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Jaelan Phillips MIA LB
Dolphins' Jaelan Phillips: Set for fifth-year option
4h 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
5h 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
20h 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
23h 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
1d 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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Abner Uribe MIL RP
Brewers' Abner Uribe: PIcks up second win
4m agoUribe (2-1) earned the win Wednesday against the Padres after he allowed a hit and no walks in a scoreless eighth inning. He had one strikeout.
The right-hander appeared set to blow a scoreless tie after giving up a leadoff triple, but he retired the next three batters on 10 pitches. Uribe entered in a non-save situation for the second straight day, while Joel Payamps closed out the ninth inning Wednesday for his second save of the campaign. Uribe and Payamps should be considered co-closers for the time being as the only Brewers relievers with any saves this season, besides Thyago Vieira's three-inning save.
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Osleivis Basabe TB SS
Rays' Osleivis Basabe: Out with fractured wrist
9m agoTriple-A Durham placed Basabe on its 7-day injured list Wednesday with a fractured right wrist, Triple-A Durham radio play-by-play broadcaster Patrick Kinas reports.
Basabe suffered the injury Tuesday, when he was hit by a pitch in his lone plate appearance during Durham's 7-4 loss to Worcester. The Rays haven't indicated whether Basabe's injury will require surgery, but given that he throws and bats from the right side, he'll likely be headed for a multi-week absence even if he doesn't require a procedure. Basabe, who appeared in 31 games for Tampa Bay last season and retains a spot on the Rays' 40-man roster, was hitting .224/.270/.276 over 63 plate appearances with Durham before being shut down with the injury.
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Richard Palacios TB RF
Rays' Richie Palacios: Gets day off vs. lefty
13m agoPalacios is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Angels.
Palacios will hit the bench for the third time in four days, with all three of his absences coming against left-handed pitchers. He continues to hold down a strong-side platoon role in the corner outfield, but he'll give way to Amed Rosario on Wednesday.
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Rob Refsnyder BOS LF
Red Sox's Rob Refsnyder: Nearing return
15m agoRefsnyder (toe) will play at least one more full rehab game with Triple-A Worcester before being activated from the injured list, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.
Refsnyder noted that his fractured left pinky toe still isn't fully healed and he will just have to play through some pain. He also revealed that he's been told his main role upon his return will be a late-inning pinch-hitter or defensive replacement.
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Ben Rortvedt TB C
Rays' Ben Rortvedt: Takes seat against southpaw
15m agoRortvedt is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Angels.
The lefty-hitting Rortvedt will give way to the righty-hitting Rene Pinto behind the plate while southpaw Reid Detmers takes the hill for the Angels. Rortvedt appears to have secured a strong-side platoon role at catcher after posting an .852 OPS through his first 31 plate appearances of the season.
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Joel Payamps MIL RP
Brewers' Joel Payamps: Notches second save
16m agoPayamps retired all three batters he faced in Wednesday's 1-0 win against San Diego to earn the save. He did not record a strikeout.
It's the second save of the season for Payamps but his first since March 31. Abner Uribe appeared to have a decent grip on the closer role but has worked earlier in games recently -- including the eighth inning Wednesday -- opening the door for Payamps to receive another save chance. The pair could split the ninth inning going forward, but the closing situation in Milwaukee hardly seems settled.
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Dean Wade CLE PF
Cavaliers' Dean Wade: Doesn't practice, unlikely to play
41m agoCoach J.B. Bickerstaff said Wade (knee) didn't practice Wednesday and is unlikely to play in Saturday's Game 1 against the Magic, Evan Dammarell of FearTheSword.com reports.
Wade carved out a substantial role when the Cavaliers dealt with multiple injuries, mainly to Evan Mobley, earlier in the season, but he hasn't played since March 8 due to a knee injury. In Wade's likely absence, Georges Niang and Marcus Morris are candidates for a few extra minutes off the bench.
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Damian Lillard MIL PG
Bucks' Damian Lillard: Still not practicing, status TBD
1h agoLillard didn't practice Tuesday or Wednesday due to lingering groin and abductor injuries, Jamal Collier of ESPN.com reports.
Lillard has been dealing with the injuries for the last three weeks and missed four of the Bucks' final nine regular-season games. The superstar sharpshooter said Tuesday he won't be 100 percent for the postseason but added that no one is at this point in the campaign. Coach Doc Rivers said tests on Lillard's lower body returned clean but added that he still wanted to give his point guard "a little more rest."
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Kawhi Leonard LAC SF
Clippers' Kawhi Leonard: Not cleared for 5-on-5
1h agoCoach Tyronn Lue said Wednesday that Leonard (knee) is progressing but hasn't been cleared for 5-on-5 drills yet, Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints.com reports.
Leonard missed the final eight regular-season games due to right knee inflammation but returned to practice Monday, albeit in a limited fashion. His official status for Sunday's Game 1 against the Mavericks won't be known until Saturday afternoon, but Lue said he's preparing as if Leonard will be available to start the postseason.
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Zion Williamson NO PF
Pelicans' Zion Williamson: Out at least two weeks
2h 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
2h 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
3h 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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Evander Kane EDM LW
Oilers' Evander Kane: Won't play Wednesday
19m agoKane (undisclosed) isn't available Wednesday versus Arizona.
Kane has 24 goals, 44 points, 85 PIM and 250 hits in 77 contests in 2023-24. It remains to be seen if he'll be available for Thursday's season finale against the Avalanche, but either way, he might be an option for Game 1 of the playoffs. Whenever Kane does return, he'll likely serve in a top-six capacity, which might in turn push Adam Henrique down to the third line.
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Noah Dobson NYI D
Islanders' Noah Dobson: Out Wednesday
1h agoDobson (upper body) will miss Wednesday's tilt versus Pittsburgh, according to Stefen Rosner of NHL.com.
It will be Dobson's third straight contest on the shelf. Given that this is the Islanders' season finale, he'll finish 2023-24 with 10 goals, 70 points, 36 PIM, 84 hits and 180 blocks in 79 outings. It remains to be seen if Dobson will be available for Game 1 of the playoffs, but if he does feature in that clash, it will likely be as a member of the top pairing.
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Calvin Pickard EDM G
Oilers' Calvin Pickard: Slated to face Coyotes
1h agoPickard is expected to start on the road against Arizona on Wednesday, per Bob Stauffer of the Oilers Radio Network.
Pickard will get a chance to rebound after stopping 25 of 28 shots en route to a 3-2 overtime loss to the Coyotes in his last start Friday. He has a 12-6-1 record, 2.41 GAA and .912 save percentage in 21 contests this season. Edmonton is resting defensemen Darnell Nurse and Cody Ceci against Arizona, which might make Pickard's task somewhat tougher.
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Cody Ceci EDM D
Oilers' Cody Ceci: Healthy scratch Wednesday
1h agoCeci is expected to be a healthy scratch Wednesday versus Arizona, according to Mark Spector of Sportsnet.
Ceci has five goals, 25 points, 90 hits and 106 blocks in 78 appearances this season. The 30-year-old is getting a breather as the Oilers look toward the playoffs, but he might draw back into the lineup for the season finale against the Avalanche on Thursday.
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Darnell Nurse EDM D
Oilers' Darnell Nurse: Resting Wednesday
1h agoNurse will be a healthy scratch Wednesday versus Arizona, per Mark Spector of Sportsnet.
Nurse has 10 goals, 32 points, 79 PIM, 168 hits and 169 blocks in 80 contests this season. Resting the defenseman will interrupt his four-game scoring streak (one goal, six points), but it will help keep him fresh for the playoffs. Nurse might draw back into the lineup for the season finale against Colorado on Thursday.
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Anthony Mantha LV RW
Golden Knights' Anthony Mantha: Practices without contact
1h agoMantha (undisclosed) practiced Wednesday but didn't take contact, Danny Webster of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports.
Mantha missed Tuesday's 3-1 win over Chicago because of the injury. His status for Thursday's season finale against Anaheim hasn't been determined. If does play against the Ducks, then he will likely serve in a middle-six capacity.