DeAndre Hopkins reportedly in ‘no rush’ to make free agent decision amid Patriots interest
"You don't have to sign in the middle of June when you can wait until right before training camp."
The Red Sox defeated the Rockies 6-3 on Wednesday, with Garrett Whitlock allowing just two runs in seven innings (adding seven strikeouts).
Boston will host the Yankees at Fenway Park for a three-game series starting Friday at 7:10 p.m.
Adam Schefter on DeAndre Hopkins: The Patriots have reportedly been hosting free agent wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, but a contract might not be coming anytime soon.
According to ESPN NFL reporter Adam Schefter, Hopkins could end up waiting through at least the rest of June to sign with a new team.
“It’s been a flat market. It doesn’t sound like he’s in any rush to [sign] a deal,” Schefter explained during an “NFL Live” segment on Wednesday. “You don’t have to sign in the middle of June when you can wait until right before training camp.
“For all we know, some team suffers an injury, some team loses a receiver, the dynamics change and shift, and there could be more leverage at some point in time for DeAndre Hopkins,” Schefter added. “So he can listen to Tennessee, he can listen to New England, he can see what they’re offering, but there’s no rush. He can wait until a firmer offer from another team materializes. Doesn’t sound like he’s in a rush to do anything right now.”
Schefter pointed out that, as much as the Patriots could use Hopkins to help out Mac Jones, the team might not be willing to pay him more than the three-year deal (worth a reported $33 million in total) that New England gave fellow wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster in the offseason. It would be a greater amount than what other teams rumored to be in the mix with Hopkins seem to be willing to offer.
“That doesn’t sound like the Patriot Way,” Schefter concluded.
Hopkins, 31, is a free agent after he was released by the Cardinals in May.
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Kiké Hernández, centerfielder: Though he wasn’t the best on defense as a shortstop, Hernández showed once again that he can make plays in the outfield.
The NBA offseason: One of the bigger names who could potentially be available this summer is Wizards guard Bradley Beal.
On this day: In 1976, the Red Sox purchased first baseman-outfielder Joe Rudi and relief pitcher Rollie Fingers from the Athletics for $1 million per player. Oakland owner Charles Finley, having watched his team win a trio of World Series titles between 1972 and 1974, wanted to cash in.
With baseball’s “Reserve Clause” officially dead, free agency loomed for Oakland’s stars. In addition to the Red Sox sale, Finley also got $1.5 million from the Yankees for pitcher Vida Blue.
Major League commissioner Bowie Kuhn had other ideas, however, and voided the deals three days later. Kuhn cited the commissioner’s power to act “in the best interests of baseball,” explaining that he could not “persuade myself that the spectacle of the Yankees and Red Sox buying contracts of star players in the prime of their careers for cash sums totaling $3.5 million is anything but devastating to baseball’s reputation for integrity and to public confidence in the game.”
Though Finley took Kuhn to court, the sales were nonetheless nullified. At season’s end, both Rudi and Fingers left as free agents. Rudi would eventually end up on the Red Sox several years later as part of an equally shocking transaction: The trade of Fred Lynn to the Angels after Red Sox management — having mailed late contracts — blundered into the accelerated departures of both the star centerfielder and catcher Carlton Fisk.
Daily highlight: Jesús Sánchez pulled back what would’ve been a grand slam in the Marlins’ 4-1 win over the Mariners.
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