 190 82

201 DT Richmond, VA
Benedictine College Prep 6’4” 310 82

202 CB Baton Rouge, LA
Woodlawn High School 6’0” 165 82

203 TE-H Milton, MA
Milton Academy 6’4” 215 82

204 RB Plantation, FL
American Heritage High School 6’1” 220 82

205 DE HIghland Home, AL
Highland Home High School 6’6” 245 82

206 ATH Miami, FL
Miami Palmetto High School 5’11” 170 82

207 DE Trussville, AL
Hewitt-Trussville High School 6’4” 255 82

208 CB Charlotte, NC
Providence Day School 6’0” 175 82

209 OC Bradenton, FL
IMG Academy 6’3” 325 82

210 ATH Carrollton, GA
Central High School 6’0” 175 82

211 DE Olney, MD
Our Lady of Good Counsel High School 6’5” 235 82

212 S San Jacinto, CA
San Jacinto High School 6’1” 180 82

213 TE-Y Saint Charles, MO
Francis Howell Central High School 6’6” 225 82

214 CB Frisco, TX
Lone Star High School 6’0” 170 82

215 DE Pleasant Valley, IA
Pleasant Valley High School 6’5” 240 82

216 S Munford, AL
Munford High School 5’11” 195 82

217 DE Columbia, MD
Wilde Lake High School 6’5” 205 82

218 CB Las Vegas, NV
Bishop Gorman High School 6’1” 190 82

219 DT New Bern, NC
New Bern High School 6’3” 285 82

220 CB Seattle, WA
Rainier High School 6’0” 180 82

221 ATH Pittsburg, CA
Pittsburg High School 6’1” 175 82

222 DE West Roxbury, MA
Catholic Memorial High School 6’4” 255 82

223 S Mansfield, TX
Mansfield High School 6’0” 185 82

224 DT Camden, NJ
Eastside High School 6’4” 300 82

225 DE Thomaston, GA
Upson-Lee High School 6’5” 245 82

226 DT Rome, GA
Rome High School 6’4” 270 82

227 ATH Folsom, CA
Folsom High School 6’1” 190 82

228 CB Arlington, TX
Timberview High School 5’11” 185 82

229 ATH Fort Lauderdale, FL
Dillard High School 5’11” 190 82

230 RB Charlotte, NC
West Charlotte High School 6’0” 185 82

231 DE Houston, TX
C. E. King High School 6’4” 245 82

232 WR Tallahassee, FL
James S. Rickards High School 6’3” 190 82

233 RB Scranton, PA
Scranton Preparatory School 5’11” 190 82

234 CB Montgomery, AL
Alabama Christian Academy 6’2” 180 82

235 QB-PP Colorado Springs, CO
Vista Ridge High School 6’5” 195 82

236 OT Provo, UT
Timpview High School 6’4” 260 82

237 WR Hollywood, FL
Avant Garde Academy 6’2” 195 81

238 OLB Watkinsville, GA
Oconee County High School 6’2” 195 81

239 OG Gilbert, AZ
Highland High School 6’5” 265 81

240 S Irvington, NJ
Irvington High School 6’0” 190 81

241 WR Bradenton, FL
IMG Academy 6’2” 185 81

242 ILB Altamonte Springs, FL
Lake Brantley High School 6’1” 190 81

243 DE Mentor, OH
Mentor High School 6’5” 240 81

244 WR Chipley, FL
Chipley High School 6’2” 185 81

245 CB Spanaway, WA
Spanaway Lake High School 5’11” 170 81

246 RB Naples, FL
Naples High School 6’1” 195 81

247 DE Saint Petersburg, FL
Lakewood Senior High School 6’4” 225 81

248 ATH Ocean Springs, MS
Ocean Springs High School 6’2” 190 81

249 RB Sandersville, GA
Washington County High School 5’11” 190 81

250 DE Washington, DC
St. John’s College High School 6’3” 235 81

251 ILB Philadelphia, PA
Imhotep Institute Charter High School 6’1” 220 81

252 TE-H Norcross, GA
Norcross High School 6’3” 220 81

253 S Zachary, LA
Zachary High School 6’2” 200 81

254 WR Lansdale, PA
North Penn High School 6’2” 175 81

255 S West Chester, OH
Lakota West High School 6’3” 175 81

256 OT Columbus, GA
Carver High School 6’5” 300 81

257 WR Tulsa, OK
Booker T. Washington High School 5’11” 170 81

258 TE-Y Tucson, AZ
Mountain View High School 6’4” 245 81

259 DE Gainesville, FL
Buchholz High School 6’3” 245 81

260 RB Middleburg, FL
Middleburg High School 5’11” 195 81

261 DE Manor, TX
Manor High School 6’4” 225 81

262 QB-DT Tacoma, WA
Lincoln High School 6’0” 205 81

263 ILB Fort Worth, TX
North Crowley High School 6’1” 215 81

264 OG Hyattsville, MD
DeMatha Catholic High School 6’5” 305 81

265 OLB Cleveland, OH
Glenville High School 6’3” 215 81

266 RB Canutillo, TX
Canutillo High School 6’1” 205 81

267 DE Cypress, TX
Cypress Ranch High School 6’3” 260 81

268 OT Arlington, TX
Lamar High School 6’7” 285 81

269 WR Owasso, OK
Owasso High School 5’10” 180 81

270 ATH Clearwater, FL
Clearwater Central Catholic H. S. 5’10” 170 81

271 QB-PP Dripping Springs, TX
Dripping Springs High School 6’2” 180 81

272 S Lake Charles, LA
Lake Charles College Prep 6’1” 180 81

273 DE Miami, FL
Gulliver Prep High School 6’4” 220 81

274 CB Rome, GA
Rome High School 6’0” 170 81

275 OG Elk Grove, CA
Elk Grove High School 6’3” 310 81

276 ATH Granada Hills, CA
Granada Hills High School 6’0” 175 81

277 WR Mesquite, TX
North Mesquite High School 6’2” 190 81

278 RB Montgomery, AL
Montgomery Catholic High School 5’11” 185 81

279 TE-H Havelock, NC
Havelock High School 6’4” 210 81

280 RB New Caney, TX
New Caney High 5’11” 190 81

281 DT North Kansas City, MO
North Kansas City High School 6’3” 285 81

282 ATH Los Alamitos, CA
Los Alamitos High School 6’3” 185 81

283 S Fairburn, GA
Langston Hughes High School 6’2” 195 81

284 RB San Diego, CA
Abraham Lincoln High School 6’1” 240 81

285 WR Roanoke, VA
Patrick Henry High School 6’0” 170 81

286 OLB Friendswood, TX
Friendswood High School 6’5” 230 81

287 OC Ferndale, WA
Ferndale High School 6’3” 280 81

288 DE Orlando, FL
Olympia High School 6’7” 265 81

289 OLB Hampton, VA
Phoebus High School 6’4” 215 81

290 ATH Arthur, IL
Arthur High School 6’2” 220 81

291 WR Mission Viejo, CA
Mission Viejo High School 5’9” 170 81

292 TE-Y Concord, CA
De La Salle High School 6’6” 255 81

293 QB-DT Florence, SC
South Florence High School 6’2” 225 81

294 OLB Post, TX
Post High School 6’4” 210 81

295 CB West Orange, NJ
West Orange High School 6’4” 180 81

296 OT Chattanooga, TN
Baylor School 6’6” 280 81

297 TE-H Fort Worth, TX
North Crowley High School 6’5” 215 81

298 ILB Gainesville, GA
Gainesville High School 6’2” 220 81

299 ATH Maiden, NC
Maiden High School 6’3” 190 81

300 CB Fort Mitchell, KY
Beechwood High School 5’10” 175 81

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Ohtani allows 1 run, 2 hits in 28-pitch inning

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June 17, 2025

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Ohtani allows 1 run, 2 hits in 28-pitch inning

  • Alden GonzalezJun 16, 2025, 10:56 PM ET

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      ESPN baseball reporter. Covered the L.A. Rams for ESPN from 2016 to 2018 and the L.A. Angels for MLB.com from 2012 to 2016.

LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani jogged off the pitcher’s mound and leaned against the dugout railing while strapping on his elbow guard and batting gloves. He was thrown a towel to wipe the sweat off his face, then walked to the batter’s box to face San Diego Padres ace Dylan Cease without taking any practice swings.

With that, Ohtani began his quest to once again do what many in the sport consider impossible.

Ohtani made his pitching debut from Dodger Stadium on Monday, giving up a run in his lone inning of work, then struck out in his first plate appearance as the Los Angeles Dodgers’ designated hitter, marking the first time he has pitched and hit in a game since Aug. 23, 2023. He would eventually finish 2-4 with two RBIs in his club’s 6-3 victory.

Ohtani is close to 21 months removed from a second repair of his right ulnar collateral ligament but faced hitters only three times before essentially rejoining the Dodgers’ rotation, his last session, from Petco Park in San Diego last Tuesday, spanning three simulated innings and 44 pitches.

Ohtani communicated to the Dodgers that facing hitters hours before games, then cooling off and having to ramp back up to DH later that night, was more taxing on his body than doing both simultaneously, prompting him to return to pitching sooner than expected. These initial starts will basically function as the continuation of Ohtani’s pitching rehab. On Monday, he was basically utilized as an opener.

Ohtani reached 99.9 mph and 100.2 mph with his fastball but also uncorked a wild pitch while utilizing 28 pitches to record the first three outs. Fernando Tatis Jr. led off with a bloop single and Luis Arraez followed with a line-drive single. Ohtani should have recorded a strikeout of Manny Machado, who went around on a two-strike swing. But first-base umpire Ryan Blakney ruled otherwise, bringing the count to 2-2 and later prompting a sacrifice fly to score the game’s first run.

Ohtani followed by inducing groundouts to Gavin Sheets and Xander Bogaerts, and with that, his pitching debut was over.

The Dodgers hope it’s the first of many starts.

Ohtani, 30, functioned as a transformative two-way player from 2021 to 2023, winning two unanimous MVPs and also finishing as the runner-up to Aaron Judge. On offense, Ohtani slashed .277/.379/.585 with 124 home runs and 57 stolen bases. On the mound, he posted a 2.84 ERA with 542 strikeouts and 143 walks in 428⅓ innings.

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Sports

Red Sox execs defend Devers deal, cite ‘alignment’

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5 hours ago

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June 17, 2025

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Red Sox execs defend Devers deal, cite 'alignment'

Top Boston Red Sox officials said the team traded Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants on Sunday because they could not find “alignment” with their star slugger, whose relationship with the organization degraded after he declined a request by the team to switch positions for the second time this season.

In a 40-minute media availability Monday night, Red Sox president and CEO Sam Kennedy and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow defended the decision to trade the 28-year-old Devers, a three-time All-Star in the second season of a 10-year, $313.5 million contract. The deal, which came after a sweep of the rival New York Yankees extended Boston’s winning streak to five games, roiled Red Sox fans still embittered by Boston trading future Hall of Famer Mookie Betts to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020.

Though Kennedy and Breslow acknowledged the disappointment in the trade that netted Boston left-handed starter Kyle Harrison, outfield prospect James Tibbs III, right-handed reliever Jordan Hicks and right-hander Jose Bello, they noted the financial flexibility the deal gives the organization, with San Francisco taking on the remaining $254 million of Devers’ contract.

Pointing to the ability to add talent as the July 31 trade deadline approaches, Breslow said: “This is in no way signifying a waving of the white flag on 2025. We are as committed as we were six months ago to putting a winning team on the field, to competing for the division and making a deep postseason run.”

He also added, “I do think that there is a real chance that at the end of the season we’re looking back and we’ve won more games than we otherwise would’ve.”

At 38-36 following a win Monday night against Seattle, the Red Sox are in fourth place in the AL East but hold the final AL wild-card playoff spot. Their new-look lineup featured first baseman Abraham Toro hitting in Devers’ typical No. 2 spot and rookie outfielder Roman Anthony, who hit his first big league home run Monday, batting third.

Devers, who had been with the Red Sox organization since signing out of the Dominican Republic at 16, went from a fundamental part of Boston’s future to the latest ex-Red Sox player in a matter of months. The organization had spent the winter ensuring Devers would remain at third base, the position he had played his whole career. When Boston signed third baseman Alex Bregman on the eve of spring training, Devers was asked to move to designated hitter. He refused before eventually relenting.

A season-ending injury to first baseman Triston Casas in early May compelled Breslow to inquire about Devers’ willingness to move to first. He spurned the idea and criticized the organization, prompting owner John Henry, Kennedy and Breslow to fly to Kansas City, where the Red Sox were playing, and talk through their issues.

Despite the strong play of Toro and Romy Gonzalez at first, the issues persisted. Though neither Kennedy nor Breslow would expound specifically on where there was misalignment between the parties, Devers rejecting a second position switch soured an organization that gave him the largest deal in franchise history.

“We had certain expectations that went with that contract,” Kennedy said. “And when we came to the conclusion that we did not have a full alignment, we moved on.”

Breslow said the Red Sox talked about Devers with multiple teams — and two rival general managers told ESPN on Monday that Devers’ name came up in conversation about potential deals. Ultimately, Boston pulled off the polarizing trade with San Francisco, which agreed to inherit the entirety of Devers’ contract and in exchange sent back a package of talent that paled in production compared to Devers.

Over nine seasons with the Red Sox, Devers hit .279/.349/.510 with 215 home runs and 696 RBIs in 1,053 games. He represented the last player from Boston’s most recent World Series-winning team in 2018 — a group to which Kennedy and Breslow alluded when emphasizing the organization’s goals in moving a player who was hitting .272/.401/.504 this season.

“I do think that there is a real chance that at the end of the season, we’re looking back and we’ve won more games than we otherwise would’ve.”

Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow

“As we think about the identity and the culture and the environment that is created by great teams,” Breslow said, “there was something amiss here, and it was something that we needed to act decisively to course correct.”

Said Kennedy: “We did what we felt was in the best interest of the Red Sox on and off the field to win championships and to continue to ferociously and relentlessly pursue a culture that we want everyone in that clubhouse to embody and doing everything in their power night in and night out to help the team.”

The two continued returning to the word “alignment” — Kennedy used it nine times, Breslow five — to rationalize the deal. They pointed to allowing the team’s young core — which includes Anthony and infielders Kristian Campbell and Marcelo Mayer, all of whom were among the top 15 prospects in MLB entering the season — to receive regular playing time as a benefit, with more at-bats available in the DH slot.

“I understand why the initial reaction would be that it’d be tough to sit here and say when you move a player of Raffy’s caliber, when you take that bat out of the lineup, how could I sit here and say that we’re a better team?” Breslow said. “And I acknowledge on paper we’re not going to have the same lineup that we did, but this isn’t about the game that is played on paper. This is about the game that’s played on the field and ultimately about winning the most games that we can. And in order to do that, we’re trying to put together the most functional and complete team that we can.”

The Red Sox have squandered the benefit of the doubt with a fan base that saw the team win four championships from 2004 to 2018. Dealing Betts for a paltry return remains a sticking point with a wide swath of fans, and one of Breslow’s first deals after taking over following the firing of his predecessor, Chaim Bloom, was trading left-hander Chris Sale to Atlanta, where he won the National League Cy Young Award last year.

“I’ll put our record up against anybody else’s in Major League Baseball over the last 24 years,” Kennedy said. “We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve built here. We’ve got more trophies and banners to show for it than any other organization in Major League Baseball.”

Saying that Devers “means so much to that group, means so much to the organization, to the city of Boston,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora nevertheless stood behind the deal, saying he believes Harrison (who was optioned to Triple-A) and Hicks (on the injured list) will help the team this season.

“We’ve got to keep going. That’s the bottom line,” Cora said. “We put ourselves in a good spot. We have played good baseball for an extended period of time. Now we have to do it without Raffy, but at the same time, we added some pieces that we do believe are going to help us.”

Breslow and Kennedy each expressed disappointment over the handling of the Devers situation, with Breslow saying, “I need to own things I could have done better,” particularly in communicating. They agreed, though, that the decisiveness with which they agreed to deal Devers — regardless of the public outcry — was done in service of something larger.

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Yankees’ Stanton makes debut: ‘Great to be back’

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June 17, 2025

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Yankees' Stanton makes debut: 'Great to be back'

  • Jorge CastilloJun 16, 2025, 01:48 PM ET

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      ESPN baseball reporter. Covered the Washington Wizards from 2014 to 2016 and the Washington Nationals from 2016 to 2018 for The Washington Post before covering the Los Angeles Dodgers and MLB for the Los Angeles Times from 2018 to 2024.

NEW YORK — Hours before making his season debut, Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton was in the batter’s box inside an empty Yankee Stadium on Monday afternoon hitting off a high-speed pitching machine. Atop his list of preparation priorities was being ready to handle elite velocity. That, he believes, will best determine whether he will succeed in his return from tendon injuries in both elbows.

Stanton’s first test, though it came in a loss, was a success: The slugger went 2-for-4 with three hard-hit balls and a double in an 11-inning, 1-0 defeat to the Los Angeles Angels.

“With not as many at-bats under my belt, that’s going to be the most important,” Stanton said of hitting velocity. “Just make sure I’m ready. See the ball early. Normal things you would say midseason, but just emphasize it a little more now.”

Stanton was sidelined through Sunday, missing the Yankees’ first 70 games. He played through a “high level” of joint pain in both elbows in 2024, including during the postseason when he smashed seven home runs in 14 games and was named American League Championship Series MVP, but he was shut down from swinging a bat in January until late March, delaying his readiness for the season.

Batting fifth Monday in his first major league action since Game 5 of the 2024 World Series, Stanton received a standing ovation from the home crowd when he was introduced for his first plate appearance. He then hacked away.

He swung at the first pitch he saw — a 96-mph sinker from Angels right-hander Jose Soriano — and cracked a 101.5 mph groundout to the third baseman.

He roped a 111.1 mph line drive single to left field in his second at-bat for his first hit of 2025 and struck out swinging in his third at-bat before clobbering a 102.9 mph leadoff double down the left-field line in the ninth inning.

Stanton’s night ended there when Jasson Dominguez replaced him at second base as a pinch-runner. The Yankees wound up spoiling the scoring opportunity. They have gone 20 innings without scoring a run, a skid that goes back to the ninth inning of a loss to the Boston Red Sox on Saturday.

“It’s great to be back,” Stanton said. “Obviously, want to win, but it’s good to be back out there. I saw the ball pretty well besides one at-bat. So we’re just working on that, making sure my timing’s geared up and get rolling.”

Stanton, 35, was eligible for reinstatement from the 60-day injured list in late May, but the Yankees, not desperate for offense and with multiple choices for DH, did not rush him back.

He began a rehab assignment last week, appearing in three games over consecutive days for Double-A Somerset after an extended period taking swings off machines and in live batting practice. He went 3-for-11 with a double, four RBIs, a walk and three strikeouts for Somerset.

The Yankees have 16 games over the next 16 days, but manager Aaron Boone does not expect Stanton, whose 429 career home runs lead all active players, to play every day. Stanton’s availability will partly depend on his next-day recovery after a game.

“I would think that things might come up from time to time and that could play into different things on a given day if you feel like it’s best to give him a day,” Boone said. “But I think he’s built some good momentum here over the last couple of months with it. The strength in his hands and things like that has returned in a good way so certainly something we’ll pay attention to but feel like we’re in a pretty good spot.”

Boone has the luxury to play it on the safer side with an offense that thrived without Stanton, the 2017 National League MVP. The Yankees entered Monday ranked second in the majors with a 123 weighted runs created plus and .794 OPS with Ben Rice, Aaron Judge and Dominguez primarily cycling through the DH spot.

That’s where things become complicated for New York. Stanton’s return will, as it stands, present a daily lineup puzzle for Boone to solve — not only in the DH slot, but in the outfield where he has Judge plus three players (Dominguez, Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham) for two spots (center field and left field). Decisions will mostly come down to workload and matchups.

Paul Goldschmidt, another former MVP, and Domínguez, one of baseball’s top prospects entering the season, were the odd players out Monday, though both entered the game late.

“I’ve talked to them, and we know what the goal is,” Boone said. “And right now it’s to get to the playoffs and try and win a division and then obviously from there, trying to get to and win a World Series. So, making sure we have everyone on the same page and the buy-in. And there’s going to be days when maybe a guy deserves to be in there, isn’t. Everyone’s not going to be happy about it all the time and that’s OK.”

Said Stanton: “Whatever is best for us to win, that’s important. And the guys that are going to be starting are going to come in huge pinch-hit spots. So, in that opportunity, it’s usually a chance to win a game anyway so, yeah, we’ll work with it.”

Stanton’s return perhaps most impacts Rice, who has started 43 of the Yankees’ 71 games as their DH. The second-year player, who started at first base Monday, is batting .229 with 12 home runs and a .769 OPS this season.

Boone on Monday repeated that he plans to occasionally have Rice start at catcher to alleviate the logjam and get his bat in the lineup more often.

Rice, 26, was drafted as a catcher and spent most of his minor league career behind the plate, but he has yet to start at the position for the Yankees since making his major league debut last season. Rice has tallied just 6⅔ innings behind the plate in the majors.

Austin Wells and J.C. Escarra have split time at catcher this season, with Wells starting 52 of the team’s 70 games behind the dish.

“I see him playing quite a bit,” Boone said of Rice. “Again, just kind of the matchups. As far as the catching component, I do plan on getting him back there at some point. I don’t know how frequent it would be. Because, again, I really value what J.C.’s done back there. As you’ve seen lately, I do value getting Austin his days so there’ll be a day I get him back there and that can factor into things a little bit.”

The Yankees designated utility man Pablo Reyes for assignment to make room on the active roster for Stanton.

Also Monday, Boone said right-hander Jake Cousins is scheduled to undergo Tommy John surgery Wednesday.

Cousins spent the first three years of his big league career with the Milwaukee Brewers before joining New York last season. Cousins became a significant part of New York’s bullpen, posting a 2.37 ERA across 37 games during the regular season before allowing five runs in six postseason appearances.

The Yankees expected Cousins to return before the All-Star break when he was placed on the injured list with a forearm strain to begin the season. But his recovery was stalled by a pectoral injury and he was pulled off a recent rehab assignment with elbow trouble. He is now expected to miss a significant portion of the 2026 season.

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