Padres win wild, weird homecoming game against the Cubs
Padres come home and will themselves to a weird win, Sockers win their 17th Ron Newman Cup, #8 Magic take a commanding lead over #1 Pistons in the NBA Playoffs, and more in today's Front Row Seat!
I’ve always had a thing for guys that come in to play first base as a defensive replacement. There haven’t been a lot of them, with first base being the position where most baseball teams put their biggest/best hitter, insinuating that it is the easiest defensive position on the diamond.
Growing up, I fell in love with watching the smooth first base defense of Wally Joyner and John Olerud. I remember following the career of Doug Mientkiewicz as closely as if he were a distant relative, fascinated by him being good enough defensively to play in MLB and getting paid big money but not being a good hitter (or pitcher).
I could go back in my memories and think about watching Adrian Gonzalez play first base, although his bat was probably more impactful than his glove, or watching a young Anthony Rizzo wow the tiny crowds at Petco Park. But we’re here to talk about Ty France.
I liked Ty France when he was previously with the Padres, but it was evident that he was a “sum of its parts” type of player. He did everything fine but was great at nothing. Now that he’s back, he’s that player plus Gold Glove-level defense at first base. Until he hits some sort of a slump, that player can be quite valuable. (France’s OPS is currently .999.)
Ty France started last night’s game at first base, with Nick Castellanos in RF and Gavin Sheets getting a day off. In addition to his stellar defense, he went 2-4 with a double and a triple. He finished the game with 4 RBIs and scored a run himself. He also picked up a walk in one of his at-bats, and later moved over to third base (when Manny Machado’s knee started barking at him) and showed off a good glove over there, as well.
Ty France is not a superstar. He’s a role player. I have a thing where I fall in love with role players, especially the guys with limited specialties (who cares about first base defense?) that find ways to make a big impact on a winning ballclub. The Padres have a number of them this year, and it’s a big reason why they’re 19-9 despite some cold spells and rotten injury luck for their highest paid players.
A role player can really boost your team for a night when put in the right situation. That was Ty France last night and, hopefully, more nights in the future.
Now, onto the links…
San Diego Padres
Ty France drives in 4 runs as Padres push past Cubs - Field Level Media
Ty France knocked in four runs Monday night and Manny Machado doubled twice and singled before leaving the game as the San Diego Padres rallied for a 9-7 win over the visiting Chicago Cubs.
Machado exits game with left leg injury for precautionary reasons - MLB.com
Third baseman Manny Machado was removed in the seventh inning of the Padres’ 9-7 win over the Cubs on Monday night at Petco Park with an apparent left leg injury.
After grounding out to end the previous inning, Machado was seen being tended to by trainers in the Padres’ dugout. Ty France shifted from first to third base while Gavin Sheets entered the game at first.
Padres manager Craig Stammen noted postgame that Machado’s injury wasn’t significant and that he was removed out of precaution.
Padres closer Mason Miller’s scoreless streak ends after controversial call - The Athletic
Miller, pitching in a non-save situation after a late home run by teammate Gavin Sheets, yielded three hits for the first time as a member of the Padres. The first left the bat of Matt Shaw at 49.5 mph and trickled up the third-base line as infielder Ty France and home-plate umpire Dan Merzel hovered over the ball, tracking its movement.
A moment later, France — who had shifted from first base to third after Manny Machado left the game with lower-body discomfort — picked it up, assuming it had crossed far enough into foul territory. Merzel disagreed, ruling it a barely fair ball. France immediately objected.
Padres notes: Jeremiah Estrada’s velo ‘better’ on rehab, Lucas Giolito’s whereabouts - San Diego Union-Tribune
Jeremiah Estrada was hitting 95 and 96 mph with his fastball in Friday’s rehab appearance at low Single-A Lake Elsinore. A couple 97s, too, he said.
“Feel good; felt back,” he said as he unpacked his bag at his locker at Petco Park. “Been working hard with the staff here and just very blessed to have the training staff that we have here. You know, they really take the time and effort to help us get better.”
Estrada is not back officially. He’s expected to continue rehabbing this week with Triple-A El Paso. He landed on the 15-day injured list with elbow tendinitis on April 10 after his four-seam velocity dipped as low as 92.2 mph in his final appearance.
NBA Playoffs
Desmond Bane scores 22, No. 8 seed Magic beat No. 1 seed Pistons 94-88 for a 3-1 series lead - Associated Press
The Orlando Magic are one win away from knocking off a No. 1 seed and winning their first playoff series in 16 years.
They’re not celebrating yet.
Desmond Bane scored 22 points, Franz Wagner had 19 in three quarters and the Magic beat the Detroit Pistons 94-88 Monday night to take a 3-1 series lead, putting the East’s No. 1 seed on the brink of elimination.
Nikola Jokić, Nuggets deliver dominant win over Timberwolves in Game 5 to fend off elimination - Yahoo Sports
The Nuggets picked up a commanding 125-113 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 of their opening-round playoff series on Monday night to keep their postseason hopes alive. Jokić had his 23rd career triple-double, which is the third-most all time behind only Magic Johnson and LeBron James.
While they can’t lose the rest of the way and trail 3-2 headed into Game 6 later this week on the road, Monday night’s win was easily the biggest of the series so far — and it came on the heels of a contentious finish on Saturday night that capped a three-game losing skid.
Thunder sweep the Suns behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 31 points, will wait on Lakers, Rockets - Yahoo Sports
The Oklahoma City Thunder are moving on in the NBA playoffs, completing a first-round sweep of the Phoenix Suns with a definitive 131-122 win in Game 4.
Although the Suns fought to keep their season alive, Phoenix was unable to provide a real answer for Oklahoma City’s offense. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the team with 31 points behind a number of wild, tough finishes in the paint.
Odds & Ends
San Diego Sockers win record 17th indoor soccer title - San Diego Union-Tribune
For the first time since 2022, the San Diego Sockers are Major Arena Soccer League champions.
The Sockers captured the Ron Newman Cup with a 10-3 Game 3, winner-take-all victory over the Milwaukee Wave Monday night at Frontwave Arena.
Facing the MASL’s highest-scoring team, the Sockers rode a hat-trick performance from Sebastian Mendez, two goals and an assist from Leo de Oliveira, intense defense and a few timely stops from goalkeeper Chris Toth.
Cooper Flagg edges Kon Knueppel in close NBA Rookie of the Year race - The Athletic
Cooper Flagg, the No. 1 pick in last year’s draft, on Monday joined Jason Kidd (1995) and Luka Dončić (2019) as the only Mavericks players to earn the honor. Flagg narrowly beat out Kon Knueppel, his former college teammate and roommate at Duke, in one of the best Rookie of the Year award races in recent memory.
Texas Tech Transfer QB Brendan Sorsby Leaves School, Enters Gambling Rehab - Defector
Smart money says that sports gambling scandals will be more dog-licks-man than man-bites-dog real soon. But for now, this rates as big college football news: Texas Tech announced on Monday that quarterback Brendan Sorsby has left the program to get treated for a gambling addiction.
The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal reported that Sorsby, who transferred to the Red Raiders in January after two years at Cincinnati, will enter a residential rehab facility. According to the school, the length of his stay at the treatment center is “indefinite.”