TEMPE — At 5 p.m. on Saturday, Arizona State football stepped onto the field against Kansas for its first home Big 12 game. The kickoff temperature read 107 degrees, making it tied for the hottest game played at Mountain America Stadium since 2000.
ASU media relations director Doug Tammaro first reported the heat claim, and the Sun Devils embraced the scorching hot conditions with a nearly perfect 75-yard opening TD drive. Arizona State pulled off an 8-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to defeat Kansas 35-31 in the game’s waning seconds.
Arizona State played in record-type heat for the first time in October. Every other occasion occurred in late August or early September.
Per the excellent @DougTammaro, tonight’s temp was hottest ever at kickoff at ASU. Guessing that will double as the hottest ever kickoff temp for a CFB game too. pic.twitter.com/QECPTIgrPH
TEMPE — Tight end Chamon Metayer caught a touchdown for Arizona State football to even the score with Kansas and end a wild sequence late in Saturday’s first half. The Sun Devils bottled this momentum and pulled off a 35-31 come-from-behind victory in the program’s first home Big 12 game.
The score, which tied ASU with Kansas at 14, was set up by a 36-yard punt return by Melquan Stovall when ASU’s chances of scoring before half were dwindling.
Metayer caught the pass in open space from a running Sam Leavitt and found the end zone, resembling a touchdown the two connected on in the season opener against Wyoming.
Arizona State QB Sam Leavitt found TE Chamon Metayer in the left flat for a 20-yard score with 26 seconds remaining in the first half vs. Kansas.
The Sun Devils climbed back into a tie with the Jayhawks, and Leavitt closed the opening half with 102 yards and two passing TDs. pic.twitter.com/H8UqqgFqly
The previous drive was stalled by a Jordyn Tyson fumble after the Sun Devils had gained 54 yards in eight plays. The drive included a fake punt converted by defensive end Clayton Smith, who caught a pass from punter Kanyon Floyd.
ASU had another missed opportunity earlier in the second quarter, when Ian Hershey’s 38-yard field goal attempt was blocked.
During the week leading up to the game, ASU head coach Kenny Dillingham emphasized the “middle eight,” or last four minutes of the first half with first four minutes of the second half, as a big area for ASU.
Much of why Kansas entered the game on a four-game losing streak was due to mishaps in the middle eight, Dillingham said.
While they weren’t able to capitalize on both opportunities late in the first half, evening the score was big for momentum, especially as Kansas was set to receive the ball to start the second half.
The Arizona Diamondbacks named catcher Adrian Del Castillo their minor league player of the year and right-hander Yilber Diaz their minor league pitcher of the year for 2024.
Both Del Castillo and Diaz spent most of their seasons in the upper minors but impacted the big league club when injuries struck its regulars.
Del Castillo played 25 MLB games and made a name for himself early while starter Gabriel Moreno was on the injured list with an adductor strain. His first career home run was a walk-off against the Philadelphia Phillies with nearly 38,000 fans in attendance. He drove in 14 runs in his first nine games, four on a grand slam in his hometown of Miami.
The 25-year-old finished his first cup of coffee with a batting line of .313/.368/.525 with four homers, 19 RBIs and 28 strikeouts.
In the minor leagues, Del Castillo won the 2024 Pacific Coast League MVP for Triple-A Reno. He produced a 1.002 OPS with 26 home runs and 36 doubles for the Aces. He led the PCL in OPS, extra-base hits (65) and slugging (.603).
The Diamondbacks have their franchise catcher in the 24-year-old Moreno for the foreseeable future. His backups this season were Tucker Barnhart, Jose Herrera and Del Castillo.
Del Castillo provides a bat-first, left-handed option to foil the right-handed Moreno going forward. The club was bullish on Del Castillo’s defensive improvements with receiving and handling the pitching staff, but there is much room to grow for a catcher with limited MLB experience.
“Where Adrian sits today, based on what we saw in spring training, I would argue he’s come as far as as we’ve seen any player,” D-backs bench coach Jeff Banister said on Sept. 15.
The D-backs optioned Del Castillo in favor of Jose Herrera once Moreno returned, but Del Castillo set himself up to be in the mix for the backup role come spring training.
Yilber Diaz honored
Diaz started the year in Double-A Amarillo, climbed to Reno by June and made his MLB debut a month later.
The 24-year-old made four starts before getting sent back down due to the impending returns of Eduardo Rodriguez and Merrill Kelly from the injured list, but he pitched out of the bullpen for the Diamondbacks down the stretch.
The right-hander finished his first major league season with 28.1 innings, a 3.81 ERA, 19 strikeouts and 12 walks.
In the minors, Diaz threw 104.1 innings with a 3.80 ERA, striking out 140 batters with 47 walks.
Diaz is the highest-ranked pitching prospect in the system by MLB Pipeline with a power fastball in the mid-to-upper 90s mph, a plus slider and a curveball he has been working to improve.
The Diamondbacks could very well have the same-looking rotation going into next season, but every year teams need their starting pitching depth to build out innings and keep them afloat. Where Diaz fits into the mix will be another spring training question going into February.
TEMPE — Arizona State football has lacked explosiveness in the run game, but a healthy Raleek Brown could be the reason that improves against Kansas on Saturday.
“We still have not produced enough big plays in the running game,” head coach Kenny Dillingham said Wednesday. “Other than turnovers, the No. 1 stat that equates to winning in college football is explosive plays for and against, and we gotta find a way to be more explosive on offense.”
Explosiveness is an area Brown is well-equipped to help, offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo said.
“He has big-play capability all over him. He’s gotta get back on the field and get hit, take care of the football and know what we’re doing,” Arroyo said. “But he’s a big-play guy. That’s why he’s here, that’s why we recruited him, and his role in the offense is only gonna get more and better each week. So I’m excited to get him back out here healthy and be able to warm him up.”
Brown made his ASU debut in Week 3 against Texas State but produced just three yards on three touches, as he was still limited by a hamstring injury.
Dillingham said it’s a disservice to play Brown when he doesn’t have his top-end speed, so he was held out of the Week 4 loss to Texas Tech as a result.
The speed has been there in practice this week, and he was utilized in a variety of sets. He took traditional handoffs, caught screen passes, lined up out wide as a receiver and was used as a decoy for misdirection.
Running backs coach Shaun Aguano said Brown’s versatility puts the onus on defenses to account for everything.
“He brings that dynamic speed. We know we got pounder guys that the defense has to make tackles, but now we got perimeter guys and guys that can hit the hole real quick. So it just gives a different dynamic to our offense,” Aguano said. “They’re gonna have to be heady on the perimeter because as soon as he gets out there it’s a mismatch for a lot of guys.”
Each of the four backs ASU wants to rotate through between Cam Skattebo, Brown, Kyson Brown and DeCarlos Brooks offer a different style of runner, which allows for multiple running backs on the field at the same time, Aguano added.
“The hot hand is the guy that gets the ball and that’s how we’ve always done it,” Aguano added. “So we’ll see who’s the hot hand.”
What other reinforcements will Arizona State football get back vs. Kansas?
Dillingham told Arizona Sports’ Bickley & Marotta Mornings the Sun Devils are entering the Kansas matchup in good physical shape.
“This bye week got us healthy,” Dillingham said. “This is the healthiest we’ve been all year.”
Linebackers Jordan Crook and Tate Romney help the rotational depth now that both are fully healthy. Crook saw action in Week 4 but played less than half the defensive snaps. Romney was a starter last season and will make his season debut after suffering a broken hand during fall camp.
“It was good to just get back and get my feet wet,” Crook said Wednesday on the Sparky’s Den Podcast. “Definitely good to build off and this upcoming game, and just go from there.”
Laterrance Welch will help take some of the load off starting cornerbacks Javan Robinson and Keith Abney II, who have combined to take 91.2% of the snaps at the position so far. Welch had an interception while covering top receiver Jordyn Tyson in practice this week.
How to watch, listen to Arizona State football’s Big 12 home opener vs. Kansas
Kickoff between the Sun Devils and Jayhawks is scheduled for 5 p.m. MST at Mountain America Stadium.
Hear play-by-play coverage on the Arizona Sports app, 98.7 or online, with pregame beginning at 2:30 p.m. ESPN2 will have the TV broadcast.
If you’re going to the game, tailgate lots are opening seven hours ahead of kickoff at 10 a.m., which is two hours earlier than previous start times.
The Arizona Cardinals signed defensive lineman Ben Stille to their practice squad a month after losing him to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Stille was waived on Tuesday after he had appeared in three games with Tampa Bay, recording a tackle and a fumble recovery.
Last week, he possessed a strip-sack of Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts late in a Buccaneers win.
The Bucs signed Stille off Arizona’s practice squad to their active roster on Sept. 6 amid a run of injuries to the defensive line. Adding Stille to the active roster required Tampa Bay to retain Stille for at least three weeks.
Stille returns to Arizona, a place he is familiar with having appeared in five games for the Cardinals in 2023. He recorded eight tackles and a sack last season.
He rejoins a defensive front that remains without rookie Darius Robinson (injured reserve) and lost interior lineman Justin Jones for the year.
Stille entered the NFL out of Nebraska as an undrafted free agent by signing the Miami Dolphins.
Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham on Wednesday praised Sam Leavitt’s low-mistake start to the season.
Through his first four games, the ASU quarterback has thrown for 855 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. He’s completed 59% of his passes so far and added 180 rushing yards with four scores on the ground.
There’s nothing eye-popping about those statistics, but Dillingham has loved the redshirt freshman’s command of the offense.
“That’s an unbelievable start to a career,” Dillingham said on the Sparky’s Den Podcast. “He’s getting us into good plays. He’s not hurting us from a procedural perspective. All the things that we’re kind of taking for granted right now that we haven’t faced with a young quarterback is just because of how he carries himself and the work he puts into the process.
“I tell him all (the time), this is the worst he’s ever going to be. Like, this is the worst quarterback play we’re going to have for the next three years because this is the worst he’s ever going to be. He’s going to get better and better and better and better and better and that’s the part that’s exciting.”
According to Pro Football Focus, Leavitt made just one turnover-worthy throw this season, an interception against Texas Tech in the first quarter of ASU’s 30-22 loss two weeks ago, which ties him for first in the FBS.
His 312 passing yards while facing pressure are the sixth-most in the nation, according to Pro Football Focus. That’s on 50 plays under pressure.
Leavitt’s legs have helped him create plays under pressure, both in the pass and run games. He’s taken seven total sacks this year and has rushed the ball eight or more times in all four games to start the season.
ASU will look for the program’s first Big 12 win when it hosts Kansas on Oct. 5 at 5 p.m. MST at Mountain America Stadium. Listen live on Arizona Sports 98.7.
TEMPE — The Arizona Cardinals designated rookie Christian Jones to return from injured reserve, head coach Jonathan Gannon said Wednesday. Defensive tackle Darius Robinson and cornerback Elijah Jones, however, have yet to have their windows opened after spending the minimum of four weeks to start the season on IR.
Arizona additionally signed kicker Chad Ryland to the practice squad, placed veteran defensive tackle Angelo Blackson on the practice squad injured reserve and released practice squad offensive tackle Austen Pleasants.
Gannon added that tight end Trey McBride, who missed the loss Sunday to the Washington Commanders while under concussion protocols, will return to practice. So will defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga (knee).
The fact that Robinson’s and Jones’ windows have not opened yet makes it appear unlikely they would be ready to play this week at the San Francisco 49ers.
Jones, on the other hand, now has 21 days to be activated off the IR. He found himself on the IR due to an ankle issue suffered in Arizona’s preseason finale against the Denver Broncos.
“He’s missed a lot of time, but I thought in preseason, he did a good job of kind of the role of a tackle,” Gannon said Monday. “He can pass pro and he can generate movement in the run game. I liked where he was at. It was unfortunate the injury, but he’s ready to go.”
While Jones found himself down on the depth chart throughout training camp and preseason, the fifth-round tackle out of Texas has a shot at earning snaps given the injuries plaguing the position.
Right tackle Jonah Williams could be out for a significant chunk of the season with a knee injury, and Week 3 starter Jackson Barton is on IR with a toe issue. Arizona’s depth is mighty thin behind Kelvin Beachum.
Beachum hasn’t been impervious to injury, either, missing Week 3 with a hamstring injury that kept him limited throughout practice last week.
The veteran did make it back on the field for Sunday’s loss to the Washington Commanders, but if he were to miss any more time, that would leave Jones (if healthy) and practice squad member Charlie Heck to back him up.
Darius Robinson still on injured reserve for Cardinals
Robinson, the 27th overall pick and projected starter, was placed on the IR with a calf injury in August and hurt himself the same day as the 53-man roster cut deadline.
Even though he’s yet to take a regular season snap, getting the versatile Robinson back in the mix could be huge for a defensive line that has struggled both on the ground and through the air in recent weeks.
“I feel like the kid’s going to ball this year. Arguably might be Defensive Rookie of the Year if he stays on the track that I think he’s going to be on.”
Arizona Cardinals DL L.J. Collier is expecting big things out of rookie Darius Robinson. pic.twitter.com/J7D2xU4sa7
Before he went down, Robinson was among Arizona’s biggest standouts through training camp. The No. 27 overall pick out of Missouri wasted little time showing off his versatility and strength.
All signs pointed to him earning a starting role or at the very least being an integral part of the defensive line rotation right out of the gates.
Losing starting defensive tackle Justin Jones for the rest of the year with a triceps injury has only added to the struggles up front.
The Valley Suns revealed their jerseys and announced that Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona (GCNA) will be a logo patch sponsor for the G League team’s debut season.
“Partnering with an organization that is committed to making such a positive impact in our community is the perfect fit to be featured on the Valley Suns jersey,” Phoenix Suns, Phoenix Mercury and Valley Suns CEO Josh Bartelstein said in a release.
“Goodwill has been an incredible partner to the Suns and Mercury, and we’re excited to extend our partnership to include the Valley Suns.”
Fans can receive two free tickets to the G League team’s home opener if they donate a bag or box of gently used items to one of five select Goodwill stores in the Phoenix area by Oct. 16.
The G League team debuts at Mullett Arena on Nov. 11 against the Stockton Kings.
The Valley Suns’ jerseys come in black and white bases, which is customary for G League squads in their first year of expansion.
The black jerseys feature white hems and “Valley” lettering. There is an orange “Suns” and orange shadowing on the numbering.
The white jerseys feature black hems, a purple “Valley” and numbers with orange “Suns” and shadowing on the numbers.
“We are thrilled to partner with another community-driven organization like the Valley Suns,” GCNA President and CEO Tim O’Neal said in a release. “Through our partnerships with the Suns and Mercury, we’ve seen that basketball fans in Arizona are not only passionate about their teams, but also about their community.
“We look forward to working with the Valley Suns and their fans to continue our mission of empowering individuals, strengthening families and building stronger communities.”
How to donate to Goodwill, earn free Valley Suns tickets to home opener
Drop off a bag of donations at the below five participating stores
Scan the QR code on the A-frame sign located near the donation drop-off area
Complete the form
Get your tickets
Donation Drive Drop-Off Locations:
39th Dr. & Pinnacle Peak Road: 23425 N 39th Dr #101, Glendale, AZ 85310
Cooper Road & Chandler Blvd: 1850 E Chandler Blvd, Chandler, AZ 85225
Ellsworth Road & Rittenhouse Road: 21437 S Ellsworth Rd, Queen Creek, AZ 85142
99th Ave. & Camelback Road: 10005 W Camelback Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85037
3rd Ave. & Van Buren: 310 W Van Buren St, Phoenix, AZ 85003
PHOENIX — The end of a season brings about evaluations and regrets, and for the Arizona Diamondbacks, the topic of injury management came up during exit interviews.
The Diamondbacks missed the postseason via tiebreakers with the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets after losing five of the last seven games. In a 6-3 defeat against the San Francisco Giants to kick off the final week, All-Star Ketel Marte was controversially out of the starting lineup, as he asked for the day while dealing with lingering effects of an ankle injury.
Any game throughout the season could have made the difference, but the final eight days stand out as a particularly grave lost opportunity.
General manager Mike Hazen and manager Torey Lovullo addressed the situation after-the-fact at Chase Field on Tuesday.
“I tried to do my best to make sure every player understood how important each game was down the stretch, and there’s an elite athlete we’re talking about that was giving everything that he possibly could and his tank was on empty,” Lovullo said. “(Marte) explained that to me, and I respected that and that’s how we worked all year long.”
“I just want to say that at some level, the team and the players you have, there has to be a trust,” Hazen added. “We trust them and understand them and listen to them and there’s a time where you push, right, and you guys don’t get to see all those things, but I do. … And that trust is, the concept of making a guy go out and play or pushing a guy and then we’re re-injuring him, which happened this year, then the conversation turns in the other direction of how did we do that. We pushed him and now he misses two and a half weeks in September.”
Marte tried to plow through an ankle injury sustained after Phillies catcher Garrett Stubbs dove past second base and into his leg on Aug. 10. Marte was removed from two games after collapsing in the batter’s box and was eventually placed on the injured list for more than two weeks with a high ankle sprain.
The switch-hitter had heated back up with a 1.129 OPS over 11 games before the off day. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Gabriel Moreno were also out of that particular lineup while managing their own injury concerns.
Hazen said forcing a player in when he’s saying he cannot go is not realistic.
“Everyone’s frustrated in those situations,” Hazen said. “A player that’s hurt or is banged up is also frustrated in that situation. Like, that’s not how they want to draw it up, either. They come in and express frustration, how they’re feeling and that they may be letting people down in certain places, but it is what it is. We have to deal with it and we have to be smart about it.”
The “return to play program” became a common term with the D-backs balancing working players back in while every game is so important. Moreno could not bust down the first-base line to avoid getting thrown out against the Padres on Friday for that reason.
The Diamondbacks dealt with injuries all season, and post-mortem, more have been revealed. Lovullo said reliever Kevin Ginkel suffered a fracture in his shin after taking a comebacker against the Mets on June 1. He avoided the IL and pitched through pain until it healed. Geraldo Perdomo said he managed groin and hamstring discomfort for stretches after coming off the IL with a torn meniscus that cost him the first two months.
“At the end of the day, these guys want to get out there and play,” Lovullo said. “… It doesn’t always sound great when a player can’t play, there’s always a good reason when a player can’t play. There’s also times where a player should not be playing, but they’re tough and they want to do it for their teammates.”
The team was also criticized for situations like Eduardo Rodriguez and Alek Thomas, who suffered setbacks while on the injured list that shut them down for significantly more time.
Diamondbacks not using injuries for an excuse
The Diamondbacks’ injured list, at one time or another included starting pitchers Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, Rodriguez, Ryne Nelson and Jordan Montgomery; relievers Bryce Jarvis, Kyle Nelson and Paul Sewald along with position players Moreno, Marte, Christian Walker, Perdomo, Thomas, Randal Grichuk and Gurriel, plus top prospect Jordan Lawlar in the minors.
Hazen said that injuries do not count as an excuse for missing the postseason.
“Every team’s injured,” Hazen said. “Look at the number of pitching injuries the Dodgers have taken on in their rotation. They won the division. The position player group lost Perdomo and Alek Thomas and others and we led the league in runs. So I can’t make the argument in both directions, right?
“Injuries are no excuse. Every team takes on injuries. You look at some of the teams in the playoffs right now, they’re decimated with injuries, right? I mean, Atlanta lost (Ronald Acuna Jr.) and (Spencer) Strider for the whole year, and look where they are.”
Lovullo said no offseason procedures have been outlined to him, and Hazen added he was confident there was no plan for any surgeries.
It’s just about rest and recovery for 2025 at this point with players who were banged up.
Phoenix Suns shooting guard Grayson Allen looks ready to enter the ring after debuting his new broad-shoulder physique.
Last year, the Suns roster listed the 6-foot-4 hooper at 195 pounds. On this year’s roster, Allen is listed at 198, which is only a three-pound increase from last season.
During the team’s media day on Monday, Allen revealed that he is 35 pounds heavier than his listed weight, though he admits he had added much of that before last season began.
“Having that base of strength has helped me a lot with durability throughout the season,” Allen said on Monday.
As a muscle watch corespondent, can confirm Grayson Allen’s offseason photos translate in person. His shoulders are huge.
Allen has been slowly adding weight over the last four years and is now up to 230 pounds. He laughed at the dated 195 he was listed at last year. pic.twitter.com/6cWpVRs7vd
Allen has dealt with minor injuries, including a hip injury, which he’s managed throughout most of his career. He noted that having a stronger build has helped him mitigate injuries.
He appeared in 75 games last year with Phoenix and 72 the season before with the Milwaukee Bucks.
“I’ve always felt good with a little bit more strength, a little bit more weight, a little bit more muscle,” Allen said.
Fans took to X to share their reactions to Allen’s transformation.
