Lindsey Adler and Jared Diamond reported for the WSJ that Marcano is currently under investigation for gambling on baseball games while on the injured list for the Pittsburgh Pirates. There are also four other players reportedly under investigation for gambling while in the minor leagues.
The investigation is not yet complete but Marcano's punishment is being discussed by MLB and the MLBPA, including a lifetime ban. It marks the second major betting scandal in baseball this year after Shohei Ohtani's former translator, Ippei Mizuhara, was involved in a federal investigation concerning an illegal gambling operation.
Marcano began his career with the Padres in 2016, signing with the organization as an international free agent. He made his big league debut in 2021 for San Diego before he was traded in July of that year to Pittsburgh; Marcano was sent to the Pirates along with Jack Suwinski and Michell Miliano for Adam Frazier. He appeared in 49 games in 2022 and 75 games in 2023 for Pittsburgh, hitting .221 from the plate and recording 31 RBI over those two seasons.
In July of 2023 Marcano tore his ACL and was placed on the IL, which is when the alleged betting began to take place. He was waived in November and claimed by the Padres.
Per the Journal, the Pirates said they are "fully aware of the matter that's under investigation and are fully cooperating," but they will refrain from further comment at this time. The Padres said they're aware of an investigation "regarding a matter that occurred when the player in question was a member of another organization."
Marcano declined comment through a representative, as did MLB and the MLBPA.
The NFL offseason continues on, but that doesn't have to stop us from keeping an eye on the NFL futures market!
The top of the Super Bowl oddsboard is dictated by the two teams that made it to the big game last season with the San Francisco 49ers slightly favored over the Kansas City Chiefs to win Super Bowl 59.
Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs are once again viewed as a true contender to win the Super Bowl for a third straight year with the team set to return a majority of its core, but it's the 49ers who have the edge at the top of the oddsboard.
It's worth noting that the Niners are in the far easier conference relative to the AFC, and that's indicated in the odds. After the two aforementioned teams, the AFC has seven of the 12 other teams that have shorter than 25-1 odds.
Moreso, three of the next four teams are in the AFC with the Ravens, Bengals and Bills all viewed as legitimate threats to win the Super Bowl this season.
With training camp still a few months away, it's worth keeping an eye on more movement in the Super Bowl odds ahead of the 2024 season.
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A trusted Nintendo leaker has revealed that a new Splatoon game could be coming.
Leaker Midori revealed on X that Nintendo has a lot of exciting titles in the works. This includes a new Legend of Zelda game and now a Splatoon game, which is going by the codename "Spiral." Unfortunately, not much else has been shared about the potential new Splatoon game.
The response has been mixed. Some Nintendo fans were excited by the possibility of a new Splatoon title, applauding and thanking Midori for sharing the leak. Others were more skeptical, however, claiming that Spiral was probably just DLC.
A new Splatoon game would make a lot of sense, though. Nintendo has confirmed the arrival of a new Nintendo console, the predecessor to the Switch. Insiders believe that the new Nintendo Switch will be coming in around March 2025. If this is the case, it wouldn't be surprising if big titles like Splatoon 4, Legend of Zelda, and even Super Smash Bros. were announced. What better way to build up hype for the new console?
Splatoon 3 is still a huge game for Nintendo. The entire series has become a semi-popular esport as well as a fun competitive game for all gamers. Version 8.0.0 was the most recent update, coming out last week, meaning there's still a desire for new content and balance changes.
With phase 1 of World of Warcraft: Cataclysm Classic going live recently, many players may be looking to get back into the fray with a highly desired dps spec so they'll have no issues finding raid groups. In this article, we'll discuss the ten best dps specs to play in Cataclysm Classic right now.
Death Knights are eating good in Cataclysm with Blood DK being an incredibly powerful tank and both DPS specs ranking in the top ten to start. Unholy DK is particularly strong because of its ability to produce massive AoE burst and sustained single-target damage. They are great at dungeon farming and there are no raid encounters they won't excel at. The ability that contributes most to their power is the insanely strong Summon Gargoyle. Unholy death knight is the best dps spec for phase 1 of Cataclysm Classic.
Survival hunters biggest strength is that they don't require a ton of gear to be useful. They still get better with better gear, obviously, but they'll start doing great damage before more gear dependent specs will. With great damage and access to the powerful utility hunters as (such as Misdirection, for example), you can't go wrong with having a couple hunters in the raid and one of them should definitely be a survival hunter. They also boast the best instant burst AoE damage in the game.
Fire mage gets access to its iconic Combustion spell in Cataclysm Classic. This takes the spec to entirely new heights. Through good play with proper setup and a bit of luck, fire mage can put up numbers that no ther spec can get close to in many scenarios. As mentioned, it does require a bit of luck to do the best dps possible. This RNG element doesn't take away too much from how great it is but can be frustrating for some players and worth staying away from.
Demonology warlock had started going through reworks since Wrath and in Cataclysm it all comes together in the beginning. They provide incredible burst for both AoE situations and single target encounters. Being warlocks, they also still provide tons of great utility and group cooldowns. Phase 1 of Cataclysm Classic is a phenomenal time to play a demonology warlock.
Arms warrior is incredibly strong in Cataclysm and stays as an S-tier spec for the entire expansion. They have amazing and sustainable single-target damage and great burst windows with short cooldowns as well. If you're looking for a spec that is not only good now, but will be great and highly desired for the entire duration of Cataclysm, there is probably no better pick than Arms warrior.
Elemental shamans lack the burst damage of the specs above them but still boast great on demand AoE damage and sustained single-target damage. Being shamans, they also bring a ton of valuable raid buffs to the group making them a great inclusion into any raid comp.
Shadow priest has solid damage in both single-target and AoE scenarios but are far behind the likes of the specs above them. What makes shadow priest incredibly powerful this tier, is the incredible utility that they bring to the raid. Some encounters even outright require priest utility. You can't go wrong with having a shadow priest in your raid group, which makes them a solid pick for anyone this tier.
Death knights really are enjoying life right now in Cataclysm Classic. Similar to unholy in some ways, frost differs in how it deals its damage. While unholy focuses on summoning minions and applying DoTs, frost is all about just hitting enemies hard over and over again with strong hitting abilities and passive procs with short burst windows. Frost also falls off in AoE when compared to unholy. Even though it's definitely worse than unholy, it's still a great spec and vastly superior to most other dps specs in the game, at the moment.
One of the three classes with multiple specs in the top ten, it's fair to say warlocks should be almost as happy as death knights are. Affliction warlocks offer great AoE damage through spreading their DoTs around and bring all the great utility you'd expect from the warlock class. They do however lack in sustained single target damage.
The final of the three classes with multiple top tier specs, mages must also be grinning right now. Arcane mage is similar to frost dk in that it's a strong spec with great utility and single target damage but there is another spec for its class that offers all those same benefits but with vastly superior AoE damage. For frost dk that was unholy and, in this case for arcane mage, it's fire. Arcane mage is a solid choice but will be noticeable behind a similarly skilled fire mage.
Welcome to 32 teams in 32 days. To get us through the offseason, we’ll be taking a closer look at every team in the NFL, in order of projected 2024 win totals. Up next: the Patriots.
But the New England Patriots don’t plan on handing the starting job to the No. 3 pick in the draft. Instead, they’re going to make Maye earn it by competing against veteran Jacoby Brissett in training camp.
Whether it’s Maye or Brissett, the Patriots’ offense could have an uphill battle with roster concerns at the skill positions and on the offensive line. The Patriots re-signed versatile offensive lineman Mike Onwenu, but have plenty of inexperience and it doesn’t help that Cole Strange might not be ready for the start of the season because of injury.
The Patriots are going to need to decide whether it’s worth it to trot out Maye with a poor supporting cast. But there might be a 2023 sixth-round pick who could make life easier for him.
The Patriots’ defense, on the other hand, has the makings of turning into a top-10 unit under the guidance of Mayo, who has coached on that side of the ball in New England for the past five seasons. They have a strong core group, with defensive tackle Christian Barmore, edge rusher Matthew Judon, cornerback Christian Gonzalez and safety Kyle Dugger. If the defense dominates, the Patriots will surprise the football public and win more than four games this season.
Biggest gamble this offseason: Firing Belichick, hiring Mayo
Mayo replaced Belichick after joining his staff in 2019. / Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
It’s no secret that Kraft and Belichick had somewhat of a rocky relationship in the lead up to Kraft firing the legendary head coach in January. It was a delicate situation for Kraft, and maybe one that wasn’t handled properly on either side. But Kraft at least had a succession plan, one that he kept intact whenever Mayo had coaching opportunities elsewhere. Kraft has had high expectations for Mayo since he joined Belichick’s coaching staff in 2019. Now the team owner will find out whether he made the right decision by promoting Mayo to head coach without interviewing other candidates, which is a gamble in itself. That’s a lot of pressure for Mayo, especially with a roster that might not be ready to push for the postseason for another year or two.
Toughest stretch of the season: Weeks 1 to 6
The Patriots are currently underdogs in every game this season, according to odds at DraftKings Sportsbook. But it might not get tougher than the first six weeks of the season. New England starts on the road against the Cincinnati Bengals, followed by a home game against the Seattle Seahawks before going back on the road for back-to-back games against Aaron Rodgers’s New York Jets and the defending NFC champion San Francisco 49ers. They then return home to host the Miami Dolphins and Houston Texans. And it doesn’t get easier from there with the Jacksonville Jaguars in London for Week 7.
Breakout player to watch: WR DeMario Douglas
Douglas was targeted 79 times and had 49 receptions for 561 yards, averaging 11.4 yards per catch in 2023. / Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
The Patriots’ receiving corps is regarded as one of the weakest in the NFL, but football pundits might be overlooking what Douglas accomplished as a sixth-round rookie last season. After shining as a camp standout, Douglas stepped up late in the season for a Patriots’ offense desperately needing playmakers. Douglas was targeted 79 times and had 49 receptions for 561 yards, averaging 11.4 yards per catch. Douglas might not be a true No. 1 wideout yet, but he definitely proved himself as a starter in 2023. The Liberty product could be set for a memorable second season if the Patriots get decent quarterback play in ’24.
Best-case scenario: Maye wins Offensive Rookie of the Year
Proving the doubters wrong with a final record of .500 or better would be a monumental achievement for Mayo in his first season. But for the Patriots to return to being a perennial winner, they’re going to need Maye to find his footing quickly and show flashes of being a legitimate franchise quarterback. He doesn’t have to play as well as C.J. Stroud did last season, but if he passes the eye test and routinely displays an elite skill set resembling Josh Allen or Justin Herbert, then that should be enough to bring back excitement for the Patriots’ fan base. But first, Maye will need to beat out Brissett for the starting job in training camp.
Worst-case scenario: Patriots go back and forth with Maye, Brissett
If the Patriots are rotating quarterbacks again, which they did with Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe the past few seasons, that would probably be an indicator that Maye wasn’t ready to start and the team is enduring another rough season. It will be up to Mayo on when to start Maye, a situation that could become difficult if he decides to go with Brissett in the season opener. In this scenario, Mayo would face public pressure and nonstop questions from the media on when he plans to start Maye, especially if the team has a rough start. Ideally, the Patriots would like Maye to make the decision easy, but if he’s not ready to play, maybe sitting him for a year—like Patrick Mahomes and Jordan Love—could be a better option than rotating quarterbacks.
The Patriots are starting anew with Mayo and Maye, hoping the duo finds even a modicum of success compared to Bill Belichick and Tom Brady’s 20-year run. For New England, 2024 will be great if Mayo and Maye look like keepers, regardless of the win-loss record. —Matt Verderame
Sleeper fantasy pick: Drake Maye
The third pick in the draft, Maye comes with high expectations after two consecutive strong seasons at North Carolina. While Jayden Daniels is the name that comes to mind when we think of a running quarterback among the rookies, Maye gained more than 1,100 yards and had 16 rushing scores in his past two collegiate seasons. Most rookie quarterbacks who make an impact can do so with their legs, so Maye fits the bill. —Michael Fabiano
Best bet: Patriots under 4.5 wins (+135) at DraftKings
I like this plus-money option for the team with the second-hardest schedule
in the NFL. Defensive holes, a mediocre offensive line, questions at quarterback, a receiving corps featuring Kendrick Bourne, Hunter Henry, and rookie wideouts Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker, and a new coach all point to value on the under. —Jen Piacenti
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After years of futile efforts, Jasmine Paolini is enjoying her career-best run at the 2024 French Open, into the quarterfinals for the first time in six attempts.
The World No. 15 has struggled at Roland-Garros but has won four straight to set up her first opponent inside the world No. 70 Elena Rybakina in the quarterfinals.
The world No. 4 Rybakina is enjoying her best appearance at the French Open since 2021, which ties for her career-best mark. Can she extend it and make the semifinals?
The two top 15 players have played two full matches against one another, both won by Rybakina, but the most recent one was a three-set match on (indoor) clay in Stuttgart (6-3, 6-7, 6-3). Paolini couldn’t make good on her second serves, winning 39% of those points and facing 15 break points to Rybakina’s seven BPs.
So, how can the Italian close the gap against Rybakina after facing a low level of competition thus far? I’d say it's on Paolini holding serve and dragging the match into potential tiebreak situations. Ryabakina has a vicious first serve on clay and has held on nearly 75% of her 70 tracked matches on clay, per TennisAbstract. However, she has only broken opponents on about 38% of return games.
A lot of Rybakina’s matches in the run-up to Roland-Garros featured longer matches. In eight clay court wins before the French Open, four of them went to three sets, including her win against Paolini. While I won’t call for the outright upset, I think we see a bit more resistance than the odds expect and this is a longer match.
I’ll back the over games as my preferred bet in this French Open quarterfinal.
PICK: OVER 20.5 Games (-110)
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Skill Based Matchmaking is one of the hottest topics in the gaming industry in 2024. Players are becoming more and more annoyed at its existence, while developers continue to deny that it is a feature.
Skill Based Matchmaking (SBMM) is a feature that will match players against each other based on their skill. This means that lower skilled players won’t compete against professionals, with the idea being that this allows the lower skilled players to continue playing the game. However, if you’re of a high skill level, then every single match feels like a competitive game.
This has been a big talking point in First Person Shooter titles. Ubisoft have been very vocal about Skill Based Matchmaking in XDefiant, so let’s see what they said.
XDefiant
No. XDefiant does not have Skill Based Matchmaking. Ubisoft have confirmed this, and Executive Producer Mark Rubin said “I'm not a fan of SBMM. I don't like how it treats players. When I was at Infinity Ward making CoD you could see it being pushed on us from the top. I left and am now making a new FPS without SBMM. Ranked is where that belongs. I think it will be a better experience for players.”
However, XDefiant does feature a “Welcome Playlist” which has some soft SBMM inside of it. The Welcome Playlist only allows players who are level 25 or below to play, and in these matches you will be matched against players of similar skill. This allows you to learn the mechanics of XDefiant, before jumping into matches where you may compete against better players.
So far, the community seems to enjoy playing XDefiant without the Skill Based Matchmaking. It appears to be a breath of fresh air for many players, as they can now relax while playing, and not have to sweat every single match.
With Akuma's release we brought the first chapter of Street Fighter 6 to a close. But that means that the cycle starts once more and we again speculate on which characters are coming to SF6. Season 1 was riddled with leaks and fans ended up prematurely knowing the first season of DLC fighters fairly early on. But now, we're all in the dark. So here are some speculative ideas on who might be coming to SF6.
CHESTO! / Image: Capcom
One of the most beloved (and feared) characters in the Street Fighter III: Third Strike, Makoto is due for an update. She appeared in Ultra Street Fighter IV but was virtually unchanged from her Street Fighter III version. With SF6 taking place after SFIII it would be interesting to see what she’s been up to.
We need Thunder Knuckle back! / Image: Capcom
Shockingly, Crimson Viper has only appeared in one mainline Street Fighter game - SFIV. Since then her fellow debutante in the SFIV series, Juri, hasn’t missed a game. C. Viper would be a great addition to the SF6 roster and would be a huge salute to SFIV fans that have only seen one character persist into the later games. She made a cameo in Juri's story in World Tour so we know she's still in the shadows somewhere.
Image: Capcom
M. Bison is still the big bad of Street Fighter. No matter what his actions and influence still reverberate through the lore of the series. But what if this wasn't the typical Bison. We know from the lore that he has the power to change bodies but retain his soul/consciousness. What if the Bison in SF6....didn't look like the one we're used to?
It’s almost a given that we’d get someone new in SF6 again. A.K.I. isn’t exactly the most played character in the game, but she’s something different. Capcom has a massive roster of characters it can pull from as well. So if it’s just a debutante to the series or someone completely new, there’s a good chance that there will be a fresh face coming in Season 2.
She's really cool actually. / Image: Capcom
One of the newest characters in the series, Menat was praised for her Egyptian-themed design and super technical play style. Seeing as how she's the spiritual successor to another technical character, Rose, she'll be a breath of fresh air for those looking for a deep and rewarding gameplay style that isn't super dependent on SF6's aggressive mechanics.
More. Spanish. Ninja. / Image: Capcom
With the addition of Ed, Balrog seems a bit less likely this time around for DLC. However, that doesn’t mean that some of M. Bison’s former cronies shouldn’t still show up. And if there’s one that should appear it's Vega. He’s got one of the most unique play styles in the whole series and has made appearances in the SFII/IV/V, Alpha 3, the Capcom vs. SNK games. The Spanish Ninja must return.
Tiger x1000 / Image: Capcom
It almost doesn't feel like Street Fighter without Sagat. Even though he’d rank as one of the older fighters in the series, the inclusion of E. Honda, Dhalsim and Akuma shouldn’t keep him out of the running. We also don't have a Muay Thai representative in SF6 yet, and Sagat is easily the best of that bunch.
*Shudders in fear* / Image: Capcom
The Kenyan Capoeira fighter who only wants to make friends would strike fear in the hearts of SF IV vets. Elena was known for her "Healing" super move, which did exactly what it sounded like. It was so effective in that game that she often could heal herself multiple times a round. But she's still a cool character and a fan favorite.
It IS an election year... / Image: Capcom
G was a polarizing character upon his release in Street Fighter V in 2018. He was a confusing character that didn’t seem to have any real connections to the cast outside of some obscure references to SF III’s Q. However, G is a character that had a very unique set of attacks and powers that made him stand out from most of the cast. Seeing his return would be a good opportunity to see his story get fleshed out in the World Tour mode.
Let the kid redeem himself! / Image: Capcom
Sean, on the other hand, was maligned as the worst character in all of Third Strike. But in SF III: 2nd Impact, he was easily the top fighter in that version. Lore-wise, he’s Ken’s pupil and it’s shocking that we would hear nothing from him after all that’s happened to Ken in the story of SF6. We've gotten Sakura in many versions of Street Fighter, but not Sean, so it'll be cool to see him return. He's also the younger brother of SFV's Laura.
Welcome to the NFL offseason, where receivers get paid lots of money (just ask Justin Jefferson, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jaylen Waddle and Nico Collins), the NFL continues to push for an 18-game season, the league and NFLPA discuss ways to ruin the offseason calendar and teams continue to go through their OTAs and mandatory minicamps.
So we asked our MMQB staff to answer a series of eight questions over the next two weeks. They’ll debate the best and worst moves, the most and least improved teams, the best coaching move and more.
So let’s get to the answers to today’s question as we get closer to the NFL taking a break before July training camps open.
Matt Verderame: The Dallas Cowboys NOT extending Dak Prescott.
Prescott and the Cowboys were pummeled by the Packers in the playoffs. / Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Prescott is a good player. But despite talented rosters, he has won exactly two playoff games in eight seasons and never reached an NFC championship game.
Furthermore, Prescott turns 31 years old this summer. He’s not likely to get better, and even staying at the same level could be a challenge throughout the duration of what would certainly be an extension-topping contract of $55 million annually. The team around him is also eroding, even if it has major stars in Micah Parsons and CeeDee Lamb.
Throwing for 36 touchdowns and 4,516 yards was great last season, but rings hollow after you’re blown out by the seventh-seeded Green Bay Packers in your own building, partially because of two interceptions.
While losing Prescott after this season would represent a reset, so be it. The goal is trying to win a Super Bowl. Although it’s not only his failure, Prescott hasn’t made a serious run yet at such an achievement. Dallas should be ultra-aggressive and find his replacement in the next 24 months, whether in free agency or the draft, and hope that quarterback has a higher ceiling.
Gilberto Manzano: The San Francisco 49ers NOT trading Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk.
Aiyuk and Samuel are still with the 49ers despite the team exploring trade offers for both. / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
The 49ers fielded trade offers for star wide receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel because they’re well aware of not being able to pay everyone on their loaded roster, especially with quarterback Brock Purdy possibly cashing in next offseason.
But they were smart to have high asking prices for two players who have been instrumental in the team’s success the past few years. The 49ers didn’t cave to lesser offers during draft season and minimized the damage for shopping the two wideouts. Samuel attended the team’s OTA workouts, a good sign that the 49ers probably kept him in the loop with their business matters. And Aiyuk wasn’t going to show up without an extension.
So no harm in exploring options. Either quickly reload with valuable draft picks or run it back with the same cast of star players. The 49ers’ core group will get another opportunity to end the organization’s 30-year Super Bowl drought. Oh, and they added more firepower with the first-round selection of wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, who could fill in if Aiyuk is traded during the summer, which doesn’t appear likely, or next year if he leaves in free agency. The good teams create options.
Conor Orr: The Detroit Lions SIGNING D.J. Reader.
Reader could have been among the best free agents this offseason. / Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY
This is the kind of signing (two years, $22 million) no one is really going to talk about until mid-November when the Lions have one of the best run defenses in the NFL and Reader is mauling inferior offensive linemen en route to another artful tackle behind the line of scrimmage. I really think he was among the best free agents this offseason in terms of a player who you know is going to fit into any scheme and perform incredibly well. He’s a Dan Campbell-type of player.
Albert Breer: The New York Giants TRADING for Carolina Panthers edge rusher Brian Burns.
The Giants landed Burns from the Panthers for second- and fifth-round picks. / Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Going back to the middle of the 2022 season—when Carolina turned down first-round picks in ’24 and ’25, and a ’23 third-rounder for Burns at the trade deadline from the Los Angeles Rams—things were sideways for Burns in Charlotte. How could they not be? Negotiations were basically nonexistent from that point forward, the team was terrible, and Burns had to wait for his pot of gold. Because of all of that, the Giants landed him for a fraction (a second-rounder and a fifth-round pick swap) of what the Rams offered, and got him signed to a reasonable market contract (five years, $141 million) to play opposite Kayvon Thibodeaux. And they still had the second-rounder they got for Leonard Williams at last year’s deadline, along with a motivated 26-year-old edge rusher under contract for the next five years.
Novak Djokovic faced quite a difficult test during his fourth round match at the French Open on Monday.
The World No. 1 defeated No. 23 Francisco Cerúndolo after being down 2–1 sets in a five-set thriller, 6–1, 5–7, 3–6, 7–5, 6–3. The match lasted four hours and 39 minutes.
Djokovic was close to losing the match in the fourth set as Cerúndolo held a 4–2 lead. The 24-time Grand Slam champion came back to tie 4–4, then eventually won the set. This momentum propelled him to victory in the final set.
With this win, Djokovic also made tennis history by surpassing Roger Federer for the most Grand Slam match wins in history.
Monday's fourth round match was reminiscent of Djokovic's third round match, which he also won in five sets. Djokovic won the first set vs. Lorenzo Musetti, then dropped the next two before winning the final two sets. It's been a long week for Djokovic on the court, to say the least.
The fourth round win didn't come without other obstacles, too. The 37-year-old appeared to injure his knee in the second set, which caused him to plead for the grounds crew to sweep the court more often. The umpire denied his request.
The reigning French Open champion now awaits the winner of the match between Casper Ruud and Taylor Fritz.
