Front Row Seat: Redemption for Xander
Here's a front row seat to all of the news, stories, videos and podcasts that you need to start your day.
I'm starting to find a little bit of a rhythm with Front Row Seat and I hope you are all enjoying it. Here's today's links:
Section 1904
John Gennaro
San Diego Padres
'That looks like Bogey': Xander all smiles after 1st HR of '25 - MLB.com
In the midst of a dreadful slump – and homerless through the season’s first month – Bogaerts picked an opportune time to break out. He had two hits, including a crucial two-run homer, as the Padres snapped their four-game losing streak with a 7-4 victory over the division-rival Giants at Petco Park.
Padres Daily: Bogaerts’ big night; Pivetta’s tipping; injury updates - San Diego Union-Tribune
The updated target for Merrill’s return is Monday in New York against the Yankees.
Cronenworth is expected back for the series in Colorado beginning April 9.
Merrill (strained right hamstring) and Brandon Lockridge (strained left hamstring) are at the team’s complex in Arizona and will be joined later this week by Cronenworth (rib fracture), Yu Darvish (elbow inflammation) and Joe Musgrove (recovery from Tommy John surgery).
Arraez, Heyward return from IL; Gurriel DFA'd - MLB.com
Luis Arraez and Jason Heyward were both activated ahead of the team’s series opener against the Giants on Tuesday at Petco Park. Arraez was in the lineup batting second, Heyward eighth. In a pair of corresponding moves, the Padres designated Yuli Gurriel for assignment and placed Mason McCoy on the 10-day IL with a dislocated finger in his left hand.
Padres notes: Luis Arraez all smiles in return, Ethan Salas lands on San Antonio injured list - San Diego Union-Tribune
C Ethan Salas, ranked No. 2 among Padres prospects by MLB.com, has been placed on Double-A San Antonio’s seven-day injured list with back spasms and has returned to Arizona for rehab. The 18-year-old Salas is expected to start a hitting progression this week. Salas hadn’t played since exiting a game for a pinch-runner in the eighth inning of a game on April 17. The organization had described the time off as precautionary before the move to the injured list over the weekend.
NBA Playoffs
NBA playoffs: Jamal Murray, Russell Westbrook spark Nuggets past Clippers to claim 3-2 series lead - Yahoo Sports
Sparked by Jamal Murray's 43 points and eight 3-pointers and a sizzling stint off the bench from Russell Westbrook, the Nuggets raced to a 131-115 Game 5 win over the Los Angeles Clippers. The win secured a 3-2 lead for the Nuggets, who can close out the first-round series Thursday.
Detroit Pistons outlast New York Knicks, force Game 6 - ESPN
Brunson, the NBA's Clutch Player of the Year, had keyed his team's come-from-behind victories in Game 1, Game 3 and Game 4 by averaging better than 13 points in the fourth quarter, the highest postseason scoring average in the final period by any NBA player since the play-by-play era began in 1996-97.
All of which made it extremely odd to see Brunson sidelined at the scorer's table as precious time ticked away near the end of the Knicks' 106-103 in Game 5 at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.
The Bucks are toast, and trading Giannis Antetokounmpo may be the only path forward - The Athletic
There’s no way to sugarcoat this: The Milwaukee Bucks are done.
The only important thing to monitor now is whether they trade Giannis Antetokounmpo, and if so, when. Damian Lillard’s Achilles injury was the final blow, the last solid piece of the Good Ship Giannis that was keeping it afloat long after the rest of the rotting ship was overrun with rats.
San Diego FC
San Diego FC grapples with three-game losing streak in its inaugural season - CBS8
Defender Luca Bombino expressed disappointment, saying, "It's a tough one, you know, because we just lost our flow after the second goal. And I mean, all we can do now is work through these hard moments, these hard bits of luck. Yeah, we just have to keep pushing."
The team recognizes the need for improvement in their training regimen. Head Coach Mikey Varas said, "We need to show up to training every day like we have, but actually get better in the training, because the way that we were training in preseason was good for preseason, but it's not good for now."
San Diego Wave FC
NWSL Power Rankings: San Diego Wave make a splash; Orlando Pride still the favorites - CBS Sports
San Diego has built itself up for an extended run this season thanks to its international signings. Each week, Cascarino, Dali, and Corely are challenging the opposition, and the Wave stay climbing the rankings because of it.
San Diego State Aztecs
San Diego State bolsters wide receiver corps with transfers - Sports Illustrated
There’s plenty of unfinished business for the Aztecs, who promoted “AztecFAST” with great fanfare only to finish 3-9 and tied for 10th in the Mountain West at 2-5. They finished 10th in the 12-team league in scoring offense, touchdowns scored and total offensive yards.
Just like at quarterback and running back, the Aztecs have tapped the transfer portal to bring in new receivers.
Among them are Myles Kitt-Denton and Jacob Bostick, who are projected to start at the X and Z spots.
Aztecs add transfer OL from Washington; another NFL mini-camp invite; schedule update - San Diego Union-Tribune
A three-star prospect out of Apollo High School, Watkins was part of the University of Arizona’s 2024 signing class. When Wildcats coach Jedd Fisch was hired at Washington last year, Watkins followed the coach to Seattle. Watkins did not appear in a game at Washington last season.
One more
Former San Ysidro High School star Mikey Williams transfers to Sacramento State - San Diego Union-Tribune
The 6-foot-3 guard initially committed to Memphis out of San Ysidro High School but never joined the team before transferring to Central Florida, where injuries at the beginning and end of last season limited him to 18 games, five starts and a 5.1 points-per-game scoring average.
Now he’s heading back west to a university trying to breathe life into a moribund basketball program with splashy hires and a pot of NIL money. The head coach is former NBA player Mike Bibby, who spent seven seasons with the Sacramento Kings and won an NCAA title with Arizona in 1997. The volunteer general manager is Shaquille O’Neal, whose son, Shaqir, is transferring to Sac State from Florida A&M for his final college season.
Alright, that's going to do it for today's edition of Front Row Seat. I'll be back tomorrow, and every weekday, to try and make it easier for you to follow the news.
Feedback is welcome (in the comments below, in my inbox or on the Section 1904 Discord server) and feel free to send me any links that you think I missed and I'll try to include them tomorrow.
