Minnesota agreed to a six-year contract with the Twin Cities-area native and former student manager for the Gophers who had the Rams within one basket of the Sweet 16.
Who’s left in men’s March Madness? Bracket updates, schedule, predictions
The men's NCAA Tournament now heads to the Sweet 16. Here are the predictions and how to watch.
News Analysis: Shohei Ohtani is restarting his throwing program. But how much will he pitch in 2025?
The first time Shohei Ohtani attempted to return from a Tommy John surgery, it did not initially go well.
In July 2020, more than 22 months removed from his first ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction as a rookie in 2018, Ohtani took the mound at Oakland Coliseum and failed to record an out, instead giving up five runs to the Athletics on three hits and three walks before being removed after 30 ineffective pitches.
A week later, in an Angels home game against the Houston Astros, the right-hander struggled again, needing 50 pitches to record five outs while giving up two more runs and issuing a staggering five walks.
Over the rest of that year’s 60-game season, Ohtani did not pitch again, getting shut down on the mound shortly after his second start when an MRI revealed a sprained flexor pronator mass in his right forearm. At no point during that pandemic-shortened campaign did Ohtani’s swing look right either, with the future three-time MVP posting MLB career-lows in batting average (.190), slugging percentage (.366) and OPS (.657).
Read more:When will Shohei Ohtani pitch for Dodgers this season? 'We just don't know'
Five years later, with Ohtani now just 18 months removed from the Tommy John revision procedure he underwent at the end of the 2023 season, it’s a history the Dodgers are wary of repeating.
They know Ohtani could probably be ramping up as a pitcher more quickly right now. They believe that once he returns to the mound, he will look more like the Cy Young-caliber talent he was from 2021-2023, when he rebounded from his dismal 2020 performance by going 34-16 with a 2.84 ERA over the next three years.
But for a team that possesses an otherwise deep starting pitching staff and is primarily counting on Ohtani’s bat to help spearhead its World Series title defense, the Dodgers have taken an increasingly cautious approach to the two-way star’s pitching plan.
Tuesday marks one full month since Ohtani last threw a bullpen session. And while he is scheduled to get off a mound again on Saturday — in what would be his first bullpen since Feb. 25 — there remains no hard timeline for when he might eventually join the Dodgers’ rotation.
At this stage, there doesn’t really need to be.
“Once he gets through the ‘pen on Saturday, then we’ll have a better idea of what a plan looks like,” manager Dave Roberts said. “But I don’t really want to speculate too much. It’s hard to do that.”
This all marks a shift in tone from where the Dodgers were before the start of spring training, when Roberts initially targeted May, if not sooner, for Ohtani to be pitching in big-league games again.
That timeline tracked through the first several weeks of camp, with Ohtani completing four bullpen sessions in his first month at Camelback Ranch.
However, as soon as the slugger — who is also coming back from offseason surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left non-throwing shoulder — began playing in Cactus League games near the end of February, his bullpen sessions suddenly stopped.
Not because of an injury, the team insisted. Not because of dead arm or fatigue, either. In fact, during a news conference in Tokyo last week, Ohtani said his throwing program was going so well, he actually had the luxury to dial it back amid the logistical challenges of the team’s season-opening trip to Japan.
Read more:Hernández: Shohei Ohtani's Tokyo Series home run is the culmination of the 'Week of Ohtani'
“This is according to plan,” Ohtani said through interpreter Will Ireton. “I’m actually quite pleased with how things have been going.”
So why did Ohtani slow down his pitching ramp-up? And why is his timeline to returning to the mound suddenly so unclear?
Because, he acknowledged, right now he wants “to prioritize the hitting aspect” of his game. In the Dodgers’ view, any production they get from Ohtani’s pitching this year is something of a bonus. And in order to avoid the pitfalls he experienced in 2020, and avoid any added injury risk that could impact his performance or availability as a hitter this year, both the player and team seem content with allowing him to take his time completing his throwing program.
“Because things have been going according to plan,” Ohtani said, “this is a time where I can actually get a breather.”
Ohtani’s return to pitching this season always figured to be complicated. Throughout last season, Ohtani slowly increased his post-Tommy John throwing program, coming close to the point of once again facing hitters in live batting practice. But in October, he and the team decided to hold off on any live sessions until after the postseason, not wanting to risk over-stressing his body during his first career appearance in the playoffs.
When Ohtani tore his labrum sliding into second base in Game 2 of the World Series, it further delayed his timeline, requiring him to spend the early part of the winter rehabbing that injury after undergoing surgery in the first week of November.
Because of that, the long-awaited completion of Ohtani’s pitching recovery process will require some rehab gymnastics during this coming regular season.
A normal pitcher would likely spend about a month on a minor-league rehab assignment before returning to the majors, similar to what Walker Buehler did at the start of last season as he came back from a second career Tommy John procedure — a challenge in and of itself that few MLB pitchers have successfully recovered from.
But neither Ohtani nor the Dodgers want him to miss time as the team’s everyday designated hitter in order to go out on such a rehab stint. Thus, at some point, he will begin building up through simulated games likely to take place hours before he hits in a big-league game. His first time hitting and pitching in the same contest probably won’t come until he makes his full return as a two-way player in the big leagues.
While inevitable, it will create the kind of burdensome schedule that could invite a whole host of variables, putting the 30-year-old superstar in a situation he hasn’t experienced before in the majors.
Read more:Mookie Betts has ‘turned a corner’ with stomach virus, could play in Dodgers' home opener
“We don’t really have a template or road map or even experience, really, dealing with a guy with a two-way situation,” pitching coach Mark Prior said earlier this month. “So we’re leaning on him, on how he’s feeling.”
Even though Ohtani has declared he feels good — so much so, he began re-incorporating a wind-up back into his delivery during his spring bullpens — the risk of ramping up too quickly, or routinely hitting pitching velocities his surgically repaired elbow might not yet be fully ready to handle, continues to outweigh the rewards of having him back on the mound sooner.
Remember, the Dodgers’ pitching staff should be good even without Ohtani. The team returns last year’s co-aces, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow. They added two more potential aces, Blake Snell and Roki Sasaki, in free agency this offseason. And they have ample depth behind them, from Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin (who are coming back from their own elbow surgeries), to Landon Knack, Bobby Miller and, at some point, Clayton Kershaw (who is also expected to miss the first couple months of the season while recovering from offseason toe and knee surgeries).
What the Dodgers really want is to have Ohtani available as a potential impact pitching option come the stretch run of the season.
And though Roberts said the team “would bank that right now” when asked about the potential of Ohtani making 18-20 starts this season, it would not be a surprise if he only makes roughly half that amount during the next six months.
“This is a long-term play for Shohei’s well-being, so [we’re] making sure that we’re as cautious and careful as we possibly can be,” Roberts said. “For 2025, the most important piece of this is having him be able to do both through the end of the season, and through October.”
That might come as a disappointment to Dodgers fans who have yet to experience Ohtani’s pitching talents. It’s a sacrifice Ohtani himself will have to accept, marking the first time in his MLB career he hasn’t rushed back to full-time two-way duties as quickly as possible.
But if it means he and the Dodgers can avoid the kind of struggles he endured in 2020, it’s a trade-off everyone involved appears happy to make.
“The main thing is, we always [want to] have the guys at the end of the season,” Prior reiterated. “There are a lot of variables that are unique to his situation. So I think it’s just about having an open mind and trying to be cautiously optimistic and take the right approach.”
Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Watch Russell Westbrook move past Kevin Garnett into 20th all-time in points scored with logo 3-pointer
DENVER, CO - MARCH 24: Russell Westbrook (4) of the Denver Nuggets misses a three pointer as the Chicago Bulls lead 126-119 during the fourth quarter of the Bulls’ 129-119 win at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado on Monday, March 24, 2025. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
Denver Post via Getty Images
Russell Westbrook has scored a lot of points in a lot of different ways over his Hall of Fame career, but the book on defending him remains the same: If he wants to shoot a 3-pointer, let him.
As he has throughout his 17-year career, Westbrook proved that book on him wrong on Monday night, hitting a logo 3-pointer that moved him past Kevin Garnett for 20th on the NBA All-Time scoring list.
A LOGO TRIPLE TO JOIN THE TOP-20 ON THE ALL-TIME SCORING LIST
— NBA (@NBA) March 25, 2025
Incredible moment for Russell Westbrook! https://t.co/gvwwk1WXPvpic.twitter.com/uY0XVg9fz8
Westbrook should move past Celtics legends John Havlicek and Paul Pierce on that list early next season.
Westbrook is a two-time NBA scoring champion as well as the 2017 NBA MVP, a nine-time All-NBA player and All-Star who has had a legendary career. His being in the top 20 in scoring all-time just seems fitting.
Sabres Call Up First-Round Pick & Send Down Forward
The Buffalo Sabres have announced that forward Isak Rosen has been recalled from their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Rochester Americans. In addition, forward Brett Murray has been re-assigned to Rochester.
Rosen, 22, was just loaned to Rochester by the Sabres on March 18. Now, he is heading back to the Sabres' NHL roster, where he will look to make an impact. In three games this season with Buffalo, the 2021 first-round pick has zero points and a minus-2 rating.
At the AHL level with Rochester, Rosen has been excellent. In 55 games this campaign, he has set new AHL career highs with 27 goals, 27 assists, and 54 points. This includes three points in his last three games with Rochester.
Murray, on the other hand, was called up by the Sabres on March 15. He appeared in his first three NHL games of the season during this call-up, posting zero points, three hits, and a minus-2 rating.
Murray will now once be a key part of Rochester's forward group down the stretch following his demotion. In 55 games this season with the AHL squad, he has 23 goals, 40 points, and a plus-11 rating.
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Tim Henman: ‘I told Andy Murray to take his time … the next week he was coaching Djokovic’
New Laver Cup Team Europe vice-captain won’t be moving into coaching even if he does like the look of Jack Draper
Tim Henman says he has no intention of following Andy Murray’s lead into full‑time coaching despite being appointed the new vice-captain of Team Europe at the Laver Cup. From this year, Henman will act as a mentor to some of the best players in the world alongside the team captain, Yannick Noah, the 1983 French Open champion.
“I think coaching is a far bigger commitment in terms of time, in terms of travel, and I’ve had those offers, but it just doesn’t appeal to me,” Henman said. “And that may change. I would never shut the door on coaching an individual player. I was involved in the ATP Cup, but that was a very specific event.
Continue reading...Mets and Yankees 2025 MLB season predictions for final record, team MVP, and more
Here are Mets and Yankees predictions from SNY staff and contributors for final records, team MVP, and more for the 2025 MLB season...
Andy Martino, SNY MLB Insider
Who will the Mets' MVP be? Juan Soto
Over/under .950 OPS for Juan Soto? Over
Over/under 40 home runs for Pete Alonso? Over
What will Clay Holmes' ERA be? 3.40
Which prospect will have the biggest MLB impact? Luisangel Acuña
Where will Mets finish in NL East? First
What will Mets' final record be? 93-69
Who will the Yankees' MVP be? Aaron Judge
Over/under 50 home runs for Aaron Judge? Under
Over/under 25 home runs for Cody Bellinger? Over
What willMax Fried's ERA be? 3.00
Which prospect will make the biggest MLB impact? Jasson Dominguez
Where will Yankees finish in AL East? Second
What will Yankees' final record be? 88-74
Todd Zeile, SNY Mets Analyst
Who will the Mets' MVP be? Francisco Lindor
Over/under .950 OPS for Juan Soto? Over
Over/under 40 home runs forPete Alonso? Over
What will Clay Holmes' ERA be? 2.79
Which prospect will have the biggest MLB impact? Luisangel Acuña
Where will Mets finish in NL East? First
What will Mets' final record be? 93-69
Who will the Yankees' MVP be? Aaron Judge
Over/under 50 home runs for Aaron Judge? Over
Over/under 25 home runs for Cody Bellinger? Under
What will Max Fried's ERA be? 3.05
Which prospect will make the biggest MLB impact? Jasson Dominguez
Where will Yankees finish in AL East? First
What will Yankees' final record be? 97-65
Jim Duquette, SNY Mets Analyst
Who will the Mets' MVP be? Juan Soto
Over/under .950 OPS for Juan Soto? Over
Over/under 40 home runs for Pete Alonso? Over
What will Clay Holmes' ERA be? 3.75
Which prospect will have the biggest MLB impact? Brandon Sproat
Where will Mets finish in NL East? Second
What will Mets' final record be? 90-72
Who will the Yankees' MVP be? Aaron Judge
Over/under 50 home runs for Aaron Judge? Under
Over/under 25 home runs for Cody Bellinger? Over
What will Max Fried's ERA be? 3.25
Which prospect will make the biggest MLB impact? Jasson Dominguez
Where will Yankees finish in AL East? First
What will Yankees' final record be? 92-70
Terry Collins, SNY Mets Analyst
Who will the Mets' MVP be? Francisco Lindor
Over/under .950 OPS for Juan Soto? Over
Over/under 40 home runs for Pete Alonso? Over
What will Clay Holmes' ERA be? 3.25
Which prospect will have the biggest MLB impact? Luisangel Acuña
Where will Mets finish in NL East? First
What will Mets' final record be? 97-65
Who will the Yankees' MVP be? Paul Goldschmidt
Over/under 50 home runs for Aaron Judge? Over
Over/under 25 home runs for Cody Bellinger? Over
What will Max Fried's ERA be? 3.72
Which prospect will make the biggest MLB impact? Jasson Dominguez
Where will Yankees finish in AL East? First
What will Yankees' final record be? 93-69
Our SNY staff and contributors all have the Mets winning at least 89 games this season ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/14FtvDpoaI
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) March 25, 2025
Sal Licata, BNNY Host
Who will the Mets' MVP be? Juan Soto
Over/under .950 OPS for Juan Soto? Over
Over/under 40 home runs for Pete Alonso? Under
What will Clay Holmes' ERA be? 3.86
Which prospect will have the biggest MLB impact? Brandon Sproat
Where will Mets finish in NL East? First
What will Mets' final record be? 97-65
Who will the Yankees' MVP be? Cody Bellinger
Over/under 50 home runs for Aaron Judge? Under
Over/under 25 home runs for Cody Bellinger? Over
What will Max Fried's ERA be? 2.89
Which prospect will make the biggest MLB impact? Jasson Dominguez
Where will Yankees finish in AL East? Second
What will Yankees' final record be? 89-73
John Harper, SNY Contributor
Who will the Mets' MVP be? Juan Soto
Over/under .950 OPS for Juan Soto? Over
Over/under 40 home runs for Pete Alonso? Under
What will Clay Holmes' ERA be? 2.98
Which prospect will have the biggest MLB impact? Brandon Sproat
Where will Mets finish in NL East? Third
What will Mets' final record be? 91-71
Who will the Yankees' MVP be? Aaron Judge
Over/under 50 home runs for Aaron Judge? Over
Over/under 25 home runs for Cody Bellinger? Over
What will Max Fried's ERA be? 3.18
Which prospect will make the biggest MLB impact? Jasson Dominguez
Where will Yankees finish in AL East? Third
What will Yankees' final record be? 90-72
Anthony McCarron, SNY Contributor
Who will the Mets' MVP be? Juan Soto
Over/under .950 OPS for Juan Soto? Over
Over/under 40 home runs for Pete Alonso? Over
What will Clay Holmes' ERA be? 3.65
Which prospect will have the biggest MLB impact? Brandon Sproat
Where will Mets finish in NL East? Third
What will Mets' final record be? 89-73
Who will the Yankees' MVP be? Aaron Judge
Over/under 50 home runs for Aaron Judge? Over
Over/under 25 home runs for Cody Bellinger? Over
What will Max Fried's ERA be? 3.15
Which prospect will make the biggest MLB impact? Will Warren
Where will Yankees finish in AL East? Third
What will Yankees' final record be? 88-74
Dani Wexelman, SNY Contributor
Who will the Mets' MVP be? Francisco Lindor
Over/under .950 OPS for Juan Soto? Over
Over/under 40 home runs for Pete Alonso? Under
What will Clay Holmes' ERA be? 3.50
Which prospect will have the biggest MLB impact? Luisangel Acuña
Where will Mets finish in NL East? Third
What will Mets' final record be? 89-73
Who will the Yankees' MVP be? Aaron Judge
Over/under 50 home runs for Aaron Judge? Over
Over/under 25 home runs for Cody Bellinger? Under
What will Max Fried's ERA be? 2.20
Which prospect will make the biggest MLB impact? Jasson Dominguez
Where will Yankees finish in AL East? Second
What will Yankees' final record be? 89-73
Hannah Keyser, SNY Contributor
Who will the Mets' MVP be? Juan Soto
Over/under .950 OPS for Juan Soto? Under
Over/under 40 home runs for Pete Alonso? Over
What will Clay Holmes' ERA be? 3.83
Which prospect will have the biggest MLB impact? Brandon Sproat
Where will Mets finish in NL East? Second
What will Mets' final record be? 89-73
Who will the Yankees' MVP be? Max Fried
Over/under 50 home runs for Aaron Judge? Under
Over/under 25 home runs for Cody Bellinger? Under
What will Max Fried's ERA be? 2.49
Which prospect will make the biggest MLB impact? Will Warren
Where will Yankees finish in AL East? Second
What will Yankees' final record be? 89-73
Will the Mets, Braves or Phillies win the NL East in 2025?
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) March 25, 2025
Our staff makes their predictions 🔮 pic.twitter.com/rCFvsA398c
Connor Rogers, The Mets Pod Co-host
Who will the Mets' MVP be? Juan Soto
Over/under .950 OPS for Juan Soto? Under
Over/under 40 home runs for Pete Alonso? Over
What will Clay Holmes' ERA be? 3.70
Which prospect will have the biggest MLB impact? Brandon Sproat
Where will Mets finish in NL East? Second
What will Mets' final record be? 91-71
Who will the Yankees' MVP be? Aaron Judge
Over/under 50 home runs for Aaron Judge? Under
Over/under 25 home runs for Cody Bellinger? Under
What will Max Fried's ERA be? 2.96
Which prospect will make the biggest MLB impact? Will Warren
Where will Yankees finish in AL East? Second
What will Yankees' final record be? 85-77
Joe DeMayo, The Mets Pod Co-host
Who will the Mets' MVP be? Francisco Lindor
Over/under .950 OPS for Juan Soto? Under
Over/under 40 home runs for Pete Alonso? Over
What will Clay Holmes' ERA be? 3.33
Which prospect will have the biggest MLB impact? Brandon Sproat
Where will Mets finish in NL East? Second
What will Mets' final record be? 95-67
Who will the Yankees' MVP be? Aaron Judge
Over/under 50 home runs for Aaron Judge? Over
Over/under 25 home runs for Cody Bellinger? Under
What will Max Fried's ERA be? 3.18
Which prospect will make the biggest MLB impact? Jasson Dominguez
Where will Yankees finish in AL East? First
What will Yankees' final record be? 98-64
Danny Abriano, SNY Manager of Editorial Production
Who will the Mets' MVP be? Francisco Lindor
Over/under .950 OPS forJuan Soto? Over
Over/under 40 home runs forPete Alonso? Under
What will Clay Holmes' ERA be? 3.49
Which prospect will have the biggest MLB impact? Brandon Sproat
Where will Mets finish in NL East? Second
What will Mets' final record be? 94-68
Who will the Yankees' MVP be? Aaron Judge
Over/under 50 home runs for Aaron Judge? Under
Over/under 25 home runs for Cody Bellinger? Under
What will Max Fried's ERA be? 3.38
Which prospect will make the biggest MLB impact? Will Warren
Where will Yankees finish in AL East? Third
What will Yankees' final record be? 91-71
Alex Smith, SNY Editorial Producer
Who will the Mets' MVP be? Juan Soto
Over/under .950 OPS for Juan Soto? Over
Over/under 40 home runs for Pete Alonso? Under
What will Clay Holmes' ERA be? 3.89
Which prospect will have the biggest MLB impact? Nolan McLean
Where will Mets finish in NL East? Second
What will Mets' final record be? 92-70
Who will the Yankees' MVP be? Cody Bellinger
Over/under 50 home runs for Aaron Judge? Under
Over/under 25 home runs for Cody Bellinger? Over
What will Max Fried's ERA be? 3.04
Which prospect will make the biggest MLB impact? Will Warren
Where will Yankees finish in AL East? Third
What will Yankees' final record be? 88-74
Phillip Martinez, SNY Editorial Producer
Who will the Mets' MVP be? Juan Soto
Over/under .950 OPS for Juan Soto? Under
Over/under 40 home runs for Pete Alonso? Under
What will Clay Holmes' ERA be? 3.95
Which prospect will have the biggest MLB impact? Brandon Sproat
Where will Mets finish in NL East? Third
What will Mets' final record be? 90-72
Who will the Yankees' MVP be? Aaron Judge
Over/under 50 home runs for Aaron Judge? Under
Over/under 25 home runs for Cody Bellinger? Over
What will Max Fried's ERA be? 2.86
Which prospect will make the biggest MLB impact? Jasson Dominguez
Where will Yankees finish in AL East? First
What will Yankees' final record be? 93-69
Jayson Tatum leaves game with sprained ankle, says later it's "sore" but left arena without boot
Mar 24, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) lays on the ground after suffering an injury against the Sacramento Kings in the third quarter at the Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
Hopefully, this will not be as bad as it looked when it happened.
Boston's Jayson Tatum had to leave the game in Sacramento in the third quarter after he pulled up for a 3-pointer over Domantas Sabonis and came down on the foot of the Kings' center, rolling his ankle. Sabonis' reckless closeout took away Tatum's landing space and he was given a Flagrant 1 foul for it.
Jayson Tatum went down in significant pain after this closeout by Domantas Sabonis.
— Zack Cox (@zm_cox) March 25, 2025
Flagrant 1 on Sabonis. pic.twitter.com/Cnh0QfcQyo
Tatum left the game not to return but left the arena that night without a boot or crutches, telling ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne his ankle was “just sore.” Still, with just 10 games left in the Celtics' regular season and the team essentially locked into the No. 2 seed, there is no reason to push him to return. Expect Boston to be cautious with his return and Tatum to get some nights off to rest his ankle down the stretch of the season.
After the game, Sabonis apologized for the closeout and injury.
Domantas Sabonis feels "horrible" for the play that injured Jayson Tatum in tonight's game pic.twitter.com/nXyQYYpjt0
— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) March 25, 2025
Boston went on to win the game comfortably, 113-95, and Tatum was still the leading scorer with 25 points, plus he dished out eight assists. Payton Pritchard had 22 points off the bench, and Kristaps Porzingis had 16 points and eight rebounds.
This was the Kings third loss in a row and they are now just half-a-game ahead of No. 10 seed Phoenix. Zach LaVine said after the game, "The vibe is not good."
Why Kerr anticipates ‘heated atmosphere' for Butler's Miami return
Why Kerr anticipates ‘heated atmosphere' for Butler's Miami return originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Jimmy Butler’s return to Miami might get a little … heated.
At least that’s what Warriors coach Steve Kerr anticipates for Golden State’s matchup against the Heat on Monday at Kaseya Center.
“I haven’t talked to him about it,” Kerr said Monday on 95.7 The Game’s “Willard and Dibs.” ” … Tomorrow will be a heated atmosphere, no pun intended. He was such an amazing player for this franchise and meant so much to the fans. I think it’ll be very emotional for him, for a lot of people.
“But Jimmy’s an incredible competitor. That’s the main thing I’ve learned about him. I know he’s going to go out there and compete like crazy and get through it fine. Hopefully, we can get back on track here.”
It will be Butler’s first trip to Miami since the blockbuster deal that brought the six-time NBA All-Star to Golden State at last month’s NBA trade deadline.
Despite Butler bringing the organization much success, including leading the team to the playoffs five times and two NBA Finals appearances, the last few months of his Heat tenure were filled with drama and nonstop headlines that led to his eventual departure.
Nonetheless, he’s made it clear that he has a lot of love for the fans and city — even from afar.
“We had a practice today and he’s been here the last couple of days,” Kerr said. “He’s got a lot of people here who he’s connecting with. I think he’s enjoying being back.”
At the end of the day, though, Butler is one of the most competitive guys in the league. And while he might be enjoying mingling and catching up with old friends, once tip-off begins at 4 p.m. PT Tuesday, his focus purely will be on basketball and getting a dub for the Warriors.
Tuesdays with Gorney: Ranking the biggest commitments from the weekend
Four-star offensive tackle Zyon Guiles committed to South Carolina on Friday, the biggest news of a busy weekend.
MLB predictions for 2025 playoff teams, World Series champs, MVP and more
How will things shake out during the 2025 MLB season?
Here are predictions from SNY staff and contributors for playoff teams, World Series matchups and winners, and the major awards...
Andy Martino, SNY MLB Insider
NL East champ: Mets
NL Central champ: Cubs
NL West champ: Dodgers
1st NL Wild Card: Braves
2nd NL Wild Card: Diamondbacks
3rd NL Wild Card: Phillies
AL East champ: Red Sox
AL Central champ: Royals
AL West champ: Rangers
1st AL Wild Card: Yankees
2nd AL Wild Card: Orioles
3rd AL Wild Card: Tigers
NLCS: Dodgers over Mets
ALCS: Red Sox over Yankees
World Series: Dodgers over Red Sox
NL MVP: Shohei Ohtani
AL MVP: Aaron Judge
NL Cy Young: Paul Skenes
AL Cy Young: Tarik Skubal
Todd Zeile, SNY Mets Analyst
NL East champ: Mets
NL Central champ: Brewers
NL West champ: Dodgers
1st NL Wild Card: Phillies
2nd NL Wild Card: Braves
3rd NL Wild Card: Padres
AL East champ: Yankees
AL Central champ: Royals
AL West champ: Astros
1st AL Wild Card: Blue Jays
2nd AL Wild Card: Guardians
3rd AL Wild Card: Red Sox
NLCS: Mets over Dodgers
ALCS: Red Sox over Yankees
World Series: Mets over Red Sox
NL MVP: Shohei Ohtani
AL MVP: Bobby Witt Jr.
NL Cy Young: Paul Skenes
AL Cy Young: Tarik Skubal
Jim Duquette, SNY Mets Analyst
NL East champ: Braves
NL Central champ: Cubs
NL West champ: Dodgers
1st NL Wild Card: Mets
2nd NL Wild Card: Diamondbacks
3rd NL Wild Card: Phillies
AL East champ: Yankees
AL Central champ: Guardians
AL West champ: Rangers
1st AL Wild Card: Orioles
2nd AL Wild Card: Astros
3rd AL Wild Card: Royals
NLCS: Dodgers over Mets
ALCS: Rangers over Orioles
World Series: Dodgers over Rangers
NL MVP: Juan Soto
AL MVP: Bobby Witt Jr.
NL Cy Young: Paul Skenes
AL Cy Young: Garrett Crochet
Terry Collins, SNY Mets Analyst
NL East champ: Mets
NL Central champ: Cubs
NL West champ: Dodgers
1st NL Wild Card: Phillies
2nd NL Wild Card: Padres
3rd NL Wild Card: Diamondbacks
AL East champ: Yankees
AL Central champ: Tigers
AL West champ: Rangers
1st AL Wild Card: Orioles
2nd AL Wild Card: Twins
3rd AL Wild Card: Astros
NLCS: Dodgers over Mets
ALCS: Orioles over Rangers
World Series: Dodgers over Orioles
NL MVP: Francisco Lindor
AL MVP: Gunnar Henderson
NL Cy Young: Zack Wheeler
AL Cy Young: Tarik Skubal
Sal Licata, BNNY Host
NL East champ: Mets
NL Central champ: Cubs
NL West champ: Padres
1st NL Wild Card: Dodgers
2nd NL Wild Card: Diamondbacks
3rd NL Wild Card: Braves
AL East champ: Red Sox
AL Central champ: Tigers
AL West champ: Mariners
1st AL Wild Card: Yankees
2nd AL Wild Card: Orioles
3rd AL Wild Card: Rangers
NLCS: Mets over Braves
ALCS: Red Sox over Yankees
World Series: Mets over Red Sox
NL MVP: Juan Soto
AL MVP: Rafael Devers
NL Cy Young: Paul Skenes
AL Cy Young: Logan Gilbert
John Harper, SNY Contributor
NL East champ: Phillies
NL Central champ: Reds
NL West champ: Dodgers
1st NL Wild Card: Braves
2nd NL Wild Card: Padres
3rd NL Wild Card: Mets
AL East champ: Red Sox
AL Central champ: Tigers
AL West champ: Rangers
1st AL Wild Card: Orioles
2nd AL Wild Card: Royals
3rd AL Wild Card: Yankees
NLCS: Dodgers over Mets
ALCS: Red Sox over Yankees
World Series: Dodgers over Red Sox
NL MVP: Shohei Ohtani
AL MVP: Gunnar Henderson
NL Cy Young: Paul Skenes
AL Cy Young: Jacob deGrom
Who will win the 2025 World Series?
— SNY (@SNYtv) March 25, 2025
Our staff makes their predictions 🔮 pic.twitter.com/YUAaNVsloC
Anthony McCarron, SNY Contributor
NL East champ: Phillies
NL Central champ: Reds
NL West champ: Dodgers
1st NL Wild Card: Braves
2nd NL Wild Card: Mets
3rd NL Wild Card: Diamondbacks
AL East champ: Red Sox
AL Central champ: Royals
AL West champ: Rangers
1st AL Wild Card: Orioles
2nd AL Wild Card: Yankees
3rd AL Wild Card: Tigers
NLCS: Dodgers over Mets
ALCS: Rangers over Yankees
World Series: Dodgers over Rangers
NL MVP: Corbin Carroll
AL MVP: Bobby Witt Jr.
NL Cy Young: Logan Webb
AL Cy Young: Garrett Crochet
Dani Wexelman, SNY Contributor
NL East champ: Phillies
NL Central champ: Reds
NL West champ: Dodgers
1st NL Wild Card: Braves
2nd NL Wild Card: Mets
3rd NL Wild Card: Diamondbacks
AL East champ: Red Sox
AL Central champ: Royals
AL West champ: Rangers
1st AL Wild Card: Yankees
2nd AL Wild Card: Tigers
3rd AL Wild Card: Orioles
NLCS: Dodgers over Braves
ALCS: Red Sox over Yankees
World Series: Red Sox over Dodgers
NL MVP: Francisco Lindor
AL MVP: Bobby Witt Jr.
NL Cy Young: Paul Skenes
AL Cy Young: Cole Ragans
Hannah Keyser, SNY Contributor
NL East champ: Braves
NL Central champ: Brewers
NL West champ: Dodgers
1st NL Wild Card: Diamondbacks
2nd NL Wild Card: Mets
3rd NL Wild Card: Phillies
AL East champ: Red Sox
AL Central champ: Royals
AL West champ: Rangers
1st AL Wild Card: Astros
2nd AL Wild Card: Yankees
3rd AL Wild Card: Orioles
NLCS: Phillies overDodgers
ALCS: Red Sox over Royals
World Series: Red Sox over Phillies
NL MVP: Shohei Ohtani
AL MVP: Wyatt Langford
NL Cy Young: Paul Skenes
AL Cy Young: Max Fried
Connor Rogers, The Mets Pod co-host
NL East champ: Phillies
NL Central champ: Brewers
NL West champ: Dodgers
1st NL Wild Card: Mets
2nd NL Wild Card: Braves
3rd NL Wild Card: Padres
AL East champ: Orioles
AL Central champ: Royals
AL West champ: Rangers
1st AL Wild Card: Guardians
2nd AL Wild Card: Mariners
3rd AL Wild Card: Yankees
NLCS: Dodgers over Mets
ALCS: Orioles over Rangers
World Series: Orioles over Dodgers
NL MVP: Kyle Tucker
AL MVP: Bobby Witt Jr.
NL Cy Young: Zack Wheeler
AL Cy Young: Garrett Crochet
Joe DeMayo, The Mets Pod co-host
NL East champ: Braves
NL Central champ: Cubs
NL West champ: Dodgers
1st NL Wild Card: Mets
2nd NL Wild Card: Phillies
3rd NL Wild Card: Padres
AL East champ: Yankees
AL Central champ: Guardians
AL West champ: Astros
1st AL Wild Card: Red Sox
2nd AL Wild Card: Royals
3rd AL Wild Card: Mariners
NLCS: Dodgers over Mets
ALCS: Red Sox over Yankees
World Series: Dodgers over Red Sox
NL MVP: Shohei Ohtani
AL MVP: Aaron Judge
NL Cy Young: Paul Skenes
AL Cy Young: Garrett Crochet
Danny Abriano, SNY Manager of Editorial Production
NL East champ: Braves
NL Central champ: Cubs
NL West champ: Dodgers
1st NL Wild Card: Mets
2nd NL Wild Card: Phillies
3rd NL Wild Card: Padres
AL East champ: Red Sox
AL Central champ: Tigers
AL West champ: Astros
1st AL Wild Card: Orioles
2nd AL Wild Card: Yankees
3rd AL Wild Card: Guardians
NLCS: Braves over Mets
ALCS: Red Sox over Tigers
World Series: Braves over Red Sox
NL MVP: Shohei Ohtani
AL MVP: Bobby Witt Jr.
NL Cy Young: Zack Wheeler
AL Cy Young: Tarik Skubal
Alex Smith, SNY Editorial Producer
NL East champ: Braves
NL Central champ: Cubs
NL West champ: Dodgers
1st NL Wild Card: Mets
2nd NL Wild Card: Padres
3rd NL Wild Card: Phillies
AL East champ: Orioles
AL Central champ: Royals
AL West champ: Rangers
1st AL Wild Card: Guardians
2nd AL Wild Card: Red Sox
3rd AL Wild Card: Yankees
NLCS: Braves over Dodgers
ALCS: Orioles over Red Sox
World Series: Orioles over Braves
NL MVP: Shohei Ohtani
AL MVP: Gunnar Henderson
NL Cy Young: Zack Wheeler
AL Cy Young: Garrett Crochet
Phillip Martinez, SNY Editorial Producer
NL East champ: Phillies
NL Central champ: Cubs
NL West champ: Dodgers
1st NL Wild Card: Braves
2nd NL Wild Card: Mets
3rd NL Wild Card: Diamondbacks
AL East champ: Yankees
AL Central champ: Guardians
AL West champ: Astros
1st AL Wild Card: Red Sox
2nd AL Wild Card: Orioles
3rd AL Wild Card: Royals
NLCS: Braves over Dodgers
ALCS: Yankees over Astros
World Series: Braves over Yankees
NL MVP: Mookie Betts
AL MVP: Bobby Witt Jr.
NL Cy Young: Paul Skenes
AL Cy Young: Tarik Skubal
Notable NHL Draft Comparisons Between Kyle Davidson and the Old Regime
Kyle Davidson has been the general manager in charge of three drafts for the Chicago Blackhawks and has done very well. We won't see a lot of the results just yet as prospects take time to develop, but it is still enough to compare what he has done in the draft with the old regime.
After being officially eliminated from playoff contention already this season, the Blackhawks have missed the playoffs in five consecutive seasons and seven out of the last eight. While the team did sneak into the play-in games in 2019-20, they were last in the division at that time too and wouldn't have qualified for the playoffs. So let's compare Davidson's three drafts to the five that came before him.
Davidson has drafted four players who have already played in the NHL including Kevin Korchinski, Frank Nazar, Connor Bedard, and Artyom Levshunov. The Blackhawks' top pick in each of the drafts have already debuted, so that is a good sign.
There are still four first-round picks yet to debut as well. These players are Sam Rinzel, Oliver Moore, Sacha Boisvert, and Marek Vanacker. Three of them are in the NCAA, so it's out of the Blackhawks' hands for the time being.
Beyond that, there have been more than a few prospects who have already made some noise like Roman Kantserov and Nick Lardis for starters. There are plenty of promising prospects after that as well, but until they all debut in the NHL or never do, it's hard to judge and compare against picks from the old regime who have had more than enough time to pan out or not.
There are 18 players from the previous five drafts (39 picks) that have at least played a game in the NHL and 10 who have played at least 50 games. The success of the draft picks are pretty good, but the quality isn't all that great.
The Blackhawks have turned some players into regular NHLers like Henri Jokiharju, Adam Boqvist (questionable), Philipp Kurashev, Kirby Dach, Alex Vlasic, and Lukas Reichel, but the quality isn't there at all.
Jokiharju is definitely an everyday NHLer and was playing a second or third pairing role for the Buffalo Sabres for a while. After that, Boqvist has jumped around teams and hasn't fit anywhere, Kurashev possibly played himself out of a regular NHL job after this season, Dach is a solid player, but hasn't come close to living up to third overall, Vlasic has been great and fortunately is still in Chicago, and Reichel both hasn't played up to standards and hasn't been given a good enough chance to since the beginning of 2023-24.
Former first rounder Nicolas Beaudin was a bust and a handful of young defensemen have been up and down between the NHL this season, such as Wyatt Kaiser, Louis Crevier, Nolan Allan, and Ethan Del Mastro.
I can commend the later picks that have hit or turned into someone who has potential from the old regime, but there's a reason why the rebuild is taking longer than the ideal situation. Give the Blackhawks a few years with what Davidson has done to really build the prospect pool and develop young players and this will be a great team for a long time.
Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game day coverage, player features, and more.
Five things that must go right for Giants to exceed 2025 expectations
Five things that must go right for Giants to exceed 2025 expectations originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO — The entrance to the home clubhouse at Oracle Park was remodeled in recent months, with new lights ringing the doors to provide a bit more ambience should the Giants choose to once again celebrate wins by turning the room into a nightclub. New carpeting was put in, and it extends all the way down to a food court behind home plate. The biggest change, though, is just inside the doors.
If you walked into the clubhouse a year ago, the first thing you saw on the right was the analysts’ office, along with a mural and a TV that mostly just showed still photos. The analysts have been moved elsewhere, and that wall now features a recessed case with three World Series trophies.
The messaging is as clear as it gets, and Buster Posey’s fingerprints are all over the changes, along with those trophies, of course.
It’s been over a decade, though, since the third one was acquired, and during that time period the Giants have made the postseason just twice. Outside of that clubhouse, the expectation is that things won’t be much better this season.
FanGraphs projects the Giants at 80 wins and in fourth place for a third straight season. PECOTA sees them at just 77 wins, well behind the Los Angeles Dodgers, Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres.
The Giants, of course, envision things differently. They were optimistic heading into camp and then posted the best record in baseball during the spring. They believe that will carry over, but a lot will have to go right for them to get back into the postseason for the first time since the president of baseball operations was the catcher.
Here are five that stand out if the Giants are to exceed expectations.
Just Like The Old Days
Early last spring, Alex Cobb looked around the clubhouse at Scottsdale Stadium and said he felt the Giants could have one of the best rotations in baseball. At the deadline, Farhan Zaidi infamously insisted the group could be the best in baseball down the stretch. Both times, it was easy to see why there was so much faith.
In February, Cobb was well ahead of schedule from his rehab, and the hope was that he would soon join Logan Webb and Blake Snell atop the rotation. Months later, Cobb was sent to Cleveland, but Zaidi watched Robbie Ray dominate the Dodgers in his return from Tommy John, and Snell was throwing better than anyone in baseball. Kyle Harrison and Hayden Birdsong had shown flashes, too.
The confidence wasn’t totally misplaced, but the 2024 Giants ended up finishing 18th in ERA, fifth in FIP and 29th in innings pitched. At times, it was a very good group, but at times, it seemed like the rotation went two-deep. This season, you can expect some similar proclamations about how good this rotation might be, and to stay in contention, the starters need to actually live up to the hype.
The Giants believe they will have one of the best rotations in baseball. Webb is followed by Ray — who looked like the Cy Young-winning version this spring — and Justin Verlander, who is healthy and confident he will turn back the clock. He won’t contend for a fourth Cy Young, but all spring he looked like someone capable of matching his 3.22 ERA in 27 starts from 2023. Jordan Hicks gave the Giants two good months last year before running out of gas, and he bulked up over the winter.
Landen Roupp won the final spot with an outstanding spring, and Birdsong will get his shot, too. Harrison’s velocity returned late in camp, a positive sign.
If you open the season with Birdsong and Harrison as your sixth and seventh starters, you’re in better shape than most of baseball. Keaton Winn, the Carsons, Mason Black and others will provide enough depth that the word “opener” likely won’t be said all year.
On paper, the rotation has a ton of potential, but it can’t just be about hypotheticals. This needs to be a top-three rotation in the NL in terms of results if the Giants are going to get back to October.
Win The Coin Flips
The Giants finished 24-24 in one-run games last year, which generally fit the vibe of their season. They were three games over .500 at home and five games under on the road. They were exactly .500 in interleague play and they were 26-26 against the other four teams in the NL West.
The easiest way to improve those overall numbers would be to flip that first category, and they have a key roster component. Close games are won or lost by bullpens, and they could have one of the best late-game trios in baseball. Ryan Walker was dominant last year, Tyler Rogers is as consistent as it gets, and Camilo Doval looked this spring like the pitcher who made the All-Star team, not the one who was optioned back to Triple-A.
There’s plenty of right-handed depth, although this could all go off the rails if Erik Miller, the only lefty in the bullpen, misses any time. At the moment, Miller is set to mix in with the top three to get Bob Melvin through the final three to four innings in every close game.
Melvin knows better than anyone how important it is to win the coin flips. His Padres were a massive disappointment in 2023 in large part because they went 2-12 in extra innings and 9-23 in one-run games.
“We want to be that team that — if we’re in the game and it’s close at the end — we want to be able to scratch across that run,” Melvin said. “Our starters get us through ‘x’ amount of innings, we have some veterans at the top of (the rotation), and then the bullpen holds it there. That’s been successful in our ballpark.”
Situational Success
The RBI is back, or at least that’s the plan. Posey and Melvin talk openly about “RBI guys,” and they got one of the best in the NL in Willy Adames. He’s comfortable in big spots, and the hope is that he can come close to matching last season’s 112 RBI, which was 34 more than anyone in orange and black.
Adames can’t be alone, though. The Giants spent all spring working on situational hitting, with hitting coach Pat Burrell taking the lead. BP sessions were filled with Burrell shouting out hypothetical situations and encouraging hitters to try and hit an RBI single to center, or pull a three-run double down the line. Before camp started, the staff had Zoom calls to discuss situational hitting, and it will be an emphasis in the minors, too. Melvin talks often of the need for runs with two outs.
“That’s kind of the backbreaker,” he said. “A pitcher is on the mound, he’s got a couple of guys on, two outs, you can get out of the inning, and now all of a sudden (there’s) a run. Those are things that have an effect on guys mentally as the game goes along.”
The Giants ranked 24th in the majors last year in two-out RBI and 29th in OPS with two outs. They hit .234 with runners in scoring position. Far too often, they took big cuts and struck out when a well-placed ball would have tied a game.
All spring, they kept the line moving, and it wasn’t just Adames and the veterans. Melvin was especially encouraged by the development he saw in the team’s younger hitters, and he’s hopeful that it carries over. A bit of small ball would go a long way.
Who Is This Year’s Ramos?
Heliot Ramos was optioned to the minors early last March. By May, he was carrying the lineup.
There’s no guarantee that anyone will replicate that leap, and there’s certainly no chance that anyone turns into Barry Bonds for a couple of weeks as Tyler Fitzgerald briefly did, but the last week of camp was a reminder that the Giants need a couple of young hitters to take the next step. All spring, team officials and rival scouts quietly said the same thing: The bullpen looks good, the rotation is deep, the defense is much improved, the clubhouse vibes are strong … but man, that lineup is a couple of injuries away from becoming a serious issue.
Jung Hoo Lee’s back flared up late in camp, and Jerar Encarnacion suffered a fractured hand that will cost him at least a month. The door is wide open for a Luis Matos breakout, and he followed a good winter with a strong spring. Grant McCray will get an extended look if Lee ever misses time, and he has made strides with his approach. There’s infield depth with Casey Schmitt, Brett Wisely and Christian Koss, and top prospect Bryce Eldridge is on the way and should debut in the second half.
The Giants don’t need someone to follow Ramos and make the All-Star team, but they do need one or two young hitters to step up after a quiet offseason.
A Little Help, Please
The Diamondbacks won 89 games last year and didn’t get a Wild Card spot, but a year earlier they snuck in with 84 wins and reached the World Series. The Miami Marlins also got in with 84 wins in 2023, but outside of those two, the minimum to crack the National League field under this new format has been 87 wins. The path gets a lot easier if the sixth seed only needs a win total in the mid-eighties, but that seems unlikely given the depth of the NL this season.
PECOTA has three NL East teams (Atlanta, Philadelphia, New York) and three NL West teams (Los Angeles, Arizona, San Diego) at 86-plus wins. FanGraphs isn’t high on the Padres, but otherwise sees five teams in the East and West being well ahead of the Giants.
The Giants have finished above .500 just once since 2016 (hilariously, they won 107 games in that outlier season) and will need to go well above to stick in the Wild Card race. They’ll need some help, too, either from the Padres or Diamondbacks, or one of the three contenders out East — and ideally, they would see multiple preseason favorites fail to live up to expectations.
An optimist could make the case for 86 or 87 wins if a lot of things click. It’s a lot more difficult to see how the Giants can make the leap to the 90-win range, but that might be required.
MLB Franchise Valuations Ranking List: From Yankees to Marlins
The average MLB team is worth $2.82 billion, according to data compiled by Sportico. The New York Yankees rank first at $8.3 billion, while the Miami Marlins rank last at $1.3 billion. Below are the values of the league’s 30 franchises, whose collective worth is $84.5 billion.
To derive the market value of the 30 MLB franchises, Sportico calculated each team’s revenue relying on publicly available information and financial records—and interviews with those knowledgeable of team finances, including sports bankers and attorneys who actively work on MLB transactions. We traded candor for anonymity. This information was vetted by multiple team or parent company CEOs, presidents, chief financial officers and media relations personnel, as well as industry experts and investors. Below are definitions of some major metrics:
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Total Value: The sum of the enterprise market value of an MLB franchise combined with the equity value of team-related businesses and real estate holdings.
Team Value: MLB franchise valuation, derived from metrics by which baseball team transactions occur, including aggregating local and national revenues and factoring in a team-specific multiplier. This represents the fair-market value of the team itself, excluding related businesses held by its owners. It includes the value of each franchise’s 3.3% interest in MLB Advanced Media, the league’s digital arm, which is acquired/dispossessed in tandem with the sale of a team, as well as its 3.3% interest in the league’s investment arm, Baseball Endowment L.P. (BELP).
Team-Related Businesses and Real Estate Holdings: The value of a franchise or franchise owner’s equity in team-related businesses—that is, both those on the team’s balance sheet and held in distinct corporate entities—as well as government-assessed real estate related to venue, practice facilities and adjacent developments. Examples include the Boston Red Sox parent entity’s 80% interest in the New England Sports Network (NESN), holdings through the Atlanta Braves’ six subsidiaries of all or a portion of 31 parcels of land adjacent to their ballpark, and minor league teams owned by the Houston Astros and Philadelphia Phillies.
Teams’ stakes in regional sports networks are included in the related business category. Historically, those equity stakes held significant value, but they have declined significantly in recent years as cash flows have deteriorated. Sportico only assigned value to the equity stakes in a handful of RSNs, including ones owned by the Red Sox, Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees.
For franchises that do not own their stadia, the value of a team’s lease—often with advantageous terms negotiated with municipal or state authorities—is captured in the Team Value category.
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MLB Team Values 2025: Yankees, Dodgers Worth Combined $16 Billion
Thirteen years ago, Mark Walter led a group that paid $2.15 billion for the Los Angeles Dodgers. The price raised eyebrows across the sports landscape, as it was twice as much as anyone had ever spent on a North American franchise, and the club had filed for bankruptcy the previous year.
No one doubts the deal now.
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Walter, CEO Stan Kasten and baseball operations president Andrew Friedman have built a juggernaut on and off the field. The on-field resume includes 11 division titles in 12 years, plus two World Series wins. Off the field, the Dodgers’ gross revenue before revenue-sharing is estimated at $1 billion, a threshold previously only hit by the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys and LaLiga giants Real Madrid and Barcelona.
The Dodgers are now worth $7.73 billion, including their real estate and related businesses. It marks a 23% jump over last year. The club closed the gap with the New York Yankees ($8.39 billion) and ranks seventh among franchises in all sports. The $1.43 billion year-over-year value increase is greater than the total value of four MLB teams, with the Miami Marlins ranked 30th at $1.3 billion.
The Yankees’ value only trails the Dallas Cowboys ($10.32 billion) and Golden State Warriors ($9.14 billion).
The average MLB team is worth $2.82 billion, up 7% based on conversations with team executives, as well as bankers, lawyers and investors familiar with team transactions. Rounding out the top five are the Boston Red Sox ($6.03 billion), Chicago Cubs ($5.69 billion) and San Francisco Giants ($4.2 billion). These estimates are based on a “control” transaction with a new owner taking over—limited partner transactions, such as Sixth Street’s recent investment in the Giants for less than $4 billion, typically carry an LP discount.
Click for a ranking of all 30 teams or a data visualization comparing the teams.
MLB Economics
The Dodgers had high expectations when they signed Shohei Ohtani in free agency in December 2023 to a then-record 10-year, $700 million contract, but Year 1 of Ohtani in Dodger blue was a grand slam for both the team and the Japanese star, who is set to earn an estimated $100 million this year from endorsements, 10x the pre-Ohtani MLB record.
The Dodgers added a steady stream of new sponsor deals during the 2024 season, including Japanese brands All Nippon Airways, Daiso, Kosé, Kowa, Toyo Tires and Yakult. SponsorUnited estimated it meant $70 million in incremental sponsor revenue. The Dodgers would not comment on their financial results.
On the ticketing side, the Dodgers perennially lead baseball in attendance, but their pricing has kept them from the No. 1 slot in baseball’s gate revenue rankings, which typically have the Yankees on top. But last season, the Dodgers took the crown at $4.29 million per regular season home game, based on figures from MLB’s internal gate report shared with Sportico by a non-Dodgers team. The Yankees ($4.11 million), Cubs ($3.25 million), Red Sox ($2.93 million) and Houston Astros ($2.69 million) were next up. Meanwhile, teams at the bottom of the financial table are generating $500,000 per game, including premium seating.
The Dodgers’ biggest financial engine predates Ohtani. In 2013, the Dodgers signed a 25-year, $8.35 billion TV contract with what is now Spectrum. The deal highlights the sport’s revenue disparity even more starkly, with recent challenges in the regional sports network market causing many teams to take a haircut on their rights agreements or lose their deals completely.
Baseball’s new rules implemented in 2023 that shortened games and created more action have had their desired effect. Last year, MLB attendance rose again and hit 71.35 million, up 11% versus 2022. TV viewership had double-digit percentage growth among young adults and streaming viewership smashed its previous high. Teams are monetizing their stadiums more than ever with premium seating and non-MLB events. The Toronto Blue Jays hosted six Taylor Swift shows at the Rogers Centre last year, and their 2025 calendar includes Billy Joel, Metallica, Morgan Wallen, Post Malone and The Weeknd.
But the business momentum doesn’t paper over the major challenges facing the sport, which are intertwined with revenue disparity, media distribution and looming labor negotiations. The challenges have even big-market teams calling for change to the sport’s business model and pointing to the Dodgers’ economic might and bankroll of New York Mets owner Steve Cohen, who just landed baseball’s biggest free-agent prize—Juan Soto for $765 million—and is by far baseball’s richest owner with a net worth of $21.3 billion, according to Forbes.
The issues are causing a drag on MLB franchise value growth. The average club rose just 28% from Sportico’s first MLB valuations in 2021, while the least-valuable club rose 16% during that time. For comparison, the NBA “get-in” price is up 127% and the NFL’s is up 122%. The NHL had the greatest growth among its clubs at the bottom, up 159%.
Since 2022, three MLB clubs hired investment banks to conduct team sale auctions. The Los Angeles Angels and Washington Nationals pulled their clubs off the market, and the sale process for the Minnesota Twins that launched in October has been muted, according to most baseball insiders. The only completed control sale since Cohen’s 2020 Mets purchase was David Rubenstein’s deal for the Baltimore Orioles last year for $1.73 billion. Several big-market teams, including the Cubs, Giants and Philadelphia Phillies, have sold LP stakes at multibillion-dollar valuations.
Bankers and investors traditionally use revenue multiples to value sports teams, and MLB multiples continue to fall further behind the rest of the Big Five U.S. leagues with the NBA (11.9), MLS (9.4), NFL (9.3) and NHL (7.7) all ahead of MLB (6.6). MLB is the only one of those leagues without a salary cap.
The Boston Celtics’ $6.1 billion price tag is 13 times its 2023-24 total revenue and 16 times if you strip out playoff revenue.
What’s Next
Baseball’s 30 teams generated an estimated $12.75 billion in revenue last year, including revenue from non-MLB events at stadiums where teams own and/or operate the buildings. The $425 million average per team includes $106 million in gross revenue from MLB central revenue via leaguewide media, sponsorship and merchandise. Some teams show net revenue on their books after deductions for player benefits and leaguewide expenses, but gross league revenue is how most bankers present teams when up for sale and provides an apples-to-apples comparison to Sportico’s other sports team valuations.
Final calculations are still being made regarding revenue sharing, but roughly $550 million is expected to transfer from high-revenue to low-revenue clubs for 2024. The Dodgers’ final revenue-sharing bill will be around $150 million, shattering the previous record. The Red Sox kicked in roughly $70 million to the pot, and the Yankees’ bill was a tick higher.
The Dodgers also paid $103 million in luxury tax penalties for its high payroll. Nine teams paid a total tax of $311 million last year, and half of that goes toward the commissioner’s discretionary fund and is redistributed to teams that receive revenue sharing. The double whammy to these clubs meant significant operating losses for the Mets, Phillies and Giants, while most lower revenue clubs were cash-flow positive.
“The system they want to alter and change is because of the Dodgers,” leading baseball agent Scott Boras said in a phone interview. “No. They should want more teams to be like the Dodgers, and so don’t change the system, promote ownership to do what they do.”
Replicating the Dodgers’ model is not an option unless you have a bulletproof media deal, a 13-million-person metro area and the unquestioned biggest star in the sport. But baseball owners and the league office are mapping out the parameters of a new economic model for MLB that will be a delicate negotiation between the players union, big-market teams and small-market ones. The current CBA expires after the 2026 season, and the players union expects a lockout, as owners appear more unified than ever in pushing through a salary cap. MLBPA executive director Tony Clark reminded reporters last month, “No. We haven’t agreed to that in 50, 60 years.”
“There are ways of addressing the system that aren’t salary or cap related or require the restrictions of player salaries as the answer to every one of these questions,” Clark said.
Baseball leadership envisions a system where the league controls more game inventory to sell to media partners with wider distribution of games, versus the legacy model where RSNs restricted broadcasts outside of the local market. Most of the current national deals run through the 2028 season, and commissioner Rob Manfred hopes to package the streaming rights of as many teams as possible with domestic and international media rights for 2029.
Last year, MLB generated just over $4 billion in TV revenue, with local rights representing an estimated 53% of the total. Local TV revenue dipped slightly but was higher than the league expected when Diamond Sports Group, which held the rights to 14 MLB teams, filed for bankruptcy in March 2023.
For comparison, the NBA’s new national deals alone are worth $7 billion per year, and the NFL’s are more than $12 billion on average. The carrot for the big-market MLB teams to relinquish more local programming is a smaller revenue-sharing bill.
Diamond has been rebranded as Main Street Sports and retains rights to nine teams. Most of those teams had to take a haircut on their rights. An exception was the Atlanta Braves, which were Diamond’s most profitable MLB team on Bally Sports Sports Southeast, and received a rights fee bump on what is now FanDuel Sports Network Southeast. Seaport Research Partners analyst David Joyce expects local media rights for the Braves to rise 4.5% to $112 million in 2025.
“The business model is really not entirely in sync with the direction consumption is moving, but MLB has a great product and premium tonnage with six months of the calendar and 2,430 games,” Chris Bevilacqua, Rothschild & Co. media advisor, said in a phone interview. Bevilacqua sees this inventory and global streaming opportunity as real strategic advantages. “I do think they’ll figure it out,” he added, “but it will take a few years to pull this together.”
The international market is a key component for MLB to generate greater leaguewide revenue. The first game of the Tokyo Series between the Dodgers and Cubs averaged more than 25 million viewers in Japan—Game 2 topped 23 million. Merchandise sales were 320% higher than the previous record MLB international event. There were 23 sponsors for the series, with revenue 240% higher than the previous year’s Seoul Series.
The international revenue largely all flows through the league office and will help produce larger central revenue checks, which proportionally benefit the lower revenue teams.
While baseball sorts through its biggest leaguewide issues, it has likely found a solution for one of its problem franchises for the past decade. The Athletics, no longer known as the Oakland Athletics, kick off their first of three seasons in the Sacramento River Cats’ minor league stadium. The A’s made an estimated $276 million in revenue last year, including their league check and revenue-sharing. The team is expected to generate between $330 million and $340 million this year despite playing in a 14,000-person capacity stadium. Season tickets sold out with a waiting list established for 2026.
The A’s long-term health will be determined by their move to Las Vegas. Their $1.75 billion new stadium on the Las Vegas Strip is projected to open in 2028. Based on MLB’s current economic model, the club expects revenue to be around $550 million annually in its future Vegas home, which would have ranked fifth last year among MLB teams.
The A’s current value is $1.57 billion, up 15%, the second-biggest increase since 2024 behind the Dodgers, and it should continue to rise as the stadium opening nears.
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