Latest news with #Koufax
Fox Sports
13-07-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
San Diego Padres All-Stars: Building the Best Padres All-Time Lineup
Japan to Mexico and beyond, you can find the unmistakable interlocking L.A. logo of the Dodgers everywhere. Those roots run deep, harkening back to the Brooklyn days. From Jackie's impact on the history of the game to today's star-laden lineup, it will always be time for Dodger baseball. Manager: Tommy Lasorda Lasorda, who pitched two seasons for the Dodgers (1954-55), was the franchise's third base coach from 1973-76 before becoming its manager near the end of the 1976 season, and he certainly made the most of that promotion. Los Angeles won back-to-back National League pennants with Lasorda as its manager in 1977 and 1978 and later won the 1981 and 1988 World Series. Under Lasorda, the Dodgers went a combined 1,599-1,439 from 1976-1996. His 1,599 managerial wins rank second in Dodgers history. Starting pitcher: Sandy Koufax Koufax pitched just 12 seasons, entirely with the Dodgers (1955-66), but in those 12 seasons, he was one of the best pitchers to ever take the hill. After seven quality seasons to begin with, Koufax led the NL in ERA in each of his final five seasons, WHIP in four of his last five, both innings pitched and complete games in each of his last two and strikeouts in four of his last six. The southpaw was dominant, pitching deep into games, surrendering minimal baserunners and striking out batters with frequency. Koufax, who was part of three Dodgers' championship teams (1959, 1963 and 1965), is third in franchise history with 40 shutouts, fourth with both 2,396 strikeouts and a 53.1 WAR and sixth with 165 wins. Furthermore, the three-time NL Cy Young Award winner and three-time pitching Triple Crown winner posted an exceptional 0.95 career postseason ERA across eight appearances/seven starts and won both the 1963 and 1965 World Series MVP awards. Reliever/closer: Kenley Jansen Jansen was one of the elite closers in the game for the Dodgers, with whom he played the first 12 seasons of his career (2010-21). The 6-foot-5 right-hander was a power reliever who shut down the final inning of play for the Dodgers over a decade-plus, recording strikeouts at a high rate and doing so with his elongated pitching motion. Jansen, a three-time All-Star with the Dodgers who was part of their 2020 World Series title, is far and away first in Dodgers history with 350 saves and third with a 2.37 ERA. Catcher: Roy Campanella After eight seasons playing in the Negro Leagues, primarily with the Baltimore Elite Giants, Campanella joined the Dodgers organization in 1946, reaching the big leagues in 1948, where he made his presence felt. Campanella won three NL MVP awards, earned eight All-Star nods over his 10 seasons with the Dodgers (1948-57) and averaged 29 home runs and 97 RBIs per season from 1949-55. The 5-foot-9 catcher had potent power from the right side, highlighted by a 1953 campaign that saw him total a career-high 41 home runs and an NL-high 142 RBIs, while posting a .312/.395/.611 slash line. Campanella, who was part of the Dodgers' 1955 championship team, is fourth in franchise history with 242 home runs, eighth with 856 RBIs and 10th with a 35.7 WAR. 1B: Gil Hodges Hodges played one game for the Dodgers in 1943, then spent two years in the military, returned to play full-time in 1947 and went on a tear. A three-time Gold Glover and eight-time All-Star across his 16 seasons with the franchise (1943 and 1947-61), Hodges was a grim reaper in the Dodgers' order, possessing elite power from the right side and earning three Gold Gloves at first base while he was at it. Hodges, who was a featured aspect of the Dodgers' 1955 and 1959 World Series teams, is second in franchise history with both 361 home runs and 1,254 RBIs, third with 3,357 total bases, fifth with 1,088 runs scored, seventh with a 43.3 WAR and ninth with 1,884 hits. 2B: Jackie Robinson Robinson, who served in the U.S. Army, is one of the most important figures in MLB history, as the middle infielder was the first Black American to appear in an MLB game, doing so for the Dodgers in 1947. The future Hall of Famer was a balanced hitter who had a good eye in the batter's box, hit for both contact and slug and was an issue for opposing pitching staffs on the basepaths. Robinson, who was part of the Dodgers' 1955 World Series team and stole home in Game 1 of the series, won the 1949 NL batting title, led the NL in WAR in three seasons and stolen bases twice, while earning seven All-Star nods. Moreover, Robinson won the 1949 NL MVP Award in a season that saw him log 203 hits and 124 RBIs. Robinson, a six-time All-Star with the franchise, is third in Dodgers history with a 61.8 WAR, fourth with a .409 on-base percentage, sixth with 740 walks, seventh with 947 runs scored and 10th with an .883 OPS. 3B: Ron Cey Cey spent the first 12 seasons of his career with the Dodgers (1971-82) and became one of the faces of the 1970s for the franchise. Earning each of his six All-Star honors with the Dodgers, Cey was one of the best third basemen of his generation and a steady source of offense. In his penultimate season with the franchise, Cey helped the Dodgers win the 1981 World Series, which saw him win MVP honors in the series while totaling nine RBIs and a .316/.422/.421 slash line throughout the entire postseason. Cey is fifth in Dodgers history with both 228 home runs and 765 walks, sixth with a 47.6 WAR and 10th with 842 RBIs. SS: Pee Wee Reese Reese played his entire career with the Dodgers (1940-42 and 1946-58), with whom he was one of the greatest players to ever put on the uniform. After a 6.2 WAR season in 1942 that saw him earn an All-Star nod, Reese served three years in the military and then returned to the field in a big way, putting together nine consecutive All-Star seasons, which saw him get on base via both contact hitting and laying off pitches, swipe bags and drive in a plausible number of runs. Part of the 1955 World Series championship team, Reese hit .296 in the 1955 postseason. Reese is first in Dodgers history with 1,338 runs scored, 1,210 walks and a 68.5 WAR, second with 2,170 hits, fifth with 3,038 total bases, seventh with 885 RBIs and 10th with 232 stolen bases. OF: Duke Snider Duke Snider was bad news. The overall eight-time All-Star was electric from the right side of the plate for the Dodgers, with whom he played from 1947-62. Snider cranked 40-plus home runs in five consecutive seasons (1953-57), while leading the NL in runs scored three times and slugging percentage twice. In the team's 1955 World Series victory, Snider totaled four home runs and seven RBIs, while posting a .320/.370/.840 slash line. Snider is first in Dodgers history with both 389 home runs and 1,271 RBIs, second with both 3,669 total bases and a 65.4 WAR, third with 1,199 runs scored and fourth with 1,995 hits, a .553 slugging percentage and 893 walks. OF: Willie Davis Davis had some power, but the outfielder primarily did damage with his speed. Spending the first 14 seasons of his career with the Dodgers (1960-73), Davis was a high-level, contact hitter who legged out extra-base hits, stole bags and hit for a high average. A three-time Gold Glover and two-time All-Star, Davis, who led the NL in triples twice, was part of the Dodgers' 1963 and 1965 title teams. Davis is second in Dodgers history with 110 triples, third with both 2,091 hits and 335 stolen bases, fifth with a 54.7 WAR and sixth with 1,004 runs scored. OF: Carl Furillo Like many players in the 1940s, including some of his teammates, Furillo served in the military. And when the outfielder became a full-time member of the Dodgers in 1946, he quickly became an impact player. A future two-time All-Star, Furillo was a well-versed hitter who both hit for contact and was among the most productive power hitters in the sport. Furillo, who won the 1953 batting title, was part of the Dodgers' 1955 and 1959 championship teams. Spending his entire career with the Dodgers (1946-60), Furillo is fourth in franchise history with 1,058 RBIs, fifth with 324 doubles, seventh with 1,910 hits, eighth with 895 runs scored and ninth with 192 home runs. DH: Shohei Ohtani Ohtani was a two-way superstar, both hitting and pitching, throughout his six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels (2018-23). Then, he made the arduous drive north from Angel Stadium to Dodger Stadium and helped the Dodgers win the World Series in his first season with the franchise (2024). Ohtani didn't pitch in 2024 due to a torn UCL. Instead, he had one of the best offensive seasons in MLB history. Becoming the first 50-50 player (50 home runs and 50 stolen bases) in MLB history, Ohtani totaled an NL-high with 54 home runs, 130 RBIs, 134 runs scored and a 9.2 WAR, while stealing 59 bases and posting a .310/.390/.646 slash line. His home run total and WAR were each single-season Dodger records. Ohtani has overwhelming power from the left side, moves as well as any 6-foot-3 player in recent memory and recently began pitching again. The three-time Silver Slugger is on his way to being the next Dodger great. Honorable Mentions: Walter Alston (manager) Clayton Kershaw (starting pitcher) Fernando Valenzuela (starting pitcher) Eric Gagne (reliever/closer) Eric Karros (1B) Justin Turner (3B) Adrian Beltre (3B) Jim Gilliam (3B) Mookie Betts (OF) Matt Kemp (OF) Zack Wheat (DH) Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience Major League Baseball Los Angeles Dodgers recommended Item 1 of 3 Get more from the Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Los Angeles Times
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Dodgers Dugout: Who's better, Clayton Kershaw or Sandy Koufax?
Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell. Sorry we are a day late, asthma, plus a cold, plus smoke in the air from fireworks equals bad breathing. For the next part of our 'Ask....' series. Jaime Jarrín, the Spanish-language voice of the Los Angeles Dodgers, for 64 seasons before retiring after the 2022 season, will answer selected questions from readers. Jarrín is in the Baseball Hall of Fame as a broadcaster and was the longtime interpreter for Fernando Valenzuela. Please send your questions to askjaimejarrin@ before 10 p.m. Friday. When Clayton Kershaw reached the 3,000 strikeout mark, Bill Plaschke wrote a column saying it clinched Kershaw being the greatest pitcher in Dodgers history, greater than Sandy Koufax. I could give you pages of stats and biographical information on both men, but I'm guessing most of you already know about them. Books have been written about Koufax, and books will be written about Kershaw. A few weeks ago, I wrote 'Kershaw and Koufax are the two best pitchers in Dodgers history,' and I got inundated with emails from angry Koufax fans, wondering why I would mention them in the same sentence, let alone list Kershaw first (um, alphabetical order). So, I broach the topic very carefully. The thing to keep in mind is they are both great pitchers. Both first-ballot Hall of Famers. Both have won World Series, Cy Young Awards and MVP awards. So how do you determine who is the best? It depends on how much you value certain things. Let's look at some arguments. 1. Koufax had only five great seasons, and they all came when the rules of the time favored the pitcher. 2. In his prime, Koufax pitched 300 innings a season and had multiple complete games (Koufax had 27 complete games in 1965 and 1966. Kershaw has had 25 complete games in his career and never pitched more than 236 innings in a season). Keep in mind that Kershaw never wanted to come out of games, he was really an old-school pitcher stuck in modern times. 3. Koufax is the best postseason pitcher in history with an 0.95 ERA in eight postseason games, all in the World Series. Of all pitchers with multiple Cy Young Awards, Kershaw is easily the worst in the postseason, going 13-13 with a 4.49 ERA. If we just limit it to the World Series, it's not much better, as he is 3-2 with a 4.46 ERA. 4. Koufax pitched in three World Series that the Dodgers won. Kershaw pitched in only one. 5. Koufax didn't have to pitch in multiple postseason rounds like Kershaw did. If he had to pitch in three rounds just to get to the World Series, his numbers likely wouldn't be as good. 6. Kershaw had a much, much longer career where he was one of the best pitchers in baseball. Depending on what you call a great season, it's 10, 11 or 12. Koufax had 'just' the five. 7. Kershaw has a career ERA+ of 155, meaning he was 55% better than a league average pitcher in his career. Koufax's was 131, meaning he was 31% better. Of course, Kershaw didn't pitch into the eight and ninth all that often, helping save his ERA somewhat. Those are just a few of the arguments. As to what I think? If I had to pick one, in their prime, to start a winner-take-all game, I'd pick Koufax. If you said 'You can have this guy's regular-season career, starting from Game 1, for your team,' I'd go with Kershaw. So, it depends on what you consider great. They were both great. Read Plaschke's column, which has several good arguments, by clicking here. Have you read it? Then please vote in our survey, 'Who was better, Clayton Kershaw or Sandy Koufax?' Heck, you can vote even if you didn't read Plaschke's column. You can vote by clicking here. Of all teams to be swept by, it had to be the Houston (no relation) Astros? They did expose some problems the Dodgers have had all season: Banged-up players and bad pitching. Max Muncy, who was their best hitter in the last six weeks, is on the IL (more on that below). Tommy Edman has a broken toe. Teoscar Hernández fouled a ball off his left foot Saturday, and is still plagued by the groin injury that put him on the IL earlier this season. He isn't close to 100%. Kiké Hernández went on the IL Monday with elbow inflammation. Mookie Betts hasn't seemed to recover from losing 25 pounds just before the season and is hitting a paltry (by Betts' standards) .252/.324/.397. Last season he hit .289/.372/.491. He is currently on track for the worst offensive season of his career. Add in the fact that Teoscar is just a brutal fielder in right, and you have to wonder if a move back to right is being considered, not that they'd talk openly about it. I mean, it was so bad that Michael Conforto hit fifth Sunday. Pitching wise, Ben Casparius is suddenly having trouble getting people out. Noah Davis, with a career ERA of 8.95 was on the staff and gave up 10 runs Friday. Most of the guys in the bullpen are having bad seasons compared to their career norms. The bullpen ERA (4.41) is 24th of the 30 teams. In the rotation, they have one reliable guy (Yoshinobu Yamamoto), two erratic guys (Dustin May and Kershaw), one guy who might be solid, but it's too soon to tell (Emmet Sheehan), one guy who pitches well but hasn't gone more than two innings (Shohei Ohtani) and a bunch of wishes and prayers for everyone else. We keep hearing that Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell are returning soon (Glasnow perhaps this week), but I'll believe it when I see it, and given their history, how long before they get hurt again? Does this mean it is time to panic? Of course not. Despite all of the above, the Dodgers have one of the best records in baseball and have a comfortable lead over the Giants and Padres. They will make the postseason. If you recall, they struggled at times with similar issues last season, and that season ended OK if I remember correctly. Andrew Friedman has shown that he is not afraid the make moves at the trade deadline. You can count on a move or two before the deadline this season (July 31 at 3 p.m. PT). The roster right now will not be the roster on day one of the postseason. So, let's see what happens. You have to feel bad for Max Muncy. He finally had turned things around and was one of the team's best hitters again. Then, his knee is injured when Michael Taylor of the White Sox slides into it while trying to steal third. It looked terrible, as your knee isn't designed to bend that direction. It looked like he had torn everything in his knee and would be out for the season. However, the Dodgers say an MRI exam showed just a bone bruise and he should be back in six weeks. Hopefully, that's what happens and he doesn't lose his swing while he's recovering. However, the Dodgers have been historically vague when talking about injuries. If you remember, Muncy hurt his elbow on the last day of the 2021, in a similar situation, only the runner collided with his elbow at first instead of his knee at third. After that injury, the MRI was described as the best-case scenario, and Dave Roberts said, 'I just don't want to, we don't want to, close the door on a potential down-the-road postseason appearance.' Muncy and the club kept insisting he could return for the postseason if the Dodgers advanced to the World Series. A month or so after the Dodgers were eliminated from the postseason, Muncy said he had torn the UCL in his elbow and knew he wasn't going to play in the postseason. So, hopefully his new injury is the best-case scenario, but I'm not holding my breath. With this injury, the Dodgers said they won't be actively exploring a deal for a third baseman since Muncy will be back, meaning we will know a lot more about the accuracy of what they are saying if they actually don't trade for a third baseman. The five Dodgers who will be on the All-Star team this season: StartersFreddie FreemanShohei OhtaniWill Smith PitchersClayton KershawYoshinobu Yamamoto Kershaw was named as the commissioner's 'Legend Pick.' Christian Walker continues to be a Dodger killer. He had a big series for the Astros, and is one of only nine opponents with at least 20 homers at Dodger Stadium. The list: Barry Bonds, 29George Foster, 23Henry Aaron, 22Dale Murphy, 22Mike Schmidt, 22Willie Stargell, 21Paul Goldschmidt, 20Dave Kingman, 20Christian Walker, 20 In his career against the Dodgers, Walker is hitting .259/.318/.563 with 10 doubles, 28 homers and 64 RBIs in 340 plate appearances. Some have emailed wondering if they should just intentionally walk Walker in every at bat. No. That would be foolish. Just walk him when the situation calls for it (second and third, one out, for example, depending on who is pitching). There is no one in baseball history you should walk every at bat. Dodgers pitchers Clayton Kershaw, Yoshinobu Yamamoto named to all-star game roster Hernández: Dodgers must aggressively pursue pitchers before the trade deadline With Max Muncy expected back from knee injury, Dodgers stick with trade deadline plans Max Muncy heads to IL with what Dodgers are calling a left knee bone bruise Jaime Jarrín's Hall of Fame speech. Watch and listen here. Have a comment or something you'd like to see in a future Dodgers newsletter? Email me at and follow me on Twitter at @latimeshouston. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Letters to Sports: Split decision on Bill Plaschke's 'greatest' Dodgers column
Bill Plaschke has decided that Clayton Kershaw is the greatest pitcher in Dodgers history. Given the distinct eras in which they both pitched, and the completely different roles starting pitchers have today, it is really impossible to definitively conclude who is the absolute greatest. I think the best we can say is that, without much doubt, Sandy Koufax had the greatest five-year stretch of any pitcher in baseball history, and at his peak, was the most dominant pitcher in the history of the game. Kershaw, on the other hand, has had the greatest career and consistency of performance by any Dodger pitcher ever. And perhaps, Bill, it is best if we just leave it at that. Drew Pomerance Tarzana With all due respect to Bill Plaschke, why does Clayton Kershaw have to be "greater" than Sandy Koufax, or Don Drysdale for that matter? Can't we just enjoy all their greatness as part of Dodgers history without anointing one greater than another? Don't forget, Drysdale pitched six consecutive shutouts and 58 scoreless innings. What's greater than that? Advertisement Rhys Thomas Valley Glen In what should have been the easiest article to write in Mr. Plaschke's illustrious career, Bill completely whiffs when comparing Kershaw to Koufax. Baseball's dramatic evolution over the last 60 years makes it impossible to compare the greatness of both men. Sandy and Clayton represent the best in Dodgers baseball and there is no need to celebrate the greatest Dodgers pitcher of the 21st century at the expense of the greatest Dodgers pitcher of the 20th century. Rob Demonteverde Brea Special 'K ' night In the game when Clayton Kershaw got his 3,000th strikeout, the Dodgers had a Hollywood ending when Freddie Freeman drove Shohei Ohtani in for a walk-off victory. It was fitting that strikeout number 3,000 came at the expense of Vinny Capra — Vinny as in Vin Scully, and Capra as in legendary filmmaker Frank Capra. Advertisement Ken Feldman Tarzana Discriminating concern The Dodgers are going to lose on their defense of their DEI programs for the simple paraphrasing in the reason set forth by Chief Justice Roberts that the way to end discrimination is not more discrimination … which is what the Dodgers engage in. They have touted it over and over again publicly. The irony is that DEI is the absolute last thing the organization would think about in assembling and paying those on its 40-man roster. Strangely, the Dodgers' supposedly brilliant owners and management fail to realize that absent DEI, just hiring the best applicants would produce plenty of diversity in their baseball organization. Advertisement Kip Dellinger Santa Monica All credit to the Dodgers for their DEI programs. I hope that they don't back down. I have not been a fan of billionaire hedge fund CEOs. However, if Stephen Miller's stooges are going after Mark Walter, I can only have new respect for him. Good for you, Mr. Walter. Noel Park Rancho Palos Verdes The king's return LeBron James maxed out his pay, taking $52 million for next season, leaving the Lakers with $6 million to spend on free agents and trades, which won't get much in today's NBA. Michael Jordan, Tim Duncan and Tom Brady are examples of superstars who took pay cuts to help their teams build a championship roster. Advertisement Such is the difference between a team player and, well, whatever LeBron is. I guess he must be more worried about making his next mortgage payment than winning championships. Jack Nelson Los Angeles Breaking news: LeBron James has decided he will allow his employer, the Los Angeles Lakers, to pay him a reported $52.6 million next season. In other news, the sun once again rose this morning and Earth continues to rotate properly on its axis. Richard Turnage Burbank Let me get this straight. Two weeks ago LeBron James decried the "ring culture" in the NBA. Fast-forward to James opting into his $52-million player option and his proxy, Rich Paul, releases a cryptic statement indicating James expects the Lakers to make the necessary improvements to make them a championship team. Thought rings didn't matter, LeBron? Advertisement Mark S. Roth Playa Vista Purple and sold Bill Plaschke got it right in the case of the Lakers' new ownership. A new broom does not have to sweep clean! Even with their flaws and mistakes, Rob Pelinka and rookie coach JJ Redick earned at least a stay of execution. They have accomplished 'enough' to earn the eventual trust of the new boss in town. With this massive shift in ownership, having some semblance of continuity is not a bad idea. Rick Solomon Lake Balboa Mixed emotions For over 20 years, there has not been a single NHL player I detested more than Corey Perry, especially when he played for that other local team. I have called him (words unsuitable to print here) more than any player in any sport. Hopefully his stay is no more than one season … unless he helps the Kings win the Stanley Cup. In that case — love ya, Corey. Always have and always will. Advertisement Erik Schuman Fountain Valley As a die-hard Kings fan, I have mixed feelings on their signing Corey Perry. But, I suppose, in the team's desperation to make it out of the first round, they signed a player that guarantees that they will be next year's Stanley Cup Final runner-up! Nick Rose Newport Coast The Los Angeles Times welcomes expressions of all views. Letters should be brief and become the property of The Times. They may be edited and republished in any format. Each must include a valid mailing address and telephone number. Pseudonyms will not be used. Email: sports@ Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
03-07-2025
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
The Sports Report: Clayton Kershaw reaches 3,000 strikeouts
From Bill Plaschke: The slider was sizzling. The hitter was frozen. The strikeout was roaring. With an 84-mph pitch on the black in the sixth inning against the Chicago White Sox Wednesday at a rollicking Dodger Stadium, Clayton Kershaw struck out Vinny Capra looking to become the 20th player in baseball history to record 3,000 strikeouts. As impressive as the pitch itself was the cementing of a truth that has been evident for several years. Clayton Kershaw is the greatest pitcher in Dodgers history. Greater than even the great Sandy Koufax. Gasp. Scream. Please. I wrote this opinion three years ago and was deluged with a barrage of emphatic and mostly emotional arguments for Koufax. How dare you diss our Sandy! Koufax won more championships! Koufax never choked in the postseason! Koufax was more dominant! All true, as well as Koufax being a tremendous human being worthy of every syllable of praise. But as Wednesday so clearly proved in front of a history-thirsty crowd at Chavez Ravine, Kershaw has done something that any defense of Koufax cannot equal. Continue reading here Photos: Kershaw's road to 3,000 Fans react to Clayton Kershaw reaching 3,000 career strikeouts Clayton Kershaw reaches 3,000 career strikeouts, is 20th pitcher to do so in MLB history Dodgers' All-Star lineup record quest fizzles with 3 of 8 finalists voted as starters Dodgers DEI efforts target of federal civil rights complaint filed by conservative group North Hollywood mural lauds Dodgers' Kiké Hernández 'for standing up for what is right' Hernández: The Dodgers have the best record in baseball. Why they still have room to improve Dodgers box score MLB scores MLB standings Matt Olson had a grand slam among his three hits, and the Atlanta Braves used a seven-run sixth inning to beat the Angels 8-3 on Wednesday night. Sean Murphy hit a three-run homer, and Michael Harris II and Ozzie Albies each had two hits for the Braves, who received more bad injury news before the game when it was announced right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach was headed to the IL because of a broken elbow. Braves left fielder Jurickson Profar returned from an 80-game PED suspension and was two for four with a home run and two runs scored. Continue reading here Angels box score MLB scores MLB standings From Broderick Turner: The Lakers finally got a center they have so desperately needed when they agreed to a deal with Deandre Ayton, according to people not authorized to speak publicly on the matter. The Lakers were able to get Ayton after he received a buyout from the Portland Trail Blazers of his $35-million contract, giving up about $10 million, according to reports. That opened the door for the Lakers to get Ayton for $16 million over two season after he cleared waivers Wednesday, according to people familiar with the deal. Ayton holds a player option for the second season. Ayton averaged 14.4 points and 10.2 rebounds over 30.2 minutes per game for the Trail Blazers last season. But he played in only 40 games, missing every game after the All-Star break because of a calf injury. Continue reading here Lakers announce Summer League roster, schedule Bronny James plays coy about father LeBron's future with Lakers NBA report: Knicks offer Mike Brown head coaching job Diego Luna scored twice in the first 15 minutes, and the United States hung on to beat Guatemala 2-1 on Wednesday night to reach its first CONCACAF Gold Cup final since 2021. Luna put the U.S. ahead with a left-footed shot in the fourth minute, then scored with his right in the 15th for his third goal in two games. The U.S. plays defending champion Mexico for the title Sunday at Houston, the Americans' last competitive match before their World Cup opener next June. El Tri has won nine Gold Cups, the U.S. seven and Canada one. The 16th-ranked Americans advanced to the Gold Cup final for the 13th time. All five losses in finals have been to Mexico. Continue reading here U.S.-Guatemala summary Before Wimbledon began, Coco Gauff reflected on the significance of her breakthrough performance at the place six years ago — a run to the fourth round at age 15 — and what aspirations she harbored as she prepared to return. 'Even when I see videos of me during that time, it just doesn't feel like it's me. It felt like a dream. I'll always have special memories from that run and, I guess, it definitely fueled the belief that I can be on tour and live out my dream,' she told the Associated Press. 'It's something that always holds a special place in my heart. Obviously, I would love to win this tournament just for it to be like a full-circle moment,' she continued. 'I feel like it would be like the start of the dream, and — I don't want to say 'the finish,' because I obviously have a lot of career left, but — a full-circle type of situation.' A week after that conversation, the No. 2-ranked Gauff was out of the bracket at the All England Club in the first round with a 7-6 (3), 6-1 loss to unseeded Dayana Yastremska at No. 1 Court on Tuesday night. Gauff was undone by serving troubles, including nine double-faults, and more than two dozen unforced errors in all, not to mention Yastremska's hard, flat groundstrokes. It was an abrupt, and mistake-filled, exit for Gauff, who so recently earned her second Grand Slam title — at the French Open via a three-set victory over No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the final. Continue reading here 1920 — Suzanne Lenglen beats Dorothea Chambers a second straight year (6-3, 6-0) to win the women's singles title at Wimbledon. 1925 — Suzanne Lenglen wins her sixth and final women's singles title at Wimbledon, easily beating Joan Fry, 6-2, 6-0. 1931 — Max Schmeling knocks out Young Stribling at 2:46 of the 15th round to retain the world heavyweight title in Cleveland. 1951 — Sam Snead wins his third PGA Championship with a 7 and 6 victory over Walter Burkemo at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club. 1976 — Bjorn Borg beats Ilie Nastase 6-4, 6-2, 9-7, to win his first men's singles title at Wimbledon. 1981 — Wimbledon Women's Tennis: Chris Evert beats Hana Mandlíková 6-2, 6-2 for her third and final Wimbledon singles title. 1982 — Martina Navratilova begins her streak of six straight singles titles at Wimbledon with a 6-1, 3-6, 6-2 victory over Chris Evert Lloyd. It's the third Wimbledon singles title for Navratilova, all against Evert Lloyd. 1983 — Calvin Smith sets the 100-meter world record at Colorado Springs, with a run of 9.93 seconds. He breaks the previous record of 9.95 set by Jim Hines in 1968. 1983 — Wimbledon Men's Tennis: American John McEnroe wins 5th career Grand Slam title; outclasses Chris Lewis of New Zealand 6-2, 6-2, 6-2. 1994 — FIFA World Cup: In a huge upset Romania eliminates Argentina 3-2 from the round of 16 at the Rose Bowl. 2004 — Maria Sharapova, 17, wins her first Grand Slam title and instant celebrity by beating Serena Williams 6-1, 6-4. For the first time since 1999, none of the four major titles is held by a Williams. 2005 — Roger Federer wins his third consecutive Wimbledon title by beating Andy Roddick 6-2, 7-6 (2), 6-4. Federer is the third man since 1936 to win three straight Wimbledon crowns, joining seven-time champion Pete Sampras and five-time winner Bjorn Borg. 2006 — Annika Sorenstam wins the U.S. Women's Open after 10 years of frustration and wins her 10th major championship. Sorenstam, who shot a 1-under 70 in the 18-hole playoff, beats Pat Hurst by four strokes for the largest margin of victory in a playoff at the major since Kathy Cornelius won by seven shots 50 years ago. 2006 — Detroit Red Wings legend Steve Yzerman officially retires from the NHL, finishing with 692 goals and 1,755 points. 2007 — The Alinghi team from Switzerland — a country more often associated with Alpine skiing and winter snowscapes — successfully defends sailing's coveted America's Cup, beating Emirates Team New Zealand 5-2. 2010 — Serena Williams wins her fourth Wimbledon title and 13th Grand Slam championship by sweeping Vera Zvonareva in straight sets in the women's final. Williams, who finishes the tournament without dropping a set, takes 67 minutes to win 6-3, 6-2. 2011 — Novak Djokovic wins his first Wimbledon, beating defending champion Rafael Nadal 6-4, 6-1, 1-6, 6-3. Djokovic, already guaranteed to take over the No. 1 ranking from the Spaniard on July 4, extends his mastery over Nadal this season with a fifth straight head-to-head victory. 2016 — Serena Williams overwhelms Annika Beck 6-3, 6-0 in just 51 minutes on Centre Court at Wimbledon, advancing to the fourth round with her 300th career Grand Slam match win. 2018 — Feliciano Lopez makes history just by taking to the court at Wimbledon. The 36-year-old Spaniard breaks Roger Federer's record by appearing in a 66th consecutive Grand Slam singles tournament, continuing a run that started at the 2002 French Open. Lopez beats Federico Delbonis of Argentina 6-3, 6-4, 6-2. 1912 — Rube Marquard of the New York Giants raised his season record to 19-0 with a 2-1 victory over the Brooklyn Dodgers. His winning streak ended five days later against the Chicago Cubs. 1939 — Cleveland's Ben Chapman ties the modern major-league record with three triples in a 4-2 win over the Detroit Tigers. 1939 — Johnny Mize of St. Louis hit two home runs, a triple and a double, leading the Cardinals to a 5-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs. Mize drove in three runs and scored three times. 1947 — The Cleveland Indians purchased Larry Doby from the Newark Eagles of the Negro National League, making him the first Black player in the American League. 1966 — Atlanta pitcher Tony Cloninger became the first National League player to hit two grand slams in one game. He added a single for nine RBIs in a 17-3 triumph over San Francisco. 1968 — Cleveland's Luis Tiant struck out 19, walked none in a six-hit 1-0, 10-inning triumph over Minnesota. 1970 — Clyde Wright of the Angels used only 98 pitches to no-hit the Oakland A's 4-0 at Anaheim Stadium. 1973 — Jim Perry of the Detroit Tigers and brother Gaylord of the Cleveland Indians faced each other for the only time as opposing pitchers. Neither finished the game. Gaylord took the loss, 5-4. 2006 — Manager Felipe Alou picked up his 1,000th victory in San Francisco's 9-6 win over Colorado. 2013 — Max Scherzer worked into the seventh inning to become the first pitcher in 27 years to get off to a 13-0 start, leading the Detroit Tigers to a 6-2 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays. 2016 — Stephen Strasburg was removed from a no-hit bid after 6 2/3 innings, and Ramon Cabrera singled against Matt Belisle leading off the eighth for Cincinnati's first hit in the Washington Nationals' 12-1 rout of the Reds. Strasburg (11-0) threw 109 pitches, five shy of his season high. Strasburg won a franchise-record 14 straight decisions and is the first NL starter to begin a season 11-0 since San Diego's Andy Hawkins in 1985. 2016 — Wilmer Flores went 6 for 6 with two of New York's five home runs, and the Mets romped to a 14-3 win and a four-game sweep of the Chicago Cubs. Jon Lester gave up eight runs and nine hits in 1 1/3 innings, the shortest of his 301 career starts over 11 major league seasons. 2016 — New York's Mark Teixeira hit his 400th and 401st home runs and Chad Green got his first big league victory as the Yankees avoided a three-game sweep with a 6-3 win over San Diego. 2020 — Major League Baseball announces the cancellation of the 2020 All Star game in Dodger Stadium due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Compiled by the Associated Press That concludes today's newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you'd like to see, email me at To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Los Angeles Times
21-06-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Welcome to the deportation resistance, Dodgers. What's next?
For Dodgers fan, it's all about the moments on the field. Kirk Gibson's Game 1-winning World Series home run in 1988. Freddie Freeman doing the same last year. Koufax's four no-hitters. Fernandomania. Shohei Ohtani anytime he's at the plate or on the mound. It's outside the baseball diamond where the team has usually stumbled. And right now, the team finds itself in the middle of an unforced error that they're trying to recover from. That's the best way to describe how the Boys in Blue have acted as the city emblazoned on their hats and road jerseys battles Donald Trump's toxic alphabet soup of federal agencies that have conducted immigration sweeps across Los Angeles over the past two weeks. They stayed quiet as rumors circulated that la migra was using the Dodger Stadium parking lot as a staging and processing area for their raids. They ignored calls for days by some fans and community leaders to issue a statement, any statement, in defense of immigrants. After offering my my fellow Times columnist Dylan Hernández a 'no comment,' the team finally told our colleague Jack Harris on Wednesday that they planned to assist 'immigrant communities impacted by the recent events in Los Angeles' without offering details. Then they paused in light of Thursday's dramatic events, which saw the Dodgers dragged into a fight with the Trump administration over what actually happened when federal agents were spotted near the stadium that morning. The team posted on social media that they denied a request by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to 'access the parking lots.' 'False,' ICE blared on social media. The Department of Homeland Security chimed in to claim Customs and Border Protection agents just happened to be near the stadium gates 'unrelated to any operation or enforcement' — this, even as local television news footage showed a U.S. citizen caught earlier that morning at a Home Depot just up the 101 freeway being transferred from one unmarked vehicle to another. 'We'll get back to you soon with the timing' about how the Dodgers will help immigrants, president Stan Kasten told Harris Thursday. No, Stan. The moment is now. For decades, the Dodgers have gotten away with being the Flamin' Hot Cheetos of Major League Baseball – a corporate entity with an undue, even unhealthy following by too many Latinos. Each brand does little more than offer quick thrills to fans while taking their money, yet both have turned into markers of latinidad in Southern California à la lowriders and guayaberas. The Dodgers have pulled this off even as they're the same franchise that refuses to put up any marker acknowledging that their home stands on the site where L.A. officials razed three barrios in the 1950s for a housing project that never materialized, then sold the land to the Dodgers for basically nothing. That didn't retire Fernando Valenzuela's number until the last years of his life. That will sell bland, overpriced tacos and micheladas at the stadium and not blink — hey, at least Flamin' Hot Cheetos are still cheap. They've put one arm around Latino fans while picking their pockets with the other for so long because they have been able to get away with it. Talks of boycotts over the years never worried executives because they knew other fans would quickly fill in any new seats. Fans booed while stadium security recently booted out attendees who brought signs to games decrying ICE, but Kasten and his crew knew no one would walk out in solidarity. All the Dodgers have to do is keep winning, stage an occasional giveaway night — wow, look! Another Valenzuela bobblehead on July 19! — or have organist Dieter Ruehle play a few bars of 'La Chona' and all is forgiven by too many too often. Sports teams have no obligation to take stances on the issues of the day and probably shouldn't. They're capitalist endeavors, not charity cases, whose stated mission is to provide bread and circuses to the masses while making as much profit as possible in the process. Social justice-minded followers too often willfully forget this. But they and the rest of us deserve to hold the Dodgers to a higher standard because that's how they have always marketed themselves. They're the organization that broke baseball's color barrier with Jackie Robinson. That expanded the game's international reach with Valenzuela, Hideo Nomo and Chan Ho Park. That established baseball academies across Latin America and fostered a Latino fan base unlike any other in U.S. professional sports. Besides, the Dodgers have waded into political morasses before. They played Robinson as Jim Crow still ruled the United States. They rightfully proclaimed 'Black Lives Matter' in the wake of George Floyd's murder in 2020. The team in 2023 bestowed a Community Hero award to a drag troupe in the face of protests from conservative Catholics, although the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence were relegated a ceremony held hours before the start of a game when the stands were nearly empty. Other immediate members of the Dodgers family heard the call to stand with L.A. early on. Valenzuela's daughter, Maria Valenzuela, told Fox 11 that her father 'would be really disappointed' with what's going on, adding, 'He pitched for every immigrant who believed they belonged.' Broadcasting Hall of Famer Jaime Jarrín decried on his Instagram account the 'injustices and heartbreak we've witnessed' and blessed all the peaceful protests that have sprung up in response, telling those who are taking to the streets: 'Do not be afraid. Stay strong. Keep showing up. Let your voice be heard.' But the only current player who has said anything about Trump's raids — this, in a squad whose roster is chockablock with visa holders — is Kiké Hernández. The Puerto Rican-born journeyman posted on Instagram that he 'cannot stand to see our community being violated, profiled, abused and ripped apart.' Guess his teammates are still too thrilled to have met Trump at the White House earlier this year to muster up the energy to say anything? On Friday afternoon, the Dodgers finally announced something: They would coordinate with the city of Los Angeles to commit $1 million in financial assistance to families impacted by Trump's raids, and promised aid to trusted L.A. institutions like the California Community Foundation to help in the matter. 'We have heard the calls for us to take a leading role on behalf of those affected,' Kasten said in a statement. That's a good start — but I hope the team sees it as just a start. Trump has already promised that the same rage he's inflicting on L.A. will soon come to Chicago and New York, cities with large immigrant populations and their own historic baseball teams. That's why the Dodgers need to summon the moral courage of their past even more and once again set an example others want to follow. The moment is now.
