Sports
Steve Cohen: Mets will never have captain with me as owner
Aug 14, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets owner Steve Cohen stands on the field before a ceremony to honor first baseman Pete Alonso (not pictured) for breaking the Mets all time home run record before a game against the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images After a tumultuous year that involved ongoing speculation about clubhouse camaraderie and leadership, Mets owner Steve Cohen is starting off the new season by making his thoughts clear on naming a team captain in New York.
“As long as I’m owning the team, there will never be a team captain,” Cohen said Monday during his annual spring training news conference. “That was my decision. My view is the locker room is unique, and let the locker room sort it out year in, year out.”
After signing star outfielder Juan Soto to the richest contract in league history in December 2024, the Mets endured a disappointing 2025 season. They finished 83-79 and in second place in the National League East behind the Philadelphia Phillies but fell just outside of the wild-card race, missing the playoffs.
Last season’s struggles brought up speculation about strife in the locker room over, among other issues, whether players like star shortstop Francisco Lindor, outfielder Brandon Nimmo, first baseman Pete Alonso or others should take on more of a leadership role, including the potential of naming a team captain.
This season’s clubhouse will be without Alonso, who signed with the Baltimore Orioles as a free agent, and Nimmo — formerly the longest-tenured player on the Mets — who was traded to the Texas Rangers.
Starting pitcher David Peterson is now the player who’s been wearing the Mets’ uniform the longest, entering his seventh season in New York. He and 10-year veteran lefty Sean Manaea, who is coming up on his third season with the Mets, are two pitchers who could be in the mix when discussing leadership positions.
Away from the mound, new additions with potential for captain-like roles include infielders Marcus Semien, who came over in the trade for Nimmo, and Bo Bichette and Jorge Polanco, who were signed via free agency in the offseason.
“The way I see it, the way we see it, is we have a bunch of guys that are part of that leadership group,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “We lost a few guys that were a part of that group. And then we gained some guys that have done that. When you’re talking about a major-league locker room, you need to have not only one guy, but a few guys. That’s what makes teams great.”
Cohen, who has owned the Mets since 2020, said he has “felt that way all along” about the captaincy and pointed out that it is unusual for MLB teams to have a designated captain.
Only the New York Yankees (Aaron Judge) and Kansas City Royals (Salvador Perez) currently have captains.
The Mets have not had a team captain since David Wright served in the role from 2013-18 and have only had three others in team history: Keith Hernandez, Gary Carter and John Franco.
For his part, Manaea attempted to deflect questions on the topic.
“With a captain, without a captain, we still have to play baseball, win baseball games,” Manaea said. “I don’t think anyone having a ‘C’ on their chest really impacts that. It’s the day in, day out of everyone doing their routines and jobs. I respect everyone in this room, and I hope everyone does the same for me because that’s the camaraderie we want to build.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Yale head coach Tony Reno steps down, cites health concerns
Oct 16, 2021; East Hartford, Connecticut, USA; Yale Bulldogs head coach Tony Reno yells to an official during the first half against the Connecticut Huskies at Rentschler Field at Pratt & Whitney Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images Tony Reno stepped down as head coach at Yale on Tuesday, citing health reasons for the end of his 14-year run with the Bulldogs.
Reno, 52, was hired as the coach of the Bulldogs in January 2012 and led the team to its first FCS playoff berth in 2025. He helped Yale overcome a 28-point deficit in the second half of a 43-42 victory over Youngstown State in the first round before the team fell to eventual national champion Montana State in the second.
“Given my current health situation, I have made the decision to step down as head coach of Yale Football,” Reno said in a statement. “When I arrived at Yale 14 years ago, I could never have imagined what this journey would become. The relationships formed, the moments shared, and the people I have been privileged to be surrounded by have changed my life and my family’s lives forever. I am deeply grateful to the players, the coaches, and the staff who gave everything they had to Yale Football.
“From the very beginning, I spoke about honoring the proud tradition of Yale Football and fully embracing the responsibility that comes with leading this program. Together, we pursued excellence and built something truly meaningful. I am incredibly proud of the foundation we laid and confident in the future of Yale Football. Serving as the head coach of this program has been the greatest honor of my life.”
Reno has guided Yale to five Ivy League titles and owns an 83-49 record during his time with the school. His win total trails only the legendary Carm Cozza in the history of the university.
“Coach Reno’s leadership has been truly transformational,” Bulldogs athletic director Vicky Chun said. “His impact on Yale Football, our department, and the university extends far beyond championships and wins — it lives in the countless people he has inspired. Coach Reno led with integrity, humility, and an unwavering commitment to excellence, giving his whole heart to this program every day. He cared deeply about his players as people, challenging them to excel on the field, in the classroom, and in life. Coach Reno’s devotion to Yale and to the young men he coached was total, and his legacy will endure for generations.”
Yale immediately will begin a national search for the program’s next head coach.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Brooks Koepka adds Houston Open to return tour
Brooks Koepka looks over his putt on the 16th hole during Round 2 at the WM Phoenix Open on Feb. 6, 2026, at TPC Scottsdale. As Brooks Koepka carefully plots his path back to relevance on the game’s biggest stages, his return to the PGA Tour continues to provide a boost for the tour’s second-tier events.
The Texas Children’s Houston Open announced that Koepka has committed to the March 26-29 event along with Rickie Fowler and defending champion Min Woo Lee. Other marquee names who have committed to the Houston Open field include two-time 2026 winner Chris Gotterup, No. 26-ranked Si Woo Kim, Gary Woodland, Sungjae Im and Will Zalatoris.
However, it’s Koepka who will have the most on the line at Memorial Park Golf Course, which he played a significant role in helping re-design along with architect Tom Doak.
Koepka made his return to the PGA Tour with a tie for 56th at the Farmers Insurance Open earlier this year. He followed that up with a missed cut at the WM Phoenix Open, as he has drifted back to 257th in the Official World Golf Ranking.
Currently ineligible for the tour’s signature events as well as The Players Championship, Koepka is attempting to work his way back up the world and FedEx Cup rankings through the second-tier events. His next start will come at the Cognizant Classic (Feb. 26-March 1), which the West Palm Beach, Fla. native considers his hometown event.
The Houston Open will serve as a warm-up to The Masters, which takes place April 9-12, and Koepka is exempt into all four majors through at least 2028.
The nine-time tour winner will return to the Houston Open for the first time since 2021.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Reports: Dominic Smith signs minor league deal with Braves
Sep 6, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; San Francisco Giants designated hitter Dominic Smith (7) is congratulated in the dugout by teammates after scoring against the St. Louis Cardinals in the fourth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Vizer-Imagn Images Journeyman first baseman Dominic Smith has joined the Braves’ spring training camp as a non-roster invitee on a minor league contract, according to multiple media reports.
Smith, 30, is a former first-round pick by the New York Mets in the 2013 MLB Draft. He played his first six seasons with the Mets, but has bounced between teams since, playing for the Washington Nationals, Boston Red Sox, Cincinnati Reds and San Francisco Giants in the last three seasons.
In 2025, Smith played 63 games with the Giants, hitting .284 with five home runs, 12 doubles and 33 RBIs.
Smith hit a career-best .316 with 10 homers in 50 games during the COVID-shortened 2020 season with New York. Over 756 games spanning nine seasons, Smith has a .250 career batting average with 69 homers, 292 RBIs, 543 strikeouts and 185 walks.
He’s played 473 of his games at first base but also played 182 games in left field, although he hasn’t played there since 2021.
–Field Level Media
Anthropic releases Claude Sonnet 4.6: Benchmark performance, how to try it
YouTube is down. Heres what we know.
