New SMU athletic director Damon Evans is taking over a department enjoying momentum it hasn't seen in decades after the Mustangs exceeded expectations in their first year in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The football team didn't lose an ACC regular-season game and qualified for the first expanded, 12-team playoff. The men's basketball team flirted with an NCAA Tournament bid before settling for the NIT and reaching the second round.
Does a rivalry game hit different in March Madness? Duke, UNC meeting in NCAA women’s tournament for the first time ever
The Tobacco Road rivalry is finally happening on the NCAA tournament stage on Friday.
Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson joins Baseball Bar-B-Cast: 'You are the first Gunnar in MLB history'
(This article was written with the assistance of Castmagic, an AI tool, and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy. Please reach out to us if you notice any mistakes.)
Gunnar Henderson is gearing up for what could be a defining season in his young MLB career. Coming off a breakout year in 2024, the Orioles' shortstop is striking a pose on the cover of "MLB The Show" alongside two other breakout stars, Paul Skenes and Elly De La Cruz.
On the latest episode of "Baseball Bar-B-Cast," hosts Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman discussed with Henderson how a spotlight moment such as this is both a privilege and a pressure. As Mintz quipped, "You are the first Gunnar in MLB history.”
While his name might be unique, Mintz and Shusterman both believe that Henderson’s on-field impact is poised to transcend novelty.
[Read more: The top 50 people who will impact the 2025 MLB season]
The art of facing aces and staying cool
Facing off against MLB’s hardest throwers is never easy, a fact Henderson knows all too well. In the episode, he reflected on a memorable matchup against Pirates ace Paul Skenes.
Henderson said his strategy involves maintaining calm under pressure, focusing on timing rather than trying to out-pace the pitcher. This is a vital skill for someone who might face Skenes more often as both players continue to rise. Mintz and Shusterman emphasized Henderson’s disciplined approach at the plate, underscoring his potential to evolve into a key player for the Orioles.
The trio also discussed the palpable camaraderie within the Orioles’ locker room. Teammates such as Adley Rutschman and Jordan Westburg represent a new wave of youthful energy congregating in Baltimore — something that Shusterman said might be overlooked but is "central to the rebuilding narrative."
Team dynamics and hitting the right notes
Henderson’s off-the-field relationships reflect the kind of ethos the Orioles need. His friendship with the light-hearted Colton Cowser is a case in point. Although the two are polar opposites personality-wise, Henderson said he values their interactions, which bring levity and unity to an otherwise intense environment.
“It’s easier to face the long season when you’ve got a guy like Cowser who’s eternally optimistic,” Henderson said.
Looking ahead, it’s not only about Henderson's individual accolades but also the role he plays as a catalyst for his team’s performance. Mintz’s bold prediction that Orioles pitchers and hitters might combine for 500 home runs this year puts some tangible numbers behind the hype. If Henderson steps up, the offensive fireworks could be a reality, not just a fantastical prediction.
Is Henderson ready to assume the mantle of the next big baseball star? The Orioles’ hopes might very well hinge on it. As Shusterman put it, Orioles fans, "get ready for a season of surprises."
Henderson's trajectory is not just about outperforming expectations but also about setting a new standard for rising talent in MLB.
To hear the full interview with Gunnar Henderson, tune in to "Baseball-Bar-B-Cast" on Apple, Spotify or YouTube.
Yankees' Austin Wells hits leadoff home run in Opening Day win
Opening Day came and went for the Yankees who beat the Milwaukee Brewers, 4-2, and it didn't take long for some history to be made in The Bronx.
Leading off the bottom of the first inning, Austin Wells hit a solo home run off Freddy Peralta to give New York a quick 1-0 lead. It was the first time in MLB history that a catcher hit a leadoff home run on Opening Day.
Wells also became the first Yankee with a leadoff home run on Opening Day.
LEADOFF HOMER FOR AUSTIN WELLS! 💣
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) March 27, 2025
(via @MLB) pic.twitter.com/PjpKSZ2TWI
"It's pretty cool," Wells said after the game. "Obviously not playing to break records but it's still pretty cool to hear."
The ball traveled 348 feet to right field -- caught by a fan in the first row -- and had an exit velocity of 103.7 mph, getting out in a hurry.
What makes the home run even more impressive is it came in Wells' first at-bat hitting leadoff.
"I don't know, it felt pretty good I think," Wells said when asked about how he felt batting first in the order. "It was cool."
Without a true leadoff hitter in the lineup, New York tried Wells at the top of the batting order during spring training and the catcher answered the call well, prompting the Yankees to keep the 25-year-old there, at least for the beginning of the season.
"Pretty early on in camp I felt like -- you know I get it it’s unconventional, it’s the catcher, he’s not a burner and all that, but to me it made a lot of sense potentially," Boone said about Wells in the leadoff spot. "He’s one of the guys in my head I can say, this works for me and I just think that’s where he is as a hitter now too. I think he’s really a lot more advanced and I think he’s gonna take another step from last year."
When Boone first told Wells about his idea of batting him No. 1, the catcher thought he was joking, saying, "I didn’t really take it seriously."
Wells never envisioned himself as a leadoff hitter, but being in front of Aaron Judge has helped him make the switch.
"I think it’s something new for me and it's kind of exciting getting to hit in front of Aaron Judge and trying to get on base for him," Wells said. "I think that’s kind of helped me mindset-wise, just get on base anyway that I can."
Cummins’ rare feat as Marsh’s epic IPL return continues, man of match calls out ‘not fair’ pitch
Pat Cummins achieved a rare feat while fellow Australians Travis Head and Mitch Marsh had big knocks overnight as Lucknow Super Giants easily chased down a target of 191 to beat Sunrisers Hyderabad for their first win of the new IPL season.
Ole Miss basketball’s Chris Beard still runs one Tom Izzo, Michigan State drill
Ole Miss men's basketball coach Chris Beard talked about the one Tom Izzo drill he still runs every day and previewed their March Madness matchup.
Don’t write off future Cinderellas just because it’s an all-power conference Sweet 16, coaches say
Nearly every year there's at least one lovable underdog that rises from obscurity in the NCAA Tournament to capture the hearts of basketball fans and bust their brackets. All 16 regional semifinalists are from power conferences for the first time since the bracket expanded to 64 teams in 1985. The popular theory is that the transfer portal has led to a concentration of the best players at the big schools paying the most NIL money and, soon, the most through revenue sharing.
Reds outfielder Austin Hays placed on 10-day injured list with left calf strain
CINCINNATI — Cincinnati Reds outfielder Austin Hays was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left calf strain on Wednesday.
The move is retroactive to March 24 and comes a day before the Reds open the season at home against the San Francisco Giants.
“He had a scan today and it’s a very low grade (strain),” manager Terry Francona said. “But because of his history, he tried to play through this last year and it got him into some trouble. So we’ve got to nip this in the bud. He’s not sure when he did it.”
Francona said it’s possible that Hays could only miss six games, but he wanted to remain cautious.
The Reds signed Hays on Jan. 30 to a one-year, $5 million contract.
Last season, Hays was sidelined from April 21 to May 13 with a left calf strain. He strained his left hamstring in August, then in September missed three weeks with a kidney infection.
Hays, an AL All-Star in 2023 while with the Baltimore Orioles, returned for the postseason but went hitless with three strikeouts in four at-bats for the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS against the Mets.
He played only 85 combined games last season for the Orioles and the Phillies, and batted .255 with five home runs and 20 RBIs.
Phillies' revised batting order an important part of Opening Day win
Phillies' revised batting order an important part of Opening Day win originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
WASHINGTON — The prevailing, modern thought around baseball is that batting order construction doesn’t matter much.
On Opening Day, for the Phillies, it sure did.
Leading off Trea Turner rather than Kyle Schwarber forced the Nationals to use a right-handed reliever instead of a lefty to begin the seventh inning up by a run against the top of the Phillies’ order.
It worked in the Phillies’ favor as Bryce Harper took righty Lucas Sims deep to center field on the first pitch he saw, a low-and-in heater, and Schwarber put them ahead by doing the same to lefty Jose Ferrer two batters later.
Jordan Romano blew the save by allowing two eighth-inning runs in a rocky debut, but the Phillies’ revised lineup came through again with two outs in the 10th to win it. After Brandon Marsh failed to get a bunt down and struck out for the fourth time and Turner lined out softly, Harper walked to bring up Alec Bohm, the Phillies’ most consistent bat with runners in scoring position, a .312 career hitter in those spots. Bohm delivered the game-winning blow, a two-run double to left-center, and the Phillies broke open a 7-3 win with a two-run triple by J.T. Realmuto, who struck out his first four times up.
Had to be a pretty good feeling for Bohm, whose offseason began with months of trade rumors.
Before the game, Phillies manager Rob Thomson confirmed that for now, he will lead off Turner against lefties and Schwarber vs. righties. Turner was 0-for-4 with a walk, seeing 28 pitches in his five plate appearances, which is the kind of grind the Phillies want from him at the plate. It could not only lead to more walks for Turner but it gives Harper more pitches to see in the on-deck circle.
The Phillies started five left-handed hitters, a highly unusual number against a southpaw. But Nats starter Mackenzie Gore, who absolutely dominated them on Thursday with six scoreless, one-hit innings and 13 strikeouts, has reverse platoon splits and they want to give Max Kepler and Marsh the opportunity to face same-handed pitching. This won’t always be the case — it will likely depend on the arsenal and delivery of the lefty starter. The next two the Phillies might face are Blake Snell and Chris Sale in their third and fourth series of the season. Those stick out as games Edmundo Sosa and Johan Rojas could start.
The game was decided long after both starters departed. Zack Wheeler did what he often does, keeping his opponents off balance en route to one run over six innings. This was his sixth Phillies season debut and he’s allowed no runs or one run in five of them.
Romano aside, the rest of the Phillies’ late-inning relievers pitched well. Orion Kerkering had two runners in scoring position with one out in the seventh after two unlucky bloops but dealt his way out of it. Jose Alvarado pumped 101 mph fastballs by the Nats in a scoreless ninth. And Matt Strahm, after missing most of spring training with a left shoulder injury and then a gash on his finger, went 1-2-3 in the 10th inning to close it out.
Lefty or righty, the Phils won’t face a starter as good as Gore for over a week. It wasn’t a perfect Opening Day — the Phillies struck out 19 times in all — but they all count the same.
Teams successful on 52.2% of ball/strike challenges during spring training robot umpire test
NEW YORK — Teams won 52.2% of their ball/strike challenges during the spring training test of robot umpires, and catchers had a markedly better success rate than pitchers.
Major League Baseball said Wednesday that 617 of 1,182 challenges were successful in the 288 exhibition games using the Automated Ball-Strike System.
Batters won exactly 50% of their 596 challenges and the defense 54%, with catchers successful 56% of the time and pitchers 41%.
Teams challenged 2.6% of called pitches; offense asked for computer reviews of 4.4% and the defense 1.8%.
ABS was installed at 13 spring training ballparks hosting 19 teams, and an animation of the pitch was shown on video boards showing spectators the challenge result.
Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred says robot umpires could be used as early as the 2026 regular season but feedback from players and teams needs to be gathered and analyzed before a decision is made.
During the 2024 regular season, 10.9% of called pitches in the strike zone were ruled balls and 6.3% of called pitches outside of the strike zone were ruled strikes, according to MLB Statcast.
Challenges averaged 4.1 per game. The overturn rate was slightly higher than the 50.6% for minor league games with the ABS system last year.
A challenge averaged 13.8 seconds, down from 16.6 at Triple-A.
Teams used their most challenges with a full count, 6.9%, but were successful just 44% of the time. While just 1.9% of first pitches were challenged, the success rate was 57%.
Challenges were made more often earlier in the game; 2.8% of called pitches were challenged in the first three innings, 2.6% in the middle innings, 2.3% in the seventh and eighth and 2.4% in the ninth. The overturn rate declined from 57% in the third three innings to 49% in the middle innings, then was 50% in the seventh and eighth, and 41% in the ninth.
D-backs sign LHP Jalen Beeks to one-year deal, add RHP Shelby Miller to big league roster
PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks signed left-hander Jalen Beeks to a one-year, $1.25 million deal and selected the contract of veteran righty Shelby Miller on Wednesday as they worked to solidify their bullpen before opening day.
The 31-year-old Beeks split time with the Colorado Rockies and Pittsburgh Pirates last season, throwing in 71 games with a 4.50 ERA. He was released by Houston from a minor league contract this week after appearing in three spring training games.
The 34-year-old Miller came to camp as a non-roster invitee and made the opening day roster after a solid exhibition season that included 11 strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings.
Miller will be get a $1 million salary while in the major leagues this season and $200,000 while in the minors. He could earn performances bonuses of $50,000 each for 10 and 15 appearances, $100,000 apiece for 20, 30, 35, 40 and 45 and $150,000 for 50.
This is Miller’s second stint with the Diamondbacks. He had a disappointing three-year stretch with the club from 2016-18 after being acquired in a trade that sent Ender Inciarte and former No. 1 overall pick Dansby Swanson to Atlanta.
Arizona placed lefty Jordan Montgomery on the 60-day injured list because of an elbow injury that’s expected to require Tommy John surgery. Catcher René Pinto was designated for assignment.
Shane Todd chats playing soccer in America, the growth of MLS and their fans & the drama around Man United
Christian Polanco and Alexis Guerreros bring on comedian and lifelong soccer fan Shane Todd. Shane compares playing soccer in America to Europe and why he loves playing in Philadelphia. The boys also chat about the growth of MLS as a league and why maybe American fans shouldn’t try to be like European fans. Shane also tells us how he became a Manchester United fan and why he’s enjoying the soap opera that is Man United.
Rockies give outfielder Mickey Moniak one-year, $1.25 million deal after his release from Angels
The Colorado Rockies added outfield depth by agreeing to a one-year, $1.25 million deal with Mickey Moniak.
Colorado announced the deal Thursday and also designated outfielder Sam Hilliard for assignment a day ahead of its opener at Tampa Bay. The Rockies placed infielder Thairo Estrada on the 10-day injured list, and right-hander Jeff Criswell and left-hander Austin Gomber on the 15-day injured list, all three retroactive to Monday,
Moniak hit .219 with 14 homers and 49 RBIs last season with the Los Angeles Angels.
The 26-year-old was released by the Angels on Tuesday after beating the team in salary arbitration. He will receive $483,781 in termination pay from the Angels rather than his $2 million salary.
Moniak was the No. 1 pick by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2016 draft. He spent parts of three seasons with the Phillies before being dealt in August 2022 to the Angels for pitcher Noah Syndergaard.
Last weekend, the Rockies traded outfielder Nolan Jones to the Cleveland Guardians for infielder/outfielder Tyler Freeman. The move offers more flexibility after the team lost Estrada to a broken right wrist.
Manager Carlos Mendoza among those eagerly anticipating Juan Soto’s New York Mets debut
HOUSTON — Juan Soto’s debut with the New York Mets has seemingly the entire baseball world excited.
“Yeah, put me in that category too,” manager Carlos Mendoza said Thursday. “I’m excited to watch him today and every day.”
Soto was set to bat second and play right field in his first game with the Mets on Thursday against the Houston Astros after signing a blockbuster 15-year, $765 million contract this offseason.
Soto, who played for the Yankees last season, joins the Mets as they chase their first World Series title since 1986.
“He’s an elite player,” Mendoza said. “I’m excited how he fit in right away since the first couple of days when he showed up in spring training. You’ve got to give guys in here a lot of credit because they made him feel like home... right away.”
“He’s a special player, but he’s also understanding that he’s human and he’s gonna struggle at times,” Mendoza continued. “But I’m excited to watch him day in and day out.”
The 26-year-old Soto hit .288 with 41 homers and 109 RBIs last year and won a Silver Slugger Award for a fifth straight season.
Soto is a career .285 hitter with 201 home runs and 592 RBIs in seven major league seasons where he also played for the Nationals and the Padres.
White Sox’s Josh Rojas, Bryan Ramos, Mike Tauchman placed on 10-day injured list
CHICAGO — The Chicago White Sox placed infielders Josh Rojas and Bryan Ramos and outfielder Mike Tauchman on the 10-day injured list on opening day on Thursday.
Chicago also added right-hander Mike Clevinger, outfielder Travis Jankowski and infielder Nick Maton to its active roster before its game against the Los Angeles Angels. Left-hander Jake Eder and outfielder Dominic Fletcher were designated for assignment.
Ramos has a right elbow strain, and Rojas is dealing with a right toe fracture. Tauchman has a right hamstring strain.
Left-hander Tyler Gilbert was placed on the 15-day IL, and right-hander Drew Thorpe went on the 60-day IL. Gilbert is dealing with left knee bursitis, and Thorpe is out for the season after he had Tommy John surgery.
Andrew Benintendi was in the starting lineup against LA as the designated hitter. He broke his right hand when he was hit by a pitch on Feb. 27.
The 30-year-old Benintendi is wearing a hand guard at the plate for another couple of weeks. He will be back in the outfield for the final two games of the opening series, first-year manager Will Venable said.
“I’m ready right now. I feel confident in that part of my game,” Benintendi said of playing defense.
Clevinger, Jankowski and Maton joined the team on minor league deals in the offseason. The 34-year-old Clevinger is going to work out of the bullpen after spending most of his career as a starter.
Eder, 26, was acquired in an Aug. 1, 2023, trade that sent Jake Burger to Miami. Eder, a fourth-round pick in the 2020 amateur draft, pitched two innings of one-run ball in his lone major league appearance on Sept. 17 at the Angels.
Fletcher, 27, came over in a February 2024 trade with Arizona. He batted .206 with a homer and 17 RBIs in 72 games with the White Sox last season.