Category: Baseball

Deesha Thosar

MLB Writer

Rowan Kavner

MLB Writer

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With Corbin Burnes, Blake Snell and Max Fried having already made their decisions in free agency, the top pitcher remaining on the market presents an unconventional case.

Money won’t play much of a factor in the decision for Rōki Sasaki, who has reportedly narrowed down his destination to three contenders — the Dodgers, Padres and Blue Jays — but can’t take anything more than a team’s international bonus pool money. Beyond Sasaki, though, there are plenty of more standard free agents left on the board for teams to fill their needs, pitching or otherwise.

Three of the top sluggers on the market, Alex Bregman, Pete Alonso and Anthony Santander, remain unsigned. Tanner Scott, the top closer in free agency, has also yet to sign and could ignite a slow relief market once he makes his decision. In addition, helpful depth pieces remain available both on the mound and in the field.

Certainly, money will play a factor in every player’s decision. But as far as team fits go, Rowan Kavner and Deesha Thosar identify the best landing spots for 10 of the most intriguing free agents still on the board.

10. SP Max Scherzer: Washington Nationals

Not one starting pitcher in the Nationals’ projected rotation is older than 27, and while MacKenzie Gore has shown promising swing-and-miss stuff, the staff is green and largely unproven. Those arms could really use some veteran leadership to take them to the next level. So, why not welcome a reunion with Scherzer, who spent the bulk of his prime with the Nationals?

The market for starters has been incredibly expensive this winter, and Washington was never expected to be competitive for top-end arms. Scherzer’s age and myriad injuries last year (back surgery, shoulder pain, hamstring injury) should bring his price down to a range the Nationals are comfortable spending. And even if he needs to spend some time on the injured list again, his insight and experience in the game are invaluable, particularly for a Nationals team that should be competitive enough to push for a wild-card berth given their exciting young offensive core. Don’t forget, Scherzer can still pitch. He had a sub-4.00 ERA and low walk rate when he was healthy enough to be on the mound for the Rangers last year — and the Nationals would happily take that kind of performance. 

If 2025 is Scherzer’s swan song before Cooperstown, a homecoming with the Nationals could be something that works wonders for both sides. They could even retire his jersey while he’s on the mound. — Thosar

9. SP Nick Pivetta: Atlanta Braves

A year after the Chris Sale renaissance, could the Braves get the best out of another former Red Sox starter? Max Fried and Charlie Morton are gone. Spencer Strider will be back, but unlikely by Opening Day. Sale was the best pitcher in the National League last year, but the 2024 season was the first time he logged more than 20 starts since 2019. It was also the first time Reynaldo López was a full-time starter in four years, and his body started to wear down late in a terrific return to the rotation. The Braves should be excited about the follow-up campaign for Spencer Schwellenbach, and it’s more than reasonable to expect AJ Smith-Shawver, Hurston Waldrep or one of their young arms to take a leap forward. Still, this is a team that has done nothing of note this offseason and could use more depth to complete a thinned-out rotation.

If the Braves want to keep the honor of the best strikeout-to-walk ratio in the majors, Pivetta would help. He pitched much better in 2024 than his 6-12 record or 4.14 ERA would indicate (his expected ERA was 3.51), putting together the 10th-best K/BB ratio among all starters with at least 100 innings. The qualifying offer he rejected could be a hold-up in finding a new team, but perhaps the Braves — who will be getting a compensation pick after Fried went to the Yankees — would be a willing suitor. — Kavner

8. RP Carlos Estévez: Arizona Diamondbacks

After shocking the industry with the Corbin Burnes signing, the D-backs need to shore up their bullpen depth before spring training rolls around. Their relievers recorded a 4.41 bullpen ERA that ranked 25th in baseball last year and now that they lost Paul Sewald to free agency, the need to supplement the relief corps with a top closer or setup man is pretty apparent. Lucky for them, Estévez is flying a bit under the radar while Tanner Scott remains unsigned. But the former Angels and Phillies closer could be a steal for the cost-conscious D-backs. 

A two- or three-year deal with the 32-year-old Estévez should only cost the D-backs around $9-10 million per year, whereas Scott is likely looking for a deal with an AAV upwards of $10 million. Estévez’s 57 saves and 3.22 ERA since 2023 indicate that he’ll provide the back-end reliability they need to contend in 2025. Arizona has solid internal bullpen options like southpaw A.J. Puk and right-handers Justin Martinez and Kevin Ginkel, but general manager Mike Hazen indicated at December’s winter meetings that he’d like to add someone else to the mix. Estévez’s hard-throwing, high-leverage experience should be the answer. — Thosar

7. INF Ha-Seong Kim: New York Yankees

Despite the flurry of needle-moving additions the Yankees made after they lost Juan Soto to the Mets, they still have a major hole in the infield following the departure of longtime second baseman Gleyber Torres. The Bronx Bombers need more guys who can get on base and create runs, and that’s where Kim can come in and put his savvy baserunning to use. Plus, his excellent plate discipline (18.6% chase rate in the 98th percentile, per Baseball Savant) will do wonders if he’s batting alongside Aaron Judge.

Kim’s high baseball IQ and defensive versatility and prowess would be a breath of fresh air for a Yankees team that ranked 30th in FanGraphs’ baserunning metrics in 2024 and routinely suffered from defensive miscues, poor fundamentals, and mental lapses in the infield (see: the World Series). The Yankees don’t need more flashy free-agent signings now; they need a dynamic jack-of-all-trades Gold Glover like Kim who can quietly transform their offensive production. — Thosar

6. OF Jurickson Profar: Kansas City Royals

A more traditional slugger in the middle of the order wouldn’t hurt, but in the cavernous domain of Kauffman Stadium, a player who can get on base at a high clip and lengthen the lineup might be more important to help jump-start the Royals offense. Adding Jonathan India was a start, but more needs to be done for a team that last year ranked 19th in on-base percentage and had the second-lowest OPS out of the leadoff spot. More specifically, they need more pop in an outfield that ranked in the bottom two in every slash-line category last season. Profar should provide a boost in every regard.

While his breakout season seemed to come out of nowhere at age 31, it wasn’t just luck. Profar hit the ball harder than ever before and chased and whiffed less than ever before. Whether Profar can replicate his power numbers remains to be seen, but he has always been someone with a keen eye for the strike zone and would represent a difference-making upgrade from the pieces in place. — Kavner

5. RP Tanner Scott: Chicago Cubs

All 30 teams could use a reliever of Scott’s caliber at the back end of the bullpen. So, sure, the odds might be better that the most coveted closer on the market ends up with the Dodgers or Mets — who are both interested in Scott — than the Cubs, who finally got the superstar they’ve needed only to now be arguing over a couple million dollars in arbitration with Kyle Tucker. They’ve yet to open up the pocketbooks in a significant way this winter, but they’re now off Cody Bellinger’s contract and should have considerable room to add before they even approach their 2024 payroll or the first CBT threshold. It would be inexcusable to save all that money and end up with Matthew Boyd as their biggest pitching addition.

You could make the argument they’d be better off using the extra room to continue making depth moves rather than one big reliever splash, but given how uncertain the closer role was last season, Scott could help balance a righty-heavy bullpen that needs more proven commodities and help take the late-inning weight off 23-year-old Porter Hodge. If they only have Tucker for one season, it’s especially important that they strike now as they seek to end their four-year playoff drought in a winnable division. — Kavner

4. SP Jack Flaherty: Detroit Tigers

The emergence of Tarik Skubal as a Certified Ace™ (and of course, reigning AL Cy Young/triple crown winner) is a source of luxury for the Tigers rotation, but their magical postseason run was cut short, in part, because they severely lacked a dependable, experienced arm behind Skubal. Now, Detroit only has to look as far back as last summer to find a solution in Flaherty. 

He thrived alongside Skubal in the four months he spent in Motown, posting a 2.95 ERA before being traded to the Dodgers. The Tigers need a more reliable 1-2 punch in their staff to make the most of their exciting, youth-driven window of contention. Flaherty is the only free-agent starting pitcher in his 20s outside of Sasaki, and he’s coming off some really mixed results in the 2024 postseason. He was better for the Dodgers in the regular season and hurled a gem in the NLCS opener, so the upside is certainly there. The Tigers could point to his successful track record in Detroit and perhaps convince him to accept a short-term deal that would make sense for both sides. — Thosar

3. OF Anthony Santander: Toronto Blue Jays

Santander is sort of the Alonso of the outfield market. It’s not a perfect comparison — Santander doesn’t barrel the ball as often and chases more (while whiffing less) than Alonso — but the two players both belt a ton of homers without providing much with their gloves or their legs. For the Blue Jays, though, Santander’s power bat fills a clear need. Toronto’s outfielders had the fifth-lowest slugging percentage in the majors last year, and only four teams hit fewer homers than the Blue Jays.

Toronto has been linked to several top free agents each of the past couple years and whiffed. This offseason, the Blue Jays have yet to extend Vladimir Guerrero Jr. or do anything to impact the power shortage that has held the offense back. They’re running out of time to strike with this core, but adding Santander would represent a meaningful step forward toward relevance. Over the past three years, only five hitters — Alonso, Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani, Kyle Schwarber and Matt Olson — have launched more home runs than Santander. — Kavner

2. 1B Pete Alonso: New York Mets

The number of teams who need a first baseman with Alonso’s skill set are dwindling. The Astros and Yankees signed their answers at the spot in Christian Walker and Paul Goldschmidt, respectively. The Diamondbacks filled the vacancy left by Walker by trading for Josh Naylor. The Nationals traded for Nate Lowe and signed Josh Bell.

The Giants and Mariners could both use the right-handed power at first base, but San Francisco already forfeited its second- and fifth-highest selections in the 2025 draft after signing Willy Adames, who had a qualifying offer attached. If the Giants signed Alonso, they’d also forfeit their third- and sixth-highest selections after exceeding the luxury-tax threshold last year at a time when their farm system could use an injection of talent. The Mariners seem unlikely to pay what would be required for Alonso, and if he signs a short-term deal to re-establish his value — say, a structure similar to Cody Bellinger’s last year — it’s unlikely that T-Mobile Park would be an attractive venue. 

The Mets might be better off signing Alex Bregman and bumping Mark Vientos to first base, but as currently constructed, a return to Queens for Alonso seems like the logical fit. — Kavner

1. 3B Alex Bregman: Boston Red Sox

Just like last year, when we all thought Juan Soto would flourish with Yankee Stadium’s short porch, Bregman and the Green Monster have always seemed like a perfect match. Boston’s lefty-heavy lineup needs a power-mashing righty to take advantage of that towering left field, and Bregman’s penchant for crushing home runs over the Crawford Boxes should translate well at Fenway Park. He’d also represent a notable defensive upgrade at third base over Rafael Devers, who could slide over to first or DH. Moreover,  he Red Sox would get the public-facing, face-of-the-franchise competitor they’ve been seeking long term.

Bregman is five years removed from his best season (41 home runs, 1.1015 OPS, 8.9 bWAR) in 2019, and has racked up a lot of mileage before entering free agency (he’ll reach 5,000 career plate appearances sometime in May 2025). But he remains one of the top all-around players and one of the few remaining available difference-makers in baseball. The Red Sox have the capital — and perhaps even the desperation — to get this deal done. — Thosar

Deesha Thosar is an MLB reporter for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.

Rowan Kavner is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. He previously covered the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU grad, Rowan was born in California, grew up in Texas, then moved back to the West Coast in 2014. Follow him on Twitter at @RowanKavner.

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LiAngelo Ball finally made it.

No, the middle Ball brother didn’t sign a contract with an NBA team, but he did sign a $13 million deal with Def Jam following the success of his viral song “Tweaker,” which has taken over locker rooms across sports and is slowly climbing up its way on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart.

Ball is far from the only athlete to find success in the music industry, but the massive popularity of his song puts him in an interesting place in athlete-turned-musician history.

Here are the top 10 athletes who had successful music careers:

10. Barry Zito

Barry Zito didn’t just throw heat on the mound — his stuff was good in the studio, too.

Zito, a World Series champion with the San Francisco Giants and Cy Young Award winner with the Oakland Athletics, released a six-song country music EP in 2017 titled “No Secrets.” The project didn’t receive any type of critical acclaim, but it did open doors for Zito in the musical world, like co-writing a song for an Eddie Murphy film and getting invited to be on FOX’s “The Masked Singer” as “Rhino.”

Zito’s crowning achievement as a musician, however, might be performing “The Star-Spangled Banner” at the Athletics’ final home game at the Oakland Coliseum. How can you not be romantic about baseball?

9. Oscar De La Hoya

Oscar De La Hoya: world-famous boxer and … Grammy-nominated singer?

That’s right: in 2000, De La Hoya released a self-titled Latin pop record through EMI International that was nominated for Best Latin Pop Album at the Grammys in 2001. De La Hoya lost to global superstar Shakira, but the album still had massive success, even getting certified platinum by the RIAA in 2006.

Despite the album’s critical acclaim, De La Hoya never released a follow-up. He did, however, make his return to the stage on FOX’s “The Masked Dancer” as “Zebra” and finished in fourth place!

8. Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant mastered nearly everything he attempted in his lifetime. He won five NBA championships and two Finals MVPs in his 20 years with the Los Angeles Lakers; he won the Oscar for best animated short film in 2017; and he made his mark in the energy drink business as an investor in Body Armor.

The one thing Bryant fell short of was being a rap star. In 2000, Sony Entertainment planned to release Bryant’s debut album, “Visions,” but it was shelved due to the poor reception of his debut single, “K.O.B.E,” despite him performing it at All-Star Weekend and it featuring supermodel Tyra Banks.

Still, Bryant’s music credits include Destiny’s Child and Brian McKnight. How many other athletes can say that?

7. Deion Sanders

Between Deion Sanders’ success as a player and a coach, it’s easy to forget that he had a moderately successful rap career — but he did.

Sanders released his debut album, “Prime Time,” in 1994 on MC Hammer’s Bust It Records. The album didn’t reach any notable highs on the charts, but the lead singles — “Must Be the Money” and “Prime Time Keeps on Ticking” — gained a cult following and even made it onto “Saturday Night Live” when Sanders hosted the show in 1995, following the San Francisco 49ers’ Super Bowl win.

6. Roy Jones Jr.

If you’re not familiar with Roy Jones Jr., the world champion boxer and rapper, you might be familiar with his rap group, the Body Head Bangerz.

In 2004, three years after the recording of his solo album, “Round One: The Album,” Jones formed a hip-hip group called Body Head Bangerz with Magic, Choppa, Snappa and Bone Crusher. The group released their debut album the same year, which had a few big-name features, including Juvenile and Petey Pablo.

The breakout singles from that project, though, were “I Smoke, I Drank” and “Can’t Be Touched,” the latter of which made its mark on pop culture through athlete hype tapes. “I Smoke, I Drank” peaked at No. 25 on Billboard’s Hot Rap Songs chart.

5. Bernie Williams

In addition to being a four-time World Series champion and a four-time Gold Glove Award winner, New York Yankees legend Bernie Williams is also an accomplished jazz guitarist.

Williams, who attended a performance arts school in Puerto Rico as a teenager called Escuela Libre de Musica, released two jazz albums during his playing career. The second, “Moving Forward,” spent five consecutive weeks at the No. 2 spot on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz Album chart and was nominated for Best Instrumental Album at the Latin Grammys in 2009.

Williams got to play for his home fans at Yankee Stadium in 2014, when he performed a classical guitar rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” for Derek Jeter’s final game.

4. LiAngelo Ball

Outside the Kendrick Lamar and Drake beef, LiAngelo Ball might be the most talked-about rapper in the world right now — seriously.

The Detroit Lions celebrated their historic finish in the NFC North with Ball’s hit song; the Cleveland Cavaliers have blasted it in their locker room and over the stadium speakers at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse; three-fourths of the “Inside the NBA” crew knows the words to the song; and local news broadcasts are sneaking it into their segments.

It’s a phenomenon, with 8.7 million views on YouTube and almost 100K units sold. We’ll see if he can use that momentum to have a successful second single, or if he’ll be one-and-done.

3. Dana Barros

Dana Barros’ rap career was similar to his NBA career: it burned bright, but not for very long.

Barros, an NBA All-Star with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1995 and the league’s Most Improved Player the same year, was the breakout star of “B-Ball’s Best Kept Secret,” a compilation album of songs by NBA players in 1994.

Barros was featured on the track “Check It,” and cemented his legacy as one of the greatest rappers in NBA history.

What started off as a fun social media trend turned into an impressive body of work for Damian Lillard, a.k.a. Dame D.O.L.L.A.

Lillard first established himself as a rapper by participating in “Four Bar Friday” on Instagram, and after gaining some popularity as an artist, he released his first full-length project, “The Letter O,” which peaked at No. 7 on Billboard’s R&B and Hip-Hop Albums charts.

Since then, he’s worked with household names like Lil Wayne, Snoop Dogg, Rick Ross and Ty Dolla $ign.

1. Shaquille O’Neal

Shaq wasn’t just the most dominant big man ever — he might also be the most dominant athlete-turned-rapper of all time.

Shaq released five studio albums, the first of which, “Shaq Diesel,” reached No. 25 on the Billboard 200 and was certified platinum by the RIAA. His follow-up albums didn’t reach the same heights as his debut, but that didn’t scare off any collaborators. His third studio album, “You Can’t Stop the Reign,” featured rap icons The Notorious B.I.G, Jay-Z, Nas and Mobb Deep.

Oh, and did we mention he’s featured on a Michael Jackson record?

Shaq’s rapping days are (mostly) over, but his music career is still going strong as DJ Diesel, an act that has taken him to some of the biggest music festivals in the world, including Coachella.

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With the NFL season nearing its end, that means Spring Training baseball is just around the corner.

Looking forward to watching your favorite MLB team return to action? Here is the spring training schedule, report dates and locations for every single team.

2025 Spring Training Schedule

When does Spring Training start?

2025 Spring Training officially begins on Thursday, February 20, 2025. The Los Angeles Dodgers will take on the Chicago Cubs in the Cactus League opener.

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A day later, the New York Yankees will take on the Tampa Bay Rays for the Grapefruit League opener.

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All 30 Major League clubs will play in Cactus and Grapefruit League games on Saturday, February 22, and Sunday, February 23. 

When does Spring Training end?

Spring training will continue throughout February and March. The final day of Spring Training is Tuesday, March 25, 2025. The MLB regular season will open with the Tokyo Series, a two-game series featuring the Dodgers and Cubs on Tuesday, March 18, and Wednesday, March 19. All 30 clubs will be in action for the traditional MLB Opening Day on Thursday, March 27, 2025. For a complete list of games, check out our Spring Training Schedule.

Los Angeles Dodgers: MINI-MOVIE of 2024 Postseason | MLB on FOX 🎥

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Spring Training Report Dates and Locations

Cactus League

Arizona Diamondbacks

• Location: Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, Scottsdale, Ariz.
• Pitchers and catchers report date: Wed., Feb. 12
• Full squad first workout date: Mon., Feb. 17

Athletics

• Location: HoHoKam Stadium, Mesa, Ariz.
• Pitchers and catchers report date: Wed., Feb. 12
• Full squad first workout date: Mon., Feb. 17

Chicago Cubs

• Location: Sloan Park, Mesa, Ariz.
• Pitchers and catchers report date: Sun., Feb. 9
• Full squad first workout date: Fri., Feb. 14

Chicago White Sox

• Location: Camelback Ranch, Glendale, Ariz.
• Pitchers and catchers report date: Wed., Feb. 12
• Full squad first workout date: Mon., Feb. 17

Cincinnati Reds

• Location: Goodyear Ballpark, Goodyear, Ariz.
• Pitchers and catchers report date: Wed., Feb. 12
• Full squad first workout date: Mon., Feb. 17

Cleveland Guardians

• Location: Goodyear Ballpark, Goodyear, Ariz.
• Pitchers and catchers report date: Thurs., Feb. 13
• Full squad first workout date: Tues., Feb. 18

Colorado Rockies

• Location: Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, Scottsdale, Ariz.
• Pitchers and catchers report date: Thurs., Feb. 13
• Full squad first workout date: Tues., Feb. 18

Kansas City Royals

• Location: Surprise Stadium, Surprise, Ariz.
• Pitchers and catchers report date: Wed., Feb. 12
• Full squad first workout date: Mon., Feb. 17

Los Angeles Angels

• Location: Tempe Diablo Stadium, Tempe, Ariz.
• Pitchers and catchers report date: Wed., Feb. 12
• Full squad first workout date: Mon., Feb. 17

Los Angeles Dodgers

• Location: Camelback Ranch, Glendale, Ariz.
• Pitchers and catchers report date: Tues., Feb. 11
• Full squad first workout date: Sat., Feb. 15

Milwaukee Brewers

• Location: American Family Fields of Phoenix, Phoenix, Ariz.
• Pitchers and catchers report date: Thurs., Feb. 13
• Full squad first workout date: Tues., Feb. 18

San Diego Padres

• Location: Peoria Sports Complex, Peoria, Ariz.
• Pitchers and catchers report date: Wed., Feb. 12
• Full squad first workout date: Mon., Feb. 17

San Francisco Giants 

• Location: Scottsdale Stadium, Scottsdale, Ariz.
• Pitchers and catchers report date: Wed., Feb. 12
• Full squad first workout date: Mon., Feb. 17

Seattle Mariners 

• Location: Peoria Sports Complex, Peoria, Ariz.
• Pitchers and catchers report date: Thurs., Feb. 13
• Full squad first workout date: Tues., Feb. 18

Texas Rangers 

• Location: Surprise Stadium, Surprise, Ariz.
• Pitchers and catchers report date: Wed., Feb. 12
• Full squad first workout date: Mon., Feb. 17

Grapefruit League

Atlanta Braves

• Location: CoolToday Park, North Port, Fla.
• Pitchers and catchers report date: Wed., Feb. 12
• Full squad first workout date: Tues., Feb. 18

Baltimore Orioles

• Location: Ed Smith Stadium, Sarasota, Fla.
• Pitchers and catchers report date: Thurs., Feb. 13
• Full squad first workout date: Tues., Feb. 18

Boston Red Sox

• Location: JetBlue Park, Fort Myers, Fla.
• Pitchers and catchers report date: Wed., Feb. 12
• Full squad first workout date: Mon., Feb. 17

Detroit Tigers

• Location: Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium, Lakeland, Fla.
• Pitchers and catchers report date: Wed., Feb. 12
• Full squad first workout date: Mon., Feb. 17

Houston Astros

• Location: Ballpark of the Palm Beaches, West Palm Beach, Fla.
• Pitchers and catchers report date: Thurs., Feb. 13
• Full squad first workout date: Tues., Feb. 18

Miami Marlins

• Location: Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium, Jupiter, Fla.
• Pitchers and catchers report date: Wed., Feb. 12
• Full squad first workout date: Mon., Feb. 17

Minnesota Twins

• Location: Hammond Stadium at the Lee County Sports Complex, Fort Myers, Fla.
• Pitchers and catchers report date: Thurs., Feb. 13
• Full squad first workout date: Mon., Feb. 17

New York Mets

• Location: Clover Park, Port St. Lucie, Fla.
• Pitchers and catchers report date: Wed., Feb. 12
• Full squad first workout date: Mon., Feb. 17

New York Yankees

• Location: George M. Steinbrenner Field, Tampa, Fla.
• Pitchers and catchers report date: Wed., Feb. 12
• Full squad first workout date: Mon., Feb. 17

Philadelphia Phillies

• Location: BayCare Ballpark, Clearwater, Fla.
• Pitchers and catchers report date: Wed., Feb. 12
• Full squad first workout date: Mon., Feb. 17

Pittsburgh Pirates 

• Location: LECOM Park, Clearwater, Fla.
• Pitchers and catchers report date: Wed., Feb. 12
• Full squad first workout date: Mon., Feb. 17

St. Louis Cardinals

• Location: Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium, Jupiter, Fla.
• Pitchers and catchers report date: Wed., Feb. 12
• Full squad first workout date: Mon., Feb. 17

Tampa Bay Rays 

• Location: Charlotte Sports Park, Port Charlotte, Fla.
• Pitchers and catchers report date: Tues., Feb. 11
• Full squad first workout date: Sun., Feb. 16

Toronto Blue Jays 

• Location: TD Ballpark, Dunedin, Fla.
• Pitchers and catchers report date: Thurs., Feb. 13
• Full squad first workout date: Tues., Feb. 18

Washington Nationals

• Location: Ballpark of the Palm Beaches, West Palm Beach, Fla.
• Pitchers and catchers report date: Wed., Feb. 12
• Full squad first workout date: Tues., Feb. 18

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Two NFL legends will be sharing the big screen this February.

Former All-Pro running back Marshawn Lynch will have a role in a new action-comedy film titled Love Hurts (releasing Feb. 7) alongside FOX Sports analyst and Hall of Fame coach Jimmy Johnson. Golden Globe and Academy Award winner Ke Huy Quan plays a realtor who is pulled back into his past life of crime after his former partner resurfaces with a menacing message. 

This made us think, which athletes have had the best cameos ever?

We took on the task of answering this question, diving into movies over the last couple of decades and ranking the 10 best athlete cameos of all-time.

A cameo is typically defined as a “small theatrical role usually performed by a well-known actor and often limited to a single scene.” What the athlete did in their respective scene – along with how big the movie was – were the main factors used in determining the list.

Athletes who played a major role in a movie will be included in our next edition of the Daily Ranker. Stars such as Anthony Edwards in Hustle, Michael Jordan in Space Jam, Ray Allen in He Got Game, Shaquille O’Neal in Kazaam, etc. will get their shot there.

While there are some obvious choices near the top, there are also some surprising names that made our list.

Where does your favorite athlete rank?

Let’s take a look:

10. Derek Jeter (The Other Guys)

In a 2010 comedy starring Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell as two New York cops whose careers are lacking, Derek Jeter is only in this film for a moment, but his role is an important one in relation to the plot. Jeter is mistakenly shot by Wahlberg’s character (Terry Hoitz), preventing him from playing in Game 7 of the World Series. Hoitz is then branded the “Yankee Clipper,” sending his NYPD career down into the dumps. 

9. Brett Favre (There’s Something About Mary)

In this 1998 romcom starring Cameron Diaz, Matt Dillon and Ben Stiller, Brett Favre plays the ex-boyfriend of Diaz’s character (Mary Jensen). What makes his appearance so great is that he is repeatedly referenced as “Pac-Man” throughout the movie, but there were zero hints of him being a professional football player — let alone the quarterback of the Green Bay Packers. In the end, Mary chooses “the good guy” and dumps Favre. 

8. Lance Armstrong (Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story)

Lance Armstrong’s scene in this movie is unexpected and hilarious, as he gives Vince Vaughn’s character (Peter) a legendary speech when he learns that Peter is about to quit his team after running into him at the airport. The speech makes Peter realize his wrongdoing, and he rejoins the team and leads them to a sudden-death victory in the final. Dodgeball was released in 2004 and grossed $30 million in the U.S. on its opening weekend, and went on to make $168 million worldwide according to IMDB. 
 

7. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby)

In this 2006 classic comedy starring Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly as two immature NASCAR drivers, Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s scene is so quick but so good. In a crowd of fans begging Ferrell’s character (Ricky Bobby) for an autograph, Earnhardt Jr. plows his way to the front of the mob and asks him for an autograph. He states that he is a huge fan, and asks him “not to tell any of the other drivers.” Truly hilarious. 

6. Michael Irvin (The Longest Yard)

In this remake of a 1974 classic, Michael Irvin plays a freak athlete who initially refuses to join a football team of inmates looking to play against the guards of the prison. After the guards continue to harass the inmates, Irvin’s character — Deacon Moss – decides to join and brings his gang along with him. Irvin is unstoppable, and the movie does a great job portraying him as the star receiver he was in real life. The Longest Yard was released in 2005 and grossed over $191 million worldwide, according to IMDB. 

5. Hines Ward (The Dark Knight Rises)

Hines Ward has no lines in this classic, but his scene is one of the most incredible and memorable movie scenes ever. When Tom Hardy’s character (Bane) is destroying Gotham City, Hines Ward and Co. are playing a football game wearing colors that resemble the Steelers. He returns a long touchdown and outruns the entire defense. But as he outruns the defense, an explosion erupts and the field collapses. Ward turns around only to find that everyone has fallen into the pit, and the stadium has been nearly destroyed. The Dark Knight Rises grossed over $1.1 billion worldwide, according to IMDB.

4. Lee Trevino (Happy Gilmore)

Happy Gilmore is considered one of the greatest sports movies of all-time, with Adam Sandler’s character being one of the signature comedic roles of his career. But Lee Trevino is also fantastic in this film, despite only having one line. He is constantly shaking his head when reacting to Happy’s actions on the golf course, having been one of the greatest golfers of his generation. And his one line in the film is truly great, as he responds to Happy’s nemesis by saying, “Grizzly Adams did have a beard.” Happy Gilmore had a $12 million budget and grossed over $41 million worldwide, according to IMDB.

3. Mike Tyson (The Hangover)

Mike Tyson is incredible in this film. He delivers his signature knockout punch to one of the characters in the film; he has a pet tiger with him, and he even sings Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight” with Bradley Cooper and Ed Helms’ characters. Oh, and by the way, the three stooges in the movie steal his tiger, hence the aforementioned punching. His presence in the movie is surprising but incredibly funny. The 2009 hit grossed over $469 million, according to IMDB. 

2. Dan Marino (Ace Ventura: Pet Detective)

In this iconic Jim Carrey vehicle, Marino plays himself in the story of a quirky pet detective (Carrey) whose goal is to recover the missing mascot of the Miami Dolphins. He ends up not only saving the mascot, but also saves Marino in the process, as Marino was kidnapped by the villain in the movie, Ray Finkle (played by Sean Young). The legendary quarterback returns in time to lead the Dolphins in Super Bowl XXVII. Ace Ventura was released in 1994 and grossed over $107 million worldwide, according to IMDB. 

1. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Airplane!)

It’s funny that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was often called “The Captain” during his NBA career, because in this 1980 movie he plays a co-pilot. In the movie, the entire flight crew of a plane falls sick due to food poisoning, and Cap is forced to help pilot a plane when Robert Hays’ character (Ted Striker) cannot overcome his prior war trauma. Imagine seeing arguably the greatest NBA player of the time land a plane! Airplane! was released in 1980, only had a budget of $3.5 million and grossed a whopping $83.4 million worldwide according to IMDB.

HONORABLE MENTION

• Kevin Garnett: Uncut Gems
• Larry Bird: Space Jam
• Shaquille O’Neal: Good Burger
• Lawrence Taylor: The Waterboy
• Reggie Jackson: The Naked Gun
• LeBron James: Trainwreck and House Party 
• Tom Brady: Ted 2 and Stuck on You
• Serena Williams: Ocean’s 8
• Jim Brown: The Running Man
• Troy Aikman: Jerry Maguire

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