The Sportsletter - Preseason Patch Notes 🛠️

BY JEFF YODER

AUG. 14, 2024 |  SUBSCRIBE  |  WEB VIEW

Good Morning 👋

It’s the final day of a big sports break. More NFL, WNBA, and the FedExCup Playoffs begin tomorrow. We’ll take a look at the MLB home run race in today’s edition, but let’s start with the NFL’s roster-wrecking preseason.

Letter Rip!

  NFL  

Preseason Patch Notes 🛠️

Photo: Stephen Maturen / Getty Images

McCarthy Needs Surgery, Aiyuk Finds a New Home, Reddick Bets Against Jets & More From the NFL’s Preseason News Cycle

Every tech pro or gamer nerd understands the concept of “patch notes.” The intent to roll out a new, shiny product is one thing, but it’s often rife with bugs and glitches. That symbolizes the NFL preseason right about now. Roster overhauls are coming with cuts to the 53-man roster by Tuesday, Aug. 27. The next two weeks of trades, holdouts, and preseason injuries will shuffle those depth charts. Your team already looks different than it did two weeks ago. It’ll look different again in another two weeks. Here are some of the latest patch notes after a week of preseason panic and progress.

Top NFL News Stories

Vikings Rookie QB J.J. McCarthy Needs Knee Surgery

A huge setback hit the Vikings on Monday when the team revealed that rookie QB J.J. McCarthy will require knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus suffered in Minnesota’s first preseason game. McCarthy was the Vikings’ No. 9 pick in the draft. There’s no timetable yet on his return. Minnesota will rely on Sam Darnold.

Steelers On Brink of Deal for 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk

The 49ers-Aiyuk saga may have a conclusion sooner than later. The disgruntled receiver requested a trade after San Francisco failed to give him WR1 money. Aiyuk has a clause in his contract that lets him turn down trade destinations, and he passed on offers from the Patriots and Browns. Rumors on Monday suggested the Steelers have a legitimate offer in place, but will the Niners finally cave?

Haason Reddick’s Holdout Could Wreck Jets Defense

One of the most intriguing holdouts of camp continues to be Jets’ edge-rusher Haason Reddick. The two-time pro bowler was traded from Philadelphia back in April when the Eagles knew they couldn’t afford him any longer. New York acquired him for a third-round pick, but the two sides are dug in. The Jets also lost pass-rusher Bryce Huff to the Eagles in free agency.

Other NFL Stories

• Giants Rookie WR Malik Nabers’ Ankle Injury ‘Nothing Serious’
• Former 1st-Round Pick Tavon Austin Retires From NFL
• Cowboys Are First NFL Franchise to Top $10 Billion Valuation
• Jerod Mayo Hands Out Harsh Punishment for Practice Fights

  MLB  

The Home Run Race 🍿

Photo: Daniel Shirey / Rob Tringall / Getty Images

Aaron Judge & Shohei Ohtani Are Poised for Another Late-Season HR Chase

Got your popcorn ready? Baseball’s final 40 has plenty of storylines to follow, but there’s one that could bring MLB’s two biggest stars to the forefront of a Sosa-McGwire-like season’s end.

• 2022: Aaron Judge (Yankees) cranked 62 home runs to eclipse the AL single-season record.
• 2023: Shohei Ohtani (Dodgers) led the league (44 HRs) before an elbow injury ended his season.
• 2024: Both sluggers are healthy. Ohtani is focused on batting, not pitching. Judge is on pace for another 60 chase. The two biggest stars in baseball (arguably) are 1-2 in the race, and their teams are also fighting for 1-2 in the standings.

Power Shares

Both Judge (6-foot-7) and Ohtani (6-foot-4) are two of the largest players in baseball, which should work against them due to a big strike zone, at least you’d think. But each batter has a unique blend of hand-eye talent and absolute power. Judge (32) and Ohtani (30) are quickly entering the second half of their careers, but we’ve seen through history that (sometimes) the “old man strength” has only empowered big hitters. They’re 1-2 in slugging percentage and 1st and 3rd in OPS. Judge’s numbers are better despite 37 fewer at-bats, but Ohtani has more extra-base hits and far more stolen bases (33). Ohtani also hit his 37th jack last night.

1. Aaron Judge (NYY) — 42 Home Runs

Stats: .332 Avg. | 107 RBIs | .699 SLG | 1.165 OPS

On Pace For: 57 Home Runs

2. Shohei Ohtani (LAD) — 37 Home Runs

Stats: .297 Avg. | 86 RBIs | .623 SLG | 1.008 OPS

On Pace For: 50 Home Runs

The Rest of the Home Run Race

3. Anthony Santander (BAL) — 36 HRs

4. Marcell Ozuna (ATL) — 35 HRs

5. Juan Soto (NYY) — 33 HRs

6. Jose Ramirez (CLE) — 31 HRs

7. Ketel Marte (ARI) — 30 HRs

T8. Gunnar Henderson (BAL) — 29 HRs

T8. Brent Rookier (OAK) — 29 HRs

10. Kyle Schwarber (PHI) — 27 HRs

Players With 26 HRs: Bryce Harper (PHI), Teoscar Hernandez (LAD), Josh Naylor (CLE), Cal Raleigh (SEA), Corey Seager (TEX)

Players With 25 HRs: Pete Alonso (NYM), Yordan Alvarez (HOU), Rafael Devers (BOS)

  HIGHLIGHTS   🎥

⚾️ MLB

Juan Soto Records 1st-Career 3-HR Game

Yankees def. White Sox (4-1)

Shohei Ohtani Hits 37th HR in Dodgers’ Win

Dodgers def. Brewers (7-2)

Alex Bregman Homers Again for Stros’ 7th Straight

Astros def. Rays (3-2)

⚽️ Leagues Cup (Round of 16)

Columbus Rallies to Top Messi-Less Miami (3-2)

Crew Score 3 Unanswered in Final 30 Minutes

Philadelphia Upends Cincinnati (4-2)

Tai Baribo’s Brace Fuels Union to Quarterfinals

  STORYLINES   

🏈 Rookie QB Debut Standouts

It’s just preseason. You hear that all the time across the NFL in August. Last weekend, 665 players on NFL rosters didn’t play. The six rookie QBs drafted in the first round did. So how’d they look? (FOX Sports)

📺 5 Broadcast Situations to Watch
The 2024 NFL season has new faces and new partners in football broadcasting. Tom Brady is now in the booth. So is Jason Kelce. Here are five new NFL TV takeovers we’re looking forward to the most this fall. (Sports Illustrated)

⛳️ FedEx Cup Playoffs Loading

After a topsy-turvy season that included a Scottie Scheffler run for the ages and two Xander Schauffele majors, we’re all set for the three-event finale. The stakes are high. There’s $100 million on the line. (Golf Digest)

  NEWS   📰 

🥉 Flavor Flav Unveils Special Bronze Gift for Jordan Chiles Amid Medal Controversy (SI)

⚾️ Red Sox’s Jarren Duran Suspended 2 Games for Anti-Gay Slur Directed at Fan (B/R)

⚾️ Dodgers Rookie Pitcher Rivery Ryan to Undergo Tommy John Surgery (Yahoo! Sports)

🏈 Commanders Sign 6-Foot-4 WR Martavis Bryant After 6-Year NFL Absence (ESPN)

🏈 Georgia Tech Lands First 5-Star Football Recruit in Modern Era, OL Josh Petty (CBS Sports)

👟 Botswana Fills Massive Stadium to Welcome Home 200M Gold Medalist Letsile Tebogo (SI)

🏈 Colin Kaepernick Wants to Play Flag Football for Team USA at 2028 Olympics (SI)

  SCHEDULE   🗓️

Today's Must-Watch List

⚾️ MLB

Royals at Twins (1:10 pm ET, MLBN)

Cubs at Guardians (6:40 pm ET, MLBTV)

Dodgers at Brewers (8:10 pm ET, MLBN)

⚽️ UEFA Super Cup

Real Madrid vs. Atalanta (3:00 pm ET, Par+)

*WNBA, NFL Preseason & Golf Return Thursday (Aug. 15)

  POLL RESULTS   📊

The CFB Playoff Poll

In honor of Monday’s College Football AP Poll for the first-ever season with a 12-team playoff, we polled the team yesterday to see which postseason format you prefer. It looks like everyone is thrilled to see how the 12-team format works.

1. 12-Team Playoff — 58%

2. More Than 12 Teams — 17%

3. 4-Team Playoff — 14%

4. Original BCS Championship — 11%

*Check Back Tomorrow for the NFL Preseason Poll

  THE TEAM  

Writer & Editor: Jeff Yoder

Assistant Writer: Marissa Kasch

Social Media: Aaron Yorke

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