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Watch: Royals beat shift ban with 'two-man outfield'
The Kansas City Royals lost to the Texas Rangers 11-2 on Monday, but they beat MLB's new defensive shift ban with a "two-man outfield" in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Score that 9-3. pic.twitter.com/MmUtmnIsgh
— Anne Rogers (@anne__rogers) April 11, 2023
The Royals' 2-man outfield works its magic!
— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) April 11, 2023
It's the first 9-3 putout since the shift ban.
Why do we think it won't be the last? pic.twitter.com/vGZqHN6L50
How the Royals defense decided to line up for the start of the frame was certainly risky -- leaving the left field completely vacant and deep right field open as well -- but if there were ever a batter to try the strategy on, Corey Seager is a pretty good guinea pig. The power-hitting infielder is one of the heaviest pull hitters in baseball and Kansas City starter Zack Greinke is typically a good ground ball pitcher as well.
The new shift restrictions figure to help pull hitters like Seager in 2023 and the early returns for the three-time All-Star are promising. Seager is off to a 12-for-37 start, good for a .324 batting average.
Under the new rules, teams need to have two fielders on each side of second base with both of their feet remaining on the infield dirt, though the outfielders can be lined up anywhere.
The Boston Red Sox were among the teams to test out the "two-man outfield" in March during spring training, though the strategy didn't end up making a difference, as Joey Gallo of the Minnesota Twins drew a walk.
More must-reads:
- Andrew Heaney ties AL strikeout mark as Rangers rout Royals
- Jacob deGrom returns to the mound as Rangers face Royals
- The 'Manager of every MLB team in 2007' quiz
TODAY'S BEST
Braves’ Brian Snitker feeling the heat as managerial carousel spins faster
In just days, MLB clubs in Colorado and Pittsburgh cut ties with long-tenured managers. Bud Black is out. Derek Shelton, gone. Brandon Hyde’s name keeps surfacing in Baltimore. And now? Eyes are turning south to Atlanta. On paper, the Braves shouldn’t be in crisis mode. This team still features Marcell Ozuna, Matt Olson, Michael Harris II, Austin Riley and Ozzie Albies. They’re nearing full health and just a few games under .500, but in a season where expectations haven’t been met, manager Brian Snitker is suddenly part of a league-wide hot-seat conversation — and for the first time in his 10-year tenure, it doesn’t seem far-fetched. The Braves sat at 19-21 on Monday, third in the loaded National League East. For a team with this much talent — and one that won 104 games in 2023 — that’s not just disappointing, it’s alarming. Their .475 win percentage has them behind the Phillies and Mets, and their overall performance has felt middling at best. Atlanta ranks 15th in MLB in OPS (.690), and while their pitching staff has a respectable 1.25 WHIP (tied for 14th), it hasn’t been enough to string wins together consistently. A Friday night loss to the Pirates, where a pitch-clock violation botched a late-game substitution and led to a critical strikeout, didn’t help Snitker’s optics. The scrutiny isn’t just about results — it’s also about how Snitker has handled adversity. The incident involving Jarred Kelenic and Ronald Acuña Jr. earlier this season raised eyebrows, with questions about how the manager managed clubhouse tensions. Kelenic is now in Triple-A, but the episode left a mark. More recently, Snitker’s interaction with Acuña sparked concerns about strained relationships behind closed doors despite the star outfielder still working back from injury. Add an underachieving first half from stars like Albies and Michael Harris II, and the perception of a disconnect grows. Snitker is no rookie. He’s managed the Braves since 2016 and spent nearly 50 years in the organization. He led Atlanta to seven straight postseason appearances and a World Series title in 2021. His record as manager — 753-602 — is impressive. But resumes only go so far when momentum shifts, and in 2025, Atlanta hasn’t looked like a contender. Bleacher Report listed Snitker as No. 2 on its recent ranking of managers most at risk of being let go. While the article notes that firing him would be “doing him dirty,” the inclusion speaks volumes. Even if a midseason firing feels unlikely, there’s growing speculation that this could be Snitker’s final year unless the Braves turn things around — and fast. This weekend’s series in Pittsburgh wasn’t just a matchup against a struggling NL opponent — it was a spotlight moment. The Pirates had just fired their manager. The Braves lost two of three, including a game decided by a mental lapse. Symbolically and practically, it raised red flags. And as teams like the Rockies and Pirates act swiftly to reset their futures, the Braves stare down their decision point. Snitker’s contract ends after this season. If the team doesn’t surge back into contention, Atlanta’s front office may decide the window needs a new voice to lead it. The good news for Snitker? Help may be on the way. Both Spencer Strider and Acuña are expected back within the month. A healthy lineup could ignite a run and quiet the chatter. But MLB is a results-driven business. And with the league’s managerial landscape shifting fast, even a World Series ring won’t protect you forever. If the Braves want a different result in October, they may need a distinct voice in the dugout by then.
Winners and losers from the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery
The tanking is over, the ping-pong balls have been drawn, the protected picks have been assigned and Cooper Flagg is likely going to be a member of the Dallas Mavericks. Here are the winners and losers from Monday's NBA draft lottery. Winners Dallas Mavericks The Mavericks desperately needed some good news after the controversial Luka Doncic trade and a series of injuries that led to Dallas losing in the play-in tournament. Beating the odds and jumping to No. 1 in the lottery qualifies as great news and puts them in prime position to get Flagg, the Duke University standout who's the consensus top prospect in this draft. Of course, that's assuming Dallas GM Nico Harrison doesn't trade Flagg for a player with better defense or better conditioning. San Antonio Spurs The Spurs were facing their last, best shot at a high pick this year to add to All-Star De'Aaron Fox and two straight Rookies of the Year in Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle. They lucked out, moving up to No. 2 despite having only the eighth-worst record. That gives them the chance to add Dylan Harper, the son of longtime NBA guard Ron Harper. Harper is similar Fox and Castle as a strong player who's great at getting to the rim and playing pick-and-roll, though he and Castle would have to improve their jump shots. Don't be surprised if having No. 2 and No. 14 (from the Atlanta Hawks) gives the Spurs ammunition for another blockbuster trade as well. Philadelphia 76ers The 76ers needed their pick to land among the top six in order for them to keep it. The ping-pong balls cooperated, and they'll pick third in a strong draft next season. Like the Mavericks, they endured a year full of injuries that sidelined former MVP Joel Embiid and Paul George, both of whom were shut down for the season early. The Sixers tried hard to tank down the stretch, and it paid off. Now, they'll be able to add young talent to an aging roster that desperately needs it. Losers Utah Jazz When Danny Ainge took over the Utah Jazz at the end of 2021, he started building for the future. His first big moves were trading Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, then dealing two other starters in Royce O'Neale and Mike Conley. Last year, they were the worst team in the NBA, but they'll only pick fifth. Utah has added six players picked in the first round since Ainge arrived, but none of them has emerged as a star. Now in a draft that has a clear top four prospects, Utah is picking fifth. The whole point of tanking is to secure elite talent. Are Jazz fans going to have to endure a fourth year of mediocrity as Ainge hopes for lottery luck again? Washington Wizards Second-worst record in the NBA. Sixth pick. The Wizards need star power. What they got is more uncertainty. Chicago Bulls The Bulls got their top 10-protected first-round pick back in the trade that sent Zach LaVine to the Sacramento Kings and Fox to the Spurs. But after the lottery, the Bulls will pick 12th, meaning they'd have kept their pick anyway. Chicago will have a tough time becoming a contender relying solely on late-lottery picks. To make matters worse, the Bulls lost a coin flip for 11th position in the lottery — to the winning Mavericks. ESPN ESPN rushed through the reveal of the picks, which robbed viewers of seeing disappointed representatives from teams like the Jazz and Wizards. It even misstated that the Sixers would lose their pick. All this hurrying just made time for a lackluster Shams Charania interview when what fans really want to see is unhappy executives.
Insider names 'by far the best quarterback' on Browns roster this spring
Ever since the Cleveland Browns added rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders to a quarterback room already occupied by Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett, Browns reporter Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer has said that she believes Pickett should be seen as the front-runner to win the starting job this summer. Browns insider Tony Grossi of ESPN Cleveland/The Land on Demand explained why he disagrees with such assessments. "Joe Flacco, yes, even at 40 years old, is by far the best quarterback on the roster," Grossi wrote about the Browns' upcoming competition. "He’s a physical freak, throws the best ball, executes the play-action game better than the others, avoids sacks and is loved by the locker room. He will get the fewest reps in training camp because he doesn’t need them to be ready for the 2025 season opener." Flacco's popularity among Cleveland players stems from going 4-1 as a starter to guide the 2023 Browns to a playoff berth. Browns general manager Andrew Berry clearly believes head coach Kevin Stefanski can resurrect that version of Flacco after the one-time Super Bowl Most Valuable Player was benched by the Indianapolis Colts following a pair of starts last season. "While Kenny Pickett might be the front office’s perceived favorite to start the season," Grossi continued, "he has to prove he can withstand the challenge of not only Flacco but the negative vibes of the fan base. He should receive the most reps in training camp. If he has a decent training camp, he could be trade bait because of his affordability, age and upward career path." Pickett, 26, is in the final year of his inexpensive rookie deal and is with his third team since the Pittsburgh Steelers made him a first-round choice during the 2022 draft. He most recently spent the majority of the 2024 campaign serving as a backup for Philadelphia Eagles starter Jalen Hurts, but Pickett did win his lone start for Philadelphia in late December. As for Gabriel and Sanders, it seems unlikely the Browns would give up on either before the regular season gets underway. Berry has received criticism for drafting Gabriel with pick No. 94 after analysts projected that he'd be a third-day selection, but Grossi offered some high praise for the former Oregon star. "He is a mature rookie quarterback who appears easily adaptable to Stefanski’s play-action passing game," Grossi said about Gabriel. "At minicamp, Gabriel was decisive in his footwork, displayed good pocket presence and showed tremendous accuracy with his ball placement. He spins the ball as nicely as any QB I’ve seen in a Browns uniform." Rumors about the Browns possibly trading Flacco or Pickett to the New Orleans Saints following the retirement of Derek Carr will likely hover over both clubs unless New Orleans either signs free agent Aaron Rodgers or names rookie Tyler Shough its starter this summer. As of early Monday afternoon, FanDuel Sportsbook listed Flacco as a +116 betting favorite to be Cleveland's Week 1 QB1.
Mavericks' disaster season ends with draft lottery win
Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison has been under fire since trading franchise cornerstone Luka Doncic. Now, he and the Mavs have the chance to draft a new franchise player with the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. The Mavericks had only a 1.8% chance to get the No. 1 pick in the draft lottery, the 11th-worst odds among the 14 lottery teams. Since the ping pong balls went in their favor, they have a chance at Duke freshman Cooper Flagg, expected to be the top overall pick. It's the second time in three years that a disastrous end of the season has ended up favorably for the Mavericks. Late in the 2022-23 season, the Mavericks benched players at the end of the season to avoid the play-in tournament and losing their top 10-protected pick to the New York Knicks. They kept the pick, and their selection, center Dereck Lively II, helped the team reach the NBA Finals. This year, after going 9-17 after the All-Star break, the Mavericks have the chance to add another Duke phenom. Flagg is considered a can't-miss prospect who has a chance to immediately right the ship for a Mavericks franchise that was reeling thanks to the loss of Doncic and injuries along the whole roster. It's an especially lucky draw for the Mavericks because they don't control their own first-round pick from 2027-30. That will make it difficult to add young talent around Flagg, but it's certainly better than trying to build a contender without a stud prospect. The Mavericks will likely be without All-Star Kyrie Irving for most of next season due to injury, but now, they'll have help for center Anthony Davis. And Harrison might just win back the goodwill of his fan base.
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