MLB Opening Day Buzz, Eye-Watering Salaries & NBA Brawls

Today’s WOW moments from sports world!

⚾️ MLB OPENING DAY BEST MOMENTS
🏀 HOOPS OR UFC?
🏈 NFL TRADE WATCH
🏎️ CAREER ENDING MOVE?

🧢 Opening Day Fireworks: Dodgers' Nostalgia, O’Neill’s Streak, Skenes' Shines & Ichiro’s Heat

The Dodgers’ home opener was a trip down memory lane, seamlessly blending past and present glory. As they unveiled their 2024 World Series championship banner, there was no better way to mark the occasion than having 1988 hero Kirk Gibson throw out the first pitch—to none other than Freddie Freeman, the man who channeled his inner “Gibby” with a one-legged home run last October. With Dodgers announcer Joe Davis reprising his now-iconic “Gibby, meet Freddie!” call, it was a reminder that history tends to repeat itself in Hollywood—especially when it comes to dramatic postseason moments. Right now, being a Dodgers fan feels like having a front-row seat to a never-ending blockbuster.

Meanwhile, Tyler O’Neill continued his annual tradition of dominating Opening Day—because, well, his body hasn’t had time to break down yet. Injuries may have been his Achilles' heel in the past, but on Day 1 of the season, he’s as fresh as ever. The slugger extended his own MLB record with a home run in his fifth consecutive Opening Day, proving once again that if baseball were a one-game season, he’d already have a Hall of Fame case. The challenge, of course, will be keeping that bat hot once the calendar moves past March.

Then there’s Paul Skenes, who seems to have “making history” set as his default mode. The former No. 1 overall pick didn’t waste any time getting to the big leagues, becoming the fastest top pick to start on Opening Day in MLB history. Oh, and at 22 years old, he was the youngest pitcher to get the nod since José Fernández in 2014. Skenes was electric, fanning seven batters over 5 1/3 innings and leaving with a lead… which the Pirates promptly let slip away in the eighth before losing on a walk-off. Still, if this game was any indication, Pittsburgh’s ace-in-the-making is going to be appointment viewing all season long.

Finally, Ichiro Suzuki reminded us all that he may have retired from MLB, but he’s still very much Ichiro. The Mariners legend, newly minted Hall of Famer, took the mound for Seattle’s ceremonial first pitch—because, of course, he did. And in classic Ichiro fashion, he didn’t just lob a soft toss for nostalgia’s sake. Nope, he warmed up in the outfield like it was game day, then proceeded to fire an 84 mph heater to his former teammate, Mariners manager Dan Wilson. At this rate, if the Mariners ever need an emergency reliever, they might want to keep his number on speed dial.

💸MLB Positions by Highest Average Salary (2025)

1️⃣ Right Field 💰

• Juan Soto (Mets) – $51 million AAV

• A right decision for Soto’s bank account! The Mets superstar takes the crown as the highest-paid player.

2️⃣ Starting Pitcher 🔥

• Blake Snell (Dodgers) – $64.8 million (including bonuses)

• Dodgers splashed the cash to land the Cy Young winner. Pitchers who dominate the mound dominate the payroll!

3️⃣ Third Base 🏆

• Anthony Rendon (Angels) – $35 million

• Rendon’s contract is huge, but injuries have kept him off the field more than on it.

4️⃣ Shortstop 🛡️

• Francisco Lindor (Mets) – $34.1 million

• A superstar in the infield, Lindor’s massive deal keeps the Mets’ payroll soaring.

5️⃣ Center Field 🌪️

• Cody Bellinger (Yankees) – $26.7 million

• A big name, a big contract, and now a big stage in New York.

6️⃣ Left Field 🚀

• Christian Yelich (Brewers) – $26.9 million

• He’s not the MVP he once was, but his bank account is still MVP-level.

7️⃣ First Base 🏏

• Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Blue Jays) – $28.5 million

• One of baseball’s brightest young stars cashes in before free agency.

8️⃣ Second Base 💣

• Alex Bregman (Red Sox) – $40 million

• Technically a third baseman, but playing second in 2025—getting paid either way!

9️⃣ Catcher 🥎

• J.T. Realmuto (Phillies) – $23.1 million

• Catchers don’t always get the biggest deals, but Realmuto is an exception.

🔟 Relief Pitcher ⏳

• Edwin Díaz (Mets) – $20.4 million

• Closers might not pitch often, but when they do, they get PAID.

1️⃣1️⃣ Designated Hitter 💥

• Kyle Schwarber (Phillies) – $19.7 million

• Ohtani technically has the biggest deal, but since he’s only taking home $2M a year for now, Schwarber leads DHs in actual pay.

Who do you think is overpaid or underpaid? Let’s hear it! 👇

🏀LeBron vs. Stephen A. Escalates, NBA Brawls & Ja Morant’s Return Sparks Conspiracy

The LeBron James - Stephen A. Smith reached a new low after the ticked off ESPN analyst went on another tirade on First Take. He attacked the Los Angeles Lakers superstar’s character for not showing up at Kobe Bryant’s memorial and also Dwyane Wade’s Hall of Fame ceremony.

Soon after, fans and celebrities came out to hit back at the analyst. They clarified with proof that James was indeed at Kobe Bryant’s memorial but was not filmed. Along with that, he could not attend close friend Dwyane Wade’s Hall of Fame ceremony as his son Bronny James was two weeks removed from a cardiac arrest. 🔥FULL STORY

After facing a lot of backlash, Smith posted an apology message on X. The discourse seems to have died down, but he has lost a lot of face, even in front of his friends such as Charles Barkley. The Hall of Famer slammed both the analyst as well as James for creating this mess.

Memphis Grizzlies pulled a surprise on everyone by firing head coach Taylor Jenkins just weeks away from the playoffs. That’s when you know things are rough. Ja Morant returned after missing quite a few games against the Lakers. His return though, gave further confirmation to JJ Redick that opponents do find a way to return from injury and play against the Lakers. 🕵️ LAKERS THEORY HERE

The highlight of today’s NBA games was when a brawl broke out between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the visiting Detroit Pistons. Five players and two coaches were ejected, most notably, Isaiah Stewart, who has built up a reputation of being a brawler. 📹️ FULL VIDEO HERE

🏈NFL’s Quarterback Carousel: Shedeur’s Future, Rodgers’ Next Stop & Trade Rumors Heat Up

After all the major signings that culminated last week, NFL free agency has been relatively quiet. Draft prospects are tooting their horns with just weeks remaining before the draft. But the most noise was surrounding quarterbacks and what a team needs to win.

Deion Sanders has now come out to claim that he will be happy if any NFL team picks his son Shedeur Sanders. It is a far cry from the times he was trying to influence teams into selecting his son. With his draft stock a question mark, no one knows where he will land. 📰 FULL STORY

No one also knows where Aaron Rodgers will land. The Pittsburgh Steelers seem to be the definitive answer, but the franchise is preparing backup plans, just in case. The Cleveland Browns are also thinking about how to have a solid future at that position.

It could be that their patience with Deshaun Watson is wearing thin. Everyone there knows the team is a good QB away from being in the playoffs and now NFL Insiders are trying to figure out if they are working on any potential trades involving other star QBs. 📰 READ MORE

Speaking of trades, some top stars could do themselves a world of good by staying healthy and performing well. Teams might be impatient in trying to get back to being competitive. Christian McCaffrey, Dak Prescott, and others could be on the trade block.

First Opinion: Yuki Tsunoda making a career-ending mistake?

• Yuki Tsunoda is set to replace Liam Lawson at Red Bull Racing from the Japanese GP after Lawson’s poor start to the season. The 24-year-old was initially overlooked for the seat but has remained confident that he can challenge Max Verstappen if given the opportunity.

• The second Red Bull seat has been a revolving door of struggles since Daniel Ricciardo’s departure in 2018. Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon, and Sergio Perez all failed to match Verstappen, and with Lawson struggling, Tsunoda now takes the gamble. While he outperformed Lawson at VCARB, that doesn’t guarantee success at Milton Keynes.

• This move is make-or-break for Tsunoda. If he falters, his F1 career could be in jeopardy, as he has had no other options beyond Racing Bulls. However, if he proves competitive, he could secure a long-term future at Red Bull and keep his world championship dreams alive. 📰 FULL STORY

Thank you folks for reading our newsletter! Will see you in the next edition with more exciting highlights from the sports world curated for you! 🙏