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Alex Rodriguez makes bold statement about Yankees' World Series chances: 'They have an easy road'

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Alex Rodriguez makes bold statement about Yankees' World Series chances: 'They have an easy road'

As the New York Yankees get ready to host the Cleveland Guardians for Game 1 of the ALCS on Monday night, one former Yankee thinks the team has an “easy road” to the World Series. 

Alex Rodriguez knows the feeling of winning a World Series in New York. In fact, the last time the Yankees won the trophy was 2009, when Rodriguez was part of a loaded Yankees squad that defeated the Philadelphia Phillies to win the franchise’s MLB-best 27th title. 

While on the Fox Sports panel after Game 1 of the NLCS, where the Los Angeles Dodgers took down the New York Mets to strike first in that series, Rodriguez’s Yankees teammate, Hall of Famer Derek Jeter, spoke about the Yankees’ chances of reaching the World Series. 

Fox Sports broadcasters, from left, Kevin Burkhardt, Alex Rodriguez, David Ortiz and Derek Jeter before game five between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres of the NLDS. (Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images)

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“You never want to say you have. You never have an easy road to the World Series, but if the Yankees could pick and choose their opponents, I think they got the two that they would pick and choose because the success they’ve had against the AL Central,” Jeter explained. 

Rodriguez was a lot stronger with his thoughts heading into the series. 

“You don’t have to say it, I’ll say it: They have an easy road to the World Series,” Rodriguez replied. 

“Look, it’s never easy, right? But this is the clearest path in 20 years.”

Some Yankees fans could be calling Rodriguez’s comments a jinx, while Guardians fans could be hoping their team uses something like this as “bulletin board material,” or fuel to prove Rodriguez wrong in this best-of-seven bout. 

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But there is some backing that Rodriguez has for his comment regarding the clearest path in the past two decades for the Yankees. 

It’s no secret New York has been trying to reach the World Series for a long time, having not done so since Rodriguez and Jeter were hoisting the trophy at Yankee Stadium in 2009. They have made it to the ALCS in recent years, but they couldn’t get past the Houston Astros in 2017, 2019 and 2022. 

Well, Yankees fans were elated when the Detroit Tigers took down the Astros in the Wild Card Round, as they knew they wouldn’t have to see them at any point on their hopeful road to the Fall Classic. 

Former New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez is introduced at the Old Timers’ Day Ceremony at Yankee Stadium. (Wendell Cruz-USA Today Sports)

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Then, while awaiting an opponent between the Kansas City Royals and Baltimore Orioles, Yankees fans would admit they’d rather see the former because the latter gave them trouble in their AL East schedule all season. The Orioles were 8-5 against the Yankees during the 2024 regular season. 

So, when the Royals took out the Orioles, once again Yankees fans were happy with the results. New York would eventually complete their ALDS victory in Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, beating the Royals in Game 4 to move on. 

Meanwhile, the Guardians do come to the Bronx with loads of momentum after Lane Thomas’s clutch grand slam off AL Cy Young frontrunner Tarik Skubal in Game 5 of the ALDS, which was ultimately a kill shot to the Tigers’ Cinderella story this postseason. 

The Guardians have seen the Yankees recently in the postseason, with New York beating them in five games in the ALDS in 2022. And while the Yankees are the top seed, Cleveland comes into this series with a formidable bullpen and the second-best batting average among the four teams remaining in the postseason (.234). 

The Yankees are hitting at a .220 clip, with AL MVP frontrunner Aaron Judge struggling with just two hits in four games thus far. However, the Yankees went 4-2 against the Guardians this season, and they’re looking to replicate those four wins to secure a spot in what’s become an elusive series for them despite the talent and payroll on the books. 

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Alex Rodriguez before the game between New York and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Yankee Stadium. (Vincent Carchietta-USA Today Sports)

It’s never an easy road, but Rodriguez is clearly confident that this is the best chance the Yankees have had since he was wearing the pinstripes. 

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Olympic medalist suffers serious injuries after ‘death-defying’ skateboarding stunt

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Olympic medalist suffers serious injuries after ‘death-defying’ skateboarding stunt

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An Olympic medalist and 13-time X Games winner suffered serious head injuries after a stunt went wrong.

Nyjah Huston, who won bronze in Paris in 2024, said he suffered a fractured skull and eye socket.

“A harsh reminder how death-defying skating massive rails can be…” Huston wrote in an Instagram post which included a photo of himself in a hospital bed. “Taking it one day at a time. I hope yall had a better new years then me. We live to fight another day.”

 

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Nyjah Huston of the United States competes in the men’s street prelims during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at La Concorde 3.  (Jack Gruber/USA TODAY Sports)

The post also featured Huston being treated by first responders and friends, along with another photo showing a large black-and-blue mark on Huston’s eye.

Numerous skating legends showed their support for Huston, who is considered one of the best skateboarders in the United States today.

Nyjah Huston of Team USA reacts at the Skateboarding Men’s Street Prelims on day two of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Ariake Urban Sports Park on July 25, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

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“Been watching @nyjah grow up into one of the best skaters to ever do it and it amazes me the amount of grit this kid has,” Shaun White shared on his Instagram story, via Pro Football Network. “You got this brother. Heal quick!”

Even Tony Hawk shared well-wishes on Huston’s Instagram post.

“Heavy. Stay strong; we know you’ll be back,” the skateboarding legend wrote.

“Man.. prayers for healing brother!” added Ryan Sheckler.

It is unknown whether Huston was wearing a helmet at the time of the incident.

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Nyjah Huston, of the United States, celebrates during the men’s skateboard street final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 29, 2024, in Paris, France.  (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Huston has seven gold medals and five silvers in world championships. He has not competed since the 2024 Olympics, but the California native has his eyes set on the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.

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Prep talk: JuJu Watkins returns to Sierra Canyon on Friday

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Prep talk: JuJu Watkins returns to Sierra Canyon on Friday

JuJu Watkins is returning to Sierra Canyon High on Friday, the place where she was a high school basketball All-American.

The school will hold a ceremony retiring her jersey at halftime of the boys’ basketball game between Sierra Canyon and Sherman Oaks Notre Dame.

She will be presented with a framed jersey.

Watkins is sitting out this season at USC while recovering from a knee injury.

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Sierra Canyon girls’ basketball coach Alicia Komaki said, “She raised our standards, which was hard to do because we had won four state championships. She was an incredibly talented player.”

Watkins was also making a huge impact in the college game until her injury last season during the NCAA playoffs.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.

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Miami beats Ole Miss behind Carson Beck’s game-winning touchdown to reach CFP National Championship Game

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Miami beats Ole Miss behind Carson Beck’s game-winning touchdown to reach CFP National Championship Game

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The Miami Hurricanes are heading to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game, coming away with a narrow victory over Ole Miss, 31-27, in an all-time postseason contest. 

The Hurricanes will now await the winner of the other semifinal between the Indiana Hoosiers and Oregon Ducks to see who they will play on Jan. 19. But Miami will do so on their home turf, with the National Championship Game being played at Hard Rock Stadium – the site of their home games. 

The game began slowly for both teams, with only Miami getting on the scoreboard in the first quarter with a field goal on their 13-play opening drive. But the fireworks came out from there for the Rebels thanks to the speed of running back Kewan Lacy.

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Charmar Brown of the Miami (FL) Hurricanes celebrates a run in the first quarter of the 2025 College Football Playoff Semifinal at State Farm Stadium on Jan. 8, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Steve Limentani/ISI Photos)

On just the second play of the second quarter, Lacy was off to the race, finding a seam and busting out a 73-yard touchdown run to go up 7-3 after the extra point.

But this game was back and forth for quite some time, including the ensuing Hurricanes drive as quarterback Carson Beck led the way on a 15-play touchdown series with a CharMar Brown rushing score from four yards out.

The game was deadlocked at 10 apiece when Beck decided to air it out to Keelan Marion, and it was worth the risk. Marion made the grab for a 52-yard touchdown to help Miami go up 17-13 at halftime.

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The third quarter was an odd one for both squads, as their opening drives resulted in a missed field goal apiece. Then, after Beck threw an interception, the Rebels were able to cut the lead to 17-16 in favor of the Hurricanes heading into the fourth quarter for the ages.

There was no absence of electric plays when it mattered most in the final 15 minutes, as Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss got his team downfield enough to take a 19-17 lead with a field goal.

But the speed of Malachi Toney changed the scoreboard for Miami in the best way possible, as he took a screen 36 yards to the house, capping a four-play, 75-yard answer drive for the Hurricanes right after Ole Miss took the lead.

Trinidad Chambliss of the Ole Miss Rebels celebrates a touchdown against the Miami Hurricanes in the second quarter during the 2025 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the VRBO Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium on Jan. 8, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

With a 24-19 lead and five minutes left to play in the game, Chambliss and the Rebels’ offense had quite enough time to retake the lead. He did just that, finding trusty tight end Dae’Quan Wright for 24 yards to send the Rebels faithful ballistic.

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Ole Miss wanted to go for two in hopes of making it a three-point lead, and Chambliss came through again, finding a wide open Caleb Odom for the key score.

It was up to Beck and the Miami offense to keep the game alive with at least tying the game at 27 apiece. On a crucial third-and-10 just inside field goal range, Beck was confident with his pass to Marion to get well within range. Another pass to Marion made it first-and-goal, and it was clear Miami wasn’t trying to force overtime. They wanted to win it all.

How fitting was it that Beck, scanning the field, found a seam to his left and just sprinted for the colored paint to score the game-winner with 18 seconds left.

But things got fascinating at the end, with Ole Miss going 40 yards in just a few seconds to set up a Hail Mary for the win. Chambliss had the space to loft a pass to the end zone, and though it hit off the hand of a teammate, it landed incomplete for the Miami victory. 

Carson Beck of the Miami Hurricanes passes the ball against the Ole Miss Rebels in the first quarter during the 2025 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the VRBO Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium on Jan. 8, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona.   (Chris Coduto/Getty Images)

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In the box score, Beck was 23-of-37 for 268 yards with his two passing touchdowns and an interception. Marion was a key player in the victory with seven catches for 114 yards, while Mark Fletcher Jr. set the tone in the ground game with 133 yards rushing on 22 carries. Toney also tallied 81 receiving yards for Miami.

For Ole Miss, Chambliss also went 23-of-37 for 277 yards with his touchdown to Wright, who finished with 64 yards on three grabs. De’Zhaun Stribling was five for 77 through the air, while Lacy rushed for 103 yards on 11 carries.

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