You see it every year, big-time free agents who switch teams, players who are traded, who suddenly go bust. 

All-Star outfielder Juan Soto has been a shadow of himself since being traded from the Washington Nationals to the San Diego Padres, saying he’s still trying to get comfortable, while off to the worst start of his career. 

Future Hall of Famer Adrian Beltre went from hitting 48 homers with 121 RBI and a 1.017 OPS in his last year with the Dodgers to 19 homers, 87 RBI and a .716 OPS in his first year of a five-year, $64 million contract with the Seattle Mariners. 

The worst year of Bryce Harper and Manny Machado’s stints with the Phillies and Padres were their first seasons after signing their $300 million contracts. 

The surreal expectations and the self-inflicted pressures have a way of cracking the confidence of even the greatest players. 

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“It’s an adjustment for sure,’ Soto says. “It’s tough going to a new team. I’m still trying to get comfortable. Slowly, it’s coming, little by little, day by day.’

And then there’s Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts. 

He signed an 11-year, $280 million contract after spending the first 10 years of his career with the Boston Red Sox. He took away the shortstop job from fan favorite Fernando Tatis Jr. He was installed as the Padres’ cleanup hitter. 

And after going from the East to the West Coast, finding a new home and learning a whole new coaching staff, Bogaerts is having one of the best seasons of his career. 

He has easily been the Padres’ finest player, their most consistent hitter, and the metronome in an underachieving lineup. 

He entered the weekend leading the Padres in virtually every statistical category. He’s hitting .283 with a .378 on-base percentage, .465 slugging percentage and had reached base in 30 consecutive games – breaking Bobby Brown’s 1983 record for a player’s on-base streak after joining the team.

“I was wondering how it would go early on for him being in Boston for as long as he was,’’ Padres manager Bob Melvin tells USA TODAY Sports, “but he’s been unbelievable. He’s the kind of guy who can walk into a clubhouse, any clubhouse, and fit in from Day 1. Just the way he goes about his business, the respect he gets universally around the league, you never hear a bad word said about him. 

“He’s vocal. He’s supportive. He’s just one of those rare guys who seem to fit in really quickly. He’s just a stud. No excuses. Extremely accountable. Wants no part of taking a day off. That’s just who he is.’

Bogaerts, the four-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion, says the most difficult part of the move simply is getting used to having nothing to do at night. When he played in Boston, he would go back to his condo and watch the West Coast baseball games. Now, when he goes home after night games in San Diego, all of the games are over. 

 “That’s the only thing I don’t like,’ Bogaerts says, “is that there’s no more baseball after I play. So that makes it tough when I go home. Now, I just get to watch the highlights.’

“But really, I thought it would be a little difficult. I’m thankful its gone well so far and hopefully I can continue to help the team.’

You would never know that the only person Bogaerts really knew was pitcher Michael Wacha, his teammate for the 2022 season in Boston. Yet, here he is, a vocal leader acting like he was born and raised in San Diego, fitting in as easy as a margarita goes down sitting on Mission Beach. 

“I’ve been very impressed with how he’s handled everything being with a new team,’ Wacha says. “It can definitely be weird going to spring training and having to build those new relationships with people you never met. 

“But you see how he goes about his business. What he does in the weight room. The training room. His prep on the field. And when the lights turn on, it doesn’t seem to matter what jersey he’s wearing, he’s ready to play. 

“He’s the ultimate gamer.’ 

Certainly, it helps going from the pressure-cooker of Boston to San Diego.

Then again, San Diego isn’t the same sleepy town, either. This is a team that has loftier expectations than Boston in 2023. It’s World Series or bust with the third-highest payroll in baseball that employs 11 All-Star players. 

“There are pretty big expectations here too,’ Bogaerts said. “If you don’t play well, they’ll let you know real quick. I heard a couple of boos early on. I thought, ‘Wow, I didn’t know they did that here.’

“But it’s a little different beast [in Boston] with the expectations. People want you to go 10-for-10 out of the gate with two homers. But that’s not how the game works, man. It’s hard, making adjustments with pitchers you’ve never seen.’

Bogaerts relies heavily on video these days, trying to learn the starters’ repertoire, studying relievers’ tendencies, asking a whole lot of questions to teammates, and yes, getting used to life on the West Coast. 

“It’s different, but it’s definitely fun coming to the ballpark with expectations,’’ Bogaerts says, “instead of just coming in, hanging out, and whatever happens, happens. It gives you a lot of motivation to come and expect to do good stuff. 

“I’m determined, man.’

PHOENIX ― Deandre Ayton grabbed three offensive rebounds on the Suns’ first possession of the game as the Phoenix crowd roared its satisfaction.

Suns coach Monty Williams said it set the tone for Game 4 as Phoenix outlasted the Denver Nuggets, 129-124, in a wild west high-scoring shootout.

‘I thought (Ayton’s) first possession set the tone for the game,’ Williams said postgame. ‘Those three offensive rebounds got the crowd going, it got our guys going, and the and-1 he got down the stretch was huge. But all those things work together.’

NBA playoffs: Second-round scores, schedule, TV info, predictions

The Suns’ center has endured a tough stretch. He was benched late in Game 3 for Jock Landale and has received criticism for getting vastly outplayed by Nuggets center Nikola Jokic in the Western Conference semifinal series.

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In Game 4, Ayton’s final stat line wasn’t anything to write home about. He finished with eight points, eight rebounds and two blocks, but his energy and effort were improved after a forgettable Game 3.

Ayton acknowledged following Game 4 that he wasn’t himself in Game 3.

‘Mainly just getting my head together. Game 3 I didn’t have much mental stamina to where, I just wasn’t focused. I know everybody seen me getting checked out late, I don’t blame coach,’ Ayton said. ‘He’s trying to win and that’s the best thing to do right now.’

‘I’m just trying to win. I always say and this is something I tell (Kevin Durant), throw that efficiency (expletive) out the window. I don’t care about that. Just keep going. Keep attacking (and) keep being aggressive. If it’s a product of getting open shots and knocking them down, that’s what I’m supposed to do,’ Booker said. ‘I feel like I’m supposed to make a lot of the shots I take.’

The Nuggets were not able to stop Booker or contain Durant, who matched Booker with 36 points in Game 4. The two stars carried the Suns the past two games to even the series, especially without veteran point guard Chris Paul, who is out with a left groin strain. But as the back-and-forth series returns to Denver knotted up at 2-2, Booker and Durant are going to need Ayton to elevate his performance even more.  

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on Twitter @TheTylerDragon.

Angel Reese stays in the spotlight.

The LSU women’s basketball player, fresh off leading the Tigers to a national championship, modeled for the 2023 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and will make her debut in the edition this month.

Reese, 21, was photographed in Los Angeles by Yu Tsai.

‘I work out a lot,’ Reese told SI. ‘I embrace my body and who I am and every mark on my body. I probably feel the sexiest in a bathing suit.’

Following two seasons at Maryland, Reese transferred to LSU last year and averaged 23.0 points per game. She was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four and went viral for pointing to her ring finger in the direction of Iowa’s Caitlin Clark as the Tigers put the finishing touches on their championship.

A much-anticipated series between the two best teams in the American League, both off to roaring starts in a pitched battle for a division title, will begin Monday night.

And the New York Yankees will be hundreds of miles from the very heart of it.

No, when the Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles meet in the first of three games at Camden Yards, it will pit two lower-revenue teams off to staggering starts – 28-7 for the Amazin’ Rays and 22-12 for the upstart Orioles.

The Yankees? Well, it’s too soon to wonder if it’s too late – but not too soon to wonder if this stretch of injury-wracked, disappointing baseball will cost them any hope of winning the AL East.

The latest indignity came Sunday at Tropicana Field, when ace Gerrit Cole was handed a 6-0 lead and gave up every bit of it, squandering a golden opportunity for the Yankees to deal the Rays a rare series L – and instead lost in extra innings to fall 10 games out in the AL East.

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They’ve also tumbled to the middle of the pack in USA TODAY Sports’ power rankings.

The Yankees (18-17) are ranked 15th after dropping 11 spots in just two weeks, including a leapfrog in the rankings and out of the East cellar by the Boston Red Sox. With projected No. 2 starter Carlos Rodon out indefinitely with back trouble, MVP Aaron Judge’s return this week will come with his club facing a steep uphill climb.

A look at this week’s rankings:

1. Tampa Bay Rays (-)

Win seven in a row, and they can catch the ’84 Tigers at 35-7.

2. Atlanta Braves (-)

Sean Murphy’s 1.047 OPS leads the NL.

3. Baltimore Orioles (+1)

How for real? Here’s three against the Rays to find out.

4. Toronto Blue Jays (-1)

After stopover in Philly, play 17 in a row against Braves, Yankees, Rays, Orioles, Twins.

5. Los Angeles Dodgers (+5)

Not Kershaw, not Urías, but Dustin May (2.68 ERA) is your ace.

6.  Texas Rangers (+6)

221 runs more than any club outside Tampa Bay.

7. Milwaukee Brewers (-2)

Five straight losses at Colorado, San Francisco drag them back to NL Central mediocrity party.

8. Pittsburgh Pirates (-2)

It was fun while it lasted.

9. San Diego Padres (-)

‘Crying Kershaw’ meme worst editorial decision since ‘Dewey defeats Truman.’

10. Minnesota Twins (+1)

Royce Lewis to begin rehab assignment this week.

11. Arizona Diamondbacks (+1)

Geraldo Perdomo’s 1.055 OPS in 86 plate appearances best among NL shortstops.

12. Boston Red Sox (+5)

Alex Verdugo’s .883 OPS a 150-point improvement on 2022.

13. Houston Astros (-5)

Can’t fire the owner when he fails to add any starting pitching all winter.

14. Seattle Mariners (+2)

Rookie reliever Juan Then could be a perfect addition to squad.

15. New York Yankees (-2)

Rotation woes: Carlos Rodon could miss most of the year. Gerrit Cole steamed after blowing big lead. Luis Severino chafing at conditions of his rehab.

16. New York Mets (-9)

Steve Cohen did not commit a billion-ish dollars to make the Tigers and Rockies look good.

17. Chicago Cubs (-2)

Two things can be true: They’re a .500 team and a real threat to win NL Central.

18. Los Angeles Angels (+3)

Astros arrive in Anaheim looking vulnerable. Can they take advantage?

19. Philadelphia Phillies (-1)

Bryce Harper reaches base in 10 of his first 22 plate appearances.

20. Cleveland Guardians (-1)

Cal Quantrill flirts with a no-hitter.

21. Miami Marlins (-1)

Luis Arraez slash line: .420/.476/.518.

22. San Francisco Giants  (-)

Thairo Estrada, NL All-Star? Embrace it.

23. Detroit Tigers (+2)

Can vault Cleveland into second place in AL Central.

24. St. Louis Cardinals (-1)

Is Willson Contreras really going to be a well-paid DH?

25. Cincinnati Reds (-1)

Graham Ashcraft’s ERA balloons from 2.00 to 3.82 after giving up eight runs to White Sox.

26. Washington Nationals (+1)

Fourth in NL with .270 batting average, fifth in fewest strikeouts. So quaint!

27. Colorado Rockies (+1)

Brewers, Mets discover they won’t be such an easy out.

28. Chicago White Sox (-2)

To the list of bottomless woes, add ‘Eloy Jimenez appendectomy.’

29. Kansas City Royals (-)

Upheld the sanctity of No. 29 ranking by avoiding sweep against Oakland.

30. Oakland Athletics (-)

The record: 8-27. The run differential: -124.

MADRID (AP) — The organizers of a women’s running race in Spain apologized on Monday after the winner was offered a food processor to take home, sparking accusations of sexism.

The seven-kilometer (more than four-mile) Carrera de la Mujer (Women’s Race) issued a statement on Twitter saying it hadn’t considered the kitchen appliance — donated by a sponsor — would have sexist implications.

“We apologize but we consider this a product with no sexist character and ideal for any athlete who wants to improve their nutritional habits,” the statement said. “We regret if any woman felt offended.”

The organizers promised to “take measures” to avoid similar incidents in the future.

Serb national Ivana Zagorac won the race in 24 minutes, 7 seconds on Sunday, in an amateur event in which 32,000 women participated. The Madrid race coincided with Spain’s Mother’s Day, and supports domestic violence and cancer survivors. It is held in other cities across Spain.

The food processor controversy went largely unnoticed until Ángela Rodríguez Pam, Spain’s secretary of state for equality, tweeted that the winner had received a food processor and others were given 0% fat products.

“If you win: housewife and if not at least you’ll lose weight,” Rodríguez Pam tweeted ironically.

The race has previously featured T-shirts with the slogan: “Today, the girls win!”

The Captain’s squad is getting bigger.

Baseball Hall of Famer Derek Jeter and wife, Hannah, announced the birth of their son, Kaius Green Jeter, who was born on Friday.

‘Welcome to the world lil man!!!’ Jeter said in an Instagram post Monday, with the date 5-5-23.

Derek Jeter on Instagram: ‘Welcome to the world lil man!!! @hannahbjeter’

The five-time World Series champion also updated his Instagram bio to ‘Sleep-deprived father of four.’

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Derek and Hannah Jeter were married in July 2016, and had their first child, a daughter named Bella Raine, in August 2017. The couple had two more daughters, Story Grey and River Rose, in January 2019 and December 2021. Kaius Green is the couple’s first son.

Jeter told CBS News in November he has ‘a very close family’ and described it as ‘a full-time job.’

‘I just want to be there for them, help them find something that they’re passionate about just like my parents did with me,’ Jeter said. 

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Formula One’s growing popularity is full throttle in its breakthrough in the American sports market.

Reigning two-time champion Max Verstappen put on a show to win the second Miami Grand Prix on Sunday in the first of three F1 races in America this year.

So what’s next for F1’s ride for attention in the United States? Austin, Texas, on Oct. 20-22 and newcomer Las Vegas on Nov. 16-18.

F1 seeks to add an American spectacle and more competition to a sport with tradition, so fans both domestically and abroad attend American races over the next 10 years.

“The sport’s continuously growing and evolving, and they’re not just doing the same stuff that they’ve done in the past,” said seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, F1’s most popular driver in America.

“They’re trying new things. They’re trying to improve the show. And I’m in full support of it.”

Can F1 rival Super Bowl in US?

F1 president and CEO Stefano Domenicali said this week that one out of every three F1 fans have followed the sport in the last four years, and 40% of all fans are women. The “Drive to Survive” Netflix series, which debuted in 2019, has sparked the surge. F1 had 5.7 million fans attend races with 1.54 billion viewers worldwide in 2022.

F1 has seen how the NFL has marketed the Super Bowl into a week-long buildup before the main event every year. And F1 believes its three-day weekends can rival the Super Bowl in terms of attendance, viewership and economic impact with annual events in Miami, Austin and Las Vegas.

“From our side, we think we’re bringing a lot, which isn’t just flying in, having a football match and leaving,” said Emily Prazer, the chief commercial officer of the Las Vegas race who worked as an executive of Liberty Media, which owns F1. Both Liberty and F1 are promoting the Vegas race.

The Miami Grand Prix took center stage Sunday afternoon on ABC, clearing 270,000 attendees over three days (30,000 more than last year), while viewers watched F1 drivers blaze around an NFL stadium (Hard Rock Stadium, home of the Miami Dolphins) on a world-class racetrack.

Hip Hop pioneer and actor LL Cool J introduced the F1 drivers like they were prizefighters before the race, though some of the drivers were not fans of the theatrics and spectacle.

“I don’t think there’s any other sports in the world that 30 minutes before you go out to do your business that you’re out there in the sun, all the cameras on you and making a bit of a show of it,” said Mercedes driver George Russell, who finished fourth. “I can appreciate that in the entertainment world. But as I said, we really want what’s best for the sport.”

Dolphins owner Stephen Ross privately funded the Miami Grand Prix, while Dolphins CEO Tom Garfinkel saw the vision through to give South Florida an F1 race annually through 2032. The first race last year brought $350 million to South Florida, while Super Bowl 2020 brought $572 million.

“I think the more people come out and experience these events in the United States, experience Formula One racing, the more fans they’re going to be and that just helps everybody, so I’m excited about that,’ Garfinkel said.

Looking ahead to US races in 2023

Bobby Epstein helped create Circuit of The Americas in Austin, which has brought a heart-of-America twist to F1 since 2012. The race drew an F1 record crowd of 440,000 total fans last year, and it aspires to reach 500,000 in weekend attendance this October.

Three weeks later, F1 makes its return to Las Vegas for the first time since fizzling out after two races at Caesars Palace in 1982.

And if the introduction in Miami was too splashy, imagine how the Fountains at Bellagio will flow as a backdrop for F1 cars during a Saturday night street race on the Las Vegas Strip for fans old and new to the sport.

“The best way to describe it is that we are the show,” Prazer said of the Las Vegas Grand Prix. “And we’re going to make sure that everyone is kind of engaging and interacting with the destination from the minute they land to the minute they leave.”

Jim Allen – chairman of Hard Rock International, which is a partner of the Miami and Vegas races – says both locations appeal to the worldwide fanbase F1 hopes to attract to the United States. He waved the checkered flag after the race Sunday.

“I think we have these great cities like Miami and like Vegas, that are international destinations,” Allen said. “I think that’s the formula for success.”

Can F1 deliver to American fans?

Still, fans committing to travel and attend F1 races want the payoff to be worth the buildup.

Verstappen was booed during the Miami race introduction and even on the podium when he received the winning trophy.

He started in ninth place after qualifying, which created some intrigue. But F1’s biggest rising star shredded the competition to win his third race of the season. His Red Bull teammate Sergio “Checo” Pérez has won the other two.

Together, Red Bull has led in 257 of the 273 laps in the five races with Verstappen ruling 236 of them. Only four of the other 18 drivers have led the other 16 laps this year.

This is a league where Hamilton won six of seven championships before Verstappen’s current two-year run, and Mercedes-AMG Petronas won eight straight constructor championships before Red Bull won last season.  

“I think it’s normal when you’re winning, and they don’t like who is winning. So, this is something for me, which is absolutely fine,” Verstappen said of the negative ovation by some. “As long as I stand on the top, that’s for me the most important. I take the trophy home and they go back to their houses and they can have a nice evening.”

F1 still has some fine-tuning to do as it integrates into America. But the commitment to do so is unwavering.

“Exactly now is the moment for great positives for Formula 1,” Domencalli said during an announcement for Puma as F1’s apparel merchandiser this week.

“We cannot sit. We need to look ahead. We need to be humble and not think we are the best. We have a lot of things to do, a lot of things to improve. We’re always listening to new ideas, new considerations from the traditional fan – if I say like me – and the new one is very important to the sport.”

Justin Fields returned to Ohio Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

The former Ohio State and current Chicago Bears quarterback participated in the university’s spring commencement ceremony, earning his Bachelor’s Degree of Science in Human Ecology.

Fields was one of seven current or former Ohio State football players that graduated Sunday along with linebackers Steele Chambers and Tommy Eichenberg, long snapper Bradley Robinson, defensive tackle Jaden McKenzie, punter Michael O’Shaughnessy and safety Kourt Williams.

Fields has recorded 4,112 passing yards, 1,1563 rushing yards — including 1,143 rushing yards in 2022 — and 34 total touchdowns in two NFL seasons. Fields was the No. 11 overall pick by the Bears in the 2021 NFL draft after two seasons as Ohio State’s starting quarterback.

After transferring from Georgia ahead of the 2019 season, Fields, a former Heisman Trophy finalist, recorded 78 total touchdowns along with 5,375 passing and 867 rushing yards.

Ohio State advanced to the College Football Playoff in each season with Fields, losing to Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl in 2019 before the Buckeyes beat Clemson in the Sugar Bowl and lost to Alabama in the CFP National Championship to end the 2020 season.