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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Dodgers 2024 World Series triumph over the New York Yankees is a microcosm of their season and the last decade
Any journey, whether it be in life, love, or in this case, sports, is often tumultuous. The end of that journey would not have the same significance if it was simple, or easy. The voyage must contain trials and tribulations, meant to beat you down and break you along the way. Those journeys are filled with a series of...
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Walker Buehler's dominant start in Game 3 of the World Series proves why he's still the best big game pitcher in the business
It’s Walker Buehler’s world, and we’re all just living in it. There was a moment early in Game 3 on Monday night at Yankee Stadium that a raucous crowd of 49,368 loyal fans fell so silent you could hear a pin drop. No, it wasn’t during the pregame Fat Joe performance, but it happened shortly after Yankees’ slugger Aaron...
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Denis Bouanga, Cristian Olivera score as LAFC opens MLS playoffs with 2-1 victory over Whitecaps
Denis Bouanga scored on a penalty kick in the first half and Cristian Olivera scored early in the second to lead Western Conference regular-season champion Los Angeles FC to a 2-1 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps on Sunday night in a best-of-three first-round series for the MLS Cup. LAFC took a 1-0 lead in the 30th minute on the PK...
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Will Shohei Ohtani play in Game 3 of the World Series for the Dodgers? Here are the latest updates on his injury
Dodger Stadium fell silent and held its collective breath during the bottom of the seventh inning on Saturday night in Game 2 of the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees. Dodgers’ superstar, and frontrunner for the National League MVP, Shohei Ohtani, appeared to injure his left shoulder attempting to steal base. As he lay…
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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...