EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — Los Angeles Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz has not been content to stand pat with seeing how his roster develops, especially when it comes to quarterback.
The Chargers finalized their trade with Atlanta for Taylor Heinicke on Thursday for a conditional sixth-round draft pick in 2025 based on playing time.
Since the start of training camp, Hortiz signed nine players, traded for two and made a waiver claim as he looks to mold the best 53-man roster going into the Sept. 8 opener against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Hortiz is in his first year as GM after Tom Telesco was fired toward the end of last season. Telesco — who was hired by the Raiders during the offseason — had been the Bolts' GM since 2013.
Coach Jim Harbaugh said his father, Jack Harbaugh, came up with the nickname “Chef Hortiz” after seeing the moves he has made.
“Just seeing the ingredients he has added and mixed in with this football team is outstanding,” Jim Harbaugh said.
Heinicke gives the Chargers a veteran starter in case Justin Herbert goes down with an injury. Herbert missed two weeks during training camp because of an injury to the plantar fascia in his right foot. He missed the final four games last season because of a finger injury on his throwing hand.
Herbert returned to practice last week and remains on pace to start the opener.
“I like him and his body of work,” Harbaugh said of Heinicke. “When he quarterbacks a team they are competitive. He throws with good accuracy and plays his game.”
To make room for Heinicke and defensive back Elijah Molden, who was acquired from Tennessee on Wednesday, the Chargers released safety Tony Jefferson and waived running back Jaret Patterson.
The addition of Heinicke and watching Easton Stick throughout the preseason impressed on Harbaugh that one template cannot suit all his quarterbacks. That has changed his approach going into the season.
“The backup quarterback here with the Chargers behind Justin, we have got to coach them separately,” Harbaugh said. "You can't try to replicate Justin and what he does in every way. You have to get out of your mind what he can and does do and concentrate on doing your game.
“We're not doing Easton any favors by coaching him the same way as Justin. They have to play their game and have a game plan that fits them to play winning football.”
Stick started four games last season after Herbert's injury and got the majority of playing time at quarterback during the preseason. Despite the increased snaps, he didn’t show any signs of progress. Stick had a 46.2 passer rating and committed four turnovers (three interceptions, one fumble) during the preseason where he played eight of the 12 quarters.
Stick’s best play in the preseason was a 78-yard touchdown pass to Simi Fehoko during the second quarter of last Saturday’s 26-19 victory over the Dallas Cowboys.
This will be Heinicke’s fifth team in seven seasons. He has started 29 games during his career with his greatest success coming in Washington in 2021. He started 15 games with 20 touchdowns and 15 interceptions as Washington won the NFC East.
Heinicke signed with Atlanta as a free agent last season and started five games. His future with the Falcons was in doubt though after the Falcons signed Kirk Cousins during free agency and drafted Michael Penix Jr. in the first round.
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Atlanta Falcons quarterback Taylor Heinicke passes against the Baltimore Ravens during the first half of a preseason NFL football game on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge ended the longest home run drought of his career with a go-ahead grand slam in the seventh inning that rallied the New York Yankees past the Boston Red Sox 5-4 on Friday night.
The star slugger had gone 16 games and 75 plate appearances without a longball before launching a clutch drive into the lower left-field seats off reliever Cam Booser (2-3) for a 5-4 advantage.
New York won its third straight and extended its AL East lead to three games over Baltimore, held hitless for 8 2/3 innings by four Tigers pitchers in a 1-0 loss at Detroit. It is the Yankees' largest cushion since they led by 3 1/2 games before a June 15 defeat at Boston that started a 4-14 slide.
“Hopefully nobody's looking at the standings,” Judge said. “I'm certainly not.”
The fading Red Sox (74-74) are 4 1/2 games behind Minnesota for the league's last wild card.
Mark Leiter Jr. (4-5) got four outs in relief of starter Clarke Schmidt for the win. Luke Weaver struck out five in two scoreless innings to earn his second career save.
“Just got to keep it rolling,” Judge said. “Everybody’s doing their job.”
Judge’s eighth career slam and second this season sent the Yankee Stadium crowd of 45,292 — and jubilant players in the New York dugout — into a jumping, dancing frenzy. The 6-foot-7 team captain popped out of the dugout for a curtain call.
“Tonight was rocking, especially in that seventh inning,” Judge said. “Kind of felt like a playoff atmosphere there in the seventh inning as we were kind of rallying. So, we've been waiting for that, that's for sure.”
It was the 52nd homer of the season for Judge, who also leads the majors with 130 RBIs. He hadn’t gone deep since Aug. 25, when he homered twice against Colorado.
Judge hit nine homers in 10 games before the drought.
The 2022 AL MVP set a career worst when his homerless streak reached 16 games Thursday night against Boston.
Emergency starter Richard Fitts pitched five shutout innings for Boston after Tanner Houck was scratched less than an hour before the first pitch due to right shoulder fatigue.
“I think the team did everything they needed to do," Booser said. “I think this is solely on me. Didn’t do my job.”
Masataka Yoshida snapped a scoreless tie when he connected for a two-run homer that chased Schmidt with two outs in the sixth.
Trevor Story hit a two-run shot off Leiter in the seventh for a 4-0 lead, his first home run this season after returning last weekend from a dislocated left shoulder that had sidelined him since April 6.
“It’s a tough one. No getting around it," Story said. "Tough game. That kind of stuff can happen in the big leagues.”
Zack Kelly walked the bottom two batters in New York's lineup starting the seventh and was removed after an RBI single by Gleyber Torres. Juan Soto drew a four-pitch walk from Booser before Judge connected on a 2-0 fastball.
“I think this probably might be my most memorable win of my career so far here. I think just the magnitude of that homer,” said Schmidt, who made his second start since since recovering from a strained right lat muscle.
“It was like everything clicked. It was a perfect moment. Just really special. The whole team's kind of a part of it.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Red Sox: OF Rob Refsnyder (right wrist discomfort) remained out of the starting lineup, but manager Alex Cora said he hopes Refsnyder can start Sunday against left-hander Carlos Rodón. ... RHP Liam Hendriks said he still hopes to pitch for the Red Sox this season despite a small setback in his rehabilitation from Tommy John surgery — but that will largely depend on whether they remain in the pennant race. Hendriks will receive a cortisone injection in his right elbow Monday in Boston and then be shut down for about three days before he resumes throwing.
Yankees: Manager Aaron Boone said Judge will probably be the designated hitter Saturday to give him a bit of a breather.
UP NEXT
Red Sox RHP Brayan Bello (13-7, 4.70 ERA) faces Yankees ace Gerrit Cole (6-4, 3.36) on Saturday.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
New York Yankees' Clarke Schmidt pitches during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
New York Yankees' Aaron Judge, center, Alex Verdugo, left, and Juan Soto, right, celebrate after a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
New York Yankees relief pitcher Luke Weaver reacts after the final out of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Cam Booser reacts after giving up a grand slam to New York Yankees' Aaron Judge during the seventh inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
New York Yankees' Aaron Judge reacts after hitting a grand slam during the seventh inning of a baseball game at bat Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
New York Yankees' Aaron Judge reacts after hitting a grand slam off Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Cam Booser during the seventh inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
New York Yankees' Aaron Judge hits a grand slam during the seventh inning of a baseball game at bat Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
New York Yankees' Aaron Judge hits a grand slam during the seventh inning of a baseball game at bat Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
