Four wild stats from Connelly Early's dazzling MLB debut with Red Sox

Four wild stats from Connelly Early's dazzling MLB debut with Red Sox originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

If you stayed up late to watch Connelly Early’s major league debut, you witnessed history in West Sacramento.

Thin on pitching depth amid multiple injuries in their starting rotation, the Boston Red Sox promoted the 23-year-old left-hander from Triple-A Worcester on Tuesday night to start against the Athletics.

And all Early did was deliver one of his best pitching performances at any level.

Early, the No. 6 prospect in Boston’s system entering Tuesday, pitched five scoreless innings in the Red Sox’ 6-0 win, allowing just five hits and one walk with 11 strikeouts. Early showcased a filthy sweeping curveball and a mid-90s fastball while striking out 52 percent of the batters he faced.

How dominant was Early in his MLB debut? Here are four stats that put his impressive night into perspective:

Topping a Red Sox all-time leaderboard

Early’s 11 punch-outs tied Don Aase for the most strikeouts ever by a Red Sox pitcher in his MLB debut. Here’s the company Early joined, which also features 2007 World Series champion Daisuke Matsuzaka:

  • Connelly Early: 11 (2025)
  • Don Aase: 11 (1977)
  • Daisuke Matsuzaka: 10 (2007)
  • Dave Morehead: 10 (1963)
  • Marty McHale: 10 (1910)

A few fun facts about Don Aase, via The Boston Globe’s Peter Abraham: Aase never recorded more than eight strikeouts in a game after his debut, and was traded after the 1977 for a second baseman named Jerry Remy.

In the company of a Hall of Famer

According to Underdog’s Justin Havens, only three players in MLB history have allowed zero runs and one or fewer walks while striking out 10 or batters in their big-league debut.

One is Early. The second is Steve Woodard, who debuted for the Milwaukee Brewers in 1997. The third is Hall of Famer and 10-time All-Star Juan Marichal.

Ironically, all three players pitched for the Red Sox — Woodard in 2003 and Marichal in 1974.

An MLB first

According to Opta Stats, Early is the first pitcher in MLB’s modern era to have a debut in which he:

  • Threw at least 5.0 shutout innings
  • Walked one batter or fewer
  • Struck out more than half the batters he faced

It’s worth noting that the A’s don’t exactly have a cupcake lineup; while they’re in last place in the American League West, they rank fifth in all of baseball in team batting average (.254) and home runs (199).

A personal best

This might be the craziest stat: Per the Athletics’ media relations team, Early’s 11 strikeouts were his most in any game since at least high school.

Early’s highest strikeout total in the minors was 10, set during a Sept. 2 start for the Triple-A WooSox. He struck out 10 batters on two separate occasions at the University of Virginia, but never reached 11 Ks.

That’s all to say Early lit it up in his MLB debut — and earned a spot in the Red Sox’ rotation until further notice.

Fellow rookie Payton Tolle, who was called up two weeks ago, will get the start in Wednesday’s series finale vs. the A’s at 3:35 p.m. ET.

Steph Curry dives into his new book and his ‘Shot Ready' mindset

Steph Curry dives into his new book and his ‘Shot Ready' mindset originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Steph Curry is doing some reflecting as he heads into his 17th NBA season.

The Golden State Warriors star released a new book, titled “Shot Ready,” on Tuesday. The book features more than 100 photographs from his basketball journey as he dives into his philosophy for success.

Curry said he got the idea for the book when he was looking through old pictures with a couple of photographers. While he said it was great to relive some of the biggest moments throughout his career, it also inspired him to share his championship mindset.

“When I looked through, there were so many memories, lessons, philosophies, things that have helped me get through,” Curry said Wednesday during a “TODAY” interview with Savannah Guthrie and Craig Melvin. “Not only to inspire myself to keep going, because I still have a lot more to accomplish on the court, but to kind of go through and highlight some of the things that I’ve learned.”

Curry’s “shot ready” mindset is clear on the court, as his 4,058 career 3-pointers are far and away the most in NBA history. Beyond basketball, he believes it’s an attitude that extends to all walks of life.

“Only worrying about the process and not the result is what being ‘shot ready’ is,” he said. “You know, 10 fingers, 10 toes to the basket, but that’s a philosophy that’s not just basketball.”

Curry didn’t get his four NBA championships, two NBA MVPs, 11 All-Star selections and place on the NBA 75th Anniversary Team alone. The father of four credits his wife, Ayesha, and the rest of his family for believing in him when others overlooked him.

“You’ve got to have people around you that see the best in you, as well, and I’ve had those people in my life, and that’s something I get to share throughout the book,” he said.

Steph and Ayesha are keeping plenty busy while raising their children. On top of Steph’s “TODAY” interview, Ayesha got to co-host with Jenna Bush Hager on “Jenna & Friends.”

Still, the couple is able to put family first while excelling in their respective fields.

“It’s a tough balancing act,” he said. “I don’t even know if ‘balance’ is a real, accomplishable thing, but we’re excited. We’re in love. We’re enjoying it.”

When asked about what he plans to do when he finally retires, Curry promised he won’t leave the game. Whether it’s coaching or another role, he says he will find a place in basketball after he is done playing.

“I see what these coaches go through in the league, so I understand how hard the job is. For me though, it’s about figuring a way to have an influence in the game, to give back to it the way that so many people have poured into me. Whether that’s a skill development thing, a consultant thing, I don’t know what it is, but I know I’m going to be a part of the game where anybody can reach out to me.”

Before Curry jumps into his future plans, he still has scores to settle on the court. The future Basketball Hall of Famer is gearing up to enter his 17th season, and he will kick it off when the Warriors visit LeBron James, Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers in the return of NBA on NBC on Tuesday, Oct. 21.

“Year 17 sounds insane,” he said. “I’m hyped for it.”

Warriors star Steph Curry reveals motivation behind his new ‘Shot Ready' book

Warriors star Steph Curry reveals motivation behind his new ‘Shot Ready' book originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Steph Curry is doing some reflecting as he heads into his 17th NBA season.

The Golden State Warriors star released a new book, titled “Shot Ready,” on Tuesday. The book features more than 100 photographs from his basketball journey as he dives into his philosophy for success.

Curry said he got the idea for the book when he was looking through old pictures with a couple of photographers. While he said it was great to relive some of the biggest moments throughout his career, it also inspired him to share his championship mindset.

“When I looked through, there were so many memories, lessons, philosophies, things that have helped me get through,” Curry said Wednesday during a “TODAY” interview with Savannah Guthrie and Craig Melvin. “Not only to inspire myself to keep going, because I still have a lot more to accomplish on the court, but to kind of go through and highlight some of the things that I’ve learned.”

Curry’s “shot ready” mindset is clear on the court, as his 4,058 career 3-pointers are far and away the most in NBA history. Beyond basketball, he believes it’s an attitude that extends to all walks of life.

“Only worrying about the process and not the result is what being ‘shot ready’ is,” Curry said. “You know, 10 fingers, 10 toes to the basket, but that’s a philosophy that’s not just basketball.”

Curry didn’t secure his four NBA championships, two NBA MVPs, 11 All-Star selections and a place on the NBA 75th Anniversary Team alone. The father of four credits his wife, Ayesha, and the rest of his family for believing in him when others overlooked him.

“You’ve got to have people around you that see the best in you, as well, and I’ve had those people in my life, and that’s something I get to share throughout the book,” Curry said.

Steph and Ayesha are keeping themselves plenty busy while raising their children. On top of Steph’s “TODAY” interview, Ayesha co-hosted with Jenna Bush Hager on “Jenna & Friends.”

Still, the couple puts family first while excelling in their respective fields.

“It’s a tough balancing act,” Curry said. “I don’t even know if ‘balance’ is a real, accomplishable thing, but we’re excited. We’re in love. We’re enjoying it.”

When asked about what he plans to do when he finally retires, Curry promised he won’t leave the game. Whether it’s coaching or another role, he says he will find a place in basketball after he is done playing.

“I see what these coaches go through in the league, so I understand how hard the job is,” Curry said. “For me though, it’s about figuring a way to have an influence in the game, to give back to it the way that so many people have poured into me. Whether that’s a skill development thing, a consultant thing, I don’t know what it is, but I know I’m going to be a part of the game where anybody can reach out to me.”

Before Curry jumps into his future plans, he still has scores to settle on the court. The future Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer is gearing up to enter his 17th NBA season, and he will tip it off when the Warriors visit LeBron James, Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers in the return of NBA on NBC on Tuesday, Oct. 21.

“Year 17 sounds insane,” Curry said. “I’m hyped for it.”

From the Pocket: Jack Ginnivan will swagger into Adelaide ready to lap up any hostility

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There was an awful lot of booing over the weekend. Donald Trump was booed at Flushing Meadows, a short drive from where he was born. A rather bewildered Australian prime minister was booed in Western Sydney – never a good sign for a Labor politician. There were howls of derision over the umpiring on Friday night. And the Crows crowd didn’t stop booing for three hours at the Adelaide Oval.

In that instance, it was not only puerile and incomprehensible, but self-defeating: it helped perpetuate the siege mentality in which Collingwood thrives.

Continue reading...

Emmet Sheehan, Teoscar Hernández help Dodgers increase division lead by beating Rockies

LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 9, 2025: Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernandez (37) points skywards as he heads to home plate after hitting a solo homer off Colorado Rockies pitcher German Marquez (48) in the fourth inning at Dodger Stadium on September 9, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Teoscar Hernández points skyward as he heads home after hitting his first home run of the evening. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

It was picture day at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday, one of those quaint baseball traditions that has endured long past its usefulness.

So the team set up three rows of aluminum risers in shallow center field and the players, wearing impossibly white uniforms, filed out of the clubhouse just before 3 p.m., passing up batting practice to pose for the cameras. For a sport that thrives on routine, the afternoon had a unique last-day-of-school vibe.

“It's a weird day," manager Dave Roberts agreed.

But picture day also serves to bring the end of the season into tighter focus since it usually happens in the final three weeks. And the players who climb those risers are the ones who will decide the team’s postseason fate.

That was especially true for the Dodgers, who rode another splendid pitching performance — this one from Emmet Sheehan — to a 7-2 victory over the Colorado Rockies. Sheehan, bidding for a spot in the playoff rotation, was backed by four homers, including a pair of solo shots from Teoscar Hernández, who had his first three-hit night in more than a month.

The win, the team’s third in a row, coupled with San Diego’s loss to Cincinnati, expanded the Dodgers’ lead in the National League West to two games over the second-place Padres with just 17 left to play.

“It’s getting down to the wire,” Roberts said.

Read more:Strong rehab outing could put Roki Sasaki back in Dodgers' postseason roster contention

The Dodgers’ starting pitching is already in postseason form, posting a 1.41 ERA over the past five games. On Tuesday it was Sheehan’s turn on the mound and he set down the first 15 Rockies in order, becoming the third Dodger starter in four games to take a no-hitter into the sixth inning.

He wound up scattering three hits and a walk over seven innings, striking out nine to earn his fourth victory in five decisions. The win was also Sheehan’s fourth victory in as many appearances against Colorado.

Roberts said his team’s starting pitchers are all competing to one-up each other, giving the significance of the games now.

“They're feeding off one another,” he said. “The pitchers are of the mind that these are very, very important games. It's kind of the playoff mentality. The catchers are calling games in that vein.

“The defense has been really focused getting off the baseball. There's a heightened level of focus across the board.”

That even spread to the offense, said Mookie Betts, whose two-run home run in the third extended his streak of reaching base safely to 15 straight games.

Mookie Betts is very happy after his two-run homer in the third inning.
Mookie Betts is very happy after his two-run homer in the third inning. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

“It's really neat being on this side,” Betts, who had multiple RBIs for a fourth straight game, said of watching the Dodger pitchers work. “If you kind of take a step back and look at it, there's a lot of teams that would ask for something like this. Those guys give us opportunity to win every day.

“It's really important for us as on the offensive side not to take that for granted.”

Although the Dodgers entered Tuesday second to last in the majors with an average of 3.14 runs a game in September, against Colorado starter Germán Márquez (3-13), whose ERA (6.31) looks more like a mortgage rate, they ran out to a 5-0 lead after five innings. As a result the focus turned to Sheehan, who needed just 59 pitches to cruise through five perfect innings, striking out five.

“I probably knew,” Sheehan, pitching on the 60th anniversary of Sandy Koufax’s perfect game, said when asked if he was aware he was more than halfway to matching that. “But I was definitely not thinking about it.”

Read more:Hernández: Can starting pitching carry the Dodgers in October? Dave Roberts may not have a choice

The right-hander said he tried to cross the Rockies up by moving away from his fastball and going with a slider to the glove side instead.

“I felt like I was executing the slider pretty well,” he said. “The more I throw it, the easier it gets to get it to that spot. It's an important pitch for me.”

Kyle Karros ended the suspense when he lined Sheehan’s first pitch of the sixth inning over a leaping Max Muncy at third for a single. Two more singles brought Karros around to score, ending the shutout as well.

Still Sheehan (6-3) was more than good enough to win for the fourth time in five decisions, lowering his ERA to 3.32 and forcing his way into the conversation over a role on the postseason roster.

“He's unflappable,” Roberts said. “He knows he's talented and he knows how to execute pitches. He's got good stuff. No moment is too big for him. So I can't speak to what role, but I know that he's a viable option for us now and going forward.”

Tuesday’s win also left Sheehan unbeaten on picture day, something he nearly skipped as the scheduled starting pitcher.

“I wasn't going go out there,” he said. “But I was like, I missed the last two. I gotta be out there.”

After all, it's a tradition.

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

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Schwarber hits 50th homer and Suárez strikes out 12 as Phillies extend lead over Mets with 9-3 win

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Kyle Schwarber hit his 50th home run of the season and Ranger Suárez struck out a career-high 12 over six shutout innings to lead the Philadelphia Phillies to a 9-3 win over the New York Mets on Tuesday night.

The Phillies have won the first two games of the four-game series and lead the NL East by nine games over the Mets.

Suárez (12-6) turned in another terrific outing.

The left-hander tossed one-hit ball as he lowered his ERA to 2.77 and showed again why the Phillies believe he can be a No. 1 starter in the postseason with ace Zack Wheeler sidelined due to complications from a blood clot.

Schwarber’s three-run shot off reliever Justin Hagenman in the seventh gave the Phillies a 7-1 lead and made him the first National League player to reach 50 homers this season. Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh leads the majors with 53.

The fan favorite designated hitter came out of the dugout for a curtain call for a crowd roaring “MVP! MVP!” as “50 Schwarbombs” flashed on the big screen.

Suárez struck out Juan Soto and Pete Alonso in the first inning and threw 60 strikes out of his 99 total pitches. Suárez has allowed just one earned run and struck out 29 in his last 24 innings over four starts.

Harrison Bader was moved to the leadoff spot with NL batting leader Trea Turner sidelined and went 3 for 5 with a solo homer. Bader, who played for the Mets last season, had three hits against them for the second straight game.

Mark Vientos homered for New York, and Juan Soto got his 30th stolen base for the first 30-30 season of his career.

Key moment

Otto Kemp and Bader hit consecutive homers off struggling Mets starter Sean Manaea (1-3) in the second inning for a 4-0 lead.

Key stats

Schwarber remains within striking distance of the team season record of 58 homers set by Ryan Howard in 2006.

Up next

The Mets send RHP Clay Holmes (11-7, 3.61 ERA) to the mound against Phillies LHP Cristopher Sánchez (12-5, 2.60 ERA) on Wednesday.

Aaron Judge passes Yogi Berra on Yankees' all-time home run list

Aaron Judge provided the one bright spot for the Yankees on Tuesday night in The Bronx.

In the first inning of what would ultimately be a 12-2 loss to the Tigers, Judge launched a one-out solo homer that not only gave the Yankees an early 1-0 lead, but gave him career home run 359, surpassing the great Yogi Berra for fifth-most in franchise history. 

"The last few years with what Aaron’s done in this league and the seasons he’s had, he’s been in some rarified air," manager Aaron Boone said after the game. "There’s been some impressive lists or names he’s next to, but when you see a career list like that with this organization and where he is right now in the center of it, it’s pretty awesome."

The Yankees have had the same top five home run hitters in their franchise since Aug. 7, 1957. Babe Ruth (659), Mickey Mantle (536), Lou Gehrig (493), Joe DiMaggio (361) and Berra (358) made up that list for more than 50 years, but now Judge's name is at the top with those Yankees legends.

When he was asked about it after the game, Judge said his first thought was on what it meant for Tuesday's game, but he appreciates the company he has joined.

"Passing Yogi is pretty special. All-time great Yankee. What he meant to this organization, even when he was done playing, being around, the stories we heard. He's the definition of a true Yankee," he said. "Any time you're on a list with a guy like that, it's pretty remarkable."

As remarkable as the accomplishment is, the feeling after the loss was less so. The Yankees got out to an early 2-0 lead but were in position to potentially win the game entering the seventh inning tied at 2-2. But the combination of Fernando Cruz and Mark Leiter Jr. allowed nine runs without recording an out, and put Tuesday's game out of reach.

Despite the performance, Judge believes in the Yankees' bullpen and chalks it up to a bad game.

"It's just not going our way," he said. "Especially the guys we brought out of the bullpen, I trust every single one of those guys. They've gotten a lot of big outs for us, especially Cruzer and Leiter. Just didn't get it done there and put us in a bad spot. But we just gotta show up tomorrow, do our thing, and we'll be where we need to be."

The Yankees continue their three-game set with the Tigers on Wednesday, hoping to draw even in the series and stay within reach of the Blue Jays for the AL East crown.

Luke Evangelista, Nashville Predators reportedly 'far apart' from agreeing on new contract

The offseason is ending the same way it started for forward Luke Evangelista and the Nashville Predators, as both parties have not agreed on a new contract. 

Tuesday, upon the announcement of the Predators' training camp roster and preseason schedule, The Fourth Period's David Pagnotta posted on Twitter/X that contract negotiations between the Predators and Evangelista were ongoing, but both parties "remained far apart on a deal."

It's the first news pertaining to Evangelista's contract that has been made public since July 15, when Evangelista did not sign his original qualifying offer, which was extended on July 1. 

Following the opening of the free agency market, General Manager Barry Trotz was asked about Evangelista's contract negotiations and he said both sides were still trying to "figure out a term that fits." 

Trotz also called Evangelista "the future" of the organization, showing that the Predators do want to keep Evangelista in Nashville for a longer term. 

Mar 25, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Nashville Predators right wing Luke Evangelista (77) goes past the fans on his way to the ice for the warmups before the game against the Carolina Hurricanes at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images

His previous deal with his entry level contract, which was three-years, $2,392,50. 

Drafted 42nd overall by the Predators in the 2020 NHL Draft from the London Knights, Evangelista has quickly developed into a top-six forward. Last season, he scored 32 points in 68 games, and the season prior, he had 39 points in 80 games. 

It's not surprising that the Predators are trying to lock Evangelista into an extended contract as they have done so with other players, and have been criticized for it this offseason. 

Brady Skjei's seven-year, $49 million contract and Nic Hague's four-year, $22 million contract were ranked as two of the worst contracts in the NHL by The Athletic. The Athletic also scrutinized Juuse Saros' eight-year, $61.92 million contract. 

Jonathan Marchessault came to Nashville on a five-year, $27.5 million contract in the 2024 offseason because Vegas wouldn't sign him to the length Nashville eventually gave him. 

Evangelista is still on the Predators training camp roster, which will commence on Sept. 17 with team meetings. The first practice will be held on Sept. 18 and the first game is a split-session against the Florida Panthers on Sept. 21 at Bridgestone Arena. 

Evangelista contract saga 

Predators extend qualifying offer to forward Luke EvangelistaPredators extend qualifying offer to forward Luke EvangelistaAfter Sunday's trade, sending defenseman Jeremy Lauzon and center Colton Sisson to Vegas for defenseman Nicolas Hague, the Nashville Predators have extended a qualifying offer to forward Luke Evangelista.  'Fixing defense' was focus for Trotz, Nashville Predators in free agency 'Fixing defense' was focus for Trotz, Nashville Predators in free agency Compared to a year ago, the start of free agency was very quiet for the Nashville Predators. Nashville Predators qualifying offer to Luke Evangelista expires TuesdayNashville Predators qualifying offer to Luke Evangelista expires TuesdayThe Nashville Predators have been waiting patiently for the decision on forward Luke Evangelista.  Analysis: Do the Nashville Predators have issues signing players to the 'right' contracts? Analysis: Do the Nashville Predators have issues signing players to the 'right' contracts? For the second time in less than a week, the Nashville Predators players' contracts have come under scrutiny again by The Athletic's Dom Luszczyszyn.  Column: Whatever happens with Evangelista's contract will dictate confidence in Nashville Predators front officeColumn: Whatever happens with Evangelista's contract will dictate confidence in Nashville Predators front officeIs this an actual crisis or is this just spiraling in the offseason?  

Carlos Mendoza not concerned over Mets’ dwindling NL Wild Card lead, but says they ‘have to fight’

Things are getting a little tense for the Mets

Outside of their young arms, their starting pitching continues to struggle.  

Tuesday, it was Sean Manaea’s turn; he allowed the Phillies to strike for four runs over the first two innings before settling into a nice groove, but it was enough to raise his ERA to 7.71 since the beginning of August. 

The recently red-hot offense has once again gone ice cold, as well.  

Philadelphia lefty Ranger Suárez struck out nine of the first 12 batters he faced and held the Mets without a hit over the first five innings on Tuesday, before allowing a leadoff single to Brandon Nimmo.

Suárez finished the night with a career-high 12 punchouts in six scoreless frames.

New York was able to show some sign of life against the Phillies’ bullpen, but a Mark Vientos error and a big ninth inning sunk them, as they suffered their second straight loss to the first place division rival. 

The Mets are now 3-5 on their current road trip with two games left, and like that, their hold on a playoff spot is starting to rapidly slip away. 

Any hope of the NL East title went out the window with Monday's loss to the Phillies, and by the end of Tuesday night, their lead for the third NL Wild Card spot could be down to as many as 2.0 games.

They do luckily hold the tiebreaker over the next closest team, the surging Giants, but in the midst of a four-game losing streak with just 17 to play, is Carlos Mendoza growing worried? 

“We’re good,” the skipper said. “But we gotta play better and we’ve got to fight. We’re in the middle of it, there’s no time to feel sorry, we've got to fight -- what’s in the past is in the past and we’ve got to take it one day at a time.

“We continue to trust and believe in those guys. There’s a lot of experience, a lot of talent and good players in that room -- we’ve been through adversity before as a group, we’ve got to find a way and we will.”

Their next opportunity to get things right comes against another tough Phillies left-hander in Cristopher Sanchez on Wednesday night.