Author: Soccerhuz
The New York Yankees have officially dropped their projected starting pitchers for the first three games of 2024 spring training — two of them appearing on separate stages on Sunday in split-squad showcases. Yup. That means it’s the best time of the year, slotting in just behind April through October (as long as things go well). The Yankees’ full squad rolled up over Presidents’ Day weekend, following the pace of their pitchers and catchers. Tuesday marked their first group workout, featuring a few loud (and retooled) Giancarlo Stanton swings, Juan Soto struggling to catch up to Nestor Cortes Jr., and…
Masataka Yoshida came over from Japan last season and in his first season with the Boston Red Sox, showed he can certainly hit MLB pitching. Yoshida was a key bat in the Red Sox order and he finished the 2023 campaign leading the team with a .289 batting average to go along with 15 home runs, 72 RBIs and eight stolen bases. His plate discipline, which he was known for when he signed a five-year, $90 million deal with Boston last offseason, was there too with Yoshida striking out 81 times in 580 plate appearances. The 30-year-old had the 10th-best…
The Boston Red Sox have been incredibly inconsistent since winning the World Series in 2018. They’ve missed the postseason a few times and even made a surprising run to the ALCS in 2021. But overall, the sense in Bean Town isn’t one of hope. As the team enters the new season, one of the biggest talking points on the minds of the fanbase is the status of manager Alex Cora. Cora helped lead the Red Sox to their World Series win in 2018, but he does enter the season as a lame-duck manager. There has been talk about him potentially…
Chris McQueen will lace up the boots in Las Vegas and kickstart rugby league in the United States, but it won’t be for the South Sydney Rabbitohs. A former premiership winner with the Rabbitohs, McQueen has been named to take part in the NRL Vegas 9s competition for the Brooklyn Kings. Run by the NRL, the tournament will be played on March 2, ahead of the double-header at Allegiant Stadium. Aiming to grow the game outside of Australia, England, France and New Zealand, the forward revealed that he had paid close attention to the growth of rugby league in North…
Baseball fans across the league have been piling onto the Boston Red Sox this offseason. The lack of innovation from the front office and ownership’s unwillingness to spend has resulted in a less-than-favorable offseason, far different from the one Red Sox Nation was promised. Even famous baseball fans have taken jabs at the Red Sox, including former consultants of the organization. Bill James is a baseball historian, author, sabermetrics pioneer and former advisor of many years to the Sox front office. James was frequently quiet about his part in the goings-on in Boston’s front office, but many suspect he played…
Brian talks with Boston sports superfan Kevin Hench about the Red Sox’s upcoming season and why there might be slivers of hope for the team, the Celtics’ impressive season thus far, their chances at winning a title, and more. Then, Brian and Jamie touch on the Pats docuseries The Dynasty and preview this week’s upcoming podcast with the director of the series, Matthew Hamachek. We want to hear from you! Leave Brian a message on the listener line at 617-396-7172. Or send us your questions for our mailbag at offthepike@gmail.com. Host: Brian Barrett Guest: Kevin Hench Producer: Jamie McClellan Additional…
The veteran closer, who had 29 saves in his first season with the Red Sox last year. He’s due $16 million in 2024, and the Sox want teams to assume the vast majority, if not all, of his remaining money. Jansen, of course, is aware of the speculation that he could be dealt, and said so on the latest edition of the Fenway Rundown. You can listen to entire episode here. “It is tough. It is tough,’” said Jansen. “But you just gotta block it out and not search for it. (The way I ignored was to) spend time with…
Marc Marquez insists that Brad Binder will be in the mix for the 2024 MotoGP championship. Last year’s title came down to three Ducatis – Francesco Bagnaia, Jorge Martin and Marco Bezzecchi. Bezzecchi fell away in the final rounds before Bagnaia won his second consecutive title, but the next-best rider was KTM’s Binder. Binder ended fourth in the MotoGP standings – a career-best finish – after five podiums. Marquez told DAZN that Bagnaia and Martin will begin the year as the favourites to win: “They are the two riders to beat. They are the ones who have done the most…
Marc Marquez has dismissed the possibility of fixing his relationship with Valentino Rossi. Marquez and Rossi are arguably MotoGP’s fiercest-ever rivalry and the tension spills over into today’s championship. Ahead of the 2024 season, Marquez has been asked if he would “sit down and talk” to his eternal foe Rossi. “It’s not up to me,” he bluntly responded to DAZN. Marquez and Rossi crossed paths (without ever noticeably meeting) just recently. At a preseason WorldSBK test in Portimao, Ducati MotoGP were invited along too. Gresini’s Marquez and VR46 boss Rossi were therefore both on track but seemingly were never close…
The Honda RC213V devolving into arguably the worst bike on the premier-class grid was a major factor in Marquez requesting a 2024 early release from his mega-money four-year deal with the factory. However, he has been clear at every step of the way since that a reunion down the line was entirely desirable – and there’s strong reason to view it as a possibility for as early as 2025 given Marquez is currently on a one-year deal with Gresini Ducati. At Repsol Honda’s 2024 launch, team manager Alberto Puig was asked the “very straightforward” question of whether Marquez would return…