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Player News
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D.J. Chark CAR WR
DJ Chark: Visits with Chargers
28m agoChark visited the Chargers on Thursday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Few teams are more in need of wide receivers, with the Chargers having released Mike Williams and traded Keenan Allen earlier this offseason. Chark has never come close to matching his 1,008-yard, eight-TD performance in 2019 for Jacksonville, but he did top 500 yards both of the past two seasons in Detroit and Carolina, starting 21 of 26 games along the way. Chark will turn 28 in September and doesn't figure to command a large contract.
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Courtland Sutton DEN WR
Broncos' Courtland Sutton: No concern about OTA absence
45m agoBroncos GM George Paton suggested Thursday that he isn't worried about Sutton's absence from voluntary offseason workouts, Zac Stevens of TheDNVR.com reports. "It's 100 percent voluntary," Paton said. "It's the first week of the offseason program. I've talked to Courtland. He's in a good place, and I'll just leave it at that."
Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported Tuesday that Sutton's absence from voluntary OTAs is related to wanting a new contract. The wideout has two years and approximately $27.6 million remaining on his current deal, with only $2 million of that guaranteed. It's not the type of situation with especially high risk for a holdout, and Sutton looks to be especially important for Denver's offense after the team traded WR Jerry Jeudy to Cleveland in the offseason. It's not yet clear who will start across from Sutton at wide receiver, nor is it clear who will get the nod under center Week 1. The Broncos still have a lot to work out this spring and summer, with the upcoming NFL Draft presumably being a piece of that puzzle.
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Kerby Joseph DET DB
Lions' Kerby Joseph: Out until training camp
14h agoJoseph (arm) will not be cleared to practice until training camp, Kyle Meinke of MLive.com reports.
Joseph suffered the injury during the NFC Championship Game against the 49ers, though the nature and seriousness of the issue had not been previously disclosed. Assuming he returns to health in time to begin the 2024 campaign, Joseph figures to serve as Detroit's starting free safety and is likely to rack up tackles and pass breakups.
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Coy Cronk MIN OL
Coy Cronk: Let go by Minnesota
16h agoThe Vikings waived Cronk (undisclosed) with a non-football injury designation on Thursday.
The 26-year-old offensive lineman went undrafted out of Iowa in 2021, and his most recent in-game action came back in 2022 with the Jaguars. It's unclear what Cronk's injury is, but he'll remain a free agent while he recovers from his unspecified issue.
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Kenyon Green HOU OT
Texans' Kenyon Green: Competing for starting role
17h agoTexans' GM Nick Caserio told reporters Thursday that Green (shoulder) must earn his starting spot as the offseason progresses, Cole Thompson of USA Today reports.
Green sustained a shoulder injury during the Texans' preseason finale that forced him to miss the entire 2023 season, but his rehab process has been going well and he could partake in voluntary offseason workouts this week. Once he's able to return to the field, the 2022 first-round pick is expected to compete with Kendrick Green for Houston's top left guard position.
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Demetrius Taylor 2005 DL
Demetrius Taylor: Reinstated by NFL
17h agoThe NFL reinstated Taylor from suspension Thursday, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
The 24-year-old defensive lineman has been reinstated after serving a one-year suspension for violating the league's gambling policy. Taylor has appeared in just one game and played 13 snaps across his NFL career, but he's now available to try and make his return to the field.
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Forrest Wall ATL RF
Braves' Forrest Wall: Optioned to Triple-A
8m agoWall was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett by Atlanta on Friday.
Wall has been on Atlanta's roster since Opening Day but didn't make a start and received just one plate appearance. He's being replaced on the roster by Luke Williams, who offers some more defensive versatility.
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Rob Refsnyder BOS LF
Red Sox's Rob Refsnyder: Enters as pinch hitter
9m agoRefsnyder entered Thursday's game as a pinch hitter and went 0-for-1 in a 5-4 loss to Cleveland.
Refsnyder pinch hit for second baseman Enmanuel Valdez and stayed in the game to play left field. It was the season debut for Refsnyder, who opened the year on the 10-day injured list due to a toe injury. He was activated to take the roster spot of Tyler O'Neill, who landed on the 7-day concussion list. Refsnyder will likely be in the starting nine whenever the Red Sox face a left-hander.
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Pablo Reyes BOS 2B
Red Sox's Pablo Reyes: Starts at third base
26m agoReyes started at third base and went 0-for-4 in Thursday's 5-4 loss to Cleveland.
Reyes filled in for the injured Rafael Devers (knee) and committed a costly error that allowed one of three unearned runs to score. Reyes also couldn't get a ball out of his glove quick enough to start a 5-4-3 double, which scored another run. Per Ian Browne of MLB.com, the Red Sox are hoping to avoid having to put Devers on the injured list, which suggests a fill-in need for more than just Thursday's contest. Reyes and Bobby Dalbec are the primary candidates to play third base should Devers need an stint on the IL.
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Mike Yastrzemski SF RF
Giants' Mike Yastrzemski: Drives in two
1h agoYastrzemski went 1-for-4 with two runs batted in during Thursday's 5-0 win over the Diamondbacks.
Yastrzemski stepped into the batter's box in the eighth inning with the bases loaded and delivered a two-RBI single off Kyle Nelson. It was just his second game of 2024 with an RBI as the outfielder has crawled to a .135/.238/.135 slash line through 14 games. He seems to be turning the corner on his sluggish start, going 4-for-17 (.235) over his last six appearances.
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Logan Webb SF SP
Giants' Logan Webb: Spins seven scoreless innings
1h agoWebb (2-1) picked up the win Thursday, allowing two hits and one walk with five strikeouts over seven scoreless innings against Arizona.
Webb was exceptional Thursday, making it through seven innings for a third straight start. The two hits Webb allowed came on the first two batters he faced Thursday, but he managed to retire the next 19 batters he faced after the pair of hits. Webb has allowed two or fewer runs in four of his five appearances this season, boasting a 2.93 ERA across 30.2 innings pitched. He's tentatively scheduled for a matchup with the Mets on Tuesday.
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Jace Peterson ARI SS
Diamondbacks' Jace Peterson: Makes rare start
1h agoPeterson started at shortstop and went 0-for-3 in Thursday's 5-0 loss to the Giants.
Peterson, who extended a hitless run to 18 at-bats, made just his fourth start of the season. The lack of opportunities may explain his .045 batting average. At the time of shortstop Geraldo Perdomo's knee injury earlier this month, the lefty-hitting Peterson was in position to fill a strong side of a platoon but that never materialized. Both Kevin Newman and Blaze Alexander continue to get work against right-handers.
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Wesley Matthews ATL SG
Hawks' Wesley Matthews: Logs 10 minutes in elimination game
15h agoMatthews (hamstring) tallied zero points (0-2 FG, 0-2 3Pt) and one assist in 10 minutes Wednesday in the Hawks' 131-116 loss to the Bulls in the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament.
Matthews missed the Hawks' final three games of the regular season with hamstring tightness, but he was able to make it back for what ended up being the team's lone postseason contest. The 37-year-old was an irregular member of the Atlanta rotation in 2023-24, appearing in 36 regular-season contests (three starts) while averaging 3.1 points, 1.5 rebounds, 0.7 three-pointers and 0.6 assists in 11.5 minutes while shooting 35.1 percent from the field. Matthews is scheduled for free agency this summer and could be headed for retirement.
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Kawhi Leonard LAC SF
Clippers' Kawhi Leonard: Considered questionable for Game 1
17h agoLeonard (knee) is questionable for Sunday's Game 1 against the Mavericks, Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.com reports.
The Clippers announced Thursday that Leonard received an injection in his left knee, and there's "cautious optimism" that he'll be ready for Sunday's matchup, per Shams Charania of The Athletic. While Leonard returned to practice Monday, he hasn't yet been cleared for 5-on-5 drills. Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said Thursday that he isn't sure whether Leonard will need to participate in full-contact work before he's cleared to return to game action but said that the inflammation needs to continue to reduce. Lawrence said that he's hopeful the issue is trending in the right direction and that Leonard will play but also indicated that the 32-year-old's status remains up in the air.
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Alex Caruso CHI SG
Bulls' Alex Caruso: Likely to be game-time decision
17h agoCaruso (ankle), who is questionable for Friday's Play-In Game against the Heat, underwent further evaluation Thursday that revealed reduced swelling, creating increased optimism that he'll be available for the win-or-go-home matchup against Miami, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports.
Wojnarowski reported Wednesday night that Caruso had sustained a "significant" left ankle sprain Wednesday against Atlanta that put his availability for Friday's matchup in doubt. However, the 30-year-old appears to be trending in the right direction and will likely be a game-time decision as the Bulls attempt to secure the No. 8 seed in the playoffs. If Caruso is unavailable against Miami, Javonte Green, Torrey Craig and Dalen Terry could see additional playing time.
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Duncan Robinson MIA SG
Heat's Duncan Robinson: Probable for Friday
17h agoRobinson (back) is probable for Friday's Play-In Game against the Bulls, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports.
Robinson missed the final four games of the regular season due to his back injury, and although he was available for Wednesday's Play-In Tournament matchup against the 76ers, he didn't see any playing time. It appears likely that he'll be able to suit up again Friday, and he could see some minutes since Jimmy Butler (knee) has been ruled out.
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Terry Rozier MIA SG
Heat's Terry Rozier: Remains out for Friday
17h agoRozier (neck) has been ruled out for Friday's game against the Bulls.
Rozier, who will miss a sixth straight contest, has been diagnosed with a neck sprain rather than neck spasms, so it seems the injury is more severe than initially expected. The loss of Rozier will be huge for the Heat, and it will translate in a higher usage rate for Tyler Herro, while there will be more minutes available for Patty Mills and possibly Delon Wright.
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Jimmy Butler MIA SF
Heat's Jimmy Butler: Officially has sprained MCL
17h agoThe Heat announced Thursday that Butler has been diagnosed with a sprained MCL and will miss several weeks, Tim Reynolds of Associated Press reports.
Butler suffered his right knee injury late in the first quarter of Wednesday's Play-In Game loss to the 76ers, but he remained in the game down the stretch despite a limp. However, the injury is significant enough to sideline him for multiple weeks, so even if the Heat take down the Bulls on Friday, it seems unlikely that Butler will be in the mix to return during a first-round series against Boston. Jaime Jaquez will likely take on a starting role in Butler's absence, while Haywood Highsmith and Caleb Martin could also see additional playing time.
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Pavel Francouz COL G
Pavel Francouz: Announces retirement
4m agoFrancouz (groin) announced his retirement on Friday, Brennan Vogt of The-Rink.com reports.
Francouz had a tough time recovering from offseason groin surgery and was unable to play at all during the 2023-24 campaign. He returned home to his native Czechia in November and never returned. The 34-year-old netminder last played a year ago, allowing four goals on 23 shots in a 5-4 overtime win over Anaheim. Until he was injured, Francouz was sharing the top job in Colorado with Alexandar Georgiev.
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Nathan MacKinnon COL C
Avalanche's Nathan MacKinnon: Two helpers in finale
4m agoMacKinnon picked up a pair of assists in Thursday's 5-1 win over the Oilers.
MacKinnon grabbed an assist on Mikko Rantanen's first-period goal before adding a second helper on Valeri Nichushkin's power-play marker later in the frame. It was an appropriate finish to an outstanding campaign from MacKinnon. He'll finish with 140 points (51 goals, 89 assists) in 82 games, good for second most in the league behind Nikita Kucherov.
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Valeri Nichushkin COL RW
Avalanche's Valeri Nichushkin: Two goals to wrap up campaign
9m agoNichushkin scored a pair of goals in Thursday's 5-1 win over the Oilers.
Nichushkin opened the scoring 1:19 into the first period, one-timing an Artturi Lehkonen feed in the slot, before adding a second tally on a power play later in the frame. The 29-year-old Nichushkin had just one assist in his previous five contests since returning from a four-game absence with a lower-body injury. He'll finish the regular season with 28 goals and 53 points, both new career highs, across 54 games. Nichushkin will likely open the playoffs on the second line with Lehkonen and Casey Mittelstadt, though he could see time on the top unit if Jonathan Drouin (undisclosed) is forced to miss any time.
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Calvin Pickard EDM G
Oilers' Calvin Pickard: Enters in relief
15m agoPickard stopped 13 of 14 shots in relief of Stuart Skinner on Thursday in a 5-1 loss to the Avalanche.
Pickard started the second period in net after Skinner surrendered four goals in the opening frame. Colorado would ease off the throttle, scoring just once on Pickard, though Edmonton couldn't overcome the early deficit, leaving Skinner with the loss. The 32-year-old Pickard was solid in a backup role this year, going 12-7-1 with a .909 save percentage and 2.45 GAA.
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Stuart Skinner EDM G
Oilers' Stuart Skinner: Struggles in finale
19m agoSkinner allowed four goals on 13 shots before he was replaced by Calvin Pickard in the second period of Thursday's 5-1 loss to the Avalanche.
It certainly wasn't what Skinner had in mind for his final tuneup before the post-season -- the Avs scored four times in the first 10:17 of the opening period before Skinner was replaced by Pickard to start the second. The 25-year-old Skinner had won three of his previous four outings prior to Thursday, posting a .921 save percentage in that span. He'll wrap up the regular season 36-16-5 with a .905 save percentage and 2.62 GAA. Skinner figures to be back between the pipes when the Oilers open the playoffs Monday at home versus the Kings.
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Justus Annunen COL G
Avalanche's Justus Annunen: Earns win in finale
24m agoAnnunen stopped 25 of 26 shots in Thursday's 5-1 victory over Edmonton.
It was another strong effort from Annunen, who held the Oilers to a lone power-play marker in the first period en route to a win in the regular-season finale. The 24-year-old netminder went 4-2-0 in his final seven games, posting a .926 save percentage. He'll finish the year 8-4-1 with an impressive .928 save percentage and 2.25 GAA. While Alexandar Georgiev figures to be Colorado's primary starter in the playoffs, Annunen has proven to be a more than capable backup option.