| | | | | | | Presented By IBM | | | | Axios Sports | | By Jeff Tracy · Aug 31, 2022 | | 👋 Good morning! Let's all have a great day. Today's word count: 1,469 words (6 minutes). Let's sports... | | | | | | 1 big thing: ⚾️ Julio's groundbreaking deal |  | | | Photo: Steph Chambers/Getty Images | | | | Mariners rookie Julio Rodríguez, 21 and less than a year into his big league career, signed what could become the largest contract in MLB history last week. Why it matters: The unique structure of his deal represents an evolution in this particular type of extension. It could chart a new path forward for young players of his ilk and the teams hoping to lock them up. Details: The basics are that he's guaranteed 12 years and $209.3 million, but could ultimately stay in Seattle for 18 years and $469.3 million — the most ever. Here's how it works: - The maximum: Depending on his MVP finishes through 2028, the Mariners can pick up club options ranging from eight years, $200 million to 10 years, $350 million.
- The minimum: If Seattle declines its club option, Rodríguez can pick up a player option in 2029 to stick around for five more years.
Between the lines: This may seem like a lot for a player with so little experience, but there's value in locking up the potential new face of baseball. Plus, he's really good. - His 4.4 wins above replacement ranks 18th among hitters.
- He's the first Mariner with a 20-20 season (homers-steals) since Mike Cameron in 2002, and he got there in just 107 career games, passing Mike Trout (112) for the fastest in AL history.
The big picture: Teams extending their young stars early to avoid or delay the potential of losing them in free agency is starting to gain steam. But not all deals are created equal. - The Braves began the trend in 2019 when they signed Ronald Acuña Jr. (eight years, $100 million) and Ozzie Albies (seven years, $35 million) to deals that still look like highway robbery.
- The Padres gave Fernando Tatis Jr., a 14-year, $340 million extension last year that no longer looks as rosy for San Diego given the injuries and PED suspension that have followed.
- But J-Rod's deal looks like the perfect compromise, protecting both sides against an uncertain future while keeping the door open for a long and fruitful relationship.
The last word, from The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal (subscription): "Rodríguez essentially forfeited his right to a legitimate turn on the open market ... [but if he] becomes the player both he and the Mariners envision, he almost certainly will become one of the game's highest-paid players." Go deeper: Rodríguez is the future of Seattle sports (SI) |     | | | | | | 2. ⚽️ MLS snapshot: Four teams at the top |  Data: CBS Sports; Table: Simran Parwani/Axios Every MLS team has played between 26 and 29 of their 34-game schedule entering tonight's full slate. In other words, we've entered the stretch run. State of play: The top seven in each conference make the playoffs, with the No. 1 seeds earning a first-round bye. And with 39 days to go in the regular season, each conference's top two teams look more than capable of winning the Supporters' Shield (best record). - LAFC (West, 57 points): They're the only team who've clinched the playoffs, but have dropped two straight games, including one to the club chasing them in the West.
- Philadelphia Union (East, 54): The only team with an undefeated record at home are on arguably the hottest run in league history, with four wins by six-plus goals in their past 10 games. No other franchise has more than three such wins ever.
- Austin FC (West, 51): What a turnaround. A year after making their MLS debut with a thud (fourth-worst record), Austin are in the mix coming off a huge win over LAFC.
- CF Montréal (East, 49): Not counting 2020's one-off play-in round, they haven't made the postseason since 2016. But it's been nearly eight weeks since their last loss, and it's looking like something special may be brewing in Montréal.
Go deeper: Power rankings (ESPN) | | | | | | | | 3. ⚡️ Lightning round |  | | | Photo: Jonathan Ferrey/LIV Golf/via Getty Images | | | | ⛳️ Smith joins LIV: The breakaway tour (officially) got its highest-ranked golfer yet on Tuesday: No. 2 Cameron Smith. He's among the six newest PGA Tour defectors — all in the top 100 — set to join LIV for this weekend's event in Boston. 🏈 Freak athlete: Jared Bernhardt made the Falcons' 53-man roster on Tuesday as a receiver, despite never playing the position before May. Rewind: In 2021, he went from the nation's top college lacrosse player to a D-II national champion at quarterback. Now he's an NFL WR. Incredible. ⚾️ First to 90: The Dodgers beat the Mets on Tuesday, becoming the first team to reach 90 wins (90-38). They've won 50 of their past 63 games. ⚾️ Framber makes history: Astros lefty Framber Valdez threw his 22nd consecutive quality start (6+ innings, 3 or fewer ER) in Tuesday's win over the Rangers — the longest streak by a lefty in MLB history. 🏀 LeBron's grand plan: LeBron James, 37, already made clear he wants to play in the NBA with his 17-year-old son, Bronny. Now he's saying he wants to stick around until his 15-year-old, Bryce, makes it there too. Why not? 🏀 A'ja wins DPOY: Las Vegas Aces star and 2020 MVP A'ja Wilson was named the WNBA's Defensive Player of the Year on Tuesday. The All-Defensive teams were also announced. | | | | | | | | A message from IBM | | Measuring momentum at the U.S. Open | | |  | | | | U.S. Open fans want to know who's hot, and who's not. The IBM Power Index with Watson uses AI to analyze millions of expert opinions and player performance metrics, creating an index of player momentum throughout the tournament. Check out the technology behind the IBM Power Index. | | | | | | 4. 🎾 Reigning U.S. Open champ goes down |  | | | Photo: Elsa/Getty Images | | | | Emma Raducanu, who came out of nowhere last year when she won the U.S. Open as a qualifier, lost her first-round match on Tuesday to Alize Cornet, 6-3, 6-3. Why it matters: Raducanu, 19, is just the third woman in the Open Era (1968) to lose her opening match at the U.S. Open the year after winning the title (Svetlana Kuznetsova, 2005; Angelique Kerber, 2017). What she's saying: "I'm obviously disappointed to lose first round. ... But also, in a way [I'm] happy because it's a clean slate. I'm going to drop down the rankings. Climb my way back up." Love that attitude. Photo: Frey/TPN/Getty Images More U.S. Open: - Rafael Nadal, playing his first match since pulling out of the Wimbledon semis with an abdominal injury, beat Australia's Rinky Hijikata, 6-4, 2-6, 3-6, 3-6.
- Naomi Osaka lost to 19th-seeded American Danielle Collins, 7-6 (5), 6-3, in her opener — the second straight major in which she lost her first-round match.
- Venus Williams lost her opener. When asked whether she's thought about retirement, she said, "Right now, I'm just focused on the doubles.'' She and Serena begin their doubles draw on Thursday.
| | | | | | | | 5. 🏈 Heisman to the Hall |  | | | Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios | | | | Fox Sports on Monday acquired the rights to "The Perfect 10," a documentary about the only 10 men who've both won the Heisman and been inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. - O.J. Simpson: 1968 Heisman/1985 Hall of Fame
- Roger Staubach: 1963/1985
- Paul Hornung: 1956/1986
- Doak Walker: 1948/1986
- Earl Campbell: 1977/1991
- Tony Dorsett: 1976/1994
- Marcus Allen: 1981/2003
- Barry Sanders: 1988/2004
- Tim Brown: 1987/2015
- Charles Woodson: 1997/2021
Between the lines: The only three who aren't participating in the documentary are Hornung and Walker — who've passed away — and Simpson, who, uhh ... yeah. What to watch: The doc will air the week of the Super Bowl this coming February, and soon thereafter an 11th name could be added to the list: 2002 Heisman winner Carson Palmer is eligible for the Hall in 2023. | | | | | | | | 6. 📺 Watchlist: Serena, round two |  | | | Photo: Jean Catuffe/Getty Images | | | | Serena Williams' second-round match against world No. 2 Anett Kontaveit (7pm ET, ESPN) headlines Wednesday's U.S. Open action. Full Day 3 schedule. - By the numbers: Serena's 47 career wins over WTA top-two players are the most by any woman since those rankings debuted in 1975, and she's won 22 of 24 such matches dating back to 2007.
- On the men's side: Reigning U.S. Open champ and world No. 1 Daniil Medvedev takes on France's Arthur Rinderknech after Serena's match ends (roughly 8:15pm, ESPN).
More to watch: | | | | | | | | 7. 🏀 NBA trivia |  | | | Photo: Sarah Stier/Getty Image | | | | R.J. Barrett — who just signed a four-year, $120 million extension with the Knicks that ended a truly wild streak — is one of five players in NBA history with at least 3,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 200 three-pointers before turning 22. - Question: Who are the other four?
- Hint: Three are active.
Answer at the bottom. | | | | | | | | 8. 🤯 Time is a flat circle | | Source: Giphy On Aug. 29, 2001, Serena Williams won a U.S. Open match in straight sets while Albert Pujols homered and walked in a Cardinals win. - Elsewhere in MLB, Vladimir Guerrero Sr., Craig Biggio and Dante Bichette all recorded base hits.
On Aug. 29, 2022, Serena Williams won a U.S. Open match in straight sets while Albert Pujols homered and walked in a Cardinals win. - Elsewhere in MLB, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Cavan Biggio and Bo Bichette all recorded base hits.
The bottom line: What?!? | | | | | | | | A message from IBM | | Measuring momentum at the U.S. Open | | |  | | | | U.S. Open fans want to know who's hot, and who's not. The IBM Power Index with Watson uses AI to analyze millions of expert opinions and player performance metrics, creating an index of player momentum throughout the tournament. Check out the technology behind the IBM Power Index. | | | | Talk tomorrow, Jeff "Time really is a flat circle" Tracy Trivia answer: Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Luka Dončić 🙏 Thanks for reading. Follow us on Twitter: @kendallbaker and @jeffreytracy. And of course, tell your friends to sign up. |  | | Are you a fan of this email format? It's called Smart Brevity®. Over 300 orgs use it — in a tool called Axios HQ — to drive productivity with clearer workplace communications. | | | | | | Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. If you're interested in advertising, learn more here.
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