From Dan Woike: Rui Hachimura took the field in front of a crowd that would grow to more than 50,000 as he soaked in more than the sunshine.
The boy named by a baseball-loving grandfather stood on the pitching mound of one of the game’s most iconic stadiums, his heart pumping as a wide, anxious smile hit his face.
As he got ready to throw the first pitch on Japanese Heritage Day at Dodger Stadium, he urged the crowd to cheer. Down the first base line, he noticed Angels star Shohei Ohtani pause his stretching routine to watch.
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With “Black Samurai” printed on the back of his brilliantly white Dodgers jersey, Hachimura went into a windup and delivered the pitch.
“I was nervous. I didn’t think it was going to be crazy, but it was A LOT of people,” he told The Times. “I forgot that was a big game because of Shohei. … I was kinda nervous. I started shaking.”
A lifetime ago, this was the dream — Hachimura playing professionally on a diamond. He was once a boy who threw so hard that his coaches made him play catcher because no one on the team could handle his fastball.
In that moment at Dodger Stadium last summer, Hachimura felt that rush, the pride of a grandfather who had long ago passed.
He’d made it to the big leagues — and he only got there because he quit playing baseball.
More on the Lakers:
‘There’s no excuses for us.’ Lakers’ ineptitude continues, with no letup in sight
Lakers worn down by losing, but they insist ‘everybody in the locker room gets along’
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RAMS
Rams quarterback Carson Wentz will start on Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers.
(Rick Scuteri / Associated Press)
From Gary Klein: Since joining the Rams in November, Carson Wentz rarely has stood still on the sideline.
The veteran quarterback bursts into sprints as if he is avoiding a rush. He tosses passes as if he’s engineering a game-winning, two-minute drive.
But as Matthew Stafford led the Rams to a playoff spot, Wentz never got the chance to show in a game that he could once again be a viable NFL starter.
That opportunity arrives Sunday.
Coach Sean McVay is resting Stafford and a few other starters, so Wentz will be under center against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium.
CHARGERS
From left, Talanoa Hufanga, Tuli Tuipulotu and Marlon Tuipulotu give the “T” signal, a celebratory tribute to Tonga, during Tuli’s NFL draft party.
(Courtesy of Lupe Fosnight)
From Jeff Miller: It’s where he is from, most assuredly, even if he never has been there.
So, for years now, he has punctuated significant plays on the football field by forming a capital “T” with his arms in celebratory tribute to Tonga.
That’s how deeply Tuli Tuipulotu’s roots push into the island nation’s sandy soil, the heart of the Chargers young edge rusher belonging to a place that never has known his footprints.
His father, Niuila — just like his mother, Tania — speaks almost exclusively Tongan, at least, that is, when he speaks at all. “My pop’s,” Tuipulotu said, “a pretty humble dude.”
Until Tuipulotu was born, his family didn’t know if he would arrive as a boy or a girl because they valued the surprise of it all. Then the doctor walked into the waiting room and announced, “We have another football guy.”
UCLA GYMNASTICS
Selena Harris celebrates with teammates during the Los Angeles Regional in March. Harris, the reigning Pac-12 freshman of the year, is among the gymnasts returning for UCLA in 2024.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
From Thuc Nhi Nguyen: Emma Malabuyo can’t stop smiling. The UCLA gymnast just has a good feeling about this season.
“It feels like magic this year,” Malabuyo said.
The Bruins are hoping to build on their success after a miraculous one-year turnaround under Janelle McDonald. The first year under the first-time head coach was about building culture, stabilizing the program after its third head coach in five years and rediscovering the team’s joy.
The second year is about goals. And they’re lofty.
COLLEGE SPORTS
From Steve Henson: ESPN used its exclusive negotiating window to reach an eight-year, $920-million deal with the NCAA on Thursday, an arrangement that extends a relationship that began when ESPN was launched in 1979 and has proved lucrative for both parties since.
The new contract — worth $115 million a year — proves that even in a fragmented media landscape, content is king and college sports draw a significant, and growing, television audience on cable and through streaming.
The agreement is worth roughly three times the annual value of the current deal, and the NCAA said production and marketing costs assumed by ESPN would add another $25 million to $30 million per year. Slightly more than half the money — about $65 million a year — will go to women’s basketball, which despite discussions of the sport cutting its own deal remained in the bundle.
The largest audience for a women’s college basketball game was last year’s NCAA championship game between LSU and Iowa, and the same was true for the women’s volleyball final in December between Texas and Nebraska. The basketball game drew nearly 10 million viewers on ESPN+.
HOCKEY
Kings forward Arthur Kaliyev controls the puck during the second period of a 4-3 overtime loss to the Detroit Red Wings at Crypto.com Arena on Thursday night.
(Jae C. Hong / Associated Press)
From the Associated Press: Robby Fabbri scored twice, Lucas Raymond and Patrick Kane converted in the shootout and the Detroit Red Wings defeated the Kings 4-3 on Thursday night.
Fabbri’s second two-goal game of the season helped Detroit snap a six-game losing streak to the Kings. Jeff Petry also scored for the Red Wings and Daniel Sprong had pair of assists. Alex Lyon made 40 saves.
Adrian Kempe had his second two-goal game in eight days, but it wasn’t enough as the Kings lost their fourth straight. Kempe has eight points in the last six games.
Matt Roy scored his first goal this season for the Kings. Alex Laferriere and Pierre-Luc Dubois assisted on both of Kempe’s goals. David Rittich stopped 23 shots.
NFL WEEK 18 PICKS
(Tim Hubbard / Los Angeles Times)
From Sam Farmer: Lines according to FanDuel Sportsbook (O/U = over/under). Last week’s record 10-6 (.625); season 153-103 (.598). Using point spreads with the scores Farmer predicted, the record against the spread last week would have been 9-6-1 (.600); season 122-127-7 (.490). TV channels are for Los Angeles area. All times Pacific.
Pittsburgh (9-7) at Baltimore (13-3)
Saturday, 1:30 p.m.
TV: Channel 7, ESPN
Line: Steelers by 3 1/2. O/U: 36 1/2.
The Ravens have the No. 1 seed locked up, so they’re going to rest players. The Steelers can run the ball and Mason Rudolph can throw it down the field. Steelers are incentivized but should be close.
Prediction: Steelers 24, Ravens 20
THIS DATE IN SPORTS
1964 — Keith Lincoln of the San Diego Chargers, rushes for 206 yards in 13 carries, catches seven passes for 123 yards, completes one pass for 20 and scores two touchdowns in a 51-10 rout of the Boston Patriots for the AFL title.
1983 — In his 42nd game, Edmonton’s Wayne Gretzky scores his 100th point of the season with an assist in the Oilers’ 8-3 triumph over the Winnipeg Jets.
1991 — Kevin Bradshaw of U.S. International scores 72 points to break Pete Maravich’s NCAA Division I single-game scoring record of 69, but Loyola Marymount sets an NCAA team scoring record in defeating the Gulls 186-140.
1993 — Reggie Jackson, who hit 563 homers and played on five championship teams in 21 seasons, is the only player elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
1996 — Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula announces his retirement as winningest NFL Head Coach of all-time.
1997 — The second-year Carolina Panthers, behind John Kasay’s four field goals, beat the Dallas Cowboys 26-17 to advance to the NFC Championship game.
1999 — Nolan Ryan, George Brett and Robin Yount are voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, the biggest class of first-time candidates since Babe Ruth and four others were chosen in the original election of 1936.
2003 — Jeff Garcia hits Tai Streets with a 13-yard touchdown pass with 1 minute left, and the New York Giants botch the snap on a 41-yard field goal attempt as time expires in San Francisco’s 39-38 victory — the second-biggest comeback in NFL playoff history.
2009 — Pittsburgh makes it to the top of The Associated Press’ men’s college basketball poll for the first time. The Panthers are one of a record nine Big East teams in the poll. The 16-team league had a record eight schools ranked for three weeks earlier in the season.
2013 — Aaron Rodgers connects with an NFL playoff-record 10 receivers as he throws for 274 yards in his first playoff victory at home, leading Green Bay to a 24-10 victory over Minnesota.
2013 — Arian Foster rushes for 140 yards and a touchdown in Houston’s 19-13 win over Cincinnati, and becomes the first NFL player to have 100-yard games in each of his first three playoff games.
2017 — The Columbus Blue Jackets lose 5-0 to the Washington Capitals ending their winning streak at 16 games, one shy of the NHL record. Columbus lose for the first time since Nov. 26, ending a captivating run that fell short of the 1992-93 Pittsburgh Penguins’ record of 17 consecutive wins.
Compiled by the Associated Press
And finally
Actor Will Ferrell gave Mookie Betts a short but effective tutorial on how to be a Kings fan during Dodgers Night at the Kings-Red Wings game on Thursday. Check it out here.
Until next time…
That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com, and follow me on Twitter at @latimeshouston. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.