I’m guessing it’s good to be Justin Verlander. JV pitched six innings of no-hit ball Tuesday night in picking up his major league-leading 16th win with a 4-2 win over the Twins and former teammate Carlos Correa.
Unfortunately, life doesn’t look nearly as rosy right now for Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler, who has undergone his SECOND Tommy John Surgery. Be strong, young man.
The Natural? Bryce Harper. That dude hit two homers in Tuesday’s Triple-A rehab game in Allentown as he heals from a broken left thumb. How quickly can he book an Uber back to Philly?
While it was not unexpected, the Commanders have placed defensive end Chase Young on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) List, meaning he will miss at least the first four regular season games. Young is still trying to get right after tearing his right ACL and MCL last November, injuries that required major reconstructive surgery. Washington is trying to rebuild a defense that was excellent in 2020, but was a major disappointment last season.
Speaking of the Commanders, they’re going to retire Sonny Jurgensen’s jersey number nine. Should I remind the organization that Sonny didn’t play for the “Commanders”? Love me some Sonny. He had one of the most remarkable arms in NFL history, and certainly a remarkable waistline for a QB. But as Sonny once reminded the world in his Elizabethan North Carolina accent, “Ah don’t throw with mah belly.”
That’s a blow for the Lions, who will start the season without their top draft pick, former ‘Bama receiver Jameson Williams. That guy can be a difference maker, but he has not fully recovered from a torn ACL he suffered in the national championship game against Georgia. Williams has been placed on the Non-Football Injury (NFI) List. Confused? Don’t be. While Williams was injured in a football game, it was not an NFL game or organized activity, which is all the league is responsible for.
Pete Carroll has delayed his decision on a starting quarterback. Here’s the way I see it. Seattle can start Geno Smith, and go 6-11. Or Carroll can select Drew Lock, in which case his team will go 6-11.
ESPN has released its NFL preseason power rankings, 1-32. The Four Letter has the Bills number one. Hard to argue with that. But there are some eyebrow-raisers here. Saints at 20? They’ll be better than that. Steelers at 22? Tomlin won’t let that happen.
I know you’re curious. ESPN has the Cowboys at ten and the Texans…31st, ahead of only the Falcons.
Wishing a speedy and complete recovery to rising golf star Will Zalatoris, who is dealing with two herniated disks in his lower back. The injury will keep him out of both this week’s Tour Championship in Atlanta and next month’s Presidents Cup. Stay out of that operating room, Will!
Comforting to know that Saban is once again the highest-paid coach in college football. This inflation thing is hell on all of us.
Is anyone else really, really tired of Kevin Durant?
Hey, I’m at least as sappy as the next guy. Yordan Alvarez’s father, mother and brother saw him play in a professional baseball game for the first time Tuesday night in Houston. Yeah…