March 2025

There were 1,679 posts published in March 2025 (this is page 80 of 168).

Yankees’ Clarke Schmidt dealing with shoulder soreness, scratched from Monday’s spring start

As if the Yankees needed more tough news, manager Aaron Boone said Sunday that pitcher Clarke Schmidt is dealing with shoulder soreness and will not start Monday’s spring training game against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Instead, Schmidt will throw a bullpen session.

Boone added that Schmidt was “not getting all the way back to how he normally would,” he told MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch, following his outing on March 11 against the Baltimore Orioles. The manager noted that no tests have been scheduled.

That has been the right-hander’s only start so far this spring, as he allowed three runs on four hits with four strikeouts over just 1.2 IP.

Schmidt went 5-5 with a 2.85 ERA over 16 starts during the 2024 season, missing all of June, July, and August due to a right lat strain.

Hopefully Schmidt can overcome the soreness and avoid missing time, as New York has already lost ace Gerrit Cole for the season with Tommy John surgery, including an internal brace, and Luis Giluntil at least June due to a serious lat injury. Max Fried, Carlos Rodon, and Marcus Stroman remain the team’s healthy starters, with Will Warren, Allan Winans, and Carlos Carrasco competing for a starting spot.

Cody Bellinger notches pair of hits as Yankees fall to Pirates in split-squad action

In split-squad action, the Yankees fell to the Pittsburgh Pirates, 4-3, in Tampa, and their travel squad defeated the Tampa Bay Rays, 7-5, in Port Charlotte, Fla.

Here are the key takeaways…

–Austin Wells may very well have locked up the leadoff spot in the Opening Day lineup. The left-handed hitting catcher led off Sunday’s game with a rope of a double to right-center field, legging it out for two bases.

Wells, who reached base twice, now has a spring OPS of 1.122.

-A couple of batters later, Cody Bellingersmoked a double of his own, scoring Wells and giving the Yankees an early lead.

The Yankees certainly hope that Bellinger’s spring is a sign of things to come during the regular season, as he’s been tearing the cover off the ball to the tune of a 1.308 OPS.

–Trent Grisham got the start in center on Sunday, with Aaron Judge starting in right and Bellinger in left. Grisham made the most of his start lining a solo home run just inside the foul pole down the right field line in the second inning.

Grisham now has a 1.259 OPS this spring.

-With the Yankees down to their last two outs, Dominic Smith slugged a solo home run, his third of the spring. Smith is hitting .323 this spring and continue to push for a spot on the Opening Day roster.

–Cam Schlitter, a seventh-round pick in 2022, started on the mound for the Yankees. He allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits with four strikeouts and three walks over 4.2 innings. Schlitter pitched at three different levels of the Yankees’ farm system last season and will likely begin the year with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Yankees’ power on display in split-squad 7-5 win over Rays

-The Yankees had three players likely to make their Opening Day roster in their lineup in Port Charlotte, Fla., and they all blasted home runs.

Ben Rice, batting leadoff and serving as the DH, went 2-for-4 with a homer. Jasson Dominguez, playing left field, went 1-for-4 with a home run, and Oswaldo Cabrera finished his day 3-for-3 with a big fly of his own.

–J.C. Escarra, fighting for the backup catching role, drove in the go-ahead run with a single in the top of the ninth.

Who were the game MVPs?

Against the Pirates, it was Bellinger who had a pair of hits and will have a key role in the lineup, likely batting behind Judge.

Against the Rays, Cabrera had a huge day, likely solidifying himself as the starting third baseman.

Highlights

What’s next

The Yankees visit the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday afternoon, with first pitch set for 1:07 p.m.

Tylor Megill struggles in third outing of spring, Mets’ bats quiet in loss to Astros

The Mets recorded just two hits on Sunday afternoon in a 5-0 loss to the Houston Astros in Grapefruit League action.

Here are the takeaways…

– Tylor Megill took the mound for the third time this spring, looking to earn a spot in the starting rotation. The right-hander tossed a 1-2-3 first inning, getting two flyouts and striking out star slugger Yordan Alvarez. The second inning was a different story, as Megill let up a leadoff single and a two-run home run to Cam Smith. He then settled down and recorded three straight outs, including two strikeouts, to keep it a 2-0 game.

Megill allowed a leadoff single in the third inning, but got the next three Astros out. He got into some trouble in the fourth inning, allowing three straight singles and two runs as the Mets trailed, 4-0. The 29-year-old stayed in to pitch the fifth inning, throwing another 1-2-3 inning to end his day.

Megill’s final line: four earned runs on six hits with six strikeouts over 74 pitches in 5.0 innings.

– The Mets were held hitless for the first 2.1 innings against Steven Okert, Tayler Scott, and Miguel Castro. José Azocar recorded the team’s first hit of the day with one away in the bottom of the third and then stole second base, but was left stranded on third after Hayden Senger grounded out and Francisco Lindor struck out.

– Senger showed off his arm with a pick-off of Zach Dezenzo at first base for the third out of the fourth inning, helping Megill escape the jam. The catcher also doubled in the bottom of the sixth inning, finishing the day 1-for-2 at the plate.

– RHP Tyler Zuber came in for relief in the sixth inning and got Alvarez to pop out, but was hit in the backside by a comebacker against his second batter and exited the game. RHP Connor Overton replaced him on the mound, letting up a single and a walk, but got out of the bases-loaded jam to keep it a 4-0 game. RHP Grant Hartwig then threw a 1-2-3 seventh inning, but allowed a solo homer to Zack Short in the eighth inning, making it 5-0 Astros.

– Lindor (two walks), Starling Marte, Pete Alonso, Mark Vientos (one walk), Brett Baty, and Jose Siri all went hitless.

Who was the game MVP?

Okert for Houston, who stuck out four straight Mets, including Marte, Alonso, Vientos, and Baty. That set the tone for the day, as the Mets managed just two hits.

For the Mets, Senger had a solid day while competing for the backup catching job following Francisco Alvarez‘s injury. He doubled and picked off a runner at first base.

Highlights

What’s next

The Mets’ top prospects take the field against the Washington Nationals’ prospects in the 2025 Spring Breakout game on SNY on Sunday at 5:05 p.m.

New York will then have some split-squad action on St. Patrick’s Day on Monday, as half the team will stay in Port St. Lucie to take on the Tampa Bay Rays and the other half will travel to Jupiter and face the Miami Marlins.

Both competing for a spot in the starting rotation, Griffin Canning will face the Rays and Paul Blackburn will take the mound against the Marlins.

Magic snap Cavaliers’ franchise-best 16-game win streak with 108-103 win

The Cleveland Cavaliers’ 16-game winning streak is officially over, thanks to a 108-103 home loss to the Orlando Magic on Sunday afternoon. The Cavs were riding their best win streak in franchise history and had not lost a game since Feb. 4.

It was also the second impressive streak the Cavaliers have had this season, as they started the 2024-25 campaign by winning 15 straight. The Celtics ultimately put an end to that run on Nov. 19 in a three-point Boston win; coincidentally, the Celtics were the last team the Cavs lost to before their 16-game run.

Paolo Banchero led the way for the Magic on Sunday with 24 points, and Franz Wagner scored 22. Wendell Carter Jr. scored 16 points and led the team in rebounds with 14. For the Cavs, Donovan Mitchell scored 23 and Jarrett Allen added 20, but their efforts weren’t enough to keep the streak alive.

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The game was well within reach for the Cavs late, as they led by one point with just 1:02 remaining. But Cleveland wouldn’t score again, and the Magic pulled away in the final minute on a Banchero jump shot and a series of free throws.

The Cavs (56-11) still have a healthy lead in the Eastern Conference standings, 7.5 games ahead of the Celtics. The Magic (32-37) sit in eighth place. 

Magic snap Cavaliers’ franchise-best 16-game win streak with 108-103 win

The Cleveland Cavaliers’ 16-game winning streak is officially over, thanks to a 108-103 home loss to the Orlando Magic on Sunday afternoon. The Cavs were riding their best win streak in franchise history and had not lost a game since Feb. 4.

It was also the second impressive streak the Cavaliers have had this season, as they started the 2024-25 campaign by winning 15 straight. The Celtics ultimately put an end to that run on Nov. 19 in a three-point Boston win; coincidentally, the Celtics were the last team the Cavs lost to before their 16-game run.

Paolo Banchero led the way for the Magic on Sunday with 24 points, and Franz Wagner scored 22. Wendell Carter Jr. scored 16 points and led the team in rebounds with 14. For the Cavs, Donovan Mitchell scored 23 and Jarrett Allen added 20, but their efforts weren’t enough to keep the streak alive.

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The game was well within reach for the Cavs late, as they led by one point with just 1:02 remaining. But Cleveland wouldn’t score again, and the Magic pulled away in the final minute on a Banchero jump shot and a series of free throws.

The Cavs (56-11) still have a healthy lead in the Eastern Conference standings, 7.5 games ahead of the Celtics. The Magic (32-37) sit in eighth place. 

Pistons’ J.B. Bickerstaff: ‘I’m disgusted by the way that game was officiated’ after Cunningham ejected

J.B. Bickerstaff had seen enough. His team was given five third-quarter technical fouls — including two for All-Star Cade Cunningham, who was ejected — in a hard-fought 113-107 loss to Oklahoma City, and after the game he went on a rant (via the Associated Press).

“I’m disgusted by the way that game was officiated,” Bickerstaff said. “The level of disrespect was above and beyond. They have a guy fall down and trip on his own teammate’s foot, they review us for a hostile act. They throw an elbow to our chest and neck area, I ask to at least take a look at it (on video). … No one would take a look at it.

“The disrespect has gone far enough, and I’m not going to allow our guys to be treated the way they were tonight.”

At the heart of the issue was the third-quarter ejection of Cunningham.

That seems like a quick trigger, although we don’t know what was said. Crew Chief Brian Forte — who gave Cunningham the technicals and ejected him — said this postgame, speaking to a pool reporter.

“Cunningham was given his first technical foul for disrespectfully addressing an official with profanity. After the free throw for the first technical was shot, Cade continued to use profanity toward the official and received his second technical foul and was ejected.”

Thunder coach Mark Daigneault had an interesting comment on the officiating postgame, saying their metrics on officials (something every team tracks) led them to tell the team to expect this level of physicality (quote via ESPN).

“That crew was the loosest whistle coming into the game that we’ve seen all season in terms of how little they call,” he said. “I thought our guys did a great job of not getting distracted by anything.”

Detroit didn’t lose only because of the officiating. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander looked every bit the MVP, dominating the game and scoring 48 points.

Bickerstaff will be fined for his comments in the coming days.

Mets vs. Nationals Spring Breakout game: How to watch on SNY on March 16, 2025

The Mets’ top prospects face the best the Washington Nationals have to offer in a 2025 Spring Breakout game, with first pitch set for 5:05 p.m. on SNY.

Here’s what to know about the game and how to watch…

Mets Notes

  • The Mets’ roster features top prospect position players like Jett Williams, Ryan Clifford, and Carson Benge, as well as pitchers Jonah Tong and Jonathan Santucci
  • Tong, Joe DeMayo’s No. 7 prospect who has risen quickly through the minor league ranks, will start on the mound
  • Click here for the Mets’ full Spring Breakout roster
NATIONALS
METS

Seaver King, SS

Nick Morabito, CF

Brenner Cox, RF

Carson Benge, RF

Elijah Green, CF

Jett Williams, SS

TJ White, DH

Ryan Clifford, 1B

Caleb Lomavita, C

Jacob Reimer, DH

Phillip Glasser, LF

Eli Serrano III, LF

Carlos Tavares, 1B

Kevin Parada, C

Armando Cruz, 2B

Boston Baro, 3B

Randal Diaz, 3B

Jeremy Rodriguez, 2B

What channel is SNY?

Check your TV or streaming provider’s website or channel finder to find your local listings.

How can I stream the game?

The new way to stream SNY games is via the MLB App or MLB.tv. Streaming on the SNY App and SNY.tv will be discontinued by Opening Day.

In order to stream games in SNY’s regional territory, you will need to have SNY as part of your TV package (cable or streaming), or you can now purchase an in-market SNY subscription package. Both ways will allow fans to watch the Mets on their computer, tablet or mobile phone. 

How can I watch the game on my computer via MLB? 

To get started on your computer, click here and then follow these steps: 

  • Log in using your provider credentials. If you are unsure of your provider credentials, please contact your provider. 
  • Link your provider credentials with a new or existing MLB.com account. 
  • Log in using your MLB.com credentials to watch Mets games on SNY. 

How can I watch the game on the MLB App? 

MLB App access is included for FREE with SNY. To access SNY on your favorite supported Apple or Android mobile device, please follow the steps below.  

  • Open “MLB” and tap on “Subscriber Login” for Apple Devices or “Sign in with MLB.com” for Android Devices. 
  • Type in your MLB.com credentials and tap “Log In.”  
  • To access live or on-demand content, tap on the “Watch” tab from the bottom navigation bar. Select the “Games” sub-tab to see a listing of available games. You can scroll to previous dates using the left and right arrows. Tap on a game to select from the game feeds available.  

For more information on how to stream Mets games on SNY, please click here. 

Lakers’ LeBron James has first on-court workout, expected to miss at least one more week with groin strain: Report

LeBron James had his first on-court workout on Sunday since straining his groin in the Lakers’ March 8 loss to the Boston Celtics, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. James has missed Los Angeles’ last three games amid the four-game losing streak.

That streak ended on Sunday with a 107-96 win over the Phoenix Suns. 

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Per Charania, the Lakers will see how James responds to the activity, but he will miss at least another week as the team plays it safe. 

In 58 games this season, James is averaging 25 points, 8.2 rebounds and 8.5 assists while shooting 52% from the floor (and 38% on 3-pointers). He’d scored 25 or more points in eight of his past 10 games while the Lakers had won eight consecutive contests before their March 8 loss to Boston.

The Lakers have been bitten by the injury bug lately, but Charania reports Jaxson Hayes will return vs. the Suns, and Rui Hachimura, who’s missed the last eight games, could be back “within the week.”

The Lakers are 40-25 and sit in fifth place in the Western Conference standings.

Lakers’ LeBron James has first on-court workout, expected to miss at least one more week with groin strain: Report

LeBron James had his first on-court workout on Sunday since straining his groin in the Lakers’ March 8 loss to the Boston Celtics, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. James has missed Los Angeles’ last three games amid the four-game losing streak.

That streak ended on Sunday with a 107-96 win over the Phoenix Suns. 

[Yahoo Fantasy Bracket Mayhem is back: Enter for a shot to win up to $50K]

Per Charania, the Lakers will see how James responds to the activity, but he will miss at least another week as the team plays it safe. 

In 58 games this season, James is averaging 25 points, 8.2 rebounds and 8.5 assists while shooting 52% from the floor (and 38% on 3-pointers). He’d scored 25 or more points in eight of his past 10 games while the Lakers had won eight consecutive contests before their March 8 loss to Boston.

The Lakers have been bitten by the injury bug lately, but Charania reports Jaxson Hayes will return vs. the Suns, and Rui Hachimura, who’s missed the last eight games, could be back “within the week.”

The Lakers are 40-25 and sit in fifth place in the Western Conference standings.