Apr 8, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks left fielder Jorge Barrosa (1) reacts after hitting a two RBI double against the New York Mets during the eighth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images The Arizona Diamondbacks are hoping their much-needed offensive outburst on Wednesday is a sign of things to come.
The New York Mets are hoping David Peterson’s struggles aren’t a harbinger of rotation-depth issues.
The Diamondbacks and Mets will each be looking to win a series Thursday night, when Arizona visits New York in the finale of the three-game set.
Left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez (0-0, 0.00 ERA) is slated to start for the Diamondbacks against Mets right-hander Nolan McLean (1-0, 2.61) in a rematch of the pitchers who started the Venezuela-Team USA World Baseball Classic championship game last month.
Corbin Carroll and Jorge Barrosa each had two-run doubles Wednesday for the Diamondbacks, who rolled to a 7-2 win.
The seven runs were the most for the Diamondbacks since a 7-5 win over Detroit on March 31 and two runs shy of their season high set in a 9-6 win over the Tigers on March 30.
Arizona went 3-3 in its previous six games entering Wednesday despite scoring just 14 runs in that stretch. Diamondbacks starters posted a 1.95 ERA in the six games.
The Diamondbacks wasted no time supporting Ryne Nelson on Wednesday, when Corbin doubled with one out in the first and scored on Gabriel Moreno’s sacrifice fly. Arizona added four runs off Peterson in the second, when Carroll’s two-RBI double was sandwiched by Ketel Marte’s run-scoring single and Geraldo Perdomo’s sacrifice fly.
“Offensively, we’ve been really grinding,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “And I think we just set a really good tone that we put runners on, we executed, scored (runs). It kind of gives you a little bit of good feeling to know that you stepped on the field and you’re able to contribute offensively.”
The result snapped a four-game winning streak for the Mets, who outscored the Diamondbacks and San Francisco Giants 28-8 during the surge. New York hadn’t lost since April 2, when Peterson gave up six runs (five earned) over 4 1/3 innings before Sean Manaea threw the final 3 2/3 frames in a 7-2 loss to the Giants.
Peterson and Manaea covered all nine innings again on Wednesday. Peterson allowed five runs in five frames, and Manaea surrendered Barrosa’s two-run hit in the eighth.
The latest long-relief outing by Manaea — who served as a starter in 44 of his 47 appearances for the Mets the previous two seasons but has displayed diminished velocity this year– came hours after manager Carlos Mendoza said New York did not plan to utilize a sixth starter during its current stretch of nine games in as many days.
Later Wednesday, Mendoza said the Mets weren’t considering a change in the rotation. Peterson has a 6.14 ERA through three starts while fellow starters McLean, Clay Holmes, Freddy Peralta and Kodai Senga have compiled a 3.08 ERA in nine starts.
“If he’s healthy, which he is, there’s no concern.” Mendoza said, referring to Peterson. “He’s too good of a pitcher. He’s been our guy. We’ve just got to make a couple of adjustments there.”
Rodriguez didn’t factor into the decision despite authoring a second straight stellar outing on Friday, when he allowed four hits over seven innings in the Diamondbacks’ 2-0 loss to the Atlanta Braves.
McLean earned a win on Friday after giving up two runs (one earned) over 5 1/3 innings in the Mets’ 10-3 victory over the Giants.
Rodriguez is 1-1 with a 6.23 ERA in four career starts against the Mets. McLean has never opposed the Diamondbacks.
Neither pitcher got a decision in Venezuela’s 3-2 win in the WBC title game on March 17, when Rodriguez gave up one hit over 4 1/3 scoreless innings and McLean allowed two runs over 4 2/3 frames for Team USA.
–Field Level Media
Apr 8, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks left fielder Jorge Barrosa (1) reacts after hitting a two RBI double against the New York Mets during the eighth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images The Arizona Diamondbacks are hoping their much-needed offensive outburst on Wednesday is a sign of things to come.
The New York Mets are hoping David Peterson’s struggles aren’t a harbinger of rotation-depth issues.
The Diamondbacks and Mets will each be looking to win a series Thursday night, when Arizona visits New York in the finale of the three-game set.
Left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez (0-0, 0.00 ERA) is slated to start for the Diamondbacks against Mets right-hander Nolan McLean (1-0, 2.61) in a rematch of the pitchers who started the Venezuela-Team USA World Baseball Classic championship game last month.
Corbin Carroll and Jorge Barrosa each had two-run doubles Wednesday for the Diamondbacks, who rolled to a 7-2 win.
The seven runs were the most for the Diamondbacks since a 7-5 win over Detroit on March 31 and two runs shy of their season high set in a 9-6 win over the Tigers on March 30.
Arizona went 3-3 in its previous six games entering Wednesday despite scoring just 14 runs in that stretch. Diamondbacks starters posted a 1.95 ERA in the six games.
The Diamondbacks wasted no time supporting Ryne Nelson on Wednesday, when Corbin doubled with one out in the first and scored on Gabriel Moreno’s sacrifice fly. Arizona added four runs off Peterson in the second, when Carroll’s two-RBI double was sandwiched by Ketel Marte’s run-scoring single and Geraldo Perdomo’s sacrifice fly.
“Offensively, we’ve been really grinding,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “And I think we just set a really good tone that we put runners on, we executed, scored (runs). It kind of gives you a little bit of good feeling to know that you stepped on the field and you’re able to contribute offensively.”
The result snapped a four-game winning streak for the Mets, who outscored the Diamondbacks and San Francisco Giants 28-8 during the surge. New York hadn’t lost since April 2, when Peterson gave up six runs (five earned) over 4 1/3 innings before Sean Manaea threw the final 3 2/3 frames in a 7-2 loss to the Giants.
Peterson and Manaea covered all nine innings again on Wednesday. Peterson allowed five runs in five frames, and Manaea surrendered Barrosa’s two-run hit in the eighth.
The latest long-relief outing by Manaea — who served as a starter in 44 of his 47 appearances for the Mets the previous two seasons but has displayed diminished velocity this year– came hours after manager Carlos Mendoza said New York did not plan to utilize a sixth starter during its current stretch of nine games in as many days.
Later Wednesday, Mendoza said the Mets weren’t considering a change in the rotation. Peterson has a 6.14 ERA through three starts while fellow starters McLean, Clay Holmes, Freddy Peralta and Kodai Senga have compiled a 3.08 ERA in nine starts.
“If he’s healthy, which he is, there’s no concern.” Mendoza said, referring to Peterson. “He’s too good of a pitcher. He’s been our guy. We’ve just got to make a couple of adjustments there.”
Rodriguez didn’t factor into the decision despite authoring a second straight stellar outing on Friday, when he allowed four hits over seven innings in the Diamondbacks’ 2-0 loss to the Atlanta Braves.
McLean earned a win on Friday after giving up two runs (one earned) over 5 1/3 innings in the Mets’ 10-3 victory over the Giants.
Rodriguez is 1-1 with a 6.23 ERA in four career starts against the Mets. McLean has never opposed the Diamondbacks.
Neither pitcher got a decision in Venezuela’s 3-2 win in the WBC title game on March 17, when Rodriguez gave up one hit over 4 1/3 scoreless innings and McLean allowed two runs over 4 2/3 frames for Team USA.
–Field Level Media
![Monte Carlo Masters 2026: Fonseca eases into quarterfinals, to meet Zverev Nineteen-year-old Joao Fonseca reached the quarterfinals of a Masters 1000 event for the first time when he strode to a convincing 6-3, 6-2 win over Matteo Berrettini in Monte Carlo on Thursday.The Brazilian’s last-eight opponent will be world No. 3 Alexander Zverev who dispatched Zizou Bergs 6-2, 7-5.Fonseca, who is making his first appearance in Monte Carlo, produced some superb tennis to see off an opponent who had thrashed Daniil Medvedev 6-0, 6-0 in the second round.The teenager is the youngest man to reach this stage in Monte Carlo since Rafael Nadal and Richard Gasquet in 2005 and is the first Brazilian to reach a Masters 1000 quarterfinal since Thomaz Bellucci in Madrid in 2011. He is the second man born in 2006 to reach the quarterfinals at a 1000-level event, after Spaniard Martin Landaluce, who reached the last eight in Miami in March.“It is super special. I was looking for this result for a long time,” Fonseca said on court.“Of course I want more. I am very confident and focused. I was very happy with the way I fought today. From the beginning, putting a lot of pressure. Playing huge return games and very good serve games. I was putting a lot of pressure and that helps you stay more calm during the match.”The world number 40, who is up five places in the live rankings, took just 73 minutes in the Monaco sun to book his place in the last eight, stamping his ticket with a winning smash on his first match point.After despatching Bergs, Zverev praised Fonseca. Zverev, a two-time semifinalist at the tournament, ruled the opening set against Bergs as the Belgian struggled on his own service, holding only once.
| Photo Credit:
REUTERS
Zverev, a two-time semifinalist at the tournament, ruled the opening set against Bergs as the Belgian struggled on his own service, holding only once.
| Photo Credit:
REUTERS
“I think clay is his best surface,” Zverev said of the Brazilian. “I am excited to play him for the first time. He is a young upcoming talent and I think we will play each other a lot more in the next couple of years.”Zverev, a two-time semifinalist at the tournament, ruled the opening set against Bergs as the Belgian struggled on his own service, holding only once.Bergs found his serve in the second set but Zverev managed to break at 3-3.The German lost his rhythm when he was serving for the match at 5-4. Bergs swinging freely broke to love after committing four unforced errors.Zverev responded immediately by breaking back. He closed out the match in his next service game with an ace on his second match point to win in 1 hour 51 minutes.“[It was] a better match from my side,” Zverev said when asked how it compared to his opening-round win on Wednesday in Monte-Carlo, where he rallied from 2-5 in the deciding set to defeat Cristian Garin.“It was still not perfect. Still far from the level I played in the US, but this is my first clay tournament… I am happy with the level today. We move forward.”The No. 3 player in the ATP rankings Zverev is chasing his eighth Masters 1000 crown and will now meet Fonseca for the first time. Last month, Fonseca faced Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner for the first time in Miami and Indian Wells pushing both in narrow defeats.Published on Apr 09, 2026 #Monte #Carlo #Masters #Fonseca #eases #quarterfinals #meet #Zverev](https://ss-i.thgim.com/public/incoming/k9jlc0/article70843023.ece/alternates/FREE_1200/2026-04-09T110924Z_976434848_UP1EM490UZLKO_RTRMADP_3_TENNIS-MONTECARLO.JPG "Monte Carlo Masters 2026: Fonseca eases into quarterfinals, to meet Zverev Nineteen-year-old Joao Fonseca reached the quarterfinals of a Masters 1000 event for the first time when he strode to a convincing 6-3, 6-2 win over Matteo Berrettini in Monte Carlo on Thursday.The Brazilian’s last-eight opponent will be world No. 3 Alexander Zverev who dispatched Zizou Bergs 6-2, 7-5.Fonseca, who is making his first appearance in Monte Carlo, produced some superb tennis to see off an opponent who had thrashed Daniil Medvedev 6-0, 6-0 in the second round.The teenager is the youngest man to reach this stage in Monte Carlo since Rafael Nadal and Richard Gasquet in 2005 and is the first Brazilian to reach a Masters 1000 quarterfinal since Thomaz Bellucci in Madrid in 2011. He is the second man born in 2006 to reach the quarterfinals at a 1000-level event, after Spaniard Martin Landaluce, who reached the last eight in Miami in March.“It is super special. I was looking for this result for a long time,” Fonseca said on court.“Of course I want more. I am very confident and focused. I was very happy with the way I fought today. From the beginning, putting a lot of pressure. Playing huge return games and very good serve games. I was putting a lot of pressure and that helps you stay more calm during the match.”The world number 40, who is up five places in the live rankings, took just 73 minutes in the Monaco sun to book his place in the last eight, stamping his ticket with a winning smash on his first match point.After despatching Bergs, Zverev praised Fonseca. Zverev, a two-time semifinalist at the tournament, ruled the opening set against Bergs as the Belgian struggled on his own service, holding only once.
| Photo Credit:
REUTERS
Zverev, a two-time semifinalist at the tournament, ruled the opening set against Bergs as the Belgian struggled on his own service, holding only once.
| Photo Credit:
REUTERS
“I think clay is his best surface,” Zverev said of the Brazilian. “I am excited to play him for the first time. He is a young upcoming talent and I think we will play each other a lot more in the next couple of years.”Zverev, a two-time semifinalist at the tournament, ruled the opening set against Bergs as the Belgian struggled on his own service, holding only once.Bergs found his serve in the second set but Zverev managed to break at 3-3.The German lost his rhythm when he was serving for the match at 5-4. Bergs swinging freely broke to love after committing four unforced errors.Zverev responded immediately by breaking back. He closed out the match in his next service game with an ace on his second match point to win in 1 hour 51 minutes.“[It was] a better match from my side,” Zverev said when asked how it compared to his opening-round win on Wednesday in Monte-Carlo, where he rallied from 2-5 in the deciding set to defeat Cristian Garin.“It was still not perfect. Still far from the level I played in the US, but this is my first clay tournament… I am happy with the level today. We move forward.”The No. 3 player in the ATP rankings Zverev is chasing his eighth Masters 1000 crown and will now meet Fonseca for the first time. Last month, Fonseca faced Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner for the first time in Miami and Indian Wells pushing both in narrow defeats.Published on Apr 09, 2026 #Monte #Carlo #Masters #Fonseca #eases #quarterfinals #meet #Zverev")
![Monte Carlo Masters 2026: Fonseca eases into quarterfinals, to meet Zverev Nineteen-year-old Joao Fonseca reached the quarterfinals of a Masters 1000 event for the first time when he strode to a convincing 6-3, 6-2 win over Matteo Berrettini in Monte Carlo on Thursday.The Brazilian’s last-eight opponent will be world No. 3 Alexander Zverev who dispatched Zizou Bergs 6-2, 7-5.Fonseca, who is making his first appearance in Monte Carlo, produced some superb tennis to see off an opponent who had thrashed Daniil Medvedev 6-0, 6-0 in the second round.The teenager is the youngest man to reach this stage in Monte Carlo since Rafael Nadal and Richard Gasquet in 2005 and is the first Brazilian to reach a Masters 1000 quarterfinal since Thomaz Bellucci in Madrid in 2011. He is the second man born in 2006 to reach the quarterfinals at a 1000-level event, after Spaniard Martin Landaluce, who reached the last eight in Miami in March.“It is super special. I was looking for this result for a long time,” Fonseca said on court.“Of course I want more. I am very confident and focused. I was very happy with the way I fought today. From the beginning, putting a lot of pressure. Playing huge return games and very good serve games. I was putting a lot of pressure and that helps you stay more calm during the match.”The world number 40, who is up five places in the live rankings, took just 73 minutes in the Monaco sun to book his place in the last eight, stamping his ticket with a winning smash on his first match point.After despatching Bergs, Zverev praised Fonseca. Zverev, a two-time semifinalist at the tournament, ruled the opening set against Bergs as the Belgian struggled on his own service, holding only once.
| Photo Credit:
REUTERS
Zverev, a two-time semifinalist at the tournament, ruled the opening set against Bergs as the Belgian struggled on his own service, holding only once.
| Photo Credit:
REUTERS
“I think clay is his best surface,” Zverev said of the Brazilian. “I am excited to play him for the first time. He is a young upcoming talent and I think we will play each other a lot more in the next couple of years.”Zverev, a two-time semifinalist at the tournament, ruled the opening set against Bergs as the Belgian struggled on his own service, holding only once.Bergs found his serve in the second set but Zverev managed to break at 3-3.The German lost his rhythm when he was serving for the match at 5-4. Bergs swinging freely broke to love after committing four unforced errors.Zverev responded immediately by breaking back. He closed out the match in his next service game with an ace on his second match point to win in 1 hour 51 minutes.“[It was] a better match from my side,” Zverev said when asked how it compared to his opening-round win on Wednesday in Monte-Carlo, where he rallied from 2-5 in the deciding set to defeat Cristian Garin.“It was still not perfect. Still far from the level I played in the US, but this is my first clay tournament… I am happy with the level today. We move forward.”The No. 3 player in the ATP rankings Zverev is chasing his eighth Masters 1000 crown and will now meet Fonseca for the first time. Last month, Fonseca faced Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner for the first time in Miami and Indian Wells pushing both in narrow defeats.Published on Apr 09, 2026 #Monte #Carlo #Masters #Fonseca #eases #quarterfinals #meet #Zverev](https://i2.wp.com/ss-i.thgim.com/public/incoming/k9jlc0/article70843023.ece/alternates/FREE_1200/2026-04-09T110924Z_976434848_UP1EM490UZLKO_RTRMADP_3_TENNIS-MONTECARLO.JPG?ssl=1 "Monte Carlo Masters 2026: Fonseca eases into quarterfinals, to meet Zverev Nineteen-year-old Joao Fonseca reached the quarterfinals of a Masters 1000 event for the first time when he strode to a convincing 6-3, 6-2 win over Matteo Berrettini in Monte Carlo on Thursday.The Brazilian’s last-eight opponent will be world No. 3 Alexander Zverev who dispatched Zizou Bergs 6-2, 7-5.Fonseca, who is making his first appearance in Monte Carlo, produced some superb tennis to see off an opponent who had thrashed Daniil Medvedev 6-0, 6-0 in the second round.The teenager is the youngest man to reach this stage in Monte Carlo since Rafael Nadal and Richard Gasquet in 2005 and is the first Brazilian to reach a Masters 1000 quarterfinal since Thomaz Bellucci in Madrid in 2011. He is the second man born in 2006 to reach the quarterfinals at a 1000-level event, after Spaniard Martin Landaluce, who reached the last eight in Miami in March.“It is super special. I was looking for this result for a long time,” Fonseca said on court.“Of course I want more. I am very confident and focused. I was very happy with the way I fought today. From the beginning, putting a lot of pressure. Playing huge return games and very good serve games. I was putting a lot of pressure and that helps you stay more calm during the match.”The world number 40, who is up five places in the live rankings, took just 73 minutes in the Monaco sun to book his place in the last eight, stamping his ticket with a winning smash on his first match point.After despatching Bergs, Zverev praised Fonseca. Zverev, a two-time semifinalist at the tournament, ruled the opening set against Bergs as the Belgian struggled on his own service, holding only once.
| Photo Credit:
REUTERS
Zverev, a two-time semifinalist at the tournament, ruled the opening set against Bergs as the Belgian struggled on his own service, holding only once.
| Photo Credit:
REUTERS
“I think clay is his best surface,” Zverev said of the Brazilian. “I am excited to play him for the first time. He is a young upcoming talent and I think we will play each other a lot more in the next couple of years.”Zverev, a two-time semifinalist at the tournament, ruled the opening set against Bergs as the Belgian struggled on his own service, holding only once.Bergs found his serve in the second set but Zverev managed to break at 3-3.The German lost his rhythm when he was serving for the match at 5-4. Bergs swinging freely broke to love after committing four unforced errors.Zverev responded immediately by breaking back. He closed out the match in his next service game with an ace on his second match point to win in 1 hour 51 minutes.“[It was] a better match from my side,” Zverev said when asked how it compared to his opening-round win on Wednesday in Monte-Carlo, where he rallied from 2-5 in the deciding set to defeat Cristian Garin.“It was still not perfect. Still far from the level I played in the US, but this is my first clay tournament… I am happy with the level today. We move forward.”The No. 3 player in the ATP rankings Zverev is chasing his eighth Masters 1000 crown and will now meet Fonseca for the first time. Last month, Fonseca faced Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner for the first time in Miami and Indian Wells pushing both in narrow defeats.Published on Apr 09, 2026 #Monte #Carlo #Masters #Fonseca #eases #quarterfinals #meet #Zverev")
![How the Hands Behind Rocky Got Hired for ‘Project Hail Mary’
Project Hail Mary has only been in theaters for a few weeks, but its alien star, Rocky, has already become a legend. He’s got merch, hundreds of millions in box office dollars, and was even quoted during the Artemis 2 space mission. And to think it all began with puppeteer James Ortiz walking a hand-sized puppet all over Ryan Gosling’s body. The Los Angeles Times recently posted a lovely little profile on Ortiz, who has been a successful, well-known puppeteer long before his work as both the puppeteer and voice of Rocky in Project Hail Mary. So when he got called in to audition to help bring the character to life, he didn’t use the larger-sized puppet the filmmakers had made. No, instead, he used a smaller puppet of his own creation that apparently looks oddly familiar.
“For a chemistry read with Gosling, with the film’s producers also present, Ortiz opted for using a version of Rocky he had made himself, which looked like Thing from The Addams Family; built off a fancy glove, instead of the larger puppet the production had available,” the article says. “That his hand version of Rocky could climb onto Gosling, and interact with the actor more directly, allowed for an amusing rapport to develop instantly between them.” Once he had the job, the Rocky puppet that would be in the movie was designed by famed creature creator Neal Scanlan. Ortiz, though, being a seasoned pro himself, also provided input. “I had, ultimately, a lot of input, never on how Rocky looked, but a lot on how he was operated and what materials he was made out of,” Ortiz told the Times. “I was able to pick what types of fiberglass we were using to cast him out of, because I knew, given the amount of improvisation that we would be doing on set, [that] I needed a puppet that could do anything.”
And, we think, the results speak for themselves. Read more about Ortiz’s journey to Project Hail Mary over at the LA Times. The film is still in theaters. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who. #Hands #Rocky #Hired #Project #Hail #MaryJames Ortiz,Project Hail Mary](https://i1.wp.com/gizmodo.com/app/uploads/2026/04/James-Ortiz-Rocky-Project-Hail-Mary-1280x853.jpg?ssl=1 "How the Hands Behind Rocky Got Hired for ‘Project Hail Mary’
Project Hail Mary has only been in theaters for a few weeks, but its alien star, Rocky, has already become a legend. He’s got merch, hundreds of millions in box office dollars, and was even quoted during the Artemis 2 space mission. And to think it all began with puppeteer James Ortiz walking a hand-sized puppet all over Ryan Gosling’s body. The Los Angeles Times recently posted a lovely little profile on Ortiz, who has been a successful, well-known puppeteer long before his work as both the puppeteer and voice of Rocky in Project Hail Mary. So when he got called in to audition to help bring the character to life, he didn’t use the larger-sized puppet the filmmakers had made. No, instead, he used a smaller puppet of his own creation that apparently looks oddly familiar.
“For a chemistry read with Gosling, with the film’s producers also present, Ortiz opted for using a version of Rocky he had made himself, which looked like Thing from The Addams Family; built off a fancy glove, instead of the larger puppet the production had available,” the article says. “That his hand version of Rocky could climb onto Gosling, and interact with the actor more directly, allowed for an amusing rapport to develop instantly between them.” Once he had the job, the Rocky puppet that would be in the movie was designed by famed creature creator Neal Scanlan. Ortiz, though, being a seasoned pro himself, also provided input. “I had, ultimately, a lot of input, never on how Rocky looked, but a lot on how he was operated and what materials he was made out of,” Ortiz told the Times. “I was able to pick what types of fiberglass we were using to cast him out of, because I knew, given the amount of improvisation that we would be doing on set, [that] I needed a puppet that could do anything.”
And, we think, the results speak for themselves. Read more about Ortiz’s journey to Project Hail Mary over at the LA Times. The film is still in theaters. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who. #Hands #Rocky #Hired #Project #Hail #MaryJames Ortiz,Project Hail Mary")
![How the Hands Behind Rocky Got Hired for ‘Project Hail Mary’
Project Hail Mary has only been in theaters for a few weeks, but its alien star, Rocky, has already become a legend. He’s got merch, hundreds of millions in box office dollars, and was even quoted during the Artemis 2 space mission. And to think it all began with puppeteer James Ortiz walking a hand-sized puppet all over Ryan Gosling’s body. The Los Angeles Times recently posted a lovely little profile on Ortiz, who has been a successful, well-known puppeteer long before his work as both the puppeteer and voice of Rocky in Project Hail Mary. So when he got called in to audition to help bring the character to life, he didn’t use the larger-sized puppet the filmmakers had made. No, instead, he used a smaller puppet of his own creation that apparently looks oddly familiar.
“For a chemistry read with Gosling, with the film’s producers also present, Ortiz opted for using a version of Rocky he had made himself, which looked like Thing from The Addams Family; built off a fancy glove, instead of the larger puppet the production had available,” the article says. “That his hand version of Rocky could climb onto Gosling, and interact with the actor more directly, allowed for an amusing rapport to develop instantly between them.” Once he had the job, the Rocky puppet that would be in the movie was designed by famed creature creator Neal Scanlan. Ortiz, though, being a seasoned pro himself, also provided input. “I had, ultimately, a lot of input, never on how Rocky looked, but a lot on how he was operated and what materials he was made out of,” Ortiz told the Times. “I was able to pick what types of fiberglass we were using to cast him out of, because I knew, given the amount of improvisation that we would be doing on set, [that] I needed a puppet that could do anything.”
And, we think, the results speak for themselves. Read more about Ortiz’s journey to Project Hail Mary over at the LA Times. The film is still in theaters. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who. #Hands #Rocky #Hired #Project #Hail #MaryJames Ortiz,Project Hail Mary](https://gizmodo.com/app/uploads/2026/04/James-Ortiz-Rocky-Project-Hail-Mary-1280x853.jpg "How the Hands Behind Rocky Got Hired for ‘Project Hail Mary’
Project Hail Mary has only been in theaters for a few weeks, but its alien star, Rocky, has already become a legend. He’s got merch, hundreds of millions in box office dollars, and was even quoted during the Artemis 2 space mission. And to think it all began with puppeteer James Ortiz walking a hand-sized puppet all over Ryan Gosling’s body. The Los Angeles Times recently posted a lovely little profile on Ortiz, who has been a successful, well-known puppeteer long before his work as both the puppeteer and voice of Rocky in Project Hail Mary. So when he got called in to audition to help bring the character to life, he didn’t use the larger-sized puppet the filmmakers had made. No, instead, he used a smaller puppet of his own creation that apparently looks oddly familiar.
“For a chemistry read with Gosling, with the film’s producers also present, Ortiz opted for using a version of Rocky he had made himself, which looked like Thing from The Addams Family; built off a fancy glove, instead of the larger puppet the production had available,” the article says. “That his hand version of Rocky could climb onto Gosling, and interact with the actor more directly, allowed for an amusing rapport to develop instantly between them.” Once he had the job, the Rocky puppet that would be in the movie was designed by famed creature creator Neal Scanlan. Ortiz, though, being a seasoned pro himself, also provided input. “I had, ultimately, a lot of input, never on how Rocky looked, but a lot on how he was operated and what materials he was made out of,” Ortiz told the Times. “I was able to pick what types of fiberglass we were using to cast him out of, because I knew, given the amount of improvisation that we would be doing on set, [that] I needed a puppet that could do anything.”
And, we think, the results speak for themselves. Read more about Ortiz’s journey to Project Hail Mary over at the LA Times. The film is still in theaters. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who. #Hands #Rocky #Hired #Project #Hail #MaryJames Ortiz,Project Hail Mary")
