Chicago Sports

The Fire acquired Schaumburg native and winger Chris Muelleron a free transfer from Scottish Premier League club Hibernian F.C.

Mueller, who’s returning to MLS after just half a season in Scotland, agreed to a four-year contract that includes a team option for 2026.

The Fire acquired MLS rights to the 25-year-old from Orlando City SC for $500,000 in General Allocation Money — $250,000 in both 2022 and 2023 — plus the Fire’s first-round pick in the 2023 draft. Orlando also will get MLS discovery rights to an unnamed player, could receive $150,000 more in GAM based on performance and would get a percentage of future transfer fees.

A product of Sockers FC Chicago, Mueller comes to the Fire with 141 professional appearances across all competitions in MLS and the Scottish Premier League. The winger originally began his professional career five years ago after being selected by Orlando as the sixth overall pick in the 2018 MLS SuperDraft.

In 126 appearances with Orlando, Mueller had 22 goals and 20 assists in four seasons. In 2020, he had a career-high 10 goals to lead the team in scoring and guided the Lions to their first-ever MLS postseason berth.

Following his time in Orlando, Mueller joined Hibernian F.C. in Jan. 2022 on a free transfer. Overall, he made 15 appearances across all competitions for the Scottish side. At the international level, Mueller has earned two caps (one start) with the U.S. Men’s National Team, scoring two goals in a 6-0 friendly win over El Salvador on Sept. 12, 2020.

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A 10-year-old boy was shot in the foot Thursday night inside a home in Englewood on the South Side.

About 5:30 p.m., the boy was handling a firearm in a home in the 6800 block of South Morgan Street when the weapon was discharged, Chicago police said.

He suffered a gunshot wound to the foot and was taken to Comer Children’s Hospital in good condition, police said.

Detectives are investigating the incident.

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Cubs pitcher Kyle Hendricks dubbed the Cubs’ 4-3 loss Wednesday, “a baseball day,” after White Sox center fielder Luis Robert robbed Cubs catcher Willson Contreras of a game-tying RBI double.

“I thought we played pretty well,” he said. “We made some pretty good plays out there, put together great at-bats, had some chances there late and just hit balls right at guys. Just one of those things.”

This weekend marks the one-month mark in the season, and the Cubs enter the three-game series against the Dodgers with a 9-15 record, sitting in fourth place in the National League Central, behind the rebuilding Pirates.

The Cubs have won three of their last 14 games. So, how much of that rut is baseball’s fickle nature, and how much calls for an adjustment?

For the rotation, the answer is pretty plain. The first time through the rotation, each starter threw at least five innings and allowed one run or less. But then, Hendricks, Justin Steele and Marcus Stroman started battling rhythm issues.

Steele, finding himself rushing after a pair of strong starts to begin the season, hasn’t pitched more than three innings in each of his past three outings. But sloppy play behind him was a factor in the Cubs’ 9-1 loss at Milwaukee last Saturday, and he saw improvement in his own form.

Stroman, feeling out of sync early on, has made steady progress each time out. That culminated in seven shutout innings at Milwaukee and the Cubs’ only win in a three-game series against the division leader last weekend.

Hendricks is still searching for consistency from start to start, looking like vintage Hendricks one day and struggling with the same issues that plagued him in 2021 the next.

“That was definitely more on track,” Hendricks said of his last start, despite allowing four runs in 5 2/3 innings against the White Sox Thursday. “It wasn’t like those two bad games I had in April. It was more along the lines of the good ones I had, establishing my fastball down and away, had good angle, getting balls on the ground, bad contact. So I need to just keep focussing on those good things and move with that.”

So, three of the Cubs’ starters are making, or have made, adjustments. And help is on the way. Left-hander Wade Miley (left elbow inflammation) headed out on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Iowa Wednesday, for a Thursday outing.

So, what about the offense?

Through the Cubs’ first three series of the season, they were averaging 9.44 hits per game. And who could forget their 21-0 victory against the Pirates a couple weeks ago. But the Cubs have scored multiple runs in just three of their past eight games.

Some of that has to do with the quality of pitching the Cubs have faced in recent weeks, including the No. 2 rotation in the major leagues (the Brewers, 3.13 ERA), and the Braves’ one-two punch of Max Fried and Charlie Morton. But the Cubs’ strong start included some tough matchups too, including Milwaukee’s Corbin Burnes and Brandon Woodruff.

The Cubs have also been striking out more recently, reaching double digits in six of their past seven games. And for a team with a contact-oriented profile, especially compared to years past, strikeouts have a greater impact.

A few key Cubs hitters are going through lulls, including Frank Schwindel (.205 batting average) and Seiya Suzuki (3-for-32 in his last eight games). That will happen throughout the season, as different hitters cycle through the regular ups and downs of a long season.

“These guys are working hard. I don’t think anybody needs to get back to anything, I think we just need some results,” Ross said after the Cubs’ loss Wednesday. “The top [of the batting order] wasn’t our strong suit tonight. The guys at the bottom kind of carried us.”

In that game, Nico Hoerner, batting sixth, and Patrick Wisdom, batting eighth, both homered to drive in all three of the Cubs’ runs. Nine-hole hitter Nick Madrigal went two-for-three. His evaluation might sound familiar.

“I really don’t think we’re far off or need to change game plans or anything,” Madrigal said of the offense. “I just think it’s part of baseball.”

On Deck

DODGERS AT CUBS

Friday: Tyler Anderson (2-0,2.55 ERA) vs. TBD, 1:20 p.m., Marquee, 670-AM / 1200-AM.

Saturday: Clayton Kershaw (3-0,2.35) vs. Justin Steele (1-3,5.50), 1:20 p.m., Marquee, 670-AM / 1200-AM.

Sunday: Walker Buehler (3-1,2.12) vs. Marcus Stroman (1-3,5.13), 6:08 p.m., ESPN, 670-AM / 1200-AM.

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Fortunately, White Sox TV voice Jason Benetti is a morning person. Otherwise, he might’ve struck out with NBC and its new package of games on late Sunday mornings.

Sometimes he’ll be up at 5:30 exchanging emails with NBC Sports Chicago producer Chris Withers about graphics for the Sox’ game that day. And Benetti called his share of morning games as the voice of the minor-league Syracuse Chiefs.

“We had a bus trip from Syracuse to Toledo once, that night was a 7 o’clock game,” he said. “Then the next two were like ‘SpongeBob’ kids days at 11 o’clock in the morning. And they always say, the second day is when it hits you. And so when the second day is 11 in the morning, you’re like, wow.”

Benetti figures to have it easier as the voice of “MLB Sunday Leadoff,” the NBC-produced package of 18 games that will appear on the network’s streaming service, Peacock. The slate begins Sunday, with the White Sox visiting the Red Sox, the one game that will be simulcast on NBC.

First pitch is 10:35 a.m.

NBC has had success in the late-morning window with the Premier League. Knowing that MLB has played in the morning on Patriots’ Day in Boston and the Fourth of July in Washington, the network presented a case for a morning package.

“To baseball’s credit, they were open to it,” Peacock executive vice president Rick Cordella said. “So we found this unique situation where you have an exclusive window on Sunday mornings for what effectively becomes the game of the week for us.”

Part of the deal is partial exclusivity. The first six broadcasts in the package begin at 10:30, and the rest begin at 11. No other MLB broadcast that day can start until 12:30 p.m.

Another unique element is NBC’s plan for analysts. Benetti will be joined by different analysts every week, one from each team’s local broadcast. On Sunday, he’ll call the game with his regular partner, Steve Stone, and former Red Sox and White Sox infielder Kevin Youkilis.

A revolving door of analysts won’t be a problem for Benetti, who has worked with countless partners on ESPN’s college football and basketball broadcasts. In fact, he relishes the opportunity.

“It feels like you’re hosting a cocktail party every week,” Benetti said. “This one friend doesn’t know this other friend, or they might, but the idea is to make sure that there’s always conversation and to get to know people quickly. I have found I really have a love for that.

“When I heard about the different analysts rotating in, it was my favorite part of the whole thing. I just the love the idea that every telecast is different.”

“There’s a reason we picked Jason,” NBC Sports executive producer Sam Flood said. “We did our homework. We know him. We love what he does, and we think he’s the perfect person to be in that middle seat at the dinner party.”

Flood also said the broadcasts would give a nod to NBC’s history with baseball through graphics and music. The network began airing games in 1947, and it aired “Game of the Week” broadcasts on Saturdays from 1966 to ’89. Its all-time list of announcers is a veritable who’s who of baseball broadcasting. Games returned to NBC from 1994 to 2000, mostly in the postseason.

“Anyone who remembers baseball back in the day will appreciate it,” Flood said. “There are some graphic treatments that will connect the past with the present because we think there’s a lot of value to that. For a certain segment of the population, the only baseball game of the week was on NBC, and we’re proud of that heritage. We’re going to lean into it. But we’re taking our own twist to it.”

Streaming games is a new twist to sports broadcasting. MLB is following the trend, adding Peacock’s package to that of Apple TV+ on Friday nights. Amazon will carry the Thursday package of NFL games exclusively starting next season, and ESPN+ aired exclusive NHL games all of this season. The NBA’s next media-rights deal figures to have a streaming element, as well. Its current deal expires after the 2024-25 season.

“I’m all about different,” Benetti said. “My deal is, if it’s easier for people to watch, put it on there. I love the idea that it’s easier for the consumer in the end. I know it’s more difficult in terms of subscribing. Everybody knows that’s a hurdle. But if you can carry your device with you and watch the game, once you get past those bumps, I think it’s really valuable.”

Remote patrol

The “MLB Sunday Leadoff” pregame show will begin at 10 a.m. on NBC and Peacock. NBC Sports’Ahmed Fareed will host, and he’ll be joined by a different analyst each week. Former White Sox player Nick Swisher will join him Sunday. Legendary announcer Vin Scully, who was NBC’s lead baseball broadcaster from 1983 to ’89,will voice the open at 10:30 a.m.The White Sox will make their second appearance on Apple TV+ on Friday in the first game of the series against the Red Sox. Cubs fans will hear ESPN’s much improved “Sunday Night Baseball” broadcast this weekend for the game against the Dodgers. Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner will be mic’d up for an in-game conversation with the new crew of Karl Ravech, David Cone and Eduardo Perez.Read More

Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields is in the Top 10 for most merchandise sold among all NFL players in the latest report

The news around the Chicago Bears this season has been centered with quarterback Justin Fields as he enters his second season in the NFL. The goal for the Bears is to build their offense around the former Ohio State quarterback and help him take that next step.

While general manager Ryan Poles drafted just one wide receiver in the 2022 NFL draft, the team still believes in the quarterback as the future of the franchise. And the fans apparently do too.

Fields is among the best-selling players in terms of merchandise in the NFL per the latest numbers put out by the NFLPA. The quarterback ranks 8th among all players and 7th among all quarterbacks in the league, even beating out rival quarterback Aaron Rodgers in the process:

Here is the list via Ari Meirov:

Tom Brady
Patrick Mahomes
Josh Allen
Joe Burrow
Mac Jones
Dak Prescott
 George Kittle
 Justin Fields
Aaron Rodgers
Justin Herbert
Lamar Jackson
 TJ Watt
CeeDee Lamb
Aaron Donald
Nick Chubb

That’s pretty impressive for being in the year for one season and that season being one in which Fields sort of struggled, although it’s not all his fault. The big market of Chicago does help and it shows that fans haven’t given up on him either.

If Fields does that that next step and the Bears are better in 2022, he will almost certainly shoot up those rankings and should find himself in the Top 5.

The Bears will begin their OTA’s in May, which gives us our first look at the quarterback in the team’s new offense under Matt Eberflus and Luke Getsy. Only time will tell if there’s an improvement or not in Fields’ game.

Make sure to check out our Bears forum for the latest on the team.

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Two betting services updating odds for postseason awards this week listed White Sox right-hander Dylan Cease sixth among Cy Young Award candidates behind Alek Manoah, Justin Verlander, Kevin Gausman, Gerrit Coleand Shane Bieber.

The respect for Cease comes after he pitched what he called the best game of his career when he struck out 11 Angels, walked none and gave up one hit in seven innings Monday afternoon. It started a three-game Sox winning streak they’ll take into a weekend series against the Red Sox at Fenway Park starting Friday night.

Citing “a combination of stuff, execution and results,”Cease raved about his pitching, which he never does. Usually the 26-year-old who was listed third in the starting rotation coming out of spring training evaluates his good performances as just OK.

He has high standards, as well he should.

“His stuff has always been elite, elite, elite,” Sox starter Lucas Giolito said this week.

Noting the life on his 97 mph four-seam fastball and the spin and bite on his curve and slider leaves no choice but to agree. Frank Thomas has raved about Cease’s changeup, which Cease calls his worst pitch. His changeup was outstanding Monday.

What Cease has shown then in five starts this season isn’t surprising. While Lance Lynn and 2021 Opening Day starter Giolito were manager Tony La Russa’s options to start the season opener — Lynn and Giolito finished third and 11th, respectively, in 2021 Cy voting — Cease was the fashionable pick by many to be the Sox’ top Cy candidate. Catcher Yasmani Grandal saw that ability when pitchers and catchers reported to spring training — in 2021.

“He could possibly be a Cy Young winner,” Grandal said. “He’s got the tools to do it, there’s no doubt on that.”

Thanks, Cubs!

That Jason Benetti dig heard after one of Jimenez’ many big hits against the organization that traded him and Cease for Jose Quintana in 2017. Cease has blossomed since.

Cease was 4-7 with a 5.29 ERA in 14 starts in 2019, his first season. He went 5-4 with a 4.01 ERA in 12 starts in the abbreviated 2020 season but faded with command problems late and wasn’t trusted to start in the postseason. With Ethan Katz as the new pitching coach in 2021, Cease was 13-7 with a 3.91 ERA while striking out 12.3 batters per nine innings, the best in the AL.

And he’s 3-1 with a 2.48 ERA and 12.1 strikeouts per nine innings this season. He hasn’t missed a start in his career.

“First year was his first taste and getting used to everything,” Giolito said. “Having some struggles, learning from those. And then last year was the breakout year. And now, with his Cy Young caliber stuff and the work he has put in, physically and mentally preparing himself for starts, he has been fantastic.

“He’s a big time student of pitching. Through this entire process he’s recognized things he needs to improve to become more consistent.”

Commanding that elite stuff is all there’s to it, now.

“That’s definitely the last part of developing,” Cease said. “A lot of it is repetition and experience. Being able to relax and focus on what I want to do and when I’ve had that much repetition and experience the last couple years, it’s clicking a little bit.”

As for that list, having three starters on it and Lynn (top six in AL Cy Young voting in each of the last three seasons) bodes well for the Sox. Lynn is expected back in late May after having knee surgery. Cease, meanwhile, keeps trending upward.

“That was impressive to watch Monday,” Giolito said. “But I think we’re going to see a helluva lot more of that.”

NOTE: As expected, outfielder Andrew Vaughn landed on the 10-day injured list Thursday after missing five games with a bruised right hand. Infielder Danny Mendick was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte.

The move is retroactive to Monday. Vaughn could come off next Thursday, in seven days.

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Two betting services updating odds for postseason awards this week listed White Sox right-hander Dylan Cease sixth among Cy Young Award candidates behind Alek Manoah, Justin Verlander, Kevin Gausman, Gerrit Coleand Shane Bieber.

The respect for Cease comes after he pitched what he called the best game of his career when he struck out 11 Angels, walked none and gave up one hit in seven innings Monday afternoon. It started a three-game Sox winning streak they’ll take into a weekend series against the Red Sox at Fenway Park starting Friday night.

Citing “a combination of stuff, execution and results,”Cease raved about his pitching, which he never does. Usually the 26-year-old who was listed third in the starting rotation coming out of spring training evaluates his good performances as just OK.

He has high standards, as well he should.

“His stuff has always been elite, elite, elite,” Sox starter Lucas Giolito said this week.

Noting the life on his 97 mph four-seam fastball and the spin and bite on his curve and slider leaves no choice but to agree. Frank Thomas has raved about Cease’s changeup, which Cease calls his worst pitch. His changeup was outstanding Monday.

What Cease has shown then in five starts this season isn’t surprising. While Lance Lynn and 2021 Opening Day starter Giolito were manager Tony La Russa’s options to start the season opener — Lynn and Giolito finished third and 11th, respectively, in 2021 Cy voting — Cease was the fashionable pick by many to be the Sox’ top Cy candidate. Catcher Yasmani Grandal saw that ability when pitchers and catchers reported to spring training — in 2021.

“He could possibly be a Cy Young winner,” Grandal said. “He’s got the tools to do it, there’s no doubt on that.”

Thanks, Cubs!

That Jason Benetti dig heard after one of Jimenez’ many big hits against the organization that traded him and Cease for Jose Quintana in 2017. Cease has blossomed since.

Cease was 4-7 with a 5.29 ERA in 14 starts in 2019, his first season. He went 5-4 with a 4.01 ERA in 12 starts in the abbreviated 2020 season but faded with command problems late and wasn’t trusted to start in the postseason. With Ethan Katz as the new pitching coach in 2021, Cease was 13-7 with a 3.91 ERA while striking out 12.3 batters per nine innings, the best in the AL.

And he’s 3-1 with a 2.48 ERA and 12.1 strikeouts per nine innings this season. He hasn’t missed a start in his career.

“First year was his first taste and getting used to everything,” Giolito said. “Having some struggles, learning from those. And then last year was the breakout year. And now, with his Cy Young caliber stuff and the work he has put in, physically and mentally preparing himself for starts, he has been fantastic.

“He’s a big time student of pitching. Through this entire process he’s recognized things he needs to improve to become more consistent.”

Commanding that elite stuff is all there’s to it, now.

“That’s definitely the last part of developing,” Cease said. “A lot of it is repetition and experience. Being able to relax and focus on what I want to do and when I’ve had that much repetition and experience the last couple years, it’s clicking a little bit.”

As for that list, having three starters on it and Lynn (top six in AL Cy Young voting in each of the last three seasons) bodes well for the Sox. Lynn is expected back in late May after having knee surgery. Cease, meanwhile, keeps trending upward.

“That was impressive to watch Monday,” Giolito said. “But I think we’re going to see a helluva lot more of that.”

NOTE: As expected, outfielder Andrew Vaughn landed on the 10-day injured list Thursday after missing five games with a bruised right hand. Infielder Danny Mendick was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte.

The move is retroactive to Monday. Vaughn could come off next Thursday, in seven days.

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Bears quarterback Justin Fields is eighth on the NFL Players Association’s Top 50 ranking of officially licensed merchandise, according to NFLPA.com. The list is for sales from March 1, 2021-Feb. 28, 2022.

Fields, who had a 73.2 passer rating in 12 games (10 starts) as a rookie last season, is in good company. He ranks behind only much more established stars on the list –quarterbacks Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Mac Jones and Dak Prescott and 49ers tight end George Kittle. Aaron Rodgers and Justin Herbert round out the top 10.

Fields was the only Bears player on the Top 50 list.

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Andrew Vaughn landed on the 10-day injured list Thursday after missing five games with a bruised right hand. Infielder Danny Mendick was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte.

“The bruise is deep and it’s in an area where it’s a tough spot to handle it,” manager La Russa said Wednesday before saying Vaughn would probably go to the IL before the Sox upcoming series in Boston.

The move is retroactive to Monday. Vaughn could come off next Thursday, in seven days.

Vaughn was hit by a pitch Friday by the Angels’ Mike Mayers. X-rays were negative, but “tons of inflammation” remained five days later, Vaughn said Wednesday.

“It’s kind of progressed, but it’s still aching when I swing, real bad,” Vaughn said. “Like it’s kind of blocking me from swinging because of the pain. I feel it all the time.”

The Sox are off Thursday. They play the Red Sox at Fenway Park Friday, Saturday and Sunday before returning home Monday for a home stand against the Guardians and Yankees next week.

Vaughn, 24, was leading the Sox with four homers and was one of their top hitters with a .283/.367/.566 hitting line and .933 OPS when he went down.

“I want to be out there playing,” Vaughn said Wednesday. “I want to be helping my team. It stinks I can’t be out there.”

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