The Texas Rangers saw countless players break out in 2023 on the way to winning their first World Series title, but few had the impact of right fielder Adolis García.
His rise to fame was one of the staples of the 2023 season in Arlington, and his persona carried into October and helped forever stamp García in Rangers'folklore.
With his arm and his bat, Garcia became a household name in the baseball community during the 2023 season. In their continuing series ranking the top 10 at each position, MLB.com rated García as the No. 9 right fielder in the game entering 2024.
Last year, García wasn't on the list. He was slotted between Tampa Bay Rays' Josh Lowe and newly signed Los Angeles Dodgers' Teoscar Hernández.
García, 30, slashed .245/.328/.508 with an. 836 OPS, had 29 doubles and led the Rangers with 39 home runs and 107 RBI.
He earned a starting spot for the American League All-Star team.
Few players have put up postseason numbers like García. He had a postseason record 22 RBI in 15 playoff games en route to the Rangers World Series title. He batted .323 with eight homers in the postseason and earned ALCS MVP honors against the Houston Astros.
NL MVP and Atlanta Braves right fielder Ronald Acuña Jr. took first place in the voting after posting a 40-plus home runs and 70 stolen bases season. Astros' Kyle Tucker and recently acquired New York Yankee Juan Soto rounded out the top three.
NL Rookie of the Year and Diamondbacks star Corbin Carroll was listed at No. 4, while San Deigo Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr. came in at No. 5. Chicago Cubs Seiya Suzuki and Toronto Blue Jays George Springer rounded out the list ahead of the final three candidates.
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Left-handed starting pitcher Blake Snell is in his 10th major-league season after making his debut with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2016. Snell spent time with the San Diego Padres, then signed a deal with the San Francisco Giants after the 2023 season, which he later opted out of to enter free agency in 2024. The 32-year-old veteran signed a five-year, $182M contract this offseason with the Los Angeles Dodgers after an exceptional 2024 campaign. Snell earned such a lucrative contract thanks to his outstanding career to date, which includes two Cy Young Awards and an All-Star appearance. Over 213 career starts, he owns a 77–58 record, a 3.18 ERA and 1,372 strikeouts. Snell was placed on the injured list on April 6 (retroactive to April 3) with left shoulder inflammation after experiencing discomfort during a bullpen session; he had made only two starts for the Dodgers before the injury. After four minor-league rehab outings, manager Dave Roberts announced on Sunday that Snell is expected to rejoin the rotation next week. With his return looming, the Dodgers have decided to shift to a six-man rotation but now face a decision on right-hander Dustin May’s roster status. May returned to a full-time starting role for the first time in two seasons and has struggled. On Sunday against the Boston Red Sox, May allowed four runs in five innings of work, and he entered the start with an ERA of 4.73. May’s name has surfaced in trade rumors, and he is a candidate to potentially be moved to the bullpen. He is an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season.
The Boston Bruins have been under pressure to retool after a disappointing season, and now a potential blockbuster move could shake the entire NHL. A major trade proposal has surfaced that could send a star goaltender to the Edmonton Oilers, a move that would give them the elite presence they've lacked in net while forcing Boston closer to a rebuild. The deal being floated by multiple outlets would send Edmonton's current starter, Stuart Skinner, along with Matthew Savoie, Beau Akey, and a 2028 first-round pick to Boston, while the Oilers land a goaltender capable of changing their Cup window overnight. Edmonton's push for a franchise goalie could reshape the Western Conference and challenge the Dallas Stars' path to the Cup If this trade goes through, the Oilers would instantly address one of their biggest weaknesses, setting up a showdown with teams like the Dallas Stars, who already see Edmonton as one of their toughest rivals. Boston, on the other hand, would fully commit to a rebuild, pairing Joonas Korpisalo with Skinner in what could be one of the NHL's weakest tandems, likely boosting their draft lottery odds in one of the most hyped draft classes in recent memory (NHL.com). An insider noted, "They weren't the only ones who had inquired about Swayman, but yes, I was told they poked around." That comment shows just how wide the interest is for this level of goalie talent (Heavy.com). I think this kind of trade would completely shift the balance of power in the West, making Edmonton even more dangerous for teams like Dallas, who could end up facing a vastly upgraded Oilers team in the playoffs. If Boston truly embraces a rebuild, moving their top goaltender could be the first domino in a massive roster overhaul, something that could shake the market for weeks.
Luka Doncic didn’t join the Los Angeles Lakers to wait around. According to a new report from The Athletic, the newly acquired superstar has made his expectations crystal clear behind the scenes: he’s here to win immediately. A source close to Doncic told the outlet that his mentality is firmly “win now,” and he’s applied championship pressure on the franchise from day one. “This isn’t signing away to the Lakers and saying, ‘OK, you have my commitment and I’ll have some patience here,’” said ESPN's Dave McMenamin on NBA Today. “It’s ‘I want to win this year, I want to win the subsequent year. So long as my name is signed to a piece of paper saying I am a member of the Los Angeles Lakers, I expect to be in a position to raise banners at the Crypto.com Arena.’” Coming from the Mavericks, Luka Doncic is feeling extra motivated to have a successful tenure in Los Angeles. In his first 28 games with the team last season, he got off to a pretty solid start with averages of 29.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.5 assists per game on 43.8% shooting. Few franchises face more constant pressure than the Lakers. Besides residing in one of the NBA's biggest market cities, the Lakers have a rich history of success that has raised their standards beyond any other team in the league. That's not to mention LeBron James, whose ripe age at 40 years old means that he's on the clock to win now. As he nears retirement, the Lakers are feeling the pressure to give him the kind of hero's exit he deserves. At the same time, Luka Doncic will have title expectations, and if the Lakers fail to stay in contention, it could jeopardize their relationship with the Slovenian superstar. Fortunately, Rob Pelinka has put his team in a good position to compete. After finishing third in the West last year, Pelinka revamped the roster with acquisitions like Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart, and Jake LaRavia. Plus, with young guys like Austin Reaves, Dalton Knecht, and Bronny James, the Lakers will also get better through internal development. Now 26, Luka is the unquestioned face of the Lakers—and he’s treating it like a mission. After being disrespected and disregarded by the Mavericks, he wants to prove them wrong as soon as possible and convince the NBA world that they made a huge mistake by letting him go. With just one NBA Finals appearance under his belt (2024), Doncic still has a long way to go before he feels any satisfaction, but he's feeling good about his chances for success next season. Thanks to a new training regimen and a commitment to proper conditioning, Doncic is setting himself up for the best stretch of his career. It's up to the Lakers to ensure it doesn't go to waste by giving him the support he needs to make a run in the West. Luka Doncic isn’t just bringing elite talent to L.A., he’s bringing urgency. With his prime years underway and a chip on his shoulder, Luka’s demand for excellence is exactly what this franchise needs to reclaim its identity. The message is clear: title contention is not optional. If the Lakers meet Doncic’s standard, they could be on the verge of another golden era. If they don’t, they risk losing one of the greatest talents of his generation before he ever gets a chance to plant his flag in purple and gold.
Kader Kohou put up a cryptic message on Instagram, which has many feeling his injury that he suffered on Saturday may be far more serious than many believe. Kohou was covering Tyreek Hill early in practice on Saturday, and we went to the ground with some sort of leg injury. Mike McDaniel, when he spoke to the media on Monday, said they had to wait for the swelling to go down before he could be examined further, and a determination on the Kohou’s status moving forward could be made. It’s now Wednesday, and late on Wednesday, Kohou put up this on Instagram in the early evening. Koho wrote, You’re going to look back at the end of this year and say. “God knew exactly what he was doing. His plans are greater than mine.” Many believe this may be a sign his injury is far more serious than initially thought and he may be out a while, if not for the season. Kohou is going into a contract year where he will be a free agent next offseason, so any injury is not ideal this season. Kohou will be 27 in November, and this is his 4th season in the NFL after going undrafted out of Texas A M-Commerce. During his time in the NFL with Miami, he has played in 47 games, starting 38, and has three career interceptions. Coming into this year, he was the most proven and experienced cornerback on the Dolphins roster prior to last weekend when Miami added Jack Jones and Mike Hilton. The moment Kohou went down in practice on Saturday, the Dolphins signed Mike Hilton without an hour or two of that injury. This led many to speculate that the injury may be serious. Because Kohou is primarily a nickel CB, and Hilton is primarily a nickel CB. Neither guy do you really want to play on the boundary or outside. So why sign a 2nd nickel CB? Well, maybe Miami had an early indication that this injury was serious moments after it happened. While we don’t know if Kohou will be out weeks, months, or for the entire season, his Instagram post may give some insight into the news he knows that just hasn’t been made public yet, and it doesn’t appear to be good news. More on this story as it develops.
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