PHOENIX – Major League Baseball, the oldest sports league in the country, is steeped in tradition, but often resistant to change.
From fans singing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” in the middle of the seventh inning to ceremonial first pitches by celebrities, baseball is known for traditions that make the game fun.
However, the sport has resisted change, especially when it comes to the rules. And as baseball, once known as America’s pastime, watched the popularity of football and basketball surge, it was shaken out of its stubborn streak.
Over the past few years, baseball has undergone radical changes to speed up games and improve the viewing experience for fans. And the major leagues have found the perfect laboratory to experiment with changes.
The Arizona Fall League – an offseason league made up of top prospects from every organization in baseball – unfolds in the desert from October to November. As those players use the league to prove their value and improve their skills, baseball uses AFL games as a proving ground for rule changes that are positively impacting the sport.
The pitch clock, bigger bases, mound visit limits and shift bans all were tested in the Arizona Fall League before they were implemented at the major league level.
PHOENIX – Coming off a huge bounce-back win against Baylor following a two-game skid, the Arizona Wildcats aim to end the season on a high note. With March Madness around the corner, Arizona is looking to prove it can compete with the nation’s best teams.
Last Saturday’s showing fell short of that goal in a loss to No. 5 Houston, but the Wildcats returned to the win column two days later on the road against Baylor. Now, with an 18-8 record overall and 12-3 in Big 12 competition, Arizona returns home Saturday to host BYU.
Stellar forward play from Tobe Awaka alongside big Henri Veesaar made the difference in setting the tone early against Baylor. Awaka had a double-double finishing with 14 points and 12 rebounds, while Veesaar added 13 points, five rebounds and four assists.
The duo hopes to bring that momentum to McKale Memorial Center against the Cougars (18-8 overall, 9-6 in the Big 12).
PHOENIX – Less than two years ago, the Arizona Diamondbacks were in the World Series against the Texas Rangers. In 2024, they watched the playoffs from home.
Replicating success is difficult in baseball, and Arizona has only made the playoffs in back-to-back seasons once in franchise history.
With a new frontline starter, a different all-star first-baseman, and a group of promising young players, the Diamondbacks look to rebound in 2025.
Corbin Burnes and Zac Gallen can be the best 1-2 starters in the league
Corbin Burnes’ decision to leave the Baltimore Orioles and join the Diamondbacks seemed to come out of nowhere. Burnes, an Arizona resident, was the best free-agent starting pitcher on the market, but the Diamondbacks aren’t known to dish out $200 million deals.
The Diamondbacks payroll is about $184 million, the 13th highest in MLB, according to Spotrac. This is only the fifth time since 2011 that Arizona has had a top-15 payroll.
Burnes won a Cy Young award with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2021, when he led the league with a 2.43 ERA and the highest strikeouts per nine innings at 12.6. Since 2020, Burnes has been among the best pitchers in the league, recording a 2.88 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 142 ERA+ in that span.
“He is basically the standard. He has been unbelievable for the past five or six years,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said after Burnes was introduced to the media on Jan. 15. “I feel like he is going to make everyone around him better.”
Burnes joins Zac Gallen, who started Opening Day for the Diamondbacks the past two seasons. Since being acquired by Arizona from the Marlins in 2019, Gallen has a 52-34 record, 3.32 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 128 ERA+.
Whether Burnes or Gallen gets the Opening Day start, it could be the first time Arizona has two All-Star starting pitchers since Zack Greinke and Patrick Corbin were selected in 2018.
ESPN ranked the Diamondbacks rotation as sixth-best in the MLB due to the aces at the top and possible depth at the bottom.
“What it does is it takes us from a team that is really out there grinding to a team that is strongly considered to go out and win a lot of baseball games and hopefully stand at the top of the mountain at the end of the year,” Lovullo said on a podcast episode of “Foul Territory.”
The Diamondbacks look for Brandon Pfaadt, 26, to take another step forward in his third season. Pfaadt proved valuable in the 2023 playoff run and led the Diamondbacks with 13 quality starts and 181.2 innings pitched in 2024.
Three veterans – Merrill Kelly, 36, Jordan Montgomery, 32, and Eduardo Rodriguez, 31 – will likely make up the rest of the rotation. Montgomery could make the difference for the Diamondbacks’ pitching staff.
From 2021 to 2023, Montgomery had a 3.48 ERA and established himself as a consistent starter. In 2024 with Arizona, he struggled, finishing with a 6.23 ERA in 117 innings. The Diamondbacks will pay Montgomery $22.5 million this season, a contract that will be tough to trade unless he proves he can return to his prior success.
Alex Weiner of ArizonaSports.com reported that Jordan Montgomery lost 20 to 25 pounds this offseason.
“He made a commitment to this group, to me, to this organization, that he was going to come into this spring training in the best shape of his life. And he looks great,” Lovullo said.
Offensive shakeup: Christian Walker out, Josh Naylor in
Long-time first baseman Christian Walker signed as a free agent with the Houston Astros this offseason. One day later, Arizona found Walker’s replacement by trading for Josh Naylor from the Cleveland Guardians.
“Great team, great players, young squad too,” Naylor said about the Diamondbacks’ roster. “Hopefully, (I can) just fit right in.”
Naylor instantly becomes one of the best bats in Arizona’s lineup after earning his first All-Star Game appearance last season. Since 2022, Naylor has averaged 28 homers, 116 RBIs, and a 123 OPS+ per 162 games. The offensive numbers are very similar to Walker’s in that same span: an average of 34 homers, 102 RBIs and a 123 OPS+ per 162 games.
And he’s just 27. Walker is approaching his 34th birthday next month.
“I am never really satisfied with the things I do,” Naylor said. “I just want to keep improving, keep having fun playing the game, continue to be the best leader and teammate I can, and grow as a person every single day.”
The biggest difference between Walker and Naylor is their defense. In 2024, Walker won his third straight Gold Glove Award and was in the 97th percentile in fielding range, according to Baseball Savant. His 13 outs above average was second best among first basemen. Naylor, on the other hand, was slightly above average, finishing in the 62nd percentile in fielding range.
“He is a phenomenal player and a phenomenal leader, too,” Naylor said about Walker. “I would love to fill in that role and step in his shoes to become the leader that he was in the locker room.”
What to expect from Corbin Carroll in year four
Corbin Carroll made his highly anticipated MLB debut in 2022 and was the No. 2 ranked prospect in MLB in 2023. Carroll won Rookie of the Year in ‘23 and finished fifth for the NL MVP after batting .285 with 25 home runs and 54 stolen bases. The season earned him a 5.4 WAR, according to Baseball Reference.
In 2024, Carroll’s stats dropped slightly. He did not make the All-Star Game and finished with a .231 batting average, 22 homers, 35 stolen bases, and a 3.4 WAR. Despite the drop, he ended the season with 122 runs scored, fifth most in the majors, and as one of only six players with 20+ homers, 30+ stolen bases, and 100+ runs.
One large difference between his 2023 and 2024 seasons was his ability to hit the breaking ball. Carroll saw 752 breaking balls in 2023 and batted .295 on those pitches, according to Baseball Savant. In 2024, he saw 735 breaking balls and batted just .182 against them.
He also showed signs of returning to his MVP form after the All-Star break. He batted .259 with a .919 OPS in the second half, much better than his .213 average and .635 OPS before the break, and 17 of his 22 homers came after the Midsummer Classic. In addition to his bat, Carroll is an above-average defender and one of the fastest players in the league.
If he can return to an MVP level, a trio of Carroll, Naylor and Ketel Marte could be lethal for opposing pitchers.
Spring training watch list: Adrian Del Castillo, Pavin Smith and more
Catcher Gabriel Moreno’s injury last August gave 25-year-old Adrian Del Castillo a chance to make his major league debut, and he did not disappoint. Del Castillo batted .313 with four homers and 19 RBI in 80 at-bats. With a healthy Moreno, Lovullo will have to figure out how to give Del Castillo playing time if he makes the Opening Day roster.
“He’s a big part of what we’re trying to do. We want to continue to develop him as a catcher,” general manager Mike Hazen said Tuesday. “We’re probably not just going to shuffle him off to the DH right now. We want to see him play a position defensively and we’ll see where it shakes out this spring.”
Another 25-year-old who will be fighting for playing time is Blaze Alexander, who also made his MLB debut last year and played in 61 games. At the big league level, he batted .247 with three home runs, 19 runs scored and 21 RBIs.
Alexander will not only be fighting with established major leaguers, but also with Jordan Lawlar, the sixth-overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft.
Lawlar dealt with injuries last year, playing in only 23 total games. In his abbreviated taste of the majors in 2023, Lawlar batted .129 with four hits in 14 games. At 22 years old, Lawlar will have to impress in spring training to make a spot on the big league club.
Pavin Smith is another former first-round pick looking for an everyday place in the lineup. Smith, 28, again split last season between the Triple-A Reno Aces and the Diamondbacks. Across three career stints in Reno, Smith batted .321 with 23 homers and 106 RBIs in 128 games.
Last season was his best at the big league level. He proved useful as a utility man, appearing at first base, left field and right field. Offensively, he batted .270 with nine home runs and 36 RBIs in 60 games.
“Maybe he’s not playing as much first base, but we still anticipate him getting his hacks in, and we want to see what that bat can do,” Hazen said about Smith after acquiring Naylor in December.
Smith is expected to split time at DH with recently re-signed Randal Grichuk. Arizona also brought in veteran utility man Garrett Hampson, and veteran first-baseman Trey Mancini on minor-league contracts.
Justin Martinez may claim closer role
The Guardians signed Diamondbacks free agent Paul Sewald this offseason after he led Arizona in saves last season with 16. Coming into spring training, Justin Martinez could make Lovullo’s job easy in the ninth inning.
Martinez, 23, appeared in 64 games last season for the Diamondbacks, finishing with a 5-6 record, 2.48 ERA, and eight saves. His average four-seam fastball velocity of 100.5 mph was second fastest in the league among qualified pitchers.
Something to watch for from Martinez during spring training is his command. Last season, Martinez walked 4.5 batters per nine innings. He proved he gets outs, finishing with 11.3 strikeouts per nine innings, and a batting average against of .219.
If Martinez can lower the free passes and impress throughout spring training, he may earn sole possession of ninth-inning duties over veteran options such as Kevin Ginkel, A.J. Puk, and the recently signed Kendall Graveman.
“Somebody will emerge. I feel really good about the arms and I’ll match it up the best way I can,” Lovullo said Tuesday.
National League Wild Card picture is a crowded place
It seems like a foregone conclusion that the free-spending Los Angeles Dodgers will win the NL West, though nothing in sports is ever guaranteed. According to Fangraphs, the Dodgers are currently projected to win 96 games, the most in the league, while the Diamondbacks are projected to finish second in the division with 86 wins.
“I was so proud of what we did, what we accomplished during the course of last season … we can’t lose any moments and we gotta go out there and close deals and win every game we’re supposed to,” Lovullo said on an episode of “Foul Territory.”
The NL East could feature three potential playoff teams with the Atlanta Braves, New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies near the top of preseason projections. Most predictions see the NL Central only represented by the Chicago Cubs, the division winner in the 2025 postseason.
With a well-balanced lineup and an above-average pitching staff, the Diamondbacks are positioned to make a run at 90 wins. If Burnes’ first phone call to Lovullo was any indication, this team is ready to get back to October baseball.
“He said, ‘Are you ready to win a s – – – ton of baseball games?’” Lovullo recalled. “And I said, ‘I’m always ready for that. Let’s go.’”
Ketel Marte, a key veteran presence in the Arizona Diamondbacks’ lineup, looks to continue his offensive production and lead the team back to the playoffs in 2025. (Photo by Samuel Nute/Cronkite News)Corbin Carroll aims to bounce back from a slightly down year, hoping to recapture his Rookie of the Year form for the Arizona Diamondbacks. (Photo by Dani Trujillo/Cronkite News)Manager Torey Lovullo looks to lead the Arizona Diamondbacks back to the playoffs after a disappointing 2024 season. (Photo by Samuel Nute/Cronkite News)
PHOENIX – “Absolute disaster” and “losers” were just some of the words used by NBA writers to describe the Phoenix Suns’ trade deadline action – or lack thereof.
The Suns’ main highlight of the deadline was the moving of center Jusuf Nurkić, and many fans were disappointed with the 26-28 Suns not making any big changes to improve the team’s trajectory.
LOS ANGELES – A new California state law aims to minimize theft and retail crime, and while some officials applaud its passage, many residents doubt the measure’s effectiveness.
The law allows law enforcement to charge people with felonies for thefts under $950 if that person has two prior theft convictions. It’s a change aimed at helping stave off burglaries that largely affect local businesses.
Prior to this year, officials couldn’t charge people with felony crimes even if they stole items valued at less than $950 numerous times. In the fall 2024, California voters overwhelmingly passed Proposition 36, which was opposed by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
PHOENIX – The Arizona Immigration, Cooperation and Enforcement Act, SB1164 has furthered divisions between advocates for stricter border security and community groups rallying for immigrant protections.
The Arizona ICE Act seeks to use each law enforcement agency in the state to aid in enforcing federal immigration law. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Warren Petersen, R-Queen Creek, and co-sponsored by Sen. T.J. Shope, R-Coolidge, was first presented in January and has seen consistent opposition from community groups that believe the bill will threaten immigrant communities and strain local law enforcement.
TEMPE – Amid the chaos unfolding on five courts with 20 people hitting a volleyball, Arizona State beach volleyball players and coaches can feel the start of the season approaching and the intensity has risen to an all-time high.
Coach Kristen Glattfelder, in her second year at ASU’s helm, took multitasking to another level, somehow seeing all of her players and offering critique to every court as if she had five sets of eyes. That’s what it takes to turn around a program.
She inherited a team that went under .500 with no expectations before her arrival and turned it into a playoff contender seemingly overnight.
Now, Glattfelder leads the Sand Devils into a new season beginning Thursday at the Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Classic in Hawaii. (ASU’s beach volleyball team is referred to as the Sand Devils or Sun.)
PHOENIX – On the final day of the 2024 season, the Arizona Diamondbacks watched the last glimmer of their chance to return to the Fall Classic fade away.
Following a two-game split between the Atlanta Braves and the New York Mets, the Diamondbacks were the last team eliminated from playoff contention.
Now, with another MLB season fast approaching, the Diamondbacks, who reached the World Series in 2023 before falling to the Texas Rangers, are hopeful that the organization’s offseason moves will put them in position to make another playoff run.
Oddsmakers are not yet convinced. The Diamondbacks, according to the sportsbooks, remain a long shot.
PHOENIX – The home of the Phoenix Suns and Mercury is undergoing a light remodel. The city-owned venue formerly known as Footprint Center is managed by the Suns and Mercury, who have begun the search for a new naming rights deal.
Starting Sunday, the Footprint Center signage at the front of the arena began to come down, and by Tuesday morning, workers were seen removing the final letters from the building.
The original naming rights deal with Footprint, a plant-based engineering company based in Gilbert, was a 10-year pact, but its sponsorship arrangement with the teams has changed. Footprint will continue as official sustainability partner of the Suns and Mercury, but will no longer hold the arena naming rights, according to a statement from a Suns spokesperson.
Club officials indicated that the search for a new naming rights partner will begin immediately, and until a new partner is found, the building will be called PHX Arena.
EDS: Clients who used a Cronkite News story slugged Deportations Arizona Industry that moved Thursday, Feb. 6, under a WASHINGTON dateline, are asked to run the following correction. The error occurred in the 34th paragraph. A corrected version of the story has been posted here.
WASHINGTON – A Cronkite News story about the impact of deportations on Arizona misstated the American Immigration Council’s stance. The reference has been deleted.
TEMPE – After 21 regular season games, the Valley Suns have made it to the NBA G League All-Star break.
In their first season, the Valley Suns – who serve as the developmental club for the NBA Phoenix Suns – are 12-9 and fifth in the Western Conference, at times resembling their NBA counterpart, with a high-volume 3-point offense and a lineup that struggles on the offensive rebounds.
Still, the team managed the month of January with a 10-5 record while playing 11 of 15 games on the road and will get to spend more on their homecourt at Arizona State’s Mullett Arena after the All-Star break.
“January was a tough month, but I feel like we got through that,” said Valley Suns coach John Little. “We got the highs and lows of the year but feel really good overall. (I) like the camaraderie of the team and like the direction of the team.”
PHOENIX – In upstate New York, legends are made from All-Star highlights in July and championship-winning plays in October.
But just 2,000 miles southwest of Cooperstown sits another hall of fame, where heroes are made during February and March.
With the start of spring training in Arizona, The Arizona Cactus League Association, in collaboration with the Mesa Historical Museum, is set to induct four members to their Cactus League Hall of Fame this spring. The Cactus League has been inducting members into its Hall of Fame since 2014, now housing 46 inductees.
The Hall of Fame’s exhibit, located in north Mesa just a few miles from the spring training homes of the Cubs and Athletics, tells not only the stories of such stars as Ken Griffey Jr. and Randy Johnson, but also the unsung heroes in Cactus League history.
PHOENIX – Arizona State sophomore defensive lineman C.J. Fite is a scholar and a baller.
A 2024 All-Big 12 Second Team selection, Fite is a business entrepreneurship major with NFL hopes and aspirations to one day open his own training facility.
“Since high school, I’ve always wanted to be my own boss,” Fite said. “When I was thinking about majors, I thought, ‘Business entrepreneurship works perfectly.’”
Slug: Sports-Hispanic Community HS Football, 1800 words.
Photos available.
By Sebastian Mondaca Sepulveda Cronkite News
PHOENIX – Growing up in a Latino household, life often revolves around family, hard work and a deep love for sports. Stereotypes implied that football was an afterthought and that Latino athletes were more suited for baseball or soccer. Opportunities were restricted, and there was little representation at the highest levels. As time went on, however, the story started to change.
Roy Lopez, who has coached and mentored young athletes in the Valley for 30 years, believes that football is more than just the positions on the field. Strongly connected to his Latino roots in Arizona, Lopez has made it his mission to influence the next generation by highlighting opportunity, culture and discipline.
Slug: Sports-Boedigheimer Miracle League. 1130 words.
Photos available.
By Tyler Bednar Cronkite News
PHOENIX – When he was 9, Scottsdale native Drew Boedigheimer received an Oregon State College Baseball World Series championship ring. Ever since he was a young kid, Boedigheimer has always loved baseball. His two Oregon State University graduate parents, Tara and Todd, frequented OSU baseball games and brought him to love the sport, too.
Boedigheimer was just 2 years old when he was diagnosed with restrictive cardiomyopathy – a heart condition that results in stiffening of the muscle. As the only cure, he received a heart transplant a month later, on May 26, 2011, which the family refers to as his “heart birthday.”
WASHINGTON – Arizona’s Democratic senators, Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego, have been on the losing end of every confirmation they opposed since President Donald Trump started filling out his Cabinet.
The frustration continued Thursday when Republicans pushed through the confirmation of vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as secretary of Health and Human Services. The vote was 52-48, with just one Republican – polio survivor Mitch McConnell, who has already announced he won’t seek reelection – joining Democrats in opposing the nominee.
“Roses are red. Public Health is toast,” Gallego posted on the social media sites X and BlueSky after the pre-Valentine’s Day defeat.
PHOENIX – Looking for love online? Be on guard: That suitor tugging at your heartstrings over text messages and emails may be interested only in your purse strings.
In Arizona, losses from online romance scams totaled more than $47 million in 2022 and 2023, according to data from the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center. The Investor Loss Center ranked Arizona fifth for losses based on the FBI figures, behind only California, Florida, Texas and New York.
GLENDALE – Long before the sun began to peek over the nearby mountains, a smattering of die-hard baseball fans waited in anticipation of what the day might bring. It was 3:30 a.m., hours before the Los Angeles Dodgers would stretch and take ground balls at Camelback Ranch. By 9 a.m., more than 200 fans were lined up for the opportunity to watch the World Series Champions return to the diamond.
One of the sport’s finest rituals is again taking over the Valley. Wednesday was the first day fans could watch their favorite baseball teams play again after a long winter. Spring training has commenced.
The Cactus League, with 15 teams playing in 10 stadiums across Arizona, is ready for its 78th year of hosting spring training games. From now until the end of March, the Valley will be packed with baseball fans from all over the world as they descend on ballparks from Glendale to Mesa.
PHOENIX – One month ago, the Los Angeles fires captured national attention. The raging blazes, fueled by ferocious Santa Ana winds, have since been 100% contained after an estimated 12,000 homes were destroyed and 29 people were killed.
For four college athletes living in Arizona, the story hit close to home.
The athletes hail from various parts of the L.A. area. ASU track and field athlete Ava McCumber Gandara is from Woodland Hills, east of Calabasas. The junior communications major said her immediate family relocated to Arizona following her decision to attend ASU, but she still has family and friends in the L.A. area. She recalled first finding out about the fires.
“I go to the news app … and you know all the information just kept piling on at once,” McCumber Gandara said.
