Michael J. Duarte is a sports writer and reporter with NBCLA. He is known for his sharp wit in sports news storytelling and his detailed sports features, Duarte is the 2019 Southern California Sports Journalist of the Year and currently covers the Los Angeles Lakers, Dodgers, Rams, and more.
The Latest
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Yoshinobu Yamamoto dazzles in World Series debut, stifles Yankees prolific lineup to lead Dodgers in Game 2, and 2-0 series advantage
The roar of the crowd, like a locamotive heading fullspeeed down the tracks, was deafening at Dodger Stadium on Saturday night. 52,725 screaming fans rose to their feet in unison to give Yoshinobu Yamamoto the standing ovation he so dillegently deserved. As Yamamoto walked off the mound with one out in the seventh inning, he bowed his head in...
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WATCH: Rapper Ice Cube disses Yankees during performance at Dodger Stadium ahead of Game 2 of World Series
The King of diss tracks himself, rapper Ice Cube, took center stage (or field in this case) at Dodger Stadium on Saturday night ahead of Game 2 of the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees. Donned in a Dodgers hat, jersey, jacket, and shoes, Ice Cube rocked the crowd before first pitch, sending the...
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Dodgers' Freddie Freeman channels Kirk Gibson with walk-off grand slam in Game 1 of World Series
An improbable year. An impossible situation. An injured player on one leg. An immortal walk-off World Series homer. It all feels surreal–like deja vu on the grandest of scales. Did Freddie Freeman really just channel Kirk Gibson, rekindling the spirit of a moment that is forever etched into the hearts of Dodgers fans from 36 years ago? Did the...
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Who will win the 2024 World Series between the Dodgers and Yankees? Fans, the country, and experts are all divided
Polls and surveys have been conducted across the country, asking the million-dollar question: Who will win the 2024 World Series between the Dodgers and Yankees?
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Dodgers to honor legacy of Fernando Valenzuela during pregame ceremony ahead of Game 1 of World Series against Yankees
This Friday night at Dodger Stadium, as the sun dips below Chavez Ravine, a hush will sweep over a packed house clad in Dodger blue. Underneath the October lights, Los Angeles will honor the legacy of a man who forever changed baseball’s heartbeat in this city: Fernando Valenzuela. The 2024 World Series couldn’t be a more fitting backdrop—Los Angeles...
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Dodgers will wear No. 34 patch in honor of Fernando Valenzuela during 2024 World Series against Yankees
As the Los Angeles Dodgers step onto the field for the 2024 World Series, fans won’t just see them in their iconic blue and white—they’ll see the number 34 emblazoned on their sleeves, honoring one of the most beloved Dodgers of all time, Fernando Valenzuela. The tribute comes just days after the legendary left-hander’s passing at 63, a sudden...
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Reactions pour in after LeBron and Bronny James make NBA history as first father-son duo to share the court
Reactions from across the NBA included LeBron and Bronny James themselves, teammates and opponents after the father-son duo made NBA history Tuesday night.
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Shohei Ohtani's 50-50 baseball sells for record-breaking $4.39 Million at auction
It was a night that will be etched in the annals of baseball history forever—a night that saw Shohei Ohtani not just add to his growing list of accomplishments but redefine the boundaries of greatness. The ball from his historic 50th home run, the final stroke that secured his place as the founding member of Major League Baseball’s exclusive...
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Fernando Valenzuela's remarkable rookie season with the Dodgers in 1981 will live on forever
When Fernando Valenzuela first stepped onto the mound in 1981, few could have predicted the seismic shift he would create, not just in baseball, but in the cultural fabric of Los Angeles. His untimely passing on Tuesday, at the age of 63, brings fresh emotion to a legacy that started on the dirt fields of Etchohuaquila, Mexico and transcended into…