Mickey Togs

New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz is not giving up on potentially playing in 2023 despite suffering what appeared to be a season-ending knee injury in the World Baseball Classic.

Diaz spoke to the media and raised the possibility of pitching again in 2023, saying it was his goal if some of his upcoming tests came back clean.

“I’m feeling great, we are working hard to see if I can come back. The doctors say I’m doing great,” Diaz said. “They want me to get my knee better first, then they will see how I respond in my strength, all these things I have to do. If the tests come back good, I might throw this year.”

Diaz pitching in 2023 is probably a long shot, but one he is unwilling to rule out at this point. He sounded optimistic after the injury, and the chances may be enhanced since his arm was not impacted.

Diaz was dominant in the closer role for the Mets in 2022, posting a 1.31 ERA with 32 saves.

A rare occasion for New York-area sports that hasn’t occurred in nearly 30 years.

With the Islanders clinching a playoff spot, all five of the greater New York City area’s hockey and basketball teams — the Islanders, New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils in the NHL, and the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets in the NBA — have made the playoffs for the first time since 1994. 

The spring of 1994 was special for New York sports teams:

• The Rangers won the Stanley Cup to end a championship drought of more than 50 years — going through the Islanders and Devils in the process.
• The Knicks made the NBA Finals but lost to the Houston Rockets.

Legendary rocker Ozzy Osbourne has announced his retirement from touring.

The Black Sabbath frontman, 74, pulled the plug on all of his upcoming shows in the UK and Europe as he continues to recover from spinal surgery.

In a statement shared on social media, the “Crazy Train” hitmaker said he’s no longer able to tour around the globe due to the damage his spine has endured in a nasty accident four years ago.

Apologizing to fans, Osbourne acknowledged he “never would have imagined that my touring days would have ended this way.”

“I am honestly humbled by the way you’ve all patiently held onto your tickets for all this time, but in all good conscience, I have now come to the realization that I’m not physically capable of doing my upcoming European/UK tour dates, as I know I couldn’t deal with the travel required,” the Brit said.

WWE majority owner Vince McMahon is trying to get a massive check for his wrestling empire.

McMahon is reportedly looking to sell WWE for as much as $9 billion, according to Bloomberg. 

Potential buyers include Endeavor Group Holdings, the organization that owns the UFC, along with Middle Eastern investors, per the report.

The 77-year-old executive was the wrestling giant’s CEO and chairman for 40 years and built up the WWE into an entertainment juggernaut. McMahon stepped down in June 2022 due to hush-money allegations. 

McMahon’s daughter, Stephanie, served as co-CEO and chairwoman before her father returned as an executive chairman in January. When he made his return, McMahon made it clear he wanted to sell his company.

The Mets snapped a three-game losing streak Friday with a 9-3 win over Miami in their home opener at Citi Field. They’ve now won four of five games against the Marlins this season — sandwiched around being swept in a three-game set in Milwaukee.

“The Brewers outplayed us, but we’ve got to turn the page,’’ Francisco Lindor said. “It’s part of being a good baseball team. Today was a good day for the New York Mets.”

Tylor Megill, filling in for the injured Justin Verlander, was excellent, tossing six scoreless innings. The Mets hardly missed Verlander, who hopes to be back from the strained muscle near his right armpit by the end of the month.

The Mets’ hitters, who had been quiet for much of the early part of the season, erupted for a season-high nine runs.

Dennis Santana gave up a three-run home run to former Yankee Garrett Cooper with two outs in the eighth to make things interesting, but Lindor and Pete Alonso homered in the bottom of the eighth to end any drama.  

The parent company of the UFC mixed martial arts league will buy professional wrestling giant WWE and merge the two corporations.

“Together, we will be a $21+ billion live sports and entertainment powerhouse with a collective fanbase of more than a billion people and an exciting growth opportunity,” said Vince McMahon, World Wrestling Entertainment executive chairman.

According to Ultimate Fighting Championship owner Endeavor Group Holdings, the companies will combine with Endeavor maintaining 51% controlling interest and WWE shareholders keeping the remaining 49% holdings.

The professional wrestling company formerly known as the WWF was  purchased for $9.3 billion or approximately $106 per share, according to the the announcement.

There were familiar chants of “M-V-P!” as Aaron Judge strode toward home plate in the first inning on Opening Day, digging his right cleat across the dirt of the batter’s box as he prepared for his first official at-bat since being named the 16th captain in Yankees franchise history.

It took all of two pitches for Judge to pick up where he left off. Having eclipsed Roger Maris’ single-season American League record with 62 home runs last year, Judge belted the Majors’ first of 2023, powering a Logan Webb sinker over the center-field wall at Yankee Stadium as the Yankees cruised to a 5-0 win over the Giants.

“You really don’t hear much when you hit it and you’re running the bases,” Judge said. “But once I hit home and saw my family there, the roar of the crowd, my teammates — that’s when you soak it in a little bit.”

Judge’s drive came off the bat at an exit velocity of 109.3 mph and traveled a Statcast-projected 422 feet. It also came against the Giants, one of the clubs that attempted to sign Judge this past off-season.

Quiznos takes its popular lobster and seafood sub game to a new level with the introduction of the new Lemon-Herb Lobster Sub, alongside the returning Classic Lobster Sub.

The new Lemon-Herb Lobster Sub features the brand’s lobster and seafood salad with lemon-herb dressing, lettuce, and tomato on butter-toasted Italian white bread.

Meanwhile, the returning Classic Lobster Sub includes the lobster and seafood salad and shredded lettuce on butter-toasted Italian white bread.

With prices starting at $9, you can find both the Classic and new Lemon-Herb Lobster Sub at participating locations nationwide.

After making a brief appearance earlier this year, Taco Bell is bringing back its Mexican Pizza permanently. 

The Mexican Pizza features two crispy flour shells, layered with beans, pizza sauce, seasoned beef, tomatoes and a melted three cheese blend all for a suggested price. You can also get it vegetarian without the seasoned beef.

When the Mexican Pizza made its highly anticipated return back in May, Taco Bell was forced to pull the fan-favorite from national menus because demand outpaced supply. In fact, demand was so high that one location in California reportedly sold 1,000 Mexican Pizzas in a single day.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers plans to play for the New York Jets in 2023.

“Since Friday, I made it clear that my intention was to play and my intention is to play for the New York Jets,” Rodgers said.

After the 2022 season, Rogers said he’d take time to decide on his NFL future, admitting that retirement was on the table. The 39-year-old  went on a darkness retreat and revealed Wednesday that he was close to calling it a career.

“When I went into the darkness, I was 90% retiring and 10% playing,” he said.

Rodgers said the Packers organization told him it wanted him back for 2023 before he went on the retreat, but the situation was different after he returned.

“When I came out of the darkness, something changed,” Rodgers said.  The facts are, they want to move on, and now, so do I.”