Cubs' Michael Conforto gets his 2025 World Series ring from the Dodgers

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Michael Conforto enjoyed a highlight before the Chicago Cubs opened a three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night.

The Cubs' backup outfielder was visited by his former Dodgers teammates who brought quite a gift — a 2025 World Series ring. The Dodgers beat the Toronto Blue Jays in seven games to win a second straight championship.

“Opening it, putting it on — one of the coolest moments in my baseball career, for sure,” Conforto said. “Right up there with dogpiling after Game 7.”

Conforto struggled mightily with the Dodgers, batting a career-worst .199 with 121 strikeouts playing on a $17 million, one-year deal. He didn't make the postseason roster and the team later let his contract expire.

But all that was forgotten during the brief pregame reunion.

“Really cool to see all the guys and just have them be excited for me to get my ring,” he said.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, “I will definitely find Michael and congratulate him. I know he didn’t perform the way that people would have liked and he would have liked, but I loved him on the team. I loved what he brought to the Dodgers."

Conforto showed the gaudy ring that contains another ring inside it and the box featuring video highlights of the 2025 season to a couple teammates at his locker in the visiting clubhouse.

“It’s totally the way L.A. does it. That’s how they do things, different and grand,” he said. “It’s really cool that they put a second ring in there so you can wear it a little bit more low-key.”

There was nothing low-key about Conforto's time in Los Angeles. Agitated fans practically begged Roberts to leave him out of the lineup, but Conforto appeared in 138 games, mostly in left field. He had 36 RBIs, 56 walks and a .638 OPS.

“Naturally, I wanted to go over there and slug with the superstars,” he said of being on a team with Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts, among others. “I put my energy in a place that kind of put me at a disadvantage. Those are good lessons to bring with me and things I think about a lot.”

Conforto signed a minor-league deal with the Cubs and made the opening day roster. He's hitting .304 in 23 at-bats, with seven hits, five RBIs, seven walks and 10 strikeouts.

His disappointing year in Los Angeles taught Conforto an important lesson about priorities.

“My focus needed to be on moving runners, having good at bats, getting guys in from third with less than two outs, the little baseball things, and less about having a big swing, hitting the homer,” he said. “Those things happen organically. When you’re going out there and trying to do it, it’s going to be really hard for you.”

Conforto credits Roberts for backing him while at the same time telling him the truth.

“He stuck with me for a long time and continued to be positive with me. At the same time, he was real honest about what he needed to see from me and that’s all you can ask for as a player,” Conforto said. “It helped pull me out of the huge slump that I was in and I made myself valuable enough to keep around. I owe that to him for sticking with me.”

His mother, Tracie Ruiz-Conforto, won two gold medals at the 1984 Los Angeles Games, when artistic swimming made its Olympic debut.

“Finally have something that is on the same level,” Conforto said, “but she’s got two gold, so I got to get another ring.”

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Chicago Cubs' Michael Conforto, right, hits a double during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Chicago, Sunday, April 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Chicago Cubs' Michael Conforto runs after hitting a one-run double during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets in Chicago, Sunday, April 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

CINCINNATI (AP) — The Cincinnati Bengals continued to invest in their pass rush Friday night by selecting Texas A&M edge rusher Cashius Howell with their first pick of the NFL draft.

Howell was the 41st overall player taken in the draft and the third edge rusher in the second round. He was an Associated Press first-team All-American and the SEC's defensive player of the year.

Howell is 6-foot-2 and 253 pounds, which is leaner than the Bengals typically go for on the defensive line. He offers the Bengals speed around the edge and upgrades their pass rush depth. Howell recorded 11 1/2 sacks last year.

Cincinnati traded the 10th overall pick to the New York Giants for Dexter Lawrence last weekend. It was the first time the Bengals did not have a first-round pick since 1989.

Howell joins Myles Murphy, Boye Mafe and Shemar Stewart on the Bengals’ defensive end depth chart.

The Bengals had notable needs at linebacker and cornerback, but the opportunity to add a premium pass rusher in Howell was too good to pass up.

“The quick wins he can give us as a rusher is really dynamic,” assistant general manager Mike Potts said. “His arsenal of rush tools and moves that he has, I thought it was second to none in this draft class.”

The Bengals drafted Shemar Stewart out of Texas A&M last year in the first-round, but Howell has a very different style. His speed stands out, and he also offers outside linebacker versatility.

“He can play 4-2 edge,” defensive coordinator Al Golden said. “He can play outside backer if you go into five down (linemen). He showed proficiency being able to drop. He can help us on special teams. This is a multi-faceted athlete. A really, really twitched up guy.”

Potts said that the Bengals weighed opportunities to move up and move back on Friday night, but the compensation didn’t work out. Sticking at pick No. 41, the Bengals were able to land a player in Howell who made a very strong impression during the pre-draft process.

“They told me on my (pre-draft) visit that they’d hope I fall to them,” Howell said. “It’s a blessing.”

He began his college career as a redshirt at Bowling Green. Howell transferred to Texas A&M in 2024, and 2025 was his true breakout year.

“We were completely aligned with the personnel and coaching staff,” Potts said. “This guy is one of our favorite players in the draft.”

While the Bengals had three potential impact pass rushers already on the roster, there was no established depth beyond that. Entering the draft, the Bengals’ fourth defensive end was Isaiah Foskey, who wasn’t on the roster at the start of last season.

Even though the Bengals could have added a potential starter at linebacker or corner, they were planning to address defensive end early in this draft. They checked that box with Howell.

“There are always different tiebreakers,” Potts said. “In this case, it was a position we wanted to address and the highest-graded player.”

In the third round, the Bengals went for upside at a position of need and selected Washington cornerback Tacario Davis.

The Bengals lacked a backup corner with the physical skill set to grow into a future starter, and Davis checks that spot. The front office was impressed by his combination of size, speed and production. Davis can contribute as a true man corner in specific matchups and on third downs when the Bengals look to get more defensive backs on the field.

Davis backs up two standout corners in Dax Hill and DJ Turner and provides important depth in the secondary.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

FILE - Texas A&M defensive end Cashius Howell (9) rushes Samford quarterback Quincy Crittendon (2) during the first quarter of an NCAA college football game, Nov. 22, 2025, in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo/Sam Craft, File)