It is the JR Sport Brief Show here with you, coast to coast, on the Infiniti Sports Network. I'm coming to you live from Atlanta, Georgia. Much love and many thanks to everybody tuned in and locked in all over North America. I hope you're safe. I hope you're well.
I hope you're amazing. I hope you're great. I hope you had a great weekend. I'm going to be hanging out with you for the next four hours. I will.
Trying my best to be great. I'm in Atlanta, Georgia. Thank you so much to our producer in New York City, Holding Things Down, Chris Persianen, and you for listening, because if you're not here, there is no show. You can always listen on the free Odyssey app, your local Infiniti Sports Network affiliate. If you got SiriusXM, it's channel 375, if you got yourself a smart speaker, ask the speaker, talk to the machine, demand that it play the Infinit Sports Network.
Today, and I feel like the weekend was a weekend. of trades. We got a big baseball trade. Endeavors being moved from Boston to San Francisco. We got Desmond Bain from the NBA being moved from the Grizzlies down to Orlando.
We still are in the midst of the NBA playoffs, the finals. We're still in the midst of the NHL Stanley Cup finals. And we have game five tonight on ABC between Indiana and OKC. That series is tied up to all tomorrow. The Panthers are trying to hoist the cup.
We got a lot to get into. We got a lot to discuss, and you can be a part of it all. Here, you can call me too. Phone works: 888-710-4ISN. That's 888-710-4ISN.
4ISN. You can find me online. I exist on the internet. I'm all over the place. I am at JR Sport Brief to talk about some of the things going on in the baseball world, including not just the trade, but the return of Shohei Otani to the mound.
We'll be joined by Keith Law from the Athletic, covers all things Major League Baseball. He'll be here with us next. Yeah. We got a lot to do. a lot to discuss.
Fun things here. Chris, how are you doing? You had a good weekend, man? Yes, sir. Or anything in particular?
Just a good weekend? Nothing crazy? Nothing wild? I mean, listen, man, a lot of uh staying inside and writing, a lot of articles, a lot of this Knicks' coaching search. They don't want me sleeping, J.R.
Oh, well, yeah.
Well, the the New York Knicks certainly know how to uh keep things interesting. I feel like for the past few days. I think maybe at this point in time it's been qui quite uh quiet on that side of things. Let's see whether or not they're really going to do anything with a Taylor Jenkins or a Mike Brown who decide to pop on there. There's just so much going on.
uh in the NBA space right now that have absolutely nothing to do With the NBA Finals. And so we'll talk about that later on in the show. I mean, to wake up on a Sunday and then take a look at. Desmond Bain being moved from Memphis to Orlando, I had to say to myself, it's We're in the midst of the NBA Finals, and this is popping up.
So we'll get into Desmond Bain. We'll talk about that, a matter of fact, in the next break. This trade. This other one. Not so surprising.
Or maybe it is. You know, I think when you give somebody a 10-year, $313 million contract, you're in it with this guy. for the long haul. And that's exactly the contract and the deal that the Boston Red Sox gave to Raphael D. Devers.
This man was in the second year of that 10-year contract, and they are already shipping him out to San Francisco, quite frankly, because Rafael Devers. It's a bad teammate. As simple as that. Like they just paid the guy. I know a different GM is the one who paid him.
He had an entire fit about where he was going to play or not going to play. Once they decided to bring on Bregman to play third base, they told him, Hey, we're going to move you into the DH spot. And then Casas went down, and they're like, hey man, can you help us out with first base? And he basically resisted both moves. Ultimately, decided to not even try to help out at first base.
And when they're paying you $313 million, I think at minimum. At minimum, You can get up. and go try. The man said No. I'm not doing it.
It's not my job. You've already asked me to do one thing, and I ask me to do another thing. Three hundred thirteen million dollars what? He said the GM needs to do a better job. Oh, Breslo, who also, by the way, played, he said he's a former player.
He should know moving positions is not easy.
Well, damn it, nothing in life is easy. But you're getting paid, let me say it again, $313 million at minimum. you can get up An' listen the key word here again. Try. And so yesterday we got the news And I want you to take a listen to this announcement that came down the pipe yesterday.
This is courtesy. of E S P N. The San Francisco Giants and the Boston Red Sox have made a massive deal, sending Raphael Devers, Boston's third baseman, who signed an 11-year, $331 million deal. He'll go to San Francisco. Jordan Hicks, Kyle Harrison, who was supposed to start tonight, is also reportedly in the deal.
This is an earth-shaking move by both of those organizations. And let's get the thoughts here of David Cohn, Eduardo Perez, and shortly Buster Ullman. Of course, Raphael Devers has been in the news. He was the third baseman. The Red Sox acquired Alex Bregman.
They made him the DH. There was discussion of moving him to first.
Now they've moved him to San Francisco. Man I I guess we moved into the space. Where, regardless of how large the contract is, when you think about the Giants who have not been shy. And for instance, trying to get Aaron Judge. Didn't work out, obviously.
They're not shy in going out there and spending money. And when you look at some of these ten year contracts, three hundred plus million dollars, you don't expect these type of trades to happen every day. You don't expect them to happen really. At all. And so, in the case of Rafael Devers, the Red Sox have said enough is enough.
Like, they have a record of 500 and 37 and 36. Rafael Devers had a slow start to the season. is swinging and missing at everything possible. Nice betting, 272. Fifteen home runs, fifty-eight.
RBIs. The Giants offense has just been It's been anemic. It's barely been passable. Like they need the help. I mean they got William Adames man.
That guy can barely bat. Over 200 at this point in time. And I want you to take a listen to what he had to say about the addition of Raphael Devers. Coming over here is going to be a big, a big acquisition for the lineup. I mean, we we needed a bat like him and obviously to get him, he's he gets a clubhouse, you know, everybody's thrilled.
Yeah, well, they they will be through. You think about the Giants and their record right now. They're forty one and thirty one. They're two games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers. I told you, Shohei.
I will be on a mound tonight. We'll get into that a little bit later on. And then, right behind them are the Padres. And so, when you think about the National League West. It's those three teams.
And then it's just the Whipping Boy. of the division. It's just the the Colorado Rockies who basically exist. to be destroyed. At every single chance.
Diamondbacks are there to beat up on him as well. It's just. It's pathetic. Anyway, enough about the Colorado Rockies. I think they take enough crap.
Raphael Devers is going to help out the Giants. And it's still kinda crazy to think about Buster Posey. Who is the boss? He is the president of baseball operations. I feel like Buster Posey was just there behind the plate, it feels like yesterday, and he's already out here calling the shots in big.
shots I'm not mad. at the trade. I'm at Yeah. like we hear over and over again. about whiny athletes who just you know they wand their way out of town.
I'd never thought that we'd see a ten year contract, you know, being Just complained out of town. The San Francisco Giants have to pay this man. Through twenty Thirty three. 2033. Right now, as we stand, here we are.
It is 2020. Five. You talk about boys behaving badly. Raphael Devers is one of the better examples that we've seen. And if you're a Red Sox fan, you have already seen.
Mookie bets Get moved. To the Dodgers. You've already seen Nomar Garcia Para. Get moved. And yeah, you've had some interesting personalities and David Ortiz and also Manny Ramirez.
I don't think it gets more. interesting than Manny Ramirez, but the thought and an idea that you could wind your way out of town. They sat the owner down. in front of Raphael Devers. to kind of tell him, what are you doing?
Like, I'm paying you this money to be a good teammate, to show up. At at the minimum, we want you to switch positions, we want you to try. And it's not Out of this world. to think about A D H Moving to first base. It's not out of the realm of possibility to think about a guy who was at third base and wasn't the greatest defensive third baseman.
To then say, oh, well, now we just want you to receive and maybe just have a little bit more range to just get the ball at first base. It happens. It does. Rafael Devers is a three time All-Star. Three times.
He's no bummy, he's no scrub. This guy was on the Red Sox. when they won the World Series.
Alright?
Now, if we went back to the World Series, and I know nowadays everybody has a DH, but if we throw the clock back, and he absolutely needed to play the field. in a National League ballpark, What was he going to do, say no? Of course not. He was going to go out there and get the at-bat and go play in the field. I just think it's a crap teammate.
I don't care what the Red Sox did or did not say, how they delivered the message. At the end of the day, If you're a part of a team, at minimum, here's a key word again: it's three letters. Try. As simple as that. Get up.
and try. Reportedly, the Boston Red Sox looked at him and in in spring training instead. Hey, can can you start taking some grounders at At first, you know, can you go ahead and test it out? And the guy was like, oh, if you don't want me here, you want me to do this, then trade me. And so if he's already doing this with the Red Sox.
and now he's a member of the San Francisco Giants. How long before this guy's gonna complain again? Or does he know and understand that there ain't nothing else after this, huh? I mean, we talk about cheap franchises all the time. I don't think anybody's going to want to do this.
again. And so, how Raphael Devers fits in in San Francisco, how he fits in in the Bay, is to be seen. I'm sure it'll be a love fest and everybody will enjoy him and There'll be roses and petals that he can walk over and they'll feed him grapes, all that good stuff. But when a goin' gets tough, Apparently we already know what Raphael Devers does. He quits.
He takes his ball. And he goes home. And now his home is no longer in the North East, Now he is in Northern California. in San Francisco. Good luck to Raphael Devers.
And for all of the Red Sox fans, It sucks.
Okay, fine. You got Jordan Hicks, Kyle Harrison, James Tibbs, the Giants' number four prospect. and you got a minor leaguer who throws the ball. Prospects are prospects. Are they going to turn around and all of a sudden work out for the Boston Red Sox?
I highly Doubt it. Good luck. And it sucks. If you're a fan of the Red Sox, you just lost one of the biggest stars, one of the best bats in the game. Yeah.
Let's just say he lost his mind and he quit on you. The Red Sox did not quit. on him. Who the hell wants to go to work with somebody? Who doesn't want to be there?
Who the hell wants to work with somebody? Who's a bad teammate? And I don't know what you do for a living. I have no idea. I don't know.
Maybe you're a chef. Maybe you're an officer. Maybe you're in a service. Shout outs to everybody out there serving. I don't know what you do.
You could be in the tech department right now. Nobody wants to work. with a pain in the Ass. Red Sox will be better off in that regard. The bat, not so much.
They'll miss his bat. I'm sure they won't miss his attitude. Yeah, big trade going down yesterday. Boston Red Sox, look, they'll float at around 500 for the rest of the season. And the San Francisco Giants will go out here fighting for a wildcard spot.
Let's just see when the wild card of Rafael Devers. whenever he decides to uh let's just say go out there. And explode or complain behind the scenes. We'll see. It's the JR Sport Reshow here with you, coast to coast, on the Infinity Sports Network.
I told you this weekend. This was a weekend of trades. Not only did Devors get moved, The Memphis Grizzlies made a big move. Caitlin Clark, she made a move too. Caitlin Clark moved back on to the basketball court and decided to light up the New York Liberty.
What a return. Hey, Shohei Otani making his highly anticipated return to the mound tonight. I don't Know how interesting it is. I don't think we're going to see him out there for more than like 15, 20 pitches. How about this?
Gian Carlos Stanton, Is returning. The man who's always hurt, this time it's his elbows, Giancarlo Stanton. Will be back in action tonight for the New York Yankees. The Thunder and Pacers, they'll be in action tonight, trying to break up a 2-2 series tie. Keith Law from the Athletic is going to come through and join us.
Kevin Durant, you talk about a trade. Kevin Durant is looking for one. And apparently, there's a destination that he does not want to go. Trey Hendrickson, it doesn't look like he's leaving the Bengal. It appears that they have restarted talks.
There's just so much going on in the world of sports.
So much that we're going to get into. If you want to be a part of the show. You can. You can call me. 888-710-4ISN is the number.
That's 888-710-4ISN. What do you think about this Rafael Dever's trade? Should the Red Sox have kind of hung in there with him? Should the Red Sox have traded him out to San Francisco? Did they give up on the man too soon?
You can call me 888-710-425. For ISN, we'll talk about the Desmond Bain trade. I want to get Chris Perciana installed on the other side of the break as well. You are locked in and listening. Happy Monday to the JR Sport Pre-Show here on the Infinity Sports Network.
It is the JR Sport Ree Show here with you coast to coast on the Infiniti Sports Network. Eight eight eight seven ten four I S N is the number. It's 888-710-4ISN. We talked about the Raphael Devers trade in a minute. I want to talk about this Desmond Bain trade as he's moving from Memphis now to the Orlando Magic.
And then, of course, I want to talk about someone who's she didn't get traded, but she made an appearance. Caitlin Clark, now back for the Indiana Fever. Before we do that, I want to ask our producer helping to hold things down, Chris Percianin. Simple man, what are your thoughts on the Red Sox moving on? in giving up on on Raphael Devers.
JR, I am Honestly. I I guess my feelings and thoughts are that I'm disappointed that I'm surprised. Does that make sense? Uh, no, not really. But go ahead.
All right. I'll I'll explain. I'll expand. Expound even, if you let me. I think the fact that they sent another superstar to California The fact that I'm surprised that they did that That is what disappoints me.
Being disappointed in that, because I didn't see it coming, is really my primary feeling. Of course, they did it again. Of course, they did. No, you you mean a Red Sox moving on from a star? And sending them to California.
It's like the same story written again. It's like we've seen this movie before. It's still a little entertaining now because, like, oh my god, I can't believe it happened. But then it's just kind of sad when you think about it, no?
Well, yeah, well, i it's sad if you're a Red Sox fan. I I think ultimately the part about the the part about California doesn't necessarily You know, kind of capture my attention in the same type of way. I mean, typically, these are the markets where people are going to spend. Like they're gonna spend in San Francisco, they'll spend in in Chicago, they'll spend, obviously, we see this, uh in Los Angeles, the Yankees in in Mets spend.
So I don't think that part of it is is too much of a coincidence. I I just think the Red Sox just have bad luck. uh in that regard, of being able to have these these superstar bats Uh that ultimately Get moved. That you think about this guy, and this is what's unusual. Just the fact that he's in this.
Massive 10-year, 300 and plus million dollar contract, and that Devers is still on the move. I can't wait to hear what he says. Upon arrival, he seems like the type of dude who would trash. About the Boston Red Sox. I I'd be surprised that when they put a camera and a microphone in front of his face.
I mean, at that point in time, he may actually decide to not utilize his interpreter. And just go ahead and tell everybody and give everybody a a staunch, hard piece of his mind. In that space. Speaking of interpreters, what a world, what a world, what a world. This is Shohei Otani.
related Shohe Otani interp his interpreter, the guy who stole from him. did all that betting and stole the cash and was all up in his banks. Ipe Mizuhara This man has reported to his Federal prison cell in Pennsylvania.
Okay, this man was ordered to surrender by Monday. He did that, and now he is uh he'll be serving fifty-seven months in prison. for stealing nearly seventeen million dollars. 17 million dollars. from Shaw Hill Tani.
Now damn it, I wish I could have that type of problem. I wish I could wake up. and have seventeen million dollars stolen from me. And uh you know Not blink, not worry about it, not even Notice.
Okay, Shohei Otani. He's back on the mound today. He's back on the mound. And then his former interpreter, Ipe Mizuhara, is now behind bars. 57 months.
Yeah, leave other people's money alone. People do that. 888-710-4ISN. I told you that Rafael Devers moving on wasn't the only big trade that we had here over the weekend or yesterday. I mean, in the morning on Sunday morning.
We had an N B A trade. Desmond Bain, Is moving from the only team that he's been on, the Memphis Grizzlies, He's now going to be launching those three balls. For the Orlando Magic. Last season, this man dropped 20.6 rebounds, 5 assists. You can count on Desmond Bain to knock him down about 40% of his threes every single season.
Orlando, they went to the playoffs, they got whacked by the Boston Celtics. I like this move. Take a listen to what Brian Windorse had to say on ESPN. They trade for a guy in Desmond Bain, who over the last three, four years has averaged about 20 points and shot over 40%. He's under controlled long-term contract, plays both ends of the court, a quality player.
And they also trade Kentavius Caldwell Pope away. You have to look at this trade, not only as acquiring Desmond Bain, but they're offloading the contract of Kentavius Caldwell Pope.
Well, yeah, Pope, and he did not live up to what they expected. Joining the Orlando Magic. I don't know, maybe it's because Cantavius Carlwell Pope is now older, but his best days are behind him. His best days were out in Denver. And so Cole Anthony moves along as well.
Always thought that the Orlando Magic had a glut of guards. Cole Anthony can slot in. As a backup point guard to John Morant, I think when you take a look at the Memphis Grizzlies, they still lack size and at least the guard position. But now you really have to think about. Wh what's going on?
Like what the hell are the Memphis Grizzlies doing? Like you have Jackson Jr. You have John Moran. And John Moran, if the wind blows the wrong way, this guy's he's hurt, he's injured, he plays reckless, he's a small dude, he plays above the rim, even when he's not trying to. His game is built off of athleticism.
And the Memphis Grizzlies, let's just call it for real. They're never going to win a championship. with John Morant. I would not count on it. I would not trust it.
I would not be mad at moving on. from John Morant. and just continuing to build out the roster. around Jackson. I mean, and even at that point in time, if you really want to hit the reset button, he is probably the most valuable trade chip on the team, knowing the fact that he actually goes out there and plays.
He doesn't go to strip clubs and carry around guns. He doesn't, you know, tease the NBA with being a bad boy. It really sucks that the Memphis Grizzlies just a few years ago, they were looked upon as being You know, a tough team, a young up-and-coming team. They're not going to go anywhere. And they've just been a disaster.
And you don't have to look any further than their star, a John Morant, who just thinks he's living life, I don't know, in in Grand Theft Auto.
Okay? It's just it it's too much going on. in Memphis. You already have Zack Eady, who if you don't recall, the gigantic man, he's already having an issue with his ankle and needs surgery on it. And John Morant, you can put him at, I don't know, pencil him in.
For 30, 40 games, there's always going to be something wrong with him. And for all the con conversations and all the rumors about big moves taking place in the NBA.
Okay. The Orlando Magic here and the Memphis Grizzlies have certainly started us off in that regard. But there's there's got to be more. like Memphis has to do more. I'd be surprised If they go into a season, With John Morant, Catavius Caldwell Pope as your starting shooting guard, Aldama has continued to improve, Jaron Jackson, and who knows what the status of Zach Eady is going to be.
The Memphis Grizzlies started this whole thing off by getting rid of their coach, and now they have started getting rid of players.
Now, for the magic. Good move. I mean, they've got a better player. They got a younger player. They got a better player.
Bain is going to go out there and light it up. To have that threat of shooting alongside Paolo Boncero is not that bad. It's actually pretty damn good. You think about Suggs? This team kind of.
Rounding out, they they they they got a ways to go. I think in the future they'll probably add a couple more veteran players, but I like what the Orlando Magic are doing here. And they got better.
Now, when I take a look at the draft compensation that they gave up. Count a while. kind of wild. Sending four First round picks. I guess this is the world that we live in right now.
You got Mikael Bridges, going for more than that, and now we have Desmond Bain Going for four first-round picks. I mean, teams are really banking in on the future. I don't think the Orlando Magic are all of a sudden going to become championship contenders because they acquired. You know, Desmond Bain. You bring in a guy like that, and you give up that much compensation.
Like, I want a super. Game changer to hopefully change my fortunes. But the thing that puts the magic over the top one day to be contenders. is Paula Boncara. If this man turns into an MVP type candidate, then they can move into the space of being One of the best of the best, but Desmond Bain is certainly, certainly a good piece.
This man has four years left on his deal: $163 million. Boncaro, Wagner, Suggs is not a bad combination for a A growing team there.
So let's see what the Magic can do moving into the future. And when it comes down to Memphis, This is like uh remodeling your house. Like you start tearing things down and And man, they're going to be a shell of themselves real soon, especially whenever the hell they move on from John Morant. That's if and when they could ever get rid of him. I don't think the guy's trade value is all that high right now.
Well, let's certainly see. He's box office when he plays. Or or when he's not getting a coach fired. They're a disaster. Memphis is moving in the wrong direction, if you ask me.
But let's talk about someone moving in a positive direction. Congratulations, the return. of Caitlin Clark. Caitlin Clark came back over the weekend. come back from that leg injury, that quad, that thigh.
against New York, This woman went out there. You think she'd have to warm up now? thirty two points in thirty one minutes Giving the New York Liberty Their first laws of the season. Indiana winning 102. It's a 88.
thirty two points, eight rebounds, nine assists and when it came down to shooting that rock from deep, Caitlin Clark. had seven Threes. It's like she never. Miss A beat. It's good to have her back from injury.
This is what Caitlin Clark had to say after beating the New York Liberty. Yeah, I mean, they were all in transition, so I felt like I was kinda running around fast to try to get them off. I think the third one I ran all the way to the corner, then ran all the way back up top, then dribbled a few times and then finally got it off. That takes it out of probably anybody. Like I said, I felt really good out there.
Yeah, listen, man. Rest? Did she get rest? Was she rested? Was she rusty?
No, she's just a machine. And if she has more games like that throughout the course of the season, I know she did, Miss Sometime. I I would not discount her from from MVP. If she continues to light it up. like she just did against one of the league's best teams.
Welcome back. Caitlin Clark. Maybe now the WNBA and the Fever can restore some of their ratings that they've lost in the process, get those ticket sales up. As well. Let's see what Caitlin Clark does the rest of the season.
You always want to see the best of the best. Out there performing 888-710-4ISN. That's 888-710-4ISN. We are going to take a break when we come back on the other side. Caitlin Clark returned over the weekend.
We have one of the biggest stars on planet Earth. Not the United States of America. Earth, one of the biggest athletes on earth. makes his return to the pitcher's mound to night. Shohei O'Tani's been swingin' that bat.
It's a night. He gets back to throwing that Ball. We'll get into that on the other side of the break. And then there's a New York Yankee. This guy got a lot of muscles.
He's not Aaron Judge. He's smaller than Aaron Judge. I know. Big shock, right? We're going to talk about Gian Carlos Stanton because he is back.
as well. I guess the countdown is on for him, for Pull a calf on the way to the stadium today. We'll talk about Otani getting to Stanton. We'll preview the Thunder and the Pacers, and we got a lot to do as we continue on. But right now, on the Infinity Sports Network, it is time for a news flash.
Here he is: it's Rich Ackerman. It is the JR Sport Brief Show here with you, coast to coast, on the Infinity Sports Network. We told you about the return of. Caitlin Clark. She came back.
She didn't miss a step. She did not miss a beat. Caitlin Clark over the weekend said: here's 32 points in 31 minutes. And she decided to give the best team in the WNBA their first loss at the New York Liberty. There's another.
individual who'll be making his return tonight. We've seen him play baseball. We've seen him play it at a ridiculously high level. But tonight he'll be back on the mound, and that is Shohei. Oh, Tiny.
We'll talk about that in a second. What I want to do before that is let you know that you need to absolutely, without a shadow of a doubt, think. O'Reilly Auto Parts for all of your car care needs, your guaranteed low prices and excellent customer service from the professional parts people at O'Reilly Auto Parts. Yes, Shohei Otani will be back on the mound tonight. And you know what?
Here with a little bit more details, let's take a listen courtesy of CBS Sports HQ. We've got breaking news into CBS Sports HQ. Shohei Otani will be the starting pitcher for Monday night's game against the Padres, the team announced. Following Sunday's win against the Giants, Dave Roberts said it was likely Otani would be an opener at some point this week. It will mark Otani's first appearance on the mound in a major league game since August of 2023.
This will also mark his Dodgers pitching debut. Otani had elbow surgery in September of 2023 to address a damaged UCL. Yeah, we haven't seen a guy pitch. The last time he pitched, he was pitching for the Angels out there, okay? And it's not like the guy had an off year following his Tommy John.
It was just like, all right, I'm just. you know, kind of sulk my way through an entire season here. The man went out and had a fifty, fifty season, fifty home runs, fifty stolen bases. He won a World Series. The guy was an MVP last year.
Like Shohei Otani is just a baseball freak, okay? He didn't have to go out there. and throw or pitch, he did it all with his bat. He did it all with his His Legs. Shohei O Tani He's a freak.
Is there's no other way to put it. I mean, they didn't decide to go out there. the Dodgers, and give him a seven hundred million dollar contract. Just with his battle, maybe it is. Ten years.
seven hundred million dollars. The Dodgers gave him that full contract. We know the entire portion of it is basically all deferred. He'll be getting paid for the next twenty years. What a wild situation And now the Dodgers picked him up.
knew that he wouldn't play on the mound on the on the mound last year, wouldn't pitch. MVP. Championship. Let's see what happens. This is the second time that he had his arm surgically repaired with Tommy John.
Hopefully, for Shohio Tani, it is the last time. He turns thirty one years old next month. And the Dodgers, who let's be frank, they paid for a lot of pitching depth. They've certainly gone through a lot of it due to injury. They have a record right now of 43 and 29, but adding Shohi Otani.
We'll help. It's going to take some time, though, as you just heard. Dave Roberts pretty much said. He's just going to be an opener.
So we get one inning. Love Shaw Hail Tony. One stinking inning. Yeah, let me know when he gets stretched out. and he can go out there and I don't know, give you six or seven.
Shohi Otan. It's kind of crazy to even think about the fact that last year he had his great season, didn't Didn't even pitch. And of course, I guess he said, listen, I'm not on the mound. I'm gonna go for it. fifty stolen.
Basis. I don't think we'll ever see that. From him ever again. Good on Shoho Yotani making his way back will certainly help out the Dodgers. And then, how about this?
We got another guy coming back. The difference is this guy He doesn't throw. He can barely run. You don't want him in the outfield because he will certainly go out there and break down. Giancarlo Stanton is also back.
For the New York Yankees. Take a listen to this from CBS Sports HQ as well.
So we've got some breaking news out of Major League Baseball where Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton will make his season debut against the Angels. That's according to SNY. The former MVP has missed the first 70 games of the season with double tennis elbow. Stanton will return to a Yankees team that has the second best record in the AL, trailing only the Tigers. First pitch tonight for Angels Yankees is set for 705 Eastern from the Bronx.
The New York Yankees have a record. of forty two and twenty eight. They don't need John Carlos Stanton. He'll certainly help. But let's also be real: the New York Yankees are used to playing baseball games.
Without John Carlos Stanton, last season. The man played 100. and fourteen games are for him. That's like a high watermark at this point in time. He is 35 years old.
And he just had a series of just Everything that you could have happened to a human being who uses their legs in their profession, it's happened to him. Like, here's an ankle. Here's a calf. It's just on and on. I want to tell John Carlos Stanson.
How about you just. Maybe Stay out. of the gem. If you're drunk Carlos Stanton, I know he's uh You know, he's dated quite a few models here and there. Get up and go to yoga class with them in the morning time.
Like go ahead and and try that out. Giancarlo Stanson has just been.
Well He's just been a mess. And double tennis elbow? And what makes this even odder for John Carlos Stanton It's that last postseason when we actually saw him out there playing baseball. He was mashing. He was the Yankees' best player.
It wasn't Aaron Judge who just came up small again throughout the course of the playoffs and in the World Series. Giancarlo Stanton hits seven home runs. had sixteen RBI's in the playoffs, he was carrying the New York Yankees, and sort of headed to spring training. And now I have an entire idea. that he is hurt It's like, well, what the hell did he do between October and November?
In in February and apparently he was hurting. At the end of last year, when he was destroying the baseball for the Yankees in the playoffs. And so I don't know if this guy was getting shots, if they were cleaning them up, I don't know what the heck. What's going on? But I'll tell you this.
He'll help. If he's healthy, He can go on stretches where he's hot. He has some stretches where he's not. He has stretches where he will not play. Here we are in June.
He's making his debut. Chris, how long before Giancarlo Stanton goes down with another injury. Man, I think, you know, we got some hot weather coming up that that could serve a little bit as hot yoga.
So m maybe longer than you're thinking. What what do you think about like five weeks? Uh that that that would be appropriate. I mean this is so y he this guy is a baseball player. The New York Yankees basically had to say Okay.
They have to measure how off he can't run the bases. It's just not he's a baseball player. He can't run the bases. Full speed without getting hurt. You don't want to see him run.
He can't play the outfield anymore because he'll go ahead and get hurt. And so it doesn't matter, even if he's a DH, I mean, unless he's hitting a home run. And he could just walk and take his sweet time. To get the first base. He Giancarlo Stanton is one of the most injury prone players.
And professional baseball. If you think about his time here with the New York Yankees, 114 games last year. 101 the year before that. 110 the year before that. In 2021, I cannot believe it.
In 2021, He played one hundred. and forty games. and he's just been on a on a downward trend. Pretty much. Since then, you talk about injury-prone players.
We mentioned John Morant. earlier in the show, he he has the opposite issue. of what's going on with John Carlos Stanton. Like John Morant is he's thin. And he's ridiculously explosive.
He doesn't have leg issues. His problem is: I go up. and then it's a matter of how he comes down. they are the injuries. Giancarlo Stanson is built like a Greek god.
But I'm not going to categorize people with muscles. He ain't the most limber dude out here. He's the complete opposite. And you think about his injury, double? Tennis elbow?
And you would think that I know I'm no expert, I'm no doctor. I'm going to imagine they came from overuse. I don't know, maybe in a gym. Maybe Giancarlo Stanton is doing too many curls. Maybe he's doing too many push-ups.
I have no idea. But it's just a damn shame. You think about the New York Yankees bringing this guy on as an MVP from Miami, and he's had his stretches. He's also had some bad ones. And uh Chris says give him five weeks until he's hurt again.
Yeah. He'll run from home to first and he'll sweep a calf or It's just something to be said about being Too damn big. Too damn strong. Are you a baseball player? or are you out here being mister Olympia?
And you think about everybody's body is is different. You know, but we talk about Shohei Otani. And he's also built like a truck. This man pitches. This man hits?
This man ran last year when he could be a little bit more reckless with his legs showing another aspect of his game in just a ridiculous form and fashion. Shoyo Tani, sure, he's having Tommy. John, I feel like it's a rite of passage. For a lot of players. But how come one guy can go out there and play?
And the other guy, You can barely show up to work. Barely. Shaw Hey Otani back on the mound tonight for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Giancarlo Stanton back on the baseball field for the New York Yankees and the countdown.
Well shoot, it's on. It's just about How How long? I think old Tani, all things considered, He'll be healthy in Stanton. He'll be on the outside looking in at some point in time. On the dugout steps, chewing his gum.
watching everybody else play. while he's hurt. 888-710-4ISN is the number. That's 888-710-4ISN. You know, a matter of fact, to get into a lot of the baseball we got going on right now, we'll have Keith Law.
He's going to come through and join us in about 30 minutes from now. Keith covers all things MLB for the Athletic. Baseball getting ready to take center stage. All-star game here in Atlanta, Georgia in a few weeks. And now we have some big stars who have either A, been traded like Raphael Devers, or they're going to be making their returns like Otani tonight on the mound, like John Carlos Stanton.
So we'll have that chat with Keith Law in about 30 minutes. But when we come back on the other side of the break, we have to talk about something else that's going to take place tonight. We got another game. Of the NBA Finals. Game five, Thunder.
Pacers. Who is walking away with the victory here in game five? Who is walking away? with some leverage to ultimately win it all. We'll get into Thunder Pacers on the other side of the break.
Game five is tonight. You are locked in and listening to the JR Sport Pre-Show here, coast to coast on the Infinity Sports Network.
