The Sports Report: Ohtani, Rushing star as Dodgers win laugher over Athletics
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From Jack Harris: As is typically the case when a team wins 19-2 like the Dodgers did against the Athletics on Thursday night, plenty of hitters in the team’s star-studded lineup aligned to have monster nights.
Shohei Ohtani homered twice in a six-RBI performance, tying the major league lead with 15 long balls this season. Max Muncy, Andy Pages and James Outman also went deep, helping the club set a season-high for runs. Hyeseong Kim reached base all five times. Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts also combined to get aboard five times before being removed after the third inning, the lead at that point already 11 runs.
All of those accomplishments, however, paled in personal significance to what the Dodgers’ starting catcher did.
Making his major league debut after being called up in a major roster move the day prior, top prospect Dalton Rushing walked in his first at-bat, singled in the next and went two-for-four while navigating a pre-determined bullpen game behind the plate — a strong showing for a 24-year-old slugger with so much potential, the Dodgers cut longtime backup catcher Austin Barnes to get him on the roster.
“He’s very comfortable, I think, in a good way,” manager Dave Roberts said of Rushing, a second-round draft pick in 2022 who has blossomed into one of the most highly touted prospects in baseball. “I think he thought he was ready [for the majors] when he signed.”
Who is the next Dodger to go? | Dodgers Debate
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PETE ROSE POLL
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LAKERS
From Dan Woike: In the shadows, I was asking around about the Lakers’ biggest story this offseason, at least according to the internet.
Are the Lakers going to trade Austin Reaves?
My friend and colleague Bill Plaschke argued in those hallowed Times’ pages that the Lakers must trade Austin Reaves to fulfill their needs for a big man no matter how painful the decision would be. Bill Simmons predicted on his podcast that Reaves “will get traded” this summer.
So what was the buzz at the NBA combine about all this?
Everyone is aware of the noise from the media and on the message boards (shoutout Lakers reddit), no one is acting like a trade is going to happen this summer for a couple of reasons.
NBA PLAYOFFS RESULTS
All Times Pacific
Conference semifinals
Western Conference
No. 1 Oklahoma City vs. No. 4 Denver Nuggets
Denver 121, at Oklahoma City 119 (box score)
at Oklahoma City 149, Denver 106 (box score)
at Denver 113, Oklahoma City 104 (OT) (box score)
Oklahoma City 92, at Denver 87 (box score)
at Oklahoma City 112, Denver 105 (box score)
at Denver 119, Oklahoma City 107 (box score)
Sunday at Oklahoma City, 12:30 p.m., ABC
No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves vs. No. 7 Golden State
Golden State 99, at Minnesota 88 (box score)
at Minnesota 117, Golden State 93 (box score)
Minnesota 102, at Golden State 97 (box score)
Minnesota 117, at Golden State 110 (box score)
at Minnesota 121, Golden State 110 (box score)
Eastern Conference
No. 1 Cleveland vs. No. 4 Indiana
Indiana 121, at Cleveland 112 (box score)
Indiana 120, at Cleveland 119 (box score)
Cleveland 126, at Indiana 104 (box score)
at Indiana 129, Cleveland 109 (box score)
Indiana 114, at Cleveland 105 (box score)
No. 2 Boston vs. No. 3 New York
New York 108, at Boston 105 (OT) (box score)
New York 91, at Boston 90 (box score)
Boston 115, at New York 93 (box score)
at New York 121, Boston 113 (box score)
at Boston 127, New York 102 (box score)
Friday at New York, 5 p.m., ESPN
Monday at Boston, 5 p.m., TNT*
*if necessary
CHARGERS
The Chargers will seek approval to sell an 8% stake in the franchise to private investment firm Arctos at next week’s NFL team owners meetings.
The approval request was sent in a memo to NFL team owners, according to a person with knowledge of the memo not authorized to speak publicly about it.
If approved, Chargers owner Dean Spanos and siblings Michael Spanos and Alexis Spanos Ruhl would still own approximately 61% of the franchise.
It is the second major change for the Chargers ownership group in the last year after Detroit Pistons owner Tom Gores bought a 27% stake in the team in September. That transaction resolved a long-running dispute between Dea Spanos Berberian and her siblings as Gores and his wife bought Spanos Berberian’s share of the franchise.
Meet the Chargers content team winning the schedule release ‘Super Bowl’
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USC FOOTBALL
From Ryan Kartje: USC may have taken a step back in Lincoln Riley’s second season, but the coach remained comfortably among the top rung of college football’s highest-paid coaches in 2023.
USC paid Riley more than $11.5 million in reportable compensation in 2023, according to the school’s latest federal tax returns, obtained by The Times. His $10.2 million in base compensation ranked No. 4 nationally in 2023.
Of the $11.5 million credited by the school to Riley, $100,000 is listed under bonus and incentive compensation and $1.15 million is categorized as other reportable compensation.
Perhaps that felt like a bargain to USC compared to the previous year, when it shelled out nearly $20 million in reportable compensation to land Riley, $4.5 million of which was used to pay his buyout at the University of Oklahoma.
OLYMPIC FLAG FOOTBALL
From Thuc Nhi Nguyen: Super Bowl champion and Olympic gold medalist? Some NFL players could be at the center of the Venn diagram in 2028.
NFL team owners could vote next week at the league’s meetings on whether to allow NFL players to participate in Olympic flag football in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. A resolution, announced Thursday, included several possible guidelines as further negotiations continue between the NFL Players Assn., the league, national governing bodies and Olympic authorities.
The proposed resolution would permit players under an NFL contract to try out for a 2028 Olympic flag football team, but limit NFL player participation to no more than one from each NFL team for each national team. In addition, each NFL team’s designated international player can play for his home country.
PREAKNESS
From John Cherwa: Trainer Bob Baffert loves to come to the Preakness. He loves the fact that all the top horses are in the same barn, so he can kibitz with his fellow trainers, such as an extended conversation with Mark Casse about the best crabcakes in town. He loves the casual atmosphere, in contrast to the high stakes, high pressure feeling at Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Derby.
Or maybe it’s because he’s won the second leg of the Triple Crown eight times, more than any other trainer in history.
So, he was asked why he was bringing Goal Oriented, an undefeated two-time starter who has never run in a stakes race, to the Preakness.
PGA CHAMPIONSHIP
The strongest field of the majors gave way to a few surprises Thursday in the PGA Championship, starting with Jhonattan Vegas charging into the lead with a seven-under 64 and the top 10 players in the world nowhere to be found among the top 10 at Quail Hollow.
A long day filled with sunshine and mud balls ended with Vegas in the penultimate group playing the best golf hardly anyone saw.
A briefly energized crowd had mostly left when Vegas blazed his way to the finish with five birdies on his last six holes, ending with an 18-footer on No. 8 and a 25-footer on the rugged ninth.
It was Vegas’ best score in 45 rounds playing the majors. The Venezuelan has never finished in the top 20 in a major and hadn’t qualified for this one in three years.
KINGS
Jim Hiller will return next season as the Kings’ coach, new general manager Ken Holland says.
Holland praised Hiller and looked ahead to their new partnership Thursday during the Hall of Fame hockey executive’s introductory news conference at the Kings’ training complex. Holland is returning to the NHL after a one-year absence, taking over as the replacement for Rob Blake.
The 69-year-old former GM of the Detroit Red Wings and the Edmonton Oilers immediately made it clear he isn’t in Los Angeles to blow up a team that has made four straight playoff appearances, only to lose to the Oilers in the first round every spring. Holland won’t make an immediate change behind the Kings’ bench — or even in the front office, where he plans to retain the assistant GMs and hockey executives who worked for Blake.
NHL PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE, RESULTS
All times Pacific
Conference semifinals
Pacific 1 Vegas vs. Pacific 3 Edmonton
Edmonton 4, at Vegas 2 (summary)
Edmonton 5, at Vegas 4 (OT) (summary)
Vegas 4, at Edmonton 3 (summary)
at Edmonton 3, Vegas 0 (summary)
Edmonton 1, at Vegas 0 (OT) (summary)
C1 Winnipeg vs. C2 Dallas
Dallas 3, at Winnipeg 2 (summary)
Winnipeg 4, at Dallas 0 (summary)
Dallas 5, at Winnipeg 2 (summary)
at Dallas 3, Winnipeg 1 (summary)
at Winnipeg 4, Dallas 0 (summary)
Saturday at Dallas, 5 p.m., ABC
Monday at Winnipeg, TBD, ESPN*
Eastern Conference
Atlantic 1 Toronto vs. Atlantic 3 Florida
at Toronto 5, Florida 4 (summary)
at Toronto 4, Florida 3 (summary)
at Florida 5, Toronto 4 (OT) (summary)
at Florida 2, Toronto 0 (summary)
Florida 6, at Toronto 1 (summary)
Friday at Florida, 5 p.m., TNT
Sunday at Toronto, 4:30 p.m., TNT*
Metro 1 Washington vs. Metro 2 Carolina
Carolina 2, at Washington 1 (OT) (summary)
at Washington 3, Carolina 1 (summary)
at Carolina 4, Washington 0 (summary)
at Carolina 5, Washington 2 (summary)
Carolina 3, at Washington 1 (summary)
* If necessary
THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY
1884 — Isaac Murphy, a Black jockey and one of the greatest American riders, wins the Kentucky Derby aboard Buchanan. He will win the showcase race two more times.
1916 — Damrosch, ridden by Linus McAtee, takes the early lead, gives it up in the stretch, and comes back to beat Greenwood by 1½ lengths in the Preakness Stakes.
1925 — Flying Ebony, ridden by Earl Sande, becomes the fourth field horse to win the Kentucky Derby, a 1½-length victory over Captain Hal. The first network radio broadcast of the Kentucky Derby airs from WHAS in Louisville.
1930 — 6th Walker Cup: US, 10-2.
1955 — Rocky Marciano beats Don Cockell by TKO in the 9th round at Kezar Stadium, San Francisco to retain his world heavyweight boxing title.
1964 — Northern Dancer, ridden by Bill Hartack, wins the Preakness Stakes by 2½ lengths over The Scoundrel.
1973 — AC Milan of Italy win 13th European Cup Winner’s Cup against Leeds of England 1-0 in Saloniki.
1975 — Muhammad Ali TKOs Ron Lyle in 11 for heavyweight boxing title.
1976 — The Montreal Canadiens win their 19th Stanley Cup with a 5-3 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers, capping a four-game sweep.
1977 — Muhammad Ali beats Alfredo Evangelist in 15 for heavyweight boxing title.
1979 — FC Barcelona of Spain wins 19th European Cup Winner’s Cup against Fortuna Düsseldorf of West Germany 4-3 in Basel.
1980 — The Lakers beat the Philadelphia 76ers 123-107 to win the NBA title in six games. Rookie guard Magic Johnson takes the opening tip for the injured Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and comes up with 42 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists and is named the Finals MVP. The 42 points are the most scored by a rookie in an NBA Finals game.
1982 — Stanley Cup Final, Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver, BC: 3-peat for NY Islanders; sweep Vancouver Canucks in 4 games with a 3-1 Game 4 win.
1984 — Juventus of Italy win 24th European Cup Winner’s Cup against Porto of Portugal 2-1 in Basel.
1985 — Michael Jordan named NBA Rookie of Year.
1992 — America’s Cup: America Team USA defeats II Moro di Venezia 4-1 in San Diego.
2009 — Rachel Alexandria, ridden by Calvin Borel wins the 134th Preakness in 1:55:08.
2014 — Paris Saint-Germain F.C. & Manchester City F.C. are each fined €60 million for breaching Fair Play Regulations.
2019 — Brooks Koepka fires tournament record equalling, and course record 63 (-7) to lead the PGA Championship by 1 stroke after the 1st round at Bethpage Black, N.Y.
THIS DAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
1933 — Cecil Travis of the Washington Senators made his major league debut with five hits in a 12-inning, 11-10 win over the Chicago White Sox.
1939 — The Cleveland Indians beat the Philadelphia Athletics 8-3 in 10 innings in the first American League night game, held at Philadelphia’s Shibe Park.
1953 — The White Sox loaded the bases against the Yankees in the ninth inning, but Vern Stephens, who had 10 grand slams in his career, was lifted for a pinch-hitter. Pitcher Tommy Byrne, the substitute batter, then hit a homer off Ewell Blackwell for a 5-3 win.
1965 — Jim Palmer, 19, won his first major league game and hit his first homer, off Jim Bouton. The Baltimore Orioles beat the New York Yankees 7-5.
1972 — Rick Monday hit three consecutive homers to lead the Chicago Cubs to an 8-1 win at Philadelphia. Greg Luzinski’s 500-foot home run hit the Liberty Bell monument at Veterans Stadium for the Phillies’ only run.
1978 — The White Sox trade OF Bobby Bonds to the Rangers for OF Claudell Washington and OF Rusty Torres.
1981 — Craig Reynolds of Houston hit three triples to lead the Astros to a 6-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs.
1996 — Sammy Sosa becomes the first Cub ever to hit two homers in one inning, hitting them in the eight-run 7th inning at Wrigley Field.
1997 — The Montreal Expos overcame an early nine-run deficit and rallied past the San Francisco Giants 14-13 on David Segui’s RBI single in the ninth inning. The Giants took an 11-2 lead after three innings. Montreal came back with four runs in the fourth, three in the fifth and three more in the sixth for a 12-11 lead. Glenallen Hill’s RBI single capped a two-run seventh that put the Giants ahead 13-12.
2000 — The Dodgers went into the Wrigley Field crowd after a fan ran off with Chad Kreuter’s cap in the ninth inning of a 6-5 victory. The game was delayed for nine minutes while some Dodgers and fans fought.
2001 — Rickey Henderson leads off with a home run, extending his major-league record for leadoff home runs to 79. This is the same as the combined total for the #2 and #3 players on the list: Brady Anderson (44), and Bobby Bonds (35).
2006 — The New York Yankees, down 9-0 in the second inning, matched the biggest comeback in Yankees history when Jorge Posada hit a game-winning, two-run homer with two out in the ninth for a 14-13 victory over the Texas Rangers.
2008 — Jayson Werth of Philadelphia hit three home runs and tied the team record with eight RBIs in a 10-3 win over Toronto.
2009 — Gabe Gross and Akinori Iwamura pulled off a double steal in the fifth inning of a 4-2 win over Cleveland, giving Tampa Bay at least one stolen base in 18 straight games. It was the longest stretch in the AL since the New York Yankees had a 19-game run in 1914.
2012 — Is there anything the old man cannot do? 49-year-old Jamie Moyer picks up his second win of the year for Colorado by throwing 6 1/3 innings, during which he allows a single run, and helps his own cause with a two-run single in the 4th.
2015 — Miguel Cabrera hits the 400th home run of his career.
2020 — The owners release figures showing that on average, teams will lose $640,000 per game played without fans. This is done in the hope of convincing players to accept a form of revenue sharing in conjunction with their plan to play a truncated season starting around July 4th, with no spectators present - at least at the outset - due to the coronavirus pandemic. They also provide the Players Association with a detailed protocol on how such games would be played in order to minimize contact between persons present at the ballpark and maintain social distancing. All of these proposals still require the players’ approval before they can be implemented.
Compiled by the Associated Press
Until next time...
That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Go beyond the scoreboard
Get the latest on L.A.'s teams in the daily Sports Report newsletter.
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