LaMelo Ball’s offseason is getting started early.

The Charlotte Hornets star was ruled out for the rest of the season after undergoing a pair of procedures on his right ankle and wrist, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Ball had reportedly been playing through pain in recent weeks before team doctors concluded undergoing the procedure now would allow him to have a full, productive offseason.

With a record of 18-54, third-worst in the Eastern Conference, and 10 games remaining on their regular-season schedule, the Hornets didn’t have much reason to push Ball any further. The San Antonio Spurs made a similar decision with De’Aaron Fox, having their star point guard undergo a procedure during the season so he could have more time healthy in the offseason.

The decision ends a good season for Ball, who averaged a career-high 25.2 points per game plus 7.4 assists, 4.9 rebounds and 33.9% shooting from 3-point range. His numbers were far better before the All-Star break, when he would have been fully healthy, and was one of the larger snubs from the 2025 NBA All-Star Game.

Despite strong numbers throughout his career, health remains a concern for Ball. With only 47 games played this season, it is now his third straight season with fewer than 50 appearances, as ankle injuries have significantly hobbled him during that span.

The larger concern for the Hornets, though, might be the players around him. With 47 starts, Ball actually ranked third on the Hornets this year in games started, and they went 2-23 in games without him. You can criticize Ball’s play style or actual value, but it’s hard to argue he’s ever had a teammate who can make full use of his skills as a facilitator, despite him finishing up his fifth season this week.

(This article was written with the assistance of Castmagic, an AI tool, and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy. Please reach out to us if you notice any mistakes.)

Opening Day in baseball brings with it a fresh season of hope, excitement and, of course, wild overreactions. 

On the latest episode of “Baseball Bar-B-Cast,” hosts Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman dive into a couple of their nuclear overreactions from the first slate of games on Thursday.

1. MacKenzie Gore will win NL Cy Young, Phillies will set strikeout record

In the clash between the Nationals and Phillies on Thursday, Washington starter MacKenzie Gore was nothing short of electric, recording 13 strikeouts in six scoreless innings. Unfortunately for Gore, once he was out of the game, the Phillies quickly took the lead en route to a 7-3 victory.

Gore’s dominant performance Thursday inspired two bold declarations from Shusterman.

“Not only will MacKenzie Gore win the NL Cy Young unanimously, [but] I think the Philadelphia Phillies will strike out more than any team in Major League Baseball history,” he forecast. “They’re on pace for over 3,000 strikeouts after striking out 19 times in the opener.”

The record, in case you’re wondering, is 1,654 strikeouts in a season, set by the 2023 Minnesota Twins.

[Read more: The top 50 people who will impact the 2025 MLB season]

2. Adley Rutschman’s MVP season begins

In the Orioles’ emphatic 12-2 victory over the Blue Jays, catcher Adley Rutschman looked every bit the superstar many believe he can be. With two home runs showcasing his explosive power, the Orioles’ catcher might even be sparking some way-too-early MVP chatter. 

For Mintz, Rutschman’s performance brought back memories of the catcher’s college days and reminders of why he was so highly touted coming out of Oregon State. 

“It was the way that he moved, the power, the force, the zip, the freaking feeling of that guy,” Mintz said, “and my nuclear overreaction is that that dude is freaking back. Adley Rutschman, MVP season, is upon us.”

Could this really be the start of an MVP campaign? Rutschman’s two home runs Thursday certainly offered a promising start.

“It looked right,” Mintz said. “He looked explosive. He looked athletic. There was verve. The ‘it’ was back.”

In baseball, every game provides a new narrative, but the season is a marathon, not a sprint. As we settle in for the long haul of 162 games, only time will tell whether these early overreactions have a ring of truth.

To listen to the full episode and more, tune in to “Baseball-Bar-B-Cast” on Apple, Spotify or YouTube.

(This article was written with the assistance of Castmagic, an AI tool, and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy. Please reach out to us if you notice any mistakes.)

Opening Day in baseball brings with it a fresh season of hope, excitement and, of course, wild overreactions. 

On the latest episode of “Baseball Bar-B-Cast,” hosts Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman dive into a couple of their nuclear overreactions from the first slate of games on Thursday.

1. MacKenzie Gore will win NL Cy Young, Phillies will set strikeout record

In the clash between the Nationals and Phillies on Thursday, Washington starter MacKenzie Gore was nothing short of electric, recording 13 strikeouts in six scoreless innings. Unfortunately for Gore, once he was out of the game, the Phillies quickly took the lead en route to a 7-3 victory.

Gore’s dominant performance Thursday inspired two bold declarations from Shusterman.

“Not only will MacKenzie Gore win the NL Cy Young unanimously, [but] I think the Philadelphia Phillies will strike out more than any team in Major League Baseball history,” he forecast. “They’re on pace for over 3,000 strikeouts after striking out 19 times in the opener.”

The record, in case you’re wondering, is 1,654 strikeouts in a season, set by the 2023 Minnesota Twins.

[Read more: The top 50 people who will impact the 2025 MLB season]

2. Adley Rutschman’s MVP season begins

In the Orioles’ emphatic 12-2 victory over the Blue Jays, catcher Adley Rutschman looked every bit the superstar many believe he can be. With two home runs showcasing his explosive power, the Orioles’ catcher might even be sparking some way-too-early MVP chatter. 

For Mintz, Rutschman’s performance brought back memories of the catcher’s college days and reminders of why he was so highly touted coming out of Oregon State. 

“It was the way that he moved, the power, the force, the zip, the freaking feeling of that guy,” Mintz said, “and my nuclear overreaction is that that dude is freaking back. Adley Rutschman, MVP season, is upon us.”

Could this really be the start of an MVP campaign? Rutschman’s two home runs Thursday certainly offered a promising start.

“It looked right,” Mintz said. “He looked explosive. He looked athletic. There was verve. The ‘it’ was back.”

In baseball, every game provides a new narrative, but the season is a marathon, not a sprint. As we settle in for the long haul of 162 games, only time will tell whether these early overreactions have a ring of truth.

To listen to the full episode and more, tune in to “Baseball-Bar-B-Cast” on Apple, Spotify or YouTube.