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Ethan Hedges homers twice to lift USC baseball past Saint Mary’s

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Saint Mary’s coach Eric Valenzuela knew who he didn’t want to beat him.

Before Saturday night’s matchup with USC, Valenzuela named Ethan Hedges as the scariest hitter in the Trojans’ lineup even though the midseason All-American hadn’t played to the same standard in the second half of the season.

Hedges was hitting .415 with 22 extra-base hits, including 11 home runs, and 39 RBIs through USC’s first 32 games. Since April 8, Hedges had lacked the same electricity. Over a 25-game span, he batted .247 with just five extra-base hits and 17 RBIs.

Still, the fear was there for opposing coaches. Hedges showed why Saturday.

He broke out with a two-homer performance, including the go-ahead long ball, to power USC to a 6-4 victory and into the Corvallis Regional final. The Trojans (37-21) are one win away from their first super regionals appearance since 2005.

USC’s Adrian Lopez forces Saint Mary’s Diego Castellanos out at first base on Saturday.

(Shotgun Spratling / For The Times)

“He was just in situations where we really had to go after him a little bit,” Valenzuela said. “I mean, if you make a mistake to a good player like that, he’s going to make you pay for it, so he hurt us today.”

Hedges provided the opening salvo, sending a hanging slider clanging off the barely occupied metal bleachers in left-center field for a first-inning solo homer. USC coach Andy Stankiewicz saw it as a positive sign Hedges may be rounding back into his first-half form at the right time.

“He uses the middle of the field so well. That’s his strength,” Stankiewicz said. “But we’ve been talking about if a slider or off-speed stays middle in, go ahead and get some good ball flight to the pull side.”

When Hedges recognized the pitch’s spin and saw it up in the zone, he punished it, driving the ball an estimated 399 feet to the left-center field bleachers.

USC left-hander Mason Edwards pitched an efficient 5⅓ innings, needing just 64 pitches before he was removed after giving up his sixth hit.. Two of those cleared the Goss Stadium wall, giving Saint Mary’s (36-25) an early 3-1 lead, but USC showed the resiliency that has been a key element of the program under Stankiewicz the last three years.

“Throughout this year, we’ve had a lot of ups and downs,” Hedges said. “But we know with each other, we’re right where we want to be and have the guys to do it.”

With two outs and seemingly no momentum in the fourth inning, USC’s Abbrie Covarrubias got on base by beating out a high chopper to shortstop. Freshman Augie Lopez tied it two pitches later when he demolished a fastball, putting it on top of the scoreboard in right-center field.

Mason Edwards pitches for USC.

USC pitcher Mason Edwards delivers against Saint Mary’s in the Corvallis Regional on Saturday.

(Shotgun Spratling / For The Times)

Hedges’ second blast of the game — a fifth-inning fastball he smacked over the right-center field — gave USC a 4-3 lead.

The Trojans led 5-3 heading into the eighth when things got dicey. Saint Mary’s loaded the bases with a pair of soft singles to right field and a four-pitch walk. A sacrifice fly brought Gaels three-hole hitter Aiden Taurek to the plate. USC ace reliever Brodie Purcell got Taurek to ground into a fielder’s choice, but then Stankiewicz made the intriguing decision to pull the right-handed Purcell, the Trojans’ workhorse out of the ‘pen all season, in favor of left-hander Caden Hunter despite a right-handed hitter due up.

“When he came to the mound, I said, ‘This is why you came here.’ He had a big smile on his face and said, ‘Absolutely man, let’s go.’ said Stankiewicz, who mentioned Hunter’s ability to attack with more velocity as an impetus for the move.

USC's Abbrie Covarrubias tags out a player attempting to steal base.

USC’s Abbrie Covarrubias tags out Saint Mary’s Cody Kashimoto on a stolen base attempt on Saturday.

(Shotgun Spratling / For The Times)

Hunter, who had worked as a starter this season until the last couple weeks, struck out Saint Mary’s cleanup hitter Ryan Pierce on a 95-mph fastball after pumping multiple 96- and 97-mph offerings — his hardest pitches of the season — earlier in the count. The Trojans added an insurance run in the bottom half of the inning before Hunter dismissed Saint Mary’s final three hitters to collect his first Division I save, putting the Trojans on the doorstep of advancing to a super regional and being one of the final 16 teams remaining.

“We’ve heard coach say 1,000 times that it’s time to get this program back to where it has been,” Hedges said, “and I think this year we’ve really got all the pieces to do that. We’ve shown that we have the talent to do that.”

USC advances to the Sunday night regional final at 7 p.m. PDT, where it will await the winner of Sunday afternoon’s 3 p.m. matchup between top-seed Oregon State and No. 4 seed Saint Mary’s. If USC were to lose Sunday, a winner-take-all game will be played Monday.



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USC Trojans Lose To Oregon State In Corvallis Regional Final, Now Face Elimination

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The USC Trojans lost to the Oregon State Beavers on Sunday night 14-1. USC had a chance to clinch a spot in the 2025 NCAA Tournament Super Regionals but were no match for the Beavers. The Trojans will have another chance on Monday. USC was one of the last teams to make the NCAA tournament field and now they are just one win away from advancing. 

With the victory, Oregon State forced a decisive game seven at the Corvallis Regional, which will be played Monday at 3 p.m. PT on ESPNU. The winner advances to play Florida State in an NCAA Super Regional.

The Oregon State Beavers on the other hand are the No. 8 overall seed in the entire NCAA tournament field and are the hosts of this Corvallis Regional. Oregon State lost their opening game against Saint Mary’s on Friday, but proceeded to win their next two against TCU on Saturday and then their rematch against St. Mary’s Sunday afternoon before dominating USC in the night cap.  

May 31, 2025; Corvallis, OR, USA; USC pitcher Caden Hunter (22) throws the ball in the ninth inning against Saint Mary's at t

May 31, 2025; Corvallis, OR, USA; USC pitcher Caden Hunter (22) throws the ball in the ninth inning against Saint Mary’s at the NCAA Corvallis Regional at Goss Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images / Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Bottom 9th: Oregon State 14, USC 1

Schwartzberg pops out to shortstop.

Riske hit into fielders choice.

Hedges struck out.

Higgins singled to center.

Top 9th: Oregon State 14, USC 1

Macias grounds out.

Reeder struck out swinging.

Singer reaches on infield single. Arquette scored.

Caraway walked. Arqeutte to third. Turey to second

Weber flies out to right.

Turley walked. Arqeutte to second.

Arquette singles to center.

Bottom 8th: Oregon State 13, USC 1

Elliot strikes out.

Martinez struck out looking.

Basseer struck out swinging.

Top 8th: Oregon State 13, USC 1

Tait struck out swinging.

Peterson doubles. Singer scored.

Macias flied out.

Reeder flied out.

Singer doubled. Caraway scored.

Caraway walked.

Bottom 7th: Oregon State 11, USC 1

Lopez strikes out.

Covarrubias beats out infield single. Hedges to second.

Lopez strikes out swinging.

Higgins struck out swinging.

Hedges singles to right.

Top 7th: Oregon State 11, USC 1

Weber hit into double play.

Turley singles to center. Peterson scored. Arquette to second.

Arquette reaches first on fielders choice. Talt out at second. Macias scores. Peterson to third.

Talt walked. Macias to third. Peterson to second.

Peterson reaches first on a bunt single. Macias to second.

Macias walks.

Bottom 6th: Oregon State 9, USC 1

Higgins strikes out.

Tejeda grounds out to first. Lopez to third. Basseer to second.

Martinez strikes out looking.

Basseer singles to left.

Lopez walks.

Top 6th: Oregon State 9, USC 1

Reeder flies out to right.

Singer lines out.

Caraway homered to left. Arquette and Turley scored.

Weber struck out swinging.

Turley walks.

Arquette advances to second.

Arquette singles to left field.

Bottom 5th: Oregon State 6, USC 1

Covarrubias strikes out swinging.

Lopez strikes out looking.

Martin-Grudzielanek strikes out.

Hedges walks. Tejeda to third. Higgins to second.

Higgins singles to right. Tejeda to second.

Tejeda singles to left.

Top 5th: Oregon State 6, USC 1

Talt grounds out to first.

Peterson reaches first on infield single.

Macias struck out swinging.

Reeder strikes out swinging.

Bottom 4th: Oregon State 6, USC 1

Basseer to second on wild pitch. Martinez strikes out looking.

Basseer singles to right.

Lopez flies out.

Covarrubias flies out.

Top 4th: Oregon State 6, USC 1

Singer strikes out looking.

Caraway strikes out looking.

Weber hits into force out. Arquette to third. Turley out at second.

Turley walks.

Arquette advances to second.

Arquette singles to left.

Bottom 3rd: Oregon State 6, USC 1

Lopez grounds out to first.

Hedges strikes out swinging

Martin-Grudzielanek grounds out.

Top 3rd: Oregon State 6, USC 1

Dalt grounds out to second.

Peterson walks.

Macias walks.

Reeder strikes out swinging.

Singer sacrifices to the pitcher, Caraway to third. One out.

Caraway doubles to right center. Weber scores.

Weber doubles to left center.

Turley homers to left.

Bottom 2nd: Oregon State 4, USC 1

Higgins in for Dowd, flies out to left.

Tejada reaches first on infield single. Martinez to thrid on error.

Martinez singles to left. Basseer scores.

Basseer triples to center.

Lopez strikes out swinging.

Covarrubias grounds out to short.

Top 2nd: Oregon State 4, USC 0

Arquette strikes out swinging.

Talt out on squeeze bunt. Macias scores. Peterson to third. Two outs.

Peterson singles to center. Reeders scores. Macias to third. Peterson advances to second.

Macias reaches on bunt after fielders choice comes home. Not in time, Caraway scores. Reeder to second.

Reeder beats out bunt single. Weber scores. Caraway to third with one out.

Singer sacrifice bunt to pitcher. Weber to third. Caraway to second.

Caraway hits infield single. Weber to second.

Weber singles to center.

Bottom 1st: Oregon State 0, USC 0

Lopez pops out to first.

Martin-Grudzienlanek strikes out.

Hedges doubles to right. Dowd out at home.

Dowd singles to right.

Top 1st: Oregon State 0, USC 0

Turley strikes out swinging.

Arquette flies out to right.

Talt grounds out to second.

MORE: USC Trojans Could Face More SEC Teams If Brian Kelly Gets His Way

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May 31, 2025; Corvallis, OR, USA; USC head coach Andy Stankiewicz takes questions after a game against Saint Mary's at the NC

May 31, 2025; Corvallis, OR, USA; USC head coach Andy Stankiewicz takes questions after a game against Saint Mary’s at the NCAA Corvallis Regional at Goss Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images / Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

The Trojans won each of their two games so far at the Corvallis Regional against the TCU Horned Frogs on Friday and the Saint Mary’s Gaels on Saturday, advancing to the championship Sunday night. 

With this regional being a double elimination and USC not having lost a game yet, the Trojans will have two opportunities to advance. Their first opportunity was Sunday night. Even with the loss, they will be back at it tomorrow in a winner take all against these same Oregon State Beavers.

The USC Trojans have had one of the most successful programs in the history of college baseball. USC has appeared in the College World Series 21 times and won it 12 times. The. However, it has been a long time since the Trojans had this type of success. Their last College World Series appearance came in 2001, with 1998 being their last championship.

The last decade of USC baseball has especially been difficult. By making the NCAA tournament this season, USC snapped a tournament drought that dated back to 2015. Furthermore, USC had a Super Regional appearance dogfight that goes back 20 years to the 2005 season. 

This 2025 season, USC has an overall record of 37-21 and a Big Ten conference record of 18-12. They finished fourth in the Big Ten in their first season as a member of the conference. 



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UCLA baseball crushes Fresno State in NCAA regional opener

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Michael Barnett flipped a weighted baseball into his hand and threw it against the side of the strength-training room next to UCLA’s clubhouse.

Jostling through folding tables, water coolers, television stands and a postgame news conference podium, he resumed his starting pitcher routine, as he would for any start, moving inside the weight room to stretch his right arm with resistance bands.

The junior right-hander’s pregame obstacle course — navigating university staffers, media and more — before trotting down to the bullpen, was outside of the ordinary. Friday afternoon at Jackie Robinson Stadium was different — from the energy on the concourse to the noise from the dugouts and ultimately, the power from the Bruins’ bats.

Hosting its first regional since 2019, national No. 15 seed UCLA posted season highs for hits and runs in a dominant, 19-4 victory over regional No. 4 seed Fresno State.

“It wasn’t the cleanest game — it didn’t feel like the cleanest game,” said UCLA coach John Savage, “but at the end of the day, at this time of the year, you win any way you can and certainly we did that today. So it was a good win.”

A six-run, seventh-inning sent the Bulldogs unknowingly waving a white flag. UCLA first baseman Mulivai Levu’s line drive off the left-field wall cleared the loaded bases to provide the Bruins with a 12-2 lead. Fresno State’s nine players dejectedly walked off the field, as if they’d been walked off in a mercy-rule defeat.

But the field crew reminded the Bulldogs that in the NCAA tournament, no matter how many runs you trail by, both teams play nine innings. The Bruins still had seven more runs to score in the eighth inning Friday.

It wasn’t Big Ten player of the year Roch Cholowsky — the 20-year-old who dreamed of Omaha when he chose the Bruins over entering the MLB draft — who led the offensive barrage that gave UCLA a 4-0 lead in the first inning. The middle of the UCLA lineup helped produce a rally as they had all year.

Los Angeles, CA - May 30: UCLA outfielder Dean West (36) hits into the outfield.

UCLA’s Dean West makes contact during the Bruins’ blowout win over Fresno State on Friday.

(Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times)

Levu — who led the Bruins in regular-season RBI with 74 and led UCLA with five RBI against Fresno State — singled into left field to start the rally. Cleanup hitter Roman Martin brought home the first run of the game with a single into left. Payton Brennan and Blake Balsz (who tallied his third-career, three-hit game) connected for back-to-back RBI base hits, solidifying a lead as the Bulldogs awaited the walk back to the dugout for a mid-inning reprieve.

“The nice part about today is I was just trying to simplify everything and trust that my teammates are gonna pick me up,” Balsz said.

Before Fresno State starting pitcher Jack Anker knew it, UCLA strung together four runs in the blink of an eye, creating distance against the Mountain West champions they never made up.

Martin connected for a third-inning solo home run — his seventh of the year — while Balsz joined his teammate with multiple RBI after a run-scoring single a few batters later.

“One of the huge things we talked about, one of our offensive goals is to score first, and that’s really a huge momentum shift for us,” Martin said. “It definitely kind of took a little bit off, especially during our first playoff game, kind of eased us into it a little bit.”

UCLA tagged Anker for six earned runs and 10 hits across five innings, holding the Bulldogs junior who entered the game averaging 10.5 strikeouts-per-nine innings to just two punchouts. The two strikeouts were the second-fewest Anker forced against an opposing team this season.

UCLA pitcher Michael Barnett delivers during the first inning Friday.

UCLA pitcher Michael Barnett delivers during the first inning Friday.

(Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times)

Barnett’s outing on the mound was an obstacle much like his routine before toeing the Jackie Robinson Stadium mound. The sinkerballer struggled with command against the Bulldogs, throwing just 40 strikes among 74 pitches, and lasted just 4⅓ innings before UCLA coach John Savage pulled Barnett with runners on the corners and one out in the fifth.

Southpaw Chris Grothues, a junior in his first season of high-leverage pitching opportunities, broke Barnett out of the inherited jam with a 3-6-1 double play to end the inning. Grothues then spun a scoreless sixth — placing the Bruins in cruise control for the rest of the contest, earning the victory.

“They did a really good job against Barnett,” Savage said, adding that he felt lucky to be up 6-2 entering the seventh. “Our bullpen did a nice job. Grothues came in, got that double play. That was a big play — the 3-6-1 — that was a big momentum swing.”

Cholowsky, who also led the nation in wins-above-replacement with 6.36, according to D1Baseball, still collected two hits Friday.

Leadoff hitter Dean West was hit by a pitch three times by Bulldog pitchers, the last of which brought home a run to make it 9-2 in the bottom of the seventh.

Brennan hit a two-run home run in the eighth, while catcher Cashel Dugger also pulled a solo home run over the right-field wall for the Bruins’ 15th run.

UCLA advanced to the winner’s bracket and will face Arizona State on Saturday at 6 p.m. PDT. The Bruins split a midweek season series against the Sun Devils. Arizona State defeated UC Irvine 4-2 on Friday.



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Klay Thompson Pays Tribute to Dog Rocco After Pet’s Death, ’13 Glorious Years’

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Klay Thompson has officially shared a tribute for his pet Rocco.

The Dallas Mavericks forward took to Instagram to share a slideshow tribute for his dog, who passed away earlier this week at 13.

Thompson referred to Rocco as a “dynasty dog” and said that he appreciated the “13 glorious years” he had with him.

Thompson has had Rocco throughout his NBA career and his furry friend experienced many high’s alongside his owner. Thompson was a five-time All-Star and won four NBA Championships during Rocco’s lifetime.

Thompson’s father, Mychal, was the first to share the news of Rocco’s passing on Wednesday. Klay Thompson’s tribute showed fans some experiences he had alongside Rocco and even noted that he had a habit of popping some basketballs.

The tribute also showed some shoes that pay tribute to Rocco, which should be able to help keep the bulldog’s spirit alive.





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Klay Thompson suffers heartbreaking tragedy as first Mavericks offseason begins

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Dallas Mavericks’ newcomer Klay Thompson has enjoyed a long NBA career as one of the league’s most beloved stars. As a quiet member of Golden State’s 2010s dynasty, fans were drawn to Thompson’s personable attitude and electric playstyle. Thompson often shied away from the spotlight, instead earning the respect of fans with his laid-back attitude and hobbies of boating and spending time with his dog, Rocco.

Thompson’s heart is heavy this week, as Rocco passed away last week at the age of 13. Rocco, an English Bulldog, was adopted by Thompson during his rookie season. Rocco, who has over 60k Instagram followers, became an NBA sensation alongside Thompson, as the Warriors legend often included Rocco in press conferences, promotional content, and social media posts.

The duo was inseparable, and Mavericks fans and NBA fans alike have heavy hearts as Thompson goes through this hard time. Mavericks fans fell in love with Thompson’s game last season due to his electric 3-point shooting and ability to get hot within minutes, and his first full offseason as a Maverick is beginning with a challenge he must overcome.

Klay Thompson faces pivotal offseason without Rocco by his side

To many, Rocco wasn’t just a pet but a reflection of Thompson himself.

In a heartwarming moment, Thompson told GQ that Rocco, whose full name is Sir Rocco Von Thompson, was his “number one essential.” Thompson explains further that Rocco was his first pet and accompanied Thompson on his frequent outdoor activities. Thompson even carved out time in his pregame routine to play with Rocco.

On ESPN’s “Mason and Ireland” show, Klay’s father Mychal Thompson revealed that the younger Thompson put Rocco down. Mychal said that Rocco led a “great, long life,” but added that, while they are devastated, “it was time.”

In many ways, Rocco embodied what NBA fans loved about Thompson.

Rocco and Klay are both often described as chill, loyal, and most frequently found hanging out on a boat. Rocco adopted Klay’s effortlessly cool vibe in a modern NBA and dog owner culture where everyone appears to be obsessed with “aura” and perfectly choreographed social media feeds. There were no publicity stunts from either Thompson; they both won over the NBA community’s hearts with their authenticity.

There are few things as heart-wrenching as making the decision to put down a dog, particularly for Thompson, who had such a special relationship with his dog. Rocco was Thompson’s “loyal steed” for his entire NBA career and was Thompson’s rock when he missed two seasons with back-to-back season-ending injuries. Rocco was Klay’s best friend, and he sadly won’t have him by his side anymore.

Thompson will have to grapple with his recent loss this offseason. The five-time All-Star has faced many challenges in his career, but perhaps none as difficult to manage as losing Rocco. In the aforementioned GQ interview, Thompson said to Rocco, “You’ll always hold a special place in my heart, buddy.”





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Klay Thompson mourns beloved bulldog Rocco on social media

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Klay Thompson’s beloved English bulldog, Rocco, has died after 13 years alongside the Dallas Mavericks guard.

Thompson mourned Rocco in an Instagram post Friday, memorializing their time together and wishing him well in the afterlife.

“I’m gonna miss Rocco a lot, 13 glorious years with my boy,” Thompson wrote. “I know he’s in doggy heaven poppin somebody’s ball. A great dynasty dog he was. Thank you for all the sweet messages! All dogs go to Heaven!”

Rocco rose to prominence during Thompson’s run as part of the Golden State Warriors’ dynastic Splash Brothers duo, endearing himself to fans as the All-Star guard’s close companion.

Thompson referenced the bulldog as his No. 1 essential in a 2019 interview with GQ Sports.

“He’s a loyal steed,” Thompson said. “And he’s the first pet I’ve ever owned, so Rocco you’ll forever hold a special place in my heart buddy.”

Rocco even had his own Instagram page that featured photos of himself and Thompson, with over 60,000 followers.

Mavericks center Dereck Lively II, Los Angeles Dodgers first basemen Enrique Hernandez and rapper G-Eazy were among those to pay tribute to Rocco in the comments of Thompson’s post. The Warriors also eulogized Rocco with a post.





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Clayton Kershaw isn’t what he was — but the Dodgers need him all the same

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CLEVELAND — The flecks of gray in Clayton Kershaw’s beard matched the overcast Ohio sky as the 37-year-old lefty readied himself atop the mound.

At home plate stood Guardians leadoff man Steven Kwan, who was just 8 years old when the Dodgers drafted Kershaw in June 2006. For the first time in the third start of his 18th MLB season, the future Hall of Famer launched into his trademark herky-jerky windup. The fastball clipped the top of the zone, but was called a ball. Then came the more sobering truth, displayed on the Progressive Field scoreboard beside a smiling headshot of Kershaw:

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89 miles per hour

Two decades ago, Kershaw was a can’t-miss prospect who regularly threw 95. The second strikeout of his career, for instance, came on a 97 mile-per-hour heater. But time, and the ailing it brings, has chipped away at Kershaw’s power. He has not touched 95 since Game 7 of the 2017 World Series. On Wednesday, in Los Angeles’ 7-4 defeat against Cleveland, he topped out at 90.6 and averaged 89.4.

Such humbling realities come for every hurler, every human. The aches of aging are a bittersweet blessing — the price and the gift of still being here. That Kershaw is even playing at 37 is an accomplishment. But even in this reduced state, he can still be a useful, competent starter.

A battered Dodgers rotation means L.A. needs quality innings out of 37-year-old Clayton Kershaw. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

(Elsa via Getty Images)

That was on display against the Guardians’ tame offense, as Kershaw covered five innings while surrendering just one run. It was an act of survival. He gave up six hits. He worked behind in counts. His command wavered. But he dodged disaster. If not for a Los Angeles bullpen implosion, Kershaw would have tallied career win No. 213 on Wednesday.

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And for a Dodgers team forced to overcome a thinned-out, injury-riddled staff, Kershaw’s small step forward was a welcomed development. In a twist few saw coming, this star-studded roster suddenly needs everything Kershaw can give them.

That would have seemed preposterous when Kershaw re-joined the team on Feb. 13 after waiting out a free agency that always pointed toward Chavez Ravine. Having added Blake Snell and Roki Sasaki to join a staff featuring Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow and a host of others, Los Angeles had accumulated an embarrassment of riches on the pitching side.

Kershaw, fresh off two winter surgeries and the worst statistical season of his career, was an afterthought. At least from an on-field perspective. The legendary lefty was a clubhouse fixture for the Dodgers as they stampeded through October, even though he did not appear in a game after Aug. 30. He spoke at the World Series parade, triumphantly proclaiming that he planned to remain a Dodger for life.

But it was no secret, given his statistical decline, that this comeback was more for Kershaw than it was for the Dodgers. Anything he could give them would be a nice bonus. The Cooperstown-bound hurler had earned his tenure, but the team was not planning to rely on Kershaw as it had year after year, October after October.

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“I think any baseball player would wanna go out on their own terms.” Kershaw said on MLB Network last week before his first start of the year. “For me, I just didn’t want an injury to be the reason that I stopped playing.”

Kershaw has always thirsted for control. His meticulous pregame routine is the stuff of legend. Baseball’s randomness forces its participants to learn to let go, to surrender agency. Kershaw has always resisted that. The hurler of a generation was never going to slink away quietly.

But a barrage of Dodgers pitching injuries has placed the spotlight on Kershaw once more. Los Angeles currently has 14 hurlers on its big league injured list. Yamamoto, the NL Cy Young favorite, and red-headed righty Dustin May are the only still-healthy starters from the club’s Opening Day roster. Kershaw has made three starts since his return from a pair of offseason surgeries. The first was a five-run stinker at home against the Angels, the second a rain-marred two-inning outing in Queens that offered no real insight into his progress.

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But on Wednesday against Cleveland, the Big Guy battled. It was a far cry from the dominance of his prime, but Kershaw navigated his way through with guts and savvy. Still, Kershaw didn’t seem encouraged afterward.

“I think I’ve created some bad habits, you know, just with not feeling my best,” Kershaw told reporters afterward. “I haven’t pitched in a while, you know, I haven’t pitched in a long time. So there’s just some growing pains, I think, with the first few. Physically, feel great. Just keep throwing and figuring it out.”

It’s possible that Kershaw, with more reps, rediscovers some form. Only two seasons ago, he led the 2023 Dodgers in innings, finishing with a 2.46 ERA. He achieved that mark despite a fastball that averaged 90.7. But he ended that campaign with a disastrous implosion in the NLDS against Arizona. That winter, he underwent shoulder surgery, the first surgery of his career.

There’s reason to hope things get better. There’s also reason to doubt it ever will. The Dodgers have no choice but to give him the chance to find out.

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“Still trying to find his way, wasn’t his best stuff,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after the game. “Willed himself through five innings.”

It is inspiring and sobering to watch this version of Kershaw. Nobody stays young forever. Father Time, undefeated, comes for us all. That feeling is universal. To watch him rage against the dying of the light is an admirable act of defiance. The golden glow of his Cooperstown-bound legacy casts this version of him in sepia tones — familiar, venerable, but unmistakably aged.

It’s strange to hear Roberts describe Clayton Kershaw as someone “finding his way.” For nearly two decades, Kershaw was the way — the standard, the pillar. It’s a reminder that the Dodgers skipper is talking about a completely different version of Kershaw.

The Dodgers will take whatever this version can give them.



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Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Jac Caglianone, Shane Bieber and Thairo Estrada

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FANTASY BASEBALL WAIVER WIRE PICKUPS

Jac Caglianone (1B Royals): Rostered in 20% of Yahoo leagues

Let’s wish this into existence.

The hope was that the Royals were calling up Caglianone when they dropped Cavan Biggio from the roster on Sunday, but they chose John Rave instead. Three days earlier, they cut Hunter Renfroe but replaced him with an infielder in Nick Loftin. Whether it’s offense or, more likely, defense, the Royals don’t think Caglianone is quite ready, at least not as an outfielder. He has to be close, though.

Caglianone was the sixth overall pick in last year’s draft after a stellar run at the University of Florida. While he was also a legitimate prospect as a pitcher, there was no doubt he was being drafted for his bat, which produced 68 homers in 137 games in his final two years in school. He opened this year in Double-A and hit .322/.394/.553 in 38 games. The Royals just recently promoted him to Triple-A Omaha, where he’s opened up 12-for-37 with five homers. Overall, he’s hit .323/.389/.593 with 14 homers in 216 plate appearances.

Never having played anywhere other than first until this year, Caglianone remains a novice in the outfield, He’s started two games in left and 10 in right, where his excellent arm should help make up for his lack of range. Obviously, he still needs more work out there. He needs it almost as much as the Royals need his bat in the middle of their lineup.

Caglianone should be a future 30-homer guy for the Royals, even while playing half of his games in arguably MLB’s toughest home run park for lefties. Kauffman is actually a fine hitter’s park on the whole, but because homers are the biggest part of his game, it will probably take away from Caglianone’s numbers some. Still, Caglianone isn’t a big strikeout guy for as hard as he swings; he’s fanned just 20.4 percent of the time this season. He should be worth using in mixed leagues as soon as he’s promoted.

Shane Bieber (SP Guardians): Rostered in 29% of Yahoo leagues

Making his way back from last April’s Tommy John surgery, Bieber is set for his first of several rehab starts Saturday. He probably won’t make his return to the Guardians rotation until the end of June, but it’ll likely be too late by then to add him in mixed leagues.

Of course, we don’t know exactly which Bieber we’ll be seeing this year. The 2023 version was a far cry from the AL Cy Young Award winner of 2020, as his strikeout rate dropped significantly for a third straight year and he wound up with a 3.80 ERA. It looked like a turnaround was in store last year, as he followed up an impressive spring by pitching 12 scoreless innings with 20 strikeouts in his first two starts. But that’s when his elbow gave out.

That Bieber worked hard to reclaim some of his lost velocity probably played a role in last year’s injury. It’s certainly too much to expect him to come out firing now like he did last spring, though anything is possible. If he’s in 2023 form, that’s still a useful pitcher, too. Pitching in Cleveland helps limit his homer totals, and he’s always done well in terms of WHIP. There are no guarantees with a pitcher returning from surgery, but Bieber’s a good enough bet to be worth the roster/IL spot a month ahead of his debut.

Thairo Estrada (2B Rockies): Rostered in 6% of Yahoo leagues

Signed over the winter to replace Brendan Rodgers at second base in Colorado, Estrada is finally ready to make his Rockies debut 10 weeks after a Kumar Rocker pitch left him with a broken wrist. That he’ll play regularly isn’t in doubt. How much running he’ll do will be the determining factor in whether he proves useful in mixed leagues.

Never much of a basestealer in the minors, Estrada surprised everyone by swiping 21 bases in 27 tries while emerging as a useful fantasy infielder with the Giants in 2022., He followed that up with an even better 2023 in which he was 23-for-30 stealing bases, even though he missed nearly a quarter of the season. Last year, though, everything came crashing down for Estrada. He hit just .217/.247/.343 and was 2-for-4 stealing bases in 96 games before finishing the year in the minors.

The two reasons for optimism now is that Estrada’s exit velocity numbers last year were basically the same as the previous two seasons, and he’s gone from a tough park for hitters to the best in baseball in Coors Field. He’s still probably not going to make more than modest contributions in the non-SB categories, but if he gets back to doing some running — and there’s really no reason for him not to on a team as bad as the Rockies are — he’ll probably be helpful as an MI in 12-team leagues.

Waiver Wire Quick Hits

– Camilo Doval remains available in 46% of Yahoo leagues after being returned to the closer’s role by the Giants this week. He’s probably going to be a top-20 and maybe a top-10 RP the rest of the way.

– Gavin Lux probably isn’t a long-term guy in mixed leagues, but the Reds have six home games next week, with at least five of those coming against righties, and Lux is hitting in the cleanup spot with Austin Hays on the IL. As a one-week option, he makes plenty of sense.





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Arizona Beats Cal Poly, 3-2, in Eugene Regional Opener

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EUGENE, Ore. — The Arizona Wildcats (40-18) moved into the winner’s bracket at the Eugene Regional with a 3-2 win over the Cal Poly Mustangs (41-18) on Friday afternoon at PK Park.

Arizona’s offense was powered by an RBI triple from first baseman Tommy Splaine and a two-run home run from left fielder Easton Breyfogle, both of which came in back-to-back at-bats in the second inning. The Wildcats did not collect another hit over the remainder of the game but hung on to secure the 3-2 victory.

Starting pitcher Owen Kramkowski earned the win to improve to 9-5 on the year after issuing his second straight quality start. The tall right-hander worked 7.0 innings and allowed just one run while striking out seven.

Arizona closer Tony Pluta entered in the ninth inning and slammed the door on the Mustangs, picking up his 13th save of the season.

Arizona WildBATS

Bullpen Bullies

Number of the Day

  • Pluta’s save was his 13th of the year, tying him with Jason Stoffel for the program’s single-season record.

    • His 15 career saves are tied for third most all-time.

Photo of the Day

Easton Breyfogle

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Next Up

Arizona moves into the winner’s bracket and will play the winner of tonight’s game between Oregon and Utah Valley tomorrow night at 6:00 p.m. MST.
 





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NCAA Baseball Tournament: TV schedule, score updates for Austin Regional

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Even with storm damage to UFCU Disch-Falk Field, the NCAA Baseball Tournament began Friday afternoon in Austin.

After a strong start for the Texas Longhorns (43-13) to the home-based regional, the wheels fell off late Saturday. Texas held a 6-1 lead against UTSA, but collapsed in an 9-7 loss to push the second-seeded Longhorns to the brink of elimination.

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Texas beat Kansas State on Saturday, needing to win three games in two days to advances past the 62nd regional in program history.

You may remember that the Horns were on an extended rest after being bounced in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals, a 7-5 12-inning loss to Tennessee. The defeat in the tournament continued a wild month of May for the Longhorns, who were swept by Arkansas, lost two of three to Florida and squeezed out a series win against Oklahoma.

The Longhorns beat Houston Christian to open play and old Big 12 rival, Kansas State. Next up is a rematch with UTSA, which has beaten Texas twice in 2025.

GOLDEN: Texas baseball’s season is on the brink after non-clutch loss to UTSA

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MORE: NCAA Baseball Tournament: The ABCs of the Austin Regional

The winner of this weekend’s group will play either No. 15 UCLA, UC Irvine, Arizona State or Fresno State in the Austin Super Regional.

Here is the schedule of games for the Austin Regional:

More: NCAA Baseball Tournament bracket: What to know about Texas’ opponents at Austin Regional

More: Why Texas’ Max Belyeu and Ruger Riojas may loom large in 2025 NCAA Baseball Tournament

NCAA Baseball Tournament schedule for 2025 Austin Regional

Friday

  • UTSA beat Kansas State 10-2

Saturday

  • Game 3: Kansas State beat Houston Christian 7-4 (loser eliminated)

More: How Rylan Galvan turned embarrassment into excellence, became Texas baseball star

Sunday

Monday

  • Game 7: UTSA vs Texas, (If necessary)

How to watch Texas baseball

The games for the regional matchups in Austin will be broadcast on platforms including ESPN, SEC Network and ESPN+.

When is the 2025 CWS? Here’s the NCAA Baseball Tournament full schedule

  • Super Regionals: June 6-9

  • 2025 CWS start date: June 13

  • 2025 CWS end date: June 21-22/23

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The 2025 College World Series begins Friday, June 13, in Omaha, Neb., at Charles Schwab Field Omaha. The best-of-three championship series begins June 21 and will be broadcast on ESPN and its related networks.

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This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: NCAA Tournament Austin Regional: TV info, schedule, scores





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