Jets trade QB Darnold to Panthers for 3 draft picks
In this Feb 10, 2018 file photo, IOC President Thomas Bach, (second from left), and Kim Yo Jong, (right), sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, talks with players after the preliminary round of the women’s hockey game between Switzerland and the combined Koreas at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Gangneung, South Korea. (AP)
NEW YORK, April 6, (AP): The New York Jets traded quarterback Sam Darnold to the Carolina Panthers, ending a stint that was marked by a few flashes of brilliance, inconsistent play and unfortunate injuries.
And with the Jets holding the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL draft, they’re likely moving on to another young signal-caller who they hope will deliver the team back to respectability. New York announced it acquired a sixth-round pick in this year’s draft and second- and fourth-round picks in the 2022 draft.
The 23-year-old Darnold was considered an untouchable player on the roster in his second season, but it became clear the Jets could move on when general manager Joe Douglas backed off that stance in March. Douglas praised Darnold, but acknowledged he would answer calls from teams interested in acquiring him.
The speculation only grew when Douglas, new coach Robert Saleh and offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur all traveled to Provo, Utah, to watch quarterback Zach Wilson’s impressive passing display at BYU’s pro day.
With the second pick, the Jets are widely expected to take either Wilson or Ohio State’s Justin Fields.
Then-GM Mike Maccagnan traded up to select Darnold with the No. 3 overall pick in 2018 out of USC. Darnold’s California cool personality played well in New York and he seemed unfazed by the lofty expectations and the Big Apple spotlight.
But a foot injury as a rookie, a bout with mononucleosis in his second year and a shoulder injury last season sidelined him for stints. And when he did play, Darnold’s mistakes overshadowed the positives. That led to serious doubts as to whether he could ever truly lift the franchise.
In Oakland, California, Will Smith homered off the left-field foul pole, Corey Seager and Zach McKinstry each drove in three runs, and Los Angeles pounded winless Oakland.
Justin Turner also went deep as the defending World Series champions provided plenty of support for starter Dustin May (1-0). Seager hit a threerun double, and McKinstry had two RBI singles and a sacrifice fly.
BASEBALL
May struck out eight and walked two over six scoreless innings. He allowed only two hits.
Angels 7, Astros 6
In Anaheim, California, Mike Trout hit his first home run of the season and Shohei Ohtani came off the bench to score the go-ahead run during an eighthinning rally that sent Los Angeles past Houston.
The Angels scored four times in the eighth to hand Houston its first loss of the year following a four-game sweep at rival Oakland. Trout’s solo shot in the fourth began the comeback from a 4-0 deficit.
Los Angeles is 4-1 for only the second time in 30 years, and first since 2007.
Giants 3, Padres 2
In San Diego, pinch-hitter Mike Yastrzemski connected for a go-ahead homer in the seventh inning to lead San Francisco over San Diego, which lost star shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. to a partially dislocated left shoulder.
Tatis was injured taking a hard swing for strike three in the third inning. He winced in pain as he fell to the ground and cradled his left arm. Padres manager Jayce Tingler and a trainer held Tatis’ left arm against his body as he walked off the field.
Tatis signed a 14-year, $340 million contract on Feb. 22, the longest deal in big league history. Darin Ruf and Evan Longoria also went deep for the Giants. Yastrzemski was scratched from the starting lineup with a sore left hand but batted in the pitcher’s spot and homered off Craig Stammen (0-1).
Blue Jays 6, Rangers 2
In Arlington, Texas, Steven Matz struck out nine in his Toronto debut, Marcus Semien and Cavan Biggio hit back-to-back homers and the Blue Jays spoiled Texas’ home opener before the largest MLB crowd since the pandemic.
Toronto, 3-1 for the first time since 2015, went ahead 4-0 in the second after Biggio’s solo homer followed a two-out, two-run shot by Semien off Texas starter Mike Foltynewicz (0-1).
The Rangers announced a sellout crowd of 38,283 for their 50th home opener in Texas, the second in the $1.2 billion retractable-roof stadium that has a listed capacity of 40,518 - the announced attendance doesn’t include complimentary tickets. They played all 30 home games in the stadium’s debut season without fans last summer.
Cubs 5, Brewers 3
In Chicago, Willson Contreras, Javier Báez and David Bote homered during a four-run fourth inning to lift Chicago over Milwaukee.
Trevor Williams pitched perfectly until Omar Narváez’s leadoff single in the sixth - Narváez also broke up a no-hit bid in the eighth inning Saturday against Minnesota. Narváez added a three-run homer in the seventh.
Williams (1-0) was making his Cubs debut after five seasons with Pittsburgh. He pitched into the seventh, allowing two runs, two hits and two walks while striking out six. Alec Mills, who no-hit Milwaukee as a starter last September, pitched the ninth for his first save.
Phillies 5, Mets 3
In Philadelphia, a throwing error by New York third baseman Luis Guillorme allowed the go-ahead runs to score, and Philadelphia used a five-run eighth inning to rally past New York after Jacob deGrom dominated through six.
Francisco Lindor was 1 for 4 with a single and a walk in his debut with the Mets, which was delayed after a threegame series against Washington got wiped out because of a coronavirus outbreak among the Nationals.
DeGrom was spectacular, striking out seven and allowing three hits. Miguel Castro pitched the seventh for the Mets but newcomer Trevor May (0-1) only got one out in the eighth, when Guillorme’s errant throw helped Philly take a 5-2 lead.
In Boston, Xander Bogaerts had four hits, including a Little League home run - a double, with two ill-advised throws that allowed him to score - and Boston got on the board with 16 hits and its first win of the season.
J.D. Martinez banged a three-run homer halfway up the Pesky Pole in the eighth, and Franchy Cordero, Alex Verdugo and Hunter Renfroe all had two hits apiece after coming into the game batting .000.
Royals 3, Indians 0
In Cleveland, Danny Duffy pitched six innings of two-hit ball to beat a longtime nemesis and Whit Merrifield drove in all of Kansas City’s runs with a homer and sacrifice fly.
Duffy (1-0) came in with 12 career losses against the Indians - his most against any team. But the left-hander was in control from the outset and beat them for the fifth time. Scott Barlow pitched two perfect innings and Jesse Hahn put two on in the ninth before completing Kansas City’s three-hit shutout and getting the save.
Twins 15, Tigers 6
In Detroit, Nelson Cruz hit a grand slam after a near miss and added a solo homer and a double, Matt Shoemaker held Detroit hitless into the fifth inning and Minnesota rolled.
Akil Baddoo hit a grand slam for the Tigers. He made his big league debut Sunday and homered on the first pitch thrown to him. José Ureña (0-1) lasted only three innings in his Tigers debut.
Cardinals 4, Marlins 1
In Miami, Yadier Molina hit a basesloaded double during a three-run first inning, and Daniel Ponce de Leon and St. Louis bullpen protected the lead.
Ponce de Leon (1-0) allowed one run and three hits in five innings. The righthander struck out three, walked one and hit Starling Marte twice. St. Louis got a perfect sixth from Jordan Hicks and two scoreless innings from Giovanni Gallegos. Alex Reyes closed it with a scoreless ninth for his first save.
White Sox 6, Mariners 0
In Seattle, Yermín Mercedes continued his early tear with three more hits, Carlos Rodon struck out nine and Chicago held Seattle to three hits.
Mercedes became the first player since at least 1900 to total 12 hits in his first four career starts - all in the first week of this season. He also was the first player in the modern era to start a season 8 for 8. The 28-year-old designated hitter is up to 12 of 18.