I Dig Sports
Reports: Yanks' Stanton in N.Y. for medical tests
Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton has returned to New York to undergo medical testing, multiple outlets reported Monday.
Stanton, 35, has yet to take part in spring training activities in Tampa, Fla., as he continues to battle tendinitis in both elbows. The New York Post said Monday that it was unclear whether the medical testing was for an evaluation of his elbows.
On Sunday, manager Aaron Boone told reporters that Stanton was undergoing treatment and "nothing imminent" was on tap for the designated hitter, baseball-wise.
The Yankees haven't been pushing Stanton this spring, giving him time to rest and, hopefully, recover.
The MVP of the 2024 American League Championship Series, Stanton was bothered by deep soreness in his elbows for much of last season. He hit 27 home runs and drove in 72 runs over 114 games in the regular season.
Stanton had seven homers and 16 RBIs in 55 postseason at-bats as the Yankees reached the World Series before losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games. Stanton went deep twice in the Fall Classic to follow up his four-homer showing against the Cleveland Guardians in the ALCS.
Stanton is entering his 16th major league season -- the first eight coming with the Miami Marlins before he was traded to the Yankees prior to the 2018 season. He has 429 homers and 1,103 RBIs along with a .257 average in 1,649 career games.
Stanton is a five-time All-Star and he was the National League MVP in 2017 when he established career highs of 59 homers and 132 RBIs for Miami.
He has three seasons remaining on a 13-year, $325 million deal he signed with the Marlins. The Yankees hold a club option for 2028.
Guardians owner Dolan, 94, dies, team announces
CLEVELAND -- Lawrence J. Dolan, owner of Cleveland's major league baseball team since 2000, has died at age 94.
The Cleveland Guardians put out a statement Monday saying Dolan died Sunday night of natural causes.
"Mr. Dolan invested his entire life in Greater Cleveland and impacted our community on so many levels," Bob DiBiasio, Guardians senior vice president of public affairs, said in a statement. "From his service to our country as a First Lieutenant in the United States Marines, his many philanthropic acts of kindness, career in law, business, education, and sports, many benefited from his engagement, influence, and passion. Especially in the world of sports."
Dolan, a Cleveland native, purchased the team from Richard Jacobs in 2000 for $320 million. The Dolan family has a 75% stake in the club and is the longest-tenured owner in Cleveland franchise history.
Guardians chairman and CEO Paul Dolan, Larry Dolan's son, took over as the team's primary control person in 2013.
"We are saddened by the loss of our Dad, but lucky to have him as part of our lives as long as we did," he said in a statement. "He was a loving husband, father and grandfather who was passionate about his family, work, our community and his love of our local sports teams, including owning the Cleveland Guardians."
The Cleveland Guardians are saddened to announce the passing of Lawrence Dolan, owner of the Cleveland Guardians.
Larry purchased the Cleveland Baseball Club on February 15, 2000, from Richard Jacobs. The 2025 season is the 26th year of ownership for the Dolan family, the... pic.twitter.com/NrUYg62mtg
Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) February 24, 2025
The franchise was known as the Cleveland Indians before changing its name to the Guardians after the 2021 season. Over the past 24 seasons, Cleveland has won seven American League Central Division titles, made nine postseason appearances and advanced to the 2016 World Series before losing to the Chicago Cubs in seven games. Cleveland also hosted the 2019 MLB All-Star Game.
"I am saddened by the passing of Cleveland native Larry Dolan, whose family's quarter-century ownership has made their hometown team a consistent winner and a staple of their community," MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. "He strongly believed in mentoring young people and using the Guardians as a way to impact Greater Cleveland. Larry also served the industry by bringing his professional expertise to the Major League Executive Council and the Ownership Committee, and he served on two labor negotiating committees."
Dolan is survived by his wife Eva, six children and 21 grandchildren. His nephew, James Dolan, owns the New York Knicks, New York Rangers and Madison Square Garden.
'I think our pitching is going to surprise people': Can the Mets' rotation quiet the critics again?
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Mid-February live batting practice sessions are usually forgettable, but the one held on the main field at Clover Park the day after Valentine's Day was different for the New York Mets.
Kodai Senga, the presumed ace a year ago, faced four hitters. He threw 16 pitches, touched 96 mph and didn't appear compromised from the shoulder injury that kept him out for all but 5 innings during the 2024 regular season. Afterward, he shared laughs with catcher Luis Torrens and pitching coach Jeremy Hefner.
"I saw a smile on his face," Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. "That's a good sign."
Two days later, on Feb. 17, came a bad sign: Frankie Montas, one of the team's offseason additions for the starting rotation, was shut down for up to eight weeks with a lat strain. Then, on Monday, Mendoza told reporters left-hander Sean Manaea has been shut down for a few weeks due to a right oblique strain and will likely start the season on the injured list.
Suddenly, a Mets rotation with uncertainty entering spring training for the second straight year has some more.
Last spring, Senga, coming off an outstanding rookie year, was supposed to be a sure thing. Instead, he was shut down with a shoulder injury before appearing in a Grapefruit League game and started just the one game in July.
The Mets thrived without him, with a rotation full of newcomers, completing an 89-win campaign capped by a trip to the National League Championship Series. But as they look to improve on that finish after a monster offseason, questions around the rotation abound.
Can Senga stay healthy? When will Montas return? Will Manaea, with his spring training setback, continue where he left off after a midseason delivery change produced elite results? Will Clay Holmes, exclusively a reliever the past six seasons, successfully transition back to starting games? Was David Peterson's career year -- he posted a 2.90 ERA in 21 starts -- an aberration?
"I will say, I feel much better about our starting pitching depth sitting here today than I did a year ago," Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said days before Montas sustained his injury during his first bullpen session of camp. "We made that a priority of our offseason. We brought in a number of players at all levels of free agency."
All levels but one: proven ace-level starting pitchers.
The Mets' offseason will be remembered for bookend investments in All-Stars to fortify their lineup: Juan Soto in early December and Pete Alonso the week before pitchers and catchers reported for camp. For the second offseason under Stearns' direction, though, they had holes to fill in the rotation and did not acquire any of the premium starters available.
A year after their long-term bid for Yoshinobu Yamamoto fell short, the Mets did not aggressively pursue the three top starters available in free agency: Max Fried, Blake Snell and Corbin Burnes. (Fried strengthened an already-strong rotation strength across town, signing with the New York Yankees on an eight-year, $218 million deal.)
Instead, they made low-risk, high-reward short-term investments with an emphasis on depth. They re-signed Manaea to a three-year, $75 million contract. They signed Holmes, a two-time All-Star closer, to a three-year, $38 million deal to become a starter. They added Montas, an injury-plagued right-hander who recorded a 4.84 ERA in 2024, on a two-year, $34 million deal. They signed Griffin Canning, a former top prospect, to a one-year, $4.25 million deal after the right-hander pitched to a 5.19 ERA and surrendered 31 home runs last season, the second-most in baseball, for the last-place Los Angeles Angels.
The additions join Senga, Peterson, Paul Blackburn and Tylor Megill to round out the options for a six-man rotation, which the Mets have planned to deploy in large part to accommodate Senga.
"I think our pitching is going to surprise people, even though there's a lot of talk about starting pitching," Mets owner Steve Cohen said. "And another thing is we're flexible. If we have to make changes or improve the team during the year, you saw what we did in '24 and we'll do it again in '25."
For all the offensive fireworks and Grimace-engineered vibes the 2024 OMG Mets produced, extracting value from the starting rotation was the foundation for their success. Luis Severino, signed to a one-year, $13 million deal, recorded a 3.91 ERA over 31 starts last year after posting a 6.65 ERA with the Yankees the year before. Jose Quintana registered a 3.75 ERA in 31 starts in his age-35 season on a $13 million salary. Manaea dropped his arm slot in his 21st start and pitched to a 3.09 ERA over his final 12 outings before the playoffs.
"[We] want to be a team that can improve players," Cohen said. "And I think from a pitching perspective, we're able to do that."
Hefner pointed to Severino's jump from 89 innings in 2023 to 182 innings last season as evidence that, with the required work ethic, a successful sizable workload increase is possible.
"I feel like our performance staff does a good job of monitoring guys and not just putting reins on them," Hefner said. "They're very much like, 'Let's go. Let's push. How far can we take them?' As long as they're recovering and they're honest with us and they're staying on top of their programs, we have full confidence that a guy could make a big jump in innings."
In Holmes, the Mets will attempt a more extreme escalation.
The Yankees' former closer has totaled 337 innings over his seven-year career, including 63 innings each of the past two seasons. He hasn't started a game since September 2018. To get through a lineup two or three times, Holmes said he plans on incorporating a changeup -- a pitch he started tinkering with in bullpens last season -- for the first time and using his four-seam fastball more often to complement his sinker (his best pitch). The goal is to build up to 90 pitches by Opening Day.
"I would say now it's starting to get a little different," Holmes said last week. "I threw three innings the other day. It was probably the first time I've done that in a while."
Relievers have successfully made the jump to starter. Hall of Famer John Smoltz famously converted from starter to closer back to starter. For the Mets, a club with World Series aspirations, it's a risk they decided is worth taking.
Of course, that risk won't matter if they can't keep their starting pitchers healthy -- and that starts with Senga and Manaea, who the Mets hope will eventually top a rotation that will lead them back to October.
England A: Carpenter; Elliott, Ojomoh, Butt, Hassell-Collins; Atkinson, Van Poortvliet; Brantingham, Langdon, Kloska, Tizard, Lockett, Pearson, Kenningham, Barbeary.
Replacements: Oghre, Haffar, Green, Capstick, Fisilau, Porter, Shillcock, Hendy.
Ireland A: Daly; O'Brien, Postlethwaite, Gavin, Bolton; Frawley, Doak; O'Toole, Barron, Aungier, O'Connell, Murray, Deegan (capt), Kendellen, Jansen.
Replacements: Smyth, McCarthy, Jager, O'Tighearnaigh, Soroka, Gunne, Byrne, Gleeson.
Cale Thomas is set to contest the full All Star Circuit of Champions season this year, he announced on social media on Sunday.
Thomas will pilot the No. 49x Demyan-Rudzik Racing sprint car.
The Fairland, Ind. native joins the team after racing with Jay Kiser Racing last season. He finished second in Attica Raceway Parks 410 sprint car standings on the strength of four victories.
DRIVER ANNOUNCEMENT Welcome to the 2025 ASCOC roster, @CaleThomas91! Thomas, a Fairlawn, IN native, will pilot the Demyan-Rudzik (@DR_Racing) 49x. pic.twitter.com/gPF9EIXZpv
ASCoC (@AllStarSprints) February 23, 2025
While competing in the Ohio region, Thomas also snagged two wins at Fremont Speedway and finished sixth in the track standings.
Thomas becomes the 11th driver to confirm a full-time entry with the series, which includes Devon Borden, Kalib Henry, Cody Bova, Aiden Price, Justin Clark, Darin Naida, Bobby Elliott, Brandon Spithaler, Van Gurley Jr. and Leyton Wagner.
Great Lakes Lightning Sprints Release 16-Event Slate
MERRILL, Mich. Officials with the Great Lakes Lightning Sprints Presented by MacAllister CAT Rentals have released the upcoming schedule of events.
Moving into the sixth season as a traveling Winged 1,000CC Micro Sprint Series, the schedule includes familiar Michigan facilities plus another trip to Ohios Millstream Speedway and a brand new event that displays the Great Lakes Lightning Sprints as the headlining division.
The season begins on May 10 at Silver Bullet Speedway. Located in the thumb of Michigans lower peninsula, Silver Bullet will host all three of the Great Lakes Sprints divisions in 2025. Last seasons opener was washed away at Silver Bullet, but in the return visit, Jacob Sabaj came from fourth to grab the win. In the final visit of 2024, Justin Ward started on the pole and held off Sabaj to close out the season as a feature winner. This season, GLLS will unload at Silver Bullet twice, both dates in the opening month, May 31 being the second and final visit for GLLS.
Mt. Pleasant Speedway returns to the schedule four times this year. Brendon Cascadden came from the pole to grab the spring win at Mt. Pleasant in 2024 and started six for his second win in June. Sabaj took the honors in August. Fans can catch GLLS this season on May 16, June 6, July 4 and Aug. 15.
Under new management this year, Tri City Motor Speedway in Auburn, Mich. is back on the GLLS calendar once again. Sabaj held off Ward during the first July visit in 2024, but Ward came from ninth to win the second July event last season. Sabaj returned as a winner over Ward again in August. In 2025, GLLS fans can catch the action on May 23 and July 11.
Crystal Motor Speedway appears on the 2025 schedule alongside Tri City Motor Speedway for one of two doubleheader weekends for GLLS this season. May 24, June 14, Aug. 2 and Aug. 30 are all dates reserved for GLLS at Crystal this season. Sabaj was a spring winner ahead of Ward, Eli Wilhelmus won last June, Lindsey Erickson handled business in July, and Sabaj returned to Victory Lane in September.
Merritt Speedway, often hailed as the birthplace of Lightning Sprint racing in Michigan, is back on the 2025 schedule for a pair of dates. First, June 28 and then again on July 19. Sabaj had an impressive performance in last seasons first Merritt race, charging from 13th on the grid to snooker Ward for a massive win. Ward got his victory, however, during the return visit in July.
On July 17 the Great Lakes Lightning Sprints Presented by MacAllister CAT Rental takes center stage during the Ionia Free Fair at the Ionia County Fairgrounds. GLLS will headline the event alongside other thrilling circle track divisions still to be announced.
Millstream Speedway requested a spot on the 2025 GLLS schedule once again. Last year, Lightning Sprints graced the schedule in August at Millstream Speedway with Sabaj winning from the inside of row two over Dalton Pipgras and Matt Cogley.
Corey Heims road to the NASCAR Cup Series became more clear on Sunday.
23XI Racing announced at Atlanta Motor Speedway that Heim will become the teams first development driver. Heim is set to contest multiple Cup Series races aboard the teams No. 67 Toyota.
Hell also race with Sam Hunt Racing in multiple races in the Xfinity Series this season.
As Heim enters his third full-time season with Tricon Garage in the Craftsman Truck Series, the 22-year-old racer now has a clear picture of what his future will look like.
I really think it starts behind the scenes, Heim began. Everyone doesnt see what goes on from a weekly basis. Ive been a part of the development program since 2020 and being able to work out at their gym TPC (Toyota Performance Center) and be a part of that family. Just the way Ive been treated over the last five years has been nothing but exceptional.
Everyone there treats me like family from everyone at TPC, to Toyota and everyone in between. That is the first step of it, and also, theyve given me great opportunities over the last few years and given me winning equipment. From the part-time year in 2022, winning a couple races there and kind of proving myself, to the full-time opportunity and be able to compete for a championship two years in a row.
It is not hard to feel comfortable when you are winning and getting those opportunities and also getting my feet wet running Xfinity the last couple of years just being surrounded by good people, Heim continued. I think a lot of people can relate feeling some sort of comfort there. I know a lot of people might say there is a lack of opportunity, but Ive never really felt that way.
Ive always felt comfortable within my family and the opportunities Ive been granted and Im very thankful for that.
At 22 years old, Heims rise through NASCARs top-three divisions has been perhaps slower than some of his peers. Trackhouse Racing driver Connor Zilisch burst onto the NASCAR scene with a victory in his first start in the Xfinity Series last year at the tender age of 17.
Hes now competing full time in the Xfinity Series with JR Motorsports and will make his Cup Series debut with Trackhouse at Austin, Texas Circuit of The Americas.
Others such as Carson Hocevar (22) and Ty Gibbs (22) in the Cup Series along with Carson Kvapil (22) and Jesse Love (20) in the Xfinity Series have had faster transitions into NASCARs top-two tiers.
Despite a handful of drivers capitalizing on early results at a more rapid pace, Heim believes his rate of pace to the Cup Series will allow him to have more long-term success.
I dont know that there is one specific thing that has made me feel like this is the right time to take the next step in my career, Heim said. I know that Ive worked really hard over the last couple of years to develop myself and get better as a race car driver. I feel like a lot of people have seen drivers maybe rushed up and then kind of struggle.
I dont want to be that guy. I feel like Im on the right career path to grow and get better and when Im ready the time will come, sort of deal.
I feel like this structure and this development for me is the right plan for me, and it really feels comfortable being a part of the family and the opportunities that Ive been granted over the last couple of years, I feel confident in my career path, and I continue to do so going forward.
SEBRING, Fla. Paul Menard kicked off the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli season in a similar fashion to his 2024 championship-winning season: with a victory at Sebring Intl Raceway.
After starting the race from the pole, he led the first five laps before being passed by 2023 CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series champion Brent Crews. However, a late mechanical issue by Crews put Menard back in the point position, allowing him to claim his first win of the season.
Notes of Interest
- This was Paul Menards second-consecutive victory at Sebring. He kicked off his 2024 championship-winning season with a victory at the track last year.
- Brent Crews led the most laps in todays event, but was forced to retire early due to a transmission issue. He ultimately finished seventh in class.
- Three-time champion Chris Dyson earned a DNF in the season opener, experiencing a hard crash on lap 12.
The event aired LIVE on SPEED SPORT 1.
When the green flag waved to start the season, Menard (No. 3 Pittsburgh Paints/Menards Ford Mustang) shot ahead of his competitors, who battled behind him. Third-place Adam Andretti (No. 17 Top Liner Chevrolet Camaro) quickly made the pass on Chris Dyson (No. 16 GYM WEED Ford Mustang) for second on lap one, and the following lap, Crews, who started fifth, surpassed Tomy Drissi (No. 8 Trench Shoring Co./Motul Chevrolet Camaro), Dyson and Andretti for the runner-up spot.
Crews No. 70 Nitro Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro showed incredible speed, and by lap six, he was battling side-by-side with Menard, ultimately taking over the lead.
On lap 12, the double yellow was displayed as Dyson, who had been holding the fourth position, experienced a mechanical failure that resulted in a hard impact with the wall, ending his day. Racing resumed on lap 18, and despite a challenge from Menard on the start, Crews once again pulled out into the lead. Unfortunately, just two laps later, Crews experienced an issue with his transmission, forcing him to pull off the racing surface and retire from the event.
Menard took back the lead, followed closely by Andretti, Amy Ruman (No. 23 McNichols Co./Valley Automotive Group Chevrolet Corvette), Humaid Masaood (No. 21 allgram Ford Mustang) and Tomy Drissi (Tomy Drissi, No. 8 Trench Shoring Co./Motul Chevrolet Camaro). Despite challenges from Andretti, Menard was able to hold the point position until the checkered flag waved. Andretti finished second, while Ruman took the final podium position. Drissi made his way around Masaood in the final laps, taking fourth, while Masaood finished fifth.
Today was eventful, said Menard. I had a fast car all weekend. We finally put it all together for qualifying and had the track position to start up front and lead some laps. Brent Crews was just really, really quick, and after five laps, he ran us down. We had a little battle and he got by me clean. Then, Adam [Andretti] started running me down. We got that caution and it kind of saved me from him. We had short-run speed; weve got to work on a little long-run speed, but we know what weve got to do.
Im really proud of the guys. We had two cars this weekend and the guys busted their tails all weekend long, bouncing back and forth between Brandon Jones and myself and keeping us running strong. Its so great to be back at Sebring. Hell of a way to start the year.
XGT
The XGT class put on a great show, with Paul Tracy (No. 10 Race Cars For You Innovation IRC GT) leading from start to finish in his class debut. It was not without challenge, however. Billy Griffin (No. 14 Griffin Auto Care Mercedes AMG GT3) and Danny Lowry (No. 42 Bennett/BridgeHaul/Pitboxes.
Once in the runner-up spot, she was able to challenge Tracy in the final laps, but he held her off, taking the victory. Bryson finished second, and Griffin finished third. Lowry took the fourth spot, and Mustafa Bakir (No. 68 Mustafa Bakir Racing Porsche 992 GT3 R) finished fifth.
Today was great, said Tracy. Thanks to the guys from IRC for inviting me out here to come test this car for them. Were really just trying to get it up to speed and get used to it and see how it performs at these Trans Am races.
What a great event Tony Parella has put on. Hes built this series up, and you see the amount of cars here and the enthusiasts and the people racing everything from the big TA cars all the way down to the sportsman stuff, and its just great to see. Were looking forward to Road Atlanta.
SGT
The SGT class finished just as it started, with Joshua Carlson (No. 36 Enseva/Diercks Ltd./TC Fab Ford Mustang) leading the event from green to checkers. Lee Saunders (No. 84 Landsearch LLC Dodge Viper) ran second for most of the event, but following the mid-race restart, Patrick Utt (No. 49 RaceQuip/Driven Racing Oil Chevrolet Camaro) was able to pass him for the runner-up position. Not long after, hard racing led to a spin by Utt, putting him back in third. However, when he crossed the finish line third, Utt scored his first ever Trans Am podium.
We took away the neon and then we start winning, so I would say I think that added a few horsepower, said Carlson, who was asked if his new livery was responsible for his victory in the season opener. Im very happy to be able to win this race and dominate through most of the weekend. We had a good baseline going into this week and we built off of it and were able to secure the win.
Thank you to Enseva for coming back on board this year. I wouldnt be able to race without the support my family. Hopefully, we can develop this car a bit more to run up front the rest of the season. Congratulations to Patrick Utt on his first Trans Am podium.
GT
The GT race also finished the way it started, but the action was exciting from beginning to end. 2024 class champion Chris Coffey (No. 97 Traffic Grafix/Chill Out Motorsports Maserati MC GT4) led from the moment the green flag waved, but Mike Fitzpatrick (No. 89 89x Motorsports Aston Martin GT4) was right on his tail, chasing him lap after lap. Fitzpatrick was unable to make the pass, allowing Coffey to take his first win of the season. Fitzpatrick finished second, and Colin Cohen (No. 38 Norwood Auto Italia/Traffic Grafix Maserati MC GT4) finished third.
That race was pretty awesome. This guy right here [Mike Fitzpatrick] kept me honest from start to finish. We were basically nose-to-tail the whole way, it was absolutely incredible. I cant thank my crew enough, Mike and Xavier. We worked all night last night and we tried a setup change and wound up damaging the car in the process.
We didnt know what we had to start the race, and thankfully, we got it right back to where it was. I need to thank my wife Morgan and my son Sam, and Colin Cohen, who makes all of this possible. Im glad to start the year off right.
GT1
As the only competitor in the GT1 Challenge this weekend, Jon DeGaynor would undoubtedly finish first, but he diced it up in the large field around him, racing Ron Fellows former car, the No. 04 Speed Dreamn Racing Ford Mustang, cleanly to earn the victory.
Well, first, I want to thank my father and the team for all their support, said DeGaynor, who was also running SVRA in multiple classes this weekend. Two races right back-to-back with the Devon, and then this. Its really a pleasure to be here with the new class, and hopefully, we can get a lot more cars here. It was a great weekend. I didnt have anything for the new cars or even some of the XGT cars, but I hope we put on a good show for the crowd and made Ron Fellows proud.
Bruins' Lindholm (knee) likely out for rest of year
Boston Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm is "unlikely" to return to action this season as he works his way back from knee surgery, general manager Don Sweeney said Sunday.
Sweeney said Lindholm will have another surgery next week related to the fractured patella tendon he sustained after blocking a shot from St. Louis Blues defenseman Justin Faulk in the first period of a game on Nov. 12.
Lindholm, 31, has seven points (3 goals, 4 assists) and a minus-4 rating in 17 games this season.
An All-Star in 2022-23, Lindholm has 313 points (73 goals, 240 assists) and a plus-147 rating in 762 career games with the Bruins and Anaheim Ducks (2013-22). The Ducks selected the Swede with the sixth overall pick in the 2012 draft.
SALT LAKE CITY -- The Utah Hockey Club put defenseman Juuso Valimaki on waivers Sunday.
The 26-year-old Finn has five points and 14 penalty minutes while averaging 16:33 of ice time in 43 games this season. He has one year left on his contract at a salary cap hit of $2 million.
Valimaki fell out of Utah's lineup with John Marino and Sean Durzi each back from a long-term injury. If he clears waivers, the team can assign Valimaki to the Tucson Roadrunners of the American Hockey League.
Going on waivers comes after Valimaki was selected to Finland's roster for the 4 Nations Face-Off but was a healthy scratch for all three games of the tournament.
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