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Daulton Varsho had a slow start offensively to the 2024 season, but now he is settling in nicely and helping out the Toronto Blue Jays. Before the season started, it was hoped that Varsho could bounce back at the plate following the 2023 season, in which he hit only .220. All aboard the Varsho comeback train! While he was the MLB leader in defensive runs saved last season (29), he was robbed of a Gold Glove. But offensively, more was expected from Varsho. This year, though, he’s made adjustments at the plate, and we are starting to see how they’ve been effective.
Very few big leaguers needed this HR as badly as Daulton Varsho. Maybe he gets going! pic.twitter.com/EdKUBpDrYs
— Discuss Baseball (@discussbaseball) April 12, 2024
Daulton Varsho Turning the Corner Offensively
Varsho hit home runs in back-to-back games this season, and it was exciting to see his offense come alive. He smashed a grand slam against the Colorado Rockies, which allowed the Blue Jays to beat them 5-3. Varsho also doubled leading things off, and then he eventually scored against the New York Yankees on Tuesday evening. He also got on base by walking in the bottom of the fourth inning and scored again.
Of course, Varsho’s defense in the outfield is always needed. In Monday evening’s game against the Yankees, he made a fantastic catch, and the catch probability was only 55%. He hustled and made a difficult play look effortless. Varsho has made pesky plays at times to irritate his opponents, frequently robbing teams of hits.
Daulton Varsho is one of the best defensive players in baseball & maybe the biggest reason why is because his jumps make hard plays look (relatively) easy. pic.twitter.com/IEZGImTOKZ
— Chris Black (@DownToBlack) April 16, 2024
Overall, defense goes hand in hand with pitching. The Blue Jays have many talented pitchers (both starters and in the pen). If Varsho can continue to get on base and spark up the Blue Jays offense, it should silence some critics. Varsho plays with a lot of tenacity, and despite not having a lights-out amazing season offensively last season, he always gives 100 percent. When a player takes the time to make adjustments, it shows that they are willing to put in the work to improve.
Varsho Looking More Comfortable At Bat
Varsho has certainly been playing with more confidence, and he looks comfortable at the plate. There was some concern when he got off to a slow start to the season, but he’s starting to get into a consistent groove. The Yankees are a hot team, and while the Blue Jays have been projected as mediocre, they are certainly defying the odds as they have kept up with the Yankees so far this season. The Blue Jays have many athletic players on the roster, and Varsho is surely one of them. He is contributing both at the plate and in the field.
More must-reads:
- Blue Jays' Trey Yesavage is already making the rest of MLB look foolish for passing on him
- Nationals set to hire MLB's youngest manager in over 50 years
- The 'World Series walk-off home runs' quiz
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George Springer's status for Game 6 is becoming more clear
George Springer’s status for Game 6 of the World Series is becoming more clear. Springer has missed the last two games of the World Series after hurting his side on a swing in his Toronto Blue Jays’ 18-inning loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 3. The Blue Jays were able to win Game 4 on Tuesday and Game 5 on Wednesday despite the outfielder’s absence. On Thursday, Blue Jays manager John Schneider said that Springer is physically ready to play in Game 6. “He’s checked every box physically so far,” Schneider said of Springer. Getting Springer back would be a nice boost to the Blue Jays’ lineup, which has performed well even without him. Springer went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts in Game 3 before leaving the game. He’s batting .246 with an .884 OPS this postseason and has mashed 6 doubles and 4 home runs in 57 at-bats. Springer went 1-for-3 in Game 2 against Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who is the Dodgers’ scheduled starter for Game 6. Springer’s double was the Blue Jays’ only extra-base hit of the game, and he scored their only run that contest. His presence would be a big help for Toronto.
Raiders’ Mark Davis Sends Message Every Fan Needed to Hear
The Las Vegas Raiders have the best defensive player in the National Football League, in Maxx Crosby. Crosby has been a force to deal with over the last few years. He has been all over the quarterbacks he has faced during that time. He loves to play the game and do it for the Silver and Black. That has been his team since day one, and the team that believed in him, when no one else gave him his opportunity. Crosby is the face of the Raiders franchise, and he wants to win as badly as anyone for this organization. He is having another good season in 2025 and is looking to get better and create more chaos in the backfield for the offense. He is one of a kind, and the Raiders need to do a better job of putting a good team around him to capitalize on what type of player Crosby is. Raiders Owner Mark Davis on Maxx Crosby "Asked about interest in Crosby and the team's decision not to trade him, Raiders owner Mark Davis told NFL.com he doesn't understand why people keep asking," said NFL Insider Ian Rapoport. "I don't know how many times I've got to say it," Davis said this past week following the Fall League Meeting in New York. "It's really hard to keep getting asked the same question every month or week or whatever when the answer's going to stay the same. I don't know why anybody would think I'd change my mind or the organization would." This past offseason, the Raiders signed Crosby to a three-year, $106.5 million extension through the 2029 campaign. Davis knows it's natural for teams to take a look around the league and covet what isn't theirs. However, he said "everything about Maxx is awesome" and he doesn't see him leaving. "Everybody wants to have your great players," Davis said. "It starts there, it doesn't start with us." Crosby has also made it very clear that he wants to stay with the Silver and Black and win in Las Vegas. But it is a question that is always asked because of the bad product the Raiders are putting on the field. The Raiders will get to soon if they made the right adjustments during their bye week, in Week 9 agiant the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Latest Matt Rhule news should end Penn State rumors
The Penn State Nittany Lions can likely scratch another candidate off their coaching wish list. On Thursday, ESPN "College GameDay" insider Pete Thamel reported Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Matt Rhule has signed a two-year contract extension with the program, which will run through the 2032 season. It includes a $15M buyout this season, which should prevent another school from poaching him. Why Matt Rhule was considered a strong candidate to replace recently fired Penn State HC James Franklin After Penn State fired Franklin on Oct. 12, Rhule was immediately linked to the job. As a teenager, the New York native moved to State College, where he became a walk-on linebacker for the Nittany Lions from 1994-97. He clearly still loves his alma mater. "I love Penn State, met my wife there, my alma mater," Rhule told the media shortly after Franklin was fired. "Fan since I was born, I think probably had a Penn State shirt when I was born. I really love [athletic director] Pat Kraft, and I'm sad to see coach Franklin go." While the AD for the Temple Owls, Kraft gave Rhule his first head-coaching job in 2013. Now that he has signed the extension, he can't turn to his old friend again and must explore other options. Where does Penn State go from here? The list of candidates in Penn State's head-coaching search is shrinking. The Indiana Hoosiers signed HC Curt Cignetti, another potential target, to an eight-year, $11.6M contract on Oct. 16. The Nittany Lions could attempt to court Ole Miss Rebels HC Lane Kiffin, who has his team in the thick of the national championship hunt after a 7-1 start. However, if he does leave Oxford, expect him to stay in the SEC rather than flocking to the Big Ten. Some believe Kiffin may be the next HC of the LSU Tigers and Florida Gators. And for any optimistic Penn State fans thinking they can lure ESPN analyst Nick Saban out of retirement, dream on. The former Alabama Crimson Tide HC has said there's "no way" he's returning to coaching. Don't bank on Penn State (3-4) promoting interim HC Terry Smith, especially after losing to the Iowa Hawkeyes, 25-24, in his first game. Instead, it may target HCs Mike Elko (Texas A M Aggies), Clark Lea (Vanderbilt Commodores) and Jeff Brohm (Louisville Cardinals). Penn State alumni may have welcomed a homecoming for Rhule. Now, it no longer looks like a possibility.
Kent State players thrilled with huge move at head coach
The Kent State Golden Flashes have seen enough. In April, Kent State fired Kenni Burns for violations of his contract. That included violations for how he had used his personal credit card. The Golden Flashes didn't name an official head coach before the 2025 season, but instead promoted offensive coordinator Mark Carney to serve as the interim head coach. In the meantime, there was supposed to be a national search for the next head coach in Kent, Ohio. Kent State makes it official with Mark Carney Ultimately, the Golden Flashes didn't have to look too far. They're only 3-5 on the season with four games to go, but they've seen enough from Carney to know that he's the guy for the job. On Thursday, it was announced that Kent State dropped the interim tag and he'll be the head coach moving forward. "Since taking over as interim head coach, Mark has instilled belief, togetherness, and a winning culture into our football program," vice president and director of athletics Randale L. Richmond said in a statement. "The way he's positively impacted this team, this department, this campus, and this community, he's earned the right to lead this program." Golden Flashes rejoice upon hearing the news Here's what it looked like when the decision was announced to the team: That's a coach who clearly has won over his players. It's also worth noting that while the 3-5 record isn't lighting the world on fire, Kent State had gone 1-11 and 0-12 in the previous two seasons. By beating UMass on Oct. 11, the Golden Flashes won their first FBS and MAC game since November 2022. Carney got this thing rolling in the right direction, and the Golden Flashes rewarded him as a result. "Wow! What an incredible blessing to be named the next head football coach at Kent State University," said Carney. "I am humbled and honored to serve this University and our football program. The opportunity to lead a college football program in Northeast Ohio, a place that's home for me, is extremely special."
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