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One month into the Major League Baseball season, the favorites are playing as expected (for the most part), the stars are off to great starts (more or less) and the game looks as it should (except for the two minor league parks). April offers a window into the next five months, though it’s still slightly opaque — a tease for what’s ahead.

Will there be another historic Aaron Judge season? A team breaking the record for futility just one year after a single-season record for losses was established? A new standard for on-field larceny? All of that and so much more are possible, according to a wide swath of players, coaches, executives, evaluators and analysts ESPN surveyed to understand what in April was real and what was more early-season mirage.

We’ll begin with one thing that is clear enough to say definitively. And while it might not mean anything come October, for May, June, July, August and September, it’s bound to prove true.


The National League is vastly superior to the American League

This disparity was anticipated, yes, but the degree to which the Senior Circuit dwarfs the Junior Circuit in almost every way — from record to run differential to preeminence of the best teams — only reinforces the chasm between the leagues.

Currently, the NL is 224-218 with a plus-69 run differential. And that’s despite the 4-25 Colorado Rockies and their -78 run differential. The combined OPS of NL hitters is 25 points higher than that of AL hitters. They walk more and strike out less, score way more and steal copious bases comparatively and hit more home runs. In interleague games, NL pitchers have an ERA that is more than a third of a run lower than that of their AL counterparts.

There is an argument to be made that seven NL teams are better than the AL’s best team (either the New York Yankees or Detroit Tigers, who have separated themselves by the end of April), and that doesn’t even include the Cincinnati Reds, who have a five-game winning streak and the fourth-best run differential in MLB (aided by a 24-2 win against Baltimore). The NL’s magnificent seven include:

Los Angeles Dodgers: The overwhelming World Series favorites have been just all right since an 8-0 start, with injuries hammering their starting rotation and offensive struggles by third baseman Max Muncy, outfielder Michael Conforto, utility man Kiké Hernández and even shortstop Mookie Betts. And yet the Dodgers still terrify opponents because of games like Sunday, when starter Tyler Glasnow exited because of a shoulder injury and was replaced by Ben Casparius, whose fastball sat at 97 mph, topped out at 99 and complemented a slider and curveball averaging 3,000-plus RPMs of spin. The Dodgers are great because of their stars, but they’re even more dangerous because their replacements also have elite ceilings.

San Diego Padres: For a team that entered 2025 with rotation questions, the Padres have managed to post seven shutouts, the most ever for a team through the end of April. Much of it is owed to their bullpen, which owns an MLB-best 1.66 ERA and has stranded 87.8% of runners, blowing away the league average of 71%. Powered by their nasty bullpen, starters Michael King and Nick Pivetta, and Fernando Tatis Jr. going full superstar mode, the Padres have managed most of April without star center fielder Jackson Merrill and second baseman Jake Cronenworth with aplomb. Once the Padres get healthy, look out.

New York Mets: They sport the best record in MLB — and have gotten to the top of the standings despite slow starts from Mark Vientos and Brandon Nimmo, with Juan Soto still seeking his power stroke. New York’s pitching has been nothing short of brilliant, with a rotation leading MLB in ERA by nearly three-quarters of a run at 2.27. And that’s without Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas, two free agent signings who have spent the first month on the injured list. It doesn’t hurt that Pete Alonso was the best hitter in the league in April, and Francisco Lindor is doing Francisco Lindor things, too. There might not be a more electric place to watch a ballgame these days than Citi Field, where the Mets are 13-1 this season.

Chicago Cubs: The Cubs have been baseball’s best offense by a significant margin so far and achieved the exceedingly rare 40/40 month: 42 home runs and 44 stolen bases in April. Chicago’s balance isn’t just power-speed, either; it’s up and down the lineup, from Kyle Tucker starting his walk year with a flurry to Pete Crow-Armstrong‘s breakout looking real to Carson Kelly hitting better than anyone in the sport in limited playing time. The Cubs’ pitching is problematic, though, and losing Justin Steele to reconstructive elbow surgery did them no favors. But with an offense on a 977-run pace and the easiest schedule in MLB for the remainder of the season, summer and fall in Wrigley could be a lot of fun.

San Francisco Giants: The season’s biggest surprise so far, the Giants look like the Padres Lite with excellent bullpen performances elevating steadiness across all other facets of the game. Randy Rodriguez has been a revelation in a relief corps that has also seen a bounce-back from Camilo Doval, consistent excellence from Tyler Rogers and the high-octane stuff of Hayden Birdsong playing up out of the pen. The offense has been more of a mixed bag. Willy Adames has struggled at the plate, but Jung Hoo Lee is looking like a potential star and Mike Yastrzemski had his best start in years. San Francisco’s hitters have thrived in big spots, highlighted by Wilmer Flores ranking third in the majors in RBIs thanks to a .387/.457/.677 line with runners in scoring position.

Philadelphia Phillies: Let’s start with the good. On paper, Philadelphia remains one of the toughest teams in the NL. Zack Wheeler is the most consistent ace in baseball, Jesus Luzardo is pitching like the best version of himself, and coupled with Cristopher Sanchez‘s continued ascent, the starting pitchers all combine to make the Phillies a dangerous squad come October. Can they get there, though? The bullpen is a real issue, with the second-worst ERA in baseball (5.25) and only Jose Alvarado exceeding expectations. The bottom third of the Phillies’ lineup also needs to produce more, and the lack of home runs (24, which ranks 23rd in MLB) will catch up to their offense if it persists.

Arizona Diamondbacks: At some point, the Diamondbacks’ pitching is bound to right itself. A rotation of Corbin Burnes, Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, Eduardo Rodriguez and Brandon Pfaadt should not have the 24th-ranked starter ERA in MLB. Thankfully for the Snakes, the offense has been elite. Corbin Carroll has turned in an MVP-caliber April, Pavin Smith might be the best platoon player in MLB, Josh Naylor is bordering elite with his swing decisions, and Eugenio Suarez leads the big leagues in home runs. With Ketel Marte back soon and Jordan Lawlar destroying Triple-A, the Diamondbacks’ offensive excellence could get even better. And as long as the pitching stabilizes, Arizona will be a team nobody wants to face now or in October.


The stolen base is back and better than ever, but offense is still meh

When MLB introduced new rules in 2023, the implementation of larger bases and limiting of pickoffs weren’t talked about as much as adding the pitch clock and banning the shift. But both have had a demonstrable effect on the game. Perhaps not quite as much as the pitch clock — nine-inning games are averaging 2 hours, 37 minutes, almost dead even with last year’s 2:36 — but the changes that have brought back the stolen base have been far more significant than those the league hoped would help juice batting average.

Last year, MLB players stole 3,617 bases, the highest number in more than a century. This April’s stolen-base total already exceeds last year’s at this time (714 to 672), and runners aren’t going to stop stealing until catchers show they can more consistently throw them out.

With a success rate of 79.5% on steals of second — and 74.8% on attempts to swipe third — runners are emboldened. Anything in excess of 75% encourages teams to keep running, and with seven teams already pilfering more than 30 bases, they are gladly obliging, turning singles and walks into “doubles” regularly.

And it’s not only the fastest players in baseball who are thriving. Everyone is running. Bryce Harper, nobody’s idea of a stolen-base machine, has six in 29 games after swiping seven last season in 145 games. Manny Machado hasn’t stolen more than a dozen bases since 2018; he’s already halfway there.

On the other hand, an offensive regression last year alarmed executives who were hopeful the runs-per-game jump in 2023 meant offense would continue to blossom under baseball’s new rules. It has not. The numbers from the past four seasons through the end of April:

Walks are up three-tenths of a percentage point and strikeouts are down by the same amount. Runs per game are flat (4.38 last year, 4.34 this year). The ball is being put in play at the highest April rate since 2017 … but defenses are turning more of them into outs than the previous two years of new-rule ball.


The torpedo bat was more moment than game changer

Oh, the halcyon days of opening weekend, when Yankees hitters unleashed the torpedo bat and looked as if they were about to revolutionize baseball.

With this novel-looking piece of equipment that forsook the standard shape of a bat and aimed to place more wood in the part of the bat that strikes balls most frequently, the hitters who embraced the torpedo looked like world beaters. The numbers from that opening series against Milwaukee were undeniably good.

Jazz Chisholm Jr.: .417/.500/1.167, 3 HRs, 6 RBIs in 14 PA
Austin Wells: .200/.333/.800, 2 HRs, 3 RBIs in 12 PA
Anthony Volpe: .167/.286/.667, 2 HRs, 4 RBIs in 14 PA
Cody Bellinger: .400/.357/.700, 1 HR, 6 RBIs in 14 PA

Since then, those players’ numbers have been:

Chisholm: .151/.279/.312, 4 HRs, 11 RBIs in 111 PA
Wells: .212/.258/.425, 3 HRs, 14 RBIs in 89 PA
Volpe: .242/.327/.434, 3 HRs, 15 RBIs in 113 PA
Bellinger: .184/.273/.322, 2 HRs, 10 RBIs in 99 PA

The torpedo bat, it turns out, doesn’t erase weaknesses of hitters. It’s also not fool’s gold. Cal Raleigh is using it with his left-handed swing, but not his right — and seven of his 10 homers have come from the left side, where he has an OPS nearly 300 points better than the right. Steven Kwan, who might as well be the anti-Raleigh, is also swinging a torpedo and is batting .333, seventh best in the big leagues.

Because of that opening-weekend blitz, though, the torpedoes will continue to be associated with the Yankees. And it’s worth noting that Judge has continued to swing a traditional bat and not only looks like the best hitter on the planet but by a significant margin. Judge leads MLB in each of the triple-slash categories (.412/.507/.728), ranks second in RBIs (29), second in runs (28) and third in home runs (nine). He is striking out in a career-low 20.6% of his plate appearances and continues to hit the ball harder and more consistently than anyone.

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1:35

Why Jeff Passan considers Aaron Judge a little underappreciated

Jeff Passan breaks down Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge’s impressive play to Pat McAfee.


The Rockies are a real threat to the 2024 White Sox as the worst team ever

Where to begin? The Rockies are 4-25. They’re in the midst of their third six-plus-game losing streak. They have not won back-to-back games. They are dreadful on the road (1-14). They are abysmal at night (1-13). They cannot touch left-handed starters (0-9). They are striking out in 28.1% of their plate appearances, which would be a big league record. Their starters’ ERA is 6.73, which would be the worst mark in MLB history. They are 15½ games behind the Dodgers after one month.

The Rockies are not bad — they are tragic. And what’s worst of all is it’s not for lack of trying by their owner, Dick Monfort, who has typically carried a middle-of-the-pack payroll. They are simply a baseball team that can neither score nor prevent runs, with an offense tied for last and a pitching staff that ranks 29th out of 30 teams.

The record of 120 losses held for more than 60 years before the White Sox went 41-121 last year. Their minus-78 run differential through 29 games was exactly the same as Colorado’s, but even the White Sox were 6-23.

Considering the Rockies still have to play 46 games against the Dodgers, Giants, Padres and Diamondbacks, Colorado’s road is far more treacherous than the White Sox’s through the AL Central. So watch out, White Sox. Your reign of futility might be only as a one-year placeholder for the burgeoning champions of misery.

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1:14

Jeff Passan: The Rockies spend money, they just don’t spend it well

Jeff Passan tells “The Pat McAfee Show” that the Rockies are on pace to be the worst team in MLB history, surpassing the Chicago White Sox.


The pitching woes of the Orioles and Braves have dug mighty holes

All winter, Orioles fans waited in vain for the move to replace former ace Burnes in Baltimore’s rotation. And after projected Opening Day starter Grayson Rodriguez went down because of a shoulder injury and Zach Eflin hit the injured list because of a lat strain, it has become clearer than ever that the O’s lack the sort of starting pitching to stay competitive in the AL East. Kyle Gibson, their latest effort at replacing Rodriguez and Eflin, gave up four home runs to the Yankees in the first inning of his first start Tuesday. Now 11-18, the Orioles have given up the most runs in the AL and haven’t hit their way out of the pitching deficits they continue to face.

The money Baltimore did spend this winter also has not worked out well. Tyler O’Neill (three years, $49.5 million) has been a league-average player. Gary Sanchez (one year, $8.5 million) has been awful and is hurt. Charlie Morton (one year, $15 million) has the highest ERA in the AL. Andrew Kittredge (one year, $10 million) still hasn’t thrown a pitch. Only Tomoyuki Sugano (one year, $13 million) has been passable, and his lack of strikeouts does not portend good things, though he managed to find success despite it in Japan.

Like the Orioles, Atlanta is suffering from a paucity of pitching depth. The Braves have cycled through an MLB-high 22 pitchers this season, and the loss of Reynaldo Lopez to shoulder surgery, Spencer Strider to a hamstring injury and Joe Jimenez to knee surgery have taken a weakness and made it worse. Things would be better if the Braves were hitting, but outside of Marcell Ozuna, Austin Riley and Matt Olson — who’s slugging under .400 — the juggernaut lineup of two years ago remains AWOL.

There is hope for Atlanta in the form of Ronald Acuna Jr.’s upcoming return from an ACL tear and Strider’s hamstring healing. And they’re starting to win. Since an 0-7 start, the Braves are 14-8; they’re currently 6½ games behind the Mets and only two shy of the Phillies. It’s still early, but the Braves could soon look more like the team that won the World Series three years ago.


Five pitchers who are 2025’s breakout aces

We’ve focused on the themes and teams that have shaped the first month so far. Now, we’ll turn our attention to the players who have caught our eye, for better … or worse.

Hunter Brown, RHP, Houston Astros: The quietest ace in baseball began his run of dominance early last season but is only now beginning to receive the recognition he warrants. With a fastball up to 99 mph, a vicious sinker, a swing-and-miss changeup and three more pitches, he has the arsenal to complement his moxie. He is the next great Astros pitcher.

Max Meyer, RHP, Miami Marlins: Meyer’s six-inning, 14-strikeout gem against Cincinnati illustrated what the No. 3 pick in the 2020 draft can be. His slider is one of the best in MLB and he throws it 50% of the time. Combine it with a fastball that sits at 95 mph and plays at the top of the zone and he’s primed to anchor the Marlins’ rotation with Eury Perez for years to come.

Shane Baz, RHP, Tampa Bay Rays: Baz sat out nearly two years after Tommy John surgery in 2022, and though he looked excellent in his return last year, there was even more in the tank. Between his 97 mph fastball and hard curveball, he has one of the best two-pitch combinations in baseball. With Shane McClanahan out, the Rays needed one of their young arms to step up, and Baz has done just that.

Matthew Liberatore, LHP, St. Louis Cardinals: Continuing the theme of post-hype prospects is the 25-year-old Liberatore, who came into camp as an underdog to win a rotation spot after spending most of last year in the bullpen. He has rewarded the Cardinals with the lowest walk rate in baseball (two in 31 innings) and complemented it with only one home run allowed. With a six-pitch mix, Liberatore has cemented himself as a fixture for a Cardinals team in need of a reimagination.

Nick Pivetta, RHP, San Diego Padres: The 32-year-old Pivetta has spent upward of a decade tantalizing evaluators with his stuff and always found himself done in by the home run ball. In 35⅓ innings this season, he has given up two homers, and three of his six outings ended after seven shutout innings. The best part of Pivetta’s game: He’s getting tremendous amounts of in-zone swing-and-miss, a testament to the quality of his stuff.


Five hitters who are 2025’s breakout bats

Corbin Carroll, OF, Arizona Diamondbacks: The 24-year-old Carroll excels at almost everything he tries, which made last year’s first-half swoon so uncharacteristic. His aggressiveness this season — Carroll’s out-of-zone and swing-and-miss percentages have rocketed up — belies an intelligent approach that’s happy to trade whiff for production. Thanks to his speed, Carroll always will be useful. But the Diamondbacks want more than that. And if he maintains anything close to his early-season line (.298/.365/.645), they’ll have a top-10 player in the game.

Pete Crow-Armstrong, CF, Chicago Cubs: The question with Crow-Armstrong was always about ceiling vs. floor. Because his glove is so good, he could carve out a plenty fine big league career as a defense-first center fielder. But Crow-Armstrong wanted to be a great player, not simply a top-flight defender. His improvements at the plate are clear not only because of the numbers but how he’s getting them. Namely, he’s making good contact on good pitches, going from an in-zone whiff percentage of 24.6% last year to this year’s 13.5%.

James Wood, OF, Washington Nationals: If Wood ever figures out how to consistently elevate the ball, he will be one of the best hitters in baseball. As is, even with an average launch angle of 3.2 degrees — the 11th lowest of 219 qualified hitters — he has managed to whack nine home runs. Five have gone to the opposite field. At 6-foot-7, Wood packs uncommon power, particularly when he goes the other way. He’s starting to get to it, an alarming prospect for pitchers who know that pounding the outside corner is simply an invitation for Wood to do what he does better than just about anyone.

Oneil Cruz, CF, Pittsburgh Pirates: It’s finally looking like the year that one of the most physically talented players in baseball evolves into one of the best. Since he debuted in 2021, the 6-foot-7 Cruz has hit the ball as hard as anyone not named Judge. This season, he is striking out less, walking significantly more, lashing home runs and stealing bases. And while his center-field defense leaves plenty to be desired, it’s a reasonable price to pay for such exceptional offensive production.

Jung Hoo Lee, CF, San Francisco Giants: Lee doesn’t hit the ball particularly hard, limiting his ultimate ceiling, so he’ll have to settle for simply being a damn good baseball player. He rarely strikes out. He plays a solid center field. He’s a natural on the basepaths. And at 26, in his first full season after a shoulder injury sustained crashing into an outfield wall last May ended his season, Lee can fulfill his destiny as the best South Korea-born player in MLB since Shin-Soo Choo.


Five players whose slow starts warrant panic

Tanner Bibee, RHP, Cleveland Guardians: His strikeouts are down, his walks way up and his home runs allowed alarming. Bibee, signed to a five-year, $48 million contract extension in spring training, added a new cutter this winter — and it’s not working. Neither, at this point, is his fastball, a slower slider and his changeup. In five starts, Bibee has generated only 39 swings and misses. For someone expected to spearhead Cleveland’s rotation, he has a lot of work to do.

Raisel Iglesias, closer, Atlanta Braves: In 11 innings, Iglesias has given up more home runs (five) than he did in 69⅓ innings last year (four). He weathered a precipitous dip in strikeout rate last season, but his slider — always a strength — is catching too much of the strike zone and being ambushed.

Marcus Semien, 2B, Texas Rangers: Semien is a notoriously slow starter, but the lack of power and bat speed is disconcerting even for him. On top of that, he has yet to steal a base in 29 games, and though nobody would ever mistake him for Rickey Henderson, it was always the little things that made Semien such a beloved player. At 34, climbing out of an early-season hole will be that much trickier.

Anthony Santander, OF, Toronto Blue Jays: Spending the first month as a $92.5 million free agent below the Mendoza Line is tough. Doing so with a barrel rate that has cratered and only three home runs this year after hitting 44 is doubly so. Santander is not elevating the ball nearly as well as he did in 2024 — a problem Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had last year before his second-half resurgence. If the Blue Jays have any hope of contending in the AL East, they’ll need Santander to do the same.

Luis Robert Jr., CF, Chicago White Sox: The White Sox held onto Robert this winter figuring his value had reached its nadir and that they could rebuild it and move him at the trade deadline. Not only has he been a demonstrably worse hitter, his center-field defense also has plateaued. This is the ultimate change-of-scenery candidate, though with a club option for $20 million in 2026 and 2027, teams could treat Robert as more of a rental than long-term solution. With a turnaround, he could well earn it.

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Wetzel: Never mind the girlfriend kerfuffle. Belichick will always be fine.

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Wetzel: Never mind the girlfriend kerfuffle. Belichick will always be fine.

It once seemed improbable that the most compelling figure of the college football offseason would be Bill Belichick’s 24-year-old girlfriend, but somehow, here we are.

Jordon Hudson’s spot in Belichick’s life has always been a public talking point. After all, they started dating two years ago, when Belichick was 71. Of late, though, she’s become an obsession.

Belichick is arguably the greatest coach in the history of the sport, winner of six Super Bowls leading the New England Patriots. His jump to the college ranks and the University of North Carolina is, for purely football reasons, of great intrigue.

Would this work? Could this work?

Currently though, the focus is on Hudson, who takes an active role in managing Belichick’s affairs, including running point on publicity for his new book, “The Art of Winning: Lessons from My Life in Football.”

That includes a viral clip from a “CBS Sunday Morning” interview when Hudson shut down a question about how the two met and was deemed a “constant presence.” That led to all sorts of attention on the relationship, not to mention Belichick’s acuity and Hudson’s recent real estate holdings. Former Patriots great Ted Johnson even told WEEI radio in Boston that “the Tar Heels should consider firing Bill Belichick.”

A few days into this modern controversy, where a social media clip redefines someone with decades in the public eye, can we all settle down for a moment?

As with any relationship, only Belichick and Hudson are privy to what is transpiring between them. But as sensationalistic as all the TikTok comments and website stories currently are, when it comes to actually coaching a football team, let’s settle back on one undeniable truth.

This is Bill Belichick.

Sure, the current attention can be fairly labeled as the kind of “distraction” that might personally crush and professionally derail most people. Belichick is not most people.

“Never been too worried about what everyone else thinks,” Belichick told CBS.

If you allow his history — a lesson from his life in football, if you will — to inform, then you would know that there has rarely, if ever, been any personal feud, situation, tabloid headline or bit of accusational strife that has derailed the man’s single-minded focus on winning.

Belichick doesn’t just thrive in the briar patch of controversy — he seems to prefer it. The more external noise, the better.

A former player standing trial for murder? Win the Super Bowl.

Accused of illegally videotaping opponents? Post a 16-0 season.

A star quarterback alleged to have cheated to win the AFC Championship Game by deflating footballs? Name-drop “My Cousin Vinny” in a news conference, then win the Super Bowl.

Have the team get fined and stripped of a first-round draft pick and the quarterback suspended for the start of the season? Win another Super Bowl.

Maybe this isn’t what he was expecting from the book release, but let’s be clear, he was expecting to create a major media stir.

Belichick is famously passive-aggressive. When he never once mentioned Patriots owner Robert Kraft in his memoir — not even in the acknowledgments — he did so expecting a commotion. This was likely to make it clear that Belichick believed the Patriots’ success during their 24 years together was more based on the coaches and players than the very front-facing owner who, depending whose version you believe, fired Belichick in January 2024.

This was throwing red meat to the sports media machine. It just turned out that the Hudson situation represented even more red meat to the far larger American pop culture/social media machine.

Belichick might not have seen this coming, but this is how he has always operated. He welcomes speculation and even being painted as the villain. Even his closest confidants, from Bill Parcells to Tom Brady, often wind up in prolonged, public ice-outs. There are the endless scraps with the media, the league office, officials or other coaches.

The public questioning his actions and motivation? Please.

Consider that back nearly two decades ago, the NFL made a deal with Reebok for its coaches to wear approved clothes. Belichick bristled at being told what to wear. In an act of fashion defiance, both Patriots and Belichick sources say, he took a plain gray sweatshirt and cut off the sleeves to make it ugly. (It inadvertently became a huge seller, labeled the “BB Hoodie” in the Patriots Pro Shop.)

Or when, in an effort to protest the NFL making teams categorize player injuries — doubtful, questionable, etc. — Belichick began listing Brady as “probable” on the report with a shoulder injury week after week for years despite there being no known injury. Brady would just laugh when asked about it.

Or when he thought the NFL was getting too commercialized, so he refused to have his name used by EA Sports in the Madden video game — “NE Coach” was all that was listed — even though he would make money for literally doing nothing.

Or maybe consider in 2000, when he reversed course on accepting the head coaching job with the New York Jets. Rather than get all apologetic, he handwrote a note that read: “I resign as HC of the NYJ.”

He loves this stuff. Like many highly competitive people, finding an enemy, or some doubt, or some negative opinion about him seemingly feeds him. It certainly doesn’t cause him to wilt.

The current kerfuffle isn’t much different from past ones. He’s been through divorce, and his dating life was even fodder for the New York tabloids. It didn’t matter. He just kept winning.

All of that makes it unlikely that Hudson is somehow bossing Belichick around — or that she would even want to. This is just BB.

Whatever happens with the couple — we wish them the best — is one thing, but anyone who thinks Belichick is somehow incapable of weathering some gossip or jokes, or won’t be laser-focused on coaching, teaching and preparing his players, hasn’t been paying attention.

Here’s guessing Belichick will be fine. He always has been.

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Clemson PF takes Dabo offer, joins football team

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Clemson PF takes Dabo offer, joins football team

For months, Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney had joked with Ian Schieffelin that the 6-foot-8 power forward for the Tigers‘ men’s basketball team would make an excellent tight end, but Schieffelin assumed it was all in good fun. Two weeks ago, however, he got a call from Swinney with a serious offer: spend the next six months with the Tigers football team and see what happens.

Schieffelin announced on Instagram on Friday that he is taking Swinney up on the offer, forgoing any pro basketball prospects for now in favor of one last season in a Clemson jersey — this time on the gridiron instead of the hardwood.

“I’ve been just training for basketball, getting ready for the next level,” Schieffelin told ESPN. “Dabo just walked me through the opportunity he was willing to give me, and it all sounded great, something I wanted to jump on. It really just sparked my interest in wanting to try, and being able to put on a Clemson jersey again was very enticing to me. To be able to be coached by Dabo and [tight ends coach Kyle] Richardson is just a huge opportunity I couldn’t pass up.”

Schieffelin blossomed into one of the key cogs for the Tigers’ hoops team the past two years. He averaged 12.4 points and 9.4 rebounds per game last season as Clemson earned a 5-seed in the NCAA tournament, losing to McNeese in the first round.

He had entered the transfer portal last month hoping for a fifth year of eligibility amid several ongoing lawsuits against the NCAA, though Schieffelin said the likelihood of an outcome in time for him to play basketball in 2025-26 was slim. He had been preparing for a crack at the pros — likely overseas or in the G League — when Swinney called with the offer.

“I’d never rule out me going back to basketball,” Schieffelin said. “I’ll see how these next six months go, see how development goes, see if I really like playing football. But I think this is a good opportunity for the next six months.”

Clemson lost starting tight end Jake Briningstool after last season. Briningstool, who signed as an undrafted free agent with the Kansas City Chiefs last week, played in 48 games and made 127 catches over four years at Clemson. The Tigers’ depth chart at the position is thin on experience, with Josh Sapp (13 catches), Olsen Patt-Henry (12 catches) and Banks Pope (1 catch) the only tight ends on the team to have recorded a reception.

In October, Swinney teased his interest in adding Schieffelin to his roster, suggesting he would fit in nearly anywhere on the field for the Tigers.

“He could play tight end, D-end. He could play whatever he wanted to play. He’d be an unbelievable left tackle,” Swinney said. “I’ll definitely have a spot. We have a lot of rev share ready too if he wants to pass up wherever he’s going [after basketball].”

Schieffelin said he hadn’t taken Swinney’s suggestions seriously during basketball season, assuming the coach was just teasing, but when the opportunity became real, he quickly understood the vision Swinney had for him.

“The call two weeks ago was very serious,” Schieffelin said, “and I thought, maybe it’s an opportunity to stay around a little longer and join a national championship contender.”

Schieffelin said he is not expecting to earn serious NIL money but does think his body type could allow him to blossom into a potential NFL prospect.

He played quarterback as a ninth grader before opting to focus on basketball the following year. Schieffelin said he will spend the next few months working on conditioning and strength gains to prepare for the rigors of football as well as working to build relationships with his new teammates, but he said he doesn’t have any set expectations for the season.

“Playing college basketball for four years, I’m used to the grind and used to work,” Schieffelin said. “But it looks different on the football side, so just getting in the weight room and learning everything.”

Before making his decision, Schieffelin said he spoke with Colts tight end Mo Alie-Cox, who was a four-year starter in basketball for VCU before signing with Indianapolis. Alie-Cox hadn’t played football since his freshman year of high school but is now entering his eighth NFL season.

“We talked about what went into his decision to go the football route,” Schieffelin said. “He helped me just knowing why he decided, and it made me decide to just give it a chance and see where I could take it.”

Alie-Cox is one of a handful of basketball players who have made a successful transition to football. Greg Paulus played hoops at Duke before becoming the starting quarterback at Syracuse in 2009. Jimmy Graham and Julius Peppers played both sports in college before becoming All-Pro NFL players. Antonio Gates played basketball at Kent State before giving football a try. He was announced as a Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee in February.

“Just being able to compete with these guys and impact the team any way I can,” Schieffelin said of his goals. “I’m going into this very optimistic and ready to learn. Being able to compete every day is something I enjoy. To learn football and have fun.

“Maybe I’ll be really good, maybe I’ll be really bad. It’s something that was worth a shot. And being able to put a Clemson jersey on again is really special to me, and to do it this time in Death Valley is going to be amazing.”

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Yankees place Chisholm (oblique) on 10-day IL

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Yankees place Chisholm (oblique) on 10-day IL

NEW YORK — New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. was placed on the 10-day injured list Friday, the team announced, three days after sustaining a right oblique strain on a swing against the Baltimore Orioles.

Chisholm had been scheduled to undergo an MRI in New York on Thursday, an off day for the Yankees. The move is retroactive to April 30. Infielder Jorbit Vivas was recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to replace Chisholm on the active roster.

Chisholm, 27, is batting .181 with seven home runs and a .714 OPS in 30 games; 10 of his 19 hits have been for extra bases. He has been a plus defender in his return to second base this season, his original position in the majors, after primarily playing center field for the Miami Marlins and third base for the Yankees last season.

Vivas, 24, has yet to make his major league debut. The Yankees called him up in late April, but he was sent back to Triple A three days later without appearing in a game.

Vivas is batting .319 with two home runs, an .862 OPS and 15 walks to eight strikeouts splitting time between second base and third base in the minors this season. The Yankees acquired him, alongside left-hander Victor Gonzalez, from the Los Angeles Dodgers for prospect Trey Sweeney in December 2023.

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