What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. Or in this case, what happens in Vegas, gets a rumor started about it and ends up turning into a twist-filled story involving another sports figure. Thus is the basis of the latest headline involving Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis.
The 69-year-old was rumored to be an expecting father with 26-year-old dancer Hayden Hopkins. Hopkins was spotted in the owner's box next to Davis at a Raiders game in 2022. That picture alone sparked the conversation, but the gossip has since been debunked by the latest report from TMZ Sports.
Hopkins is pregnant, but the child does not belong to Mark Davis. The father is two-time MLB All-Star, Washington Nationals first baseman Joey Gallo.
Hopkins' connection with the Raiders comes from her time as part of the team's cheer squad the ‘Raiderettes.' It's unknown why she was with Davis in the suite at that particular game, but it appears that everything was cordial between the two.
Joey Gallo has a connection to Las Vegas having grown up in the adjacent town of Paradise, Nev and going to high school in Vegas. It's unclear how or when he and Hopkins met. TMZ had learned that the pregnancy was planned. Hopkins confirmed the news in an Instagram post, saying “Joey and I are excited to welcome our baby in the fall.”
Joey Gallo's 2024 season
Joey Gallo has been around long enough for MLB teams to know what to expect from him. A two-time Gold Glove Award winner and two-time All-Star, Gallo hasn’t done much at the plate over the last three seasons, including through 33 games with the Nats in 2024.
Gallo has a .138 batting average with 15 hits, 16 walks, 58 strikeouts and a .568 OPS. He has a .178 batting average since the 2020 season. He can still hit bombs and play decent defense, but it's crazy to think a guy with those hitting numbers still finds consistent playing time in the MLB.
The Nationals are playing fairly well this season and could exceed expectations by the end of the year. Gallo can be a part of that but isn’t making an impact quite yet. Perhaps building up some of that dad strength will help his cause.
The 30-year-old Gallo signed a one-year contract with the Nationals worth $5 million with a second-year buyout option. It also includes an $8 million mutual option for 2025. Assuming the Nats take the next step and Gallo continues to struggle, the veteran might hit the open market once again.
Mark Davis, Raiders trying to build a winner in Vegas
It's been 22 years since the Raiders' last playoff win and trip to the Super Bowl. The move to Las Vegas has resulted in one winning season and one playoff berth.
Mark Davis almost certainly envisioned bringing a winning team to Vegas. So far things haven’t panned out, but maybe 2024 will bring greener pastures for the Raiders organization. A new head coach and general manager duo might be just what the franchise needed and fans & players alike were thrilled that Antonio Pierce remained with the Raiders as head coach.
Vegas just hosted Super Bowl 58 where the Raiders watched their division rival Kansas City Chiefs win a title on their home turf. The Raiders could turn that into a motivating factor, but not many people are putting them in the conversation for reaching the AFC playoffs.
Las Vegas had a great finish to the 2023 season, winning three of its last four games. That stretch included a Christmas Day upset over the Chiefs and a 63-21 rout of the Los Angeles Chargers.
The 2024 season presents a new challenge for the Raiders and Mark Davis will not shy away from a challenge. It's hard to not be relevant when you play in a city like Las Vegas but the Raiders don’t want to be known as the losers of the city, especially with the success of the Golden Knights in the NHL and Aces in the WNBA.
It appears it will still take a lot to get the Raiders into contender mode. The pieces could be there with the wrong recipe on the card. This new regime is tasked with fixing the problems and cooking the right game plan.
