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Marlins may have stolen OF John Cruz from the Yankees
The New York Yankees took care of their hole at third base. The cost could come back to haunt them going forward.
DJ LaMahieu will begin the 2024 season on the injured list due to a significant bone bruise on his right foot. Although he could be activated in time for the Yankees' home opener against the Toronto Blue Jays on April 5, LaMahieu's absence exposed a thin bench. The Yankees addressed that issue on Wednesday, as Jon Heyman of the New York Post is reporting that Jon Berti is being acquired from the Miami Marlins in exchange for outfield prospect John Cruz.
Berti fills a distinct need in New York. He can play second, third and short while spending time in the outfield. The 2022 Major League stolen base leader, Berti has posted a .258/.337/.368 batting line in his 1,550 MLB plate appearances, hitting 23 homers and 63 doubles while stealing 92 bases. He is a solid player with the type of speed the Yankees were missing.
Cruz, meanwhile, had been ranked as the Yankees' 28th-best prospect by MLB.com. Signed for just $75,000 during the 2022 international signing period, he was considered to have impressive power and speed but there were concerns about his overall hit tool and approach. Cruz made adjustments in 2023, becoming more aggressive while no longer trying to launch everything.
The result was an impressive .294/.376/.531 batting line in 202 plate appearances with 10 homers and six doubles. Despite being the youngest player to qualify for the batting title at 17 years old, he led the league with 47 RBI and was second in home runs.
Cruz has a long way to go before he is on the Major League radar. He has yet to play a season of full season ball and is still in his teens. His size and problematic reads make it questionable as to whether or not he can stick in center. However, he has plenty of tools and a projectable frame. As Cruz continues to improve his approach, he could turn out to be that power-hitting threat in the outfield that the Marlins have sought for years.
Every team has prospects that they regret trading away. Jon Berti fills a need for a Yankees team looking to win now, but John Cruz may end up being one player who got away.
More must-reads:
- Yankees will have to be patient with DJ LeMahieu return
- Jordan Montgomery signing puts damper on Yankees' offseason
- The '2003 Florida Marlins' quiz
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Blue Jays demolish MLB records with eye-popping Coors Field performance
DENVER — There's nothing like coming to Coors Field to fix what ails you. Just ask the Toronto Blue Jays. Losers of six of eight games before arriving in Denver, the Blue Jays posted an MLB-record 63 hits in a three-game series while easily sweeping a road series from the Colorado Rockies. By totaling 25 hits on Monday night, 14 on Tuesday and 24 in Wednesday's matinee, the Blue Jays set a new MLB standard for offensive prowess. Toronto passed the MLB record of 62 hits in a three-game series, set by the Boston Red Sox in a June 7-9, 1950 matchup against the St. Louis Browns. As part of the hit parade, Toronto smashed 13 home runs, the most ever surrendered by the Rockies in a three-game set. Included in that barrage were three hits by Bo Bichette, including a three-run shot on Wednesday afternoon that got the Blue Jays rolling in the third inning. Kyle Freeland, Wednesday's starter for Colorado, allowed seven hits in his 4.2 innings of work. That was the fewest amount of hits given up by a Rockies starter against Toronto, as Rockies starter Tanner Gordon allowed 11 in 2.2 frames on Monday, while Anthony Molina surrendered nine in 5.0 innings on Tuesday. "We need to pitch with confidence as starting pitchers. We need to command the baseball better in general," said Rockies interim manager Warren Schaeffer as his team slipped to 30-84 on the season. "We have to put hitters away when we have that opportunity." That was something Colorado couldn't do against the Blue Jays on Wednesday, as their first six runs of a 20-1 blowout win came with two outs in the frame. Wednesday's offensive explosion helped Toronto outscore the Rockies, 45-6, in the series. That run differential was the second-most in MLB's modern era and the most runs scored by an MLB team in a three-game series since the 2019 Chicago Cubs scored 47 runs against the Pittsburgh Pirates from Sept. 13-15, 2019. In all, the 45 runs, 63 hits and 13 home runs allowed in the series were each the most allowed by Colorado pitchers in a three-game set in franchise history. How bad did it get for Colorado at the end of the series? Down 12-1 entering the ninth inning on Wednesday, the Rockies put catcher Austin Nola on the mound for his first-ever pitching appearance. He was nothing like his younger brother, Philadelphia Phillies ace Aaron Nola, as he promptly gave up four consecutive doubles, including RBI shots from Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr., as part of eight hits and eight runs posted by the Blue Jays against him. "It hurts when you get beat that bad for three games," Nola said. "We can compete with anybody. I know we can. We're all Major League players, so it definitely hurts. We're going to have to flush this one and get back out there on Friday in Arizona and have a new competitive attitude." All quotations obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.
Chargers star's brutal injury shows why players should hold out with new contracts on line
Los Angeles Chargers offensive tackle Rashawn Slater was carted off the practice field on Thursday afternoon with what turned out to be a significant injury. According to ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter, the two-time Pro Bowler suffered a season-ending knee injury. It's a massive blow to the team's offensive line and offense as a whole. It also serves as a harsh reminder as to why players will always — and should always — act on the side of caution when it comes to participating in training camp when they are seeking a new contract. In Slater's case, he's a lucky one because he just agreed to a new four-year, $114 million contract extension with $92 million in guarantees days before the injury happened. That contract was signed after he did not participate in some of the team's early training-camp practice sessions. If Slater had participated early on and had this injury happen before he was able to get his new deal signed, it would have been a devastating blow in his quest to get that pay day. Not only would the Chargers have had no incentive to pay him this season, but there is no guarantee he would have ever received that sort of contract in the future. Fans might not like the idea of a hold-out or hold-in, but you have to look at it from the perspective of the player. They have a very limited time to earn top dollar in the NFL, and there are never any guarantees. The hold-out/hold-in approach is not only a way to put pressure on the team to pay them, but it's also a matter of self-preservation. Football is a violent game. It's a physical game. It's a collision game. Injuries are always going to be a part of that. But injuries happen with much greater frequency early in the season, and especially in training camp, due to the fact that players are still working their way back into game shape and going through more intense and physical practices than they do at any point during the season. It's a dangerous time for them in terms of injuries, and that should not be overlooked when it comes to contract talks. Players have short careers and even less time to set themselves up financially. They should not be willing to take unnecessary risks when it comes to their earning power. The Slater situation shows just how delicate all of it is.
The Lakers could have another undrafted gem on their hands
In a summer dominated by LeBron James and Luka Doncic headlines, the Los Angeles Lakers may have quietly struck gold once again in the UDFA market, this time with former Villanova standout Eric Dixon. After initially agreeing to a two-way contract following the 2024–25 NBA Draft, Dixon’s path to the professional ranks was temporarily delayed due to injury, forcing him to miss Summer League. The Lakers, however, remained invested in the 24-year-old forward, eventually signing him to an Exhibit 10 deal, a move that keeps him in the pipeline and positions him as a potential breakout candidate through the G League. Dixon brings one of the most decorated resumes in college basketball. The 6-foot-8, 255-pound forward led all Division I scorers last season, averaging 23.3 points per game while shooting an impressive 40.7% from beyond the arc on 7.2 attempts per contest, a remarkable transformation for a player once seen as a traditional low-post presence. He concluded his five-year career at Villanova as the school’s all-time leading scorer, finishing with 2,314 points and etching his name into Big East history. While concerns around his age and lateral quickness may have contributed to him being passed over in the draft, Dixon’s refined skill set and ability to stretch the floor make him a strong fit in today’s NBA. He delivered in big moments throughout the season, including a 38-point outburst against Maryland on Nov. 11, and consistently carried the offensive load for the Wildcats. With his Exhibit 10 deal, Dixon is expected to begin the season with the South Bay Lakers, where he’ll aim to prove he’s healthy and ready to make an immediate impact. If he performs as expected, a return to a two-way contract, and possibly NBA minutes, could be on the horizon. The Lakers have developed a reputation for identifying and nurturing overlooked talent, with Austin Reaves and Alex Caruso emerging as prime examples. Dixon, with his offensive versatility and physical readiness, could be next in line. In a loaded Western Conference, unearthing low-cost contributors is more important than ever. Dixon might just be the next hidden gem to emerge from the Lakers’ development pipeline.
Winners and losers from Eagles’ impressive preseason opening win over Bengals
The Philadelphia Eagles got off to a monster start to their Super Bowl-defending season as they took care of business against the Cincinnati Bengals 34-27 in the first preseason game of the 2025 season. Philly finished with 435 yards of total offense, and that was with most of the starters resting and not playing. The Eagles controlled the time of possession, holding the ball for over 31 minutes. The Eagles improve to 1-0 on the preseason thanks to multiple potential stars shining. There were some tough performances on the team, but plenty of good to be excited about for the rest of the preseason. Here are the winners and losers of the Eagles' win over the Bengals: Winner: QB Tanner McKee What a beautiful sight to see McKee dominate the Bengals' defense and never slow down with two and a half quarters played. He finished with 20 of 25 passes completed for 252 yards and two passing touchdowns, as well as one rushing touchdown. Outside of one almost interesting pass, he played a near-perfect game with Howie Roseman about to get his phone blown up with trade offers for him. Losers: CBs Adoree' Jackson and Kelee Ringo There's an understanding that the Eagles had their second-team defense against the Bengals' starters, but Jackson and Ringo looked out of place against Ja'Marr Chase. Jackson had some nice open-field tackles, but he and Ringo played real soft coverage on Chase, and he made them pay. Ringo had a nasty whiff on Chase's 36-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter. Jackson and Ringo must play better if they want to be starters on this team. Winner: OC Kevin Patullo Patullo was not afraid to throw the football early and often with McKee, but he called as good a first half as a first-time play caller could have. Nice balance between run and pass, and calling great plays to set his receivers up. The real question is how different the play calling will be when Jalen Hurts and the starters are on the field. Losers: Eagles' Lack of Pass Rush Outside of one Ty Robinson sack, the Eagles did not have much of a pass rush. The edge rushers did not play as well as fans would have liked to see, with only two quarterback hits. That will be something that needs to be monitored in the next two preseason games. Winners: WRs Ainias Smith, Johnny Wilson, Darius Cooper All four of these players are competing for the final few spots on the roster, and their decisions have made it difficult for Nick Sirianni and Howie Roseman. Undrafted rookie Cooper led the way with six catches for 82 yards and one touchdown. After a rough training camp, Wilson exploded with two contested catches and a back-shoulder catch that wowed fans as he finished with 73 yards. Smith caught a touchdown and had a 46-yard punt return, so good luck to the Eagles on making their final roster decisions.
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