Leading off the 2028 Olympic Games: Shohei Ohtani, at Dodger Stadium. On deck: The lighting of the Olympic torch.

That is how the Los Angeles Games could look, based on the revised schedule announced Wednesday by LA28 organizers. In another sign that Major League Baseball is headed toward an agreement to allow its players to participate in the 2028 Games, LA28 adjusted its baseball schedule after discussions with the league.

Under the new schedule, the baseball competition would start on Thursday, July 13, 2028 — the day before the opening ceremony, rather than the day after.

That would give MLB the option to hold the 2028 All-Star Game on its traditional Tuesday date — most likely in San Francisco — with the Olympic baseball competition starting two days later in Los Angeles and ending on Wednesday, July 19. The major league schedule could resume the following weekend.

Read more:Rob Manfred feels 'positive' about MLB players participating in 2028 Olympics

In past Olympic baseball tournaments, MLB has declined to stop its season, so minor league and college players have populated the rosters of many countries, including the United States. For 2028, MLB had no interest in canceling its All-Star Game and replacing it with the Olympic competition.

However, on the heels of a dramatic World Series that attracted record worldwide attention, and with a highly anticipated World Baseball Classic four months away, MLB would be passing up a global marketing bonanza by skipping the Olympics.

No final deal among LA28, MLB and the Major League Baseball Players’ Assn. has been reached, but MLB commissioner Rob Manfred all but telegraphed this resolution in July, one day after LA28 said its baseball competition would begin on the day after the opening ceremony.

“They put out a schedule,” Manfred said then. “They tell you it’s not going to move. We’ll see whether there is any movement on that.

Read more:How to volunteer for the LA28 Olympics as organizers begin registration for Summer Games

“It is possible to play the All-Star Game in its normal spot, have a single break that would be longer, but still play 162 games without bleeding into the middle of November. It would require significant accommodations, but it is possible.”

And now, it appears likely.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Duane Kuiper slyly responds to Joe Maddon's ‘insulting' Tony Vitello take originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Tony Vitello’s jump to the Giants’ managerial position, with no prior major-league experience, was “insulting” to former MLB manager Joe Maddon. 

Giants play-by-play announcer Duane Kuiper, who joined KNBR 680’s “Murph & Markus” on Wednesday, took exception to Maddon’s choice of words. 

“I was insulted. I was insulted because that word is going to get the headline,” Kuiper explained. “He also said, ‘I’m rooting for the guy.’ Did ‘I’m rooting for the guy’ get in that headline? Absolutely not. So that’s why I thought the whole thing just kind of upset me a little bit…” 

“…‘Insulted’ is a really strong word. And maybe he wanted to get the [Giants manager] job, who knows. So, look, it kind of got him a lot of publicity, and maybe that’s what he wanted. But ‘insulted’ to me, bothers me.” 

Kuiper proceeded to give an important piece of context. Baseball is a sport rooted in tradition, and its practitioners can be very stubborn in the face of an unconventional move such as the Giants’ hiring of Vitello. 

“The one thing about baseball – and it’s different than all the other sports – is if you do something different and you’re going to try to maybe go outside the box, there’s going to be a whole bunch of people that are going to criticize you,” Kuiper said. “It’s not like football. You can jerk a defensive tackle and put him in the backfield and run touchdowns in the Super Bowl, and everybody thinks that’s a great idea…”  

“…But you do something different in baseball, and people are going to go: ‘No, you know what, I’m insulted by that.’ So yeah, I’m not surprised by this reaction at all.” 

This isn’t the first disagreement that Kuiper has had with something Maddon said.  

“Remember, Joe Maddon is the guy that said that Buster Posey did a poor job of blocking home plate when he got hurt,” Kuiper recalled. “From that point on, I was always a little skeptical as to what was going on.”  

It’s safe to say, with his recent comments, that Maddon once again has drawn the ire of the Giants organization and fan base alike. 

“[Maddon’s] a likeable guy, he’s got a great personality, he probably doesn’t have to pay for a meal in Chicago,” Kuiper qualified. “But I’ll stand by what I’ve said; I was insulted by him saying he was insulted.” 

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With Edwin Diaz a free agent and the Dodgers searching for a high-end reliever, it seemed they might be a big threat to lure him away from the Mets.

Maybe not.

While the Dodgers are indeed seeking a jolt for their bullpen, they could be deterred by the fact that Diaz has a qualifying offer attached to him, reports Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic.

Per Ardaya, with the Dodgers already owing draft penalties due to exceeding the luxury tax, it could "dissuade" them and other teams in similar situations from making a run at Diaz. 

According to The Athletic, Los Angeles has made free agent reliever Devin Williams a target. Williams, who spent last season with the Yankees after being acquired from the Brewers via trade, was eyed by the Dodgers before that deal. 

Jon Heyman of The New York Post also reported on Diaz and the Dodgers, noting that "they may not be a big player" for him.

Per Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic, the contract Diaz is seeking is "essentially the same one" the Mets gave him after the 2022 season.

That deal was worth five years and $102 million.

Speaking on Tuesday at the GM Meetings, Mets president of baseball operationsDavid Stearnsdiscussed Diaz's future.

"We love both Pete [Alonso] and Edwin," Stearns said. "They've been great representatives of the organization. We'd love to have them both back. At this stage of the offseason, it’s really tough to predict any outcomes, but certainly, we would love to have both those guys back."

Diaz, who will be entering his age-32 season in 2026, is coming off a year where he was one of the best and most dominant relievers in baseball. He had a 1.63 ERA (2.28 FIP) and 0.87 WHIP with 98 strikeouts in 66.1 innings.

Diaz ranked in the 99th percentile this past season when it came to xERA, xBA, whiff percentage, and strikeout percentage, via Baseball Savant. He was in the 89th percentile or better in fastball velocity, barrel percentage, and extension. His ground ball rate, chase percentage, and the average exit velocity against him all graded out well above average.

Batters hit .133 with a .200 slugging percentage against Diaz's fastball in 2025, while hitting .179 with a .269 slugging percentage against his slider.

In addition to Diaz's dominance and familiarity with (and ability to succeed in) New York is the fact that the Mets don't have an internal replacement for him. And there are no better options on the free agent market.

First Test, Sylhet International Cricket Stadium (day two of five)

Ireland 286: Stirling 60; Miraz 3-50

338-1: Joy 169; Humphries 1-78

Ireland won the toss

Scorecard

A career-best 169 not out from Mahmudul Hasan Joy has helped Bangladesh take a firm grip on the first Test against Ireland after day two in Sylhet.

The visitors entered the day two n 270-8 after four late wickets on Tuesday had given Bangladesh the upper hand at the close of play.

Ireland managed to add just 16 further runs to their tally as they lost Matthew Humphreys lbw to Taijul Islam for a two-ball duck before the innings ended with Barry McCarthy bowled by Hasan Mahmud after two early boundaries helped him to respectable tally of 31.

Bangladesh had no such issues with the bat with Joy cutting loose as the day progressed to surpass the 100 mark with a double century now in his sights.

His opening partner Shadman Islam did fall on 80 when caught by wicketkeeper Lorcan Tucker from Humphreys' delivery, but Mominul Haque would pick up the baton with 80 not out.

With the pitch offering little assistance to the bowlers, it was a flying start for Bangladesh as they wrapped up Ireland's first innings before making rapid inroads with the bat.

Joy hit 14 fours and four sixes in the 283 balls he faced over the day, surviving a scare on 156 to remain at the crease as Paul Stirling missed the catch.

Shadman had been closing in on his century as he hit nine fours and also a six but his partnership with Joy concluded at 168 with Humphreys getting the dismissal he had been threatening.

However, it was a wicketless third session of the day with the hosts hitting 140 in 30 overs with Haque settling after a few close calls when attempting to sweep, hitting five fours and two sixes on his way to 80 not out to help Bangladesh into as healthy position going into day three.

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Giants reportedly set to hire Blue Jays assistant Hunter Mense as hitting coach originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO — There was a clear theme as the Giants went through the draft and trade deadline this summer. Just about every single one of their additions on the position player side was known for putting the ball in play and having a good feel for the strike zone, and it appears there will now be a greater emphasis on that at the big-league level. 

The Giants are hiring Toronto Blue Jays assistant hitting coach Hunter Mense, The Athletic’s Mitch Bannon reported Wednesday, citing sources. Mense presumably would replace outgoing hitting coach Pat Burrell — who is being reassigned to another role in the organization — and work with assistant hitting coach Oscar Bernard, who is staying, and likely one more addition on the hitting side. Burrell’s other assistant, Damon Minor, also had been told he wouldn’t be on Tony Vitello’s staff. 

Mense is coming off a run to the World Series in which the Blue Jays showed off a deep and relentless attack. During the regular season, they led the big leagues with a .265 average (the Giants hit .235) and ranked second-to-last with 1,099 strikeouts (the Giants have been over 1,300 in five consecutive seasons). The Blue Jays also ranked third in OPS and fourth in runs scored. 

The Giants certainly won’t be at the bottom of the league in strikeouts in 2026; their lineup is filled with free-swinging veterans on long-term contracts and president of baseball operations Buster Posey said on Tuesday that he wouldn’t want to make too many changes with his marquee players. Posey used Rafael Devers as an example, noting that he swings as hard as anyone he has ever seen and that’s one of his strengths. 

Still, the Giants certainly could use a different approach from some of their younger players, and they could do a much better job of putting the ball in play with runners in scoring position. Long term, the hope is that there’s more balance around Devers, Willy Adames and Matt Chapman, but the 2026 Giants will be much better off if Mense simply can get more out of guys like Patrick Bailey and Jung Hoo Lee. 

Mense has been rumored to be a top candidate since Tony Vitello was hired, and the two have been friends for years. Both are Missouri natives and Mense played at Missouri while Vitello was an assistant coach. 

Mense reached Triple-A with the Marlins during his professional career and he had a quick rise through the Blue Jays organization in recent years. He was a minor-league hitting coordinator and Double-A hitting coach before being promoted to assistant hitting coach in 2022. 

On Tuesday at the GM Meetings in Las Vegas, Posey said the Giants are close to finalizing deals with several external candidates to join the staff. Bernard and Taira Uematsu are the two Bob Melvin coaches who will be staying, and the hope is that Mark Hallberg and Alex Burg return, as well. 

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