Sports

Prospect Crews 0-3 in MLB debut, Nationals lose

Published

8 months ago

August 27, 2024

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Associated Press

Aug 26, 2024, 09:51 AM ET

WASHINGTON — Dylan Crews drove past the Washington Monument and the memorials on the National Mall on the way to his first day of work as a major league player. The Washington Nationals hope Crews will become the newest attraction in the nation’s capital.

The 22-year-old Crews, the No. 3-ranked prospect in baseball, was recalled by the Nationals on Monday and made his major league debut against the New York Yankees.

“It’s pretty awesome,” Crews said hours before the game. “This is going to be my job every day. I am going to a major league stadium and this is going to be my job. It’s kind of hard to wrap your head around. It’s going to be awesome to wake up every day and see all the monuments and the White House. I haven’t been there yet. So hopefully I’ll go there one day. It’s pretty awesome to be here in the nation’s capital.”

Manager Dave Martinez put Crews in right field and in the second spot in the batting order, between two players the Nationals hope will be part of their core for years to come: All-Star shortstop CJ Abrams and rookie left fielder James Wood.

“We are facing a left-handed pitcher,” Martinez said. “It just makes sense to put him between Abrams and Wood. Kind of exciting to see those three together. We have been waiting a little while but I really believe that this is another piece to the puzzle and to our future. I am excited for the kid and his family. We are all excited here. Nationals fans should be excited.”

In his first at-bat, Crews hit a routine fly to Yankees star right fielder Juan Soto — who began his career with Washington and helped the Nationals win the 2019 World Series before being traded away. Crews finished 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout in Washington’s 5-2 loss.

“It was an awesome feeling to go out there for the first time and compete with the guys,” Crews said. “Obviously, we didn’t end up winning today, but tomorrow we’re going to come out swinging.”

The Nationals’ decision to call up Crews was first reported on Friday, allowing anticipation to build, and after the team selected his contract Monday morning, it blasted an email to fans announcing a promotional T-shirt giveaway tied to his debut.

Crews was the No. 2 overall pick in the amateur draft last summer — one spot behind his LSU teammate, right-hander Paul Skenes, who was the National League starter in this year’s All-Star Game for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Nationals hope Crews will be a crucial component of a rebuild that began in 2021, less than two years after their World Series title, and help them contend next season. He joins Wood and speedy center fielder Jacob Young in what could become a dynamic outfield.

In 100 minor league games this season, Crews batted .270 with 21 doubles, 6 triples, 13 home runs, 68 RBIs and 25 stolen bases. He got the news of his promotion from Matt Lecroy, the manager at Triple-A Rochester.

“[Lecroy was] talking about pillars, how the pillar holds up a house,” Crews said. “He asked somebody who he thinks is a pillar on our team. And he goes, ‘I think Dylan’s a pillar. He likes to win. He plays hard. He plays with a little chip on his shoulder.’ And [Lecroy] said, ‘You know, you are right. That’s why he is going to the big leagues.’ It was a pretty cool moment.”

Crews had been hot with Rochester since Aug. 3, batting .309 (21 for 68) and slugging .529 over the past 16 games.

He drove through Williamsport, Pennsylvania, on his way to his new home with the Nationals. That’s where the Little League team from his hometown of Lake Mary, Florida, won the Little League World Series championship Sunday.

“That is where it all started right there,” Crews said. “It’s like a little circle coming around. We drove right through Williamsport on our way here. It’s kind of where I started Little League. Lake Mary ended up winning it. It was kind of a cool moment and now we are here obviously. I am very happy that they won it and congratulations to them.”

Crews also reflected on those who’ve helped him realize his dream.

“I’m forever thankful,” he said. “It makes you think about your family and all the sacrifices that it’s taken for me to get to this point.”

Sports

2025 Kentucky Derby: Date, time, horses, odds, format, purse

Published

2 hours ago

April 30, 2025

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2025 Kentucky Derby: Date, time, horses, odds, format, purse

Keith Jenkins

Apr 29, 2025, 08:15 PM ET

The 151st running of the Kentucky Derby is set to deliver yet another exhilarating race to the finish. From the field to the favorite, here is everything to know about the first leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown.

When is the 2025 Kentucky Derby?

The 2025 Kentucky Derby will take place Saturday at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.

What time does the 2025 Kentucky Derby begin?

The post time for the 2025 Kentucky Derby is 6:57 p.m. ET.

How can fans watch?

Coverage of the 2025 Kentucky Derby begins at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC. Peacock will stream early coverage beginning at noon ET.

How many horses run in the Kentucky Derby?

Twenty horses have the chance to compete in the Kentucky Derby.

How do horses qualify for the Kentucky Derby?

To earn a spot in the starting gate of the Kentucky Derby, a horse must compete in a series of designated races from September through mid-April. Points are awarded to the top five finishers in each race. The 20 horses with the most points, or the horses who win their international series, earn a spot in the starting gate in Louisville on the first Saturday in May.

Who is the favorite in the 2025 Kentucky Derby?

Journalism, trained by Michael McCarthy, opened as the 3-1 favorite.

What are the post positions for the 2025 Kentucky Derby?

Post 1: Citizen Bull (20-1 morning line odds)

Post 2: Neoequos (30-1)

Post 3: Final Gambit (30-1)

Post 4: Rodriguez (12-1)

Post 5: American Promise (30-1)

Post 6: Admire Daytona (30-1)

Post 7: Luxor Cafe (15-1)

Post 8: Journalism (3-1)

Post 9: Burnham Square (12-1)

Post 10: Grande (20-1)

Post 11: Flying Mohawk (30-1)

Post 12: East Avenue (20-1)

Post 13: Publisher (20-1)

Post 14: Tiztastic (20-1)

Post 15: Render Judgment (30-1)

Post 16: Coal Battle (30-1)

Post 17: Sandman (6-1)

Post 18: Sovereignty (5-1)

Post 19: Chunk of Gold (30-1)

Post 20: Owen Almighty (30-1)

Alternate: Baeza

Which post has produced the most Kentucky Derby winners?

Post 5 has produced the most winners, with 10.

What three races make up horse racing’s Triple Crown?

The Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes are the three races needed to accomplish the Triple Crown.

Who won the 2024 Kentucky Derby?

Mystik Dan, trained by Kenny McPeek, won last year’s Kentucky Derby at 18-1 odds.

What is the purse for the 2025 Kentucky Derby?

Since 2024, $5 million in prize money has been guaranteed for the Kentucky Derby.

Check out the ESPN horse racing hub page for the latest news and notes ahead of the big race.

Sports

Panthers’ Ekblad suspended 2 games for Hagel hit

Published

3 hours ago

April 30, 2025

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Panthers' Ekblad suspended 2 games for Hagel hit

Associated Press

Apr 29, 2025, 07:28 PM ET

NEW YORK — Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad has been suspended for two games for elbowing Lightning forward Brandon Hagel in the head midway through Game 4 of Florida’s first-round series against Tampa Bay.

The NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced its ruling after a phone hearing with Ekblad earlier Tuesday. He will be out for Game 5 and either Game 6 of this series or the Panthers’ first game in the next round.

No penalty was called when Ekblad hit Hagel in the chin with his right elbow and forearm with just under nine minutes left in the second period on Monday night. Hagel left the ice and did not return, and Ekblad scored the first of two goals in 11 seconds late in the third to give the defending Stanley Cup champions a comeback victory and a 3-1 series lead.

Coach Jon Cooper said Hagel would not play in Game 5. Hagel was suspended for Game 3 for his late hit that knocked Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov out of Game 2.

Ekblad missed the first two games of the playoffs and the final 18 of the regular season after being suspended for violating the league and NHLPA’s performance-enhancing drug policy. Florida got accustomed to playing without Ekblad.

“If it’s the first time it happens, there’s even questions from the coaching staff about what’s the right adjustment to make in your lineup and how will that play out — there’s a lot of unknown,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. “Because we’ve been through it so much when Aaron’s out, we know what the D-pairs are — let’s assume — if he’s out of the lineup.”

Another Florida defenseman, Niko Mikkola, was fined $5,000 for boarding Tampa Bay’s Zemgus Girgensons. Mikkola was given a five-minute major and ejected for the play early in the third period of Game 4.

Sports

Tocchet quits; Canucks 8th team seeking a coach

Published

3 hours ago

April 30, 2025

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Tocchet quits; Canucks 8th team seeking a coach

Ryan S. ClarkApr 29, 2025, 05:05 PM ET
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Add Rick Tocchet to the list of available coaching options on the open market with the Vancouver Canucks announcing Tuesday that Tocchet left the team.

There had been a belief that Tocchet’s time with the Canucks could be coming to an end. Last week saw the discussion of Tocchet’s future with the franchise come under greater focus, with Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford saying they weren’t exercising their option on Tocchet’s contract before adding that they offered him a new, more lucrative deal to remain in Vancouver.

But now? Tocchet joins the list of sought-after coaching candidates and the Canucks become the eighth NHL team that will use this offseason to go through a coaching search.

“After a very long and thorough process, unfortunately Rick has decided to leave the Vancouver Canucks,” Rutherford said in a statement. “This is very disappointing news, but we respect Rick’s decision to move to a new chapter in his hockey career. We did everything in our power to keep him but at the end of the day, Rick felt he needed a change.”

In the same news conference in which Rutherford said the team offered Tocchet a new deal, he also said that Tocchet “may have his mind somewhere else” before adding that he felt Tocchet and his staff did “a good job coaching this team this year” as they did in their first full campaign.

Tocchet was a midseason hire during the 2022-23 season. His first full year in charge saw the Canucks win 50 games, finish with 109 points and win the Pacific Division. He led the Canucks to their first postseason appearance since the 2019-20 season and was a win away from advancing to the Western Conference finals.

Entering this season, the Canucks had most of their players from their playoff team. They started strong with a 15-8-5 record but encountered numerous on-ice and off-ice problems that would prove too large.

Among them was the friction between star forwards J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson. The tension between Miller and Pettersson reached a stage in which Canucks captain Quinn Hughes publicly acknowledged there was an issue with Miller and Pettersson denying such issues.

Miller would be traded to the New York Rangers before the trade deadline, and the Canucks struggled to find someone who could replace his production. They would finish six points behind the St. Louis Blues for the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

Still, Tocchet had the support of Hughes, along with others within the organization who wanted him to stay.

As for what it all means going forward for both parties? Tocchet is among those who will join Mike Sullivan, who parted ways with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday after winning two Stanley Cups in 10 seasons, as one of the most attractive names for teams seeking a new bench boss.

Then there are the teams that need a coach. It’s a list that includes the Anaheim Ducks, Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Seattle Kraken, plus the Penguins and now the Canucks.

“I’m choosing to move on from the Vancouver Canucks,” Tocchet said. “Family is a priority, and with my contract lapsing, this becomes an opportune time. While I don’t know where I’m headed, or exactly how this will play out for me over the near term, I feel like this is the right time for me to explore other opportunities around hockey.”