Tigers ace Tarik Skubal already has eyes on the AL Cy Young award tigers,ace,tarik,skubal,already,has,eyes,on,the,al,cy,young,award,sbnation,com,front-page,mlb,dot-com-grid-coverage

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The past 10 seasons for the Detroit Tigers has been a bit of a journey in the wilderness. The 2014 season ended up being the end of an era for the Tigers, as their four-year run of playoff appearances from 2011 through 2014 ended with two ALCS appearances and an American League Pennant victory in 2012. Once that window closed for Detroit, it slammed shut and outside of one winning season in 2016 that saw the Tigers come up three games short of earning a Wild Card spot, there hasn’t been much to get excited about for fans of the hometown team in the Motor City.

As of right now, the Tigers have a tough road ahead of them if they’re planning on returning to October baseball. They’re a distant fourth in the AL Central with their divisional rivals Kansas City and Minnesota currently occupying two of the three Wild Card spots in the AL. They are 33-35 and 3.5 games behind in the race for the final and are currently lumped in with the Astros, Rangers and Blue Jays when it comes to owning similar winning percentages. This is a long season with plenty of peaks and valleys but Detroit still a bit of an outside contender at this point – FanGraphs’ playoff odds is giving the Tigers a 12 percent shot at making the Postseason as a Wild Card with their overall odds of making the playoffs in general at 15 percent.

Needless to say, the Tigers aren’t exactly the favorites to upset the apple cart in baseball this season. With that being said, there’s one very good reason to pay attention to what Detroit has going on this season and that’s the mound exploits of Tarik Skubal. Skubal is coming off of a 2022 season that saw him establish himself as a bonafide major league starter with an ERA- of 90 and a FIP- of 75 over 117.2 innings. He followed that up by emerging as one of the best pitchers in all of baseball despite missing the first three months of the 2023 season due to a flexor tendon injury that ended his 2022 campaign. Once Skubal did finally return to the mound on July 4, 2023, he hit the ground running and wasted no time in establishing himself as a true ace. When I say that he was one of the best pitchers in baseball last season, I mean it – Skubal led all pitchers in fWAR with 3.3 after he returned to the mound, with Spencer Strider in second place after he produced 2.8 fWAR over that same span.

With all this in mind, it really shouldn’t come as a surprise that Tarik Skubal has emerged as a Cy Young candidate now that he’s been fully healthy here in 2024. As good as Skubal was to finish the 2023 season, he’s been even better this season. Skubal finished 2023 with an ERA- of 65 and a FIP- of 47 and both of those numbers are well above average when it comes to starting pitchers. He’s on track to leave those numbers in the dust here in 2024, as he’ll be heading into his start tonight against the Astros with an ERA- of 49 and a FIP- of 54. He’ll also be heading into Houston coming off of his most recent start where he made it through 6.2 innings with five hits and two walks for a grand total of just one run allowed and 10 strikeouts to boot. It was also the 11th time in 13 starts this season where the 27-year-old lefty gave up two runs or less. Needless to say, this man has been absolutely dealing all season.

What makes Tarik Skubal so incredibly tough to deal with is the fact that he’s got five pitches in his bag of tricks and batters have zero idea as to how to actually consistently hit his stuff. His best pitch has been his four-seam fastball and it’s a pitch that has slowly-but-surely been ramping up in velocity over the course of his career. He may have finally peaked in velocity in his most recent start, where he hit 101.7 mph on the radar gun. As this article from Jason Beck of MLB.com mentioned, it was one of the fastest pitches thrown by a starter this season and it was part of a deliberate effort on his part to ramp up his velocity on his heater. With that being said, it’s not just his fastball that hitters have to worry about. His sinker has been sitting at 96 mph – the same speed as his average fastball. Hitters have been bewitched by both pitches, as evidenced by the opposition batting average of .205 against his sinker and .169 against his fastball.

Opposing hitters haven’t fared well against his other three pitches, either. His changeup is his second-most used pitch behind his fastball and hitters are only hitting .223 against it. He also has a slider that he’s commonly used and it only has a .194 batting average against it. Finally, he’s thrown 57 knuckle curveballs this season and you are not going to find a video of anybody getting a hit against it so far in 2024. That’s right: The opposing batting average against his knuckle curve is .000. Granted, it does have an Expecting Batting Average of .243 but the good news for Skubal is that that xBA is by far the highest of any of his four pitches – his fastball has an xBA of .205, his changeup’s xBA is at .219, the sinker is at .191 and the slider’s xBA is microscopic at .161. Simply put, it hasn’t really mattered what Tarik Skubal has been throwing out there – opposing hitters have had an absolute devil of a time trying to deal with any one of them.

If Skubal needs to miss a bat, his changeup (45 percent whiff rate) and slider (35 percent whiff rate) have been his go-to in that regard. If he needs an out, any one of his four main pitches will do as his highest Put Away percentage lies at 31 percent with his changeup while the lowest of those four pitches is 21 percent with his four-seamer. He’s got nasty stuff in his arsenal and he’s throwing all of his pitches with a ton of confidence at the moment. Taking all of this into account, it’s easy to understand why he’s starting to get attention and even early talks of Cy Young Award contention here in June.

There are also surely some rumors floating around that Tarik Skubal could be traded at the deadline but those rumors appear to simply be rumors. Either way, Skubal isn’t the type of pitcher that should be traded if you’re a team that still harbors any type of playoff hopes. Jim Bowden of The Athletic stated that while the Tigers may listen to offers on the likes of Jack Flaherty, Skubal’s going nowhere.

Again, while the Tigers aren’t exactly near the top of the standings, they still figure to be right in the middle of the pack when it comes to the Wild Card chase and as long as that’s the case, Skubal should remain in a Tigers uniform. If the Tigers are going to return to Postseason relevancy in the near future, then that likely requires having Skubal still in a Tigers uniform while they make their return to October. Detroit has a gem at the top of their rotation and this could very well be the season where the entire baseball world becomes extremely aware of Tarik Skubal and what he can do on the mound.

Taylor Swift is a … Mecole Hardman fan? taylor,swift,is,a,mecole,hardman,fan,sbnation,com,front-page,nfl,draftkings

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The Kansas City Chiefs unveiled their latest Super Bowl rings on Thursday, with everyone and their grandmother there.

Except for Taylor Swift, the noted football junkie and girlfriend of Chiefs TE Travis Kelce Swift was on tour in England, but burned the midnight oil to hop on Instagram live to help the team celebrate their new rings.

That’s real love right there. It was probably super late in Liverpool but she was up watching the team get rings, pure loyalty, love to see it.

However…I had no idea she was grinding Mecole Hardman film. Hardman re-signed with the Chiefs in the off-season and I’m assuming she’s very excited about his fit in the offense, but with the signing of Hollywood Brown and the drafting of Xavier Worthy it makes Hardman’s skillset a bit redundant. In her song ‘So High School’ off of her latest album The Torturned Poets Society Swift says of herself and Kelce, “You know how to ball, I know Aristotle.” But did Swift watch any Worthy tape, or see any Hollywood Brown film from the past few years? Hardman would be the designated jet sweep guy, but Skyy Moore already does that.

I’m afraid to say it, but: Taylor Swift does not, in fact, know ball.

U.S. Open: Sepp Straka ace is perfect redemption story u,s,open,sepp,straka,ace,is,perfect,redemption,story,sbnation,com,golf,us-open-golf,golf-majors,golf-pga-tour,golf-news

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Sepp Straka brought the excitement on Friday at the U.S. Open.

He showed the full spectrum of what golf can provide during his second round, following up his triple bogey on the 3rd hole with a hole-in-one on the par-3 9th.

Straka’s 194-yard ace marked his first hole-in-one during a PGA Tour round.

His playing partners watched him as he hit the ball, and as soon as they realized it went in the hole, everyone shot their hands up to celebrate. Straka gave high fives all around, as that shot clearly boosted his mood.

The U.S. Open’s social team got a slight dig with the caption as they referenced his triple bogey earlier in the round. That shot on the third was such a tough break for the Austrian.

Straka nailed the flagstick on the fly, and his ball ricocheted into the greenside bunker. He went on to make a mess of things, making a triple bogey after airmailing his third shot from the sand over the green. So what looked like a birdie opportunity from the fairway quickly turned into a disaster.

Nevertheless, the golfing gods at Pinehurst No. 2 blessed Straka with an ace, a Shakespearean redemption story of sorts. From recording a seven to a one on the scorecard, it does not get any wilder than that.

Straka became the third player to make a hole-in-one on the 9th hole at No. 2. He joins Zach Johnson, who made one in 2014 during the final round, and Peter Jacobson, who did so in 2005 during the third round.

Straka’s ace vaulted him back up to 2-over for the championship, which is inside the cutline at this point. But that hole-in-one helped him immensely after his tough break at the 3rd threatened his chances of making the weekend.

Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.

Three top bets for the combat sports weekend three,top,bets,for,the,combat,sports,weekend,sbnation,com,front-page,mma,ufc,draftkings,golf-news,dot-com-grid-coverage

Three top bets for the combat sports weekend threetopbetsforthecombatsportsweekendsbnationcomfront pagemmaufcdraftkingsgolf newsdot com grid coverage
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A busy combat sports weekend looms as on Saturday, Gervonta Davis puts his WBA lightweight title on the line against undefeated challenger Frank Martin and UFC Vegas 93 takes place with a high-profile flyweight matchup between top-15 competitors Alex Perez and Tatsuro Taira.

With so much happening this weekend, we broke down our three favorite bets for the weekend. All odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.

Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images

Gervonta Davis by Decision or Technical Decision (+260)

Davis is an elite counter-puncher in the mold of Floyd Mayweather Jr. He’s got good vision and defense, and a preternatural sense of range, allowing him to draw out punches at the end of range and land his power shots, particularly his left hook. That left hook, plus a commitment to body work early and often, makes Tank an excellent finisher with 27 of his 29 wins coming by way of stoppage.

As such, this is a big step up for Martin. Martin is fast, technical, and defensively tight, with good footwork. He’s not a huge volume boxer, but he’s good at blocking incoming artillery and then ripping the body in response. The problem is he’s not a huge puncher, and he’s facing someone who is. That makes the margin for error much smaller.

I like Martin as a fighter, but he’s facing an uphill battle in this one. That being said, I do think he has a good chance to make this a fight. Davis is not a fast starter and Martin is so quick and defensively that at the very least he’s going to make Tank work for it. Add in that Tank’s been out of action for over a year, and I think this one goes long in a bout that might not be the most thrilling to watch.

UFC Fight Night: Taira v Hernandez

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Tatsuro Taira To Win By KO/TKO/DQ or Submission (+100)

The UFC main event this Saturday is set up to be the arrival of Japan’s best MMA prospect. Taira is only 24 years old and has all the trappings of a future champion. The Okinawa native is an elite athlete, lethal grappler, and developing striker with natural power. Taira has dominated in his five UFC fights which is why he’s getting this shot at a top-five opponent.

Alex Perez has been a staple of the UFC’s flyweight division since 2017, even challenging for the title in 2020. Things didn’t go well for Perez that night, which has sort of been the story of his career: losing whenever he faces the best opposition. This is Perez’s second shot to rebuff an emerging wunderkind (he lost to Muhammad Mokaev in March) and to prove he’s still in the mix for title contention.

This should be a straightforward win for Taira. He’s the superior grappler and the far better athlete, and can compete on the feet, if not win outright there. The main questions is how will he win? Historically, when Perez loses it’s by submission, and while that seems to be the most likely outcome, I’m not ruling out Taira showing off his improving hands.

UFC Fight Night: Van v Bunes

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Joshua Van (+170)

Originally this was going to be a bet on Ikram Aliskerov, but late on Thursday, Aliskerov was pulled from the event this weekend to step in on short notice and fight Robert Whittaker at UFC Saudi Arabia next Saturday. In light of that, we’re pivoting to a prelim underdog.

Van takes on top-15 flyweight Tagir Ulanbekov in the featured prelim fight of on Saturday. Only 22 years old, this is a huge step up for the super prospect but one he’s got a realistic shot at winning. Ulanbekov is a big, experienced flyweight who has only lost to top-shelf competition, but he’s not the most dynamic fighter. Van has that in spades. Moreover, Van has shown good takedown defense and good scrambling ability when he does get taken down, meaning Ulanbekov shouldn’t totally have his way.

If Van can continue to show the sort of rapid improvement he’s shown the last few times out, a new contender will emerge on Saturday.

All information in this article is provided to readers for entertainment, news, and amusement purposes only. It is the responsibility of the reader to learn and abide by online gambling laws in their region before placing any online sports betting wagers.

Browns’ Deshaun Watson trade is already a disaster, and this is last chance to salvage it browns,deshaun,watson,trade,is,already,a,disaster,and,this,is,last,chance,to,salvage,it,sbnation,com,front-page,nfl,draftkings

Browns Deshaun Watson trade is already a disaster and this
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The Deshaun Watson trade has been quite simply a trainwreck for the Cleveland Browns. After giving him a $230 million deal that was fully guaranteed, Watson has been mired by injuries and constant reminders of a player that he once was. As the Browns made their playoff run on the back of their top rated defense and Joe Flacco (!), the questions looming around the future of Watson and how good he truly is grew louder and louder.

Cleveland GM Andrew Berry isn’t one to wait around until it’s time for a change, but the Watson deal in itself is hard to skate around. Even if they wanted to cut him after the 2024 season, it would still eat up over $100 million in cap space, far too much to justify releasing one player.

What this means is that the Browns and Watson are stuck together until at least after the 2025 season. They have to make this work, to justify giving him the only fully guaranteed contract in NFL history. Now the question becomes: how do you get Deshaun Watson back to his high level of play?

Remnants of a player he once was

In 2020, Watson was known as one of the best passers in the entire league.Throwing for over 4,000 passing yards and 30 touchdowns, Watson was in the midst of a career year. While never being the best passer in structure, he was more than capable of doing that on top of being extremely creative outside of the pocket, one of the best passers in the league outside of structure.

That hasn’t followed him to Cleveland in any way, shape, or form. While he still tries to create outside of structure, the success of those plays has waned off in a major way. This, in turn, has turned him into a shell of the QB he once was: a QB who is no longer successful when he needs to get creative, yet someone who desperately wants to play the way he always has.

Remnants of a player he once was

Name and Year On-Target Rate On-Target Rate (0-10 Air Yards) On-Target Rate (20+ Air Yards) Sack Rate when pressured Time to Throw (s) On-Target Rate when pressured
Name and Year On-Target Rate On-Target Rate (0-10 Air Yards) On-Target Rate (20+ Air Yards) Sack Rate when pressured Time to Throw (s) On-Target Rate when pressured
Deshaun Watson, 2020 80.80% 84.20% 58.90% 20.20% 2.85 68.80%
Deshaun Watson, 2023 67.10% 71.30% 42.90% 20.70% 3.06 60.40%

Allow me to explain: despite Watson’s sack rate when pressured remaining largely the same, his time to throw has increased and his On-Target Rate when pressured has gone down. When you watch Watson in 2020 compared to present day, he looks like a QB who is much less confident in both his body and what he’s seeing on the field when pressured.

Take this snap from 2020. Houston runs two shallow crossers in front of two deeper ones, with the Bengals in Cover 1. Watson gets pressure off the edge, but doesn’t take his eyes down. He steps up and out of the pocket calmly, then fires a strike to move the chains.

Now, compare this to 2023, when watching him play seemed to show more signs of a QB with variance and chaos than one of a QB who knows he’s under control when things go wrong. Deshaun Watson in 2023 looked like a QB who knew he used to be able to do these things, but now … not so sure.

Not only that, but Watson’s ball placement and accuracy have taken drastic dips since coming to Cleveland, especially in the short area. His inability to drive the ball and place it in tight windows has inhibited the Browns offense, on top of his inability to work in structure. Watson faced numerous shoulder injuries that sapped the true arm strength that he has, limiting the offense’s ability to go downfield. Where that also stood out is in the quick game, where arm strength helps QBs fit passes into very tight windows.

This pass is supposed to be put on the tight end in stick, but Watson dirts it and stops the flow of the offense. This happened far too much for a QB who was as highly regarded as he was, while also being as highly paid as he is.

Like, it got REALLY bad.

On top of that, when QB Joe Flacco entered the starting lineup after Watson’s season-ending injury, the Browns offense looked like it ran a bit smoother, and the productivity of targets like WRs Amari Cooper, Elijah Moore and TE David Njoku skyrocketed. He simply ran the offense better than Watson did in 2023, and that’s a problem for a guy who is making as much money as he is.

So, how can Stefanski get the best out of a QB who was supposed to answer all the Browns’ problems? How can he salvage what’s left of Watson in 2024?

Big Boy Browns Football

One of the things I noticed when watching the Browns’ offense last year was how successful they, and Watson, were out of 12 personnel and condensed sets. According to Sports Information Solutions, Watson threw the ball out of 12 personnel 18 times, but his On-Target Rate out of 12 jumps to 75%, a drastic improvement from where he was in total. While his aDOT out of 12 is a meager 6.4, his Sack Rate goes down and Watson looks a bit more comfortable with bigger bodies on the field. The same tune is sung with Flacco, whose aDOT of 8.6 and three TDs out of 12 paced the Browns signal-callers.

In addition, where Stefanski can help Watson even more is through the use of play action. While play action is not the magic elixir that fixes an offense, Watson’s mobility comes into play off run fakes and Stefanski could continue to work the ball downfield. Some of Watson’s best passes came off play action, with an On-Target Rate of 76.3% and a Positive Play Rate of 42%. With deep pockets off run fakes, Watson shows the ability to fire in passes, even if his arm strength isn’t what it was.

This sounds eerily similar to the game-plan for QB Russell Wilson in Denver, and to this point, they’re kind of similar. Both are very expensive QBs whose athleticism might be on the downward slope, that need more play action so they can take those shots downfield. Cooper and Njoku both also benefit from these shots downfield; in his time at QB Joe Flacco had the highest aDOT off play action in the entire league.

There’s a formula for Watson if he wants to salvage what might be a career that’s taken the wildest tailspin in NFL history. For he and the Browns’ sake, they’ll need to turn it around in 2024 and get him not to 2020 form, but at least passable.

F1 rule change opens door to Andrea Kimi Antonelli debut this season f,rule,change,opens,door,to,andrea,kimi,antonelli,debut,this,season,sbnation,com,front-page,formula-one,2024-formula-one

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This week the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), the world’s motorsport governing body, published an update to the International Sporting Code. The update to Appendix L involves international drivers’ licenses as well as Super Licenses.

And the updated regulation might just open the door to a young driver seeing the Formula 1 grid before his 18th birthday.

Ever since Lewis Hamilton announced his shocking move to Ferrari, to be executed at the end of the 2024 season, Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s name has been linked with a seat on the F1 grid, perhaps even to replace Hamilton at Mercedes. Antonelli, who is a member of the Mercedes driver program, is in his first F2 season, having skipped F3 altogether.

He is also just 17 years old.

Ahead of the Miami Grand Prix reports surfaced that a team requested a dispensation for a driver to receive a Super License — required before participating in F1 — for a driver who had not reached the age of 18. Current F1 regulations require a driver to be 18 years old to receive the requisite Super License. This was put into place after Max Verstappen made his F1 debut just days after his 17th birthday.

However, the FIA’s updated International Sporting Code now contains Article 13.1.32, which reads as follows:

“The driver must be at least 18 years old at the start of the event of his first F1 competition. At the sole discretion of the FIA, a driver judged to have recently and consistently demonstrated outstanding ability and maturity in single-seater formula car competition may be granted a Super Licence at the age of 17 years old.”

Antonelli does not turn 18 until August.

In addition, the previous Article 13.1.2 has been deleted. That Article read that “[t]he driver must be the holder of a valid driving licence when he applies for a Super Licence for the first time.”

Antonelli is Italian, and the legal age for a driving license in Italy is 18.

With this rule change, the door is open for Antonelli to receive a dispensation from the FIA and be granted a Super License before his 18th birthday in August. The only other requirement is that the young driver acquire the necessary 40 points required for a Super License.

Antonelli has already surpassed that threshold, having won the Italian F4 Championship (12 points), the ADAC Formula 4 Championship (12 points), the Formula Regional Middle East Championship (18 points), and the Formule Regional European Championship (25 points). Those 67 points clear the 40-point threshold. Supplement 1 to Appendix L outlines how points are granted for success in various competitions.

Now, just because the rule has been changed does not mean that Antonelli will see the grid this year. When the issue of a dispensation was first raised ahead of the Miami Grand Prix, along with speculation that Williams would replace Logan Sargeant with Antonelli, Team Principal James Vowles brushed those rumors aside.

But now at least, that door is officially open.

MLB mock draft 2024: Updated projection ahead of Men’s College World Series mlb,mock,draft,updated,projection,ahead,of,men,s,college,world,series,sbnation,com,front-page,mlb,mlb-draft,draftkings

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This week eight men’s college baseball teams arrive in Omaha with a shot at a national championship, and NCAA baseball immortality.

But for some of the players in Omaha, the Men’s College World Series is just the next stop on their way to achieving their personal MLB dreams.

The 2024 MLB Draft is now a month away, as it gets underway on July 14 in Fort Worth, Texas. Many prospects have done all they can to impress the scouts, but some players still have some baseball to be played, as they chase down a National Championship in Omaha.

How might the first round play out, and what players should you keep an eye on in the Men’s College World Series? Here is our first MLB mock draft of the 2024 scouting season..

1. Cleveland Guardians: Charlie Condon, 3B, Georgia

Throughout the spring Charlie Condon and Travis Bazzana have flip-flopped in this position, and if the Guardians end up drafting Bazzana it will certainly not be a surprise. Both players posted video game numbers this year (with Condon putting up a slash line of .433/.556/1.009 along with 37 home runs) and the Georgia infielder has room to grow into his 6’6 frame.

2. Cincinnati Reds: Travis Bazzana, 2B, Oregon State

As noted above, Bazzana and Condon have flip-flopped in the one and two spots throughout mock draft season. Many mocks have the Oregon State infielder in the top spot right now, given his production over his time on campus. A tremendous summer on the Cape, as he won Cape Cod MVP honors as well as a batting title with a .375 average — done with a wooden bat, which MLB scouts love to see — might give him the edge.

Ultimately it might come down to a preference regarding Bazzana’s middle infielder profile, and Condon’s corner infielder prospects. However, both the Reds and the Guardians are in a good spot.

3. Colorado Rockies: Jac Caglianone, 1B/LHP, Florida

This might be where the 2024 MLB Draft truly begins, with the Colorado Rockies in the third spot. A number of players have been linked to Colorado with this pick, but for my money Ja Caglianone is the most fascinating player in the draft. His two-way skills have earned him the nickname “Jactani” — a nod to Shohei Ohtani — but his MLB future is likely forged as a hitter.

To that point, Caglianone stands alone in the storied history of SEC baseball as the only player with back-to-back 30 HR seasons.

Coming into this season there was a concern about his strikeout numbers, as he struckout 58 times in 319 plate appearances a season ago. But this year he cut down on the strikeouts dramatically, striking out just 25 times over his 297 plate appearances. He also raised his batting average from .323 in 2023 to an impressive .411 this past season.

Given that he is absolutely a pro-level prospect with what he can do on the mound, Caglianone is absolutely worthy of an early selection.

4. Oakland Athletics: Chase Burns, RHP, Wake Forest

A few different arms have the potential to be the first pitcher taken in July, and at the moment the nod might go to Chase Burns out of Wake Forest. Burns began his collegiate career at Tennessee — after being drafted in the 20th round of the 2021 MLB Draft by the San Diego Padres — but was moved to the bullpen after a stint as a starter in the Volunteers rotation.

Burns transferred to Wake Forest and thrived as a starter, going 10-1 this season with an ERA of 2.70 while holding opposing hitters to a .175 batting average. He has a solid array of pitches, with a fastball that can top out in triple digits, an impressive slider, and a curveball and a changeup that round out his attack.

5. Chicago White Sox: Hagen Smith, LHP, Arkansas

Burns is one option for an arm inside the top five of the 2024 MLB Draft. Left-hander Hagen Smith is the other. Smith leaves campus having gotten better and better every single season at Arkansas. Back in 2022 Smith started 20 games for the Razorbacks, posting a 7-2 record with an ERA of 4.66 and a batting average allowed of .234.

Over the 2023 season Smith posted a win-loss record of 8-2, with an ERA of 3.64 while holding hitters to a batting average of .217.

This past season? Smith went 9-2 for the Razorbacks, with an ERA of 2.04 and an opponent batting average of .144. That is quite the trajectory.

Smith also uses a three-quarters delivery, which you can see in this cutup from Rob Friedman:

While he underwent Tommy John surgery as a high school sophomore, he has been a workhorse since then, with the potential to be a top-tier starter in the majors.

6. Kansas City Royals: Nick Kurtz, 1B, Wake Forest

Wake Forest recruited Nick Kurtz as a left-handed starting pitcher, but his prowess at the dish saw him thrive as a hitter in the collegiate game. He has been a force at the plate for the Demon Deacons since arriving on campus, posting a slash line of .338/.471./.637 back in 2022 with 15 home runs. This past season saw his average dip a bit, as he hit .306, but combine that with an OBP of .531 and a .763 Slugging Percentage and you have some really solid numbers.

Strikeouts might be an issue, as he was punched out 50 times back in 2023 and another 42 times this past season. But the numbers at the plate warrant an early selection.

7. St. Louis Cardinals: Braden Montgomery, OF, Texas A&M

The Aggies are headed to Omaha, and Braden Montgomery is a huge reason why. The outfielder is part of a three-headed monster at Texas A&M, along with infielder Gavin Grahovac and fellow outfielder Jace Laviolette, that punishes opposing pitchers.

As for Montgomery, he put up a slash line of .322/.454/.733 this past season, while belting 27 home runs and driving in a team-high 85 runs. The switch-hitting prospect has seen his power numbers tick up sine the start of his collegiate career, which came at Stanford before transferring to Texas A&M.

Oh, and he also pitches. While the Aggies only used him in two games this past year with one start, he appeared in ten games for Stanford in 2023 and 13 back in 2022. In that 2022 campaign he held hitters to a batting average of just .197.

His MLB future, however, is likely as a corner outfielder.

8. Los Angeles Angels: Vance Honeycutt, OF, North Carolina

At first blush, this might seem like a reach.

But from where I sit, few players have helped their draft stock the past few weeks more than Vance Honeycutt.

The UNC outfielder is a true “five-tool” player, with lots of evidence to back up that proposition. You can point to the second straight ACC Defensive Player of the Year Award he earned this spring, or the 76 bases he swiped on campus over his three seasons. You can also point to the 63 home runs he hit at UNC, becoming the school leader in that category.

But for me it was what he delivered in the Super Regionals that tell his full story, as he belted a walk-off two run shot in Game 1 against West Virginia, and then started Game 2 with a solo shot on the very first pitch of the game.

Strikeouts are an issue, and are a big reason he is often seen in the late teens in mock drafts. His strikeout rate back in 2022 was 30%, and after dipping in 2023 crept back up to 28% this past season. But someone is going to place a big bet on those tools, and be happy they did.

9. Pittsburgh Pirates: JJ Wetherholt, SS/2B, West Virginia

After taking Paul Skenes with the first-overall selection a year ago, the Pittsburgh Pirates likely look to add a bat with this selection. They have been linked to a few players already selected in this mock, including Montgomery and Kurtz, but with both taken they look at the West Virginia middle infielder.

JJ Wetherholt is one of the best hitters in the class, and showed that during a 2022 campaign where he posted an astronomical slash line of .449/.517/.782, earning Big 12 Conference Player of the Year honors. A hamstring injury at the start of the 2024 campaign cut down his production numbers, but he is as close to a sure thing at the plate as it gets. His MLB position remains a question mark, as he might be better suited to 2B in the pros, but this is a top ten pick.

10. Washington Nationals: Konnor Griffin, SS/OF, Jackson Prep MS

After a run of college players we see our first prep prospect come off the board.

And what a prospect Konnor Griffin is.

He put up absurd numbers this past season, batting .559 with 9 home runs. He also stole 85 bases in just 43 games, and was named the Gatorade National High School Player of the Year. That combination of speed and power makes him a player with 30-30 potential at the next level.

Try and find where this home run lands. It is not easy:

While he has committed to LSU, expect him to be an early pick next month.

11. Detroit Tigers: Bryce Ranier, SS, Harvard-Westlake (CA)

The draft continues along prep lines with Bryce Ranier, a shortstop from Harvard-Westlake in California. At the National High School Invitational Ranier put on a show, going 7-for-13 with two doubles, five walks, and a pair of stolen bases. He also posted the top four exit velocities at the plate, and did that while making a relief appearance that saw him consistently in the mid 90s with his fastball.

That above link has a good cutup of Ranier’s approach at the plate.

Ranier has committed to Texas, but like Griffin he is likely an early pick in round one.

12. Boston Red Sox: James Tibbs III, OF, Florida State

This might be the second inflection point of the first round. While the first comes at pick No. 3 by the Colorado Rockies — after the expected top two of Condon and Bazzana in some order — the second is here.

Which makes me nervous as a Boston Red Sox fan.

As noted in this mock draft from MLB.com, at this point there are over a dozen college hitters “who could go anywhere from the teens to the supplemental first round and tye could come off the board in just about any order.” However, that same mock has Florida State outfielder James Tibbs going in the top-ten selections, while here (in yes a bit of homer manifestation I concede) Tibbs slides to the Red Sox at No. 12.

Tibbs put up massive numbers for the Seminoles this season, with a slash line of .374/.497/.813, and was huge for FSU in the Super Regionals against Connecticut. Tibbs went 2-for-5 with four RBI in their Game 1 win over the Huskies, and then had a massive afternoon in Game 2, going 5-for-6 with four RBI and three home runs, including this two-run shot in the top of the 12th to give FSU the 10-8 lead:

Yes, I am manifesting. But you understand why.

13. San Francisco Giants: Cam Caminiti, LHP, Saguaro HS (AZ)

I know what you are thinking.

No, Cam Caminiti is not Ken Caminiti’s son.

But they are cousins.

The LSU commit has done work both on the bump and at the dish, but his MLB future is likely as a left-handed starting pitcher. Caminiti has four solid pitches, including a fastball that can top out in the upper 90s along with both a curveball and a slider. That fourth pitch is a changeup, which he used more this past season according to scouting reports.

Here is a good look at Caminiti on the bump:

14. Chicago Cubs: Trey Yesavage, RHP, East Carolina

Trey Yesavage missed the AAC Tournament with a partially collapsed lung.

He came back for the Regionals and in Game 2 of the Greenville Regional against Wake Forest he went 7.1 innings, allowing just one run. His counterpart that day? Chase Burns, who lasted just five innings and gave up four runs.

On the year Yesavage went 11-1 with an ERA of 2.02, while holding hitters to a .154 clip.

His slider might be his best pitch, but he can dial it up with the fastball, which gets into the upper 90s.

15. Seattle Mariners: Cam Smith, 3B, Florida State

After hitting just .258 in 2023 for the Seminoles, Smith broke out in a huge way this past season. Smith put up a slash line of .402/.497/.677 for FSU this year, while cutting his strikeout rate from 29% in 2023 to just 16% this past season.

He also enjoyed a strong summer on the Cape, earning Most Outstanding Pro Prospect honors in the Cape Cod league while putting up an OPS of .981.

The draft-eligible sophomore can certainly help his cause in Omaha.

16. Miami Marlins: Seaver King, 3B/OF, Wake Forest

After two standout seasons at Division II Wingate (NC) where he slashed .411/.457/.699 with 11 homers as a sophomore, Seaver King transferred to Wake Forest. He played all over the field for the Demon Deacons this season, seeing time at shortstop, second, third, and in the outfield.

This season he put up a slash line of .308/.377/.577, while showing some pop with 16 home runs. He also has some wood bat experience, having secured MVP accolades in the Valley League in 2022, and hitting .424 with the Harwich Mariners last summer in the Cape Cod League.

His MLB position might be a question mark, and his best fit might be at shortstop, but the bat leads the way.

17. Milwaukee Brewers: Tommy White, 3B, LSU

In the bottom of the 11th inning in a game against Wake Forest in last year’s Men’s College World Series, Tommy “Tanks” White strode to the plate with a berth in the Finals on the line. He was looking for a fastball.

He did not get one.

It did not matter:

White’s walk-off home run capped off an instant classic, and has become part of LSU baseball lore. In fact the play was name the Male Sports Play of the Year by the school, and helped LSU along to a National Title.

While the Tigers’ bid for another championship fell short this year, White certainly held up his end of the bargain, slashing .330/.401/.638. He also hit 24 home runs, marking the third-straight season he left the yard at least 24 times (he belted 27 home runs at NC State in 2022, then 24 in both 2023 and 2024 with LSU).

The Brewers are rumored to be eying college bats with this selection, and White stands out as a very good option.

18. Tampa Bay Rays: William Schmidt, RHP, Catholic HS (LA)

While teams sometimes shy away from high school pitchers in the first round, the Tampa Bay Rays are not one of those teams. Looking through their draft history you see a number of high school arms in the first round, including Blake Snell, Matthew Liberatore, and most recently Nick Bitsko in 2020.

William Schmidt could be their next high school pitcher in the first round, especially if he slides to them at No. 18. Scouts believe he has the best breaking ball in the class, a low-80s “hammer” that has a spin rate over 3,000 and a heater that sits in the mid-90s.

Here are both pitches in action:

He has committed to LSU, but he might be headed elsewhere.

19. New York Mets: Carson Benge, OF, Oklahoma State

According to reports the Mets have been looking at college hitters for this spot, and given how this mock draft has fallen, their eyes turn to Carson Benge. The Oregon State outfielder has put up monster numbers the past two collegiate seasons, slashing .343/.466/.535 during 2023 and showing a bit more pop this past year, posting a slash line of .335/.444/.665 with 18 home runs, more than double his 2023 total of seven.

Benge is also a solid prospect on the bump, as he went 3-1 this season for the Beavers with an ERA of 2.75, and an impressive BA allowed of just .175. However, like some prospects we have already discussed, his future lies with what he can do as a left-handed hitter.

20. Toronto Blue Jays: Walker Janek, C, Sam Houston State

We have our first catcher.

Four catchers are potential first-round picks next month: Walker Janek from Sam Houston State, Malcolm Moore from Stanford, Caleb Lomavita from California, and NC State backstop Jacob Cozart. (For those looking ahead to this weekend’s Men’s College World Series, Cozart is a master when it comes to framing pitches … perhaps too good).

The Toronto Blue Jays have been mentioned as a team that could look to a catcher with this selection, and Janek is the pick here. He hit .281 in the Cape Cod League regular season this past summer with Falmouth, with five home runs. That will certainly help his prospects.

21. Minnesota Twins: Christian Moore, 2B, Tennessee

As you can probably tell there are a host of prospects that will be playing in the Men’s College World Series over the next few days, if not beyond.

One of those is Christian Moore, who helps power a Volunteers lineup that is one of the best in the college game. Moore started his college journey as a DH for the Volunteers, before cracking the lineup at second base. This season he slashed .375/.453/.796, while ripping a career-best 32 home runs. He is one of five everyday players in the Tennessee lineup with an OPS over 1.000, and he has some speed too, as evidenced by the 16 steals a season ago.

22. Baltimore Orioles: Ryan Sloan, RHP, York HS (IL)

Mike Elias has not drafted a high school pitcher since taking over in Baltimore, but if Ryan Sloan falls to this spot, the Orioles GM might just break that streak. Ryan Sloan brings three solid pitches to the table as a prospect: A fastball that hangs in the mid-90s with some upper-90s pop, a solid changeup, and a slider with some good horizontal movement.

You can see all three pitches on display in this cutup of Sloan:

23. Los Angeles Dodgers: Brody Brecht, RHP, Iowa

There was a time when I thought Brody Brecht would be appearing in more football mock drafts than anything else, as he enrolled at Iowa as a wide receiver for the football team as well as his duties on the bump for the Hawkeyes. But after a redshirt season, and playing sparingly the year after that, Brecht left the gridiron behind to focus on his pitching duties.

Probably a smart move.

He led all pitchers with a .143 batting average against during the 2023 campaign, when he finished with a 5-2 record and an ERA of 3.74. He went 4-3 this season with an ERA of just 3.33, while hitters managed a .165 average against him in 2024.

He has drawn some comparisons to Paul Skenes thanks to a fastball that can hit triple digits, and a slider with some snap. You can see both pitches here:

A lofty comparison to be sure, but one that will certainly grab some attention.

24. Atlanta Braves: Billy Amick, 3B, Tennessee

Earlier we discussed the potent Volunteers lineup that features five everyday players with an OPS above 1.000. Christian Moore, the second baseman, is one of those players.

Billy Amick is another.

Amick slashed .313/.392/.678 this past season for Tennessee, leading to that OPS north of 1.000. The third baseman also belted 23 home runs, behind only Moore on the Volunteers’ roster. A solid weekend in Omaha could see his stock move even higher than the back end of the first round.

25. San Diego Padres: Slade Caldwell, OF, Valley View (AR)

A.J. Preller has drafted a high school player in the first round of the last seven MLB Drafts.

Will he make it eight?

Slade Caldwell was the Gatorade Arkansas high school Player of the Year as a junior in 2023, when he hit .512 with five home runs. Described as his high school coach as a “true five tool player,” Caldwell can be a menace on the base paths with a left-handed swing that can spray line drives to all fields.

26. New York Yankees: Kash Mayfield, LHP, Elk City (OK)

The New York Yankees are likely to select the best bat available, unless one of the top arms falls to them.

In this scenario, one of the top arms indeed falls to them.

Kash Mayfield helped Elk City to the state semifinals in 2023, and he was named Gatorade’s Oklahoma high school Player of the Year as a result. That season he finished with a 9-1 record and a 0.75 ERA across 46 2/3 innings of work. In that span, he fanned 109 batters and walked only 13, allowing 18 hits in total. But after taking the summer off he exploded this spring, he truly made a name for himself at the Super 60 Pro Showcase in February, where he showed improved velocity on his fastball.

During the 2023 season his fastball was in the mid- to upper-80s, but starting with the Super 60 Pro Showcase and into his spring season it was hitting in the mid- to upper-90s. Add in a solid changeup and a curve that he commands well, and you have starter stuff in the big leagues.

27. Philadelphia Phillies: Dakota Jordan, OF, Mississippi State

The Philadelphia Phillies dipped into the high school market with their first-round selection a year ago, drafting Aidan Miller out of J. W. Mitchell High School in Florida.

They could dip back into the high school market, and if the board fell this way Theo Gillen out of Westlake High School in Texas would be an option, but here we have the Phillies adding Dakota Jordan from Mississippi State. The left-handed hitting outfielder put up big numbers for the Bulldogs this season, slashing .354/.459/.671 with 20 home runs, doubling the number he posted a season ago.

Another consideration with Jordan? He might still be learning how to use his speed. He was a three-star WR recruit coming out of high school and planned on playing receiver for Mississippi State, and also ran track while in high school.

But speaking of speed, his bat speed stands out. Watch how quick he gets his hands around on this home run from the Charlottesville Regional:

That’s pretty quick.

28. Houston Astros: Kaelen Culpepper, SS, Kansas State

As a sophomore in 2023 Kaelen Culpepper slashed .325/.423/.576 for the Wildcats, but there were concerns about his power projection when he struggled a bit this past summer in the Cape Cod League. Playing for the Harwich Mariners, Culpepper hit just .270 with a .318 Slugging Percentage, as his three doubles were his only extra-base hits.

But Culpepper moved to shortstop for this past season, ahd showed the ability to handle the defensive parts of the position while continuing to improve at the plate. This year he slashed .324/.416/.570 with 11 home runs, a career-high number. He may never be a 20+ HR player in the bigs, but could be a consistent 15-20 HR player with the ability to hit for average.

29. Arizona Diamondbacks: Malcolm Moore, C, Stanford

Thanks to the MLB Draft rules, the Arizona Diamondbacks have three picks clustered together, starting with this selection at No. 29 overall. With Corbin Carroll winning National League Rookie of the Year the Diamondbacks will be on the clock again at No. 31, and then they will be on the clock again at No. 35, in the “Competitive Balance Round.”

So they have a lot of freedom with this pick to explore the studio space.

Catcher Malcolm Moore from Stanford could be an option. Moore put up a slash line of .255/.414/.553 this year, which does not jump off the page, but the tools are there for him to be a more consistent hitter. He showed that during his first season at Stanford, when he slashed .311/.386/.564, and the power has been there both season, as he belted 15 home runs in 2023 and another 16 home runs this past season.

30. Texas Rangers: Jurrangelo Cijntje, RHP/LHP, Mississippi State

You read that right.

Jurrangelo Cinjntje is a natural left-hander, but wanted to be like his dad, who was a right-handed pitcher in the Netherlands. So he would put on his dad’s right-handed glove and start to throw.

He first became known worldwide as a member of Curacao’s team at the 2016 Little League World Series, where his switch-pitching ability drew lots of eyeballs. As a right-handed hurler he operates with a fastball that can get into the upper 90s, while that same pitch left-handed is more of a low-90s heater.

For fun, here is an overlay of Cinjntje throwing a fastball with both arms:

Also if you are wondering, his glove is a custom design that he can change on the fly:

His best stuff comes as a right-hander, so do not be surprised if he focuses on that going forward. But he is certainly an intriguing prospect.

Golf Talk Today: U.S. Open Rd. 2 Tee Times, Pinehurst causes carnage golf,talk,today,u,s,open,rd,tee,times,pinehurst,causes,carnage,sbnation,com,golf,us-open-golf,golf-majors,golf-pga-tour,golf-news

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Welcome to Playing Through’s new morning ritual — Golf Talk Today.

Each morning will feature a Golf Talk Today, where the crew will discuss various elements throughout the PGA Tour, LPGA, LIV Golf, and more.

It’s Friday at the 124th U.S. Open. The round 2 tee times are below, but let’s also discuss how much damage Pinehurst No. 2 did on Thursday.

So brew a pot of coffee, grab some breakfast, and settle in as we get you ready for the second round of the U.S. Open.

Pinehurst No. 2 put a beating on the U.S. Open field

Among the 156 players who teed off on Thursday, 15 are in red figures, and a total of 33 golfers are at even par or better. Pinehurst No. 2 brought the heat, and some of the biggest names in golf fell victim to the carnage.

Big numbers posted by prominent players:

Phil Mickelson: 9-over, 79
Viktor Hovland: 8-over 78
Sahith Theegala: 7-over 77
Justin Thomas: 7-over 77
Harry Higgs: 6-over 76
Will Zalatoris: 5-over 75
Tiger Woods: 4-over 74
Shane Lowry: 4-over 74
Dustin Johnson: 4-over 74

Best quotes from Thursday at The U.S. Open

“It’s really diabolical out there. It was a testament to the patience I had,” Bryson DeChambeau said about the difficulty of Pinehurst No. 2.

“It sort of brings me back to links golf when I was a kid a little bit. The greens are a bit more sort of slopey and there’s a bit more movement on them. But there are options. You can chip it. You can putt it. I’d love if we played more golf courses like this,” Rory McIlroy said on why he loves Pinehurst.

“He’s a strike show. That’s the first time I ever played with him actually… He’s far from a rookie. He’s not even your average first guy playing in a major championship. He’s been on some of the biggest stages already and has shown he’s going to be a world-class player. It was a joy to watch,” Tony Finau said about playing with Ludvig Åberg.

U.S. Open Round 2 Tee Times (ET):

* — Denotes 10th hole start

6:45 a.m. – Greyson Sigg, Grant Forrest, (a) Wells Williams

*6:45 a.m. – Jason Scrivener, Brandon Robinson Thompson, (a) Brendan Valdes

6:56 a.m. – Chesson Hadley, Mark Hubbard, Adam Svensson

*6:56 a.m. – (a) Santiago de la Fuente, Sam Bairstow, Eugenio Chacarra

7:07 a.m. – Beau Hossler, Victor Perez, Adam Schenk

*7:07 a.m. – Kurt Kitayama, Taylor Moore, Christiaan Bezuidenhout

7:18 a.m. – Robert MacIntyre, Nick Taylor, Mackenzie Hughes

*7:18 a.m. – Jason Day, Harris English, Tom Kim

7:29 a.m. – Tyrrell Hatton, Tommy Fleetwood, Tom Hoge

*7:29 a.m. – Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele, Scottie Scheffler

7:40 a.m. – Bryson DeChambeau, Viktor Hovland, Max Homa

*7:40 a.m. — Brian Harman, Nick Dunlap, Wyndham Clark

7:51 a.m. – Sepp Straka, Peter Malnati, J.T. Poston

*7:51 a.m. – Hideki Matsuyama, Jon Rahm, Jordan Spieth

8:02 a.m. – (a) Gordon Sargent, Jake Knapp, Cameron Young

*8:02 a.m. – Shane Lowry, Keegan Bradley, Martin Kaymer

8:13 a.m. – Chris Kirk, Billy Horschel, Adam Scott

*8:13 a.m. – Akshay Bhatia, Eric Cole, Erik van Rooyen

8:24 a.m. – Ben Kohles, Denny McCarthy, (a) Ben James

*8:24 a.m. – Brendon Todd, Taylor Pendrith, Alex Noren

8:35 a.m. – Frankie Capan III, Andy Svoboda, (a) Luke Clanton

*8:35 a.m. – Thomas Detry, Brian Campbell, (a) Jackson Buchanan

8:46 a.m. – Harry Higgs, (a) Hiroshi Tai, Brandon Wu

*8:46 a.m. – Taisei Shimizu, (a) Gunnar Broin, Maxwell Moldovan

8:57 a.m. – Joey Vrzich, Chris Naegel, Otto Black

*8:57 a.m. – Sung Kang, Riki Kawamoto, John Chin

12:30 p.m. – Rico Hoey, Tom McKibbin, Matteo Manassero

*12:30 p.m. – Michael McGowan, Carter Jenkins, Logan McAllister

12:41 p.m. – Dean Burmester, Rikuya Hoshino, Seamus Power

*12:41 p.m. – Frederik Kjettrup, Christopher Petefish, (a) Parker Bell

12:52 p.m. – S.H. Kim, Justin Lower, Tim Widing

*12:52 p.m. – (a) Omar Morales, Max Greyserman, Casey Jarvis

1:03 p.m. – Lucas Glover, Sam Burns, Cameron Smith

*1:03 p.m. – Corey Conners, Stephan Jaeger, Emiliano Grillo

1:14 p.m. – Will Zalatoris, Matt Fitzpatrick, Tiger Woods

*1:14 p.m. – Ryo Ishikawa, Francesco Molinari, Sergio Garcia

1:25 p.m. – Patrick Cantlay, Matt Kuchar, Russell Henley

*1:25 p.m. – Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Brooks Koepka

1:36 p.m. – Tony Finau, Ludvig Åberg, Dustin Johnson

*1:36 p.m. – Rickie Fowler, Adam Hadwin, Phil Mickelson

1:47 p.m. – Justin Rose, Gary Woodland, Webb Simpson

*1:47 p.m. – Min Woo Lee, Sahith Theegala, Nicolai Højgaard

1:58 p.m. – Daniel Berger, Ryan Fox, David Puig

*1:58 p.m. – Si Woo Kim, Matthieu Pavon, Sungjae Im

2:09 p.m. – Byeong Hun An, Sam Bennett, Edoardo Molinari

*2:09 p.m. – Nico Echavarria, Robert Rock, (a) Neal Shipley

2:20 p.m. – Austin Eckroat, Adrian Meronk, Cam Davis

*2:20 p.m. – Takumi Kanaya, (a) Stewart Hagestad, Mac Meissner

2:31 p.m. – Aaron Rai, Davis Thompson, Ga.; Zac Blair

*2:31 p.m. – Isaiah Salinda, (a) Bryan Kim, Jim Herman

2:42 p.m. – Willie Mack III, Richard Mansell, (a) Ashton McCulloch

*2:42 p.m. – Carson Schaake, Charles Reiter, (a) Colin Prater

ICYMI: Top stories from the 1st Round of the U.S. Open

Check out these stories:

U.S. Open Day 1 Winners, Losers: Rory McIlroy, Patrick Cantlay lead; Phil Mickelson falters

An authentic Bryson DeChambeau details “diabolical,” mentally exhausting day at U.S. Open

Rory McIlroy posts strong, disciplined U.S. Open start; has history on his side

Jon Rahm’s U.S. Open replacement taking full advantage of opportunity at Pinehurst

LIV Golf’s Brooks Koepka hilariously entertains fans by reading mean tweets directed at him

Patrick Cantlay relies on short-game wizardry to grab early control of U.S. Open

Tiger Woods teases fans, then falters to begin U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2.

Ludvig Åberg makes promising U.S. Open start with excellent veteran-like score

Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, be sure to follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.

Jon Rahm’s U.S. Open fill-in taking full advantage of opportunity jon,rahm,s,u,s,open,fill,in,taking,full,advantage,of,opportunity,sbnation,com,golf,us-open-golf,golf-majors,golf-pga-tour,golf-news,liv-golf

Jon Rahms US Open fill in taking full advantage of opportunity
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When Jon Rahm withdrew and closed the door on his chances of winning another U.S. Open on Tuesday, another door opened for Jackson Suber.

Suber, who attended Ole Miss and has missed four straight cuts on the Korn Ferry Tour, took Rahm’s spot in the field as the first alternate at Pinehurst No. 2. He has since taken full advantage of the opportunity.

The former Ole Miss Rebel shot an impressive 1-under 71 in his major championship debut, all while playing alongside Jordan Spieth and Hideki Matsuyama in one of the featured groups. It’s an impressive accomplishment for anyone, let alone someone who has played in only two events on the PGA Tour.

Yet, the most remarkable aspect of Suber’s performance was not the round itself—instead, it was the rollercoaster he had to take just to become an alternate in this year’s field.

Suber posted 7-under par at the 36-hole final qualifier in Rockville, Maryland. No doubt a solid score, but it was not good enough. He missed a spot in the U.S. Open by a stroke and instead had to go to a 3-for-2 playoff to determine two alternate spots.

“In that qualifier, I had a six-footer on the last hole, and ended up missing that to get to a playoff [for a final spot],” Suber explained.

Jackson Suber hits from a bunker during the first round of the 2024 U.S. Open.
Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images

“I went into the playoff and was pretty bummed but ended up on the third hole making a 50-foot putt for birdie, while my opponent missed a five-footer. It was a very roller coaster week, just like this has been. I heard that I had a chance to get in, almost be the last man in the field, and then ended up being the first alternate with how things shook down at the Memorial. It’s just been a roller coaster.”

He then arrived in Pinehurst, North Carolina, on Sunday evening, hoping somebody would pull out to give him a chance. If nobody did, he had a flight booked to Wichita, Kansas on Tuesday evening for this week’s tournament on the Korn Ferry Tour.

But in a weird twist of fate, one of the biggest stars in professional golf turned Suber’s hopes into a reality.

“I was on the 8th hole, and I got a tip from someone. They said Rahm was pulling out. I wasn’t sure yet, but I was freaking out,” Suber said.

“No. 8 and 9 didn’t get much done in my practice round. When we were on the 9th, we started getting announcements, and my phone started blowing up; people were asking me if I was getting in, and then I called Reese from the USGA pretty quickly and tried to figure out what was going on and if I was going to be playing.

“That was just a really cool moment, especially to figure out I’m getting in the tournament out on the golf course and then be able to call my family and people around me who help me so much. It was a really special moment.”

Since Rahm withdrew after the USGA released the pairings for this year’s tournament, Suber slid in alongside Spieth and Matsuyama.

Best of all, Suber beat them both on Thursday, finishing in red figures while the two major champions failed to break par.

“I talked to Hideki and his caddie a little bit and talked to Jordan and [his caddy] Michael [Greller], as well, and my caddie talked to them, too,” Suber said about playing with Spieth and Matsuyama.

“There wasn’t a ton of chatter, but there were a couple of conversations here and there, and it was good to talk to them. They’re good people.”

Suber managed to score in red figures, but he still had an up-and-down day on Thursday—much like the rollercoaster ride he has experienced as of late.

Over his first five holes, Suber made par, bogey, birdie, bogey, birdie; a stressful yet entertaining way to begin your U.S. Open and sit at even par through five.

He then made a birdie at the par-3 9th, thanks to a tremendous tee shot that landed four feet from the stick. Another birdie at the short par-4 13th followed.

Then, Suber dropped a pair of shots at the 14th and 15th holes. But he bounced back with a birdie at the 523-yard par-4 16th. Like his opening few holes, and his last couple of weeks for that matter, he enjoyed quite the rollercoaster on the back nine, too.

“I always believed I could do this. You never know if you’re actually going to do it, but I feel like I always knew that this was in me,” Suber said.

“I didn’t know if it was going to happen because nothing in life is for sure, but I was going to give it my best chance. I worked hard to be here and feel like I just need to keep working hard and stay humble.”

Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.

Caitlin Clark doesn’t want to be held responsible for the worst takes about her caitlin,clark,doesn,t,want,to,be,held,responsible,for,the,worst,takes,about,her,sbnation,com,front-page,wnba,womens-sports,all-womens-sports,wnba-content,dot-com-grid-coverage

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Media sessions have been a crowded event for the Fever this season, but it’s had little to do with the on-court performance of one of the league’s worst teams. Instead, it’s often been about Caitlin Clark and the storylines that have followed her, from Chennedy Carter’s hard foul to the rookie sensation being left off Team USA.

Thursday was no different. Cameras flocked to Gainbridge Fieldhouse not because the Fever were returning home for the first time in two weeks, but because of another storyline about Clark away from the court.

During Fever shootaround on Thursday morning in Indiana, Clark was asked by Jim Trotter of The Athletic for her thoughts on her name being used in “culture wars” that have largely sparked up recently after she was left off the U.S. Olympic roster heading to Paris, creating a firestorm of reactions from fans to politicians alike.

While her response to questions about that could be viewed as an attempt to avoid further stoking the flames, it didn’t do much to smother them, either.

Clark has reiterated multiple times throughout her rookie season that she is both not on social media, and does not communicate much with those around the league, outside of former Iowa teammate Kate Martin. Her focus has been on her Fever teammates and working on improving on the court.

But if one felt like that answer left something to be desired, they weren’t alone. In fact, Dijonai Carrington of the Connecticut Sun took particular issues with Clark’s response and tweeted about it.

To be clear — and to push back on some more bad faith narratives — not every WNBA player feels that way. In an appearance on “Podcast P with Paul George,” Dallas Wings forward Satou Sabally offered empathy for Clark.

“It’s really, really hard to put that much pressure on a young woman to be a spokesperson for things that the United States, and really globally and historically, we have struggled with as an entire society,” Sabally said. “Can you talk about white privilege? Yes you can. But do you have to be the spokesperson for that? I don’t think so. If that doesn’t come from her, I think it’s unfair to put that burden on someone.”

It’s also entirely believable that Clark hasn’t seen much of the debate or culture wars surrounding her name, considering how little she says she is on social media. But it’s also entirely fair to expect more out of her in denouncing any sort of bigotry as well.

While Clark may not be responsible for how her name is used, it’s also naive to ignore how it’s been used and what has happened to those who have fallen into her orbit this season. Even if Clark doesn’t regularly use social media, the likes of the Sky’s Chennedy Carter and Carrington, who also went somewhat viral on Monday in her game against the Fever after mocking Clark following a foul call, do.

And those players have been subjected to some of the most extreme nastiness that comes with being online. They’ve been the ones that have dealt with the racism and bigotry that Carrington tweeted about. The Sky, for example, had a man wait outside their hotel to harass them as they exited the bus just days after Carter’s hard foul against Clark.

Even Clark’s teammate Aliyah Boston found herself in the crossfire. After struggling to start the season, Boston deleted her social media off her phone due to all the hate levied her way.

All of this has long since crossed the line past normal basketball discourse to become something much worse. Chiney Ogwumike, a former WNBA player turned analyst for ESPN, has offered impassioned pleas on multiple occasions, speaking out against the polarization around the league. The conversation has veered away from sports and into far more serious discussions about race, gender and sexuality, with Clark’s name right at the center of many of them.

Clark didn’t ask to be involved in so much of this. She didn’t ask to be fouled by Carter. She didn’t ask to be left off Team USA. And she isn’t asking for her name to be used in those aforementioned culture wars, either.

But while Clark can sit back and not hear the noise, many around her, friend or foe, don’t necessarily have that luxury. And silence from Clark not only doesn’t help the issue, it could be perceived by some as a silent endorsement of the actions.

Posed with a chance to address the topic again prior to Thursday’s game against the Dream, Clark had a much stronger response to a question from James Boyd of The Athletic.

Given the benefit of hindsight, Clark likely would have gone with the second response to the first question to avoid the situation. Whether the delay was a matter of realizing she needed to word her answer better, or the more direct question leading to a more clear, direct response, Clark’s comments pregame were much more forceful, even if they still likely won’t satisfy those who feel she hasn’t done enough to call out those using her name to fuel racist and homophobic narratives.

It’s also worth remembering that Clark is going through all of this for the first time. She’s a 22-year-old rookie who was thrust into the spotlight for the WNBA. She’s been cast into a role as a spokesperson for issues that existed long before her, and may not yet be comfortable with that status.

College offered a sort of insulation that led to her not being quite at the center of these matters as often, save for perhaps her showdown in the national title game against Angel Reese and LSU.

But Iowa is in her past. Clark is one of the faces of the WNBA and, fair or foul, her words — or, in some cases, her lack of them — are under a new level of scrutiny. It’s the blessing and the curse of living a dream in the public eye.

Clark shouldn’t be responsible for the worst takes about her. But as she seemingly learned on Thursday, silence about them isn’t the correct approach either.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude.