LAS VEGAS — Nearly a dozen fans stood outside Saturday morning, waiting for Jonathan Marchessault and his teammates to appear so they could get autographs.
It was a normal sight outside the Golden Knights practice facility, but this was at T-Mobile Arena as the Nashville Predators had their morning skate in preparation for that night’s game against Vegas.
That game was Marchessault’s first in that arena in an opposing uniform. One of the most beloved players in Vegas’ short history — part of the inaugural team that called itself the Golden Misfits — received a rousing ovation when the 1 1/2-minute video tribute was played at the first media timeout. Marchessault then skated alone on the ice as fans chanted, “Marchy! Marchy!”
— x-Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) April 13, 2025
Marchessault, who won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the NHL playoffs MVP in leading the Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup championship two years ago, appeared to tear up during the tribute.
“I’m an emotional guy normally, so we’ll see how it goes,” Marchessault said before the game. “Obviously, it’s going to be an exciting time for me. It’s such a great building, great organization and definitely happy for their success still. I’m not even surprised a little bit. I think the structure and the organization is so great from top to bottom.”
Marchessault scored a goal early in the third period, but the Golden Knights won 5-3 to clinch the Pacific Division title.
“It was unbelievable. Great fans. They were always there for me and my family,” Marchessault said after the loss, summing up the night in front of a large media contingent at his locker room stall. “It was just unbelievable to see Vegas and it’ll be great memories for me forever.”
He played seven seasons with the Golden Knights and is the career leader in goals with 192 and points with 417. Marchessault, 34, had hoped to sign a new contract to stay in Vegas, but he and the club failed to reach an agreement and Nashville signed him to a five-year, $27.5 million deal.
But it has been a difficult season. Marchessault’s mother died in September at 70 from a heart attack, just a day before his number was retired by the junior hockey Quebec Ramparts.
“It was a challenging year,” Marchessault said. “A lot of things. Moving a family of four, I expected it to be hard, but not that hard.”
Two of his sons were born in Las Vegas and another began playing youth hockey here.
Marchessault was such a key part of the Golden Knights’ success, and it wasn’t only the production by a player who delivered in many clutch moments. He was the club’s emotional leader as well. Even at 5-foot-9 he commanded a big presence in the locker room.
“I miss him,” Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy said. “I miss his competitiveness. I miss his personality in the locker room.”
This hasn’t been the kind of season Marchessault hoped for, especially considering the free-agency splash the Predators made in signing not only him but Steven Stamkos, who helped lead Tampa Bay to two Cups.
The Golden Knights, meanwhile, will clinch the Pacific Division if they beat the Predators in regulation.
“The position his team is in is in a much different position than our team right now, and I think that takes away a little bit of it,” Golden Knights forward Reilly Smith said before the game. “But he’s a competitor. He’ll want to put on a good show and so will we. I expect nothing but his best effort tonight. He scored a lot of goals in this building, so we got to make sure he doesn’t get one more.”
This may be Marchessault’s first time back in Vegas as an opponent, but not the first time facing the Golden Knights. The teams played twice in Nashville, splitting the games. Marchessault had an assist in the first meeting.
“It was just nice to see them,” Marchessault said. “You spend a lot of years with those guys and so much memories, so much battling through adversity together. Out of nowhere, you see them twice a year. It’s unfortunate, but it’s a tough business.”
Gurriel crushed a 103.9 mph fastball from Miller into the left-field seats for a two-run homer in the eighth inning, tying the game at 5-all. It was the hardest hit pitch for a homer since MLB started pitch tracking in 2008.
It was part of a two-homer night for Gurriel. The veteran also hit a two-run shot in the first inning.
The hard-throwing Miller was acquired from the Athletics at last week’s trade deadline. He routinely throws over 100 mph and hit 104.2 mph with his hardest pitch on Tuesday night.
Luis Arráez hit a go-ahead single in the 11th inning and the Padres tacked on four more runs to beat the Diamondbacks 10-5.
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 — Roki Sasaki, finally ramping up after spending the past three months on the injured list, said Tuesday he had “no pain” in his right shoulder and expressed confidence in his ability to regain fastball velocity, which began to tail off before he was shut down.
“I feel better about being able to throw harder, especially because I’m completely pain free,” Sasaki said through an interpreter. “With that being said, I do have to just face live hitters and see how my mechanics, you know, hold. Just being consistent; being able to do that consistently.”
Sasaki is scheduled to pitch three simulated innings at Dodger Stadium over the weekend before going on a rehab assignment. The Dodgers will stretch Sasaki back out as a starting pitcher. How he eventually fits in, though, remains to be seen.
Asked if he could eventually see Sasaki occupying a bullpen spot, specifically in October, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said: “I’m going to hold on that one. I do know we’re going to take the 13 best pitchers. I’ve been a part of many postseason rosters, so we’re going to take the 13 best pitchers. If Roki is a part of that in some capacity, then that would be great. And if he’s not, then he won’t be.”
Before that is even entertained, Sasaki simply has to perform better.
The 23-year-old right-hander arrived in the major leagues after being one of the most hyped pitchers to come out of Japan, armed with a triple-digit fastball and a mind-bending splitter. But evaluators throughout the industry also acknowledged he still needed more seasoning. That wound up being the case early, even more so than many anticipated.
Through his first eight starts, before landing on the IL with what the Dodgers described as a shoulder impingement, Sasaki posted a 4.72 ERA and failed to complete six innings on seven occasions. In a stretch of 34⅓ innings, he walked almost as many batters (22) as he struck out (24). The four-seam fastball, which often lacked command, fell into the mid-90s over his last handful of outings. Often, the splitter functioned as his only legitimate major league pitch.
Sasaki acknowledged that “American hitters have a different approach at the plate compared to Japanese hitters.”
“I can’t really attack the same way that I used to in Japan,” he added.
With that in mind, Sasaki has begun to experiment with a two-seam fastball, a pitch that runs in on opposing right-handed hitters and is designed to generate early contact, ideally ground balls. The hope is that it eventually functions as a second fastball to pair with his splitter and slider.
The focus at this point, though, is on nailing down the mechanics of his delivery so that his shoulder no longer becomes an issue. Sasaki said he now has “a better understanding a second time through on where the pain came from and how to make sure that the pain doesn’t come back.” His mechanics are “not 100 percent right now,” Sasaki added, “but I think it’s in the right direction.”
When he returns, Sasaki will have to prove he belongs.
“My every intention is to get back on the major league mound and pitch again,” he said. “With that being said, you know … I do need to fight for the opportunity, too. I don’t think that I’ll just be given the opportunity right away.”
ATLANTA — Before Tuesday night’s 7-2 win at Atlanta, Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy suggested “most people couldn’t tell you five players on our team.”
A look at the standings would indicate more Brewers players soon will be recognized by more fans.
After all, it’s difficult to overlook a team that not only continues to extend its lead in the NL Central but also boasts the best record in the majors.
“What we’re doing in here right now is special,” said right-hander Freddy Peralta after allowing only four hits and one run in five innings while setting a career high with his 13th win.
“We’re just enjoying the game and coming to compete every day,” Peralta said. “We have to keep it that way.”
Peralta was surprised to learn he had established a career high for wins in a season.
“It always feels good to get the win as a team but also personally for me, it’s a big deal,” Peralta said.
Murphy said Peralta, who was named to this year NL All-Star team, is “just getting started. … This is the best Freddy has ever been. I thought he was really, really good.”
The Brewers lead second-place Chicago by four games in the NL Central following the Cubs’ 5-1 loss to the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night.
The Brewers have a five-game winning streak. They have won six straight road games and are 44-16 in their last 60 games overall. It’s the best 60-game stretch in team history.
Murphy said it will be important for players to keep their focus in the final stretch of the regular season.
“We really have to be disciplined right now, more than ever before,” Murphy said after the Brewers (69-44) moved 25 games over .500, their best record of the season.
Milwaukee’s road success has been an important part of the surge to first place. The team’s 33-24 road record gives the Brewers the best winning percentage (.579) away from home in baseball. The record includes winning the first two games of the three-game series in Atlanta.
“You can’t assume everything is going to go our way going forward,” Murphy said, adding he recognized the Brewers were fortunate to avoid giving up more runs Tuesday night when the Braves left 14 runners on base, tied for their highest total in the last two seasons.
The Brewers also have made key moves this year, including their trade for first baseman Andrew Vaughn on June 13.
Vaughn has an 11-game hitting streak, matching his career high, following a two-run single on Tuesday night. He is hitting .429 with four homers and 14 RBI during is hitting streak. He is hitting .370 since joining the Brewers.
Murphy said his players “are hungry” and “don’t every try to play safe.”
As for the lack of national recognition, Murphy just smiled.