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
-
Shohei Ohtani homers in first postseason start, Dodgers rally to beat Padres 7-5 in Game 1 of NLDS
Hours before his first career playoff game, Shohei Ohtani, baseball’s active leader in most games played without a postseason appearance, was asked if he was nervous. “Nope,” he said matter of factly in English without the use of a translator. Turns out he was right. In his first ever playoff game, Ohtani performed the same as he has in...
-
Padres take bold steps to keep Dodgers fans out of Petco Park for NLDS showdown
The rivalry between the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers is about to hit new heights as the 2024 MLB Playoffs are in full swing. With the National League Division Series (NLDS) set to showcase these two NL West heavyweights, the Padres are pulling out all the stops to ensure that Petco Park remains a fortress of San Diego…
-
Three Dodgers players that could be X-Factors in the 2024 Postseason
For the Los Angeles Dodgers to make a deep run in 2024, they’ll need more than just their marquee names to perform. Here are three players that can be potential x-factors for the Boys in Blue this October.
-
Dodgers defeat rival Padres 7-2 to clinch 11th NL West division title in 12 years
The Dodgers dominance atop the National League West division continues. Will Smith hit the game-tying home run, Shohei Ohtani singled in the go-ahead run, and Mookie Betts delivered a two-run single as the Los Angeles Dodgers scored five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to come from behind to beat the San Diego Padres 7-2 on Thursday night…
-
LAFC ends four-game losing streak in title games with 3-1 victory over Sporting KC in 2024 U.S. Open Cup Final
Playing in their fifth final in the last two years, LAFC snapped their four-game losing streak in title games with a 3-1 victory in extra time over Sporting Kansas City in the 2024 U.S. Open Cup Final.
-
Is Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani's 50-50 record the greatest single season in MLB history?
Where does Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani’s season with 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases season rank among the all-time greats in MLB history?
-
LA Galaxy vs. LAFC El Tràfico Preview: How to watch the best MLS rivalry with Western Conference on the line
Southern California’s fiercest soccer rivalry returns this Fourth of July, as the LA Galaxy and LAFC clash at the iconic Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena. With both teams riding high in the Western Conference, the next chapter in the El Tráfico rivalry promises fireworks both on and off the field. Both teams enter the match as the class of...
-
Lakers will honor legend Jerry West with No. 44 jersey patch for 2024-25 season
The Los Angeles Lakers have always carried a deep reverence for their legends, and for the 2024-25 season, they’ll be honoring one of the greatest to ever wear the purple and gold—Jerry West. A towering figure in the history of the NBA, West will be commemorated with a No. 44 jersey patch on the left shoulder of every Lakers...
-
No. 23 USC upsets No. 13 LSU, 27-20, in Vegas Kickoff Classic
The No. 23 USC Trojans spoiled the part in Sin City on Sunday night, upsetting the No. 13 LSU Tigers 27-20 in front of a sellout crowd at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
-
Watch: Dodgers make history with back-to-back-to-back homers to start game vs. Diamondbacks
In a spectacle of sheer power, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ star-studded lineup made history on Saturday against the red-hot Arizona Diamondbacks. Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman, three former MVPs known affectionately among Dodgers fans as “MV3,” launched back-to-back-to-back home runs to open the game against Arizona starter Merrill Kelly. The whole sequence took place during a span of…
