The Forgotten 500

Last week, Detroit Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera did something that only 27 Major League ballplayers had done before him when he became the latest member of baseball's 500 Home Run Club. Becoming the first member of the exclusive club since Boston's David Ortiz joined in 2015, etching his name into the record books is something Miggy had been doing long before his historic blast off of Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Steven Matz traveled 400-feet to tie the game at 1 in the sixth inning. In what ended up being a 5-3 win for the Tigers in 11-innings, Cabrera received both a standing ovation and a curtain call from the opposing fans at Toronto's Rogers Centre, knowing they just witnessed history from one of the game's all-time greats. Unlike those who've accomplished the feat before him, Cabrera is the first Venezuelan-born player to join the 500 Home Run Club and the first player to do so in a Tigers uniform. At 65-74 and 15 games back in the division behind the first place White Sox in the AL Central, the 2021 season will end with Detroit once again missing the postseason for the eighth consecutive year, so its likely this will be the highlight of their season. 

While reaching the 500 home run mark is barely a blip on the radar of sports fans these days, the accomplishment is one that does not garner nearly as much attention as it should or that it deserves, simply due to the explosion of players that joined the club in the early 2000's, fueled by baseball's famed and often frowned upon, "steroid era." Then again it probably doesn't help much that home runs is all guys focus on and try to do in today's game. With this sudden fixation on "launch angle", strikeout numbers are skyrocketing and batting averages are plummeting. Hell, guys barely even know how to bunt nowadays. Just his 13th homer of the season, the now 38-year old Cabrera is the 12th player to reach 500 career home runs since the start of the millennium. This after only 16 players reached 500 home runs in the 70 years between Babe Ruth becoming the very first to reach the mark in 1929 and the year 2000. 

While the celebration of the monumental number isn't what it once was, those of us who keep the game near and dear to our hearts, know the significance of the milestone. Although he had slowed down a bit over the past few seasons on his way to No. 500 with both injuries and age being a factor, Cabrera is one that seemed almost destined to reach the feat given his blazing hot start in the Majors which included a walk-off home run in his MLB debut at the age of 20 while playing for the then Florida Marlins.

After being sent to the Motor City before the 2008 season in an eight-player trade, Miggy did not skip a beat upon joining the American League and instead added to his resume. Among the many accolades and accomplishments of Cabrera's illustrious and future Hall of Fame career, he has 11 All-Star appearances, seven Silver Slugger Awards, two MVP Awards, a World Series ring and an AL Triple-Crown to boot. One of only nine players with at least 500 homers and a .300+ batting average, Miggy will join even more rarified air when he reaches the 3,000 hit plateau as he currently sits 36 hits shy of that mark. The elite company of players he would join with 500 homers and 3,000 hits include Hank Aaron, Alex Rodriguez, Willie Mays, Albert Pujols, Rafael Palmeiro and Eddie Murray. 

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Beginner's Luck: Arizona's Gilbert twirls unlikely No-No

In what's been a dismal season for the Arizona Diamondbacks, there hasn't been a whole lot to cheer for in the desert this year. Sitting in the cellar of the National League Western Division at 38-81 and 38.5 games behind the first-place San Francisco Giants, positivity and all around good vibes have been at a minimum for the D-Backs who own the worst record in all of baseball. However, the was one magical moment that took place on Saturday with the snakes in the limelight as 27-year old pitcher Tyler Gilbert threw a no-hitter in his first career big league start. With his family in attendance at Arizona's Chase Field, Gilbert blanked the high-powered San Diego Padres, albeit without their best player in Fernando Tatis Jr., to become the fourth pitcher in Major League history to toss a no-no in his first career start and the first since 1953. Making things even more improbable, Gilbert who had bounced around with the Phillies before being traded to the Dodgers and ultimately released and picked up by Arizona, had never logged a complete-game at any level in his professional baseball career. That was until his historic night. 

Having just made his Major League debut nine days earlier in a relief appearance against San Francisco in which Gilbert gave up a hit and a walk while striking out one in 2/3 innings pitched, followed by two shutout frames (1 hit, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts) against San Diego two days later, the D-Backs' southpaw has lived up to the adage, "one man's trash is another man's treasure." Or in this case one team's trash is another team's treasure, even if only for this one spectacular history-making evening. After all, it's stories like this that make us fall in love with baseball time and time again. Before being mobbed by his teammates as out No. 27 was caught in center-field on a line-drive off the bat of Tommy Pham, Gilbert walked three batters and struck out five Padre hitters on 102-pitches (64 strikes). And while he didn't have the type of stuff that was blowing guys away as he barely sniffed the low-90's with his fastball, he did enough to throw guys off and keep the ball in the park. Something that's easier said than done at Arizona's hitter-friendly ballpark. Oddly enough, Joe Musgrove who pitched the first no-hitter of 2021 back on April 9 against the Texas Rangers, was the opposing pitcher on Saturday. 

The first Diamondbacks no-hitter since Edwin Jackson's no-no in 2010 and just the third in D-Backs franchise history (Hall of Famer Randy Johnson the other), unless you count Madison Bumgarner's 7 no-hit frames in the second game of a 7-inning doubleheader back on April 25, it's the eighth no-hitter tossed this season which ties the record for the most in a single season set back in 1884. Quite the story and an unforgettable night for a guy who even if we never hear from him again, etched his name into the record books and will forever have a story to tell, especially considering he was working with his father as an electrician less than a year ago following the cancellation of the 2020 Minor League Baseball season due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Learning the trade just in case he never received that call to the bigs. 

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Giants cap off Wild Trade Deadline with Acquisition of All-Star Bryant

Major League Baseball had one of its crazier trade deadlines in recent memory on Friday, if not the craziest of all-time. By the 1pm cutoff time, 4pm if you're on the east coast, baseball fans who are less than three weeks removed from watching the MLB All-Star Game played in Denver, saw a record ten All-Stars who played in that Mid-Summer Classic, dealt by the time things were all said and done. With such names as sluggers Joey Gallo of the Texas Rangers and Anthony Rizzo of the Chicago Cubs being dealt to the Bronx from their respectively clubs as the Yankees try to chase down the Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox in the American League East, as well as Kyle Schwarber heading to Bean Town from our nation's capital, the list of notable names that changed clubhouses goes on and on. But perhaps the biggest blockbuster that caught everyone by surprise, was that of the Los Angeles Dodgers who pulled a Houdini move by snaking a pair of All-Star studs from the nose of the division rival Padres. 

By mid-day Thursday, it appeared that the Padres had gained a tremendous boost in their efforts to overthrow the Dodgers and first-place San Francisco Giants in the National League Western Division when reports swirled that they were close to finalizing a deal that would land them a 4-time Cy Young Award-winner in Max Scherzer. Instead, the pitcher-needy Friars were upended by the rival Dodgers who pulled off a sneak-attack by stealing Scherzer from their grasp, while also adding All-Star shortstop Trea Turner in the process. While the deal did cost a pair of L.A.'s top prospects in return, they added another unbelievable duo to their already star-studded roster, as well as prevent a pair of rivals from adding a dominant arm to their starting rotation, as the Giants were also rumored to be in on Scherzer. After landing All-Star second baseman Adam Frazier from the Pittsburgh Pirates in the days leading up to Friday's deadline, the only additions the Padres had to show for on deadline day were a pair of underwhelming names in relief pitcher Daniel Hudson and outfielder Jake Marisnick who were acquired from the Nationals and Cubs, respectively. 

Just when it appeared that Farhan Zaidi -- general manger of the San Francisco Giants, was going to stay pat at the deadline, the team with the best record in all of baseball waited until the 11th hour before getting in on the action and acquiring Cubs All-Star third baseman/outfielder Kris Bryant. Not long after news broke that the Cubbies were shipping two-time All-Star infielder Javy Baez to Queens to join the New York Mets, the north siders ended their fire sale by sending Bryant out west to the city by the bay to join the Giants. It was a nerve-racking hour or so for Giants fans as reports were unclear on who Zaidi had given up for what could very well be a rental player considering Bryant will be a free-agent at the end of the season, but when it was all said and done, San Francisco got the guy they wanted all along and didn't trade an arm and a leg to get him. In return for Bryant, a former NL MVP and four-time All-Star who says he grew up a fan of Barry Bonds and the Giants, San Francisco gave up a pair of Minor Leaguers in outfielder Alexander Canario and right-handed pitcher Caleb Kilian, their No. 9 and No. 30 prospects, respectively, which was much more calming and somewhat of a relief to hear than their top prospect in catcher Joey Bart and first baseman LaMonte Wade Jr. which was initially rumored. The Giants ended their deadline pursuit by bringing back lefty reliever Tony Watson from the Los Angeles Angels to bolster the bullpen. Watson spent three seasons with the Giants from 2018-20. 

As teams jockey for position in the home stretch of the MLB regular season in preparation of the Postseason, the Giants at 65-39, currently own a 3-game lead over the Dodgers in the division and a 6.5 game advantage over San Diego. The Giants are hopeful that the acquisition of Bryant will help them maintain a stranglehold in the division over both the Dodgers and Padres, two teams that were supposed to be lightyears ahead of the Giants heading into the season. Hitting .267 on the year with 18 home runs and 51 RBI, the Giants will welcome Bryant's versatility with open arms as he's played seven different positions in 2021, while also looking forward to his bat as he's enjoyed success at San Francisco's Oracle Park, boasting a .324 batting average, 5 HR, 3 doubles, a triple and 15 RBI in 17 career games. Speaking to fellow All-Star and now teammate Brandon Crawford, Bryant knew at the All-Star break that there was a possibility he could be dealt, and all that he asked of Cubs President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer was that he would be traded to a team contending for a playoff berth like San Francisco. It's safe to say the 29-year old Vegas-native got his wish, as the core three of Bryant, Rizzo and Baez from the curse-breaking 2016 World Series champion Cubs team are all gone. 

Other notable names that changed ballclubs at the deadline include: All-Star closer Craig Kimbrel who the Cubs shipped to the southside of town to join the White Sox and Eduardo Escobar who landed in Milwaukee after being the lone representative in the 2021 All-Star Game for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Like the Cubbies, the Nationals also cleaned house by shipping out a number of big names in addition to Turner and Scherzer, such as Kyle Schwarber who was sent from D.C. to the Red Sox, Yan Gomes and Josh Harison who joined the playoff hopeful Oakland Athletics and 5-time All-Star Jon Lester who joined Wild Card contenders St. Louis. The Minnesota Twins also dealt a pair of All-Stars in pitcher Jose Berrios who landed in Toronto with the Blue Jays and Nelson Cruz who was dealt a few days earlier to the reigning American League Champion Tampa Bay Rays. It's unlikely we'll ever witness a trade deadline quite like this one after seeing 32 different trades which included more than 80 players dealt in total.  

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Giants continue to Roll behind Crawford, Gausman

Now 61 games into the Major League Baseball regular season and the San Francisco Giants are still sitting pretty atop the National League Western Division, and quite frankly atop all of baseball as they currently own a league-best record of 38-23 and .623 winning percentage. Expected by most pundits around the game of baseball to have fizzled out by now after their red-hot start in April and May, the Giants have instead managed to turn things up a notch and have actually gotten better as the season has progressed. Even after suffering a walk-off loss on the road at the hands of the Texas Rangers in 11-innings on Wednesday, the Giants still claimed the season-series over the Rangers, three games to 1 and departed the lone star state with a split in a short two-game series, as the G-Men continue to embark on their 6-game road trip with a visit to the nation's capital for a four-game set against the Nats next on their itinerary. 

With a 2-game lead in the division over the archrival Dodgers and a 2.5-game lead over third place San Diego, the Giants have enjoyed their time at the top, but do not plan on relinquishing their position atop that mountain just yet. With a legitimate ace leading their pitching staff in Kevin Gausman, the 30-year old righty who is in his 9th year in the bigs, has proven that last year's surprising success wasn't a fluke as he's done himself one better in 2021. Named NL Pitcher of the Month for May, Gausman is a leading candidate to start the All-Star Game and has made a name for himself as a serious Cy Young contender. Sporting an ERA of 0.62 in 58 innings pitched, 75 strikeouts to just 11 walks and a record of 7-0 in his last 9 starts, the Giants ace ranks among the top 10 in all of baseball in ERA (2nd), Opponents slugging percentage (4th), WHIP (5th), home runs allowed per 9 innings (6th) and Opponents batting average (7th). Another Giant who is enjoying success this year and has made history is Giants longtime shortstop Brandon Crawford. 

The bay area native who grew up rooting for the Giants, now holds his place in Giants lore after passing Hall of Famer Travis Jackson for the most games played at shortstop in franchise history (1,326). On the night of his record-setting feat, Crawford cranked two home runs in San Francisco's 9-4 win over the Rangers on Tuesday, and has already matched his home run numbers from the past five seasons with a team-leading 14 HR on the year, and is currently on pace to surpass his career-high of 21 long balls hit back in 2015. With Crawford's help, the Giants have slugged the third most team home runs in Giants history through 60 games with 88, falling just one shy of their 2001 mark and five short of the 93 home runs in 2000. After being humbled by the Dodgers in their first meeting of the season which saw L.A. take a broom to the orange and black with a three-game sweep at Oracle Park, the G-Men virtually returned the favor by taking three of four and winning three straight at Dodger Stadium. Even more impressive, the Giants have managed to not only stay afloat, but remain at the top with a league-leading 16 players on the Injured List, three more than the next closest team (Seattle Mariners). Even if injuries were to get the best of skipper Gabe Kapler's team and they were unable to maintain a stranglehold on the division over the much more talented rosters of the Padres and Dodgers, there's no reason the Giants shouldn't contend for an NL Wild Card spot at the very least, which would again surpass the expectations of this ball club coming into Spring Training. 

That said, the question on the tip of everyone's tongue becomes whether or not Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi makes the team buyers at the trade deadline. 

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The Giants are Baseball's Best 1.5 Months in

A month and a half into the 2021 MLB season and it's the San Francisco Giants who own the best record in all of baseball at 22-14 entering May 12, much to the surprise of, well, everyone. Sitting atop the National League West and playing alongside the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers who continue to add and develop star talent, as well as the juggernaut San Diego Padres who won the offseason with several big name acquisitions, it's the Giants who have took the league by storm with their red-hot start. Closing in on their 29-31 record from 2020 when the Giants fell one win shy of clinching a playoff berth just a year ago in the pandemic-shortened season which would've been their first trip to the postseason since 2016, manager Gabe Kapler's team of outcasts appears to be a little more well-rounded this time around despite a veteran-heavy lineup. 

While the orange and black continue to take advantage of a slumping Dodgers team and a banged up Padres squad that has been riddled up and down the lineup with Covid issues, the argument can only go so far when crying fluke as SF stands above the rest with an MLB-best 14-4 record at home. Having flourished in large part thanks to an impressive pitching staff which has pitched brilliantly to the tune of a 3.34 team ERA which ranks 6th in all of baseball, starters Kevin Gausman (3-0, 1.97 ERA) and Anthony DeSclafani (2-1, 2.40 ERA) have helped lead the way for the Giants, as both are in the top-20 in lowest-ERA's among starting pitchers. Another surprise -- the club has also slugged their way into the top-5 in team home runs with 47 long balls. Among those suppling the power inside the lineup is none other than former MVP Buster Posey. The 6-time All-Star catcher has enjoyed somewhat of a resurgence this season and is swinging a hot stick to this point in his return after missing all of the 2020 season due to the pandemic. Hitting .385 on the year, the now 34-year old Posey shares a team-lead with 8 home runs on the year, tied with teammate Brandon Belt (8), three behind the league-leader. Shortstop and fellow-Giant Brandon Crawford is not far behind with 7 HR's. 

Only the St. Louis Cardinals who share a 22-14 record atop the NL Central can boast about owning the best winning percentage (.611) in all of baseball. However, the Giants currently stand above the Redbirds as they own a +31 run differential compared to St. Louis' +28 entering Wednesday. After a short two-game sweep of the Texas Rangers which concluded on Tuesday at San Francisco's Oracle Park, the Giants will turn their attention to a pair of NL Central division foes when they embark on an 8-game road trip to face the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds, before getting their first crack at the archrival Dodgers. Having already surpassed the expectations of many around the game of baseball, the question now turns to whether or not the Giants can sustain their surprisingly hot start as they begin to receive contributions from a number of other players including starting pitcher Logan Webb and the recently acquired Mike Tauchman in the outfield. 

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Trey Day - 49ers Rock NFL Draft with pick of young QB

The 2021 NFL Draft is officially in the books. With pick numbers 1 and 2 being a foregone conclusion by the Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Jets, respectively, all the buzz heading into the draft surrounded who would go No. 3 overall to the San Francisco 49ers. With their lips sealed tightly, head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch went into the 49ers war room on draft day having not even shared their decision with the rest of their coaching staff, as they were left having to guess like the rest of us. Sworn in secrecy, the clandestine meetings between Shanahan and Lynch were like something out of a scene from Disney's National Treasure as they kept the name of their future franchise quarterback and the player who will without question determine their legacy in San Francisco, under wraps and in a vault as if it were the recipe to Coca-Cola or KFC's famous fried chicken. Receiving a mixed reaction by the media and the league for trading the 12th overall pick as well as first round picks in each of the next two years to Miami for the third overall pick, everyone had their ears to the ground and their eyes on the TV come time for San Francisco's mysterious pick after Trevor Lawrence and Zack Wilson heard their names called first. With rumors of the pick being any one of Alabama's Mac Jones, Ohio State's Justin Fields or North Dakota State's Trey Lance, it was Lance who's name was called when it was all said and done. 

Looked at as being a project at the QB position, Shanahan and company plan to take the same approach with Lance as the Kansas City Chiefs did with Patrick Mahomes when they traded up to take him with the 10th overall pick in 2017 before handing him a clipboard to watch and learn from the sidelines for a season behind Alex Smith. Speaking of Alex Smith, Lance is the first 49ers quarterback to be selected in the first round since Smith was chosen first overall in 2005. As risky as the pick might've been considering all that San Francisco sent to Miami in return, the decision to draft someone as raw as Lance might be worth the gamble given he possesses arguably the highest ceiling in this entire draft class and his upside could rival that of Jacksonville's Trevor Lawrence. Despite the one-game season at NDSU this past college football season, a season that was cut short due to the pandemic, Lance has not lost a game since High School, as he finished his college career by going 17-0 as a starter and threw for 30 touchdowns to only 1 interception, while rushing for another 18 scores. But as unblemished as his career was with the Bison, some pundits have their doubts and have pointed to the limited reps and small amount of games played as we've only seen a small sample size for a guy the 49ers deemed worthy of the third overall pick. 

Described as a perfect fit for Kyle Shanahan's offensive system, Lance has the athleticism and run ability to compliment his cannon of an arm, which will keep teams on their toes when running play-action. The Niners are hoping incumbent quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has a resurgence season in 2021, much like Aaron Rodgers did with Green Bay last season when he saw his team draft a QB in the first round, only for him to go berserk and play his way to an MVP award. Under contract for the next two seasons, the 49ers can ill-afford banking on Jimmy G's health beyond this year as he has started only 30 games in four seasons since being traded to SF. 

Day 2 of the Draft saw the 49ers make a number of trades up and down the draft board, including one with the Las Vegas Raiders to move back from pick No. 43 to the No. 48 spot, which they used to take Notre Dame guard Aaron Banks in the second round. In the same trade, San Francisco would send a 7th-round pick to the Raiders in exchange for a fourth-round pick -- 121st overall. The Niners would then flip the fourth-round pick acquired from the Raiders as well as their own 4th-rounder to the Los Angeles Rams for the 88th pick which San Francisco would use on Ohio State running back Trey Sermon. With their second and final 3rd-round selection (pick 102), the 49ers would finally add to their defense with Michigan cornerback Ambry Thomas. San Francisco would kickoff Day 3 by adding more depth to the offensive-line as they made Western Michigan offensive-tackle Jaylon Moore their pick at 155, before adding another corner in Oregon's Deommodore Lenoir with the 172nd pick. They would round out their trio of 5th-round picks by nabbing USC safety Talanoa Hufanga (pick 180). After trading their seventh-round pick, the 49ers would make Lousiana running back Elijah Mitchell their final pick of the draft at pick No. 194 of the 6th-round. 

With no running backs under contract following the upcoming 2021-22 NFL season, Niners brass decided to plan for the future by drafting a pair of running backs by taking one on days 2 and 3 in Sermon and Mitchell. After exploding for a Big Ten record with 331 yards on 29 carries for the Buckeyes in their Big Ten Championship win over Northwestern, it'll be exciting to see what Sermon can do in coach Shanahan's system. Having already established one of the better tandems along the offensive-line anchored by Pro Bowl tackle Trent Williams, San Francisco continued to beef up their o-line with a pair of big bodies in Banks and Moore. Finally, the defensive secondary was bolstered with some much needed depth as Thomas, Lenoir and Hufanga should all get a crack at earning some playing time whether on defense or on special-teams. Thought to be in on a wide-receiver in the draft, the 49ers surprisingly did not draft a receiver, but did manage to sign the undrafted Austin Watkins -- receiver out of UAB. Other undrafted players to sign with the 49ers included tight-end Josh Pederson out of Louisiana Monroe and linebackers Justin Hilliard of Ohio State and Elijah Sullivan of Kansas. 

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Lakers Add former All-Star Drummond for Playoff Push

The defending world champion Los Angeles Lakers have had a rough go around with injury issues in 2021, much to be expected due to the quick turnaround and shortened offseason following the team's title run back in October. With just 72 days in-between seasons, the shortest offseason in the history of the four major sports in the United States, it's no surprise that many of the league's best players have fallen victim to the injury bug at one point or another. And no team has felt that wrath worse than the defending champs themselves. As the NBA trade deadline came and went on Thursday without the Lakers making any noise, the team was fortunate enough to strike gold elsewhere on the free-agent market. 

With teams jockeying for position in the NBA arms race, the Lakers, standing at a record of 30-17, received some much needed help with the acquisition of All-Star center Andre Drummond just in time for their upcoming playoff push. Acquired on Sunday after clearing waivers just days after the trade deadline, Drummond spent nearly eight seasons in Detroit where he was named to an All-Star team twice, before being traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers last season. Drummond's services became available after his contract was bought out by the Cavs who decided to sit the former 9th overall pick in favor of devoting more playing time to the younger Jarrett Allen as Cleveland enters yet another rebuild. But like the saying goes: one team's trash is another team's treasure. In need of another interior presence to ease the load off of last year's 6th Man of the Year in Montrezl Harrell and 10-day contract recipient Damian Jones who have both been summoned to fill the void left by Marc Gasol who had missed nine games while battling COVID issues, Drummond will be called upon to start at center and should be able to contribute right away. Especially in the absence of superstars LeBron James (high ankle sprain) and Anthony Davis (right calf injury), who have missed 5 and 19 games, respectively. Since Davis' absence on February 14, the team has been on somewhat of a freefall, dropping 10 of 19 games and falling from the Western Conference's top seed to the fourth seed. With James out for at least another two to three weeks and no timetable set just yet for Davis' return, the Lakers need help outside of the usual suspects i.e. Kyle Kuzma and Dennis Schroeder and they need it now to stay afloat in the extremely competitive Western Conference. 

Having sat out since February 12, Drummond will need to get his feet back underneath him after averaging 17.5 points, 13.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 25 starts before his benching and ultimately his release from the Cavs. Drummond has led the league in rebounds on four separate occasions and has finished in the top 2 for seven straight seasons, while also leading all centers in steals over the past 4 seasons. The former UCONN product also does a superior job on the offensive boards, having led the league in offensive rebounds in each of the last 7 seasons. Another strong point of his is second-chance points which Drummond has led the league in five times. As for this season, although a small sample size, Drummond is second in the league in rebounds per game, behind only Atlanta's Clint Capela, and third in offensive boards per game with 4.0. A stat the Lakers and head coach Frank Vogel will surely welcome with open arms as they currently rank 9th in the league in rebounding, but just 17th in offensive rebounds. With a healthy LeBron James and Anthony Davis in the lineup and the addition of Drummond, the Lakers should see their chances of defending their NBA title catapult back to the top. With the 7th-highest career rebounding average in NBA history (13.5), the newest Laker will make his team debut with the purple and gold tonight at 7pm when they take on the (29-17) Milwaukee Bucks at Staples Center in L.A. 

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49ers cap Offseason flurry by Trading up to No. 3 spot in April's Draft

One week of NFL free-agency in the books and the San Francisco 49ers have checked off the list of many of their top priorities this offseason. Of the many moves the franchise has made thus far, it was the deal to bring back fullback Kyle Juszczyk that kicked things off for general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan. Striking a deal to bring back the versatile Juszczyk, Shanahan's offensive system has allowed the 5-time Pro Bowl fullback to flourish whether he's run-blocking or receiving. Playing a position that has become somewhat of a dying breed in today's NFL, Juszczyk remains one of the 49ers' most lethal weapons in San Francisco's run-heavy scheme, which has helped him enjoy Pro Bowl campaigns in each of his previous four seasons as a 49er. Thus 49ers brass made it a priority of theirs to retain Juice for another five-years, inking him to a $27 Million contract. The front-office also made noise on defense, bringing in a new face in defensive-end Samson Ebukam (two-year deal), formerly of the rival L.A. Rams, while also seeing the return of multiple key players. 

Cornerbacks Jason Verrett (one-year), Dontae Johnson (one-year), Emmanuel Moseley (two-years) and K'Waun Williams (one-year) all returned to the Bay Area for another go around in San Francisco's secondary, as did safety Jaquiski Tartt (one-year). Bolstering the defensive-line, D.J. Jones and Jordan Willis each landed one-year deals to return to the squad as well. As for the biggest move of them all, the duo of Lynch & Shanahan made the earth-shattering deal that made All-Pro tackle Trent Williams the most wealthiest man to ever play the position, as the two sides agreed to a six-year, $138.6 Million pact, the highest-paid contract to an offensive-lineman ever. After making his 8th career Pro Bowl appearance in 2020, the former first round pick with Washington landed himself a huge payday after sitting out all of 2019 due to health concerns and a tiff with team doctors which ultimately led to his trade request out of the nation's capital. Other than the hefty payday, Williams' familiarity in Shanahan's system dating back to their time spent in Washington together, made returning to San Francisco an easy decision for the 32-year old. 

Another new face for the Niners but one Shanahan is also familiar with is center and Cal Berkeley alum Alex Mack who signed a 3-year deal after playing the last five seasons in Atlanta, including a season with Kyle Shanahan as the Falcons' offensive-coordinator in 2016, as well as Shanahan's only season with Cleveland in 2014. But as busy as the 49ers front-office was in free agency, the team also dropped a bombshell in relation to next month's Draft. Originally positioned at the No. 12 slot, the duo of Lynch & Shanahan dealt that pick along with the compensatory third-round pick they acquired with Robert Saleh heading to the Jets, as well as their first-round picks in both 2022 and 2023 to the Dolphins for Miami's No. 3 overall selection. The blockbuster deal was the talk of the town in the football world on Friday and will have "massive ramifications" as ESPN's Adam Schefter put it. With the pick almost certain to be spent on a quarterback, things will now shift to a waiting game in terms of which young quarterback the 49ers brain trust will call upon to be their signal-caller of the future. Rumors have swirled virtually all offseason long with whispers of a possible trade for Jets QB Sam Darnold or Houston's Deshaun Watson to San Francisco, but all signs are pointing to Jimmy Garoppolo being under center for the 49ers, at least for 2021 as GM John Lynch made sure to call Garoppolo shortly after news broke of the big trade, to ensure him that he remains in the team's plans as the projected starter for the upcoming season and will now be asked to tutor his future replacement. 

As Clemson's Trevor Lawrence and BYU's Zach Wilson are practically shoo-ins to be selected with the first and second overall picks by the Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Jets, respectively, the 49ers will likely nab one of the following: Justin Fields out of Ohio State, Trey Lance of North Dakota State, or Alabama's Mac Jones. San Francisco will also make selections with the 43rd, 102nd, 117th, 155th, 172nd, 180th, 194th and 230th overall picks. 

Other notable free-agent signings include former Cardinals receiver and return specialist Trent Sherfield, former Colts safety Tavon Wilson and former Panthers defensive-tackle Zach Kerr. 

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49ers drop Close Call vs Seattle in Season-Finale

Week 17 - Closing the book on the 2020-21 NFL regular season, the San Francisco 49ers (6-9) entered their season-finale against the archrival Seattle Seahawks (11-4) in yet another home game away from home as the two went toe to toe at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. With Seattle having already clinched the NFC Western Division following their Week 16 victory over the Los Angeles Rams, the 49ers would be unable to play the role of spoiler like they did the week prior after hanging a loss on their fellow stadium tenant -- Arizona Cardinals. But one thing they could do, was hand Seattle a loss to finish the regular season and leave them with a bad taste in their mouth heading into the Playoffs. However, Seattle's star quarterback and team leader Russell Wilson would have none of that as San Francisco took the field without receiver Brandon Aiyuk (ankle) and tackle Trent Williams (elbow), two of the very few bright spots for the 49ers this year. 

In what would end up being a lackluster first half by both teams highlighted by seven total punts, it was the kickers and punters who stole the show and saw a majority of the action through the first two quarters as Seattle entered the half with a 6-3 lead. In the days leading up to Sunday's game, the 49ers announced the return of kicker Robbie Gould who was inked to a 2-year extension worth $7.25 Million. But on Sunday, it would be Tristan Vizcaino who filled in for Gould at the kicker position and did a mighty fine job in his absence. Seeing his first NFL action, Vizcaino tied the game with a 47-yard field goal to open the second half and gave them the lead one possession later with a 33-yarder. With their defense holding strong through the first three quarters led by linebacker Fred Warner who was named as the NFC Defensive Player of the Week for the second time this season due to his efforts in Week 16, San Francisco would take a 16-6 lead early in the fourth quarter when running back Jeff Wilson shot through the middle for a 7-yard touchdown. Coming off a career game in which Wilson tallied over 200 yards of total offense, it would be Seattle's Wilson who began to chip away at the surprising double-digit deficit that his team faced at the early part of the fourth quarter. 

Needing to flip the switch on offense, Russell Wilson and company were able to do just that to finish the game strong as they orchestrated three consecutive touchdown-scoring drives. On the first two, Wilson would connect with receiver Tyler Lockett for back to back touchdowns of six and four yards. Seattle's third and final touchdown of the fourth quarter would be aided by a costly 49ers fumble as quarterback C.J. Beathard was sacked and stripped of the ball which allowed for an easy touchdown-scoring drive just three plays later as backup running back Alex Collins found the end zone for an 8-yard score. After leading by 10-points near the start of the fourth quarter, the 49ers quickly found themselves trailing by 10 with just under two-minutes remaining. In need of a quick score, San Francisco was able to answer fairly quickly as Beathard and co. stringed together an 8-play, touchdown-scoring drive that ended with a 3-yard touchdown catch by Jeff Wilson, his second touchdown of the afternoon and his 10th TD of the season after scoring only 5 TD's through his first two campaigns. Unfortunately, an onside-kick attempt by San Francisco would be recovered by Seattle who was able to run out the last of the game clock and hang on for the 26-23 win. 

By collecting their 12th win of the season, history will be looking over the shoulders of the Seahawks heading into the postseason and while it might not be something Niner fans want to hear (or read), Seattle has gone on to make it to the Super Bowl each season in which they won 11+ games and were crowned NFC Western Division champions. As for San Francisco who finished the season 6-10 on the year and will pick 12th overall in April's Draft, they're the first team since the 2016 Carolina Panthers to follow up a trip to the Super Bowl with a losing record the following season. And we can all thank the injury gods for that. But breathe easy Niner fans as the 2020-21 NFL regular season has officially come to an end. And what a year it was for Kyle Shanahan's squad that endured just about everything and then some in what will ultimately be a season to forget. Just one year removed from the big dance of Super Bowl Sunday, anything that could've gone wrong, practically did for a Niners team that finished the year five games below .500 and is already counting down the days until next season, while also hoping to have much better luck on the health front as the injury bug was none too kind to the reigning NFC Champions. Not to mention the team having to play their final three home games out of state in Arizona after being kicked out of Levi's Stadium by health officials and the strict regulations put in place by Santa Clara County. 

An Inevitable Farewell - Leaving 2020-21 in their rearview, the 49ers will now have to prepare for life without defensive coordinator Robert Saleh who is scheduled to meet with and interview for several of the NFL's six head coaching vacancies around the league. With ties to both the Detroit Lions who play just a stones throw away from Saleh's hometown of Dearborn, Michigan, and the Jacksonville Jaguars where he spent three seasons as the team's linebackers coach from 2014 to 2016 before landing a gig on Kyle Shanahan's coaching staff, Saleh is a top candidate to land a head coaching position after leading a short-handed 49er defense which finished 5th in yards per game allowed, despite a complete overhaul to the roster that was decimated by injuries just two weeks into the season. Saleh could've very well had his name called for a head coaching job in 2020, but instead decided to return to the Bay Area for some unfinished business after coming minutes away from winning the Super Bowl the year before. Now, he's almost a shoo-in to find a top job elsewhere, and if he does, his energy and fiery personality will greatly be missed on the 49ers sideline. 

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49ers Play Spoiler in the Desert, Upset Cardinals

Week 16 - With the San Francisco 49ers (5-9) officially eliminated from playoff contention following their Week 15 loss to Dallas, the focus of Kyle Shanahan's team would turn to the division rival Arizona Cardinals (8-6) who are vying for a playoff spot as a potential Wild Card team. But with a change at quarterback for San Francisco who promoted C.J. Beathard in place of Nick Mullens, the hapless 49ers would look to redeem themselves and play the role of spoiler against a Cardinals team that would've benefited greatly with a win at home on Saturday, given the Chicago Bears (7-7) are hot on their heels. Making his first start since 2018, Beathard, who owned a career record of 0-3 versus Arizona entering Saturday's game, received some much needed help from an old college teammate who made his return to the lineup for the 49er offense. 

Having been sidelined with a foot injury since Week 8, San Francisco's Pro Bowl tight-end George Kittle returned to the lineup in a big way on Saturday, hauling in four passes from his former college teammate at Iowa, for a game-high 94 yards receiving. Despite their first time playing together in an actual game in nearly two years, Beathard and Kittle were able to rekindle their old chemistry which was a welcoming sight among 49er fans. Outscoring opponents 36-0 in the first quarter over their last four games, the Cardinals were quick to jump out to a 3-0 advantage after their first possession of the game, but the 49ers would succeed in putting an end to that first quarter shutout when Beathard hit running back Jeff Wilson Jr. for a 21-yard pass that he took to the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown. In what would be the start of a busy day for Wilson Jr., the Niners' third-string running back would have a career day on Saturday before it was all said and done as he became the first 49ers running back since Frank Gore in 2009, to put up over 200 yards from scrimmage in a single game. And his early trip to the end zone would give the 49ers six consecutive games with a first quarter touchdown for the first time since 2002. 

After taking a 7-6 lead into the half, the 49ers would continue to go with a steady diet of Wilson Jr. on the ground, but a pair of missed field goals and a missed extra-point by kicker Robbie Gould, including one to open the second half, would make things a lot closer on the scoreboard than they should've been. Luckily, after forcing a three and out on Arizona's first possession of the second half, the offense would be able to add to their score without the help of Gould, as Beathard found fullback Kyle Juszczyk for a 9-yard touchdown pass to go up, 14-6. Opening the fourth quarter with a touchdown by Arizona, the Cardinals would fail to tie the game on a two-point conversion attempt as QB Kyler Murray's pass attempt was incomplete. After a failed fourth down attempt on Arizona's next possession led to a turnover on downs, the 49ers took advantage of the gutsy gamble by Cardinals head coach Cliff Kingsbury inside his team's own territory, as Wilson Jr. broke for a 34-yard run that allowed the 49ers to setup shop just shy of the goal-line. One play later, Beathard would again find Juszczyk inside the end zone for a touchdown. Trailing 20-12, Murray and company would march all the way to the red zone before a pass was lobbed into the end zone and intercepted by San Francisco's Ahkello Witherspoon. 

Despite their struggles, the Cardinals would still get one last-ditch attempt to tie the game, down 20-12 following Gould's second missed field goal on the afternoon. However, the 49er defense would manage to hang on as Arizona's fourth quarter comeback attempt came up short on a failed fourth down conversion. In what was an all-around stellar performance defensively for San Francisco, the 49er defense did exceptionally well in coverage as they were able to keep both DeAndre Hopkins and Larry Fitzgerald in check, as the duo combined for 14 receptions but were held to only 76-yards receiving. Also, Cardinals running back Kenyan Drake who was the last running back to rush for over 100 yards against the 49er defense when he did so in his Cardinals debut in Week 9 of the 2019 season, was also held in check for the most part as he was limited to only 45 yards rushing on 18 carries. C.J. Beathard finished with a quiet 183 yards passing, but managed to throw a trio of touchdown passes and avoided the costly interceptions that had doomed the 49er offense the past few weeks with quarterback Nick Mullens under center. Jeff Wilson Jr.'s 204 total yards from scrimmage were the most since Frank Gore compiled 246 total scrimmage yards in Week 2 of the 2009 season. Having played their last two home games at State Farm Stadium and coming up short in both affairs, the 49ers were finally able to pull out a win in Arizona, this time as the road team. 

Noteworthy: Earlier in the week, three 49ers were named to the NFC's Pro Bowl team: fullback Kyle Juszczyk, tackle Trent Williams and linebacker Fred Warner. Also, defensive-lineman Kerry Hyder was one of three 49ers to log a quarterback sack on Saturday, giving him a career-high 8.5 sacks on the season. 

Week 17 Preview - Staying in Arizona, the 49ers will finish their 2020 regular season when they play host to the division rival Seattle Seahawks (11-4). Coming off a victory over the Los Angeles Rams which clinched an NFC West title for Pete Carrol's Seahawks for the first time since 2016, Seattle will try to avoid an upset loss to San Francisco as they still have eyes on a top seed in the NFC's playoff picture. Unlike last year's heavyweight meeting between these two teams which took place on the final week of the regular season and was the final game of the regular season on NBC's Sunday Night Football which was won on a goal-line stand by San Francisco and determined the winner of the division as well as the NFC's number one seed, this time around the game will have much less meaning and far less drama. Nonetheless, Russell Wilson and company will try to continue their stride into the playoffs, while coach Shanahan's 49ers hope to finish the regular season strong with a little winning streak of their own to closeout the season and build upon come 2021. 

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