The Los Angeles Lakers have a 2-0 lead against the Houston Rockets without top scorers Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves as they enter Game 3 on April 24 (8 p.m. ET, Prime Video).
LeBron James has led the Lakers alongside inspired efforts from Luke Kennard, Marcus Smart and Deandre Ayton. They hope to maintain their level of play as their leading scorers work their way back from injury.
Los Angeles has got to feel good about where it is currently, especially given the latest news on its stars.
Doncic, ruled out of the first round with a Grade 2 hamstring strain, was able to get some shots up during the Lakers' practice on Thursday. He was seen completing controlled, light movement and shooting with assistant coach Greg St. Jean.
Doncic first injured his hamstring with days remaining in the regular season, during a blowout loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 2. He was ruled out for the rest of the regular season following an MRI. \
Luka Doncic doing some controlled, light movement shooting after practice under the watchful eye of Lakers assistant coach Greg St. Jean pic.twitter.com/dofhMZaUdx
TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 19: Carlos Santana #41 of the Cleveland Indians celebrates with his teammates in the locker room after defeating the Toronto Blue Jays with a score of 3 to 0 in game five to win the American League Championship Series at Rogers Centre on October 19, 2016 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Some Guardians players were at the Cavs-Raptors game in Toronto ahead of their series vs. the Blue Jays last night.
Thunder Coach Mark Daigneault’s pregame press conference before Game 2 of the First Round of the NBA playoffs was like every other press conference. Reporters asked questions, the PR staff was calling on people, and it came 90 minutes before tip-off. To the naked eye, it was no big deal, despite the fact that it was the playoffs; the layout looked no different than an important regular-season game.
But to me, it created one of the most symbolic moments of my early career.
As I looked to my left and my right, I realized something: I was by far the youngest person in the room. Being the youngest person in an NBA media room is not a foreign experience to me. In fact, in the 15+ NBA events I’ve covered since 2023, it’s been the case for most occasions, but covering the NBA Playoffs while still in school is objectively a different beast.
It’s one of the only times of the year opposing teams will make players available to the media outside of the locker room, and unlike in the regular season, where many beat writers don’t travel to cover their team’s road games, all of them are in attendance to do live shots and get exclusive interviews. You need to be trusted to be in the media scrum for a nationally televised broadcast with playoff implications. There is no textbook to understand how things work. You just need to know how things roll, or you’ll get lost or appear out of place—the last thing you want to be when you look and are a college student in a room full of seasoned professionals. If I’m a distraction in any measure, I’ll be asked to leave or get my credentials revoked. I need to fit in while being visibly different than everyone else.
From Suns PR accepting my credential request without me needing to fill out any forms, to that when I connected with new reporters, I could tell them we had mutuals, the night for me was completely built on the fact that just because I’m still in college, I can be trusted to be a professional, which has gotten me more opportunities. Something I’ve realized is that the more opportunities I take advantage of, the more that the next one comes—with more stakes.
One of the hardest parts about being young or having a small following (or both!) is getting people to trust you, understandably. It’s why I’m ecstatic when I get popular creators or broadcasters on my podcast, Holden Conversations, where I interview Gen Z on their media experiences. The opportunities for more popular guests are continuing to grow for me because of how I’ve handled myself, and people trust me with their network to have guests with even larger followings—this helps me stay level-headed and patient with more than just growing my podcast.
I’m graduating from Syracuse University in 15 days, and more and more of my friends are getting jobs, but I still don’t have one. Getting to experience covering the playoffs and why I was able to reminds me of all the progress I’ve made as a professional, as well as reminds me that finding my first job isn’t everything. There are experiences to be had no matter what point of my life I’m in, and I can’t let what my future may or may not hold take distract me from experiences like getting to cover the defending champs pursuit of repeating, experiencing a completely new city and getting to meet great writers, reporters and broadcasters like Tim MacMahon, Joel Lorenzi, Nick Gallo, Doris Burke, Jorge Sedano and Dave Pasch.
Covering the NBA Playoffs, being a paid, traveling journalist while still in school doesn’t make me feel like I “made it,” or that I’m better than my peers, but it reminds me of how far I’ve gotten since I started college and started intensely pursuing my career aspirations. If I’m tracking my dream of hosting my own version Hot One’s like a 48-minute basketball game, I’ve finished the first quarter strong with some new momentum as I head into a new quarter of the journey.
There’s a certain confidence that follows a 2-0 lead in the NBA playoffs. The air tightens. The margin for error disappears. And when LeBron James is the one holding that two-game lead, history is always on his side.
Over 23 seasons, across three different franchises and countless postseason runs, James has built a playoff series record that borders on untouchable. When LeBron’s team wins the first two games of a best-of-seven series, the result is literally automatic: 24-0. No exceptions. No series collapses. No Game 7 heartbreaks.
The Lakers’ LeBron James (right) is undefeated in the NBA playoffs after his team wins the first two games of a best-of-seven series. NBAE via Getty Images
Let’s adjust the lens and extend it further … anytime James has secured a two-game cushion in a series — whether that’s a 2-0 lead or stretching it to a 3-1 advantage — his team’s record is 32-0. Think about that for a second. The man responsible for coming back from a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals has never lost a 3-1 series lead himself. That’s not just dominance. That’s an absolute killer instinct.
Now that same script is unfolding again in real time with the Lakers holding a 2-0 first-round series lead over the Rockets. That lead is in spite of the fact that the Lakers have been stripped of their top two leading scorers: Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
“It means nothing,” James said, brushing off the weight of history after Game 2. “The series is not won until you win four. It’s the first to four. Our only mindset is Game 3.”
James has built a playoff series record that borders on untouchable. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Now you know why he’s never lost a series when up by two games. That mindset is the blueprint.
Because what separates James in these moments isn’t just his talent, it’s his temperament. That closeout mentality when grabbing a two-game lead isn’t a catchphrase. It’s a habit. Once he gets leverage over an opponent he doesn’t manage it. He tightens it. Possession by possession, game by game, until that opponent runs out of breath.
For context, James’ perfect record when taking a 2-0 lead is impressive, but it’s not too far off from the overall numbers.
Across NBA history, teams that take a 2-0 lead in a best-of-seven series go on to win 93.7% of the time. The record stands at 433-34. Narrow that to the first round alone and the percentage doesn’t budge. Still 93.7% at 192-13. The last team to climb out of an 0-2 hole in the first round of an NBA series was the Warriors in 2023. They were the reigning champions, and they stormed back to beat the Kings in seven games.
For LeBron and the Lakers, this 2-0 lead feels different. Entering the series, Houston was the heavy favorite. Even now, after two games in Los Angeles, the odds barely lean toward the Lakers. Hovering around -135 for the series. This LeBron-led team is not a juggernaut rolling downhill. They have to navigate a narrow path with limited margin for error.
James and the Lakers will try to close out the first-round series in Houston against the Rockets. AP
According to Opta Stats, over the course of NBA history, a team missing two players who each averaged over 20 points per game while making 100 or more 3s during the regular season have only won a playoff game twice. That was the Lakers in Games 1 and 2.
By securing those first games at Crypto.com Arena, the Lakers have guaranteed at least a Game 6. That means the series will stretch to early May, giving Doncic and Reaves over four weeks of recovery time.
Not only do the Lakers have the numbers on their side, time is on their side as well.
“Our group is an incredibly resilient group,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said after Game 2. “That’s why we have the confidence and belief … to be on this stage against a great basketball team like Houston.”
Not only do the Lakers have the numbers on their side, time is on their side as well. Anadolu via Getty Images
Meanwhile, the cracks on the other side are widening.
Kevin Durant returned in Game 2 but looked out of rhythm, finishing with nine turnovers — more than his made field goals — and struggling to find balance against a swarming defense.
In the second half, he had more turnovers (5) than points (3). The Rockets, once defined by cohesion and defensive identity, have drifted to visible frustration, missed assignments and finger-pointing.
“I just gotta be more aggressive,” Durant said after the Game 2 loss. “There’s plenty of time.”
Time is exactly what history says he doesn’t have.
For the Lakers to continue LeBron’s perfect record, they’ll need to repeat the same formula. They’ll need their role players to continue to step up. In Game 1, that was Luke Kennard. In Game 2, it was Marcus Smart. James will continue to anchor everything. He’s got 47 points, 16 rebounds and 20 assists through the first two games.
At 41 years old, the question will always linger: How much does he have left? The postseason is way more demanding on the body. Look no further than James’ knee collision against the Timberwolves in Game 5 of last year’s playoffs. Durability is not guaranteed come playoff time.
But history suggests one thing is guaranteed.
When LeBron James takes a 2-0 lead, that series doesn’t extend, it ends.
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Apr 23, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Jonathan Kuminga (0) reacts after a basket against the New York Knicks in the fourth quarter during game three of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images
The Hawks pulled off a thrilling 109-108 victory to climb to a 2-1 record in this series against the New York Knicks.
After going up by as much as 18 points, the Hawks let their orange and blue rivals chip away slowly until they took a 3-point lead late. Frankly, the Hawks largely defended well down the stretch, but nothing could stop OG Anunoby from raining down a pair of miracle threes to raise everyone’s heart rates.
But then CJ McCollum’s and Onyeka Okongwu’s clutch heroics saved the day for the good guys.
Let’s mix things up and go player by player to grade them on their performances in Game 3.
Starters
CJ McCollum:
The professional bucket getter just kept plugging along, getting into his bag almost at will. He had the entire Knicks defense practically on a string all game long.
Even when he was defended well, he pulled rabbits out of his hat and displayed some incredible shot-making:
Towards the end of the second quarter, his gameplay devolved into an overreliance on isolation — a lot of dribbling for a not-so-good look at the ends of the shot clock. But sometimes you have to let an artist craft their art and not interfere.
He slowed down scoring-wise some in the second half — and he was often a target on the defensive end — so it wasn’t all good. But honestly, who cares when you have the onions to make a clutch pull up jumper to give the Hawks the lead. When duty calls, McCollum the veteran absolutely delivers:
“Quin drew up a winner for us,” McCollum remarked about the final basket. “Great pin [down from Kuminga]. Great [after timeout] guy. Great all-around coach. Executed just how we drew it up. Those are the things we work on in practice, after practice, post shootaround.”
“He can create his shot,” coach Snyder put succinctly. “And that’s unique thing. And he had the opportunity to do that tonight. And we had a ton of confidence in him to make those plays.”
Grade: A
Nickeil Alexander-Walker:
‘NAW’ still didn’t look comfortable out there just as has been the case all series. He lost his dribble against no pressure a couple of time and forced a few too many shots in traffic.
But he was still active on team defense as usual and nailed his defensive assignments when needed. Also, that man never takes a closeout off — even if it’s not his assignment.
In the second half, he hit two big transition threes to shake off the rust and remind everyone why he’s the single season franchise record-holder in made threes with 251 in regular season play.
On this third one, I have to credit the entire team for getting the ball inbounded after a Brunson make to not squander their 5-on-4 advantage. Alexander-Walker does the rest, draining his third transition triple of the period.
From there, he was fairly quiet, but his hustle and team defense still made an impact in helping the Hawks get this game over the finish line.
He’ll look to improve on his 14 points on 4-for-12 (33%) including an ugly 1-for-5 (20%) mark from two-point range on Saturday.
Grade: C-
Dyson Daniels:
Daniels pushed the ball in transition and found a couple of openings in the Knicks transition defense with his passing. He continued to make Jalen Brunson’s life tough on the other end and slowed down New York’s entire offensive pace with his elite ball pressure.
There were a few possessions he absolutely wrecked possessions with digs for steals or simply a monster block at the rim.
And he also proved why he’s maybe the best rebounding guard in the game with 13 rebounds tonight. Just Dyson Daniels things.
On the negative side of things, he did pass up a couple of wide-open layups and muff a couple of attempts through contact at the rim — as did Jalen Johnson who I’ll talk about next. Although in the third, he made up for those turndowns with a calm catch-and-shoot three after penetration and a kick from Johnson:
But, man, did he have some brutal turnovers (five in total) during the game. Multiple times, he tried to kick out some blind passes that went directly into Knicks’ hands. And he wasn’t able to punish the Knicks for putting Karl-Anthony Towns on him offensively.
So, for the second consecutive game, coach Snyder opted to have him on the bench in crunch time — minus the final defensive possession. You can’t argue with the results, however.
Ultimately, it wasn’t his best effort on Thursday night. But he still showed how indispensable he is in making Brunson’s life hell at times.
Grade: C+
Jalen Johnson:
The All-Star came out more aggressive than in either Games 1 or 2, and even though some of his shot selection was questionable, he still got to the line with regularity and put pressure on the Knicks defense.
This drive off a ‘twirl’ action with two pin downs was too easy once the Knicks inexplicably vacated the paint:
After a hot start, however, he couldn’t convert on some good looks from three and started to disengage a bit from the game. He had a tough time finishing through contact on drives in particular. And then there were some bad off ball lapses on defense.
But in the fourth quarter, the aggressiveness picked back up. On two consecutive possessions, he dropped off Josh Hart for a step back three:
And then he screened and rolled to draw a foul the next time down, splitting the two at the line.
But ultimately, he left a ton of points on the floor and at the free throw line. He finished 6-for-10 from the free throw line, including a couple of brutal misses on a trip to the line with a few minutes remaining. Johnson did respond with a couple of good takes in the closing two minutes when the game could have slipped away entirely — very encouraging after he showed clear signs of frustration on his face after some easy misses.
Down the home stretch of the game, the Hawks ran this action with Johnson bringing the ball up the floor with a stacked set waiting for him multiple times. Either Kuminga or Okongwu set an up screen while ‘NAW’ flared out the opposite way to open up the lane.
This play in particular was wild to see in real time, however. Johnson tried to yam it over ’KAT’, but the ball somehow slams off the bottom of the backboard right back to him for the easy lay-in to cut the lead to one point:
“It was good to see [Johnson] play through a lot and stay even keeled,” his head coach had to say about his mindset.
It was an up and down performance for Johnson, whose 24-point, 10-rebound, 8-assist night flatters him. But I’d have to say it was his best performance of the series — a performance closer to his typical regular season play.
And the Hawks needed every bit of that from him in Game 3.
Grade: B-
Onyeka Okongwu:
It was overall a fairly muted game from Okongwu. He played solid defense on Towns early and throughout the game, and he registered a monster help side block early in the first quarter.
But ‘KAT’ largely got the better of him on the glass in the first half. He also wasn’t used much in the halfcourt offense but used a ‘pick-2’ and a couple of deafening putback dunks to get himself on the board in the first half:
Ultimately, he was pretty quiet on a play-by-play basis (nine points and seven rebounds), but his team defense at the center position was pretty effective all throughout the night.
His biggest play, however, came on the final possession when he switched onto Jalen Brunson and slid his feet to push him to the baseline. As you saw, the Knicks never even got off a shot:
Vincent came in and immediately provided some great ball pressure on Brunson and Jose Alvarado.
On offense, he relocated for a big three after a flare cut across the top of the key in the first quarter. His ball handling under pressure remains underrated as well — with the Hawks bench needing his steadying presence against an aggressive Knicks perimeter defense.
His contributions are almost imperceptible, but he’s such a fundamentally sound defender on and off the ball and is willing to get off the ball to space the floor on offense that he fits in just about any with playmakers at the wing and forward spots.
All those little things added up to a team-high +12 on the night in under 14 minutes. You can’t ask for much more from a seasoned NBA role player.
Grade: B
Jonathan Kuminga:
I can’t knock a 4-for-4 shooting performance for 10 points in the first quarter, plus he contributed on the glass as usual. These early contributions helped the Hawks race out to a 33-21 advantage after one quarter.
Everything after that was a bit more mixed, however. He had some erratic shot selection choices — twice turning down open threes for tougher midrange attempts in the halfcourt — but he still had a couple of good leakouts for scores.
His energy and physicality these past two games are just something the Knicks haven’t been ready for, and that’s help boost a Hawks bench that needed the punch:
His defense was a less impactful than in the previous two games with him inexplicably trying to take charges in the lane on a handful of occasions. Still, with him playing small ball defense on Karl-Anthony Towns, he frustrated the Big Purr just enough by pushing him off his comfort spots. And that crossmatch allows the Hawks to play a small ball brand on the other end with all five guys spacing the floor.
Kuminga’s quickly fit into the Hawks’ team defense, and his impact hasn’t gone unnoticed in his short time here.
“I’m going to give my praise to Draymond [Green],” Kuminga responded about a Game 2 play instructing where Alexander-Walker should be on defense. “Growing up around him, watching him as much. I’ve seen him do that so many times. […] He’s one of the best at doing small things that won’t go on the [stat] sheet.”
Overall, it was a great performance off the bench for him with 21 huge points on 9-for-14 shooting. He has essentially become the team’s sixth man down the stretch of this season, with coach Snyder trusting him enough to close a tight playoff game over Dyson Daniels.
“Jonathan’s just been all-in,” coach Snyder had to say postgame. “Are you prepared to sacrifice what needs to be sacrifice on a given night in a playoff game? Whatever that looks like. Is it shots? Is it minutes? Is it rotations? He’s embraced that. Tonight he did some things that gave our team a lift. I think the biggest thing he’s done is he’s just defended.”
Needless to say, it’s remarkable that in his short time here he’s earned that level of trust from his coach.
Grade: A
Mouhamed Gueye:
Gueye had a tough time keeping Mitchell Robinson off the glass early on, but he repaid the favor with a catch-and-shoot triple and a late first quarter crosscourt pass for a Kuminga triple as well.
And then there was a minster putback dunk on the first possession of the second quarter — plus his usually disruptive switching defense stamped his name on the box score and the highlight reels alike. That’s how you feelin’, Mo?
Grade: A-
Corey Kispert:
He was just…there. Krispert Kispert got cooked by Jordan Clarkson once. He did have a nice outlet pass to Kuminga in the fourth quarter, however.
USA - 2009: Anita Langemach color illustration of one-hundred-dollar bill with Benjamin Franklin wearing baseball cap and blowing whistle. (The Gazette (Colorado Springs)/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Though by no means a pleasant or enjoyable topic, an undercurrent of the 2026 MLB campaign will be the upcoming labor negotiations upon season’s-end—especially as they apply to economic affairs. As someone who has always been fascinated by baseball’s competitive balance, it is a subject I may return to a time or two this summer as the opportunity presents itself.
I recently saw this article from Sportico (decent chance you’ll hit a pay wall—but I somehow got one free crack at it) regarding their estimated MLB franchise values. Here are the (literal) bullet points:
All 30 MLB squads together are worth an estimated $95 billion. That’s an average of $3.17 billion—a 12% jump from the previous year (the largest upward mobility since Sportico started evals in 2001).
As one would expect, the New York Yankees ($9.4 billion) & the Los Angeles Dodgers ($9.05 billion) raked in the most cash-ola. On the other end of the spectrum: the Miami Marlins (a paltry $1.45 billion).
Clearly, no matter how poor owners cry, the best of them are Scrooge McDuck-ing into piles of loot while the worst of them are still sitting on a billion-dollar asset.
Key figure #1: The percentage difference between the top and bottom team 2026 evaluations is 146.54%.
This got me wondering how things have changed in this regard over time, so I picked a nice anniversary—25 years back—and found these 2001 franchise $$$ evals from Forbes:
Start spreadin’ the news—the Yanks were #1 at $635 million
The Montreal Expos brought up the rear at $92 million (though no gloating here—our Minnesota Twins were second-worst at $99 million)
Key figure #2: The percentage difference between the top and bottom team 2001 evaluations was 149.38%.
The take-home points from this Baseball Economics 101 lecture…
Major League Baseball clubs make money. Period. Full stop. If anyone says otherwise, they are either lying or incompetent as businesspeople.
Despite these franchises going up, up, and away in valuations, the difference between the Elon Musk-class (high end) franchise and your general, everyday billionaire-owned franchise (low end) remains about the same over the past 25 years.
Without a doubt, disparity has always hounded the national pastime. Population-density alone guarantees the big coastal cities fuller ballparks and more lucrative media deals. But MLB—unlike the salary-capped NFL—allows its owners to self-police their oligarchical, antitrust-exempted setup. Sadly, those police officers are more Barney Fife than Joe Friday.
Despite a lot of big checks being cashed on the back of baseball, the gap between the top and bottom earning clubs remains unchanged in a quarter-century.
KANSAS CITY, MO - APRIL 04: Luinder Avila #58 of the Kansas City Royals warms up in front of a KC logo before an MLB game between the Milwaukee Brewers and Kansas City Royals on April 4, 2026 at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Avila has been in Kansas City’s system for eight years, but it wasn’t until a velo breakout a couple of seasons back that he really popped onto the radar. He has a live arm and has sat 95-97 while touching 98 with both fastballs in starts this season. His high slot limits his ability to generate swing and miss, but hitters have to respect the velocity and the different ways he can make the ball move, which helps his secondaries play up. He has great raw feel for spin, and both his slider and curve flash plus, but he doesn’t always finish or execute them. At times he’s shown a decent changeup, but it has become increasingly peripheral and he only threw one in his first big league start.
With an off day, there was a pair of stories in The Star about the stadium news.
Sherman, in his remarks to the crowd, expressed a desire to break ground on the stadium project in 2027. But his comments — and a press release put out by the team — fell short of confirming the aggressive timeline emphasized by Lucas and other city officials. Lucas’ chief of staff confirmed to The Star on Thursday that Opening Day — or the spring of — 2030 was still the mayor’s target.
Sherman said Don Hall Jr., chairman of Hallmark’s board, floated Crown Center for the stadium “months ago” before “we spent a lot of time together thinking through it with architects and land planners thinking about conceptually what we could do here.”
As for passing along those talks, Sherman said Wednesday, “We told them we were coming to Crown Center a while ago.”
On the baseball side of things, Jaylon Thompson looks at the good, bad, and ugly from the first 25 games. It was heavy on the last two, which is to be expected for a last-place team at 8-17.
The ability to finish games is also a problem. A few times, the Royals have run themselves out of key spots on the basepaths. Guys have been picked off by opposing teams or failed to advance when taking the extra base.
Royals catcher Elias Diaz was thrown out at home plate against the New York Yankees as he attempted to score from first base. And Thomas was tagged out trying to reach third base against the Orioles.
The Royals worked on their baserunning in spring training. It was an emphasis after similar troubles haunted them last season. But it continues to be a concern in the biggest moments.
Pasquantino knows things are going well for him when he’s not striking out. That’s why his 21.1% strikeout rate this year is alarming, well above the 15.7% mark he posted last year. His walk rate is up to 10.1% after back-to-back years of 7.2%. He’s working to get back to the reputation he had as a Minor Leaguer, when he was known as a hitter with a keen understanding of the zone.
“I will tell you in November, I get a freaked out phone call from somebody that says, ‘Hey, the Royals, it’s a done deal, in Overland Park,’” Vasquez said. “I was like, ‘It can’t be, there’s no way. There are too many pieces already locked up to think that that can be a done deal.’ Plus, at the time, Leawood and Overland Park were not necessarily in love with having baseball at that location. That said, I said, ‘Alright, let me make a contact,’ and I contacted somebody in the organization, and I said, ‘Where are we? I mean, are we going to have an opportunity to talk about this?’ The response back to me was, ‘Let’s keep talking.’”
According to Father Leonard Gicheru, the founder of Hallmark JC Halls frequented Our Lady of Sorrows in downtown Kansas City. “What I’ve heard is that JC Halls…used to come here in this church for quiet moments in prayer,” Ghicheru said. “The crown being the centerpiece of our church somehow inspired him to think about the logo of his company.”
Ghicheru has been the priest at Our Lady of Sorrows for six years and said the Royals moving in their backyard is a full circle moment for the church and Hallmark.
In renderings by Populous, the stadium will be directly behind the church. But the church isn’t going anywhere. It will continue to stand at the corner of 26th and Gillham. Ghicheru said he’s confident this change will bring more people to the church.
With Sherman and the ownership group set on leaving The K for greener pastures, I do think this Crown Center solution is loaded with potential. It is much better than just the Washington Square Park site on its own. I’m also intrigued by this partnership between Hallmark and the Royals. This could solidify a corridor that runs down Main Street from the River Market area to the Plaza. Assuming the owners of the Plaza make good on their promises of improvements. It could be, pardon the pun, a crown jewel in the heart of the city.
Only the Braves and Rangers were farther away than the Royals. However, the Rangers and Braves had developments around their respective ballparks, unlike the Royals, whose ballpark is surrounded by industrial buildings and a highway.
If you were visiting from out of town and you wanted to go to a baseball game? You will need a car or be prepared to pay a sizeable amount for an Uber/Lyft, especially if you are staying in the downtown Kansas City area. It’s worth it for a one-time visit, but it definitely deters visitors without vehicles from going to multiple games in a series.
In its proposed location? Fans can get to the ballpark on the Streetcar, whether from the UMKC area or the River Market. Furthermore, fans can take the Amtrak from out of town to Union Station and go immediately to a baseball game. Not a lot of ballparks have that luxury.
Big thanks again to Connor for filling in last week! My home internet was down and I was working off of my phone – not ideal for making a Rumblings.
So, back to our regularly scheduled programming. Two weeks ago we did the CPBL preview. This week is the KBO. And next week is NPB.
It’s always a little intimidating writing about the KBO and NPB. For the CPBL, there aren’t a lot of English-speaking fans. The subreddit is mostly dead, Twitter only has a couple of fans, and I could completely make up things and odds are you wouldn’t know the difference. Heck, those few English-speaking fans could be making stuff up and I may be passing along the baseball equivalent of Bigfoot stories and no one would be the wiser. But the KBO and NPB have numerous fans here and abroad. And they all know way more about those respective leagues than I do. I calm my fears by reminding myself that no one reads these anyway.
International Players: Notable names include Yonny Chirinos, Chris Flexen, Drew VerHagen, Mitch White, Daz Cameron, Harold Castro, Matt Davidson, Austin Dean, Guillermo Heredia, Sam Hilliard, and Víctor Reyes. I’m not sure how many of those are actually “notable,” but those are the five-year (or more) MLB veterans in KBO. Matt Davidson had a couple of 20-homer seasons for the White Sox and always seemed to pummel the Royals. Just yesterday, Yasiel Puig, who was in the KBO last year, signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs of the Canadian Baseball League. Also, there seems to be a disproportionate number of former Oakland Athletics, and I’m not sure what to make of that. Full list from MyKBOStats
Former Royals: While he never played for Kansas City, the aforementioned Harold Castro got over 400 ABs in Omaha last year and triple slashed .307/.354/.538 at age 31. There are a pair of former Royals relievers of recent vintage in the league. Matt Sauer is on the KT Wiz. He was a low-leverage arm from the early months of 2024 who was fine-ish in April until his FIP caught up to his ERA in May and was released. You might remember Anthony Veneziano. He was drafted by the Royals in 2019 and was perpetually on the lower end of prospect lists, working his way through the system. He never could get walks under control and only threw two games for the Royals in September of 2023. He’s on the SSG Landers.
Rooting Interest: Back when Max did the official RR guide for the KBO in 2020, the Hanwha Eagles best fit our rooting interest. Since 2008, the team had only made the playoffs once and they lost quickly. The franchise has existed for 40 years and has only won one Korea Series (1999). Since we’ve been rooting for them, they’ve finished 10th, 10th, 9th, and 8th. But last year, the pitching staff was lights out. Former Pittsburgh Pirate Cody Ponce won the league MVP, going 17-1 with a 1.89 ERA. Former Royals farmhand Ryan Weiss went 16-5 with a 2.87 ERA. They led the Eagles to 2nd place and an automatic berth in the KBO equivalent of the LCS. There, they dispatched the Samsung Lions before losing to the LG Twins in the Korea Series. Ponce and Weiss are in the MLB this season, the former with the Blue Jays and the latter with the Astros. It feels like it’s back to business as usual with the Eagles. But last year was fun for their fans.
Last Season: I already spoiled the playoffs, mentioning that the Twins won the Korea Series, the Eagles finished second, and the Lions third. Iconic closer Seung-hwan Oh (nicknamed “Stone Buddha” and “Final Boss”) announced his retirement. He is the only KBO player to ever get above 300 saves, retiring with 427. And that’s even with playing 4 years in MLB and another 2 in NPB.
World Baseball Classic: South Korea was in Pool C along with Japan, Taiwan, Australia, and Czechia. They took care of business against Czechia in their opener. Next up was Japan and the game was tied 5-5 going into the 7th, but Japan pulled away for a win. A couple of weeks ago, we talked about Taiwan’s dramatic 5-4 extra-inning win against Korea. This meant that Korea’s final game against Australia would rely on tiebreakers to determine who advanced from the group. Normally, Hyun Min Ahn’s sacrifice fly in the 9th to make the game 7-2 wouldn’t have meant much. But that final run advanced Korea into the knockout stages and sent Australia home.
This marked South Korea’s first trip to the elimination round since the 2009 World Baseball Classic. Back then, they lost the finals in 10 innings to Japan. This year, they did not go as far. In the quarterfinals, they were run-ruled by the undefeated Dominican Republic team: 10-0 in 7 innings.
Random Nuggets:
We listed all the MLB players in KBO. To flip this around, only one Korean player started the season in MLB. Giants outfielder and Korea WBC captain Lee Jung-hoo. Two others started the season on the injured list: Atlanta Braves shortstop Kim Ha-seong and San Diego Padres infielder Song Sung-mun. Three others start in the minors: Kim Hye-seong (Dodgers), Go Woo-suk (Tigers), and Bae Ji-hwan (Mets)
One of the big stories this offseason was a gambling controversy… only it’s not what you think. “The league suspended Lotte Giants outfielder Kim Dong-hyeok for 50 games while handing down 30-game bans on three of his teammates, Go Seung-min, Kim Se-min and Na Seung-yeup.” Was it for throwing games or shaving points? Nope! It was for visiting a casino while they did Spring Training in Taiwan. Oops: “It is illegal for Korean nationals to gamble overseas, and the four players are currently under police investigation.”
We’re already a couple of weeks into the season now. Want a quick spoiler on how it’s going for our rooting interest? Headline: “Eagles achieve dubious KBO record for most combined walks, HBPs allowed in game”. In case you were curious, the record is now 18: 16 BB and 2 HBP. “With a sellout crowd of 17,000 on hand, the Eagles led 5-1 entering the top of the eighth inning, but the Lions rallied with five runs in the final two frames. They scored the tying run and the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth without the benefit of a hit.” Our team is back, baby!
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 27: A general view of the New York Yankees playing against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on March 27, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
The San Francisco Giants welcome the Miami Marlins to town today for a three-game series. So let’s take a look at what Oracle Park has on deck for fans attending the games this weekend.
First up, we’re calling CalBear to the front on this one because tonight is Cal Night. Fans with special event tickets will receive a roped hat with the Giants and Cal logo, as well as a Giants flag in the school’s colors that features the school’s iconic bear mascot.
Saturday is Brandon Belt Celebration Day! I feel like I’ve been waiting a year for this. The first 20,000 fans in attendance will receive a Brandon Belt Aloha Shirt giveaway. There will also be a Junior Giants donation drive, where fans can receive a Brandon Belt captain hat pin for donations of $30 that will go towards gloves for the kids. Fans will want to be in their seats well before first pitch to enjoy the festivities for the Captain.
As with all Saturday home games this season, it will also be a Fiesta Gigantes game, with celebrations throughout the park.
Sunday will be Youth Baseball Day at the park. The first 11,000 fans age 14 and under will receive a pair of Youth Flip-Up Sunglasses as a giveaway! A perfect outing for the kids and their teammates.
If you’re headed to the park this weekend, have fun and make sure to share pictures down in the comments!
What time do the Giants play today?
The Giants and Marlins play game one of the series tonight at 7:15 p.m. PT.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 11: Mickey Moniak #22 of the Colorado Rockies is congratulated by Hunter Goodman #15 after hitting a two-run home run during the first inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on April 11, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Rockies’ top offensive performers last season — Mickey Moniak and Hunter Goodman — were not only bright spots in a 119-loss season, but also had the best seasons of their young careers.
With breakout seasons in the rearview mirror, one of the big questions heading into this season was whether or not they could repeat their success or if the seasons were a one-off. Even though the Rockies are only 26 games into the season, or 16% of the way in, it seems like a good time to see if Goodman and Moniak are on track to put up numbers like they did last season.
In 2025, Goodman led the Rockies with 31 homers, 91 RBI, 28 doubles, 150 hits, and hit .278/.323/.520 with an OPS of .843 to earn the Rockies lone All-Star and Silver Slugger nods. Last season, Moniak led the Rockies with eight triples, was second in homers with 24 and RBI with 68, tied for third with 117 hits, finished fifth in doubles with 20 and hit .270/.306/.518 and an .824 OPS.
While some numbers are down, most are on track or even better for Goodman and Moniak.
Through Thursday’s action, Goodman is leading the team in runs (17), is second in homers (6), third in hits (23), and tied for fifth in RBI (9). He’s hitting .264/.340/.540 with an .880 OPS. Here’s how his numbers look from Baseball Savant.
Goodman is trying to take on the extra challenge of more playing time this year, which means DHing on the days when he’s not catching. He’s played in 24 of the Rockies 26 games so far, including eight where he played all or part of the game as DH. His power numbers are about the same, which is a great sign. Unfortunately, his strikeouts are much worse.
Season
G
PA
HR
2B
R
RBI
SB
BB%
K%
AVG
OBP
SLG
OPS
2026
24
97
6
6
17
9
1
7.2%
37.1%
.241
.315
.470
.880
2025
24
95
4
5
14
11
0
10.50%
22%
.253
.352
.468
.828
Moniak — despite missing the first six games of the season with a sprained finger from spring training — leads Colorado with eight homers, which is tied for fifth-most in MLB, and he is tied for most RBI (15) on Colorado’s roster. He is second in runs (14) and fourth in hits (22) and doubles (5). Moniak is hitting .324/.347/.750 and has an OPS of 1.097.
It’s easy to see why he has had so much production early, thanks to Baseball Savant.
Moniak’s consistency is huge for the Rockies, especially considering he was a former No. 1 MLB draft pick and seemed to be a bust after not taking off in Philadelphia. It seemed even worse after being traded to and later released by the Angels in March of 2025. The Rockies picked him up, and that bet on Moniak is paying off.
His homers are ahead of where he was at in 2025, even if he’s striking out a little more and walking less.
Season
G
PA
HR
2B
R
RBI
SB
BB%
K%
AVG
OBP
SLG
OPS
2026
19
72
8
5
14
15
1
4.60%
22.47%
.324
.347
.750
1.097
2025
19
58
3
2
10
9
0
8.60%
20.70%
.231
.310
.231
.868
Outside of swinging a hot bat, the Rockies also win more often when Moniak is in the lineup. Through Thursday, the Rockies are 8-11 when Moniak plays and 2-5 when he doesn’t (10-16 overall). When asked what Moniak provides outside the stats after Thursday’s game, Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer explained Moniak’s value.
“Behind closed doors — just what he does. He’s part of keeping everything around her loose and keeps everybody ready to play. What he provides off the field is just as big as what he’s providing on the field,” Schaeffer said. “But he’s in a really good place offensively too.”
The season is still early, but all signs point to Goodman and Moniak continuing their impressive performances swinging the bat. With more support from hitters like TJ Rumfield and Troy Johnston, and the quality of pitching keeping the Rockies in more games, it’s no wonder the Rockies are off to a better start. The Rockies took 60 games to win 10 games in 2025 compared to 25 this year.
The MLB season is long. Anything can happen. Last year, Goodman and Moniak combined for 55 homers. They could be on track to beat that this year. Will they? Will it help the Rockies increase their win total this year?
Let us know what you think in the comments.
On the Farm
Triple-A: Sacramento River Cats 12, Albuquerque Isotopes 10
Vimael Machín hit an RBI single to score Adael Amador in the ninth inning, but it wasn’t enough to help the Isotopes come back on Thursday night in Sacramento. Albuquerque was outhit 15-10 and was hurt by three fielding errors. Amador hit a two-run homer and Drew Avans and Cole Carrigg each added two-run singles to help the Isotopes take a 6-0 lead in the second inning, but Sacramento answered back with an eight-run third to take a 9-6 lead. Albuquerque came back to tie it with a two-run homer from Zac Veen and an RBI from Chad Stevens in the fifth. Sacramento regained the lead with a three-run inning of its own in the seventh. Machín, Amador and Veen led the offense for the Isotopes with two hits each.
The Yard Goats blew a 4-2 lead as the Sea Dogs scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth to send it to extra innings and then won it on a walk-off single by Max Ferguson in the bottom of the 10th. Andy Perez had two hits for Hartford and stole a base, which led to a run in the fifth on an error. The Yard Goats scored their first run when Dyan Jorge led off with a single and came around to steal home on a double steal. In the sixth, Roc Riggio hit an RBI single and Jorge drew an RBI walk. Konner Eaton had a solid start for Hartford, giving up two uns on six hits in five innings, but Carlos Torres blew the save in the ninth and Cade Denton took the loss by pitching in the 10th.
The Indians rallied back from a 3-0 deficit to tie the game in the fourth inning on a Caleb Hobson RBI single, but Everett put up four-run frames in the fifth and seventh to come away with a win on Thursday. Hobson hit an RBI single in the second inning too, as did Tommy Hopfe, to account for Spokane’s scoring. Jordy Vargas gave up five runs on five hits in 4.1 innings to take the loss.
The Quakes jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second and never looked back on Thursday night. Fresno cut the 2-1 lead in half when Matt Klein hit an RBI single to score Lucas Ramirez, but Rancho Cucamonga answered back to take a 7-1 lead by the end of the fifth. Tanner Thach plated Clayton Gray, who had two hits on the night, on a fielder’s choice in the fifth for Spokane’s second and final run.
Feltner left after two innings with right triceps tightness and Willi Castro was forced from the game with right knee soreness. The severity of either is currently unknown, but the moves appear to be precautionary.
There is a Rockie on the list at No. 7. Bleacher Report believes that the arm of Jimmy Herget, aka the Human Glitch, will be in high demand at the trade deadline.
Some teams are off to a hot start to the season. Others are not. Those are the ones were interested in right now. Dayn Perry gives a “panic meter” rating to the struggling teams and he thinks the Phillies should be more worried than the Mets.
Max Scherzer tells Bob Nightengale that playing the piano has rescued his major league career. Basically, playing the piano until his fingers are sore is the only kind of physical therapy he’s found that’s solved his issues with his sore thumb.
And finally, in a happy follow-up to a story on Monday, Alicia Funderburk, the wife of Twins reliever Kody, gave birth to a healthy baby girl on Monday. The birth was complicated by Alicia being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma during the pregnancy.
Triple-A: Memphis Red Birds (STL) 5, Norfolk Tides 2
Levi Wells pitched four innings of one-run baseball. He gave up just three hits but also walked three in the short outing. The lone run came in the third inning on back-to-back doubles from the Red Birds, the second from former Orioles farmhand César Prieto.
Wells took the loss because they were down 1-0 when he exited, but the bullpen was worse than he was. Jeisson Cabrera and Enoli Paredes allowed two runs apiece.
The Tides had six hits, and three of them came off the bat of leadoff hitter Jud Fabian. That includes his fifth home run of the year, a solo shot. Fabian’s OPS is .894 after 23 games. Their other run scored in the bottom of the ninth on a single by Christian Encarnacion-Strand. Encarnacion-Strand reached base three times in the game with a single and two walks. Enrique Bradfield did not play.
Luis De León started the game with three shutout innings. The lefty allowed two hits with two walks and struck out four. He threw 67 pitches, which is not ideal. His relief, Cohen Achen, also pitched two scoreless and was awarded the win. The RubberDucks scored both of their runs in the ninth.
The Baysox had just seven hits in the game but they managed to score five runs anyway. Anderson De Los Santos had three hits and scored three runs. He was a triple short of the cycle. Griff O’Ferrall had one hit; his batting average early on is just .104. The top three batters in the lineup, Brandon Butterworth, Aron Estrada, and Ethan Anderson, were hitless.
High-A: Frederick Keys 10, Wilmington Blue Rocks (WAS) 9
The Keys were ahead 6-3 before allowing the Blue Rocks to score five runs in the fifth inning, but they came back and scored three in the bottom of the ninth to get the walk-off win.
JT Quinn had an off night, with six runs allowed in 4.1 innings. He allowed three runs, with a home run, in the top of the first. He put together three scoreless innings, then gave up three more runs with another homer to start the fifth. He ended the game eight hits and five strikeouts. But no walks, so that’s something?
Despite being down 3-0 immediately, the offense started fighting back right away. They scored six runs in the second through fourth innings, thanks in part to back-to-back homers from RJ Austin and Nate George. Both Austin and George had two-hit games. Vance Honeycutt reached base twice and stole twice, including home.
In the bottom of the ninth, down by two, the Keys loaded the bases on a single and two walks. Braylin Tavera singled in one run to make the score 9-8. Pinch-hitter Ike Irish came through in the clutch, lining a single to center field to knock in both the tying and winning runs.
Low-A: Delmarva Shorebirds 7, Wilson Warbirds (MIL) 3
It was a good night for starting pitcher Esteban Meija. He struck out eight batters in four shutout innings with just three hits and a walk. It was the best start for Meija so far this season, who walked an unimaginable eight batters in his previous start on April 17th. Meija was replaced by Brandon Downer, who was awarded the win with three innings and one run allowed.
The offense took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning and never looked back. DJ Layton continued to lay waste to Carolina League. He had two doubles and a walk as the leadoff batter, and his OPS is 1.076. Delmarva had three two-run innings and even scored one run on a steal of home for extra fun. Jordan Sanchez tripled and walked, and four Shorebirds had multi-hit games.
The Mets managed to embarrass themselves in the win, as Huascar Brazobán returned to the field for the ninth inning as Devin Williams started to come in from the bullpen while the Citi Field light show happened.
Tim Britton and Will Sammon write about the Mets’ awkward roster and whether or trades will be necessary to get to a point that the pieces are a better fit.
The Pittsburgh Penguins are in a very challenging spot, as they are down 3-0 in their series against the Philadelphia Flyers. If they hope to have any chance of reverse-sweeping the Flyers, they are going to need all of their top players to be on their A-game from here.
This includes Penguins forward Anthony Mantha, who has had a slow start to the playoffs. In three games so far this postseason, Mantha has zero points to go along with a minus-4 rating. With this, the 6-foot-5 winger has gone cold offensively, and the Penguins absolutely need him to regain his scoring touch from here.
When looking at how well Mantha played during the regular season, he certainly has the potential to heat back up for Pittsburgh. In 81 games this regular season, he set new career highs with 33 goals, 31 assists, and 64 points. With numbers like these, he was a notable reason behind the Penguins getting into the playoffs. Now, Pittsburgh needs him to snap his cold streak and regain his top form.
It will be interesting to see how Mantha performs for the Penguins in Game 4 from here.
The Philadelphia 76ers are preparing for a crucial first-round Game 3 in their NBA playoffs matchup against the Boston Celtics, but uncertainty looms over the availability of their star center, Joel Embiid.
Embiid has been upgraded to doubtful ahead of Friday’s pivotal Game 3 at home against the Celtics. The star center underwent an emergency appendectomy two weeks ago while in Houston, and he has not played since the procedure. His status remains uncertain, as the 76ers hope for his return to bolster their chances in this tightly contested series.
The Eastern Conference first-round matchup stands tied at 1-1. After suffering a lopsided 123-91 defeat in Game 1, the 76ers responded with a strong performance in Game 2, securing a convincing 111-97 victory to even the series.
The Philadelphia 76ers' star Joel Embiid is currently considered doubtful to play in the first-round playoff Game 3 against the Boston Celtics on Friday, April 24.
How to watch Game 3: Philadelphia 76ers vs Boston Celtics on Friday
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 20: Roman Anthony #19 of the Boston Red Sox leaves the field prior to the game between the Detroit Tigers and the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Monday, April 20, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Joe Sullivan/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Roman Anthony had the weight of the world thrown on his shoulders by the Red Sox and the front office’s failure to construct a contending lineup around him.
Last June’s trade of Rafael Devers and the subsequent free-agent departure of Alex Bregman left little to fear in Boston’s offense. Anthony did produce at a high level in 2025 before his September oblique injury. That doesn’t mean it’s smart to immediately force him into the role of the primary offensive weapon in his age-22 season.
Whether it’s pressure, the flow of the early weeks or just a plain slump, Boston’s young star simply hasn’t hit like one so far. His lone home run came in a pinch-hit at-bat in Houston, though the swing was impressive with an opposite-field blast against Astros closer Bryan Abreu.
Anthony holds just a .686 OPS through his first 22 games. He also missed the final two games of the series loss to the New York Yankees with a back issue. Not great news given his injury last fall.
His struggles are among the many reasons for gutted belief in the team after a 9-16 start.
Want a little bit to believe in?
Anthony continues to show progress in the areas that built his offensive profile: he’s hitting the ball hard (89th percentile average exit velocity) and still takes his walks (91st percentile walk rate).
Not to mention that he already showed once in 2026 that he can get hot quickly. Former Red Sox infielder and Team USA hitting coach Sean Casey got an up-close view of that run during the World Baseball Classic in March.
“I like the way he works in the cages,” Casey told OverTheMonster.com in a recent interview. “I like how he was really driving the ball in the gaps in batting practice, really trying to work that left center gap. You can tell he was really working the middle of the field. So I just love the way he worked. I think sometimes it takes years to develop a really good routine. And I feel like he has a good routine. He has a good feel of what he’s trying to do and a good feel of what his strengths are.”
We’ve all seen Anthony unload on some pull-side blasts over the last year, from his Spring Breakout rocket to his 497-foot grand slam in Worcester and his Yankee Stadium second-deck shot in August. With that said, Casey sees Anthony’s ability to join elite left-handed hitters and find a new gear with pivots to the opposite field.
“Your best hitters, their approach is out over the plate,” Casey explained. “For Roman Anthony, I was waiting to see what he said, but I think the best hitters are trying to drive the ball to left center. He was saying center, left of center; which I liked. And he was like, ‘I try to stay in the middle of the field. That’s when I’m at my best.’ And I was like, ‘Man, that’s a great approach for anybody.’ But for a 21 year old kid and seeing how his approach was, I could understand why he’s such a great player.”
The conventional thinking for optimizing offense at Fenway Park is to load up on right-handed power. That’s valid and the Red Sox must build offenses around that trend for years and years to come. At the same time, the wall can kill slumps for the adaptable lefties who can embrace it.
“He’s gonna get hot. He’s gonna get hot and put up some damage numbers,” Casey said. “The thing about Roman, he’s got big-time power so he could put up five homers in a week and drive in a bunch of runs.”
Casey continued: “I think the biggest thing for him is really to use that Monster. He’s got a really good left center approach. I think the Monster can get you hot quickly. I saw Big Papi do it when I played with him in 2008. For years watching him, I always felt like when he got in trouble, he’s like, gotta get off that monster and everything would open up. I think Roman’s gonna learn that if he can really use the dimensions of Fenway to help him out. But the biggest thing is, he’s gonna get hot. I mean, that’s the bottom line.”
His abilities at the plate will spark great seasons. His humility and personality will make him a perennial All-Star and an impeccable teammate. Those qualities may be Casey’s greatest takeaways from his time with Anthony last month.
“That was probably one of my first impressions,” Casey recalled. “Like man, this guy feels like a veteran. It feels like a veteran the way he handles himself. But just such a great kid, man. Just a nice guy, hard worker. You know, one thing I loved about talking to him as the hitting coach was just asking him what his approach was and what he’s thinking in the box, what he’s thinking about in practice. What his work looks like. You know, he had some great answers about what he does and what he’s thinking and what he’s working on in the cages.”
Everybody knows the story of Anthony’s “rookie” responsibilities on Team USA of purchasing and lugging around the team’s massive speaker from workouts to bus rides and everywhere in between. Obviously vibes are different in WBC settings, rather than the exhausting grind of the season, but Casey watched this job bring Anthony into a core role in a star-studded clubhouse.
“These guys, these guys all have that swagger about them in a confident way, you know, not cocky, but a confident way,” Casey said. “There’s an air about him and something about Roman that he has.”
Alex Cora challenged Anthony when he left camp to soak up as much experience from as many teammates as possible, not just his friend and mentor in Bregman. Thus, the Red Sox outfielder quickly earned the respect of Aaron Judge, who will challenge him for years to come in the current state of baseball’s most historic rivalry, with a quick turnaround following a tiring travel day to Miami for knockout rounds in the WBC.
“The coaches go and we’re getting BP going,” Casey shared. “And I think Roman was in group two. And so he was behind the cage with me on the turtle and Judge says, ‘Hey, Roman. Good to see you’re on the other bus.’ And then, Roman says to Judge, ‘Hey, if there was a 7:30 (AM) bus, I would have been on it.’ And I was like, that’s awesome. You know, like you got these guys, the WBC is the best of the best, but you got Roman Anthony at 21.”
“They needed a rookie on the WBC team and he was kind of the guy and he really embraced it. It was kind of a fun thing and it endeared me to him more,” Casey added.
On the field, Anthony lived up to manager Mark DeRosa’s request to be ready to play every day. He joined Judge, Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber as the only four USA players to play in all seven WBC games. Anthony hit .280 with a .920 OPS for the tournament and his clutch home run against the Dominican Republic helped vault the Americans back to a third-straight finals appearance.
“There were some pretty big environments there,” Casey said. “Felt like the moment wasn’t too big for him. You know, I felt like he believes in himself. He’s very confident. And, you know, I think that was one thing that really stuck out like, man, this guy’s not overwhelmed with anything. … When he came up with that big hit against the D-R, the big homer, you’re like, man, that’s huge right there. That place was basically an away game for us. I mean, so it was a pretty raucous environment, which is really cool.”
Anthony clearly made the strongest of impressions on the hitting coach, 12-year big-league veteran and MLB Network analyst. Casey kept Anthony in an elite class of young talent with names like Konnor Griffin and Bobby Witt Jr. with blindingly-bright futures as they rack up games under their belts.
That’s why it’s only a matter of time for Anthony’s resurgence if you ask “The Mayor.”
“You can’t teach experience,” Casey said. “I think for a guy like Roman Anthony, I don’t think the stage of Boston rattles him in the big leagues. I think it’s more about him getting settled in and getting hot pretty soon. Really feeling himself and then getting going.”
