The image is iconic — Kobe Bryant letting out a roar while tugging on his gold Lakers jersey after scoring 49 points during a playoff win over the Denver Nuggets on April 23, 2008.

It has been used in numerous murals around Southern California, including one that is being painted in larger-than-life form on the side of a future Eat Fantastic restaurant on the 700 block of North Pacific Coast Highway in Redondo Beach.

This particular painting, however, is a little different from the others, and from the original image itself. Bryant's intensity is still there. His pose is exactly the same. He is still wearing a No. 24 jersey.

But in this version, that jersey is not gold with "Lakers" spelled across the chest in purple letters.

It's white, with "Dodgers" across the chest in blue letters.

The altered version of the iconic image is just one portion of a sprawling mural paying tribute to the Dodgers' 2024 World Series championship. It's on the north-facing side of a former Carl's Jr. building that will open later this year as part of the growing Eat Fantastic chain in the Los Angeles area.

The mural was conceived by artist Gustavo Zermeño Jr. and Eat Fantastic owner Efthemios Alexander Tsiboukas. It features some of the key figures from the Dodgers' title run — players Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Shohei Ohtani (with his beloved dog Decoy) and rapper Ice Cube, who is shown riding in a classic Dodger blue convertible as he did when he performed before Game 3 of the World Series.

And then there's the late Lakers legend Bryant, whose inclusion in the piece was a must, Zermeño said.

Read more:Want to visit Kobe Bryant murals? Here are 24 in Los Angeles and 8 in Orange County

"Each [Eat Fantastic] location has a Kobe mural, at least the ones that have a good wall," said Zermeño, who is a huge fan of both the Dodgers and Bryant. "And for this location, [Tsiboukas] wanted to create something for the Dodgers' championship team. That's why Kobe has the Dodger jersey on, you know, staying on theme with the locations having a Kobe mural."

Zermeño said the original idea was to paint Bryant wearing a Dodgers baseball jersey, as he did while attending the team's games over the years before his shocking death in January 2020.

"So we looked up a bunch of images," Zermeño said. "A lot of them are obviously cool images, but either they were very pixelated, or just didn't have what we wanted, that really aggressive Mamba-mentality feel.

"So we found this image. And you know, this image has been done before in several murals. But with the Dodger jersey, we wanted to throw a twist on it."

Tsiboukas said: "That's my favorite picture of him. I have the exact same one [painted at the restaurant location] in Arcadia. He's wearing the real jersey, though, the yellow one. So I wanted a replica of that same one I did in Arcadia, and do it in a Dodger jersey, because of the Dodger dynasty right now."

The purple and gold may have been removed from the jersey, but Zermeño said he purposefully incorporated them into the sunset depicted behind Bryant as a nod to the Lakers.

Zermeño started working on the mural Aug. 7 and expects to have it completed next week, ahead of Bryant's Aug. 23 birthday. The portion featuring Bryant is already done — and it has garnered mixed reactions.

"For the most part, I've gotten a pretty positive reaction over it," Zermeño said. "You know, a lot of Laker fans are also Dodger fans, so I think that overlap is pretty consistent throughout L.A. But yeah, man, you're always going to have some haters. I think a lot of it is more like playful taunting. ...

Read more:North Hollywood mural lauds Dodgers' Kiké Hernández 'for standing up for what is right'

"A couple of people driving by — I think they're just trying to be funny, making a joke, like yelling 'He didn't play for the Dodgers!' or like, 'He was a Laker!' And then some people are just curious why I made that change. I think the people that are curious are older, some of the older crowd that, I guess, doesn't understand why I would switch it, you know?"

Tsiboukas said he has seen a lot of online discussion about it, including on the popular kobemural Instagram page.

"Maybe 70% love it, and 30% are like, 'That looks like a Clipper jersey,'" Tsiboukas said. "It's causing a lot of friction back and forth, but it's good topic. It's raising awareness. It's keeping Kobe's legacy alive."

Zermeño said he doesn't mind the discourse over his artwork.

“It just, it sparks that conversation," he said. "So regardless of whether people like it or not, I think it kind of breaks the ice for people to come up and ask questions and learn more about why we created it, and the process of putting it together. ...

“It's art, you know, and art's meant to kind of create some type of conversation. And if we were to put him with a regular jersey, people would have been like, ‘Oh, that's cool, but it's been done X amount of times,' you know? I've seen that photo in at least five different murals. So, yeah, I think switching it up definitely — I don't want to say it elevated the piece, but it definitely created more conversation than there would be if we just kept the original jersey.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Ahead of their biggest series of the season, the Dodgers suffered another significant injury blow.

Third baseman Max Muncy was placed on the 10-day injured list Friday with a Grade 1 right oblique strain ahead of the team’s pivotal divisional matchup against the San Diego Padres.

The Dodgers are hopeful Muncy’s injury — which manager Dave Roberts said was similar to, but more mild, than the oblique and rib problem that sidelined him for much of last year — won’t be season ending.

However, Muncy will be out for at least several weeks, with Roberts offering no firm timetable beyond that.

"I don't think anyone knows right now, but certainly beyond the 10 days,” Roberts said. “I think that's a safe bet."

In a corresponding move, the Dodgers claimed infielder Buddy Kennedy off waivers from the Toronto Blue Jays.

The last time the Dodgers lost Muncy, to a knee injury in early July that kept him out for about a month, their offense cratered.

Before that point, the team had led the majors in scoring, with 25 more runs than any other club. But over the 25 games he missed, they ranked last, averaging 3.5 runs per game while other star hitters endured slumps.

That sequence served as a reminder of Muncy’s importance to the team. Even after a slow start this year, he was hitting .258 with 17 home runs and 64 RBIs in 89 games.

"It's certainly a tough loss," Roberts said. "I think it's just, guys got to continue to perform to their abilities. It's hard to kind of backfill Max, what he brings as far as the plate discipline, the slug, the on-base, all that stuff. I feel good about our lineup, the guys that we have, and they've just got to go out there and take good at-bats. That's kind of all we can do right now."

Muncy’s injury comes amid other key injuries to the lineup.

Tommy Edman and Kiké Hernández (the team’s primary backup options at third base) are unlikely to return before September. Because of that, the club had already dug deep into its minor-league depth, including calling up highly touted prospect Alex Freeland — who has hit just .176 since arriving, but got the start at third base Friday.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Giants' offensive outburst not enough as tragic home stretch continues vs. Rays originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

For the first time since 1901, the Giants have lost 14 of 15 games at home.

It’s also San Francisco’s sixth straight loss, their third such streak in just over a month.

Though Friday’s 7-6 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays at Oracle Park looked much different than the previous five, the result was the same — and just as disheartening.

“It’s just like, we can’t get our timing right with anything,” manager Bob Melvin said postgame. “Everybody is feeling it right now, especially at home. You lose games, you lose multiple games and you lose them in different fashions — it’s not a great feeling.

“But I think we take the field every day in good spirits, and you got to do it again the next day, unfortunately.”

The Giants’ offense woke up quickly Friday night against Rays starter Joe Boyle, pushing six runs across in the first three innings. By comparison, the Giants had scored only five total runs in their previous five games.

Willy Adames ended an 0-for-24 streak at the plate with a third-inning homer, while the bottom of the Giants’ order showed life as well. Christian Koss reached base in all four of his plate appearances, while Patrick Bailey knocked a two-run double the other way to give San Francisco a 6-3 lead.

But even after their hot start at the plate, the Giants’ issues with runners in scoring position resurfaced again late in a tie game. After two hit batters and a single loaded the bases with no outs in the eighth, San Francisco still couldn’t get a ball out of the infield to drive in the go-ahead run.

The Rays, meanwhile, managed to do what the Giants couldn’t, converting a first-and-third, no outs situation into the eventual game-winning run in the top of the ninth.

That clutch hitting was yet again the difference in a San Francisco loss. The Giants went 4-for-18 with runners in scoring position and stranded eight runners, while Tampa Bay went 5-for-12.

To make matters worse for the Giants’ offense, Matt Chapman hit the IL again before Friday’s game with right hand inflammation stemming from his June injury. The All-Star third baseman spoke to the media postgame, explaining that he received two cortisone shots in his hand Friday to help relieve the inflammation.

Chapman said he has been dealing with pain while swinging since his initial return from the IL in early July, but he’s dealt with incerased soreness over the past two weeks — which has coincided with a decrease in performance at the plate.

“It’s something that kind of has to scar over,” Chapman detailed about the three tears he sustained in his hand. “There hasn’t been enough time for the scarring to happen, so I’ve been trying to just push through it, do what I can.

“I think just from constantly playing, the inflammation just kept going and I couldn’t get ahead of it. So, we’re just hoping this cortisone shot … can get me over the hump, and that way I can be productive and help the team win.”

Both Melvin and Chapman seemed optimistic that the Giants star could return after just the minimum 10 days.

But later that night, Chapman’s backup at third base suffered an injury scare as well, when Casey Schmitt was hit by a pitch in the eighth inning.

Melvin said Schmitt has a right forearm contusion and X-rays came back negative.

“It’s probably going to be a couple of days for him, though,” Melvin told reporters. “Obviously, it’s hard to lose him, but we have some guys that can fill in for now. Hopefully it’s not too long.”

Needless to say, the Giants’ run of bad luck continued in multiple facets on Friday night.

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After bullpen cart exit, X-rays negative on Duran's ankle originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

WASHINGTON — Kyle Schwarber said the Phillies were hoping not to hear anything “super serious” on Jhoan Duran’s injury Friday night.

So far, so good.

Duran exited the Phils’ 6-2 win over the Nationals sitting in the bullpen cart after he was hit in the right ankle by a 94.1 mph Paul DeJong liner. A Phillies official said X-rays on Duran were negative and he’ll be evaluated further Saturday.

The Phils’ closer had a slight limp in the postgame clubhouse. On the field, he’d grimaced and struggled to put weight on his right foot during an extended delay. DeJong’s comebacker evidently struck him in a painful spot. 

“It hit him off the right ankle, the outer (part) of his ankle,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “He ran like a shot over to retrieve the ball, and then once he got there the adrenaline wore off and the pain set in.

“But before the cart came out — I know it took a long time — he actually said, ‘I feel better. I think I can walk over to the dugout.’ But we have all these steps out here (leading to the clubhouse), so we just wanted to use the cart and take him all the way around.”

Duran was the Phillies’ big trade deadline pickup. He’d been fantastic in his first four outings — four saves, one baserunner, a signature entrance and a powerful arsenal of pitches.

The Phillies held a four-run lead when Duran entered because Schwarber bashed a three-run homer in the seventh inning and Bryce Harper made it back-to-back jacks. David Robertson got the last three outs and the Phils halted a three-game losing streak.

They’ll learn more about Duran’s ankle in the days to come. Caution was the obvious approach Friday.

“He’s 240 pounds,” Thomson said with a smile. “I don’t want him carrying all that up the stairs.” 

Schwarber's clutch dinger gets Phillies back on track against Nationals  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

WASHINGTON — The Phillies were in desperate search of a few slump-busting runs Friday night.

They were very glad to have Kyle Schwarber at the plate.

Schwarber hammered a go-ahead three-run homer in the seventh inning and the Phils snapped a three-game losing streak with a 6-2 win at Nationals Park. 

The club now sits at 70-52 this season. The Phillies are 5-3 on a road trip that has two games to go against the Nats. 

Friday’s start was Zack Wheeler’s second since being pushed back in the Phillies’ rotation because of shoulder soreness. He pitched five innings, allowed four hits and two runs, struck out six and walked two. 

Wheeler’s velocity was significantly down in his last outing against the Rangers; the 35-year-old righty’s four-seam fastball averaged 94.2 mph. He was also below his norm against the Nationals, but Wheeler’s velocity numbers were certainly not alarming. Wheeler averaged 95.7 mph on four-seamers, which is 0.4 mph under his season average. 

The Phillies immediately went to work against Nats lefty MacKenzie Gore. Trea Turner led off with a single, swiped second base and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Schwarber walked. 

Bryce Harper lined the seventh pitch of his at-bat to right field and sprinted for second. Right fielder Dylan Crews failed to throw Harper out and his one-hop effort leaked past shortstop CJ Abrams. Schwarber profited, heading home to give the Phils a 2-0 edge. 

Though Gore needed 37 pitches in the first inning, the Phillies’ lead did not balloon. Nick Castellanos flew out to the center-field warning track for the night’s first out. Edmundo Sosa and Otto Kemp both struck out with the bases loaded. 

The Nats answered in the bottom of the first with a James Wood leadoff walk and CJ Abrams RBI double.

Washington nearly tied the game up in the second inning. After a one-out Crews single and Wheeler wild pitch, Riley Adams knocked an opposite-field hit. The Nats sent Crews home and Castellanos made a great defensive play, tossing a perfect throw to the plate and letting J.T. Realmuto handle the rest.

Wheeler’s command sharpened a bit as the night progressed, although he was clearly not at his top level. The Nationals had plenty of lengthy at-bats him. On the 12th pitch of his third-inning at-bat, Josh Bell grounded out to first. Daylen Lile lifted a down-and-in splitter over the right-field fence to even the contest in the fourth inning. 

For a moment, it appeared the Phillies might squander another chance in the seventh. Turner popped up a 2-0 fastball from lefty reliever Konnor Pilkington with runners on first and second.

Schwarber stepped up and slugged.

His blast to the second deck in right field traveled 456 feet and prompted a roar from the sizable contingent of Phils’ fans in D.C. Harper deepened Pilkington’s misery, smoking a slider over the center-field wall.

From there, the Phillies’ bullpen finished off the Nats. Tanner Banks, Orion Kerkering and Matt Strahm each pitched a scoreless inning.

The ninth was supposed to be Jhoan Duran’s, but he only saw one batter.

Paul DeJong lined a sweeper up the middle and it struck Duran’s right foot. He began to run after the ball but pulled up short and appeared to be in pain. After talking with members of the Phillies’ training staff during a long delay, Duran left the game on the Nats’ bullpen cart and David Robertson came in. This story will be updated when more information on his injury is available.

Robertson ultimately got the job done, recording the final three outs of the Phils’ 70th victory.

On deck 

Saturday’s first pitch is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. Taijuan Walker (4-5, 3.39 ERA) will face Cade Cavalli (0-0, 3.86 ERA).

Phillies manager Rob Thomson said pregame that “there’s a chance” Alec Bohm returns over the weekend from his rehab assignment. Bohm played his fifth game with Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Friday night, going 0 for 4. He’s at 3 for 21 in this rehab stretch.