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Jaelan Phillips MIA LB
Dolphins' Jaelan Phillips: Set for fifth-year option
3h agoThe Dolphins plan to pick up the fifth-year contract option of Phillips (Achilles) before May's deadline, Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN reports.
General manager Chris Grier said Tuesday that Miami intends to pick up the fifth-year options of both Phillips and Jaylen Waddle. A right Achilles tear limited Phillips to just eight games last season, but he's reportedly on track to be ready for Week 1 of the 2024 campaign. He's been one of the Dolphins' more impactful pass rushers over the past three seasons, and the team will be more in need of those talents than ever with Christian Wilkins having moved on to Las Vegas.
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De'Von Achane MIA RB
Dolphins' De'Von Achane: Bulks up during offseason
3h agoAchane looks more muscular after working out this offseason, Joe Schad of the Palm Beach Post reports.
A photo of Achane showing up for OTAs went viral, with some saying he looks much larger than he did during his rookie campaign. It's his second offseason bulking up for football without also considering track and field, though at this point it's unclear how much he's added relative to his weight from the 2023 NFL Combine (where he ran a 4.32 40-yard dash at 188 pounds). Achane averaged 7.8 yards per carry and scored a TD per game last season, albeit with injuries (six missed games) and Raheem Mostert's presence (209 carries) limiting the rookie to 103 carries and 27 catches in his 11 appearances. The Dolphins still have Mostert under contract -- along with backups Jeff Wilson, Salvon Ahmed (foot) and Chris Brooks -- but they'll presumably task Achane with more of the backfield work in his second pro season.
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Royce Freeman LAR RB
Cowboys' Royce Freeman: Picked up by Dallas
19h agoFreeman signed a one-year contract with the Cowboys on Tuesday, Todd Archer of ESPN.com reports.
Freeman spent his first three seasons with the Broncos before stops with the Panthers, Texans and Rams the last three years. The journeyman tallied 319 yards and two touchdowns on the ground in Los Angeles last year across 14 games. Dallas lost Tony Pollard to free agency, so its running back room currently consists of Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn (ankle), Malik Davis, Snoop Conner and Freeman. Freeman could get an opportunity to carve out a role for himself, but the Cowboys still seem likely to invest in the position during the 2024 Draft.
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Trent Taylor CHI WR
49ers' Trent Taylor: Returns to Bay Area
22h agoTaylor signed a one-year contract with the 49ers on Tuesday, Lindsey Pallares of the team's official site reports.
Taylor started his career in San Francisco before a two-year stay with the Bengals, and he spent the 2023 campaign with the Bears. The 29-year-old will have the opportunity to earn a role in the return game with the Niners after the departure of Ray-Ray McCloud in free agency this offseason.
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Trent Taylor CHI WR
Trent Taylor: Could return to Bay Area
23h agoTaylor has talked to the 49ers about a potential return to the team, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
Taylor was selected by San Francisco in the fifth round of the 2017 Draft and spent three seasons there before stops in Cincinnati and Chicago. The 49ers do currently have a void in their return game, with Ray-Ray McCloud now in Atlanta, which is likely where the interest in Taylor lies.
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Deshaun Watson CLE QB
Browns' Deshaun Watson: Throwing full speed
1d agoWatson (shoulder) said Tuesday he's already resumed "throwing full speed" but that he's uncertain how large a workload he'll handle during OTAs and minicamp, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
Watson clarified that certain members of the Browns' medical staff are in favor of a more conservative approach to the quarterback's recovery from right shoulder surgery, Scott Petrak of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram, which would have him wait until training camp to fully practice. Still, Watson is confident he'll be available for the Browns' season opener, and there appears to be no real worries about his Week 1 status. In case Watson misses part of the offseason, or struggles during the fall, Cleveland can lean on experienced backups Jameis Winston and Tyler Huntley.
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Joc Pederson ARI DH
Diamondbacks' Joc Pederson: Sitting against lefty
3m agoPederson is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Cubs.
As usual, the lefty-hitting Pederson finds himself out of the lineup with the opposition bringing a southpaw (Jordan Wicks) to the hill. With Pederson on the bench, Blaze Alexander will serve as Arizona's designated hitter.
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Jake McCarthy ARI RF
Diamondbacks' Jake McCarthy: Out against lefty
4m agoMcCarthy is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Cubs.
The lefty-hitting McCarthy will retreat to the bench for the series finale with southpaw Jordan Wicks toeing the rubber for Chicago. Randal Grichuk will replace McCarthy in right field.
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Keaton Winn SF SP
Giants' Keaton Winn: Notches first win
4m agoWinn (1-3) earned the win Wednesday at Miami after he allowed a run on four hits and a walk over six innings. He struck out four.
The right-hander kept the Marlins off the board until the bottom of the sixth inning, when Bryan De La Cruz launched a solo homer to tie the game 1-1. Winn then closed out the frame, and the Giants took the lead in the top of the seventh to put him in line for his first win of the campaign. The 26-year-old surrendered seven runs across his first two starts of the season but has bounced back in his last two outings with 2.70 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 10:4 K:BB over 11 innings.
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Gabriel Moreno ARI C
Diamondbacks' Gabriel Moreno: Scratched from lineup again
4m agoMoreno (thumb) was scratched from the Diamondbacks' lineup ahead of Wednesday's contest against the Cubs, Alex Weiner of ArizonaSports.com reports.
Moreno had been slated to return following a one-day absence with a right thumb contusion, but he's been scratched for the second day in a row. Consider the catcher day-to-day for the time being. Tucker Barnhart will again fill in behind the plate.
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Landon Knack LAD SP
Dodgers' Landon Knack: Called up for Wednesday's start
26m agoThe Dodgers recalled Knack from Triple-A Oklahoma City ahead of his scheduled start Wednesday versus the Nationals.
Knack made the Dodgers' Opening Day roster for the club's two-game series in South Korea with the Padres back in March, but he wasn't needed in relief in either contest before being optioned to Triple-A ahead of the team's domestic opener. Since the demotion, Knack has worked at least five innings in each of his three starts for Oklahoma City, logging a 4.02 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 16:4 K:BB across 15.2 frames. He'll get the chance to make his big-league debut Wednesday, and if he fares well, Knack could be in position to stick around with the Dodgers as part of a six-man rotation.
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Eduardo Salazar LAD RP
Dodgers' Eduardo Salazar: Sent back to minors
28m agoThe Dodgers optioned Salazar to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Wednesday.
Salazar was in the majors for one day and didn't make an appearance out of the Dodgers bullpen. He's clearing out to make room on the active roster for Landon Knack, who was called up from Triple-A ahead of his start Wednesday against the Nationals.
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Zion Williamson NO PF
Pelicans' Zion Williamson: Out at least two weeks
25m agoThe Pelicans announced Wednesday that Williamson was diagnosed with a left hamstring strain and will be re-evaluated in approximately two weeks.
Williamson suffered the injury during the fourth quarter of Tuesday's Play-In Tournament loss to the Lakers and was already ruled out for the win-or-go-home matchup versus the Kings on Friday. The 2019 No. 1 overall pick's career has been defined by injuries, but he showed off his unique skill set when healthy this season and was dominant before leaving Tuesday's game, posting 40 points (17-27 FG) and 11 rebounds in 36 minutes. If Williamson is cleared right at the two-week mark, he could return late in a potential first-round series versus the Thunder, but the Pelicans must defeat Sacramento first to keep their season alive.
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Sam Merrill CLE SG
Cavaliers' Sam Merrill: Participates in practice
1h agoMerrill (neck) went through Wednesday's practice without issue, Chris Fedor of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
Merrill missed the final three games of the regular season due to a neck strain. However, Merrill's participation in practice is a good sign of his availability for Saturday's Game 1 against the Magic.
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Zion Williamson NO PF
Pelicans' Zion Williamson: Won't play Friday
1h agoWilliamson (hamstring) has been ruled out for Friday's Play-In Game against the Kings, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports.
Williamson suffered a left hamstring injury in the fourth quarter of Tuesday's Play-In Tournament loss to the Lakers and won't be available for the win-or-go-home matchup versus Sacramento on Friday. This is a huge blow for Williamson, who shined during his first playoff exposure by posting 40 points (17-27 FG) and 11 rebounds in 36 minutes before leaving the contest. The 2019 No. 1 overall pick's career continues to be defined by injuries, but the extent of his latest one remains unclear. If the Pelicans defeat the Kings and advance to the opening-round series against the Thunder, Williamson's next chance to suit up would come Sunday night.
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Jontay Porter TOR C
Jontay Porter: Receives lifetime ban
3h agoPorter has received a lifetime ban from the NBA for violating the league's gaming rules, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.
Commissioner Adam Silver suggested last week that a lifetime ban was on the table for Porter, and the league officially announced his punishment Wednesday. Per a press release from the NBA, Porter "disclosed confidential information about his own health status to an individual he knew to be an NBA bettor" and limited his playing time to impact his prop bets in at least one Raptors game. Porter also placed at least 13 bets on NBA games between January and March of 2024, although none of the wagers involved a game in which Porter played. The league's investigation remains open, but Porter will be permanently barred from playing in the league.
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Kenyon Martin Jr. PHI SF
76ers' KJ Martin: Full participant in shootaround
4h agoMartin (toe), who is questionable for Wednesday's Play-In Game against Miami, was a full participant in Philadelphia's morning shootaround, Ky Carlin of USA Today reports.
Martin continues to deal with a toe issue that forced him to miss the final three games of the regular season, but his participation in shootaround creates optimism that he'll be able to return as postseason play begins Wednesday. Over his final five appearances during the regular season, Martin averaged 5.2 points and 3.4 rebounds in 17.6 minutes per game.
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Joel Embiid PHI C
76ers' Joel Embiid: Goes through shootaround
4h agoEmbiid (knee) participated in Wednesday's morning shootaround, Ky Carlin of USA Today reports.
Embiid logged two straight practices coming into the morning shootaround, but he's still carrying a questionable tag for Wednesday's game against Miami. Despite the questionable designation, it would be a big surprise if Embiid was unable to suit up Wednesday.
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Jayden Struble MON D
Canadiens' Jayden Struble: Reassigned to AHL Laval
36m agoStruble was demoted to the minors Wednesday.
Struble saw action in 56 games in his rookie campaign, registering three goals, seven assists and 120 hits while averaging 16:07 of ice time. The 22-year-old blueliner is unlikely to offer more than mid-range fantasy value given his limited offensive upside, though he could have value in formats that value hits and blocks.
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Joshua Roy MON RW
Canadiens' Joshua Roy: Moved to minors
37m agoRoy has recovered from his upper-body injury and was sent to AHL Laval on Wednesday.
Roy hasn't played since March 19 due to the injury. He has four goals and nine points in 23 contests with the Canadiens this campaign. Montreal's season is done, so this is a chance for Roy to get in additional work. The 20-year-old has already supplied 13 goals and 32 points in 40 appearances with Laval in 2023-24.
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Logan Mailloux MON D
Canadiens' Logan Mailloux: Sent back to minors
40m agoMailloux was returned to AHL Laval on Wednesday.
Mailloux made his NHL debut against the Red Wings on Tuesday, recording one assist, two shots and one hit while logging 21:14 of ice time. With the Habs out of the playoffs, Mailloux will get at least two more games in the minors considering the Rocket have an outside chance of making the Calder Cup playoffs. Looking ahead to next season, Mailloux should be in contention for a spot on the Opening Night roster coming out of training camp.
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Justin Barron MON D
Canadiens' Justin Barron: Sent to AHL
40m agoBarron was reassigned to AHL Laval on Wednesday.
Barron had seven goals, 13 points, 16 PIM, 61 hits and 59 blocks in 48 contests with the Canadiens this season. He has also provided two goals and 11 points in 30 outings with Laval. Montreal's campaign is over, but the 22-year-old should factor into the big club's plans for the 2024-25 campaign. Before that, though, Barron will need a new contract, because he's set to become a restricted free agent this summer.
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Sebastian Aho NYI D
Islanders' Sebastian Aho: Sitting out against Pens
1h agoAho will be rested for Wednesday's matchup with Pittsburgh, Andrew Gross of Newsday reports.
Aho missed time as recently as April 9 against the Rangers due to an upper-body issue, so the decision to give him the night off shouldn't come as a surprise. Without the 28-year-old Swede in the lineup, the Isles will need to either bring a player up from the minors or hope that Noah Dobson (upper body) is ready to play.
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Morgan Barron WPG C
Jets' Morgan Barron: In doubt for postseason
2h agoBarron (lower body) is questionable for Game 1 of the playoffs, in addition to missing Thursday's clash with Vancouver, Mitchell Clinton of the Jets' official site reports.
Barron is coming off a career year in which he set new personal bests in games (80), goals (11) and hits (122). Without the 25-year-old winger in the lineup, the Jets will have to decide between David Gustafsson, Cole Perfetti and Rasmus Kupari for a spot in the lineup -- though all three could see minutes if coach Rick Bowness decides to rest some of Winnipeg's stars.