News continuously got worse for the Los Angeles Angels over the past few months after it was revealed that two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani needed surgery on his elbow, and Tuesday his doctor said he won't be able to pitch until 2025. Will the news affect trade discussions and contract negotiations in the offseason?
Another week in the NFL, another star player goes down for the season. Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb, one of the NFL's best at the position, suffered a gruesome injury on "Monday Night Football" and it was revealed later that he will miss the remainder of the season.
We also have some developments to get to regarding some of the coverage from last week. Michigan State University has begun the process of firing football coach Mel Tucker, and the Columbus Blue Jackets are out a coach after Mike Babcock resigned over the invasion of privacy allegations from last week.
NFL
Nick Chubb out for season with knee injury
The Cleveland Browns suffered a major loss on "Monday Night Football," and it really had nothing to do with the score, but that didn't help either. Star running back Nick Chubb has been ruled out for the season after suffering a "significant" knee injury in the second quarter of the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Chubb took a hit from Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, who was later injured in the game and needed to be evaluated at the hospital, and players immediately called for the trainers to attend to the running back. The Browns went on to lose 26-22 thanks to two defensive touchdowns by Pittsburgh, and one of which came late in the fourth quarter to give up the lead. According to reports Wednesday, the Browns are bringing back free agent running back Kareem Hunt on a one-year deal.
In other news:
- Police investigating after ex-NFL player Sergio Brown's mother found dead
- Autopsy shows Patriots fan died from medical issue
- Giants' Saquon Barkley sprains ankle in comeback victory
MLB
Angels shut Ohtani down for the season
In a rather disastrous season for the Los Angeles Angels, who has postseason aspirations coming into the MLB season, two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani was the lone bright spot in 2023. He put together an unbelievable season, posting a 1.066 OPS at the plate and a 3.14 ERA on the mound. But his stat lines will end there, as the Angels announced that Ohtani will not play again this season after placing him on the 10-day injured list on Saturday. Ohtani underwent elbow surgery on Tuesday, and his doctor said he expects him to be ready to hit by the start of the 2024 season, but pitching won't come until 2025. Plenty of questions swirl around the superstar's future, but the biggest question remains a simple one. What jersey will Ohtani be wearing next season?
Orioles, Rays clinch playoff berths
No division in baseball has put together more wins than the AL East, and two teams were rewarded with guaranteed spots in the playoffs on Sunday. The Baltimore Orioles and Tampa Bay Rays, who sit first and second atop the division, respectively, clinched playoff berths thanks to a loss by the Texas Rangers. It's the fifth year in a row that the Rays have made the playoffs, and the first time since 2016 that the O's have made it, and they do it with the second-best record in baseball (as of Tuesday night), behind only the powerhouse Atlanta Braves. Both wild-card races will be fun to watch down the stretch, but in the American League, an 80+ win team is going to miss out on the postseason. That will either be the Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners or, in the most unlikely of cases, the Houston Astros.
In other news:
- Twins place shortstop Carlos Correa on IL
- Padres pull Blake Snell after 7 no-hit innings
- Red Sox fire Chaim Bloom after 4 seasons
- Bartolo Colón officially retires with Mets
- Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright reaches 200 wins
NHL
Mike Babcock resigns amid investigation into phone photos scandal
In last week's newsletter, we reported on the allegations against Columbus Blue Jackets coach Mike Babcock after reports emerged detailing some unusual antics in closed-door meetings with players. Former NHL player Paul Bissonnette said in an interview that Babcock asked to see pictures off of captain Boone Jenner's phone during a meeting and displayed them via AirPlay on his office wall. A number of players, including Jenner himself, came to the defense of Babcock and clarified that it was not an invasion of privacy. However, the NHL Players Association launched an investigation, which resulted in Babcock's resignation on Sunday. “Our players deserve to be treated with respect in the workplace," NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh said. "Unfortunately, that was not the case in Columbus."
In other news:
- Bruins name Brad Marchand captain
- Wild re-sign Calen Addison to 1-year deal
- Lightning’s Steven Stamkos ‘disappointed' by lack of extension talks
College Sports
MSU announces it intends to fire Mel Tucker
In another continuation from last week, Michigan State University announced Monday that it has begun the process of firing head football coach Mel Tucker after allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced last week. The accusations came to light last weekend when a USA Today report cited public speaker and rape survivor Brenda Tracy saying that Tucker "made sexual comments about her and masturbated" during a phone call in April 2022. MSU suspended Tucker without pay, but the coach denied that any type of sexual harassment occurred, saying that the phone call Tracy spoke about an "entirely mutual private event between two adults." Tucker has seven calendar days from the announcement to provide reasons to Michigan State athletic director Alan Haller as to why he should not be terminated.
In other news:
- LSU's Greg Brooks undergoes surgery to remove brain tumor
- Dartmouth coach Buddy Teevens dies after March bike crash
- Colorado outlasts Colorado State 43-35 in double overtime
NBA
Lakers, Jarred Vanderbilt agree to 4-year, $48M extension
The Los Angeles Lakers and forward Jarred Vanderbilt agreed to a four-year, $48 million extension, according to reports Friday. The Lakers confirmed the extension Monday but did not disclose the terms. Los Angeles acquired the defensive-minded Vanderbilt before the trade deadline last season from the Utah Jazz, and he played a key role in the team's push to the play-in tournament. The 24-year-old averaged 7.2 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 26 games (24 starts) after joining the Lakers. He averaged a career-high 7.9 points per game in 2023 between the two teams.
In other news:
- Dwight Howard to reportedly meet with Warriors next week
- Kelly Oubre Jr. expected to sign 1-year deal with 76ers
- Cavs president Koby Altman faces impaired driving charge
Quick Hits
- Aces Wild: Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson had 38 points, 16 rebounds, three steals and four blocks, to power Vegas through the first round of the WNBA playoffs against the Chicago Sky, setting up a date with the Dallas Wings in the semifinals. Her performance makes her the first player in any WNBA game with a stat line of 35/15/3/3.
Sports Report Quiz
- Jarred Vanderbilt's ______ points per game in all of 2023 (Lakers and Jazz) was a career high.
- Michigan State football coach Mel Tucker has seven calendar days to provide reasons to MSU athletic director _____________ as to why he should not be fired.
- The last time the Baltimore Orioles made the playoffs was in ________.
- Browns running back Nick Chubb suffered a "significant" knee injury when he was hit by Steelers safety _______________.
Be sure to check out next week's edition of the Sports Report to see the correct answers!
Answers from last week's quiz: 1) Indiana Fever 2) Jordan Whitehead 3) Spittin' Chiclets 4) 51