Alex Cobb is only a year removed from an All-Star season with the San Francisco Giants, but the new Detroit Tigers pitcher admits that he considered retirement.
That is, before the Tigers gave him a $15 million contract.
2024 was a rough year for Cobb, who threw a grand total of 16.1 total innings for the Cleveland Guardians as he battled shoulder, back and hip injuries. He left Game 1 of the 2024 ALCS in the third inning with an acute lower back strain.
It was enough for him to consider calling it a career.
“Honestly, that was heavy on my mind after my last start,” Cobb told the Detroit Free Press. “I had to come out with another nagging issue. I definitely thought, after a year of battling, I didn’t know if there would be much interest. Early on, when teams were calling, I was a bit surprised by the interest.”
The Tigers won the biding, signing him to a one-year deal that includes additional million-dollar-bonuses if Cobb hits 140 and 150 innings.
Now 37, Cobb said he’s ready to get back to work.
“You get yourself back in the gym, you start working out and throwing again,” Cobb added, “and you convince yourself you can not only do this but do it at a very successful level where I expect to be. Everything feels great right now.”
The Tigers were aggressive in Cobb’s pursuit because they wanted a veteran presence to bolster a rotation already anchored by reigning American League Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal.
“We had exit interviews with our players after the season,” President of Baseball Operations Scott Harris told the Free Press. “It’s a very common theme that we need to continue to add veteran presences to this team.
“We wanted to find someone with the pure stuff and experience and track record that could make our pitching staff better, but also be that type of positive clubhouse presence.”
But Harris brought Cobb in for more than just a veteran presence. He added that he sees “another gear” that Cobb can still reach and that the pitcher is “open-minded about making adjustments.”
On the other end, Cobb appreciated the Tigers’ pitching development, pointing to how Jack Flaherty resurrected his career in his lone partial season in Detroit.
“I think we all saw — Flaherty had a couple of struggling years in the previous years, and then obviously figured something out here last year and was very impressive throughout the regular season and the postseason,” Cobb said. “I think every team pitches you on that idea.”
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San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado played a significant role in a benches-clearing incident against the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday, and exchanged words with Cardinals assistant coach and former Padre Jon Jay during the incident. The Cardinals plunked Machado twice in the contest, however the third baseman took exception with the second incident. After being hit, Machado had words for Andre Granillo, who threw the pitch, and home plate umpire Lance Barrett. The benches slowly cleared to diffuse the situation, however it exploded after Jay began speaking to Machado. The umpires tossed Jay after the scuffle. He is the only member of either team who left the game. Machado didn't reveal what was said during the exchange with Jay, but had no shortage of words for the assistant coach. “I mean, poor kid. … I know he probably doesn’t want to do that in that situation," Machado said of Granillo. "Obviously, you see him, what he does. He just kind of feels bad. You’re just pissed off, you know? It is what it is. I mean, there was nothing to it. But then you got somebody else coming up and yapping their mouth. That’s when s— starts getting real.” Machado and Jay have a history together, as they have previously worked out in the offseason with Machado's brother-in-law Yonder Alonso, who is also a former Padre and teammate of Jay's. After the game, Machado made it clear he was not friendly with Jay. “Yeah, right,” Machado said. “I know the real him. … No, absolutely not. Absolutely not.” Despite the incident, Jay also kept quiet about the specifics of the incident after the game, but acknowledged his lack of composure during the incident. “I was just having my team’s back, but I’m a coach, and I shouldn’t have said anything,” Jay said. For more Padres news, head over to Padres on SI.
Shedeur Sanders has been working with the Cleveland Browns' equipment staff as the No. 4 quarterback this summer. He'll have a new opportunity following troubling injury news for Kenny Pickett. Per Adam Schefter of ESPN, Pickett suffered a hamstring injury during Saturday's practice and will not receive reps until his issue is re-evaluated. "Browns QB Kenny Pickett injured his hamstring near the end of Saturday’s practice and is expected to re-evaluate the injury later this week, per sources," Schefter posted on X. "Pickett was coming off a strong couple of practices, per sources, and at least for the short term, there now will be more reps for Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. Pickett's injury will shake up the quarterback race in Cleveland. Through OTAs and early in training camp, Sanders has been the odd man out as the only signal caller on the roster not to receive reps with the first-team offense. It's unclear if the Browns coaching staff intends to give Sanders reps with the first-team offense now that Pickett is sidelined, but the fifth-round pick will have more chances this week to prove that he deserves an opportunity to stay in Cleveland. The Browns are in a unique situation with their rookie quarterbacks. Third-round pick Dillon Gabriel was selected before Sanders, but the son of Deion Sanders fell to Day 3 of the draft for reasons other than talent. The majority of draft analysts had Sanders as a better-graded quarterback than Gabriel, and many thought the Colorado product would be taken in the first round. The Browns can use the injury as an excuse to give Sanders reps with the first team, and it's a task they need to take advantage of before the team names a starter. Sanders has the potential to be a starter in the league, and this week is pivotal for his rookie season in Cleveland.
Kirk Cousins might be relegated to the job of backup quarterback, but he is showing veteran leadership to his Atlanta Falcons teammates. Following Sunday's practice, Cousins pulled aside rookie defensive end James Pearce to encourage the first-round pick after his fourth practice in the league at Flowery Branch, Georgia. "QB Kirk Cousins pulled aside Pearce after practice to compliment him on a pass batted down," wrote Marc Raimondi of ESPN. Cousins reportedly had a solid day of practice on Sunday, going 7-of-12 passing against the first-team unit. If Cousins wants out of Atlanta, he's not showing it at practice. The four-time Pro Bowl quarterback is competing on the field and being a good teammate around the facility. Cousins' actions on the field backed up what Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot praised Cousins for before the team's practice on Sunday. “Outside, it's a lot more of a deal than it is in the building,” Fontenot said to the media about the idea of friction between the Falcons and Cousins, per video from D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “He shows up, he does his job, just like anybody ... We've gotta build the best 70-man roster so we can go win games. "That's what we're focused on, and Kirk, just like all the other players, is focused on coming in here and doing their job. That's what he's been doing." Fontenot didn't dismiss the idea that Atlanta would trade Cousins before the season. He said the Falcons will do whatever it takes to make the team better, but stressed that Cousins has been a professional throughout the process of being replaced by Michael Penix Jr., a first-round pick from the 2024 draft. “In terms of making moves, whether it's trades or acquiring players, we're always looking at those factors," Fontenot said. "We're gonna do whatever we can do to make this team the best it can possibly be. But he's been a great professional, and he's handled himself well.” Cousins is coming to work in a manner that will make another owner want to take a chance on the veteran quarterback. That could be one of his best-selling points before he plays in his 13th season in the league.
The Indiana Fever recently defeated the Chicago Sky 93-78, earning a victory over their rivals despite Caitlin Clark being ruled out. Clark has been ruled out for quite some time, having missed a large portion of her second season in the WNBA with a string of injuries. Another WNBA star who's recently dealt with a setback is Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese. The 23-year-old Sky star was ruled out of the matchup against the Fever, nursing a back injury. Before the Fever versus Sky matchup, Indiana coach Stephanie White spoke on the absence of Reese. During her conversation with the media, White labeled Reese as the "best rebounder" in the WNBA. "We know that she is the best rebounder in this league," White said. "The way they use her in the point-forward position sometimes creates some challenges." Angel Reese has earned the label from Stephanie White. Since entering the WNBA last season, Reese has been widely regarded as one of the best rebounders in the league, having capped off her rookie year by averaging a double-double. She finished her rookie season posting 13.6 points and 13.1 rebounds per game. Reese was second in Rookie of the Year voting behind Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark. Throughout her second season in the WNBA, Angel Reese has posted 13.8 points and 12.5 rebounds per game, similar to her stat line from her rookie season. The Chicago Sky will await the return of Reese, who's widely known as their best and most versatile player.