Month: October 2024

Ex-Diamondbacks RHP Daniel Hudson retires after World Series

Daniel Hudson, who pitched 190 games over six seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks, is retiring after winning the World Series with the Los Angeles Dodgers, he told reporters during the celebration on Wednesday.

Hudson was instrumental to the Diamondbacks’ National League West championship in 2011 after the club traded veteran Edwin Jackson to acquire him in 2010.

The right-hander made 33 starts with a 3.49 ERA across 222 innings pitched, the same number of frames as Ian Kennedy. No D-backs pitcher has thrown that many frames in a single season since, and the two spearheaded a rotation that helped the club win 94 games under manager Kirk Gibson. Hudson threw three complete games that season.

Injuries hampered Hudson’s remaining tenure with the club, as he went through Tommy John surgery twice and threw in only 12 games from 2012-14.

Hudson reinvented himself in a bullpen role and pitched 134 games from 2015-16 with a 4.50 ERA before moving on. Hudson ranks 17th in team, history in games, innings pitched and strikeouts. He finished his D-backs tenure with a 3.88 ERA.

Hudson jumped around to four teams over his next three seasons, landing in Washington for the home stretch of 2019. He became a key bullpen piece in the Nationals’ run to the World Series, and he recorded the final out to upset Houston in the Fall Classic.

The veteran joined the Dodgers in 2022 but tore his ACL after 25 appearances. In 2023, he sprained his MCL after only three games.

Entering his age 37 season, Hudson signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers for one more chance to contend, and this time he avoided the injured list, pitched 65 games and put up a 3.00 ERA en route to his second World Series title.

Hudson ended up pitching in 485 games plus 16 postseason games after a second Tommy John surgery, putting him on a short list of the most successful careers after receiving the procedure multiple times.



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Randal Grichuk declines option with Diamondbacks

Outfielder Randal Grichuk declined his $6 million mutual option with the Arizona Diamondbacks, entering free agency on the first day of the offseason, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reported on Thursday.

Grichuk signed a one-year contract worth $2 million with Arizona during spring training 2024 with the option tacked on. The club wanted a right-handed bat to platoon with left-handed slugger Joc Pederson, who also has a mutual option this offseason for $14 million.

Grichuk played 106 games and produced an .875 OPS (.291/.348/.528) and 12 home runs in a part-time role, especially catching fire down the stretch.

In September, Grichuk hit .404 with seven home runs, and his OPS of 1.408 led all of Major League Baseball among players with at least 50 plate appearances. He had a solid yet unspectacular .755 OPS entering September and seemed to raise his market value with an exceptional finish.

The 33-year-old reached the 10-year service time milestone and 200-home run club during his season in Arizona. He hit a walk-off double to beat the Chicago Cubs in April.

Grichuk did the job he was brought in for by crushing left-handed pitchers, even though he admitted that not playing every day was an adjustment. He finished the year with a .914 OPS against southpaws while Pederson crushed righties.

Grichuk split his time pretty evenly between designated hitter and outfield, and Arizona for the first time had a thriving DH spot in the middle of the order.

The D-backs’ DHs accounted for an .891 OPS, only trailing the Los Angeles Dodgers with Shohei Ohtani and the Atlanta Braves with Marcell Ozuna.

During the first five days after the World Series, players can negotiate with their clubs, trades can start and options will need to be exercised or declined. After the five days are over, free agents will be able to sign anywhere.

Christian Walker headlines Arizona’s free agent class, along with Josh Bell, Kevin Newman and Paul Sewald.

Jordan Montgomery has a player option for $22.5 million, while Eugenio Suarez ($15 million) and Merrill Kelly ($7 million) have club options.



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Cardinals OT Jonah Williams designated to return

Arizona Cardinals offensive tackle Jonah Williams has been designated to return Wednesday, allowing him on the practice field with 21 days to determine if he is activated to the 53-man roster.

Head coach Jonathan Gannon announced the positive step forward for Williams, who signed a two-year deal as a free agent this offseason.

Arizona also on Wednesday added defensive end Anthony Goodlow and linebacker Milo Eifler to the practice squad.

It was unclear if Williams’ knee injury suffered in Week 1 would keep him out for the rest of the season, but the tackle’s return to the practice field signifies he’s got a good chance of doing so with nine games left this season.

Williams, who began the year as the starting right tackle, has since been replaced by veteran Kelvin Beachum.

Now that he’s been designated to return, his window runs past the next two games, at home against the Chicago Bears (Sunday) and New York Jets (Nov. 10). It runs through Arizona’s bye in Week 11.

Out of the bye, the Cardinals visit the Seattle Seahawks on Nov. 24.

His potential return adds promise for a team currently in a tiebreaking lead for the NFC West through a 4-4 start. Arizona has played lately without its projected starters at both right tackle and right guard, as Will Hernandez is out for the year with a knee injury.

The Cardinals have held up decently since, especially in pass protection. Quarterback Kyler Murray has not been sacked in the past three games, the first time a Cardinals quarterback has not been sacked over a three-game span since the 1975 season.



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What led to Marvin Harrison Jr.’s big day in Week 8?

TEMPE — For the first time since Week 2, Arizona Cardinals rookie wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. posted a 100-yard effort in his team’s 28-27 win over the Miami Dolphins.

Not only that, but he finally put together a second half worth writing home about after doing most of his damage in the first quarter of ballgames prior to Sunday’s victory.

While it came as a pleasant surprise to Cardinals fans, offensive coordinator Drew Petzing chalked it up to Marv just being Marv.

“This to me is what kind of excites me about him as a player is there wasn’t anything different,” Petzing said Tuesday. “That’s been the consistency really from the moment he’s walked into this building of trusting the process, continuing to work to get better every day, learn about the sport, learn about himself, learn about the opponent and just continue to work extremely hard.

“When people do that, it’s always nice to see them have success, because it reinforces (they) are doing the right thing. … I think those things are important, so I’m really pleased to see that.”

There’s definitely some truth in what the coordinator is saying about his rookie pass catcher.

There’s also more to the story than Harrison’s prep work and overall mentality.

Unlike previous games, Harrison lined up in the slot for 33% (20) of his total offensive snaps (60) on Sunday.

And as pointed out by ESPN’s Benjamin Solak, 40% of his routes ran came out of the slot, which is another single-game high for the rookie.

Simply put, moving around your versatile WR1, getting him involved late and opening up his route tree has its benefits.

“I just try to go out there and make plays when the ball comes my way,” Harrison told reporters postgame. “I know in big situations, big moments … I try to be someone we can count on to make the plays for us. Any time there’s a two-minute drill or we need to make a big play, I do my best to get open and touch the ball.”

Is Week 8’s usage a sign of things to come for Marvin Harrison Jr.?

While the Cardinals appeared to unlock something in Harrison’s game on Sunday, it’ll be interesting to see how Petzing deploys the rookie against a Chicago Bears team that was absolutely gashed on the outside by Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin.

Jayden Daniels’ favorite target did all his work out wide, reeling in five of eight targets for 125 yards.

That’s not to say Chicago doesn’t have some serious talent roaming in the secondary in Jaylon Johnson and Tyrique Stevenson, late-game blunder and all.

A look at Marvin Harrison’s rookie year so far

With Harrison’s latest showing, the rookie is now up to 411 yards and five touchdowns on 26 catches (50 targets).

The wideout is currently pacing Arizona pass catchers in touchdowns.

He’s second in yards behind tight end Trey McBride (446) — who is coming off a big day of his own in Miami — and is third in receptions.

Only McBride (42) and second-year pro Michael Wilson (27) have more catches than Harrison eight games into the year.

League-wide, Harrison’s touchdown total is tied for fourth in the NFL, while his receiving yards are good enough for 25th.

As far as fellow rookie pass catchers, Jacksonville Jaguars wideout Brian Thomas Jr. is leading the way behind 573 yards and five scores. New York Giants WR Malik Nabers is up to 498 yards and three touchdowns.



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Addison Seabaugh has a picture of how to uplift others

Addison Seabaugh has a good picture of where she wants to go and what she wants to do in her professional life, but she’s doing the most in the present as a senior at Paradise Honors High School.

A finalist for the Arizona Sports Character Counts scholarship, presented by Parker & Sons, Seabaugh is a captain of the cross country and track and field teams, a member of the SkillsUSA digital photography club and in the National Honors Society.

In all of those organizations, Seabaugh, who is also in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, sees the importance of leading others simply by being there for them.

Take track, for example. There, she wants to be available to teammates during the difficult times as much as in the successful ones. She looks most forward to team bonding activities and dinners.

And Seabaugh goes out of her way elsewhere to make an impact on complete strangers, too.

“Last year in August, my nana lost her battle against cancer, and seeing her strength motivated me to cheer up people experiencing similar battles,” Seabaugh said. “I know how difficult the process was and I wanted to add a small deed that could empower others to keep fighting during such a challenging time.”

With that, she organized a service project to bake cookies, make bracelets and hand-write Bible verses into cards to hand out to cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

“I didn’t realize the gravity of our gesture until I saw its influence,” she said.

So about Seabaugh’s future: She wants to study entrepreneurial business in college to help her pursue a professional career in photography.

Alongside her school, service work and athletic commitments, Seabaugh has gotten a headstart on learning how to operate a business by photographing couples, families and high school seniors on the side.

There, too, she understands that connecting with people and making them feel comfortable is key.

“Photography is special to me because I love making people feel beautiful in their skin,” she said.



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Dodgers on brink of World Series title after beating Yankees

NEW YORK (AP) — Freddie Freeman homered for the third straight game and Walker Buehler pitched another World Series gem as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the New York Yankees 4-2 on Monday night for a 3-0 lead in the Fall Classic.

With superstar Shohei Ohtani playing despite a partially dislocated left shoulder, Los Angeles moved within one victory of a surprising sweep in this much-hyped matchup between traditional powers.

Buehler and six relievers combined on a five-hitter for the Dodgers, on the cusp of their second championship in five years and the eighth in franchise history.

“Walker Buehler, he’s been doing this his whole career in big games, big moments,” Freeman said. “Steps up when you need him.”

Teoscar Hernández threw out a runner at home plate with a pinpoint peg from left field. Mookie Betts and Kiké Hernández each delivered an RBI single, and the Dodgers chased Yankees starter Clarke Schmidt in the third inning.

Freeman’s two-run shot three batters in gave him a home run in five consecutive World Series games dating to 2021 with Atlanta, matching a major league record set by George Springer with Houston.

“One more win. That’s all I care about right now,” Freeman said.

Looking much healthier after a sprained right ankle slowed him earlier this postseason, Freeman connected for the first game-ending grand slam in World Series history to win a drama-filled opener in Los Angeles.

Since then, it’s been all Dodgers.

Game 4 is Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium. Down to three healthy starters, the Dodgers plan their fourth bullpen game of this postseason. Rookie right-hander Luis Gil goes for New York.

The only team in major league history to overcome a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven postseason series was the Boston Red Sox against the Yankees in the 2004 American League Championship Series.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts helped spark that stunning comeback with a pivotal stolen base.

“Hopefully we can go be this amazing story and shock the world,” New York manager Aaron Boone said. “But right now it’s about trying to get a lead, trying to grab a game, and force another one, and then on from there. But we’ve got to grab one first.”

In the 11 previous World Series meetings between these old October rivals, the only sweep was by the Dodgers in 1963 behind Hall of Fame pitchers Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale.

New York hasn’t been swept in a Fall Classic since 1976 by the Cincinnati Reds.

Los Angeles, however, has won seven World Series matchups in a row against the Yankees dating to its 1981 crown.

This one marked the first Series game at Yankee Stadium since New York clinched its 27th title in 2009 against Philadelphia. But a return home didn’t help slumping Aaron Judge and the punchless Bronx Bombers, held to four runs and nine hits in the past two games.

Walker Buehler deals for Dodgers in World Series

New York didn’t score until Alex Verdugo’s two-run homer off Michael Kopech with two outs in the ninth inning. Kopech then retired Gleyber Torres on a grounder to end it.

Buehler allowed two hits in five innings, striking out five. His only previous win this year during an injury-interrupted season was May 18 against Cincinnati.

The two-time All-Star improved to 4-4 in 18 career postseason starts, including a 2-0 record with a 0.50 ERA in three World Series outings. He has surrendered one run and seven hits with 22 strikeouts over 18 innings in those assignments — Game 3s against Boston (2018), Tampa Bay (2020) and the Yankees.

“It’s weird. For me, I think the playoffs, big games, that’s always been the only thing I really cared about,” Buehler said. “I was kind of awful all year. I think once you get to the playoffs, the adrenaline, I think whatever fear I had about my elbow or trying to throw a certain pitch or whatever goes away, because it’s all now, it’s all go. It’s helped me I think.”

After the Yankees struggled at the plate during two losses in Los Angeles, Boone decided against any major changes to the lineup.

He flip-flopped Anthony Volpe and Anthony Rizzo in the 6-7 slots, and replaced slumping catcher Austin Wells with right-handed-hitting Jose Trevino at No. 8 — even against a right-handed pitcher.

That was it.

“I considered a couple things on the long flight home, but this is what I settled on,” Boone said before the game.

New York players held a short meeting in the afternoon, and a recording from late Yankees public-address announcer Bob Sheppard introduced five-time World Series champion Derek Jeter when he threw out a ceremonial first pitch. Bronx-born rapper Fat Joe revved up the sold-out crowd of 49,368 with a pregame performance on the infield.

But it was the Dodgers who started fast.

Schmidt walked Ohtani on four pitches to begin the game. One out later, Freeman sent a 1-2 cutter 355 feet into the lower deck in right field for his 13th career postseason homer.

He joined Yankees outfielder Hank Bauer (1958) and Giants slugger Barry Bonds (2002) as the only players to go deep in the first three games of a World Series.

“When you come into a road park, you want to try to strike early and quiet the crowd, and we were able to do that in the first inning,” Freeman said.

Ohtani finished 0 for 3 with that walk and was grazed on the foot by a pitch. He grimaced after several swings and clutched his collar with his left hand even when taking a lead off first base to protect his ailing shoulder.

But he got through the game just fine.

“The pain has subsided, so I felt pretty good about it,” Ohtani said through a translator. “I was told to wear a device that keeps my shoulder warm. So during the (pregame) ceremony and throughout the game, I was wearing that per recommended by the trainers. The reason why I was holding onto myself when I was running is to make sure that I wouldn’t use that same shoulder arm if I were to slide.”

No. 9 batter Tommy Edman drew another four-pitch walk from Schmidt leading off the third and scored on Betts’ bloop single. Kiké Hernández added an RBI single in the sixth.

Schmidt walked four over 2.2 innings in his third postseason start. He lost his fifth consecutive decision dating to a May 16 win at Minnesota.

New York nailed a runner at home plate when Edman attempted a safety squeeze in the fourth, but the Dodgers flashed some sensational defense to stomp out any Yankees momentum.

Betts made a diving grab in right field after Giancarlo Stanton doubled with one out in the fourth for the first hit off Buehler. Teoscar Hernández then fired up all his teammates with a perfect 94 mph throw to the plate on Volpe’s single, cutting down Stanton to end the inning and preserve a 3-0 cushion.



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Arizona State QB Sam Leavitt likely back for Oklahoma State

TEMPE — Kenny Dillingham said on Monday that Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt has been cleared and will likely play on Saturday at Oklahoma State.

“We should have everybody back,” Dillingham said. “Sam should be back, but it’s still I’d say 60-40, 70-30 that he’ll play this week. … We gotta see him practice and stuff like that.

“He’s cleared to play. He wants to play. He’s excited about playing. He’s been putting in a lot of work to play, so we’ll see how that transpires.”

Dillingham said Leavitt had been cleared for weeks, and ASU was just trying to protect an intense competitor from himself.

Leavitt cracked a rib on a hit he took during the second quarter of ASU’s win over Utah on Oct. 11. However, Dillingham said the following week it wasn’t just the ribs that were ailing him.

He would exit the game and go to the locker room but was back on the field before halftime. He then played the second half without a rushing attempt, a stark difference from his usual style of play given the quarterback has been ASU’s second-leading rusher this season.

Leavitt missed ASU’s 24-14 loss to Cincinnati on Oct. 19 before a bye week this past weekend.

Who else should be available for Arizona State after injuries?

Arizona State’s list of likely returners includes cornerback Javan Robinson and wide receiver Xavier Guillory.

Robinson suffered a shoulder injury during the first half of ASU’s loss at Cincinnati and was seen in a sling for the second half.

Dillingham said during the bye week that Robinson’s situation appeared better than expected, and he said on Monday the Sun Devils’ top outside corner is good to go.

“He’s back, he’ll be fine,” Dillingham said. “All was positive last week, so he should be good.”

Guillory received treatment over the bye week for a hamstring injury, and Dillingham expects he’ll be back. He said a week earlier he’d rather have guys at full strength for the final five games over being 85% for the final six games.

On Tuesday, Dillingham said he was wrong to say “everybody” would be back, as running back Raleek Brown will medically redshirt for his hamstring injury and miss the rest of the season.

ASU travels to Oklahoma State to face off at 4 p.m. MST on Saturday. Tune to play-by-play coverage on the Arizona Sports app, online, ESPN 620 AM or 98.7 FM HD-2. FS1 will have the TV broadcast.



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Arizona State basketball outmatched in exhibition vs. Duke

A lot went wrong in Arizona State basketball head coach Bobby Hurley’s return to Duke. And maybe “a lot” is an understatement.

The preseason No. 7 Blue Devils routed the Sun Devils 103-47, marking an unhappy homecoming for Hurley, where he played from 1989-93.

The Sun Devils scored just seven points in the final 7:30 of the game.

“Train wreck is a good word, maybe,” Hurley said after the game. “I wasn’t experimenting tonight and this just happened to us. We got our ass kicked.

“Hats off to where they are, and oh (expletive) to where we are right now.”

Big man Jayden Quaintance — who is the highest-ranked recruit the Sun Devils have landed in the modern recruiting era — finished with 11 points, shooting 5-for-13 from the field with six rebounds and three assists. Basheer Jihad also finished with 11 points, shooting 2-for-6 from the field and converting 6 of 7 free throws.

These two shared the floor with Duke’s Cooper Flagg and five-star freshman Kon Knueppel, the former of whom is the No. 1-ranked prospect nationally by 247Sports and ESPN.

Flagg finished with nine points, shooting 3-for-9 and missing both three-point attempts. Knueppel led the team with 19 points, shooting 4-for-8 from beyond the arc and recording five rebounds, four assists and two steals to round out his night.

The Sun Devils shot just 28.1% from the field and 25% from beyond the arc. Arizona State allowed 66 second-half points by the Blue Devils and turned the ball over 18 times.

“My granddaughter is not going to remember this game. She’s 3 months old, thank God,” Hurley said after the game. “It was her first game so hopefully they’ll be better days ahead.

“I hope by the end of this week, we’ll learn something from this.”

Arizona State’s regular season opener comes against Idaho State on Nov. 5 at Desert Financial Arena. Tip-off is at 7 p.m.



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Marvin Harrison Jr. takes over in Cardinals’ win vs. Miami

Arizona Cardinals fans, rejoice! Arizona Cardinals rookie wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. scored a second-half touchdown for the first time in his career on Sunday.

After largely being a nonfactor in every quarter but the first across the first seven games of his NFL career, Harrison was a key figurehead in the Cardinals’ 28-27 comeback win over the Miami Dolphins.

Looking to capitalize on a Miami safety the possession prior, quarterback Kyler Murray and the offense used eight plays to move the chains before the signal caller let it fly in the direction of Harrison.

The rookie did the rest:

“I don’t really see all speculation and stuff because I don’t really be on Twitter, but he hears it, I hear it,” Murray told reporters postgame. “It’s hard to not hear it. But at the end of the day, he’s got to be himself and just continue to get better each and every week. That’s what we have to do and it’s going to get there.

“(Expletive) don’t happen overnight. I’m super proud of him today. He kind of took over. … This game was really big for him, for me, for us to get on that page.”

With the 22-yard touchdown grab, Harrison is now up to five touchdowns on the season. That currently paces all Cardinals pass catchers.

Arizona couldn’t fully cap off the drive, however, with running back James Conner falling short of converting the two-point conversion to tie things up.

Entering play, the third quarter had not been kind to Harrison behind two catches for 24 yards.

That’s a far cry from his 11-catch, 106-yard first quarter split that includes four trips to the end zone.

Harrison followed up the touchdown snag with one heck of a third-down catch to pick up a crucial first down. He backed that up with another 20-yard snag to put Arizona deep in Miami territory.

He ended the game with 111 yards and the score on six catches (seven targets).

Harrison wasn’t the only Cardinal effecting the receiving game in Miami, though.

While he didn’t find the end zone, tight end Trey McBride was busy behind eight catches for 124 yards.

Murray must have gotten the memo that it was National Tight Ends Day!

Catch the rest of Cardinals-Dolphins on the Arizona Sports app, 98.7 and ArizonaSports.com.



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