Padres' 9th-inning comeback staves off Rockies win
Gavin Sheets wins a game on his birthday, lots of upsets in the NBA Playoffs, 1st Round of the NFL Draft sees the Rams make a perplexing move, and more in today's Front Row Seat newsletter.
I almost heard it.
A big perk of working from home is the ability to watch afternoon baseball. That means that I had the Padres-Rockies game on the TV yesterday while I went about my day, occasionally stopping to watch an at-bat or an entire half-inning before going on to whatever my next task was.
Had it been in the evening, when the NFL Draft and the NBA Playoffs were taking place, I probably would’ve turned the game off at some point and turned on something more competitive.
Then the top of the 9th inning happened.
I sat down when Merrill came up to bat, but then my phone rang. I talked for a bit while keeping an eye on what was happening, but then got reminded that it was time to head to my kid’s school. Weekday afternoon baseball is rarely something that anyone is able to dedicate their full attention towards.
I got in the car and put on the Padres radio broadcast. I heard the Bogaerts single. I heard the Andujar single. The last thing I heard before I had to leave the car was Jesse Agler saying “The Padres have scored twice, they have runners at first and third, and there are still no outs in the top of the 9th inning with Gavin Sheets coming to the plate.”
I experienced Gavin Sheets’ home run via a push notification, informing me that the score had changed and the Padres had taken a two-run lead. By time I got back to the car, Mason Miller was trotting in from the Coors Field bullpen. I’m happy with the result, but I definitely missed out on the most thrilling elements of the home run.
All of this falls in line with a tenet that is core to my belief system: Weekday afternoon baseball is incredible if you can clear your schedule and focus on the baseball. Otherwise, it’s just a crafty way to ensure that the guys can get on a plane and travel to their next destination before the sun goes down. And that’s fine! It just means that, occasionally, big moments are going to happen in the background of more important stuff. Good thing MLB decided, almost a century ago, to start playing (most) games under lights at night!
It’s also good that they play some of them during the day because….
Gavin Sheets currently has an OPS of 1.205 in day games and .557 in night games. The difference wasn’t quite that dramatic last season (.844 vs. .696) but it was enough that the Padres should probably make sure Gavin Sheets is getting at-bats whenever the sun is still shining. Or maybe get his eyes checked. Or both!
Now, onto the links…
San Diego Padres
Sheets plays hero on 30th birthday as Miller keeps streak intact - MLB.com
The Padres opened the ninth inning trailing 8-5, but a haunting leadoff walk and four straight hits capped by a three-run birthday blast over the out-of-town scoreboard in right field by Gavin Sheets quickly turned the tide as the Friars took a 10-8 lead.
The come-from-behind rally set the stage for Miller to close out the ninth. He induced a grounder from Tyler Freeman before yielding a single to Troy Johnston, setting up a game-ending 5-4-3 double play off the bat of Ezequiel Tovar.
Padres Daily: Offense gets there, still ‘not there’; Sheets comes through again; Tatis veers off course - San Diego Union-Tribune
We have spent a lot of time here discussing how well Tatis has fought off the frustration of some bad batted-ball luck and kept his composure and stayed with his approach even as he would like to actually hit a home run.
Well, something to keep an eye on is that he without a doubt had his worst batch of at-bats this season over the past couple days. They weren’t all in a row. He had a couple single Tuesday. He beat out an infield single yesterday while also striking out three times.That was after striking out twice in each of the first two games of the series.
But he also watched pitches down the middle and, more than anything, made poor swing decisions.
Hired Gun - Letters to A.J.
On April 12th the San Diego Padres should have been celebrating the completion of an ultra-rare four-game sweep of the perennially pesky Colorado Rockies. A feat last accomplished during the Clinton Administration (1999). But the mood was dampened by the sudden early exit of the Padres starting rotation anchor, Nick Pivetta. 10 days later the Padres signed Lucas Giolito, the last remaining impact starter on the free agent market. Whiplash events like this can be disorienting. Breaking these developments into their component parts can help bring the Padres’ new equilibrium into focus.
NBA Playoffs
Knicks can’t get off a shot against Hawks in wild finish of Game 3, as CJ McCollum lifts Atlanta again - Yahoo Sports
After trailing for most of Thursday’s Game 3, the New York Knicks had a chance to win it in the closing seconds, with the ball in the hands of Jalen Brunson — their captain, their closer, last season’s Clutch Player of the Year.
But it’s not last year.
Cavaliers unravel against Raptors in Game 3, but there’s little reason to panic - The Athletic
Cleveland still holds a 2-1 advantage in this series, and it would take a lot more than what happened Thursday to sound the alarm bells. Observers of past Cavs-Raptors campaigns might recall Toronto taking Games 3 and 4 of the 2016 Eastern Conference finals, to even the series at two games apiece, and LeBron James would later say: “I’ve been a part of some really adverse situations … and I just didn’t believe that this was one of them.”
On Thursday, the Raptors made 50 of 87 shots. That’s the second-best shooting night they’ve had in the playoffs, ever. They’d also dropped 12 consecutive playoff games to Cleveland, dating all the way back to when they evened the conference finals 10 years ago but did not exactly have the LeBron Cavs shaking in their boots.
Nuggets-Timberwolves takeaways: Jaden McDaniels backs up his talk, as Minnesota dominates Game 3 with defense - Yahoo Sports
Losing Gordon was a big blow, but the contrast between the group we saw in Game 1 and Game 3 was startling. Jokić/Murray shooting aside, this was one of the rare occasions we didn’t feel the force of Denver’s offense. All of its off-ball actions, cuts and movement were disrupted.
Ball movement became a stagnant adventure. Transition attacks did not feel as dangerous. Pressure points were not hit. The defense that looked great in Game 1 and slipped in Game 2 disappeared Thursday night.
2026 NFL Draft
The Winners and Losers of the First Round of the 2026 NFL Draft - The Ringer
The Raiders got their man, the Rams got a surprise new QB, and the Cardinals did what now?? Here are the highlights and lowlights from day one of the draft.
NFL Draft 2026: Sean McVay comes off as ‘muted,’ ‘mad’ after Rams’ surprise pick of Alabama QB Ty Simpson - Yahoo Sports
The biggest surprise in Round 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft came from the Los Angeles Rams, a win-now team that opted to draft its quarterback of the future.
With the 13th overall pick and plenty of talent still on the board, the Rams selected Alabama passer Ty Simpson as the heir apparent to Matthew Stafford. It was quickly reported that head coach Sean McVay had spoken to Stafford earlier in the day to notify him about the decision to draft a quarterback.
Stafford’s reaction to the pick will be interesting. But what really stood out Thursday night was McVay’s reaction.
‘Real-life dreams coming true’: Aztecs cornerback Chris Johnson picked in first round of NFL draft - San Diego Union-Tribune
On Thursday night, Johnson was a Day 1 selection when the Miami Dolphins took him with the draft’s 27th pick. Johnson is SDSU’s first first-round pick since running back Rashaad Penny was also selected 27th by Seattle in the 2018 draft. Johnson is the second SDSU defensive back selected in the first round, joining Willie Buchanon (Green Bay, 1972).
LSU’s Mansoor Delane (Chiefs, sixth pick) was the only cornerback taken ahead of Johnson, who is slotted to receive a four-year contract worth $18.30 million as the 27th pick.
2026 NFL mock draft, Rounds 2 and 3: Garrett Nussmeier to Jets; Chiefs add big-play WR - The Athletic
The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft certainly featured its share of surprises, including Caleb Banks going to the Vikings at No. 18 and the Texans trading up for Keylan Rutledge at No. 26.
But it also featured several expected moves, including seven offensive tackles hearing their names called and a slew of defensive backs being pushed down the board — potentially making them prime pickings on Day 2.
With that in mind, here’s a mock draft for Rounds 2 and 3.
Odds & Ends
Report: Furyk to lead U.S. Ryder Cup team after Tiger Woods withdrew - ESPN
Jim Furyk is returning as U.S. Ryder Cup captain for the 2027 matches in Ireland as the Americans try to get back on track against a European team that has dominated the past three decades, according to The Associated Press.
Three people aware of the selection process said the Ryder Cup committee chose Furyk once Tiger Woods removed himself from competition after his March 27 arrest on suspicion of DUI. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the PGA of America has not announced its pick.
Despite progress toward deals, San Diego’s fight over Liberty Station takes a rancorous turn - San Diego Union-Tribune
City officials have managed in recent weeks to convince 10 of 12 other government agencies to agree to payouts needed for the city to retain control of Liberty Station, but the effort has prompted a war of words.
That’s because the leaseholder — Seligman Properties — has been simultaneously trying to convince those agencies to reject the city’s efforts so Seligman can buy and control much of the sprawling district of parks, artist studios, shops and restaurants.
City officials say Seligman is trying to scuttle the payout deals so the city will be forced to sell Liberty Station to Seligman at a substantially deflated purchase price.
Youth advocates speak against proposed cuts to San Diego’s libraries, parks and recreation centers - KPBS
The budget would cut operating hours and staff in both the library and parks and recreation departments. Advocates gathered in Civic Center Plaza on Monday morning to speak against those cuts.
“For many families across San Diego, especially those with the fewest resources, these spaces are essential lifelines,” said Patrick Stewart, CEO of the Library Foundation.
The proposed budget also eliminates the Office of Child and Youth Success from the library department. That office advocates for youth and families in city planning and seeks grants to support the city’s youth programs. One of the office’s goals has been to create licensed child care facilities on city property.