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Phillies moves: Suarez activated, Ruiz sidelined, Walker to bullpen originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Phillies have next to no optionality on their 13-man pitching staff so there was some uncertainty over the corresponding roster move this weekend to activate Ranger Suarez from the injured list.

It ended up being an IL stint for Jose Ruiz, announced just before first pitch Saturday against the Diamondbacks. The right-handed reliever is dealing with a neck spasm.

The reason why the Phillies made the move Saturday rather than Sunday was because Aaron Nola felt neck tightness 45 minutes before first pitch. Suarez was active in case of emergency but Nola was able to pitch through the issue and said postgame that he felt normal.

The likeliest cut candidate before Ruiz’ IL stint appeared to be Carlos Hernandez, the last man in the bullpen picked up by the Phillies the week of Opening Day. Hernandez has a 6.92 ERA and has put 24 men on base in 13 innings. He, like most of the Phillies’ bullpen, is out of minor-league options so he would have been exposed to waivers if removed from the active roster.

The only arms in the Phillies’ bullpen who do have options remaining are Orion Kerkering and Tanner Banks, two of their more important relievers. Typically, the reliever occupying Hernandez’ slot is someone who does have options remaining to give a team maximum flexibility to cycle in a fresh arm when necessary throughout a long season.

Suarez will start Sunday’s series finale against Arizona, as Rob Thomson revealed earlier this week. It will be the lefty’s season debut. He made just one spring training start before a lower back injury sidelined him for two months.

These next six months will be crucial for the 29-year-old Suarez, a free agent after the season. He looked in the first half of last season like he might be a $100 million pitcher. Bryce Harper referred to him as one during a 15-start stretch to begin 2024 when Suarez was 10-1 with a 1.75 ERA.

Then came the back problems, which cost Suarez an All-Star Game appearance and sidelined him for a month during the summer. He wasn’t nearly the same in his final 11 starts, posting a 6.54 ERA and .885 opponents’ OPS.

Suarez was razor sharp in four rehab starts — two with Single A Clearwater, two with Triple A Lehigh Valley — pitching well all four times. He struck out 24 and walked five with a 1.08 ERA and .175 opponents’ batting average.

Walker to the ‘pen

Thomson officially announced after Saturday’s win that Taijuan Walker is moving to the bullpen. Walker has a 2.54 ERA through six starts, which the Phillies have split. Given the frequency of pitching injuries, he may not have made his last.

Walker did his job in April in place of an injured starter the same way Spencer Turnbull did in his absence a year ago. Another injury will likely arise over the next five months and now the Phillies know Walker is a viable sixth starter who not only recaptured some velocity after a strenuous offseason program but also adapted his repertoire to account for a diminished fastball.

Businessman Martin Jepson has completed his takeover of Super League club Castleford Tigers.

Jepson has become the majority shareholder of the west Yorkshire outfit after buying out previous owner Ian Fulton at the end of a drawn out process.

While expressing his delight at taking over, the new owner, who has made his money in property, is determined to drive the Tigers forward.

"I am totally committed to seeing a stronger Castleford competing in the Super League and the club being sustainable for many generations to come," he said.

Castleford are currently 10th in Super League, with only two wins from their nine games so far this season.

• Jepson's Castleford takeover misses deadline
• Prospective owner lays out vision for Castleford

Saturday's game between the Mets and Cardinals at Busch Stadium has been postponed due to rain.

Carlos Mendoza said earlier in the day that there may've been a window for them to get the game after a delay, but with thunderstorms in the forecast, they decided it would be best to push things back.

The game will now be made up as part of a split-doubleheader on Sunday afternoon.

Game 1 is scheduled to start at 1:15 p.m. and Game 2 at 6:15 p.m.

Blade Tidwell will make his big league debut against Erick Fedde in the first game and Tylor Megill will take on Andre Pallante in the nightcap.

After Friday's victory, New York has won a franchise-record nine straight games against the Cardinals.

The other notable international acquisition of the Dodgers’ offseason this winter is on the verge of his major league debut.

South Korean utilityman Hyeseong Kim is being called up by the Dodgers, people with knowledge of the situation who were not authorized to speak publicly confirmed, set to join the team in Atlanta on Saturday for what will be his first stint on the MLB roster this year.

Kim, 26, was signed to a three-year, $12.5-million contract this winter, arriving as a highly touted defensive and base-stealing weapon but with serious question marks at the plate.

In spring training, Kim struggled mightily to hit in Cactus League play, going six for 29 with one home run and 11 strikeouts. His swing needed so much work, the Dodgers elected to have him open the season in triple-A Oklahoma City, hoping it would provide a softer landing spot for him to revamp his mechanics in order to handle big league-caliber competition.

Read more:Yoshinobu Yamamoto stellar once again for Dodgers in rain-delayed win over Braves

“The foundations, the actual swing mechanics needed to improve,” general manager Brandon Gomes said last week.

Improvement, however, has come fast for Kim, who has batted .252 in Oklahoma City with five home runs, 19 RBIs and a .798 OPS. He has also stolen 13 bases.

The corresponding move for Kim’s call-up wasn’t immediately known, but utilityman Tommy Edman has been battling a right ankle injury the past couple days that manager Dave Roberts indicated could land him on the injured list if it didn’t improve.

Losing Edman, who has eight home runs and 24 RBIs this season, for any stretch would be a blow.

But the anticipation for Kim, potentially a future Gold Glove winner with game-changing speed, might help cushion it more than most.

A left-handed hitter who over eight seasons in the Korean Baseball Organization batted .304 but amassed only 37 home runs, Kim’s bat always figured to be the biggest question mark when the Dodgers signed him.

It was clear the team envisioned a prominent role for the 5-foot-10, 175-pound speedster, trading former second baseman Gavin Lux to Cincinnati just days after Kim was acquired. But it was also clear they’d have to be patient with his development, after Kim spent most of the spring flailing in the batter’s box in his first dose against big league competition.

“Getting him exposed to real big league pitching, there’s just no real way to simulate that,” Gomes said when asked about Kim’s development last week. “You see a lot of guys [from overseas], it takes a little bit of time to get adjusted.”

After just one month, though, the team was already seeing growth.

Kim started the season with a 13-game tear, batting .293 with three home runs, seven doubles, one triple and 13 RBIs. His OPS at that point was .963. And he was immediately emerging as “a real threat on the bases,” Gomes said.

“[It was] the overall package of what we were hoping for,” Gomes said. “Speed, defense — and we knew the swing was gonna need a little bit of work.”

Kim has not been as productive lately, batting just .211 over his last 15 games. But, Gomes said reports from the minor league staff have remained strong.

“The numbers are good. The swing is taking real steps forward,” Gomes said. “Now you’re starting to hone in on maybe some more advanced game-planning stuff, and being able to cover different parts of the zone.”

Read more:Why the Dodgers' Max Muncy has started wearing glasses in games: 'Anything that can help'

Regardless of how Kim hits in the majors, he should provide production in other ways for the Dodgers.

A four-time Gold Glove second baseman and shortstop in South Korea, Kim has added center-field duties to his plate in triple A. His 13 steals, meanwhile, are second most in the Pacific Coast League, trailing only Oklahoma City teammate Estuery Ruiz. 

“He’s completely bought in,” Gomes said, “and [his improvement is] actually happening and performing even better than we expected this early.”

Kim hadn’t been called up sooner because the Dodgers were believed to be waiting for an opportunity to give him consistent playing time. Edman’s uncertain status opened the door for that this weekend. And now, exactly four months to the day after his Jan. 3 signing with the team, he’ll get his first taste of life in the majors.

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Chapman, Giants continue resilient theme in comeback win vs. Rockies originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Giants were three innings away from yet another inexcusable loss against the historically bad Colorado Rockies on Saturday afternoon.

But San Francisco values momentum like no other major league club.

Luis Matos’ solo homer in the third inning was the only run scored by either team through five innings. That changed in the sixth.

Luis Matos' solo shot gets the Giants on the board first 🚀 pic.twitter.com/JittXj4sVn

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) May 3, 2025

Colorado took advantage of a worn out Jordan Hicks, who was solid through five innings. The Rockies scored three runs and took a 3-1 lead as the Oracle Park crowd grew anxious.

But the Giants didn’t.

With bases loaded and one out for the Giants, Jung Hoo Lee stepped to the plate. He singled to center, bringing Matos home and shrinking the deficit to one with still just one out.

Matt Chapman, who entered Saturday’s game hitting just .149 over the past two weeks, approached the plate next with the same opportunity. On the second pitch, Chapman took a 94 mph sinker to center for a go-ahead grand slam.

MATT CHAPMAN GRAND SLAM 😤 pic.twitter.com/mRiuUjHkpC

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) May 3, 2025

“Obviously, it was the hit of the game,” Giants manager Bob Melvin told reporters postgame. “But this is something we’ve been doing for a while now. When we do get down, we don’t really fret. We continue to push and grind on it. And [against] their best reliever.”

It was Chapman’s third career grand slam and first for the Giants this season.

He joined “Giants Postgame Live” and explained that he wasn’t sure if the ball was going to go over the fence.

“I think I was in suspense. You never quite know here,” Chapman told Greg Papa and Rod Brooks. “There’s not too many cheap home runs here. I knew I hit it hard. I knew it was going to be close. But I’ve hit a few balls here that I thought were out and weren’t, so I definitely don’t want to count on them going until I see it going over the fence. So I was excited.”

Chapman also explained what he saw during the at-bat as he exceeded his expectations.

“With [Lee] hitting in front of me, getting that base hit, and then having the bases loaded, I just wanted to make sure I could get that run across to tie the game,” Chapman told Papa and Brooks. “I fouled off that first pitch slider. Thought he might come back with a sinker to try and get me into a double play. So I was really just trying to get something out there to centerfield.

“Luckily, I was able to drive it a little further than just centerfield. So that was a big swing for us. I was glad to get the runs in and help us win the game.”

After breaking out of a bit of a funk, Chapman now is tied with Wilmer Flores for the team lead in home runs (seven) after going yard in back-to-back games.

That, combined with a big hit from Matos, certainly are encouraging signs for the Giants as they enter Sunday’s series finale against the Rockies with at least a four-game split, but will look for more.

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

Blade Tidwell’s pregame sheet looked a bit different this week. 

Instead of receiving information on the Yankees’ Triple-A club ahead of his scheduled start this weekend in Syracuse, the note had a much more impactful message for the talented young right-hander. 

“You’re going to the big leagues, kid.”

In need of a sixth starter this time through the rotation, the Mets decided to call upon Tidwell to make his highly anticipated big league debut during Game 1 of Sunday afternoon’s doubleheader with the St. Louis Cardinals. 

Tidwell knew he was getting close to receiving the call, but didn’t know how close. 

He admitted that he was a bit surprised when he found out on Friday -- he grabbed his 12-week-old puppy named Bentley and paced around barefoot for a few moments before calling his parents to tell them the good news. 

“It was a complete surprise, but it’s pretty exciting,” he said.

Tidwell is one of the high-upside pitching prospects in the organization. He showcased some of his potential during spring training, striking out five and tossing an immaculate inning during an appearance against the Rays. 

He hasn't quite been able to carry that success over to his first few outings in the hitter-friendly confines of the International League, pitching to a 5.00 ERA -- but if you dig deeper, you’ll see he's run into some tough luck.

The second-round pick misses a ton of bats with his deep arsenal and his BABIP of .369 through six outings is the fifth-highest among all qualified minor league staters -- which is why he was never worried about the numbers. 

“I’m just trying to stick to the process,” Tidwell said. “I don’t really look too far into the statistics this early into the season. The BABIP was high, usually that’ll equal out over time. If I keep throwing the way I am down there, it would’ve all equalled out.”

Tidwell’s last two outings were perhaps his best of the season -- he walked just one batter while striking out a total of 18 across 9.0 innings of work, a strong impression that helped seal the deal.

“He earned it,” Carlos Mendoza said. “We know the stuff is there -- we saw flashes of it in spring training. Some of the numbers are inflated a little bit, but he's throwing strikes, using all of his pitches. He put himself in a good position and he's getting the call.”

Marsh back in Phillies' lineup but Rojas will still get chances originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Brandon Marsh was activated from the injured list Saturday afternoon and returned to the nine-spot, starting in center field for the Phillies against Diamondbacks right-hander Brandon Pfaadt.

Will Marsh resume starting against all right-handers as he did before his hamstring injury?

“Not necessarily,” manager Rob Thomson said. “(Johan) Rojas is playing so well. We’ll just pick and choose, see where we’re at on a day-to-day basis.”

Rojas hit .310 with a double, triple, homer, three walks and three stolen bases in the 14 games Marsh missed with a right hamstring strain. He had a couple of lapses in the field and on the basepaths over those two weeks but Rojas’ sensational ninth-inning catch in the gap in left-center preserved Friday’s win and was an example of how he can impact a game.

“Rojas is incredible and I’m not just saying this because he’s sitting next to me,” Marsh said Saturday afternoon from the Phillies’ clubhouse. “He’s a phenomenal outfielder so we expect nothing less from him.”

The Phillies expect more offense from Marsh than they received in April and hope he is in a better place at the plate. He went 4-for-9 in his final two games with Triple A Lehigh Valley, homering and driving in five runs. He is just 4-for-42 (.095) with one extra-base hit in the majors this season.

“The last two games have been really good,” Thomson said. “Staying through the ball, hit an opposite-field home run. I thought the at-bats were a lot better.”

Marsh last played in the majors on April 16 against the Giants, when he suffered a mild right hamstring strain. He began a rehab assignment eight days later at Triple A but it was paused on Sunday when he experienced cramping in the area of the injury.

“It was just a late night game to early day game, it was a little tight, a little crampy, nothing major,” Marsh said.

The Phillies sat him down for three days before Marsh restarted the rehab assignment on Thursday with the IronPigs, had two productive games and made the trip early Saturday morning from Rochester to Philadelphia.

“It feels awesome (to be back),” he said. “It was a good time in Rochester, the boys are playing really well down there and the vibes are up, so it was a lot of fun.”

The Phillies talked in the spring about wanting to play Marsh more against left-handed pitching but the bigger priority now is his finding a rhythm against righties. That’s Marsh’s best path to long-term playing time. He hit .276/.363/.463 vs. right-handers in 2023 and 2024 but is just 2-for-29 this season.

Rojas will be back in the lineup Sunday against lefty Eduardo Rodriguez. He avoided injury when colliding into the wall in left-center after the ninth-inning robbery Friday night.

“Good, I think he was just a little banged-up running into the wall,” Thomson said. “But he came out of it fine and said he’s all good today.”

Marsh back in Phillies' lineup but Rojas will still get chances originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Brandon Marsh was activated from the injured list Saturday afternoon and returned to the nine-spot, starting in center field for the Phillies against Diamondbacks right-hander Brandon Pfaadt.

Will Marsh resume starting against all right-handers as he did before his hamstring injury?

“Not necessarily,” manager Rob Thomson said. “(Johan) Rojas is playing so well. We’ll just pick and choose, see where we’re at on a day-to-day basis.”

Rojas hit .310 with a double, triple, homer, three walks and three stolen bases in the 14 games Marsh missed with a right hamstring strain. He had a couple of lapses in the field and on the basepaths over those two weeks but Rojas’ sensational ninth-inning catch in the gap in left-center preserved Friday’s win and was an example of how he can impact a game.

“Rojas is incredible and I’m not just saying this because he’s sitting next to me,” Marsh said Saturday afternoon from the Phillies’ clubhouse. “He’s a phenomenal outfielder so we expect nothing less from him.”

The Phillies expect more offense from Marsh than they received in April and hope he is in a better place at the plate. He went 4-for-9 in his final two games with Triple A Lehigh Valley, homering and driving in five runs. He is just 4-for-42 (.095) with one extra-base hit in the majors this season.

“The last two games have been really good,” Thomson said. “Staying through the ball, hit an opposite-field home run. I thought the at-bats were a lot better.”

Marsh last played in the majors on April 16 against the Giants, when he suffered a mild right hamstring strain. He began a rehab assignment eight days later at Triple A but it was paused on Sunday when he experienced cramping in the area of the injury.

“It was just a late night game to early day game, it was a little tight, a little crampy, nothing major,” Marsh said.

The Phillies sat him down for three days before Marsh restarted the rehab assignment on Thursday with the IronPigs, had two productive games and made the trip early Saturday morning from Rochester to Philadelphia.

“It feels awesome (to be back),” he said. “It was a good time in Rochester, the boys are playing really well down there and the vibes are up, so it was a lot of fun.”

The Phillies talked in the spring about wanting to play Marsh more against left-handed pitching but the bigger priority now is his finding a rhythm against righties. That’s Marsh’s best path to long-term playing time. He hit .276/.363/.463 vs. right-handers in 2023 and 2024 but is just 2-for-29 this season.

Rojas will be back in the lineup Sunday against lefty Eduardo Rodriguez. He avoided injury when colliding into the wall in left-center after the ninth-inning robbery Friday night.

“Good, I think he was just a little banged-up running into the wall,” Thomson said. “But he came out of it fine and said he’s all good today.”

Yankees right-hander Clarke Schmidt has been scratched from Saturday's start due to left side soreness.

Schmidt's been dealing with the mild soreness since throwing a season-high 90 pitches in his last appearance, which came Sunday afternoon against the Blue Jays.

He still hoped to be able to take the mound in this one after throwing all week and undergoing an MRI, which came back clean, but instead the Yanks opted to give him an extra few days.

He'll now start Tuesday against the Padres, and Aaron Boone doesn't expect it to be an issue moving forward.

"Clarke was a little concerned with what he's been through," the skipper said. "Being a little behind, having some minor things pop up and everything, so it was definitely a relief things came back clean and we should be okay."

Schmidt, of course, missed time earlier this season due to right rotator cuff tendinitis.

Ironically enough, his last appearance was actually his best one to this point -- as he limited Toronto to just one run on one hit while walking four and striking out six across five innings of work.

In his place, the Yankees will turn to Ryan Yarbrough to start Saturday afternoon against Tampa Bay.

The southpaw has only been used in relief during his first season in the Bronx -- but he threw a season-high 3.2 innings his last time out and has served as an opener and bulk reliever in the past with the Rays and Dodgers.

"He can pitch man," Boone said. "It's a different look than what you typically see. He's been doing this kind of role for a long time now -- obviously, we've seen him over the years with Tampa as an opener and that type of stuff. He just has a real good idea of pitching out there.

"He's been a key figure for us this year on a number of days that have kind of set us up for the week. He's fairly built up, so hopefully he can go out there and get us off to a good start today."

The Mets continue their three-game series with the Cardinals in St. Louis on Saturday at 2:15 p.m. on SNY.

Here's what to know about the game and how to watch...

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Mets Notes

• The Mets' team ERA of 2.69 remains the lowest in baseball
• After put together back-to-back multi-hit showings, Juan Soto is hitting .291 over his last 15 games
• Pete Alonso has reached base safely in 14 consecutive games and 17 of his last 18
• Alonso's put together a 1.042 OPS in 16 career at-bats against Cardinals starter Erick Fedde
• Tylor Megill pitched to a strong 1.74 ERA and 1.13 WHIP across six April starts

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What channel is SNY?

Check your TV or streaming provider's website or channel finder to find your local listings.

How can I stream the game?

The new way to stream SNY games is via the MLB App or MLB.tv. Streaming on the SNY App has been discontinued.

In order to stream games in SNY’s regional territory, you will need to have SNY as part of your TV package (cable or streaming), or you can now purchase an in-market SNY subscription package. Both ways will allow fans to watch the Mets on their computer, tablet or mobile phone. 

How can I watch the game on my computer via MLB? 

To get started on your computer, click here and then follow these steps: 

• Log in using your provider credentials. If you are unsure of your provider credentials, please contact your provider. 

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• Select the SNY Mets game you wish to view from the Multimedia Center. 

How can I watch the game on the MLB App? 

MLB App access is included for FREE with SNY. To access SNY on your favorite supported Apple or Android mobile device, please follow the steps below.  

• Download the free MLB App.

• Open “MLB” and tap on “Subscriber Login” for Apple Devices or “Sign in with MLB.com” for Android Devices. 

• Type in your MLB.com credentials and tap “Log In.”  

• To access live or on-demand content, tap on the "Watch" tab from the bottom navigation bar. Select the "Games" sub-tab to see a listing of available games. You can scroll to previous dates using the left and right arrows. Tap on a game to select from the game feeds available.  

For more information on how to stream Mets games on SNY, please click here. 

Here's what happened in Mets Land on Friday, in case you missed it...

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• Pete Alonso and Brandon Nimmo homered to plower the Mets to a 9-3 win over the Cardinals
• Clay Holmes delivered six strong innings on the mound after being handed the cushion
• Francisco Alvarez put together one of his best games since returning from the IL, producing three hits
• Alonso says he's ready to take on May after winning the NL Player of the Month for April
• Nimmo credited the Mets' 'controlled aggression' at the plate for their red-hot stretch
• Luisangel Acuña was named the NL Rookie of the Month for April
• We'll see another young talent on display on Sunday, as 23-year-old Blade Tidwell will be called up to make his big-league debut
• Right-hander Austin Warren has been recalled from Triple-A to provide a fresh arm in the bullpen
• Paul Blackburnresumed his rehab assignment on Friday night, tossing three innings in High-A
• The Mets' foundation for pitching success has been a process five years in the making -- with many to thank

Pete Alonso's roaring start to the 2025 season earned him NL Player of the Month honors from MLB on Friday afternoon, and just a few hours after the Mets' slugger received the accolade, he hinted that his May could look even better than his April.

While there was no shortage of offense for the Mets in their 9-3 win over the Cardinals at Busch Stadium, it was typical power from Alonso that sparked a mid-innings outburst. The veteran first baseman delivered a clutch go-ahead, two-run homer off of Sonny Gray in the fifth that shifted momentum and helped New York secure a franchise-record ninth straight victory over St. Louis.

The calendar flipped, but Alonso didn't. He moved into sole possession of fifth place on the Mets' all-time RBI list (616) with a 2-for-5 night at the plate, and he's now 19 homers shy of surpassing icon Darryl Strawberry and becoming the club's new power king.

With an NL-best .473 on-base percentage and 20 extra-base hits, Alonso has been the catalyst to a first-place club. But he's not focused on the recognition and acclaim for a stellar April. He only wants to "contribute to winning." So far, so good.

"His ability to control the strike zone is probably the best I've seen it over last year and this early on," Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said of Alonso after Friday's win. "We know the power is there and we know he's a good hitter. But he gets in trouble when he starts chasing. I feel like now, he's taking his walks and getting pitches to hit, and he's not missing them."

Holmes appreciates run support

Clay Holmes didn't wield his best stuff on Friday. While he completed six innings and earned a quality start for the second time this season, he allowed three runs on a season-high eight hits and struck out only three. The closer-turned-starter was required to navigate some jams -- he couldn't dodge a comebacker that struck his ankle in the second inning, however.

But ample and opportune run support placed Holmes in the win column for a fourth time, and he appreciated that cushion as a pressure reliever while his outing stretched to a season-high 92 pitches. Through seven starts (36.2 innings), the veteran right-hander has produced a sharp 2.95 ERA with 39 strikeouts.

"It's a team that puts the ball in play a lot -- I'm a contact guy," Holmes said. "I was able to start mixing my pitches, use the four-seam and cutter a little bit, the slider. Really trying to generate some weak contact and make the defense work. Huge response by our offense there...

"As long as I don't give free passes, it usually takes a few hits to beat me. It's a balancing act. I want to be in the zone and trust the weak contact and keep pitching to it. Maybe there's times when I could've gone for more chase with the slider or sinker..."

Best game yet for Alvarez

When the Mets were in desperate need of offense against the Nationals last weekend, they relied on power from Francisco Alvarez to narrowly escape with a win. And when the runs came in bunches against the Cardinals on Friday, Alvarez made sure that he was smack in the middle of their hit parade.

Batting out of the eighth spot, the young catcher finished the night 3-for-5 with a team-high three RBI, and his average now sits at .269 through 26 at-bats. Alvarez also helped Holmes settle down behind the dish in the second inning by gunning down Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn, trying to steal second.

Mendoza is pleased to see Alvarez allowing the ball to travel deep through the zone and properly timing his swing for impactful opposite-field knocks. Two of the 23-year-old's three hits against Cardinals pitchers were sent to right field.

"It's a good sign. We saw it a little bit in spring training before he went down," Mendoza said. "And not just flipping balls the other way -- hitting it hard. That's a good sign for a good hitter, and hopefully he takes off from there."