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Hernández: Dodgers should trade for Juan Soto and avoid mistake Angels made with Mike Trout

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Hernández: Dodgers should trade for Juan Soto and avoid mistake Angels made with Mike Trout

The phenom is now an previous man.

Mike Trout has a again drawback that he should handle for the remainder of his profession, the prognosis coach Mike Frostad relayed to reporters in Kansas Metropolis marking the most recent spherical of bother to strike the Angels.

The information supplied a warning of kinds for the Dodgers, who’re exploring a commerce with the Washington Nationals for Juan Soto.

The lesson right here shouldn’t be in regards to the dangers of putting an enormous wager on a single participant however of what can occur to groups that don’t make the most of their alternatives.

As a substitute of discouraging the Dodgers from pursuing the 23-year-old Soto, the Angels’ failures with Trout ought to compel Andrew Friedman to finish a take care of the Nationals earlier than the Aug. 2 commerce deadline.

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Home windows shut, because the Angels have been made painfully conscious. Arte Moreno’s crew is in no-man’s land. The Angels aren’t positioned to win with Trout as their centerpiece, the scarcity of high quality homegrown gamers and downtrodden state of their farm system giving them nearly no probability of contending within the close to future. Shohei Ohtani will probably be eligible free of charge company after subsequent season.

They’ll’t commerce Trout both. Trout will probably be 31 subsequent month and is six years faraway from the final season during which he performed greater than 140 video games. His latest again issues, which Frostad attributed to costovertebral dysfunction at his T5 vertebrae, has saved him from taking part in since July 12. Neglect about buying and selling him for a handful of one other group’s high-end prospects. The Angels can be lucky to simply get a crew to tackle what stays of his $426.5-million contract.

Trout is now in his 11th full season within the main leagues. The Angels had 11 probabilities to construct round him and tousled each time, Moreno’s roster-ruining impulse purchases usually the explanation why. Their punishment: inescapable mediocrity.

The Dodgers received the Nationwide League West in eight of the final 9 seasons. Final yr, once they completed second to the San Francisco Giants, they reached the NL Championship Sequence.

Nevertheless, reaching the postseason isn’t sufficient for the Dodgers, who maintain themselves to a better customary than their neighbors down the I-5.

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And as many video games as they received underneath Friedman, the Dodgers have just one World Sequence championship to point out for it.

They now have a possibility to win one other championship or two within the subsequent few years, as they’ve a high-powered offense anchored by two of probably the most harmful hitters within the league in Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman.

Betts is within the second yr of a 12-year, $365-million contract. Freeman is within the first yr of a six-year, $162-million deal.

The Dodgers didn’t signal them to long-term contracts as a result of they anticipated them to take care of their currents ranges of manufacturing till their offers expire. Betts and Freeman have been signed to assist the crew win now.

Freeman will probably be 33 in September. Betts will probably be 30 a month later.

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The Dodgers ought to be trying to maximize what stays of their primes. They need to be trying to commerce for Soto, who has 20 homers for the last-place Nationals.

Washington Nationals proper fielder Juan Soto (22) places on his sun shades earlier than heading out to the sector in between innings in opposition to the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Occasions)

The Dodgers can have three Octobers with Soto in the event that they commerce for him this yr, as he received’t be a free agent till after the 2024 season.

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The Dodgers’ most pronounced shortcomings are in pitching, however there’s no purpose the crew can’t purchase each Soto and a reliever. As for beginning pitching, the Dodgers have loads of arms. They may use an ace — who couldn’t? — however none can be found.

Considerations about Soto have much less to do along with his .243 common and extra to do with the price of buying him.

The Dodgers must ship the Nationals are package deal of their high-end prospects, however, keep in mind, prospects are simply prospects. Final yr, the Dodgers made a take care of the Nationals for Max Scherzer and Trea Turner. The return included two prized prospects, Josiah Grey and Keibert Ruiz. Grey nearly definitely wouldn’t be within the Dodgers’ rotation if he have been nonetheless right here; Ruiz can be caught behind Will Smith at catcher.

However what if Soto, who already rejected a $440-million extension provide from the Nationals, involves Los Angeles and ultimately leaves the Dodgers with no alternative however to re-sign him as a free agent?

Effectively, that might imply he carried out exceptionally properly and received over the town within the course of. That might imply the Dodgers can have discovered the participant who may substitute Betts because the crew’s cornerstone.

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The day after Freeman agreed to his take care of the Dodgers, Clayton Kershaw talked about the Dodgers now had two of the three greatest hitters in baseball in Freeman and Betts.

The opposite hitter Kershaw put in that class was Soto.

The Dodgers now have an opportunity to have a lineup that features all three of them — and for the remainder of this season, Turner as properly.

They’ve a possibility, and they need to take it. Passing on this opportunity is simply too nice a chance.

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Is Tuli Tuipulotu the next Joey Bosa for the Chargers? Edge rusher 'does it all'

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Is Tuli Tuipulotu the next Joey Bosa for the Chargers? Edge rusher 'does it all'

Tuli Tuipulotu is still finding his voice.

Naturally, he speaks through force on the field — a relentless pass rusher with a patented spin move that is disruptive to most offenses. Yet the third-year edge rusher for the Chargers remains reserved and soft-spoken in the locker room, still growing into his presence.

“He’s a quiet dude,” said Khalil Mack. “But when he speaks up, everybody listens.”

In the past, the homegrown talent — a Lawndale High product who played just 10 minutes from the Chargers’ facility — identified himself as an “underdog.” Now, he’s coming into his own vocally, stepping out of that label and doing it so convincingly that Mack, a future Hall of Famer, wants even more from him.

“When we’re on the field, signals being called on the sidelines, he kind of calls it,” Mack added. “He’s always been that guy anyway. Just to hear him speak in the room and speak in a group, amongst the defense, everybody hears him loud and clear.”

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Since his rookie year, Tuipulotu has filled in as a spot starter. But with franchise stalwart Joey Bosa’s departure to Buffalo in the offseason, Tuipulotu could be primed for a breakout season, becoming a central piece in what was the top-ranked defense last season.

Even with more snaps and higher expectations, his standard hasn’t changed.

“I’ve been starting since my rookie year, and if that’s my role this year, then it’s going to feel the same,” Tuipulotu said. “I don’t think it’s anything different from what I’ve been doing.”

What has changed is Tuipulotu’s role as a leader.

“That comes with credibility,” he said. “You can’t just talk and not have stuff to back you up. I wouldn’t say I’ve been talking too much, but I’ve been talking enough.”

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Last season, Tuipulotu boosted his credibility by filling in for Mack, who missed time because of an injury, and Bosa, who could never get fully healthy when trying to return from injury.

Despite starting just nine games, Tuipulotu logged 732 defensive snaps — a heavy workload that showcased his rising potential. He led the Chargers with 8½ sacks and emerged as a key piece of a defense that ranked top seven in total sacks (46).

The conversation now shifts to Tuipulotu’s ceiling. With Bosa gone, he’ll take over a starting role and see a major uptick in snaps. Still, defensive coordinator Jesse Minter and veterans such as Mack remain measured — careful not to pile too much pressure or expectation on the 22-year-old.

Chargers linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu (45) pursues Bengals running back Chase Brown (30) last season at SoFi Stadium.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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“You wish you could clone and have a bunch of him.”

— Ryan Ficken, Chargers special teams coach, on Tuli Tuipulotu

Even so, those around him can’t help but be impressed by his playmaking ability and growing comfort in Year 2 of Minter’s system.

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“The really good players — can they do what you want them to do, but also have that little magic where sometimes they go outside of their realm and make a play?” Minter said. “They’ve always been that way, and he can be that.”

Opposite him on the edge, Mack says he is “taking all the steps and is playing all the different roles — inside, outside, dropping [into coverage]. He does it all.”

“I want to see him ball and make plays this year,” Mack added. “Not putting too much on him. I know what I expect from him this year … [It’s] just letting it happen naturally, just putting the action to it and not speaking on it too much.”

Early in his career, Tuipulotu’s versatility kept him on the field, particularly on special teams — a role that might now take a back seat despite his influence.

As a backup, he logged 339 snaps on kickoff and field-goal units, second most on the team. While Tuipulotu stays willing to contribute wherever needed, his coaches remain cautious, careful not to overextend him or slow his defensive development.

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“You wish you could clone and have a bunch of him,” special teams coach Ryan Ficken said. “But there’s some give and take. Now you gotta take [his starting role] into consideration. … He wants to do it all. He wants to play on all those phases, and it’s just going to depend on the situation.”

Those around Tuipulotu are noticing his growing confidence — through his actions on the field and his voice off it. Building that confidence has been a key focus early in training camp, and he aims to carry it through the season.

With his elevated responsibilities, confidence will be key to his success as he steps into a new position that comes with leadership expectations and greater demands. For now, though, he isn’t making it bigger than it needs to be.

“It’s a game,” Tuipulotu said, nonchalantly. “It’s not hard to go out there and do your best. This is what we do. This is what we love to do.”

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Scott Turner, HUD secretary and ex-Redskins player, backs Trump's pressure on Commanders to bring back moniker

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Scott Turner, HUD secretary and ex-Redskins player, backs Trump's pressure on Commanders to bring back moniker

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President Donald Trump received support from Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner amid the push for the Washington Commanders to ditch its current nickname in favor of the Redskins.

Turner was an NFL defensive back for eight years. He played for the Washington Redskins, San Diego Chargers and Denver Broncos from 1995 to 2003 before he called it a career.

Scott Turner of the Washington Redskins looks on during a game against the Arizona Cardinals at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. (Getty Images)

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He wrote a message in reply to Trump on Sunday.

“I played in the NFL and was drafted by the Washington Redskins. Not the ‘Washington Football Team’ or the ‘Commanders,’” he wrote on X. “@POTUS is right. It’s time to bring the Redskins’ name back.”

The Redskns selected Turner in the seventh round of the 1995 draft. He played three seasons in Washington. He had 106 tackles and five interceptions in his career.

Trump put the blitz on the Commanders, and the Cleveland Guardians of MLB, on Sunday with two Truth Social posts.

“The Washington ‘Whatever’s’ should IMMEDIATELY change their name back to the Washington Redskins Football Team. There is a big clamoring for this,” Trump wrote first. “Likewise, the Cleveland Indians, one of the six original baseball teams, with a storied past.

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“Our great Indian people, in massive numbers, want this to happen. Their heritage and prestige is systematically being taken away from them. Times are different now than they were three or four years ago. We are a Country of passion and common sense. OWNERS, GET IT DONE!!!”

Then, he threatened to put the Commanders’ deal to take over the old RFK Stadium site in jeopardy if they didn’t revert to the name.

Scott Turner in 1995

Scott Turner #29 of the Washington Redskins watches from the sideline against the Arizona Cardinals at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona on October 15, 1995. (Joseph Patronite/Getty Images)

SUPER BOWL CHAMP SAYS HE’D ASK TRUMP TO HELP GET REDSKINS NICKNAME BACK

“My statement on the Washington Redskins has totally blown up, but only in a very positive way,” Trump wrote in a second Truth Social post. “I may put a restriction on them that if they don’t change the name back to the original ‘Washington Redskins,’ and get rid of the ridiculous moniker, ‘Washington Commanders,’ I won’t make a deal for them to build a Stadium in Washington. The Team would be much more valuable, and the Deal would be more exciting for everyone.”

Daniel Snyder changed Washington’s team name from the Washington Redskins to the Washington Football Team before the start of the 2020 season amid a summer of racial tensions. The team eventually became the Washington Commanders, and Snyder sold the team to Josh Harris.

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Fox News Digital reached out to the Commanders for comment. Harris has made clear he has no intention of changing the nickname again.

Harris said on Fox News Channel’s “Special Report” in April that the team would not bring back the Redskins name even with plans to build a new stadium in Washington, D.C.

Josh Harris and Trump in May

Owner of the Washington Commanders team Josh Harris speaks at an event unveiling plans to host the 2027 NFL Draft in DC with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House on May 5, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Annabelle Gordon for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

“The Commanders’ name actually has taken on an amazing kind of element in our building,” Harris responded to Bret Baier’s question about the Redskins name coming back as part of this new stadium deal. “So, the people that certain types of players that are tough, that love football, are delegated Commanders and Jayden [Daniels], for example, is a Commander, and they’re ranked.

“And, you know, the business staff has gotten into it, and obviously, we’re in a military city here. There’s more military personnel than anywhere else, so we’re kind of moving forward with the Commanders name, excited about that, and not looking back.”

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Fox News’ Scott Thompson contributed to this report.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

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Freddie Freeman injured as Dodgers are swept by the Milwaukee Brewers, again

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Freddie Freeman injured as Dodgers are swept by the Milwaukee Brewers, again

The Dodgers held their annual Family Day on the field at Dodger Stadium on Sunday, rolling food trucks, bounce houses and a climbing wall onto the warning track in left field. Few of the players seemed to be in a festive mood, however.

That’s because the Dodgers warmed up for Family Day with a 6-5 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers, the team’s third straight loss and the 10th in 12 games in which they’ve been outscored 71-36. It’s the team’s worst 12-game skid since 2018.

The loss was also the sixth in as many tries against the Brewers in the last two weeks, making Milwaukee the first team to sweep a season series of more than four games from the Dodgers in 20 years.

“Guys are getting frustrated,” manager Dave Roberts said. “You see kind of more emotion coming in. We just haven’t played good baseball.”

But it gets worse: the Dodgers (58-42) might have lost first baseman Freddie Freeman for a spell. Freeman, who is among the team leaders in batting average (.292) and is third in runs (47) and hits (95), sustained a left wrist contusion after being hit by a José Quintana pitch in the sixth inning. Roberts said X-rays on Freeman’s wrist were negative and the first baseman is considered day to day.

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“That one, I held my breath,” Roberts said. “I think we all did, because, you know, when you’re scuffling and to potentially lose a guy for four-to-six weeks is obviously very scary.”

In Freeman’s absence, catcher Dalton Rushing could play at first base.

As for the rest of what ails the Dodgers, that could be a lot harder to fix.

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On Sunday they made three errors, leading to two unearned runs. They gave up the lead twice and Mookie Betts lined out to center with the bases loaded to end the game.

“We’ve got to figure it out. We’ve got to play better,” Betts whispered in an empty clubhouse after going one for five, leaving him with a .189 average in July and as many strikeouts as hits.

Across the room Clayton Kershaw cut short a scrum with reporters. He pitched well enough Sunday, but his day was undone in a three-run Milwaukee fourth in which a Tommy Edman throwing error and a fielding error by Andy Pages gave the Brewers two runs and forced Kershaw to throw 29 pitches.

Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw delivers in the fifth inning Sunday against the Brewers.

Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw delivers in the fifth inning Sunday against the Brewers.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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“I’m frustrated. We’re all frustrated. I don’t know how else to say it,” said Kershaw, who was visibly angry after being pulled from the game in the fifth inning. “We didn’t win a game. No excuses. We’ve just got to play better.

“I don’t have much to say,” he added. “I’m going to get myself in trouble. So let’s just call it.”

The Dodgers gave Kershaw an early lead with a three-run third inning, the big blow a two-run homer by Shohei Ohtani, his 34th of the season. The defense gave all three runs back in the fourth, however.

“It’s frustrating,” Roberts repeated. “That’s the word everyone uses when things aren’t going well, but you also have to make your own breaks. And when things are tough, you can’t do things to sabotage yourself. Today, specifically, it was the defense.”

Hyeseong Kim slides safely into first, beating the tag of Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Andrew Vaughn.

Hyeseong Kim slides safely into first, beating the tag of Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Andrew Vaughn on a pickoff attempt in the sixth inning Sunday.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Esteury Ruiz’s first home run for the Dodgers put them back in front in the fifth, but the Brewers (59-40) went in front to stay in the sixth, scoring three times off relievers Alex Vesia and Lou Trivino (3-1) on a double, three singles and a walk.

The Dodgers’ bullpen earned-run average of 4.39 ranks 12th in the National League. The team hasn’t gotten a scoreless game from its bullpen since July 3.

“You’ve got to kind of find a way to reset,” Roberts said before heading back up the dugout steps for Family Day. “Come back fresh tomorrow and play good baseball.”

Snell and Treinen continue rehab

Pitchers Blake Snell and Blake Treinen made rehab appearances for triple-A Oklahoma City on Sunday.

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Snell, who has been on the injured list since April 6 because of left shoulder inflammation, made 58 pitches over four innings, giving up a run on four hits while striking out six. It was his third rehab appearance.

Treinen, out since April 19 with a forearm strain, followed with a perfect fifth inning in which he struck out two. He could return to the Dodgers’ roster this week.

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