Sports

Column: Is Shohei Ohtani ready for his first pennant race with the Dodgers?

Published

1 year ago

July 17, 2024

Press Room

Column: Is Shohei Ohtani ready for his first pennant race with the Dodgers?

ARLINGTON, Texas —

October came early this year for Dave Roberts.

With the Dodgers dropping six of their final seven games before the All-Star break, the annual scapegoating of Roberts started three months ahead of schedule.

The postgame talk show on the team’s flagship station always fields complaints about the manager when the Dodgers lose, but the volume of such calls increased last week. Other fans vented on social media.

This was news to Shohei Ohtani, who described his relationship with Roberts as “wonderful.”

“I think he’s a manager who has a lot of conversations with players individually,” Ohtani said in Japanese earlier this week. “I myself, there are many areas with which he’s helped me.”

Ohtani applauded his manager’s consistent professionalism.

“As one of the top commanders on the team, I think the manager approaches every game with focus,” he said.

Ohtani is almost certain to be asked about Roberts again.

And again.

Ohtani has probably figured this out by now, considering the observations he’s made about the Dodgers and their fans.

He’s about to experience his first major-league pennant race, for the No. 1 sports franchise in this country’s second-largest market, no less. The first-place Dodgers resume play on Friday night when they host the Boston Red Sox.

“Including the fans, I think it’s a passionate team,” he said.

Ohtani described an environment in which prolonged satisfaction is never derived from regular-season victories, with attention immediately shifting to the next game.

He’s embraced the expectations that produce that mindset. He accepts that if the Dodgers don’t win the World Series this year, they will have failed.

“Of course, only one team wins every year,” he said. “I think every other team thinks they failed. On that point, I think it’s no different for the teams that advanced to the playoffs and the teams that didn’t.”

In recent weeks, Ohtani has referenced the number of players the Dodgers have on the injured list, basically saying this was a period the team had to endure as it waited for them to return.

The Dodgers assembled a rotation consisting of one major health risk after another. The result has been an injury-ravaged staff that has forced Roberts to rely on a disproportionate number of bullpen games and emergency starts from minor leaguers.

No. 1 and 2 starters Tyler Glasnow and Yoshinobu Yamamoto are hurt, with Yamamoto on the 60-day injured list and unlikely to return until rosters expand in September. Clayton Kershaw’s recovery from an offseason shoulder operation has been delayed once already. Walker Buehler aborted his intial comeback from an elbow reconstruction and is now working with private coaches on the other side of the country.

Hard-throwing Bobby Miller, the second-year right-hander whom the Dodgers hoped would emerged as a frontline starter, was demoted to triple A.

The Dodgers are also without one of the best offensive players, All-Star Mookie Betts, who is sidelined with a broken hand.

Still, they hold a seven-game advantage over the second-place Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres in the National League West, and Ohtani was upbeat his team could reverse its current downward trend.

“Using this All-Star break, I would like us to restart with new feelings,” he said. “Also, people who are injured will return. Together with players like that, I’d like to do my best in the second half.”

Ohtani will return from the midseason intermission as a triple-crown candidate, as he ranks first in the NL in home runs (29), second in average (.316) and third in runs batted in (69).

Now in this seventh major-league season, the 30-year-old Ohtani said he’s gained confidence in his ability to work his way out of slumps.

“As the years stack up, when I’m not doing well, I think I’m better able to more or less understand the reasons,” he said. “New things come up, of course, but I think there are more cases where I know that if I do certain things, things will move in a good direction. In that sense, as the number of years pile up, I think there will be fewer ups and downs.”

The Dodgers are counting on that.

That shouldn’t be a problem for Ohtani, who said the responsibility to get the team back on the track belonged to the players.

“We have to do our best each and every game to respond to the expectations of the fans and the manager,” he said.

Sixty-five games remain in the regular season. Ohtani’s long-awaited October moment is near.

Sports

Mike Tomlin stepping down as Steelers head coach: reports

Published

3 hours ago

January 13, 2026

Press Room

Mike Tomlin stepping down as Steelers head coach: reports

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Mike Tomlin is stepping down as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, according to multiple reports.

Tomlin’s decision on Tuesday came after a blowout loss against the Houston Texans in the AFC Wild Card Round of the playoffs. It marked the Steelers’ seventh straight postseason defeat.

This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.

Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

Sports

UCLA receives $17.3 million from a late donor to support football and men’s basketball

Published

4 hours ago

January 13, 2026

Press Room

UCLA receives .3 million from a late donor to support football and men’s basketball

Bob Chesney and Mick Cronin have a new major ally in their bid to compete in the Big Ten.

A $17.3-million gift from late alumnus and longtime donor Lawrence “Larry” Layne will benefit the UCLA football and men’s basketball programs, giving them essential financial resources as they try to keep up with their cash-infused conference counterparts.

The football team will receive $9.6 million and the men’s basketball program $7.7 million as part of Layne’s more than $40-million pledge to various university programs. The donation to the athletic department is believed to be the biggest in more than a decade.

“I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude for Larry’s longstanding history of generosity to both campus and the athletic department, including this transformational gift,” UCLA athletic director Martin Jarmond said in a statement. “I am fortunate to have spent time with Larry and get to know his deep passion for UCLA Athletics, particularly his desire to help our football and men’s basketball programs thrive in this new era of collegiate sports. His investment in our programs positions us, and future generations of Bruin athletes, for long-term success.”

A former men’s rugby player and women’s rugby coach at UCLA, Layne received his master’s of business administration from the school in 1977 and went on to found Nova Storage. He was a fan of multiple Bruins sports and a donor for six decades, his generosity extending beyond his passing in December 2024 at 75.

Layne has supported UCLA athletics since giving to the women’s rugby club in 1979 and becoming the team’s first coach. He also supported the renovation of Pauley Pavilion and the construction of the Wasserman Football Center. Over the years, he’s also given to UCLA baseball, softball, women’s tennis and men’s water polo, his gifts totaling $18.8 million, including his latest donation.

“As a former UCLA student-athlete and coach, Larry fully understood the hard work and determination that was needed to be at his best both on and off the field,” Chesney said, “and this incredibly generous gift will make a big impact on helping us build a championship football team. I am very grateful to Larry and his wife Sheelagh for their support of UCLA and our football program. We will make sure that Larry’s legacy lives on by continuing to support our student-athletes and upholding our university’s True Bruin values.”

Layne’s gift also includes $11.4 million to UCLA Health, assisting research in cardiology and hepatology; $5.7 million to the UCLA Anderson School of Management to support entrepreneurial and real estate studies; $3.8 million to men’s rugby; and $1.9 million to UCLA’s Center for the Art of Performance.

Cronin, who has spoken about wanting to be the moneyed Dodgers of college basketball instead of the cash-strapped Cincinnati Reds, will now be closer to reaching that status thanks to this gift.

“I would like to thank Larry for his generosity and long-time support of our athletics department, specifically toward our men’s basketball program,” Cronin said. “This university has so many fantastic resources for its student-athletes, but we simply would not be able to thrive if not for the generosity of our many loyal donors such as Larry. His generous gift will help us in the future as we continue to build a basketball program with elite young men who all of our fans can be proud to support.”

A graduate of Sylmar High, where he was captain of the football team, Layne later raised money to install lights for the school’s football field and went on to attend Occidental College before going to UCLA for graduate school. His lifelong love of rugby took him to London to play for the Harlequins, and his Los Angeles team was known as the Flying Pumpkins.

Sports

Texans defense suffocates Aaron Rodgers, Steelers in playoff win

Published

15 hours ago

January 13, 2026

Press Room

Texans defense suffocates Aaron Rodgers, Steelers in playoff win

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Crunch.

That was the sound of Houston Texans players colliding with Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers early in the fourth quarter of their Wild Card Round matchup, causing him to lose the ball. Texans defensive lineman Sheldon Rankins picked the ball up and ran it to the end zone for what felt like the knockout blow even though there was still a lot of time left to play.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) loses possession of the ball while being tackled by Houston Texans defensive end Danielle Hunter (55) during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Justin Berl)

It was that type of game for both teams – a defensive struggle – as Houston put together a 30-6 victory. It was the franchise’s first road playoff victory.

There were big hits and little room for error. Houston had a 7-6 lead at halftime thanks to a touchdown pass from C.J. Stroud to Christian Kirk.

Even as the Texans turned the ball over three times between the first half and the third quarter, the Steelers could only muster up three points. Houston’s defensive prowess was on display on each snap as Rodgers was left with little to no time to make a decision.

When he did have time to throw, wide receivers like DK Metcalf, Jonnu Smith and Calvin Austin III either dropped the ball or were just a hair off. Rodgers also had a few of his passes deflected.

Houston Texans wide receiver Christian Kirk (13) runs to the end zone for a touchdown while defended by Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Brandin Echols (26) during the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Justin Berl)

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Steelers fans let the team hear it with plenty of boos. Pittsburgh extended its playoff losing streak to seven games.

Texans running back Woody Marks ran for 100 yards for the first time in his career and scored a touchdown to really seal the win. Texans defensive back Calen Bullock returned an interception for a touchdown late in the game.

Stroud finished 21-of-32 with 250 passing yards and the touchdown pass. The Texans’ defense sacked Rodgers four times. Rankins was good for 1.5 sacks.

The Steelers almost had no offense throughout the game. The team was held to 175 yards and outscored 23-0 in the fourth quarter.

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud throws during the first half of NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

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Houston will take on the New England Patriots in the AFC Divisional Round.

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.