Connect with us

Published

on

New York Mets star Francisco Lindor is all-in on the World Baseball Classic and disagrees with the stance that Major League Baseball players should avoid the event because of the risk of injury.

Lindor addressed a wide range of WBC-related topics with reporters Monday night — five days after teammate Edwin Diaz suffered a season-ending knee injury while celebrating a victory by Puerto Rico.

The injuries to Diaz and Houston Astros star Jose Altuve have reignited the debate over MLB players participating in the WBC. Although he said Diaz’s injury “broke my heart,” Lindor told reporters he “100 percent” plans to play for Puerto Rico again in the next WBC and said “it’s a blessing and an honor and a privilege” to represent his country.

“We all care for each other and no one wants to get hurt,” Lindor said. “But we all love our countries and want to represent our countries. … We have an opportunity to represent our countries and learn from our peers. It’s amazing.”

Lindor said he is “super proud to be a New York Met” but also “super proud to be a Puerto Rican,” and emphasized that MLB players’ “participation [in the WBC] should still be there” in future years. The four-time All-Star shortstop declined to answer whether he would rather win a World Series or a WBC title.

“I’m not going to answer that question,” he said. “It’s just not fair. It’s not a fair question because I want to win two, three, four World Series and two, three, four WBCs. I’ve lost both and it is not a good feeling.”

With Lindor and his Puerto Rico teammates looking on, Diaz was carried off the field in tears Wednesday night with what was diagnosed as a torn patellar tendon. After closing out Puerto Rico’s victory over the Dominican Republic, the All-Star closer’s knee appeared to buckle during the postgame celebration and he collapsed to the ground, writhing in pain as his teammates tearfully watched.

“It was heartbreaking,” Lindor said Monday. “I never knew I loved Edwin so much until I couldn’t stop crying. And that’s when I realized I loved Edwin a lot.

“It’s one of those moments that you wish you could go back and kind of do it in slow motion that way no one goes through that. It broke my heart. It did not feel good. Edwin kind of calmed the team a little bit. He talked to us after the game. It was a very, very sad clubhouse.”

Altuve suffered a fractured right thumb three nights later when he was hit by a pitch while playing for Venezuela. The Astros announced Sunday that the former American League MVP needed surgery and will be out indefinitely.

“These are injuries that none of us want — none of us, none of us,” Lindor said. “And they hurt, they suck, they feel terrible. I can understand everyone’s emotions. Believe me, I have those emotions too. … No one wants to get hurt. But we all love our countries and want to represent our countries.”

Lindor also said he feels in better shape physically after playing in the WBC and noted that he’s a better player after mingling with and competing against other stars in the tournament, calling the experience “unmatched.”

As for the Mets, who now must navigate the season without their $102 million closer, Lindor said he expects the team to rally without Diaz.

“We have to focus on what we have,” he said. “We have a really good team. A lot of guys are resilient.

“Are we going to miss Edwin? One hundred percent we are. He’s a huge part of our team. I think he’s the best closer in the game. But we’re all professional. We all have a job to do. We gotta go out there and take care of business.”

Continue Reading

Sports

USC QB pulls off fake punt wearing No. 80 jersey

Published

on

By

USC QB pulls off fake punt wearing No. 80 jersey

LOS ANGELES — No. 20 USC pulled off a remarkable fake punt against Northwestern in Friday night’s 38-17 win by sending out third-string quarterback Sam Huard in the same uniform number as the Trojans’ punter.

Wearing a No. 80 jersey, Huard came on the field with the punt team in the second quarter and completed a 10-yard pass to Tanook Hines. The first down extended the Trojans’ second drive, which ended with a TD run by Jayden Maiava.

This bit of trickery was quite legal, apparently: Huard wore No. 7 earlier this season for the Trojans, but he is listed as No. 80 on the USC roster for this week after Lincoln Riley’s team quietly made the change.

USC punter Sam Johnson also wears No. 80. College football teams frequently feature two players wearing the same number.

Huard, who is a couple of inches shorter than the 6-foot-3 Johnson, grinned widely as he high-fived teammates on the way off the field. He is a former five-star recruit who began his college career at Washington.

Bowling Green pulled off a similar stunt in last season’s 68 Ventures Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.

Third-string Falcons quarterback Baron May switched his uniform number before the game from 8 to 18 — very similar to punter John Henderson‘s No. 19 jersey.

Late in the first quarter, May came on the field instead of Henderson and threw a 43-yard touchdown pass to Malcolm Johnson Jr. — although Arkansas State overcame it for a 38-31 victory.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Continue Reading

Sports

Missouri’s Norfleet (shoulder) ruled out vs. A&M

Published

on

By

Missouri's Norfleet (shoulder) ruled out vs. A&M

No. 22 Missouri will be without star tight end Brett Norfleet (shoulder) when the Tigers host undefeated No. 3 Texas A&M on Saturday in Columbia.

Norfleet, a junior from O’Fallon, Missouri, has started in each of the Tigers’ eight games this fall and enters Week 11 leading all SEC tight ends with five touchdown receptions. His 26 catches on the season rank third-most among Missouri pass catchers, trailing only wide receivers Kevin Coleman Jr. and Marquis Johnson.

Tigers coach Eli Drinkwitz told reporters that Norflett sustained a separated shoulder in Missouri’s 17-10 loss at Vanderbilt on Oct. 25. Drinkwitz later described Norfleet as “day-to-day” during the Tigers’ bye in Week 10, and the veteran tight end was listed as questionable in Missouri’s student-athlete availability report Thursday night.

Norfleet’s absence comes with Drinkwitz and the two-loss Tigers essentially facing a playoff elimination game against the Aggies on Saturday. Missouri will also be without starting quarterback Beau Pribula in Week 11 after the Penn State transfer dislocated his ankle at Vanderbilt. Freshman Matt Zollers, ESPN’s No. 6 pocket passer in the 2025 class, is set to make his first career start Saturday, facing Texas A&M coach Mike Elko and an Aggies defense that ranks 18th nationally in defensive pressures (137), per ESPN Research.

“For our team, it’s really about us focusing on helping Matt execute at the highest level possible,” Drinkwitz said this week. “We’re excited about Matt’s opportunity and what he’s earned. He has done a really good job in practice of leadership, stepping up, embracing the moment, embracing the opportunity.”

Missouri (6-2) kicks off against Texas A&M at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC.

Continue Reading

Sports

Sources: Kansas State RB Edwards leaves team

Published

on

By

Sources: Kansas State RB Edwards leaves team

Kansas State running back Dylan Edwards has left the Wildcats and is expected to enter the transfer portal, sources confirmed to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

Edwards has been hampered by injuries this season and has played in just four games. He has only 34 carries for 205 yards.

In 2024, Edwards finished with 546 rushing yards while averaging 7.4 yards per carry with seven total touchdowns.

He began his career in 2023 at Colorado before transferring to K-State.

The Wildcats (4-5, 3-3 Big 12) are off this weekend.

Continue Reading

Trending