The New York Rangers lost to the Florida Panthers on Saturday in the Eastern Conference finals, officially ending their shot at making the 2024 Stanley Cup Final. Just a couple weeks prior, the New York Knicks were eliminated from the NBA playoffs. At the beginning of May, the New York Islanders lost to the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
And, the list goes on and on.
With the Rangers' recent elimination, this now marks 100 consecutive combined seasons in which a New York team hasn't won a sports championship in the top four major sports, according to the Associated Press' Josh Dubow. This includes the Rangers, Islanders, Knicks, Brooklyn Nets, Yankees, Mets, Giants and Jets.
Make sure to give your condolences to the next New York fan you see.
The last championship to come from a New York team was in 2011 when the Giants won Super Bowl XLVI. Who will be the next?
New York Yankees outfielder Juan Soto took it upon himself to answer Los Angeles Angels pitcher Patrick Sandoval's question for home plate umpire Edwin Moscoso during the top of the fourth inning of New York's 8–3 win on Thursday at Angel Stadium.
With the count at 2-and-1, Sandoval fired a four-seam fastball knee-high that landed at the bottom of the strike zone, a pitch that Moscoso ruled a ball. Sandoval inquired about the pitch, asking the umpire if it was low.
Only, the Angels hurler didn't get a reply from Moscoso, but from Soto, who proceeded to nod his head repeatedly, indicating he thought the offering was low.
Here's the amusing exchange.
Patrick Sandoval asked if the pitch was low and Juan Soto continuously nodded yes pic.twitter.com/QA1awnN6R6
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) May 31, 2024
Soto, who seemingly benefited from the generous call by Moscoso, went on to draw a walk before Yankees slugger Aaron Judge drove him in during the next at-bat on a two-run home run.
Soto, 25, has posted a .312/.415/.584 slash line with 15 home runs, 49 RBI and 41 runs scored in 58 games played for the Yankees this season.
During an appearance on the Talkin' Yanks podcast on Tuesday, Yankees manager Aaron Boone, who is no stranger to being ejected from ballgames, weighed in on the incident and revealed what he said to Judge after the game.
"It was surprising. I don't think he should've got ejected," Boone said. "He's walking away, he's not in an aggressive stance or anything, like, come on, man."
Boone said that he rewarded Judge with the game ball after New York's 5–3 win over the Tigers, and joked that he gave him a, "Welcome to the club."
After Judge's ejection, Boone gave him the game ball and a "welcome to the club" pic.twitter.com/nYFmJ6d4hp
Boone was ejected seven times last season, which was tied with Cincinnati Reds skipper David Bell for the most in MLB. Already with two ejections under his belt in 2024, Boone paces the American League, a feat he's stunningly achieved in each season since 2021, a span during which he's been tossed 24 times.
Judge, who had gone 869 games without getting ejected in his career, was the first Yankees captain since Don Mattingly in 1994 to get thrown out of a game.
Judge didn't elaborate when asked what was said between him and Blakney, telling reporters that he preferred to leave it out on the field.
Anyone who’s ever started a new job knows the feeling. You’re new to the area, perhaps you don’t know the workspace layout very well. Coworkers’ names prove elusive. Maybe you do something mildly embarrassing to leave a shaky early impression—for example, in the case of Baltimore Orioles outfielder Colton Cowser, throw away a treasured keepsake of your nine-time All-Star closer.
There’s a reason they call them rookie mistakes: It’s because rookies make them. A lot of them.
But fear not, newbies, because the 2024 season is now more than a month old, giving plenty of opportunities to shake off the early butterflies and settle into your new lives as big leaguers. To mark the occasion, we present to you the first edition of Sports Illustrated's Rookie Roundup. Each week, we’ll check in on the latest from the game’s standout first-year players, alternating between the American and National Leagues.
The idea is to shine a spotlight on the best (and most entertaining) happenings from rookies far and wide. We’ll cover the headliners, of course—and with the steady influx of young talent, there are plenty of already big names to track—but also aim to uncover hidden gems making names for themselves as the season progresses.
This week’s focus is simple: We’ll highlight the five best AL rookies so far, with the NL’s top five coming next week. All of the players considered have, of course, made their fair share of rookie blunders. But they’ve made up for them (and then some) with their stellar play to this point.
1. Colton Cowser, OF, Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore’s organizational rebuild (read: tank-a-thon) from the late-2010’s resulted in the franchise picking in the top-five of the draft in four consecutive years from ’19 to ’22. One of those picks turned into Cowser, whose 26-game debut last season (with a .115 batting average and zero home runs) left a lot to be desired. Named to the Opening Day roster by manager Brandon Hyde after posting a 1.136 OPS during spring training, Cowser seized an everyday role by the season’s second week and hasn’t looked back.
Cowser’s hitting profile is a modern twist on the "three true outcomes" template: lots of walks and strikeouts, sure, but plenty of hard contact (rather than merely home runs). His 34.3% strikeout rate is the eighth-highest among players with at least 90 plate appearances, and his 38.1% whiff rate is the seventh-highest. But a quick glance at his Baseball Savant page shows plenty of red bars, as Cowser’s barrel rate, hard-hit rate and expected slugging percentage all rank in the 90th percentile or better. Combine all that with a 10.1% walk rate and excellent defense, and Cowser could follow in Gunnar Henderson’s footsteps and make it back-to-back Rookie of the Year awards for the Orioles.
Miller has struck out 29 batters in 14 1/3 innings so far this season.
Reggie Hildred-USA TODAY Sports
2. Mason Miller, RP, Oakland Athletics
If they gave trophies to teams for putting together five-and-a-half weeks of mediocre play when almost everybody in the baseball world expected nothing short of total ineptitude, the Athletics would get one. The franchise is in an abysmal position, with an owner resolved to move the team to Las Vegas and coming off consecutive 100-plus loss seasons. While the roster is low on household names (an A’s staple as old as time itself), the team has outperformed projections to this point with a 17–18 mark, and Miller’s been a key reason.
A five-year college career spent at Division III Waynesburg (with one season at Gardner-Webb) didn’t keep Miller from being drafted by Oakland in the third round in 2021. He logged just 28 2/3 minor league innings from ’21 to ’23 before debuting in April of last year. Miller pitched in 10 games for the A’s last season—six of them starts—and impressed enough to make the roster out of spring training this season as a part of the bullpen.
That’s an extremely truncated acceleration timeline, which is sort of fitting given how quickly Miller has ascended into becoming the league’s most dominant closer. His fastball averages (yes, averages) 100.7 mph, and he’s struck out 29 of the 54 batters he’s faced this season. Miller is a perfect 8-for-8 in save chances, helping Oakland to a 7–5 record in one-run games. His FIP currently sits at -0.06, and while it’s sure to climb out of the red eventually, Miller’s already established himself as one of baseball’s most electric pitchers.
3. Wilyer Abreu, OF, Boston Red Sox
Abreu earned himself a late August call-up in 2023 but retained his rookie status coming into ‘24. He hit well in his debut, and has built on last year’s showing to quickly become one of Boston’s most important pieces so far.
Abreu ranks fourth among AL rookies in runs scored (16) and RBIs (13), adding strong defense in right field and speed on the base paths, going a perfect 5-for-5 in stolen base attempts. If there’s a reason to temper optimism a bit, it’s the fact that his .297/.381/.473 slash line is buoyed by a .403 BABIP. Statcast paints a far less enthusiastic view of Abreu, with an expected batting average of .225. Even if regression is on the way, he’s shown enough to solidify promise as a bonafide everyday player.
Gil gave up just two hits and no runs with five strikeouts in his last start against the Orioles.
Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
4. Luis Gil, SP, New York Yankees
New York’s rotation has collectively risen to the occasion in reigning Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole’s absence, and Gil has more than done his part in the efforts.
The 25-year-old has allowed two runs or fewer in four of his six starts. His most impressive outing was also his most recent: 6 1/3 shutout innings against the Orioles on Wednesday. Gil averages 11.61 strikeouts per nine innings, fourth-most among pitchers who have thrown at least 30 frames. Walks have been an issue, though one that’s trending in the right direction: He gave up 17 free passes in 19 2/3 innings in his first four outings, but has allowed only three in his last two starts.
5. James McArthur, RP, Kansas City Royals
A Royals team coming off of a 106-loss campaign has been one of 2024’s biggest surprises so far, with a 20–15 record and the second-highest run differential (plus-44) in the AL. There’s plenty of credit to go around the roster, but McArthur’s emergence as a lockdown closer (Sunday’s blown save against the Rangers notwithstanding) deserves recognition.
McArthur’s best asset is his control. He’s walked only two of the 66 batters he’s faced so far, compared to 18 strikeouts. Missing bats is also a strength, as McArthur has a whiff rate of 34.9%. Sunday’s meltdown was his first blown save since taking over as the team’s closer, but even then, his strengths were on display. He drew 18 swings on his 30 pitches—with eight of them whiffs—and he didn’t walk a batter. McArthur spent six years in the Philadelphia Phillies’ system working primarily as a starter before being traded to the Royals in 2023, beginning his transition to the bullpen. He seems to have found his rhythm there, and has so far played a crucial role in one of MLB’s best success stories.
Juan Soto broke a 2-2 tie with a three-run double as the New York Yankees completed a three-game sweep over the Detroit Tigers on Sunday. The slugger's first month-plus in the Bronx has gone great as he continues to look like one of the best offensive players in baseball.
Soto currently leads the American League in OPS+ and sports an ridiculous .421 on-base percentage. He's second in RBI and would probably have significantly more if he wasn't so committed to accepting walks.
Combined with Aaron Judge, he's provided a 2-3 punch in the Yankees lineup that's as unpleasant for opposing pitchers as any other in the sport. Yesterday he also did something that — forgive the cheesiness here — doesn't show up on the box score but provided a lifelong memory for a young fan.
After catching a Javier Báez fly ball down in the right-field corner to end the top of the fifth inning, Soto graciously gifted a souvenir to a Yankees supporter with excellent seats. Who loved it. A lot. They loved it a lot.
The weather in New York City on Sunday was pretty brutal and the game was called after a 56-minute rain delay and eight innings, so everyone out there earned a win.
Aaron Judge was handed an early trip to the clubhouse in the New York Yankees' tilt against the Detroit Tigers at Yankee Stadium on Saturday.
With one out in the seventh inning and New York clinging to a 5–3 lead, Judge was called out on strikes by home plate umpire Ryan Blakney. Judge disagreed with the call and said a few words to Blakney as he walked back to the Yankees' dugout. A few seconds later, Blakney threw Judge out of the game.
It was Judge's first career ejection in his 870th MLB game. Per YES Network's Seth Rothman, the moment also marked the first time a Yankees captain was ejected from a game since Don Mattingly on May 13, 1994. Derek Jeter, who was the Yankees' captain from 2003 to '14, was never ejected in his 20-year career.
The Yankees weren't pleased with Blakney's decision. Judge walked back to argue more with Blakney, and he was quickly joined by New York manager Aaron Boone. Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo shouted his opinion from the dugout railing.
As is custom, baseball commentator Jomboy provided fans on social media with some lip reading.
Editor's note: The video below contains profanity.
Trent Grisham replaced Judge in center field to start the top of the eighth inning. The Yankees finished off the 5–3 win to improve to 22–13, good for second place in the AL East.
The New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles, locked in for a final game of a four-game set on Thursday afternoon to determine the sole leader of the AL East, were delayed briefly for a reason you probably haven't heard before. A wristwatch was causing issues for Juan Soto in the third inning.
Soto complained to the umpire about something out near the batter's eye. There was some confusion both in the stadium and among broadcasters of the game over what the complaint was. The umpire went to the Orioles' dugout to have them make a phone call to the bullpen to communicate with the perpetrator in the outfield.
An official of some sort was sitting in a walkway near the batter's eye in a white shirt, and he briefly moved back a few feet, thinking his shirt was the issue.
"Someone send him an orange shirt!" color commentator Joe Girardi joked on YES Network.
Shortly after, it was clarified that a police officer stationed nearby was the actual issue. His watch face was reflecting the sun toward home plate, making it difficult for Soto to see where the ball was.
We had a brief delay as Juan Soto complained about the badge/watch of a police officer stationed beyond the centerfield wall. That's a new one!
Year one with the New York Yankees has been good to outfielder Alex Verdugo thus far. The veteran is slashing .267/.358/.446 with four home runs and 13 RBIs a month into the season—all while riding the highest OPS+ of his career.
Verdugo has been good enough, in fact, to both get a lofty assignment from manager Aaron Boone and quickly have it yanked away.
In a Tuesday conversation with Talkin' Yanks, Boone was asked whether Verdugo would hit cleanup when he returned from paternity leave. He responded in the affirmative while implying Verdugo would likely only hit fourth against right-handed pitchers.
On Thursday, the Yankees were scheduled to tussle with the Baltimore Orioles. Where in the order, dear reader, was Verdugo in his return against right-handed Orioles pitcher Kyle Bradish?
In the opening game of a series in Baltimore between the two teams jockeying for the lead of the AL East -- the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles -- Baltimore walked away with a win that nearly could have been lost.
In the top of the ninth inning on Monday, Yankees utilityman Oswaldo Cabrera hit a ball deep to left field. The ball, launched 379 feet, would have been a home run in six parks in the majors according to Statcast, but not Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
It was noted by Yankees commentator Michael Kay that it would have been a home run three years ago, calling out the fact that the Orioles reconfigured the stadium to move the left field back a distance.
Instead, it was an easy flyout that led to an Orioles' win.
Wednesday, for the third game in the four-game set, Cabrera hit another ball that went 352 feet to right field. This one was ruled a home run because it got lodged in the right-field foul pole fencing.
"At the moment that I hit the ball, I know it that I hit really well, but I didn't know where was the ball. So if you see my running to first I was like, 'where's the ball?'"
One night, falling short to the dimensions of the field. A few days later, getting past the same park's dimensions, just by the skin of the ball, both events playing into the final scoreline directly.
Going into Thursday's matchup, the Orioles lead the series 2-1, with both teams locked in a tie for the top spot in the AL East.
Holmes pitched 1 2/3 innings on Wednesday, picking up his league-best 10th save of the season. During the outing, his 15th consecutive scoreless appearance of the campaign, Holmes had some nasty bite on his breaking pitches.
Orioles hitters simply couldn't keep up with the range of breaking pitches he was serving up, and a pitch overlay video of Holmes's 97-mph sinker and 85-mph sweeper, courtesy of Rob Friedman, offered a prime example as to why his pitches have proven largely unhittable.
Clay Holmes, 97mph Sinker and 85mph Sweeper, Overlay.
Holmes's sinker runs sharply back over the plate, with some seriously nasty late bite. Meanwhile, the sweeper breaks hard to the outside (against right-handed hitters), making for a truly devastating combination.
The pitch overlay video had MLB fans in awe, as the baseball world could all agree that facing the 31-year-old seems like an unfair battle for any hitter.
