Sports
Dodgers destroy Marlins 20-4 as Ohtani notches first 50-50 season
Sep 19, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) hits a two-run home run against the Miami Marlins during the sixth inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images Shohei Ohtani became the first player in MLB history to reach 50 home runs and 50 steals in the same season as his Los Angeles Dodgers clinched a playoff berth with a 20-4 beatdown of the host Miami Marlins on Thursday afternoon.
Ohtani went 6-for-6 with 10 RBIs, three homers, two doubles, two steals and four runs.
He got to 50-50 with an opposite-field homer in the seventh inning, earning a standing ovation from the crowd in Miami.
Ohtani nearly hit for the cycle, as well, but he was thrown out at third trying to stretch one of his two doubles into a triple.
He finished the night with 51 homers — a new Dodgers single-season record, breaking Shawn Green’s mark of 49 in 2001 — and 51 steals.
The Dodgers, who have made the playoffs 12 straight years, got solid pitching from Jack Flaherty (13-7). He went six innings, allowing five hits, two walks and three runs. He is 3-0 in three career starts in Miami, and his 13 wins this season are a career best.
Marlins starter Edward Cabrera (4-8) took the loss after wildness limited him to just 2 1/3 innings. He walked five, hit a batter, and gave up four hits in surrendering seven runs.
Miami right fielder Griffin Conine — the son of “Mr. Marlin” Jeff Conine — had a stellar game with a two-run homer, two diving catches and one assist on a double play.
Los Angeles opened the scoring in the first inning. Ohtani doubled and stole third by sliding under the tag that awaited him. Ohtani then scored on Will Smith’s sacrifice fly.
Both teams scored one run in the second inning. Ohtani hit an RBI single and Miami’s Jake Burger hit a 417-foot homer.
But the Dodgers broke the game open with a five-run third inning. They loaded the bases with one out on a hit-by-pitch, Tommy Edman’s single and Max Muncy’s walk. Two straight RBI walks by Gavin Lux and Andy Pages knocked Cabrera out of the game.
Reliever Anthony Veneziano entered and allowed Chris Taylor’s sacrifice fly and Ohtani’s two-run double. However, shortstop Xavier Edwards’ relay throw cut down Ohtani at third.
In the fifth, Otto Lopez singled and Conine homered to cut Miami’s deficit to 7-3.
The Dodgers then put the game away with Ohtani’s two-run homer in the sixth and a five-run seventh inning that featured Ohtani’s second two-run blast.
Los Angeles poured on six more runs in the ninth with Marlins infielder Vidal Brujan on the mound. Ohtani belted his third home run 440 feet to make it 17-3, Edman hit a two-run single and Muncy drove in the 20th run.
Nick Fortes homered in the bottom of the ninth for the Marlins.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: NFL analyst Ryan Clark laid off by ESPN
Dec 29, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; ESPN MNF broadcaster Ryan Clark shown on set prior to the game between the Los Angeles Rams against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images In the first of another round of layoffs at ESPN, the network parted ways with NFL analyst and former NFL standout Ryan Clark on Monday.
The move occurred as Clark, who has been with ESPN for 11 years, was on the air during “NFL Live.” Sources told The Athletic that Clark was told of the decision during the broadcast and the outspoken 13-year former NFL safety did not finish the program.
Clark’s departure had been rumored since February and those rumors ramped up last week, according to The Athletic.
The Emmy-Award winning Clark was earning about $2 million per year.
ESPN sources told Sports Business Journal the move was planned for Tuesday, but the network was receiving media inquiries and feared the news would leak out before they could inform Clark.
Disney, the parent company of ESPN and the NFL Network, is expected to cut ties with additional on-air ESPN personnel, and a larger number of NFL Network employees, as soon as Tuesday.
ESPN acquired NFL Network in February, giving the NFL a 10% stake in ESPN. The deal was valued at approximately $3 billion.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Fresh off extension, Connor Bedard eyes Blackhawks' playoff return
Apr 13, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard (98) looks to pass the puck against the Buffalo Sabres during the first period at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images Connor Bedard doesn’t know exactly what he’ll be able to do physically when the Chicago Blackhawks open training camp in the fall.
The young star forward is sure of one thing, though. Chicago is interested in nothing other than getting back to the playoffs for the first time since the turn of the decade.
“We want to take a big step this year. We want to be a playoff team and that’s our only goal,” Bedard said Monday in his first meeting with reporters since signing a five-year, $75 million contract extension Saturday.
Bedard, who turned just 21 on Friday, was the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2023 and the Calder Memorial Trophy winner the ensuing season as the NHL’s rookie of the year.
Hailed as the top prospect to enter the league since Connor McDavid, Bedard has played three solid seasons for the Blackhawks, collecting career highs in goals (30), assists (45) and points (75) in just 69 games in 2025-26.
One thing the Blackhawks have yet to produce in the Bedard era is a winning season. But they have climbed from 52 points in Bedard’s rookie season to 61 in 2024-25 to 72 last year.
The playoff drought reached six years, dating back to the end of Patrick Kane’s tenure in town. Bedard, though, likes what his franchise did to improve this offseason, starting with the acquisition of Colorado Avalanche defenseman Bowen Byram.
“We’ve had a great, great summer,” Bedard said. “Obviously getting Bo, he’s someone who’s going to be one of the best D-men in the league. He’s always shown that, but when you play behind Cale (Makar) and (Rasmus) Dahlin (with the Sabres), it’s not easy to take their spots, so just for him to have that opportunity to be that one and prove himself in that way and he’s going to do it. He’s one of the most skilled players in the league.”
He also pointed to the additions of veteran forward Jordan Greenway and defenseman Ian Cole, among others.
But one more potential signing would be the biggest splash of all in Chicago: a reunion with Kane.
After the Blackhawks traded Kane to the New York Rangers late in the 2022-23 campaign, the highest-scoring U.S.-born player in NHL history went on to play three seasons with the rival Detroit Red Wings. Kane, still producing goals at 37, is one of the top free agents still available.
“I don’t know what I can say to persuade his decision, but we’d all be so excited to have a player like that but also a guy like that.
“I can’t imagine his first game back at (Chicago), just the reaction he’d get and how much juice that would bring not only to our team but our fans as well. That would be incredible to get to play with him and learn from him.”
Kane underwent surgery for a left shoulder injury on July 8 and was given a four-month timetable for his return. That would place him back on the ice in early November; the regular season begins in late September rather than the usual October start due to the expansion to an 84-game schedule.
Kane didn’t rule out beating the four-month timeline.
“We’ll see,” he said. “… I’m just going to do everything I can day-to-day to try to get back as quick as possible.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Former Bucs S Jordan Whitehead cleared to play
Sep 29, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Jordan Whitehead (3) warms up before a game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New York Jets safety Jordan Whitehead, whose career has been put on hold since he was injured in a two-vehicle car crash in early 2025, has been cleared to resume football activities, per a Monday report from NFL Network.
A member of Tampa Bay’s 2020 Super Bowl-winning squad, Whitehead was cleared to restart his career following neck surgery by his surgeon and the Philadelphia Eagles’ spine specialist Alex Vaccaro.
The veteran safety has already received some interest from teams, working out for the Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans.
Whitehead, 29, has been out of football since he was seriously injured in the automobile crash on Jan. 4, 2025. A former fourth-round pick of the Bucs in 2018, Whitehead spent two years with the Jets in 2022-23 before returning to Tampa Bay in 2024.
He has career numbers of 11 interceptions, 557 tackles and 45 passes defensed in 105 games (101 starts).
–Field Level Media
Report: NFL analyst Ryan Clark laid off by ESPN
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