Mariners News

The Mariners have the day off today before kicking off a six-game homestand tomorrow.

The M’s are hosting the Arizona Diamondbacks for a three-game weekend series.

Seattle’s coming off a series sweep over the Athletics that vaulted them to first place in the AL West. They’ll have a chance to push their record above .500 for the first time since late March this weekend, as they currently sit at 28-29 on the season.

But it won’t be easy against a Diamondbacks squad that’s among the hottest in the majors, having won five straight games and 10 of their last 11.

Coverage begins at 6:00 tomorrow and first pitch is at 7:10 on KPUG with George Kirby on the mound.

MLB News

MLB owners have proposed the league’s first salary cap since the 1994 strike.

In a presentation to the player’s union today, owners proposed a minimum payroll of $171 million with a hard cap of roughly $245 million. It also included a 50/50 revenue split with the players.

The owners’ suggestions came after the MLBPA made its first proposal yesterday, which included higher minimum salaries and a tax on teams that spend under a payroll threshold, but did not include a hard salary cap or floor.

The owners and players association are expected to meet again in the coming weeks after each has gone over the other’s proposal. If the two sides can’t negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement before the current one expires on Dec. 1, there will likely be a lock-out heading into 2027.

The last time baseball owners proposed a hard cap in 1994, it prompted a more-than 7-month-long strike that cancelled the World Series for the first time in 90 years.  

Storm News

The Storm weren’t able to pull out a win last night. They fell to the Washington Mystics 78-64 at Climate Pledge Arena.

Jade Melbourne led Seattle with 15 points, while third overall pick Awa Fam scored 6 points and grabbed five rebounds in her second career game. The Storm now fall to 3-5 on the young season.

They’ll be up North this weekend as they hit the road for a meeting with the Toronto Tempo on Saturday.

UW Huskies News

This year’s Apple Cup will have a much different feel.

The UW Huskies announced yesterday that their bout with Washington State is being pushed back a day to Sunday, Sept. 6 at Husky Stadium. It’s the first time in the more-than 100-year history of the event that it will be played on a Sunday.

It will also be just the third Sunday game UW has played in program history.

This year’s Apple Cup now falls three days ahead of the Seahawks’ season opener on Wednesday, Sept. 9.

NBA/NHL Playoffs News

The Oklahoma City Thunder are looking to book a return trip to the NBA Finals tonight.

The Thunder are in San Antonio for Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals. They own a 3-2 series lead over the Spurs, who will look to force a Game 7 in OKC on Saturday.

The New York Knicks await the winner in the finals.

Over in the NHL Playoffs, the Carolina Hurricanes shut out the Montreal Canadiens 4-0 last night  to take a 3-1 series lead. They’ll aim to book their trip to the Stanley Cup final at home tomorrow night.

WWU Vikings News

One of Western’s top softball players has again received national recognition.

Junior third baseman Maleah Andrews was voted to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-American Third Team. It’s her second straight All-American campaign after being a consensus First-Teamer last season.

Andrews led the Vikings with a .402 batting average on her way to being named GNAC Player of the Year.

She’s started all 181 possible games over her three-year career at Western.

 

Speaking of Western, the community is mourning the loss of a local coaching legend.

Former Vikings football coach Terry Todd passed away on Tuesday at the age of 90, according to his family.

Todd was an assistant coach at Western from 1987 to 2005 before being inducted into the Vikings Hall of Fame. The program’s inspirational award was named after him.

Before coaching at Western, Todd spent 13 years as an assistant coach at Bellingham High School and two more at Squalicum.

His family is planning to hold a memorial service at a to-be-announced date in July.