Mets vs. Phillies: How to watch on SNY on April 22, 2025

The Mets continue a three-game series with the Phillies at Citi Field on Tuesday at 7:10 p.m. on SNY.

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


Mets Notes

  • The Mets' team ERA of 2.43 is the lowest in baseball
  • Francisco Lindor has nine hits in his last 21 at-bats, including four home runs. His OPS is up to .840
  • Pete Alonso has a .695 slugging percentage and is on pace to finish the season with 42 home runs
  • Luisangel Acuña has 12 hits in his last 31 at-bats

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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. 
  • Link your provider credentials with a new or existing MLB.com account. 
  • Log in using your MLB.com credentials to watch Mets games on SNY. 

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.  

  • 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

2 Former Blackhawks Play Hero On Incredible Night Of Playoff Hockey

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The Chicago Blackhawks didn’t qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2024-25. For most of the season,  they were one of the worst teams in the league. However, that doesn’t mean that people can’t enjoy a few familiar faces while watching. 

There were four brilliant games on Tuesday night. All of them ended up being one goal games with thrilling finishes. The two early matchups ended with stars like Kyle Connor and Alexander Ovechkin playing the role of “hero”. 

The two later games, however, had a couple of unlikely winners. Two former Chicago Blackhawks scored game-winning goals when their teams needed it the most. 

The Edmonton Oilers, who were down 4-0 at one point to the Los Angeles Kings, tied it up at 5 late in regulation thanks to the brilliance of Connor McDavid. At 19:18 of the third period, however, former Blackhawk Phillip Danault scored his second of the game to win the match for the Kings. 

Danault is a great defensive forward, but he isn’t relied on for much offense. On this night, he came up big when his team seemed broken following an Oilers comeback. 

The finish between the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche was even more unlikely. Instead of finding a winner in regulation, this one went to overtime. 

The man with the least amount of ice time on either side, Colin Blackwell, scored in overtime to win the game for the Stars. Of course, like Danault, Blackwell is a former Blackhawk who played the role of hero late on playoff day 3. 

Blackwell doesn't have a defined role on the team in the way that Danault does, but neither of them are the guys that come to mind when you think "Stanley Cup Playoff winning goal". 

Two former Blackhawks finished off a wonderful night of postseason hockey in the NHL. There are plenty more exhilarating moments ahead. Maybe a few more former Blackhawks will make a difference.

A few teams in the playoffs this year resemble what Chicago may look like in the coming years, giving hope to the fanbase. This tournament is a treat for all on a nightly basis. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

Mazzulla explains viral Tatum injury exchange with one-word answer

Mazzulla explains viral Tatum injury exchange with one-word answer originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The health of Jayson Tatum is an obvious storyline after the Boston Celtics star needed an X-ray on his right wrist following a hard fall in Game 1 of the team’s first-round playoff matchup with the Orlando Magic on Sunday.

But head coach Joe Mazzulla also inserted himself into the discussion with his reaction to Tatum’s injury.

As Tatum writhed on the TD Garden parquet in pain after Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s hard foul, cameras caught Mazzulla telling one of Boston’s trainers not to go on the court to check on the Celtics star before barking, “Get up!” in Tatum’s direction.

It’s not often you see an NBA head coach yell at his star player to get up after an apparent injury. So, what message was Mazzulla trying to send in that moment?

“Love,” Mazzulla responded Tuesday at Boston’s shootaround.

That’s an odd answer on its face, but it’s on-brand for Mazzulla, who often implores his players to embrace setbacks and adversity. When a hard foul from the Miami Heat’s Caleb Martin gave Tatum an injury scare in the first round of the 2024 playoffs, for example, Mazzulla said he was “excited about the whole situation” and “enjoyed watching it.”

Celtics big man Al Horford offered a helpful translation of Mazzulla’s message Tuesday.

“Our team has taken after Joe and the way that he is,” Horford told reporters. “We want to play hard; we want to compete, That’s the mindset that we carry. Joe is competitive — just as competitive as we are.”

As for Tatum’s status, Mazzulla said the All-Star forward was “able to do some stuff” at Tuesday’s practice and is currently considered “day-to-day.”

“He was sore after the game; he’s gotten a little bit better today,” Mazzulla said. “He was able to go through some on-court work and we’ll go from there.”

Tatum stayed in the game Sunday after his injury, so it’d be surprising if he didn’t suit up Wednesday for Game 2. But it’s worth monitoring whether the ailment impacts his shot going forward.

NBC Sports Boston’s coverage of Game 2 begins Wednesday at 6 p.m. ET with Celtics Pregame Live ahead of tip-off at 7 p.m. ET with Drew Carter and Brian Scalabrine on the call.

ICYMI in Mets Land: David Stearns discusses center field plan; key injury updates

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


Burnley rise again but will Parker’s battlers buck trend of recent history? | Will Unwin

The Premier League-bound Clarets and their manager have no shortage of motivation heading into next season

If the opening night was anything to go by, it looked as if Burnley’s return to the Premier League at the first time of asking was inevitable. It was Scott Parker’s first game in charge, a tricky trip to Luton, who had dropped down with the Clarets. One team had enjoyed a summer of continuity whereas everything had changed at Turf Moor but it was Burnley who left with a dominant 4-1 victory.

That warm night at Kenilworth Road was not indicative of what was to come. By the end of the month, three of the goalscorers had left – 12 first-team players departed in total in August – forcing Parker to almost reset after the campaign had started, but it helped mould his squad into his vision for a promotion push. It would not be done with the flair and style with which Vincent Kompany et al accrued 101 points and 87 goals to win the title two years ago but, with the potential to reach a century, the result could be the same.

Continue reading...

Undersized Pritchard does all the big-boy stuff for Celtics

Undersized Pritchard does all the big-boy stuff for Celtics originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Payton Pritchard should win NBA Sixth Man of the Year on Tuesday night, and the highlight package to announce the honor will invariably show a barrage of his 3-point shots. 

That’s understandable. Part of the reason that Pritchard will be collecting the John Havlicek Trophy and etching a new chapter in Boston’s storied history of sixth men is because he piled up an NBA record 246 3-pointers off the bench this season.

But while those triples — especially the thrilling half-court buzzer beaters — get much of the attention, the most remarkable thing about Pritchard might just be all the big-guy stuff this little guy does.

At 6-foot-1, Pritchard is the shortest player on Boston’s roster — by three inches before fellow 6-foot-1 guard J.D. Davison got the late-season call up — and is routinely the smallest player on the floor during his court time. And yet Pritchard has become one of the best undersized finishers in the league around the basket, and he piles up offensive rebounds at a rate that would make most 7-footers blush.

Pritchard shot a career-best 75.4 percent at the rim this season, connecting on 98 of 130 shot attempts near the basket. Of the 105 guards with at least 100-plus attempts at the rim, the only pure guard who finished with a higher efficiency was Golden State’s 6-foot-2 Gary Payton II (79.4 percent). 

Pritchard’s ability to create space around the basket is uncanny and showcases his incredible feel for the game. In Sunday’s Game 1 against the Magic, he blew past Orlando big man Wendell Carter Jr., who pursued from behind. With Paolo Banchero lingering near the rim, Pritchard sensed the sliver of space available and went up quick with a layup between both players. 

More often, Pritchard will generate a one-on-one matchup with a guard and use a little forearm shove to create just enough space to finish at the rim. After shooting 56.9 percent at the rim in his first three seasons in the NBA, Pritchard is now at 74.6 percent at the rim over the past two seasons.

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“I think it’s just the understanding of like when it’s a 1-on-1 coverage,” Pritchard says. “If it’s two on the ball at the rim, then I got to kick it out.

“But I’ve gotten good at the point where, if it’s just 1-on-1, me and another defender down there, then I’ve figured out angles and how to use my body to get enough separation to get it up quickly. So just from a lot of practice and work, foot work and stuff down there.”

That footwork tied Orlando’s Cole Anthony in a pretzel during the first half of Sunday’s Game 1. After spinning to the free throw line on a second-quarter drive, Pritchard tried to create space with a little forearm shove, but Anthony stuck close and immediately left his feet to contest. Pritchard patiently stayed on two feet and instead stepped through the contest for an easy left-handed layup before Carter Jr. could arrive with help. 

Pritchard has become masterful at creating space around the basket, particularly with those quick bumps to a backpedaling defender. 

“It’s like a rib shot,” said Pritchard. “[Defenders are] not going to necessarily take a charge down there. So give a little bump and all you need is a little separation.”

When he’s not scoring amongst the trees, Pritchard has an uncanny knack for tracking down misses in the same forest. Pritchard posted a career-best mark in offensive rebound percentage this season while corralling 4.2 percent of his team’s total misses. 

For the second straight season, Boston’s offensive rebound rate spiked with Pritchard on the court.

Boston’s rate was 5.3 percent higher in Pritchard’s minutes, ranking in the 93rd percentile for differential among all NBA players, per Cleaning the Glass tracking. Only Luke Kornet (190) totaled more offensive rebounds on the Celtics’ roster this season. 

The more eye-popping number is when you look at his offensive rebound totals compared to other guards. 

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All of Pritchard’s numbers this season tend to jump off the page. His 1,079 bench points led the NBA, and he’s only the fourth Celtics player in team history to reach that 1,000-point plateau off the bench, joining Kevin McHale (three times), Ricky Davis, and Malcolm Brogdon.

Pritchard had 23 games with 20-plus bench points (best in the NBA), and his 22 games with five-plus 3-pointers were a franchise record (and second in NBA history behind only Detroit’s Malik Beasley). 

Pritchard finished with 255 total 3-pointers, the second-highest total in team history, trailing only Derrick White, who hit 265 this season.

The 3s are nice and ultimately will be what everyone fixates on. But the big-guy things that Pritchard does are the real reasons why he’s the best bench boost in the league.

Thunder star throws subtle shade at Draymond for DPOY nomination

Thunder star throws subtle shade at Draymond for DPOY nomination originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Lu Dort is not one of the three finalists for this year’s NBA Defensive Player of the Year award, and his teammates immediately came to his defense — by throwing a shot at Warriors forward Draymond Green.

Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein was asked Monday what he thinks voters missed by leaving Dort off the finalist list, to which he offered a sarcastic suggestion.

“I might need to get a podcast with Lu,” Hartenstein said (h/t OKC Thunder Wire’s Clemente Almanza). “I don’t know. Maybe that. If you’ve watched him all year, he’s been great. The finalists are great defenders, but watching Lu do what he does on a nightly basis, I think that’s what people don’t see with the stats that don’t show.

“He’s been great all year. To me, he’s Defensive Player of the Year.”

Green, of course, has his well-known podcast, “The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis,” which launched in 2021. He originally was ridiculed for hosting a podcast while the NBA season was ongoing, but the criticism died down after Green helped the Warriors win their fourth title in 2022.

Green now is vying for his second career DPOY nod after averaging 1.5 steals and 1.0 blocks while finishing with a 108.8 defensive rating in 68 games this season.

Atlanta Hawks wing Dyson Daniels and Cleveland Cavaliers center Evan Mobley join Green as DPOY finalists.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

Blue Jays at Astros Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for April 22

Its Tuesday, April 22 and the Blue Jays (12-11) are in Houston to take on the Astros (11-11).

Chris Bassitt is slated to take the mound for Toronto against Ronel Blanco for Houston.

The Astros clawed their way back to a .500 record with a 7-0 win last night in the series opener. Hunter Brown's early season case for the Cy Young remains strong as he threw seven shutout innings allowing just two hits while striking out nine Jays. The bottom three hitters in Houston's lineup went a combined 5-10 with three RBIs to pace the attack.

Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Blue Jays at Astros

  • Date: Tuesday, April 22, 2025
  • Time: 8:10PM EST
  • Site: Minute Maid Park
  • City: Houston, TX
  • Network/Streaming: SN1, SCHN

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Blue Jays at the Astros

The latest odds as of Tuesday:

  • Moneyline: Blue Jays (-105), Astros (-114)
  • Spread:  Astros 1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Blue Jays at Astros

  • Pitching matchup for April 22, 2025: Chris Bassitt vs. Ronel Blanco
    • Blue Jays: Chris Bassitt (2-0, 0.77 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/16 vs. Atlanta - 5IP, 0ER, 3H, 2BB, 10Ks
    • Astros: Ronel Blanco (1-2, 6.48 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/16 at St. Louis - 5IP, 3ER, 5H, 3BB, 1K

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Blue Jays at Astros

  • Isaac Paredes is 3-24 (.125) over his last 7 games
  • Vlad Guerrero Jr. is 6-17 (.353) over his last 5 games
  • The Under has cashed in the Astros' last 3 games
  • The Blue Jays have covered in 4 of their last 5 road games and are profiting 1.12 units

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Blue Jays and the Astros

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Tuesday's game between the Blue Jays and the Astros:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Houston Astros on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Toronto Blue Jays at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

Norwich sack head coach Thorup and place Wilshere in interim charge

  • Canaries missed out on playoff spot in Championship
  • A 3-1 defeat at Millwall marks Thorup’s final match

Jack Wilshere will take charge of Norwich’s final two games of the season after the Canaries parted company with Johannes Hoff Thorup.

Norwich have slipped to 14th in the Championship after winning only twice in 14 matches, with their 3-1 Easter Monday defeat at Millwall being their fourth loss in five games. Thorup was appointed head coach on a three-year deal last May and the Dane leaves alongside his assistant Glen Riddersholm.

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Canadiens: Tougher Kids To Skate With

Apr 21, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) celebrates after scoring the game-winning goal in overtime against the Montreal Canadiens in game one of the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Capital One Arena. Photo credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

For the first time in four years, the Montreal Canadiens played some playoff hockey on Monday night when they took on the Eastern Conference champions, the Washington Capitals. It was also the first playoff game for coach Martin St-Louis as a bench boss and goaltender Samuel Montembeault, one of seven Canadiens making their post-season debut.

In Hainsight: Is St-Louis Making A Mistake Scratching Xhekaj?
Canadiens Hoping To Steal Home Ice Advantage
Carbery is Old School Regarding Goaltending

La Presse’s Guillaume Lefrançois reported that on Sunday, the Caps players had a skate around with their kids after practice. By the end of Monday night’s game, they must have felt St-Louis’ kids were tougher to skate with. The Habs were the second youngest team in the league this season and the youngest in the post-season, so a bit of early jitters was understandable, unlike what we’ve seen in the last few weeks, the Canadiens were ready to go when the puck dropped, even though they didn't have the same intensity they had by the end of the game, they weren't "sleepskating".  

Monteambeault Shone Brightly

While a possible Canadiens’ win in this series is likely to come from the attack, goaltender Samuel Montembeault was everywhere in his playoff debut, facing numerous dangerous shots, especially in the opening frame.

His puck tracking was on point, his positioning was great, and he was undoubtedly the Habs’ best player in the first frame. Without him, Washington would have been ahead by much more than a single goal when the first frame ended. Ultimately, he made 29 saves on 32 shots for a .906 save percentage.

The Big Bad Caps

Physical hockey is expected in the playoffs, and the Caps were ready to throw their bodies around. Tom Wilson had no qualms about his feet leaving the ice as he finished his checks, and captain Alexander Ovechkin looked like a bulldozer out there. After 40 minutes, the Great Eight had seven hits, more than anyone on either side.

The game had only just started when Brendan Gallagher was cross-checked in the face after the whistle, a play that went uncalled and wasn’t much different from the play on which Matt Niskanen broke the Canadiens’ warrior’s jaw back in the 2020 playoffs.

I couldn’t help but think of Arber Xhekaj, who was watching the game from the press box and probably thinking he would love to be down there. I’ve expressed concern about St-Louis’ decision not to dress him on Monday, and I stand by what I wrote.

There’s this scene in HBO’s masterpiece The Sopranos where Uncle Junior tells Tony Soprano, “Next time you come in, you come in heavy or not at all.” Tonight’s game felt like a similar warning. The question is, however, will it have been heard? I’m not suggesting St-Louis “turns up packing” at the next game, but he does have a 240-pound heavyweight in the press gallery.

It's worth mentioning, however, that just like in the regular season, Emil Heineman once again played like a madman, leading the Habs with six hits, followed by Josh Anderson and Kaiden Guhle with four. Even Patrik Laine got in on the action, landing three.

Experience Must Show

The moment was big for the Canadiens. As St-Louis said in his pre-game media availability, just because they exceeded expectations by making the playoffs doesn’t mean they’ll settle for a participation ribbon. On Saturday, Josh Anderson explained he doesn’t feel like the Habs are playing with house money; they are in to win it, but if they want to do that, they’ll need their experienced players to be a stabilizing presence.

Mike Matheson turning the puck over twice in the defensive zone on the same shift cannot happen, nor can not passing to a free Ivan Demidov on the power play. While the Habs may not have much playoff experience, they do have plenty of coming back from behind in the third frame experience, and it showed.

During the regular season, the Canadiens won 10 games after coming back from behind in the third frame. On Monday night, down 0-2 in the biggest game of their season, they turned up their intensity a notch after getting a power play halfway through the third, and it paid dividends. Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki scored within five minutes to send the game to overtime.

In the end, the Capitals won the game a couple of minutes into overtime after an icing call, which must not have pleased St. Louis. Washington won the ensuing faceoff, and Ovechkin sealed the win after escaping Lane Hutson’s coverage, a tough break for the youngster who had a pair of helpers on the Habs goals.

It’s a shame for Laine, who was unable to tip the puck to prevent the icing as he was checked from behind. The forward had a respectable  game, not only was he more physical than usual, but he also took five shots on net and registered an assist, demonstrating that he had another level in the post-season. 

The Habs will have a day to get over the tough loss before game two on Wednesday night in Washington.


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Dodgers merch collaboration with Japanese artist Takashi Murakami is a natural fit

Artist Takashi Murakami winds to throw out the ceremonial first pitch before a spring training baseball game between the Yomiuri Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers in Tokyo, Japan, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Artist Takashi Murakami winds to throw the ceremonial first pitch before an exhibition baseball game between the Dodgers and Yomiuri Giants in Tokyo on March 15, 2025. (Eugene Hoshiko / Associated Press)

A month ago Dodgers gear festooned with colorful flowers in the unmistakable designs of acclaimed Japanese artist Takashi Murakami sold out in minutes at a pop-up on Fairfax Ave. A couple hundred Angelenos lined up overnight to purchase gear, generating $40 million.

The pop-up, called the MLB Tokyo Series collection, preceded the two-game, season-opening series in Japan between the Dodgers and Chicago Cubs, and items soon hit the secondary market for four times the purchase price.

The merchandise was so popular that Murakami and the Dodgers responded by approximating the famous words of Hall of Fame Cubs shortstop Ernie Banks: "Let's play two!"

A new collection will be available April 28 during Japanese Heritage Night at Dodger Stadium and the Dodger Clubhouse store, then can be purchased only online. Murakami, 63, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch as he did before an exhibition between the Dodgers and Yomiuri Giants at the Tokyo Dome on March 15.

"It’s been two months since I started practicing for the first pitch in Tokyo, but given my age, it's not so easy to pick up new skills," Murakami said playfully in an interview with The Times. "Still, compared to the first day when I couldn't throw the ball at all, I've improved significantly.

"My hope this time is to throw the ball without it bouncing."

Read more:'Beautiful, happy, dopamine-injected.' Louis Vuitton and Takashi Murakami's frenzied comeback

Murakami is unquestionably adept with a brush, a pen or a computer, creating iconic art that features manga, anime, cartoons and brightly colored anthropomorphic cherry blossoms, mushrooms and assorted flowers. He began delivering commissioned projects for luxury brands and celebrities 20 years ago, and a financial pinnacle came in 2008 when his provocative life-size figure "My Lonesome Cowboy" sold for $15.1 million at auction.

Since then Murakami has integrated his art on Louis Vuitton handbags, a Kanye West album cover, and the Kid Cudi collaboration Kids See Ghosts. He also had a solo exhibition in 2022 at The Broad titled Takashi Murakami: Stepping on the Tail of a Rainbow that included sculpture, painting, wallpaper and immersive installations.

Now his attention has turned to baseball. The MLB Tokyo Series collection had his familiar colorful flora sprinkled across jerseys, bats, balls, hoodies, flip-flops and a Shohei Ohtani bobblehead. The surprise medium might have been collaborating with Topps on baseball cards.

"Since 2023, I have been creating trading cards and trading card games with my team, so I felt I approached this project with a good understanding of the context," Murakami said. "But when we filmed the unboxing event for the Topps Complex Series and Tokyo Series on YouTube, I recognized anew how profound the world of American sports trading cards is, which shook me with excitement."

Read more:Review: Takashi Murakami captivates at Blum & Poe

The overall success of the Tokyo Series collection delighted Murakami, who said he remembers playing catch with his father as a child.

"Honestly, I had thought baseball wasn't as major a sport in Japan these days, so I was surprised by the overwhelming response," he said. "I received messages from childhood friends and was approached by neighbors afterwards, which made me realize that baseball remains the beloved sport among the Japanese public."

The addition of Japanese megastars Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki made collaborating with the Dodgers a natural. The team's popularity in Japan has never been greater.

"The Dodgers are the team Hideo Nomo joined when he first played Major League Baseball, overcoming various obstacles," Murakami said. "His success had a significant impact on Japanese players entering the majors, and his achievements are vivid in my memory.

"Shohei Ohtani joining the Dodgers feels like a fateful story for Japanese baseball, and I'm deeply moved by it. In that sense, I consider myself a Dodgers fan."

Read more:All eyes are on Ohtani in Tokyo | Dodgers Debate

Murakami added that he has felt comfortable in L.A. since his exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art in 2007-2008.

"I believe my career as an artist in the contemporary art world took off in Los Angeles," he said. "The [MOCA] exhibition, curated by Paul Schimmel, was pivotal in establishing my career in America. Whenever I visit Los Angeles, I feel a strong connection, as if it's my second hometown, with fans saying hello to me around the city. So I'm especially grateful for this new relationship with the Dodgers in Los Angeles."

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.