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Dodgers' Dave Roberts Sends Strong Message to Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong
Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Pete Crow-Armstrong has been putting together ridiculous at-bats against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the Chicago Cubs series.

Crow-Armstrong, who has been a much better defensive player than an offensive one throughout his career, has been unbelievable, currently posting the fourth-highest WAR in Major League Baseball, behind players like Aaron Judge, Fernando Tatís Jr., and Corbin Carroll.

There seems to be a true star growing in Chicago, a very promising sign for this organization as they look to keep him around for the next decade-plus.

12 of his last 16 hits had been extra-base hits after his home run on Wednesday. He has four home runs against the Dodgers this season after hitting one on Wednesday night.

Even before his home run, Dodgers skipper Dave Roberts was already tired of what he was doing against them, adding that he needs to send the team a bottle of wine or golf balls due to all the success he's found against them in the early parts of the campaign.

“He needs to send me a bottle of wine or some golf balls with all the success he’s had against us,” Roberts said, per ESPN.

Roberts always makes jokes, and this was another one of them, but he showed clear respect to Crow-Armstrong, who has been playing at an MVP-type level.

It's a bit early to get too carried away, but if he continues to play the way he has, especially offensively, he has an argument to be one of the top 10 players in Major League Baseball due to his base running and defensive abilities.

It's been a very promising sign early on, and hopefully, it'll continue for the Cubs.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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Masyn Winn leads Cardinals to win vs. Padres
MLB

Masyn Winn leads Cardinals to win vs. Padres

A day after winning a slugfest, the St. Louis Cardinals beat the San Diego Padres 3-0 thanks to a collective effort on the mound and one big hit. With only a 1-0 lead and the game still very much up in the air, Masyn Winn sent two runners home off one swing of the bat in the fourth. Winn's ball didn't leave the park, but it did ignite the Busch Stadium crowd nonetheless. He lined the ball right down the middle between left and center field, scoring Wilson Contreras and Nolan Arenado. The third-year shortstop has 21 doubles and 36 RBI through 93 games played so far in 2025. Leading 3-0 after Winn's double, that would be all St. Louis would need. In fact, the Cardinals would secure the win despite being out-hit 11-5 by a normally potent San Diego lineup. Franando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado each recorded two hits apiece, but failed to send anybody home. Miles Mikolas gave up seven of San Diego's 11 hits, yet pitched a shutout through five innings. He even managed the shutout with only one lone strikeout. The win allowed Mikolas, who has been up and down all season, to improve his personal record to 6-7 as he's now 2-2 in the month. Upon his exit, Mikolas was then supported by an inning each from Steven Matz, Phil Maton, JoJo Romero and closer Ryan Helsley, who earned his 21st save. The Cardinals' bullpen gave up only four more hits combined with three strikeouts, including two from Helsley, as he easily shut the door on any possibility of San Diego mounting a comeback. St. Louis (54-51) now has two more opportunities to take the series, needing just one more win to claim the four-game set and two more for the sweep. A series win over a Padres team with a similar record could also go a long way in the Cardinals' fight to stay in the hunt even while looking up at the Reds, Cubs and Brewers in the loaded National League Central. First pitch for game three of the series on Saturday is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. ET, with Sunday's finale set as more of a midday affair at 2:15 p.m. ET.

Wrestling legend Hulk Hogan leaves behind a complicated legacy
Wrestling

Wrestling legend Hulk Hogan leaves behind a complicated legacy

On Thursday, wrestling icon Terry "Hulk Hogan" Bollea died at the age of 71. "WWE is saddened to learn WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan has passed away," the company said in a statement. "One of pop culture’s most recognizable figures, Hogan helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s... WWE extends its condolences to Hogan’s family, friends, and fans." Hogan was the first true superstar to emerge in the wrestling industry, capturing a casual audience worldwide and bringing new eyes to the sport. He was an unbelievable draw, both as a baby face and as a heel. From his time as an All-American hero to leading the New World Order and teaming with Randy Savage as part of the "Mega Powers," he has been a staple of the scene for decades. Who can forget his WrestleMania III moment, where he defied the laws of physics to body-slam a 520-pound Andre the Giant? Or, more recently, his match with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson at WrestleMania 18? His last appearance on WWE RAW on Jan. 6 saw him booed throughout, highlighting the rocky legacy Hogan leaves behind. Hogan's universal popularity has plummeted in recent years, primarily due to a racism scandal that led to his removal from the Wrestling Hall of Fame, only to be reinstated in 2018. Nevertheless, the damage had been done. Hogan's outdated and unwelcome outlook on specific aspects of life derailed the final stanza of a legendary career. Still, there's no denying that without Hogan, the wrestling we know and love today wouldn't exist. There wouldn't be WWE on the world's largest streaming platform, or All Elite Wrestling, which is developing into one of the most successful challenger brands. Instead, there would be smaller, more localized promotions, all competing for a sliver of television time. Hogan popularized the sport by bridging the gap between the wrestling ring and Hollywood. During his time in the spotlight, Hogan appeared in movies such as "Rocky III," "No Holds Barred" and "Suburban Commando," all of which helped bring his larger-than-life persona to a new audience. It's no surprise, then, that The Rock, John Cena and Dave Bautista have all made similar jumps in recent years. Hogan leaves behind an everlasting imprint on the wrestling world. Unfortunately, it comes with multiple asterisks; however, that doesn't change what he achieved as the first global wrestling star.

Dustin Rhodes Assigns Blame After Hulk Hogan’s Death
Wrestling

Dustin Rhodes Assigns Blame After Hulk Hogan’s Death

Following the shocking news of Hulk Hogan’s passing, wrestling legend Dustin Rhodes, known to millions as Goldust in WWE, took to social media to share a deeply personal and provocative reaction: “Hospitals truly kill people. I really do mean that.” Rhodes’ blunt statement stunned many fans, but those who know his story saw the pain behind the words. His father, the iconic Dusty Rhodes, passed away in 2015, aged 69, after a fall at home led to hospitalization for kidney failure. After his father's passing, Dustin shared a contemplative response on WWE's YouTube channel to discuss the legacy his father left behind. The news of Hogan's death comes just a month after reports suggested he was on his "deathbed" after undergoing a neck procedure back in May. Hogan's reps denied that was the case. In June, US Weekly reported that Hogan had also undergone a "pretty serious heart surgery and was doing well afterward." Dustin’s connection to his brother Cody Rhodes, now a top WWE superstar and face of the company’s next generation, is unbreakable. The Rhodes family legacy is deeply woven into the fabric of pro wrestling history, and seeing another legend like Hogan pass has clearly hit close to home. While Goldust and Hulk Hogan never had a headline-grabbing rivalry, they did share the ring once. It occurred in WCW in 2000 when Dustin Rhodes matched up against Hogan. Although their paths didn’t often cross in the squared circle, Hogan and the Rhodes family were part of the same larger-than-life era that helped define pro wrestling for decades and catapult the sport into society's zeitgeist. Rhodes’ comment about hospitals might not sit well with everyone, but it speaks to a raw and honest pain felt by someone who has seen too many legends, both personal and professional, fade away in similar fashion. The sport of wrestling has endured more than its fair share of lives cut short. As tributes continue to pour in for Hogan, Rhodes’ reaction serves as a powerful, if somber, reminder of the real human emotions behind the wrestling personas.

Steelers News: Omar Khan Details Why George Pickens Was Traded to the Cowboys Despite 'Developing' Him Since 2022
NFL

Steelers News: Omar Khan Details Why George Pickens Was Traded to the Cowboys Despite 'Developing' Him Since 2022

Following his breakout year in 2023, George Pickens was expected to be the WR1 of the Pittsburgh Steelers for the foreseeable future. He had already justified the second-round draft capital that the franchise had initially invested in him, but there were growing concerns about Pickens’ lack of maturity. Fast forward to the 2025 offseason, and even though he’s managed to produce a career total of 2,841 receiving yards throughout his first three seasons in the league, the Steelers were willing to let him go in exchange for nothing more than a 2026 third-round pick and a minuscule value swap with the Dallas Cowboys. While the team has since managed to replace Pickens’ service with that of D.K. Metcalf, fans and analysts alike are still questioning the decision. Thankfully, the self-titled host of The Rich Eisen made the most of his recent discussion with the team’s general manager, Omar Khan, by directly asking him “Why did George Pickens have to go despite developing him?” “I’ll just say, as we went through the offseason and the process, it just became evident that, for both sides, a fresh start was the best thing,” Khan explained. “It just made sense for both of us.” Suffice to say, Khan’s answer, while not very insightful, does suggest that Pickens’ relationships with various Pittsburgh personnel had become fractured beyond repair. Whether it was the Steelers or Pickens himself who was responsible for things not working out does not matter anymore, as Khan’s brief statement brings the entire saga to a somewhat definitive end. For one reason or another, it was no longer in either side’s best interest to continue working together, and that’s that. Much like the rest of his interview with Eisen, Khan and the rest of the Steelers’ organization is now moving forward. When Eisen noted that Pittsburgh’s trade involving Minkah Fitzpatrick and Jalen Ramsey couldn’t have “happened over night,” Khan explained that it took “weeks” to finally get the deal done with the Miami Dolphins. Being sure to cover all of the high notes from the Steelers’ chaotic offseason, the seven-time Sports Emmy award nominee also inquired about T.J. Watt’s latest benchmark contract with the team. While he was unwilling to go into the “specifics of the numbers,” Khan did proclaim that, “I think it just reflects how we feel about him. It was important for me, and the organization, for T.J. to be a one-helmet Hall of Famer. It would be a great thing and hopefully there’s many, many more years to go with T.J., but it was just important. His numbers speak for themselves… As great of a player as he is, he’s an even better person.” At 6-foot-4 and 229-pounds, the aforementioned Metcalf is certainly capable of filling the Pickens-sized hole in Pittsburgh’s receiving core. Likewise, the addition of Ramsey along with their retaining of Watt will help to ensure that the defense is as stout as ever. The Steelers are going all in on the 2025 regular season with the hopes of discovering their first playoff win since January 15th of 2017 and it’s too late for them to turn back now. They’ll have to hope that they’ve made the right moves and prioritized the right signings. Otherwise they’ll risk wasting the final regular season of one of the most storied careers in all of NFL history.

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