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⚾ Good morning to all, however particularly to …
ALEX BREGMAN AND THE BOSTON RED SOX
Wednesday morning, Purple Sox pitchers and catchers had their first exercise. Wednesday evening, they’d a brand new teammate, and a star one at that: Alex Bregman agreed to a three-year, $120 million deal with Boston. The deal contains opt-outs after annually.
- Bregman, 31, is a two-time All Star, a two-time World Sequence champion, a Gold Glove winner and a Silver Slugger winner.
- He is coming off a down 12 months — his .768 OPS was the worst of his profession, and his 6.9% stroll fee was his worst since his 2016 rookie 12 months — however he was strong the 2 years earlier than that and glorious in 2019, when he completed second in AL MVP voting.
- Total, his manufacturing, contact expertise and protection landed him at No. 3 in R.J. Anderson’s free agent rankings.
The Purple Sox have already got Rafael Devers manning third base, that means a transfer to the center infield is feasible. This is Mike Axisa with extra on Bregman’s fit in Boston:
- Axisa: “The Purple Sox are banking on Bregman’s offensive sport translating nicely to Fenway Park, an accommodating setting for right-handed batters. He has ranked among the many sport’s leaders in pulled fly ball fee yearly since 2021 … Apart from Fenway, his new residence venue, no different stadium within the sport matches Bregman’s batted ball profile in addition to Houston. Whereas the pattern dimension is kind of restricted, Bregman is a profession .375/.490/.750 hitter in 98 plate appearances at Fenway with seven residence runs in 21 video games.”
👍 Honorable mentions
🤕 And never such an excellent morning for …
USATSI
ANTHONY RENDON AND THE LOS ANGELES ANGELS
Cease me when you’ve heard this earlier than: Anthony Rendon will miss vital time attributable to damage. The Angels‘ oft-injured third baseman will undergo hip surgery and face a “long-term” absence, GM Perry Minasian mentioned.
Rendon, 34, has performed in 257 of a possible 708 video games since signing a seven-year, $245 million contract with the Angels forward of the 2020 season and has been on the IL 12 occasions. He is but to play in additional than 58 video games in a season with the Halos.
The drop-off from Rendon’s 2019, when he completed third in NL MVP voting and received the World Sequence with the Nationals, to his time in Los Angeles is beautiful.
- 2019 with Nationals: .319/.412/598 slash line, 1.010 OPS, 7.1 WAR, 34 residence runs, 126 RBI
- 2020-24 with Angels: .242/.238/.369 slash line, .859 OPS, 3.7 WAR, 22 residence runs, 125 RBI
Ouch … actually and figuratively.
The Angels, who have not made the postseason since 2014, will probably turn to Yoán Moncada on the sizzling nook.
👎 Not so honorable mentions
🏈 Prime 100 NFL free brokers, plus groups that would make leap subsequent season
USATSI
We’re now 4 days into the NFL offseason, and what I would not give to have a horrible Thursday Night time Soccer sport on my TV tonight. Alas. We’ll make it via collectively.
Pete Prisco’s Top 100 free agents listing is right here to assist. This is his high 5:
- Sam Darnold — “In a quarterback-needy league, he’ll get motion if the Vikings do not preserve him off the market. I would search for a deal close to $40 million per season.”
- Tee Higgins — “He has been the No. 2 receiver in Cincinnati however now has his probability to point out he is a real No. 1.”
- Josh Sweat — “At 28, he’s an extended, energetic edge participant who ought to command an enormous market along with his age and manufacturing.”
- Trey Smith — “This 26-year-old is an influence participant who can maul folks within the run sport.”
- Ronnie Stanley — “Accidents have been an issue in his profession, however he performed a full season in 2024.”
The Eagles have three gamers within the high 10, and you’ll see the team-by-team breakdown of the full list here. We even have the top 15 offensive players and the top 15 defensive players.
Free agent negotiations cannot start till March 10, however till then there are storylines aplenty. Tyler Sullivan has an early lookahead to the 2025 season, and Jeff Kerr has five teams that could take a big step, together with …
- Kerr: “Patriots (4-13) — New England probably will not be an AFC East contender in 2025, however the Patriots might be aggressive and disciplined underneath Mike Vrabel … with a considerably improved roster and $120 million in wage cap area heading into free company. Having the No. 4 general decide actually helps, too. The largest factor going for the Patriots? Drake Maye has the makings of a franchise quarterback.”
🏈 Grading school soccer teaching hires
USATSI
Class is in session, with professor Dennis Dodd handing out grades for this offseason’s college football coaching hires. Three coaches landed within the “A” vary, together with one who has all of the soccer credentials but in addition plenty of questions …
- Dodd: “Invoice Belichick (North Carolina): A- | For title worth, this was a house run. An eight-time Tremendous Bowl champion was unemployed and North Carolina wanted to remain related. Completed. However one thing about this rent tells me Belichick is not all in. This seems to be so much like Belichick being a short-time bridge coach earlier than passing alongside the job to his son, Steve. That June 1 buyout discount in Invoice’s contract additionally bothers me. On this NIL age, you are both all in … or not. There’s additionally a query whether or not Belichick can modify to varsity soccer, a sport he has by no means coached.”
Wealthy Rodriguez returning to West Virginia earned an “A+,” and he is reuniting with his former star quarterback, too.
⚽ UEFA Champions League knockout part first-leg outcomes
Getty Photos
UEFA Champions League knockout part first legs are within the books. Right here have been Wednesday’s outcomes:
- Membership Brugge 2, Atalanta 1
- Celtic 1, Bayern Munich 2
- Monaco 0, Benfica 1
- Feyenoord 1, AC Milan 0
The Feyenoord win stands proud: Igor Paixao scored three minutes in, and the Dutch facet held off an attack-minded Milan lineup the remainder of the way in which, with Sergio Conceicao‘s lineup tinkering failing to pay dividends, Francesco Porzio notes.
Jonathan Johnson’s Champions League Team of the Week contains one Feyenoord participant, although it is not Paixao. Weston McKennie additionally earned a nod, in addition to praise from his coach.
Listed below are the scenarios for next week’s second legs, which is able to decide the remainder of the spherical of 16.
📺 What we’re watching Thursday
🏀 No. 3 Texas at No. 8 Kentucky (W), 7 p.m. on ESPN2
🏀 Florida at No. 4 South Carolina (W), 7 p.m. on SEC Community
🏒 USA vs. Finland, 8 p.m. on ESPN
🏀 No. 2 Notre Dame at Pitt (W), 8 p.m. on ACC Community
🏀 Thunder at Timberwolves, 8:30 p.m. on TNT/truTV
🏀 No. 25 Maryland at Nebraska (M), 8:30 p.m. on BTN
🏀 No. 1 UCLA at No. 6 USC (W), 10 p.m. on Peacock
