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There's been no bigger welcome surprise to the 2025 roster than Aiden Jimenez. The righty transfer from Oregon State ascended from potentially unable to contribute at all this season because of recovery from Tommy John Surgery, to coach Dave Van Horn's most trusted arm out of the bullpen.
Jimenez has put up sterling numbers as the team's No. 1 high leverage reliever. Despite a blip on the radar at LSU in which he surrendered the lead in Friday night's 5-4 loss to LSU, he still has a 2.51 ERA, second best of anyone on the team (minimum 20 innings), only behind Dylan Carter.
The numbers are even better in SEC play. He leads all qualified pitchers on the team with a 2.39 ERA. In 32 1/3 total innings, he also has 34 strikeouts to go along with just seven walks. Jimenez was also ranked 13th on D1Baseball's Top 100 relievers list.
The Herd have two making the list!
— EG Herd Baseball (@egherdbaseball) May 9, 2025
Aiden Jimenez▶️ #13
Kade Brown ▶️ #46 https://t.co/9XNQyBHvCf
He also now leads the team in appearances with 17, quite a remarkable development considering coach Dave Van Horn was hesitant to pitch him twice on the same weekend because he was barely a full year removed from TJ.
"It's tough doubling up and I didn't want Jimenez to go again today," Van Horn said after Arkansas lost the series finale to Florida on April 27. "He probably could have gone a little bit, but he threw up and down a few times yesterday and we finally bring him in. It's just too much. Trying to make sure he's healthy at the end of the year."
Now, Van Horn is seemingly comfortable with using Jimenez twice in the same weekend with regularity. He's done it twice now this season, once against Georgia and most recently against LSU. He also did it earlier in the season against Vanderbilt, but only threw three pitches on Friday.
"We had a pitcher in the bullpen [Jimenez] that has done nothing but pitch well here and throw strikes," Van Horn said. "He had two hitters where he didn't throw strikes, and that cost us the lead. But that's baseball, that's what happens. And we gave him the ball again on Sunday. That's how much confidence we have in that individual."
So much about succeeding at this time of year is having a lockdown reliever in the bullpen and getting healthy. While Jimenez isn''t getting healthy in the traditional sense like some of his fellow pitchers such as Gage Wood, Parker Coil and Hunter Dietz, his increased avalibility could be the most critical factor heading into the postseason.
"It's good to go," Van Horn said. "It depends on how many pitches or how stressful they were, or was he cruising? Then he's got to talk to us, communicate with us, tell us how he feels physically, not necessarily how his arm feels. His arm's been feeling great. It's about how your body feels."
Jimenez and the rest of the Razorbacks will take on the No. 17 Tennessee Volunteers to close out the regular season. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday and will be broadcast on ESPN2.
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UConn Football Honors Women's Basketball National Title Team
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Andy Reid Sends Strong Message About Chiefs’ Suspended Star Ahead of Ravens Game
The Kansas City Chiefs are coming off their first win of the NFL season Sunday night, defeating the New York Giants 22-9 to improve to 1-2 heading into Week 4, where they’ll host a marquee matchup against the Baltimore Ravens. Baltimore wraps up Week 3 on Monday night against the Detroit Lions, but their meeting with Kansas City will be a rematch of the 2023-24 AFC Championship Game, which the Chiefs won. Ahead of the showdown, Kansas City received a boost on Monday when suspended wide receiver Rashee Rice was welcomed back into the facility. While he’ll remain suspended for three more games, Rice is now allowed to be alongside his teammates, attend meetings, and prepare for his return in Week 7. However, he is still not permitted to practice with the team. The Chiefs have been very supportive of Rice, who was suspended six games for violating the NFL’s conduct policy following an off-field incident in March 2024. The 25 year old vowed to mature and learn from the mistake. "I've learned so much from that," he said back in June of 2024. "All I can do is mature and continue to grow from that. This is a step in a better direction for me." Head coach Andy Reid spoke about the value of having Rice’s presence back in the building, even if he can’t yet take the field. "We do get 4 back, and I know the guys will be fired up to see him," Reid said on Monday. "He can't practice, he can't be on the field. But it'll be good to have him around." Rashee Rice has been one of the Chiefs’ top targets since breaking out as a rookie, but his sophomore campaign was cut short after he suffered a torn ACL in Week 4 against the Los Angeles Chargers. As a rookie, he recorded 79 receptions for 938 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging 11.9 yards per catch. In four games last season, he added 24 receptions for 288 yards and two touchdowns before the injury. When he returns, Rice will be a major boost to a Chiefs offense that has been without both him and Xavier Worthy, who went down with an injury in Week 1.
Former HC does not hold back on Cowboys' atrocious defense
The Dallas Cowboys have played about as poorly as they possibly can on defense through the first three weeks of the NFL season. One week after needing a pair of late field goals from kicker Brandon Aubrey to outlast the New York Giants, 40-37, in overtime, the Cowboys dropped their second game in three weeks on Sunday in a 31-14 loss to the Chicago Bears, showing no signs of improvement whatsoever. Rex Ryan blasts Cowboys defense Simply put, Dallas just looks lost on defense, leading to former head coach and current ESPN analyst Rex Ryan going off during Monday's edition of "Get Up." "Just when we thought it couldn't get worse, this defense comes up with even a worse performance," Ryan said. ... "You're so dumb. I can't stand it. Do something. I don't want to hear about you can't rush the passer. Then how about we send more players on the quarterback. We can't play zone coverage, then how about we play man coverage. You guys stink. Dumbsday defense." Dallas had no answers for the Bears and QB Caleb Williams on Sunday. After struggling to find a rhythm in the first two games, Williams was sensational, throwing for 298 yards and four TDs to pick up head coach Ben Johnson's first win in Chicago. As good as Williams was, though, the Cowboys defense certainly helped. Dallas (1-2) has given up 92 points through three games and is 28th in the league in opponent points per game (30.7 PPG), per TeamRankings. Something Ryan alluded to in his rant was Dallas' inability to stop Chicago on a 19-play, 76-yard drive in the third quarter that took 9:54 off the clock. It was a 24-14 game before then, and the Cowboys were picked off on each of their final three drives afterward to seal their fate. Quarterback Dak Prescott has been solid, accounting for 800 passing yards — fourth-most in the league — and three TDs. Before Sunday, he had only thrown one interception. The run game has also contributed four combined TDs between Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders, providing a much-needed balance. That has ultimately not mattered with the defense unable to get stops and limit drives from opposing teams. To make matters worse, star wideout CeeDee Lamb suffered a left ankle injury in the loss on Sunday, and it sounds like he could land on injured reserve, which would put him out of action for at least four games. That is the last thing Dallas needs right now. The team will likely be without its best player for an extended period of time, in addition to having an abysmal defense, which does not sound encouraging going forward for a franchise that always seems to be in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.
Rangers forward in a fight for his future amid new competition
The New York Rangers are preparing to start a transitional season, following the arrival of new head coach Mike Sullivan and some important adjustments to the squad. Among the players facing a decisive season is Brennan Othmann, a left winger who was selected in the first round of the 2021 NHL draft. Othmann, 22, is entering his third and final year of his contract with the Rangers, but his expiring deal is not the only reason why he will have to prove himself this season. The Canadian has had difficulties meeting the high expectations around him and although he may no longer have time to establish himself as a top-six forward, this is the best time to establish himself in a lower role. Othmann's clock is ticking as competition for roster spot grows Last season, he only recorded two assists in 22 games with the Rangers, but tallied 12 goals and eight assists in 27 games with the AHL Hartford Wolf Pack. In any case, now Othmann is facing heavier competition within the squad. Both Gabe Perreault and Carey Terrance have left good impressions during preseason camps, and with both having multiple years left on their contracts, the possibility that Othmann's days on the team are numbered increases. That said, the New York team needs depth, especially in the bottom-six, and Othmann must react and respond. He has the necessary grit and physicality, and if he manages to establish himself there, he could become a solid player within the bottom lineups.
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