Gujarat Titans head coach Ashish Nehra was left visibly frustrated after a costly overthrow during Delhi Capitals’ tense chase, which eventually saw GT scrape through with a narrow one-run victory at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. At one stage, with KL Rahul at the crease, the match appeared to be firmly in Delhi Capitals’ control. However, a crucial moment in the 15th over turned the tide and drew a strong reaction from the GT dugout.
During the 15th over, bowled by Ashok Sharma, a well-executed yorker was dug out by Tristan Stubbs towards the left of the bowler. Ashok managed to get a hand to the ball but failed to stop it cleanly, allowing the batters to attempt a quick single. Shubman Gill quickly collected the ball and fired a direct hit at the striker’s end. Although KL Rahul had made his ground, the deflection off the stumps resulted in the ball racing away to the boundary, gifting Delhi Capitals four additional runs, turning a single into five runs.
— FabulasGuy (@FabulasGuy)
The incident visibly angered Ashish Nehra, who was seen reacting sharply from the sidelines. His animated response quickly went viral on social media, highlighting the importance of small moments in a closely fought contest. With the game hanging in the balance, such lapses in field awareness, particularly the absence of proper backup, could have significantly altered the outcome for Gujarat Titans.
Match Summary: DC vs GT
Gujarat Titans finally got their first win of IPL 2026 after a dramatic last-over finish against Delhi Capitals. Chasing 211, Delhi fell just one run short despite a strong effort, ending at 209/8. The match turned on a crucial moment when David Miller refused a single late in the final over, a decision that proved costly.
Last-over drama decides the match
Delhi looked in control towards the end, especially with Miller hitting big shots and bringing the equation down quickly. However, the game changed in the final over bowled by Prasidh Krishna. Miller declined a single on the second-last ball, keeping strike but putting pressure on himself.
On the final delivery, with two runs needed, he missed a slower ball and attempted a run, but Jos Buttler ran him out at the striker’s end, leaving Kuldeep Yadav short. Delhi finished agonisingly short, handing Gujarat a thrilling one-run win.
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How the match unfolded
Earlier, Gujarat Titans posted a strong total of 210/4, thanks to key contributions from Jos Buttler (52), Shubman Gill (70) and Washington Sundar (55). Buttler’s aggressive start, including multiple sixes, set the tone, while Gill and Sundar kept the momentum going. In response, Delhi Capitals got off to a solid start with KL Rahul (92) and Pathum Nissanka (41) building a strong opening partnership. However, Rashid Khan’s three wickets in the middle overs shifted the momentum.
Despite Miller’s late heroics, including a big penultimate over, Delhi couldn’t cross the line. The result marked Gujarat’s first win of the season, while Delhi suffered their first defeat after a promising start.
NEW DELHI: A stunning last-ball finish lit up IPL 2026 on Wednesday as Gujarat Titans edged Delhi Capitals by one run, with Jos Buttler returning to form and David Miller falling agonisingly short in a dramatic chase.
Chasing 211, Delhi ended at 209/8 in a contest that swung wildly until the final ball. Miller, who blasted an unbeaten 41 off 20 balls, nearly pulled off a heist but made a bold call not to take a single with two needed off the last two balls. Prasidh Krishna then deceived him with a slower delivery, and a desperate run attempt ended with Kuldeep Yadav being run out by Buttler behind the stumps.
Buttler finds his groove
Buttler’s fluent 52 off 27 balls set the tone for Gujarat’s imposing 210/4. After a lean patch that included a quiet T20 World Cup, the England star looked back to his best, launching five sixes in a commanding knock.
“I’ve been searching for runs a little bit, but felt in good touch,” Buttler said, underlining his belief that form would return.
He found early rhythm with a six off Mukesh Kumar and never looked back, anchoring a 60-run stand with skipper Shubman Gill. Gill himself struck a confident 70, while Washington Sundar added a brisk 55 as Gujarat’s top order clicked in unison.
Miller’s late charge in vain
Delhi’s chase began brightly, with KL Rahul (92 off 52) and Pathum Nissanka (41 off 24) putting on 76 for the opening wicket. However, the innings lost momentum as Rashid Khan (3/17) struck crucial blows, including two wickets in consecutive deliveries.
Miller, who had briefly retired hurt, returned to ignite hope with a stunning late assault. His towering six into the third tier and a flurry of boundaries brought Delhi within touching distance.
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With 13 needed off the final over, the equation came down to two off two balls. But Miller’s decision not to rotate strike proved decisive as Gujarat held their nerve to seal a memorable win—bouncing back from two defeats while handing Delhi their first loss after a strong start.
With the action now shifting from Delhi to Eden Gardens, focus turns to the clash between Kolkata Knight Riders and Lucknow Super Giants. Both sides find themselves in the bottom half of the table and will be desperate to secure a crucial win to revive their campaigns.
BOTTOM LINE: The Buffalo Sabres host the Columbus Blue Jackets after Zachary Benson scored two goals in the Sabres' 5-3 win over the New York Rangers.
Buffalo has gone 25-10-4 in home games and 48-23-8 overall. The Sabres have committed 304 total penalties (3.8 per game) to rank 10th in league play.
Columbus has a 19-16-4 record in road games and a 39-27-12 record overall. The Blue Jackets are 14-6-3 in games they have fewer penalties than their opponent.
Thursday's game is the third time these teams meet this season. The Blue Jackets won 5-1 in the last meeting.
TOP PERFORMERS: Tage Thompson has scored 38 goals with 41 assists for the Sabres. Bowen Byram has one goal and six assists over the last 10 games.
Kirill Marchenko has 26 goals and 39 assists for the Blue Jackets. Adam Fantilli has two goals and three assists over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Sabres: 5-3-2, averaging 3.2 goals, 5.3 assists, 4.4 penalties and 11.5 penalty minutes while giving up 3.3 goals per game.
Blue Jackets: 3-6-1, averaging 2.1 goals, 3.7 assists, three penalties and 6.9 penalty minutes while giving up 2.7 goals per game.
INJURIES: Sabres: Jiri Kulich: out for season (ear), Sam Carrick: out (arm), Alex Lyon: day to day (undisclosed), Justin Danforth: out (lower body), Noah Ostlund: day to day (upper-body).
Blue Jackets: Brendan Smith: out (knee), Mathieu Olivier: out (upper body), Dmitri Voronkov: out (hand), Damon Severson: out for season (shoulder).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: The New York Islanders take on the Toronto Maple Leafs after losing four in a row.
New York has gone 21-14-2 at home and 42-31-5 overall. The Islanders have gone 30-9-3 in games they score at least three goals.
Toronto is 14-19-6 in road games and 32-32-14 overall. The Maple Leafs have a -34 scoring differential, with 241 total goals scored and 275 given up.
The matchup Thursday is the third time these teams play this season. The Islanders won 3-1 in the previous meeting.
TOP PERFORMERS: Mathew Barzal has scored 19 goals with 51 assists for the Islanders. Matthew Schaefer has two goals and seven assists over the past 10 games.
John Tavares has 30 goals and 38 assists for the Maple Leafs. Matthew Knies has scored five goals with one assist over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Islanders: 3-7-0, averaging 2.6 goals, 4.9 assists, 3.1 penalties and nine penalty minutes while giving up 3.6 goals per game.
Maple Leafs: 3-5-2, averaging 2.7 goals, four assists, 5.2 penalties and 14.9 penalty minutes while giving up 3.9 goals per game.
INJURIES: Islanders: Alexander Romanov: out (shoulder), Pierre Engvall: out for season (ankle), Tony DeAngelo: day to day (lower body), Semyon Varlamov: out for season (knee), Kyle Palmieri: out for season (knee).
Maple Leafs: Anthony Stolarz: day to day (lower body), Dakota Joshua: day to day (upper body), Brandon Carlo: day to day (lower body), Chris Tanev: out for season (abdomen), Auston Matthews: out for season (knee).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: The Anaheim Ducks will try to end a six-game slide when they play the San Jose Sharks.
Anaheim is 14-10-0 against the Pacific Division and 41-32-5 overall. The Ducks have gone 36-12-3 in games they score at least three goals.
San Jose has a 37-33-7 record overall and a 10-11-3 record in Pacific Division play. The Sharks have a 19-5-6 record in one-goal games.
The matchup Thursday is the fourth time these teams play this season. The Sharks won 4-3 in the last matchup. Macklin Celebrini led the Sharks with two goals.
TOP PERFORMERS: Cutter Gauthier has scored 38 goals with 27 assists for the Ducks. John Carlson has one goal and eight assists over the last 10 games.
Celebrini has 42 goals and 66 assists for the Sharks. Alexander Wennberg has scored five goals and added five assists over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Ducks: 4-5-1, averaging 3.2 goals, 5.2 assists, 3.9 penalties and 10.6 penalty minutes while giving up 3.8 goals per game.
Sharks: 5-4-1, averaging 2.9 goals, five assists, 3.7 penalties and 9.4 penalty minutes while giving up 3.2 goals per game.
INJURIES: Ducks: Petr Mrazek: out for season (lower-body), Jansen Harkins: out (upper body), Cutter Gauthier: day to day (upper body), Radko Gudas: out (lower-body), Ross Johnston: out (lower-body).
Sharks: Ryan Reaves: out (hamd).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Barcelona icon shares his verdict on Pau Cubarsi’s red card: ‘Referee was too quick to make a decision’
The controversy surrounding Pau Cubarsi’s red card in Barcelona’s 0-2 defeat to Atletico Madrid continues to gather momentum, and now one of football’s most respected voices has stepped in.
Former Barcelona forward Thierry Henry has openly criticised the decision, adding weight to the growing debate around the officiating in the Champions League quarter-final clash, something that even Hansi Flick spoke about.
The incident, which occurred just before half-time, proved to be a defining moment in the match.
With Barcelona reduced to ten men, the balance of the game shifted dramatically, allowing Atletico Madrid to take control of key moments. However, not everyone agrees that the decision was justified.
Henry’s verdict
Speaking during his appearance on CBS Sports (h/t Mundo Deportivo), Henry made his position clear from the outset, expressing disbelief at the referee’s call.
“No, no, no… for me, that’s not a red card. I’m sorry. I understand the rule. Last man, denying a goal-scoring opportunity, but you have to look at the situation.
“The ball isn’t completely under control, the angle isn’t perfect and there’s still some distance to the goal.
Henry did not agree with the referee’s decision. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)
“Are we sure he’s going to score? I’m not convinced,” he argued.
More to the story
Henry’s argument focuses on the interpretation of the rule rather than the rule itself.
While acknowledging that Cubarsi was technically the last defender, he questioned whether the situation truly met the threshold for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity, which is a key factor in such decisions.
He then went a step further, highlighting the impact that such calls can have on matches of this magnitude.
In his view, the referee acted too quickly without fully considering the context of the play.
“For me, it’s a yellow card, not a red. Because as soon as you send him off, you change the whole game.
“And in the Champions League, you have to be 100% sure. I think the referee was too quick on that one,” he concluded.
Max Verstappen’s esteemed F1 race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase is set to join McLaren from Red Bull, according to reports in Dutch media.
British engineer Lambiase, who has worked with Verstappen since the driver’s Red Bull debut in 2016, is poised to link-up with McLaren in a senior role, perhaps as high as team principal. The 45-year-old was linked with moves to Aston Martin and Williams prior to the 2026 season.
Lambiase has a contract until 2027 and would not leave Red Bull – where he has combined roles as Verstappen’s engineer with the team’s ‘Head of Racing’ since 2025 – immediately. A report in Dutch outlet De Limburger suggests 2028 could be Lambiase’s start date.
The news makes Verstappen’s exit from Red Bull, if not F1, more likely and perhaps even inevitable. The four-time world champion has already mooted retiring from the sport at the end of the current season, given his dissatisfaction with the new cars and regulations, and has vocalised in the past how Lambiase is one of his three key allies in the sport, alongside father Jos and Red Bull’s former adviser Helmut Marko, who retired at the end of last season.
The Independent has approached Red Bull and McLaren for comment.
Lambiase is the latest member of Red Bull’s hierarchy to swap the Austrian drinks company for the papaya-clad outfit. Senior designer Rob Marshall and strategy guru Will Courtenay have all made the same transfer in recent years.
Long-term team principal Christian Horner was also sacked last summer, with former sporting director Jonathan Wheatley joining Audi as team principal – a position he has since left.
#13 C Nikita Nestrenko of the Anaheim Ducks battles for possession of the puck during an NHL game against the San Jose Sharks on December 29, 2025 in Anaheim, California.
Thursday's slate brings outstanding predictability for bettors as NBA and NHL teams that already clinched playoff spots begin resting their starters in preparation for the near two-month journey toward earning a championship. The NHL's Colorado Avalanche clinched the Central Division and No. 1 seed in the Western Conference while the Carolina Hurricanes locked down the Metropolitan Division out east. Meanwhile in the NBA, the Oklahoma City Thunder secured the best record in the league and top seed in the Western Conference. To stay ahead of coaches' late season lineup adjustments, here are tonight's best bets brought to you by BetOnline.org. Click here to join. All new players get a 50% welcome bonus and up to $250 in free bets.
First Pick: Ducks Under 6.5 Goals
Rundown: The Anaheim Ducks (41-32-5) will aim to snap a five-game skid against the San José Sharks (37-33-7) at Honda Center.
Anaheim had a rough stretch over their last five matchups, getting outscored 29-14 by their opponents. As a result, the Ducks fell to third in the Pacific Division with 87 points, trailing Edmonton's 90 and Las Vegas's 88. Anaheim's most recent loss came at the heels of a 5-0 shutout by Nashville on Tuesday as goalie Justus Annunen's 43-save performance left the Ducks' skaters with no answer.
However, the Ducks will hope to flip the switch against a familiar foe in the Sharks, who are below .500 on the road. When these two squads faced off last Wednesday, the Ducks coughed up a 3-1 lead in the third period as San José scored three goals with two from 19-year-old standout Macklin Celebrini and one by Will Smith.
With the Ducks having high postseason aspirations, expect them to come out swinging in tonight's game.
Second Pick: Kings Moneyline
Rundown: The Los Angeles Kings (32-26-19) will look to remain in the win column against the Vancouver Canucks (22-47-8) at Crypto.com Arena.
Los Angeles enters Thursday coming off a 3-2 shootout win over the Predators on Monday and will aim to sneak into a final wildcard spot with five games remaining. For the Kings, winning out is a must and tonight's matchup presents the optimal opportunity for them to do so. The Canucks remain at the bottom of the Pacific, scoring just 52 points in comparison to L.A.'s 83. Consequently, Vancouver is 1-2-1 against the Kings this season with an improvement seeming unlikely.
Winger Adrian Kempe banked in Monday's game-winning goal and will look to remain hot as the Kings' offensive leader. Quinton Byfield and Artemi Panarin are other key players to watch as the pair combined for three goals last week against Toronto. Goalie Anton Forsberg will also seek to contribute once again, having led Thursday's defense with 29 saves on the night.
With no end in sight for Vancouver's struggles, bettors can confidently expect L.A. to take this one.
"Leader, smart, high IQ, great hitter, great communicator is what so many see in the Ohio State safety." Then Russell asked his listeners to consider a possible reality. The Ohio State Buckeyes were absolutely loaded on defense this past season. Arvell Reese, Sonny Styles, and Caleb Downs, what do they have in common? Well, all could very easily be drafted in the top 10 in the 2026 NFL Draft. So, Russell asked whether the reality of this situation might be that Downs had such great people playing in front of him that he had little to worry about. "Is Downs perhaps a product of all of that great talent that was in front of him for the Buckeyes?" asked Russell.
Russell then proposed that cornerback is much more of a need for this current Commanders team than is a new safety, like Caleb Downs. "I see why everybody loves him, I just don't know if I see special (in Caleb Downs), like special at an NFL level. I just don't know if I see that." Meanwhile, while watching the film, Russell says he saw Delane playing outside corner on the left and on the right, then moved up into the slot, all in one game.
When focusing on Delane, the LSU corner, in watching film, Russell said that everything he thought he knew about Delane checked out. Russell said he thought, "well what kind of quarterback was Delane going up against in the film he was watching?" The film was from an LSU game last season against SEC rival Alabama, and Ty Simpson. Simpson is the other quarterback who could be taken in the first round in this year's draft. And the receivers at Alabama were very good competition for Delane in man-to-man coverage.
So, if the Commanders find themselves on the clock and both Downs (safety) and Delane (corner) are still available, who should the Commanders select on April 23? "I am not saying Caleb Downs is not good. Caleb Downs is an outstanding football player," concluded Russell. "I like Mansoor Delane better." Russell then added. "I am not Adam Peters."
He's right, he's not Adam Peters, and neither are any of us. That is why it is so easy for us to sit and around and act like we "know" whom the Commanders should or shouldn't select at No. 7 in the first round.
Every year during the pre-draft process, the Tennessee Titans invite some draft prospects to the facility to work out at a local pro day, and 2026 is no different.
While the official list of participants and the event date have not been released by the organization, word is slowly trickling out about some prospects and when they will be in Nashville.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Easton Butler again reports that Tennessee State edge James Stewart was invited to the event, and goes one step further, revealing that the Titans' local pro day will take place on Friday, April 10.
Tennessee State EDGE James Stewart spoke with the #Titans at his Pro Day. He will also attend the Titans Local Pro Day on April 10th. pic.twitter.com/2wXG28n2en
As of today, Stewart will be joining Tennessee defensive lineman Tyre West, Vanderbilt offensive tackle Bryce Henderson, and Mississippi State long snapper Ethan Myers as verified prospects scheduled to take part.
In 2025, the Titans invited seven prospects to their local pro day, but failed to reconnect with any of them during or after the draft.
FPL is back this week after a 19-day break and we're straight into it with a double gameweek announcement.
Six teams play twice next week, making this week key to setting up your team.
Our expert Pras will delve into chip strategies in his Friday analysis article, and he will then be live on the BBC Sport website at 15:30 BST to answer your last-minute questions.
[BBC Sport]
It's not the most enticing double gameweek, especially as every team involved then blanks the following week.
And your strategy will also depend on how many chips you have left.
The double gameweek presents a good chance to bench boost, and you could use the wildcard this week to set that up.
Another popular strategy will be to free hit in 33, getting you 11 double gameweek players.
But first there is gameweek 32 and it features some enticing match-ups for the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool - teams that don't double the following week.
The team of the week is selected based on current FPL prices to fit within a £100m budget, as if you were playing a Free Hit.
How did last week's team do?
A high-powered midfield performance, led by captain Bruno Fernandes (26 points), Anthony Gordon (10) and Harry Wilson (nine), propelled the team to a pleasing 66 pointer.
BBC Sport FPL team of gameweek 32
[BBC Sport]
Keeper and defence
David Raya, Arsenal, keeper, £6m - Bournemouth (h)
Raya is not a sexy keeper pick - he is expensive and is unlikely to pick up many save or bonus points.
But he's the top-scoring FPL goalkeeper for a reason.
Arsenal have back-to-back clean sheets and are the most likely to keep one again this week, according to bookies' odds.
Bournemouth failed to score on their past two away trips and that was against struggling Burnley and West Ham.
Gabriel, Arsenal, £7.2m - Bournemouth (h)
When he is fit, Gabriel has to be in your team. His 29 points in his past three starts is testament to that.
Nordi Mukiele, Sunderland, £4.5m - Tottenham (h)
Sunderland's early season form has tapered off but they still present a tough away trip, especially for a team playing as poorly as Tottenham, and have the third-best home defence in the league.
Fit-again Mukiele was an FPL bargain before getting injured in week 27.
He's the Sunderland defender most likely to get attacking returns with five assists and a goal this season.
And his three double-digit hauls this season make him even more enticing - get one of those at this stage of the season and you can really shoot up the rankings.
Virgil van Dijk, Liverpool, £6.3m - Fulham (h)
Liverpool have been hit or miss in general for FPL managers and have not kept a clean sheet in four games.
But two things make Van Dijk a decent pick in a week where it is hard to predict clean sheets.
Firstly, his goal threat - in the past six games he has the most big chances (4) along with Manchester City's Nico O'Reilly, and the third-highest xG among defenders.
And secondly, Fulham's away record, with only Leeds, Wolves and Burnley picking up fewer points on the road.
Diogo Dalot, Manchester United, £4.6m - Leeds (h)
Leeds are another team with a poor away record and they've only scored 15 goals in their 15 games on the road.
Dalot is United's highest-scoring defender and he's left a few points on the board too.
There are a few examples of him blasting over the bar from a good position and the statistics prove that too. His xG is 1.54 but he has only scored once, when most players overperform in that area.
His four big chances are the most among United defenders, as are his nine bonus points.
Midfield
Bruno Fernandes (captain), Manchester United, £10.3m - Leeds (h)
Like Gabriel, Fernandes is a must-have FPL player.
We'll have an interesting choice to make next week when the Portugal midfielder faces Chelsea away in the double gameweek.
But for now he is a strong captain after 13, 10, eight and 13 points in his past four games.
Antoine Semenyo, Manchester City, £8.2m - Chelsea (a)
Chelsea away looks like a tough game on paper, but City have not lost at Stamford Bridge in five Premier League trips.
Four of those were victories and the other one ended 4-4 so, if that form continues, City are a good bet to score and win.
Semenyo has five goals in his past eight league games and is easily the best City midfield pick.
Anthony Gordon, Newcastle, £7.4m - Crystal Palace (a)
Gordon is bang in form, with three goals in three games, and will still be on penalties if Bruno Guimaraes is not fit to return.
There's a chance Eddie Howe plays him out of position too, as a striker
Newcastle need a response after their derby defeat by Sunderland - if they produce a strong performance then Gordon, who has been involved in 26% of their goals, has a good chance of picking up points again.
Strikers
Igor Thiago, Brentford, £7.3m - Everton (h)
This game is a clash of two fine records. Everton have the fourth-best away statistics and Brentford's home form is eighth.
Thiago is one off 20 league goals for the season and scored a hat-trick away at Everton.
Even when he doesn't play well, Brentford seem able to find ways of getting him the points. Pick Thiago with confidence, despite Everton's away form.
Jarrod Bowen, West Ham, £7.6m - Wolves (h)
A huge game for the Hammers and that means it is time for their talisman to produce.
Bowen is fourth in the FPL striker charts despite not really exploding this season.
He's only scored eight goals but leads almost every attacking metric for the Hammers including the most big chances [nine] and the highest goal involvement (42%).
Erling Haaland, Manchester City, £14.4m - Chelsea (a)
The big man is back in the team and not just because he scored a hat-trick in the cup.
Chelsea are in a poor patch of form, particularly defensively; demolished by Paris St-Germain, letting in three at Everton.
There's inner turmoil too, with Enzo Fernandez missing this game due to a club suspension.
If City get it right, this could be a walloping.
And Haaland has scored in three of his past four league games against Chelsea.
Subs bench
Mads Hermansen, West Ham, keeper, £4.2m - Wolves (h)
Eritrea’s participation in the Africa Cup of Nations preliminaries is in question after seven of their 10 local footballers disappeared following their victory in Eswatini last month.
The players went missing after Eritrea completed a 4-1 aggregate triumph over Eswatini on March 31 – a result that secured them a spot in the group-stage qualifiers for the continental showpiece.
From the 24-member squad that participated in the qualifying tie, only 10 were locally-based players, of which just three returned.
The seven players are believed to have disappeared when the national team arrived in South Africa en route from Eswatini to Eritrea via Egypt, an official of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) told the AFP news agency.
“This incident is a mystery. Eritrea beat Eswatini on March 31 in Lobamba and no one seems certain what happened thereafter,” he said.
“We believe all the players left Eswatini for South Africa. But when the travelling party landed in Cairo, seven players were missing.”
Recently appointed Eritrea coach Hesham Yakan, a defender in the Egypt 1990 World Cup squad, chose 24 players, including 14 based abroad, for the two-leg preliminary qualifier against Eswatini.
His selection included Eritreans based in Australia, Egypt, England, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, the Philippines and Sweden.
Ali Suleiman from Egyptian top-flight side Ismailia Electricity Club scored three goals as Eritrea won 2-0 and 2-1 to qualify for the main qualifying phase, which will comprise 12 four-team groups.
The first leg against Eswatini was staged in the Moroccan city of Meknes because Eritrea does not have an international-standard stadium.
It was the first Cup of Nations match involving Eritrea since 2007. Subsequently, they competed in three World Cup qualifying competitions and several regional tournaments.
The seven missing players reportedly include goalkeepers Kibrom Solomon and Awet Maharena and defenders Wedeb Fessehaye, Yosief Tsegay and Nahom Awet.
Veteran midfielder Medhane Redie and striker Amanuel Benhur were the other defectors, joining dozens of Eritrean footballers who abandoned national teams when in other African states.
Those who returned to Asmara were captain Ablelom Teklezghi, fellow midfielder Nahom Tadese and striker Romel Abdu.
Victory over Eswatini proved a surprise success for the lowly-ranked Eritrea, considering they had not played an international match for six years.
It put them into the draw for the group-stage qualifiers, along with the five winners of other preliminary ties. They will join Africa’s 42 top-ranked teams, who will be divided into 12 groups of four teams each.
The group qualifiers are to be played between September and November to determine the teams that will qualify for the 2027 Cup of Nations finals in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
A history of player defections
During trips outside the country, players from Eritrean both senior and underage national teams regularly disappeared and sought asylum.
Players and other team members defected after matches or tournaments in Angola in 2007; Kenya in 2009; Tanzania in 2011; Uganda in 2012; Botswana in 2015, following a World Cup qualifier; and Uganda again in 2019.
The United Nations estimates that about 80 Eritreans involved in football, including players, coaches and officials, have defected during the past 20 years.
Indefinite military service after completing schooling is cited as the main reason for the defections from the East African country.
Eritrea has been governed by President Isaias Afwerki since gaining independence from Ethiopia in 1993, and human rights groups consistently describe his rule as “highly repressive”.
During a state visit to Kenya three years ago, Afwerki said such allegations were “fantasy”.
Eritrea did not allow teams to travel outside the country since members of its under-20 side fled to Uganda in 2019, but had a change of heart when they entered the 2027 Cup of Nations.
A further sign of Eritrea looking to emerge from its self-imposed isolation came in February, when its football federation president, Paulos Weldehaimanot Andemariam, was elected to head the Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations, a longstanding regional body that organises club and junior competitions.
But that could all be in the balance now after the embarrassment of the player defections.
George Ghebreslassie, an Eritrean exile who runs a nonprofit organisation supporting Eritrean refugees, said the disappearance highlighted the dire situation in the country.
“It shows the kind of situation we have in Eritrea. We thought things would change, but nothing has changed,” he told the Reuters news agency.
BATTLE CREEK - We are listing the top 23 high school boys track athletes in the area and asking readers to vote for who will end up being the Battle Creek Enquirer Boys Track Athlete of the Year when the season is over.
It's the 2026 Battle Creek Enquirer Preseason Boys Track Athlete of the Year poll.
Meets have just started, and some athletes are already serving notice that they are ready for breakout years. But here's a preseason list of possible choices.
You can vote for who you believe to be the Preseason Battle Creek Enquirer Boys Track Athlete of the Year below. Online poll open until noon Tuesday, April 14.
The list of athletes was gathered from the collection of players to watch for the area in our season preview.
Here's our list of 23 boys track athletes in our Preseason Enquirer Boys Track Athlete of the Year poll (in alphabetical order):
Dre'Shaun Bailey - Pennfield
Jaymere Boykins - Lakeview
Devyn Brown - Lakeview
Mehki Burton - Battle Creek Central
Dylan Eversole - Harper Creek
Cooper Gardner - Harper Creek
Henry Green - Lakeview
Koran Gupton - Battle Creek Central
Zach Hudson - Marshall
Marcus King - Lakeview
Austin Kowalski - Lakeview
Alex LaFleur - Harper Creek
Karson Lewis - Lakeview
Deondre Manalac - Pennfield
Brayden Mentzer - Lakeview
Yoshua McDonald - Battle Creek Central
Abraham McHugh - Marshall
Ethan O'Connor - Athens
Akin Olapade - Marshall
Treven Straham - Pennfield
Antoine Westry - Harper Creek
Camari Williams - Battle Creek Central
DJ Wood - Harper Creek
Contact Bill Broderick at bbroderi@battlecreekenquirer.com. Follow him on X/Twitter @billbroderick.
No Nascar owner in history has opened a Cup season hotter than Michael Jordan has in 2026.Photograph: Jordan Bank/Getty Images
Michael Jordan the basketball player is success personified, the legend against whom all others are measured. Michael Jordan the sports executive, on the other hand, has spent much of the past three decades falling short of his own impossible standard.
In 1999, Jordan joined Abe Pollin’s Washington Wizards ownership group as a history-making minority partner, but neither his star power nor a brief return from retirement translated into sustained team success. Eleven years later, he took over the Charlotte Bobcats, replacing BET co-founder Robert Johnson as the league’s only Black majority owner – but poor roster moves, questionable hires and three playoff appearances in 13 years, with nary one series victory, ultimately became his legacy as the principal steward of the retro-branded Charlotte Hornets.
When he sold his stake in 2023 for $3bn, in part to focus on his nascent 23XI Nascar Cup operation (pronounced twenty-three eleven), a joint venture with Jordan Brand racing ambassador Denny Hamlin, many assumed Jordan the exec would only bring about more disappointment before fully retreating into his golf and gambling hobbies. Turns out, the 63-year-old was simply on the wrong track. “I’m cursed with this competitive gene, that anything I do is from a competitive lens,” he told CBS’s Gayle King. “In some ways, that keeps me young. It keeps me aggressively thinking positively. [It] has transcended and taken over everything that I do.”
No Nascar owner in history has opened a Cup season hotter than Jordan has in 2026. Tyler Reddick, the No 23 car driver who joined the team three years ago, won four of the Cup calendar’s first six events; he started off by grabbing the checkered flag in the Daytona 500, charging to the front on the last lap just before a crash broke out in his wake. Bubba Wallace, the No 45 car driver who helped establish 23XI Racing in 2021, has finished no worse than 11th through the first five races. Even a fraction of that success would make for a remarkable year in a sport where loss is constant – sweat, sponsors, sleep.
Throughout, Jordan has watched from the pit wall before celebrating in victory lane while seemingly making himself endlessly available for on-camera interviews. (Imagine how NBC must feel, touting Jordan as a “special contributor” to their rebooted NBA coverage, only to wind up cutting and stretching their one interview with the guy before the season.) Naturally, Jordan’s new teammates frame his firm but more forgiving leadership style in basketball terms. “He emphasizes doing what you need to do to make sure you’re performing at your highest level and taking that game-winning shot,” Dave Rogers, 23XI’s senior director of competition, explained to The Athletic. “And if you make it, great. And if you don’t, move on.”
23XI has been on a roll since Reddick hung on to claim the 2025 regular-season points title and push for the Cup series championship in the final race – after Wallace booked the team’s only win at the prestigious Brickyard 400 in Indianapolis. Heading into this Sunday’s race at Bristol Motor Speedway, Jordan sits atop the owner leaderboard alongside perennial powerhouses Roger Penske, Rick Hendrick and Joe Gibbs – who still employs Hamlin as a driver, as it happens. It’s a conflict of interest that can sometimes put Hamlin in the stressful position of having to choose between glory for the team he owns and risking one of his drivers to snatch victory for himself.
“I actually wiped out one of the 23XI cars last year [going] for a win on the final lap,” Hamlin told King.
“And he got a phone call from me,” Jordan shot back.
On the surface, 23XI’s streak is remarkable for a team in just its sixth year of operation. But what makes it truly astounding is that it all could’ve ended in court four months ago.
In October 2025, 23XI broke ranks with every Cup series team but one to file an antitrust lawsuit against Nascar. Jordan – well familiar with the cartel-style business practices of stick-and-ball leagues like the NBA, which allowed him to sell the Hornets for more than 10 times what he paid – effectively called out the France family, who have controlled Nascar since its inception. Among other grievances, he objected to the Frances taxing teams for the privilege of competing across their monopoly of racing circuits while hoarding revenue from the governing body’s multibillion-dollar media rights deals with Fox, NBC, TNT and Amazon.
The tradition of squeezing what MJ calls “the people putting on the show” predates patriarch Bill France Sr establishing Nascar in 1948. (Believe it or not, Big Bill was one of the more honest brokers – just better organized.) But when Jordan put his considerable clout on the line to challenge the Frances, Penske, Hendrick and other revered gatekeepers of the sport stayed on the sidelines, perhaps wary of picking a fight with Nascar’s leadership and facing the fallout alone.
Initially, Nascar seemed to hold the legal high ground: the top 36 Cup teams compete under a charter system that guarantees them a spot in each race and a share of the purse according to their finish, with binding terms. Even well-off teams seem to hold little to no leverage. In court testimony, Heather Gibbs, the daughter-in-law of Joe Gibbs and co-owner of the team, likened Nascar’s tight signing deadlines to “having a gun to your head”. It’s a fraught arrangement that leaves teams living hand to mouth.
By taking Nascar to court in October 2025, Jordan effectively bet the farm: a loss could have imperiled the very team he had spent six years building, jeopardizing drivers, sponsors and the future of 23XI itself. But he did so with the public on his side and years of experience defending intellectual property claims, winning in those courts more often than he lost too.
Before long, testimony from Jordan and Gibbs, coupled with a series of inflammatory text messages that surfaced showing Nascar commissioner Steve Phelps insulting prominent team owners, proved as clutch as Jordan’s 20-footer over Byron Russell in the 1998 NBA finals – swinging the tide and contributing to Phelps’s resignation in January. After a bit more back-and-forth, Nascar agreed to settle, bringing the week and a half long trial to a close.
In some ways it was inevitable Jordan would end up leaving his mark in this fast lane. He grew up in North Carolina, the stock car racing cradle founded by bootleggers outrunning the law. He has fond memories of his shade-tree mechanic father, James, carting the family to tracks across the state to watch Richard Petty, Cale Yarborough and the like trade paint. As a player, Jordan pulled up to home games in Ferraris and Porsches. After retiring, he got into motorcycle racing, launching Michael Jordan Motorsports.
Since 2011, Hamlin has worn the Jumpman logo across his racing uniform – a sponsorship deal that began with Jordan, a genuine fan, tracking him down at a Hornets game. Hamlin says he once came across an article claiming the two were looking to buy a team, and sent it along with a message: “It’s not real, but if you want to make it real, let me know.” The rest is racing history.
“Basketball is just a small part of your life,” Charles Barkley said, interrupting March Madness coverage to reflect on his former friend. “No matter how great you are, you’re gonna be done as a young person. You have to find something else to bring you joy and happiness. I’m proud of his success in Nascar.”
Jordan hasn’t hesitated to wade into the sport’s thorny racial politics either – starting by launching his team with Wallace, the Cup series’ trailblazer who notoriously advocated for a ban on the confederate flag and won. Jordan has cast himself as the figure who can break through to would-be fans long put off by the sport’s racist vestiges, chopping it up with rappers Fat Joe and Jadakiss outside of the 23XI team hauler before last month’s Cup race in Phoenix. And while it’s striking that it took Michael Jeffrey Jordan to drag Nascar into the 21st century, kicking and screaming, it can’t be said the role doesn’t suit him.
Just let the record reflect this Nascar season as a victory for Michael Jordan the executive, his Airness rising to the occasion at last. “I’m excited that I’m connected to this sport,” Jordan told King. “I feel like I watch it through the lens of my father, or with my family – and that matters to me.”
Following a thrilling finish at last year's tournament, what can we expect from the 2026 Masters?
Some of the best golfers in the world will be at Augusta National this weekend, looking to secure the green jacket. Can Rory McIlroy, who won last year after beating Justin Rose in a sudden-death playoff, repeat as champion?
Scottie Scheffler, meanwhile, will try to climb up the leaderboard after winning the tournament in 2022 and 2024. Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson won't be participating, but there will be plenty of star power on the course.
Ready to follow along with all of the action at Augusta National? Here's an updated breakdown of the scores and standings from the 2026 Masters.
Masters leaderboard 2026
After the conclusion of each round, the standings will be posted here. If you're searching for a live leaderboard that will be updated following each swing, click here.
How to watch Masters 2026: TV channels, live streams
Fans can watch the Masters across multiple TV and streaming platforms, including a new partner for 2026 in Prime Video.
The tournament tees off Thursday morning with live feeds of featured groups and holes, then the main broadcast begins in the early afternoon. Live broadcasts also will be available via Masters.com and the Masters app. See the full day-by-day television and streaming schedule below.
The 2026 Frozen Four features the programs that have won more national championships than any others, and the two at the top of the list face off in Thursday's second semifinal.
No. 1 seed Michigan won the first college national championship in 1948 and has nine total trophies, while Denver leads all schools with 10 national titles and is seeking its third crown in five years.
The Wolverines' legacy runs deep, but Michigan has waited nearly three decades for a championship since its most recent triumphs under the legendary Red Berenson in 1998 and 1996. The current team represents the Wolverines' best shot in years, with Hobey Baker Award finalist T.J. Hughes leading the way. The senior has 178 points (68 goals, 110 assists) in 155 career games.
The Pioneers have become the sport's most consistent program and are in the Frozen Four for the third consecutive year. Playing about an hour from their campus, they blew through the Loveland Regional and punched their ticket to Las Vegas with a 6-2 rout of reigning national champion Western Michigan.
Though this will be the 85th meeting between the schools, they have played only twice in nearly two and a half decades. Denver prevailed in the 2022 Frozen Four, while Michigan won in a 2002 regional final matchup.
Who will come out on top Thursday and advance to the championship game? Here's everything you need to know to watch what should be a memorable showdown.
What channel is Michigan vs. Denver hockey on today?
The Michigan vs. Denver Frozen Four game will air on ESPN2 with John Buccigross and Colby Cohen on the call. Fans can also stream the game live on fubo.
Fubo offers a free trial for new subscribers, so you can try the service before you buy. Stream ESPN, ABC, CBS, Fox and 100+ top channels of live TV and sports without cable. (Participating plans only. Taxes and fees may apply.)
What time is Michigan vs. Denver hockey today?
Date: Thursday, April 9
Time: 8:30 p.m. ET | 6:30 p.m. MT
Puck drop for the Michigan vs. Denver national semifinal is set for 8:30 p.m. ET on Thursday.
The game will take place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Barcelona's German coach Hans-Dieter Flick gestures on the touchline during the UEFA Champions League quarter final first leg football match between FC Barcelona and Club Atletico de Madrid at Camp Nou Stadium in Barcelona on April 8, 2026. (Photo by Josep LAGO / AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick hit out at the match officials after Wednesday’s 2-0 defeat to Atletico in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie.
Flick fumed after seeing Marc Pubill escape conceding a penalty for a handball in the area and had some strong words after the final whistle.
“For me, it’s a clear red, well a second yellow and a penalty. The VAR can explain why it’s not [reviewed the play].
“I can’t believe it’s not a red card. It feels not good. It feels unfair. We have to accept it. We will fight next Tuesday.”
The Barcelona boss also wasn’t too happy with the decision to send off Pau Cubarsi, a decision which had a huge impact on the match.
“I’m not sure he touched him enough because the ball was behind him,” he added.
The two teams meet again next week for the return in the Spanish capital.
Wednesday, the Hurricanes recalled four players from their minor league affiliate, the Chicago Wolves, who are also playoff-bound and sit second in the AHL’s Central Division.
Those who will join the Hurricanes are the Wolves’ captain Josiah Slavin, leading goalscorer Bradley Nadeau, Skyler Brind’Amour, and Charles-Alexis Legault. They won’t have to travel far – the Wolves’ Allstate Arena and the Blackhawks’ United Center are only 17 miles apart.
In the Crease
For the Hurricanes, the likely starter would be Frederik Andersen, per the alternating tandem. Despite a bumpy season, Andersen has significantly improved since the Olympics, notching a 7-4-0 record in that time, with three of the four losses having been to teams whose desperation level overcame the Hurricanes. This season, his save percentage is .870, with a goals against average of 3.15 across a 14-14-5 record.
Meanwhile, the Blackhawks will likely return to Spencer Knight, who played in their previous game against the San Jose Sharks. He has taken the brunt of the starts throughout Chicago’s 78 games, with 52 to Arvid Soderblom’s 23. This season, his save percentage is .907, with a goals against average of 2.72 across an 18-23-11 record.
Expected Carolina Hurricanes Lines
Andrei Svechnikov – Sebastian Aho – Seth Jarvis
Taylor Hall – Logan Stankoven – Jackson Blake
Nikolaj Ehlers – Jordan Staal – Jordan Martinook
William Carrier – Mark Jankowski – Nicolas Deslauriers
Chicago Blackhawks power play: 18.0% (25th) Chicago Blackhawks penalty kill: 83.9% (2nd)
Hurricanes Game Notes
With the recall of three forwards and one defenseman from the Wolves, it is all but certain that the Hurricanes will rest players in the upcoming game. However, it is unclear who will be rested, and how the lines will change due to that. As such, the line projection merely reflects those of the last game, with Mike Reilly drawing in due to Jalen Chatfield’s injury.
In the previous game against the Bruins, Eric Robinson was scratched, with Nicolas Deslauriers drawing in. No brawls ensued at the hands of the Hurricanes’ bruiser, but there was certainly chirping after Seth Jarvis sustained a heavy hit from Nikita Zadorov.
Wednesday, the Carolina chapter of the PHWA honored Brandon Bussi with the team MVP award for his dynamic contributions in his debut season, and Taylor Hall with the Josef Vasicek Award (also known as the Good Guy Award) for his outstanding cooperation with the local media. Additionally, Hall was also named as the Hurricanes’ nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.
How To Watch
TV: FanDuel Sports Network South Streaming: ESPN+ Radio: 99.9 The Fan
The attacker continues to be one of Mikel Arteta’s most important stars, consistently producing fine performances whenever he features. His impact on the team has been significant, and he remains a player capable of turning games in Arsenal’s favour.
Role and Recent Contributions
In recent times, Martinelli has mostly come off the bench to make a decisive impact, as he has struggled to maintain his influence when starting matches. Speculation has grown that this could be his final season at Arsenal, with the club reportedly considering changes to their squad during the summer transfer window. Despite this, the Brazilian remains one of their brightest talents and a crucial figure in Arteta’s plans.
Football Insider reports that Arsenal remains open to the possibility of selling Martinelli once the season concludes, although the club is cautious and reluctant to part with him lightly. Only teams that are serious about adding him to their squad and willing to meet a substantial fee are likely to be considered.
Strategic Plans and Future Prospects
Arsenal’s approach reflects their strategy to strengthen the squad while maintaining key performers. The sale of Martinelli would provide the club with significant funds to reinvest in new talent, allowing them to bolster the team and aim for a stronger, more competitive squad.
While his departure would be a notable loss, the club appears determined to balance the retention of top players with the need to evolve and improve. Fans will be watching closely to see how Arteta and the management handle Martinelli’s future, and whether he will remain a pivotal figure for the remainder of the campaign.
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Paris, France - April 8: head coach Arne Slot of Liverpool FC gestures looks dejected during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Quarter-Final First Leg match between Paris Saint-Germain FC and Liverpool FC at Parc des Princes on April 8, 2026 in Paris, France. (Photo by Harry Langer/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images) | DeFodi Images via Getty Images
After the 2-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, under-fire Liverpool FC head coach Arne Slot was asked about Liverpool’s chances to progress to the semi-finals:
“Probably I have to refer to last season, what gives me the best feeling and I have to refer to the history of this club, how much impact Anfield can make for a performance.”
“We were outplayed here last season, which led to a 1-0 win from us which was unbelievable. Paris Saint-Germain was by far the better team today, could have scored more than two goals.”
“But the good thing was that the players of Liverpool showed fighting spirit, kept going.”
“Almost every time they had a shot, we had a lot of players behind the ball or protecting our box, which was necessary because if you don’t run back, these players, like the ones from City, are able to hurt you a lot.”
“Last season at Anfield we played a completely different game and after 10 minutes could have been 2-0 up.”
“But we need to have a better performance and we definitely need our fans to help us to create an atmosphere where we can rise to a better level than we did so today.”
“We were in survival mode for large parts of the game – maybe also in the period of the season we are in.”
“We are in survival mode, to find ways where we can try to make sure that their qualities are not seen that much.”
“But that’s really, really hard against this team because last year over here we were in survival mode as well.”
“But, as I said, Paris Saint-Germain was the better team, but we didn’t give up and that is why we still have a chance now because they kept us alive by not scoring a few open chances.”
I can’t really see how Anfield is going to be a factor when the atmosphere has been dreadful but survial mode is right. The team has been flailing in the wind like a tube man at a car dealership all season, and choosing to deploy a back five in this fixture is probably as close as you’re going to get to an admission from Slot that he’s out of ideas. It’s time.
Juve have perfect opportunity to heap pressure on rivals
It hasn’t been the season Juventus would have wanted, but there’s still a big chance to achieve their main objective of qualifying for the Champions League, and the upcoming fixtures give them the perfect opportunity to do so.
Juventus are currently fifth in Serie A and have been knocked out of all cup competitions. If they fail to qualify for the Champions League, then it will be a very poor season for them.
There’s still hope that they can finish in the top four as they are one point from Como, who are one position above them.
This weekend will be pivotal for The Old Lady. They take on an Atalanta side who are in seventh and just four points behind them. Atalanta have made their stadium a very tough place to visit this season, winning nine of their 16 games at home, losing just twice. Juventus have been slightly inconsistent away from home in Serie A this campaign, but recent form, which sees them undefeated in their last five games, sees them slim favourites.
Wins are always crucial, but it feels monumental for Juventus this weekend due to the fact that they can beat a team just below them, whilst one of their direct rivals faces the toughest fixture of the weekend.
Fourth-placed Como face league leaders Inter. With Inter favourites to dispatch Como, a win for Juventus wouldn’t just secure three vital points and create a crucial gap between themselves and the chasing pack below them, it would also see them move above Como and sit in the Champions League spots.
The Serie A club were in Europe’s biggest competition this season, but only made it to the knockout play-offs, where they lost to Galatasaray, which did not go down well with the fan base.
They want to make sure they are battling with the elite, and missing out on Champions League football would be a massive blow for a club of Juve’s size, both financially and for their reputation.
Playing in the Europa League next season is something everyone at the club will be desperate to avoid. While their recent five-game unbeaten run shows they are making progress, they now need to turn those steady performances into regular wins to ensure they secure a top-four finish.
According to new betting sites, the odds for Juventus to finish in the top four of Serie A are currently 6/4, giving them a 40% chance of qualifying for the Champions League. If rivals like Como were to drop points while Juventus won this weekend, no doubt that probability would increase significantly.
After this weekend, there are only six games left, and Juventus only have to play one team above them in this run, whilst some of their rivals will be facing each other.
If they can head into this favourable run with a win, it would give them a huge mentality and morale boost, and add plenty of pressure on the rivals above them.
No serious offer yet for Said El Mala amid England links, says club boss
Said El Mala has been linked with a move to England, but 1. FC Köln sporting managing director Thomas Kessler says no serious offer has been made for the 19-year-old so far.
According to reports, El Mala’s family has given the green light for a potential move to Brighton & Hove Albion, but the Seagulls’ offer of €35 million plus add-ons falls short of Köln’s valuation.
“We are in very reliable and close communication with Said and his family. As of now, we have not received an offer from another club that we would need to consider seriously. So far, the player himself has also expressed no desire to enter talks with other clubs,” Kessler told the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger.
“The initiative lies with 1. FC Köln – Said is still under contract with us until 2030,” Kessler said.
Kessler also denied reports that Köln have set a €50 million asking price for El Mala, stating that the club “has not defined a pain threshold” nor a fixed deadline for the player’s future to be clarified.
“There is no specific date or range. Of course, it is clear that at the right time we will address the topic."
For now, avoiding relegation remains the top priority for both El Mala and Köln.
“We have been closely supporting Said since the start of the season. He has made it absolutely clear that his full focus is currently on his development at the FC and the end-of-season push. He has clear goals with the club. He also has the full backing and support of his family,” Kessler explained.
Chelsea have also been mentioned as suitors, while it was recently reported that the player’s family rejected an approach from Newcastle United.
BOTTOM LINE: The San Diego Padres open a four-game series at home against the Colorado Rockies on Thursday.
San Diego has a 6-6 record overall and a 2-4 record at home. The Padres have gone 1-0 in games when they hit at least two home runs.
Colorado has gone 2-4 on the road and 6-6 overall. Rockies pitchers have a collective 3.68 ERA, which ranks eighth in the NL.
Thursday's game is the first meeting between these teams this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jackson Merrill has two doubles, two home runs and seven RBIs for the Padres. Ramon Laureano is 10 for 41 with two doubles, a home run and five RBIs over the past 10 games.
Mickey Moniak has three home runs and five RBIs for the Rockies. Troy Johnston is 12 for 35 with three doubles and two home runs over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Padres: 6-4, .217 batting average, 3.38 ERA, outscored opponents by seven runs
INJURIES: Padres: Bryan Hoeing: 15-Day IL (elbow), Jason Adam: 15-Day IL (quadricep), Yuki Matsui: 15-Day IL (groin), Matt Waldron: 15-Day IL (lower body), Joe Musgrove: 15-Day IL (elbow), Griffin Canning: 15-Day IL (achilles), Will Wagner: 10-Day IL (oblique), Sung-Mun Song: 10-Day IL (oblique), Jhony Brito: 60-Day IL (elbow)
Rockies: RJ Petit: 60-Day IL (elbow), McCade Brown: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Jose Quintana: 15-Day IL (hamstring), Pierson Ohl: 60-Day IL (elbow), Kris Bryant: 60-Day IL (back), Jeff Criswell: 60-Day IL (elbow)
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: The Minnesota Twins, on a three-game home winning streak, host the Detroit Tigers.
Minnesota is 6-6 overall and 4-2 at home. Twins pitchers have a collective 4.11 ERA, which ranks seventh in the AL.
Detroit is 4-8 overall and 2-7 in road games. The Tigers are 0-1 in games decided by one run.
The teams meet Thursday for the fourth time this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Josh Bell has four doubles and two home runs while hitting .270 for the Twins. Matt Wallner is 11 for 44 with two doubles and three home runs over the last 10 games.
Dillon Dingler has a double, two home runs and eight RBIs for the Tigers. Kerry Carpenter is 7 for 29 with two home runs over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Twins: 5-5, .233 batting average, 4.60 ERA, outscored opponents by one run
INJURIES: Twins: David Festa: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Travis Adams: 15-Day IL (tricep), Pablo Lopez: 60-Day IL (elbow)
Tigers: Justin Verlander: 15-Day IL (hip inflammation), Trey Sweeney: 10-Day IL (shoulder), Bailey Horn: 15-Day IL (elbow), Reese Olson: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Jackson Jobe: 60-Day IL (elbow), Troy Melton: 60-Day IL (elbow), Beau Brieske: 60-Day IL (groin)
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: The New York Mets and Arizona Diamondbacks meet on Thursday with the three-game series tied 1-1.
New York has a 3-2 record in home games and a 7-5 record overall. Mets hitters have a collective .324 on-base percentage, the seventh-ranked percentage in the NL.
Arizona is 6-6 overall and 1-4 on the road. The Diamondbacks have a 5-1 record in games when they did not allow a home run.
The matchup Thursday is the third time these teams match up this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Francisco Alvarez has a double, three home runs and three RBIs while hitting .300 for the Mets. Juan Soto is 11 for 31 with two doubles and a home run over the past 10 games.
Corbin Carroll has two home runs, six walks and 11 RBIs while hitting .333 for the Diamondbacks. Ildemaro Vargas is 10 for 20 with a double, a triple, a home run and four RBIs over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Mets: 5-5, .248 batting average, 2.86 ERA, outscored opponents by seven runs
Diamondbacks: 6-4, .224 batting average, 3.30 ERA, outscored by six runs
INJURIES: Mets: Juan Soto: 10-Day IL (calf), Justin Hagenman: 60-Day IL (rib), A.J. Minter: 15-Day IL (lat), Reed Garrett: 60-Day IL (elbow), Tylor Megill: 60-Day IL (elbow), Dedniel Nunez: 60-Day IL (elbow)
Diamondbacks: Carlos Santana: 10-Day IL (groin), Jordan Lawlar: 60-Day IL (wrist), Pavin Smith: 10-Day IL (elbow), Tyler Locklear: 10-Day IL (elbow), Cristian Mena: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Lourdes Gurriel Jr.: 10-Day IL (knee), Blake Walston: 60-Day IL (elbow), A.J. Puk: 60-Day IL (elbow), Merrill Kelly: 15-Day IL (back), Andrew Saalfrank: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Corbin Burnes: 60-Day IL (elbow), Justin Martinez: 60-Day IL (elbow)
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: The New York Yankees and Athletics meet on Thursday with the three-game series tied 1-1.
New York is 8-3 overall and 3-2 at home. The Yankees have a 5-0 record in games when they out-hit their opponents.
The Athletics are 4-7 overall and 2-6 in road games. The Athletics have gone 3-1 in games when they scored at least five runs.
The teams play Thursday for the third time this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Aaron Judge has a double, three home runs and seven RBIs for the Yankees. Ben Rice is 11 for 33 with four doubles and three home runs over the past 10 games.
Shea Langeliers leads the Athletics with five home runs while slugging .644. Max Muncy is 13 for 40 with three doubles, two home runs and five RBIs over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Yankees: 7-3, .211 batting average, 2.73 ERA, outscored opponents by 19 runs
INJURIES: Yankees: Gerrit Cole: 15-Day IL (elbow), Carlos Rodon: 15-Day IL (elbow), Clarke Schmidt: 60-Day IL (elbow), Anthony Volpe: 10-Day IL (shoulder)
Athletics: Gunnar Hoglund: 60-Day IL (knee)
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: The Cincinnati Reds play the Miami Marlins leading the series 2-1.
Miami is 6-3 at home and 7-5 overall. The Marlins have a 6-2 record in games when they record at least eight hits.
Cincinnati has gone 5-1 in road games and 8-4 overall. The Reds are 5-0 in games when they have more hits than their opponents.
The teams meet Thursday for the fourth time this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Otto Lopez has a double, a triple and a home run for the Marlins. Liam Hicks is 9 for 29 with a double and two home runs over the past 10 games.
Sal Stewart has four doubles, three home runs and eight RBIs for the Reds. Elly De La Cruz is 9 for 39 with a double, two home runs and five RBIs over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Marlins: 5-5, .258 batting average, 4.25 ERA, outscored opponents by four runs
Reds: 7-3, .213 batting average, 3.00 ERA, even run differential
INJURIES: Marlins: Otto Lopez: day-to-day (undisclosed), Christopher Morel: 10-Day IL (oblique), Esteury Ruiz: 10-Day IL (oblique), Kyle Stowers: 10-Day IL (hamstring), Adam Mazur: 60-Day IL (elbow), Max Acosta: 10-Day IL (oblique), Ronny Henriquez: 60-Day IL (elbow)
Reds: Jose Trevino: 10-Day IL (back), Caleb Ferguson: 15-Day IL (oblique), Hunter Greene: 60-Day IL (elbow), Nick Lodolo: 15-Day IL (finger)
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: The Chicago White Sox come into the matchup against the Kansas City Royals as losers of three games in a row.
Kansas City has a 3-3 record at home and a 5-7 record overall. The Royals have gone 0-1 in games decided by one run.
Chicago has a 1-5 record in road games and a 4-8 record overall. The White Sox have a 4-0 record in games when they out-hit their opponents.
The teams meet Thursday for the first time this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Carter Jensen leads the Royals with three home runs while slugging .548. Maikel Garcia is 13 for 40 with four doubles, a home run and seven RBIs over the past 10 games.
Munetaka Murakami leads the White Sox with four home runs while slugging .513. Chase Meidroth is 9 for 39 with three doubles and an RBI over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Royals: 5-5, .246 batting average, 4.29 ERA, outscored by two runs
White Sox: 4-6, .213 batting average, 4.60 ERA, outscored by 12 runs
INJURIES: Royals: Cole Ragans: day-to-day (thumb), Bailey Falter: 15-Day IL (elbow), Carlos Estevez: 15-Day IL (foot), Stephen Kolek: 15-Day IL (oblique), James McArthur: 15-Day IL (elbow), Alec Marsh: 60-Day IL (shoulder)
White Sox: Brooks Baldwin: 60-Day IL (elbow), Austin Hays: 10-Day IL (hamstring), Mike Vasil: 60-Day IL (elbow), Everson Pereira: 10-Day IL (ankle), Kyle Teel: 10-Day IL (hamstring), Drew Thorpe: 15-Day IL (elbow), Prelander Berroa: 15-Day IL (elbow), Ky Bush: 60-Day IL (elbow)
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
What a game in store on Saturday lunchtime (12:30 BST) as Ipswich head to Norwich for one of the biggest East Anglian Derbies in recent memory.
The Tractor Boys are unbeaten in eight games, earning 18 points, which took them into the automatic promotion places on goal difference, with games in hand on the sides around them, ahead of Millwall's Friday night game at West Brom.
The Lions were beaten 2-1 at home by Norwich on Monday, which left the Canaries on the fringe of the play-off race in ninth, though Southampton's thumping win at Wrexham on Tuesday night left Philippe Clement's men effectively nine points adrift of the top six with five games to play.
Kieran McKenna's side enjoyed a 3-1 win in the reverse fixture at Portman Road in early October and another at Carrow Road would not only be their first in more than 20 years and ensure local bragging rights, it would likely end their rivals' promotion hopes and give their own chances a massive boost.
Norwich are unbeaten in their past nine home league games against Ipswich (W5 D4), since a 2-1 loss in February 2006.
Following their 3-1 win in October, Ipswich are looking to complete the league double over Norwich for the first time since 1992-93.
Since the turn of the year, Norwich City have won the most points of any Championship side (37), winning two more games (12) in that time than any other team. At the end of 2025, the Canaries were 23rd in the Championship, with only Sheffield Wednesday losing more games (14) than they had (13).
Ipswich Town have had the most shots following a high turnover in the Championship this season (59), and have scored the most goals after a high turnover (11).
In his first 25 Championship appearances this season, Norwich's Pelle Mattsson had 22 shots without finding the net. In his last three, he's had six attempts and scored a goal in all three games.
Advantage Liverpool? Reds battle Bayern in race for £35m attacker
Liverpool are among the clubs showing strong interest in signing Hoffenheim winger Bazoumana Toure during the summer transfer window.
The Reds are expected to strengthen their attacking options after a hugely frustrating 2025-26 campaign.
Mohamed Salah is set to leave at the end of the season following the expiry of his contract, while Federico Chiesa and Cody Gakpo also face uncertain futures.
Do Liverpool have advantage in the race?
According to a report from Bild, the Reds have identified Toure as a potential candidate to replace Salah this summer.
The 20-time Premier League champions have already been linked with several high-quality players, including Yan Diomande, but Toure has now emerged as another viable option.
The report claims that Liverpool are likely to face competition from Arsenal, Manchester United and Bayern Munich for the Ivorian winger.
Christian Falk has told CFBayern that while Bayern do admire the young attacker, he is not currently a top priority for them.
The Bavarian giants could still look to sign a new winger to provide competition for Luis Diaz on the left flank, although they appear to be exploring multiple options.
Bild also reports that Liverpool scouts were present during Ivory Coast’s 1-0 win over Scotland, indicating that their interest in Toure is genuine.
Bazoumana Toure would be perfect for Bayern and Liverpool
Toure joined Hoffenheim in the January window of 2025 from Hammarby for €10m and has since enjoyed a breakthrough campaign.
He has made 24 Bundesliga appearances, starting 23 of them, and has contributed two goals and eight assists.
Toure is a versatile winger capable of operating on either flank, though he is most effective on the left.
The Ivorian possesses blistering pace and can glide past defenders with ease. While he has a sharp eye for a pass, there is still room for further development in his game.
Hoffenheim are expected to demand a fee in the region of £35m if top clubs move to secure his signature.
Toure also boasts the best dribble success rate (69%) among players attempting at least 4.5 dribbles per 90 minutes, making him a potentially smart acquisition for both Bayern and Liverpool.
NEW DELHI: “What was David Miller thinking?” “Why didn’t he run?” Those questions will dominate conversations after Delhi Capitals suffered a heartbreaking one-run defeat to Gujarat Titans in IPL 2026. But beyond the drama and debate, it was Axar Patel’s touching post-match gesture that truly stood out.
At the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Wednesday, Miller endured a whirlwind night that ended in agony. The South African nearly pulled off one of the great heists, smashing an unbeaten 41 off just 20 balls to drag DC back from the brink. With 2 needed off 2 balls, victory seemed within reach.
Then came the moment that changed everything.
Facing Prasidh Krishna, Miller declined a single off the penultimate delivery, backing himself to finish the game with a boundary. But Krishna outfoxed him with a slower bouncer on the final ball. In desperation, Miller and Kuldeep Yadav attempted a bye, only for Jos Buttler to produce a direct hit and seal a dramatic win for Gujarat.
DC finished at 209/8, one run short of the 210 total by GT.
Miller was visibly shattered. But in that moment of despair, Axar Patel’s reaction spoke volumes. The DC skipper walked up, shook Miller’s hand, placed an arm around his shoulder, and offered words of encouragement. As one commentator aptly put it: “Captain, telling one of his soldiers how brilliant he was.”
WATCH: Axar Patel’s heartfelt gesture for distraught David Miller
— IPL (@IPL)
Earlier, Gujarat Titans rode on half-centuries from Shubman Gill, Buttler and Washington Sundar to post 210/4. In reply, KL Rahul’s fluent 92 and Pathum Nissanka’s 41 laid the foundation, but Rashid Khan’s triple strike turned the tide.
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With 36 needed off the last two overs, the game looked done — until Miller’s late assault, including a 106m six, reignited hope. He plundered 23 runs off Mohammed Siraj in the penultimate over to bring it down to the wire.
In the end, though, it wasn’t just the missed run that defined the night — it was a captain’s compassion that left a lasting impression.
Stats: Real Madrid have lost more games under Arbeloa already than they did under Xabi Alonso
There is an increasingly loud debate surrounding Real Madrid’s direction this season, and at the centre of it lies a key question – are Los Blancos actually better under Alvaro Arbeloa, or did they let go of something more stable under Xabi Alonso too soon?
On the surface, there are reasons for optimism.
Even after the 1-2 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-final first leg, the tie remains very much alive.
However, scratch beneath that optimism, and the picture becomes far more complex.
Real Madrid’s record under Arbeloa and Alonso
While Arbeloa has brought fresh ideas and a different energy to the team, results have not always followed consistently.
In fact, under Alonso, Real Madrid suffered five defeats across 28 matches, which was a relatively controlled record for a team competing on multiple fronts.
Under Arbeloa, though, that figure has already been surpassed, with six losses coming in just 19 games.
That contrast naturally raises questions about stability and direction.
Real Madrid have lost more games under Arbeloa than under Alonso. (Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images)
Even when looking at win percentage, the difference is marginal but telling, as Alonso operated at 73.7%, while Arbeloa’s current rate stands at 72.2%.
It is not a dramatic drop, but in a club like Real Madrid, it is enough to fuel debate.
Evident differences
Of course, numbers alone do not tell the whole story.
Alonso’s tenure ended amid internal disagreements and dressing room tensions, which ultimately cut short what many believed was a promising project.
In that sense, Arbeloa inherited a situation that required immediate management both on and off the pitch.
The Champions League offers Arbeloa a chance to finish his tenure on a high note, as a strong performance in Munich could instantly change perceptions and inject belief into the project.
Progress in Europe has always carried significant weight at Real Madrid, and it may once again prove decisive in judging the current regime.
Domestically, however, the situation is less forgiving. With a seven-point gap to Barcelona in La Liga, the margin for error is minimal, and there is much reliance on the Blaugrana’s results rather than their own victories.
‘Obvious error’ – What ex-PGMOL chief said about two big decisions in Liverpool defeat to PSG
Former PGMOL chief executive Keith Hackett felt that Liverpool got away with one big refereeing decision in their 2-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday night.
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Ibrahima Konate was involved in two penalty incidents in the second half, the first of which saw a spot kick initially given against him in the 70th minute for a challenge on Warren Zaire-Emery, before the decision was rightly overtuned following a VAR review as he won the ball.
Then, in stoppage time, the Reds defender appeared to nudge Nuno Mendes inside the box as the PSG left-back bore down on goal, but referee Jose Maria Sanchez Martinez didn’t see any reason to blow for a foul.
What did Hackett say about the two penalty decisions?
Hackett praised the VAR intervention on the first incident but felt that the Liverpool centre-back was fortunate not to have had a penalty given against him over the latter instance.
The former top-flight official told Football Insider: “This was a push by Konate [on Mendes] that should have resulted in the award of a penalty kick.
“The subtle push impacted on the forward [sic], who lost balance and went to ground. VAR should have intervened to enable the referee to have a second [view of the] incident.”
On the early penalty which was overturned, Hackett said: “[This was] a very good intervention by VAR to see that the referee, in awarding a penalty kick, had made a clear and obvious error. The decision was reviewed and correctly overturned.”
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Liverpool may have had other grievances despite dodging potential penalty
The overturning of the initial penalty award in the 70th minute was the correct call, with replays showing that Konate won the ball cleanly from Zaire-Emery with what Ally McCoist called a ‘brilliant challenge’, and that’s one instance which shows how VAR can work well when implemented properly.
As for the apparent push on Mendes in added time, we’d admit that the Liverpool defender took an unnecessary risk in that instance and could easily have had a spot kick given against him, so perhaps the Reds did get away with that one.
However, Arne Slot may well have legitimate gripes with Sanchez for penalising Joe Gomez with a yellow card despite making a brilliantly-timed tackle on Desire Doue, a decision which looked even worse after Khvicha Kvaratskhelia had earlier escaped sanction for a blatant shirt pull on Konate.
Both teams may have grievances over some of the refereeing last night, but what nobody could dispute is that PSG were by far the better team and could easily have won by a much greater margin, were it not for some poor finishing on their part and some excellent saves by Giorgi Mamardashvili.
In the end, Liverpool can be grateful to come away with a 2-0 defeat, which McCoist believes still gives them a chance of pulling off another famous European comeback at Anfield next week.
Defender Pascal Struijk says boss Daniel Farke has given him "a lot of confidence" and has "done great things" so far at the club.
Struijk told BBC Radio Leeds: "For me he has been really great ever since he came in. He came in and gave me a lot of confidence.
"He trusts me to play and he trusts me to be the vice-captain of the team.
"I'm very happy with everything he has done for me so far and with the team he has done great things - promotion and now a season in the Premier League which hopefully we can finish on a high."
The defender, who has been at the club for eight years, says he is still hungry to help Leeds push on: "I want to be the best version I can here and then take that hunger and desire with everyone within the club.
"I'm very much an optimist. I always go into games thinking that we can win, thinking we should play better, do everything better.
"I hope to bring all of this with me into the end of the season and hopefully we can do all the things on a high."
Jamie Carragher says the gulf between Liverpool and Paris St.Germain in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final was "absolutely startling".
The Reds, who failed to register a shot on target at Parc des Princes, have a two-goal deficit to overturn in next week's second leg.
"In some ways it's actually a great result for Liverpool because it should have been five or six in that game. The gulf between the two teams was absolutely startling," the former Liverpool defender told CBS Sports.
"When you consider last season, yes Liverpool got battered at PSG and they won 1-0, we know that but the second leg at Anfield was a really close game - two top teams.
"Liverpool then go and spend £450m, probably a lot more than PSG spent in the summer and to see the gulf there is worrying, you think how has it got to that, how has it got that bad?"
Reds boss Arne Slot switched to a back five and Carragher says it is the most "uncomfortable" he has seen Virgil van Dijk in a Liverpool shirt.
"At 34 years of age he was having to run in there, run across, he couldn't do it," Carragher added.
"People have criticised Van Dijk this season about his performances and I think it has been harsh because he plays every game, the fella next to him has just been awful all season, he was poor again [against PSG] Ibrahima Konate, he makes a mistake every game so that's not easy to play alongside.
"I still think Van Dijk has been one of Liverpool's better players but in that back three I have never seen him so uncomfortable in a Liverpool shirt in my life and I think he'll be pleading with Arne Slot to never play that system ever again because he found it so tough.
"It's not just the system of Liverpool and getting it wrong tactically, PSG were absolutely out of this world and the biggest compliment I can give them, it was like watching Pep Guardiola's Barcelona."
Did you know?
Liverpool have lost four consecutive away games in all competitions for the first time since between February and April 2012.
Former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson says Arne Slot sent out the "wrong signal" by playing a back five in Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final first leg in Paris.
The only other time Liverpool had previously fielded a back five this season was in their Carabao Cup fourth-round defeat by Crystal Palace in October.
In their 2-0 win on Wednesday, PSG had 74% of the ball and 18 shots to the Reds' three.
"That was the English champions against the French Champions and ours weren't anywhere near theirs," Robinson told BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast.
"Liverpool came to the Parc des Princes not in a good run of form, with their confidence very very low, as a team that are creaking.
"That's the reason Slot played a back five but as soon as you play a back five it sends the wrong signals out. That's not playing to Liverpool's strengths, it's defending their weaknesses and defending against what attacking problems that the opposition are going to give you.
"In [Achraf] Hakimi, [Nuno] Mendes, [Kvicha] Kvaratskhelia, [Desire] Doue, Arne Slot knew the problems his team would have in wide areas and they were so submissive just by playing that formation.
"Throughout the whole game you look at the possession stats. From a Liverpool point of view, if they had done a smash and grab and got away with a 0-0 or a 1-0 victory or 1-0 defeat it'd be 'OK, they've come here and done a job'.
"But, there was nothing good about that performance from Liverpool. By the way they have set-up and then played tonight, they have sent out the wrong signal."
Did you know?
Liverpool failed to have a shot on target in a UEFA Champions League match for the first time since November 2020 against Atalanta.
A high school football team. (File photo from Getty Images.)
The Ohio House has two opposing Republican bills dealing with name, image, and likeness deals at the high school level.
Ohio House Bill 661 would ban high school and middle school athletes from making NIL deals while Ohio House Bill 745would create guardrails for high school athletes to earn compensation from NIL deals.
Ohio is one of 45 states that allows high school athletes to have NIL deals.
“If someone’s able to make money off their athletic talent, I think they should be able to do so,” said state Rep. Tex Fischer, R-Boardman.
He recently introduced Ohio H.B. 745 with state Rep. Phil Plummer, R-Dayton.
Their bill would allow a high school athlete to earn compensation from NIL if they enter into a written contract that aligns with the fair market value. The contract would also require the written consent of a student-athlete’s parent if they are younger than 18.
The bill has not had any hearings yet and the Ohio House will reconvene in May.
H.B. 745 outlines several situations that would not be allowed in a NIL contract including:
Compensation based on the student-athlete’s specific athletic performance or achievement.
Persuading a student-athlete to attend a certain high school.
It directly impacts someone other than the student-athlete.
It provides money, merchandise, services of value, or any other benefit directly to the student-athlete’s high school or school sports team.
It interferes with a student-athlete’s required academic instruction time.
It conflicts with the educational mission or code of conduct of the student-athlete’s high school.
Anyone affiliated to the school is a party to the contract.
The student-athlete would not promote alcohol, tobacco or nicotine products, marijuana, a controlled substance, gambling, adult entertainment, or a firearm.
Of the 350,000 Ohio High School Athletic Association student-athletes, only 32 NIL deals have been reported. Many of those deals are for less than $1,000, according to the OHSAA.
“For the vast majority of cases here, we’re not talking about a significant amount of money,” Fischer said. “We’re talking about a kid who gets $150 for having a donut named after him at the donut shop. … Or the football team goes down and takes a group photo to be on the pizza shop flyer and they get free pizza.”
Ohio House Bill 661
Ohio House Bill 661 would ban high school and middle school athletes from making NIL deals. State Reps. Adam Bird, R-New Richmond, and Mike Odioso, R-Green Twp., introduced the bill at the end of January and it has had six hearings in the Ohio House Education Committee.
Supporters of the bill said it would give Ohio the chance to come up with the proper guardrails for NIL at the middle and high school levels.
“Rather than reacting to momentum, our state can thoughtfully shape a model that protects student-athletes, preserves educational priorities, and sets a responsible example nationally,” Mason City Schools Superintendent Jonathan Cooper said in his testimony.
Opponents argue NIL at the high school level is not like NIL at the college level and that other high school students can earn money by working a part-time job.
“If you have somebody in the band, the band person can make money on the side,” said Eugene Miller, former state rep. who is running as a Democratic candidate for Ohio House District 20. “Why should we punish athletes based on their likability by eliminating NIL opportunities?”
Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman, R-Lima, said NIL is a problem.
“I don’t think we should have it (at the high school levels), but I don’t know what the boundaries should be,” he recently told reporters.
Ohio High School Athletic Association
A Franklin County judge issued a temporary restraining order preventing the OHSAA from enforcing its ban against high school athletes benefiting from NIL in October.
Brown, a member of the class of 2027, has missed out on more than $100,000 in potential deals, according to the lawsuit.
High school athletic association member schools passed an emergency referendum allowing NIL in November. In that referendum, 447 schools voted in favor of athletes receiving NIL deals, 121 schools voted against it, and 247 schools abstained.
Fischer was initially working on a bill that would allow NIL deals at the high school level before the Brown lawsuit.
“I wanted to make sure that my colleagues and other legislators can see that this is not an all or nothing approach,” he said. “You don’t have to choose between the Wild West that I don’t think anybody’s comfortable with or a complete shutdown of these potential contracts.”
Huffman wished the OHSAA had been clearer in their ruling.
“We can put our restrictions on it,” he said. “We can do all of those kinds of things, but I think that this is a very difficult question. … I don’t think it’s an easy thing to resolve.”
The OHSAA said the organization is aware of both bills, but did not provide further comment.
Follow Ohio Capital Journal Reporter Megan Henry on X or on Bluesky.
Giuliano Simeone explains his version of controversial Cubarsi dismissal: ‘I knew he was the last man’
Atletico Madrid’s 2-0 victory over Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-final first leg was influenced by several key moments, but few were as decisive as the early incident involving Giuliano Simeone.
The Argentine forward played a crucial role in turning the game in his side’s favour, winning the foul that ultimately led to Pau Cubarsi’s red card.
That moment shifted the entire momentum of the contest and contributed to the Blaugrana’s defeat.
With Barcelona reduced to ten men before half-time, Atletico were able to take control of key phases, and that advantage proved crucial.
Giuliano Simeone takes the stage
After the match, Giuliano reflected on the importance of the result, while also acknowledging that the job is far from finished.
Speaking about the first-leg outcome, he made it clear that facing Barcelona always requires caution, regardless of the scoreline.
“Against Barcelona, few results are decisive. They are a great team. They have some outstanding players. We put in a huge effort to try and get this result.
“We have to keep working and focus on our own game. Keep improving things; I believe that as a team we can do it. Get to where we want to be.”
The numerical advantage
Cubarsi was sent off against Atletico Madrid. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)
Despite having a numerical advantage for a significant portion of the match, Giuliano insisted that Atletico’s approach did not fundamentally change.
According to him, Barcelona’s identity remains consistent regardless of circumstances, which meant his team had to stay disciplined and adaptable throughout.
“Whether they’re a man down or a man up, they play the same way. So the approach is the same. Try to play, press, and defend.
“Adapt to what the game demands in different situations, and adapt to that. That’s what makes us a better team. We have to keep correcting things and focus on ourselves.”
Cubarsi’s red card
Naturally, the conversation also turned to the controversial red card incident involving Cubarsi, a decision that Barcelona have strongly questioned since the final whistle.
Giuliano offered his perspective on the moment, describing how the play unfolded from his point of view.
“Julian kicked the ball at my back. I knew he was the last man. I haven’t watched the incident back, but I got in his way and went through on goal, and I felt the contact.
“The referee initially showed a yellow card, but then, after consulting VAR, he showed a red,” he concluded.
‘Exceptional’ Liverpool star was the only positive from the defeat to PSG
PSG 2 – 0 Liverpool – Champions League Man of the Match
For a team that once again fell short on the biggest stage, there was at least one performer who emerged with real credit. Giorgi Mamardashvili stood tall in Paris, producing a display that not only kept Liverpool in the tie, but also hinted at what the future between the posts could look like.
In a game where Paris Saint-Germain controlled large periods and asked constant questions of Liverpool’s fragile structure, the Georgian stopper was repeatedly called into action. His handling was assured, his positioning intelligent, and his reactions sharp when it mattered most.
The opening goal, a looping effort that crept beyond his reach, was unfortunate rather than preventable. Despite his full extension and towering frame, the trajectory took it beyond him. For the second, he was completely exposed. As PSG cut through midfield and defence with ease, there was little any goalkeeper could do in isolation.
Beyond those moments, however, Mamardashvili was exceptional. A series of key saves prevented the scoreline from becoming something far more damaging. In truth, without him, this tie could already be over.
A Glimpse of the Future Between the Posts
It is impossible to watch a Liverpool goalkeeper without thinking of Alisson Becker. The Brazilian has set the standard so high that any comparison feels unfair. He is, arguably, the finest goalkeeper in world football.
But this performance was not about comparison. It was about confirmation.
Mamardashvili showed composure under pressure, resilience in adversity, and the kind of presence that Liverpool will need moving forward. At a time when the team around him looks uncertain, disjointed, and lacking confidence, he offered clarity and reliability.
There is still development required. There are still moments that will define whether he can truly step into Alisson’s shadow long-term. But nights like this matter. Nights where the team struggles, where the system fails, and where the goalkeeper is left exposed—yet still delivers.
This was one of those nights.
As Liverpool looks ahead to the second leg, there remains a faint possibility of recovery. The tie is not completely beyond reach, and performances like this at least give something to build upon.
But regardless of what follows, one thing is clear.
Giorgi Mamardashvili was Liverpool’s standout performer. The man of the match. And perhaps, quietly, a sign of what comes next.
🎥Pellegrini isn't taking anything for granted despite the draw
Betis’ coach said the result earned in Braga is good, but by no means definitive.
Betis would be making a mistake if they thought the draw against Sporting de Braga means they are closer to the semifinals. Pellegrini is clear that yesterday’s result is not definitive, and they will have to fight for it at home.
A match in which the team managed to overcome the Portuguese side’s early goal and ended up deserving the draw, and perhaps even more.
'Six finals left' - Benzema fires hat-trick, and warning, to Al Hilal title rivals
One down, six more to go.
That’s how Karim Benzema framed Al Hilal’s approach to their closing run of matches in this captivating Roshn Saudi League title race, moments after starring in his team's huge 6-0 victory against Al Kholood on Wednesday night.
It was a night the 2023-24 RSL champions reminded everyone that they’re very much in contention for a second trophy in three seasons. After stomping to their biggest margin of victory this campaign, second-placed Al Hilal cut the gap on leaders Al Nassr to two points, even if they’ve now played a game more.
“Many things can happen in football, and we will fight until the end.”
With Benzema back leading the line, Al Hilal appear to be doing just that. The Real Madrid great was brought in February, in part, to help fire the capital club to the title. It's proving a shrewd decision: the treble lifted Benzema to eight goals and two assists in only six league appearances.
In all through 2025-26, he has 16 goals in 20 RSL matches.
“I feel good,” Benzema said. “I'm always ready to help my teammates if I can score goals. But the work of the whole team today was important. And, so, we are well above [Al Kholood] in every respect.
“We were focused on the championship. The game is over; now we rest well because another game is coming.”
While Al Hilal drew closer to Al Nassr, Al Ahli missed their opportunity to do so as well. Matthias Jaissle's men, who began the round in third but locked on 65 points with Al Hilal, drew 1-1 at Al Fayha on Wednesday night.
Bologna have become a familiar face for the Aston Villa faithful in recent times.
Not only did the sides play eachother in the group stage of the Europa League earlier this season, but they also met in last season's Champions League campaign.
Unai Emery's side came out on top on both occaisions, but Villa defender Matty Cash is not expecting an easy ride.
"They are a really good team," Cash told the media. "Man to man, all over the pitch. They are really strong. I know their goalkeeper, [Lukasz] Skorupski, I've spoken to him about Bologna at [Poland] training camps. I've seen their fixtures since we last played them and they haven't really lost in Europe. We know how good they are.
"Two legs, a 180 minute game - a lot can happen, especially coming away to a place like this is going to be difficult. But we are going to try and do what we can to put ourselves in a good position for next week."
STRASBOURG, FRANCE - APRIL 4: Aaron Anselmino of RC Strasbourg in action during the Ligue 1 McDonald's match between RC Strasbourg Alsace and OGC Nice at Stade de la Meinau on April 4, 2026 in Strasbourg, France. (Photo by Sathire Kelpa/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Aarón Anselmino’s season has gone from bad to worse, with the youngster suffering another hamstring injury, this time to his other leg! The Chelsea loanee had just returned from several weeks on the sidelines, but is now set to be ruled out again for who knows how long. RC Strasbourg head coach Gary O’Neil confirmed the news ahead of the first leg of their UEFA Conference League quarterfinal against Mainz tonight.
“It’s the other hamstring this time. He needs to undergo tests to determine the severity of the injury.”
-Gary O’Neil; source: L’Equipe via Google Translate
Anselmino was sent on loan to Strasbourg to replace Mamadou Sarr, but just like Sarr at Chelsea, he’s hardly played. But at least in Anselmino’s case, the reason is fairly obvious: the 20-year-old has been dealing with a hamstring problem. In fact, he’s made just three appearances since joining, for a grand total of 15 minutes.
Injuries have been a constant problem this season for Anselmino, though he still managed to impress in his limited action at Borussia Dortmund in the first half of the campaign. They really wanted to keep him, but we saw fit — no pun intended — to recall him in the winter, and farm him out to RCSA instead. That’s not worked out for anyone involved.
Crystal Palace's Brennan Johnson says returning to the club after missing out on qualification for this summer's World Cup with Wales over the international break has "felt like a bit of fresh air".
The 24-year-old missed his penalty as Craig Bellamy's side lost a shoot-out to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the play-off semi-finals.
"Of course everyone on the team was really upset," said Johnson.
"But coming back here, I had numerous messages from the fellas straight after the game and also the staff."
Palace return to action for the first time since 19 March when they host Fiorentina in the first leg of their Conference League quarter-final on Thursday.
"It's felt like a bit of fresh air," Johnson added in the pre-match news conference.
"We've got some massive games to look forward to, so I think that's really helped in focusing on something else, and it's one we're all really excited for."
When asked about Palace being favourites to win the Conference League, Johnson, who signed from Europa League winners Tottenham in January, said: "Personally, I feel like I use that as confidence.
"When you get to the quarter-finals, semi-finals and you're up against amazing teams, use it as confidence as much as we can, but at the same time know these teams provide real quality as well."
Luis Enrique’s Les Parisiens have a week to prepare for the return leg at Anfield on Tuesday as the LFP – Ligue 1’s governing body – agreed to postpone their Ligue 1 game to RC Lens. Meanwhile, Liverpool will host Fulham on Saturday.
Speaking to Australian broadcasters Stan Sportin the Parc des Princes’ mixed zone, Konaté was asked about Ligue 1’s policy of postponing games. “Last season, it was the same. I wish we had the same thing in the Premier League, but it’s completely different.“
Konaté added that he was happy for PSG to receive help from Ligue 1 in their goal to go far in the Champions League, but the Liverpool centre-back reiterated his stance regarding what the Premier League should do. “I’m hoping the Premier League are doing to do the same in the future or, why not, this season for the teams who play in the Champions League as well.“
‘We’re analysing’: Club director confirms interest in 83-app Man Utd man who has ‘multiple offers’ – Sky
Borussia Dortmund director Lars Ricken has confirmed the club are considering another move for Jadon Sancho.
Any potential deal would see the forward embark on his third stint with Dortmund.
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Jadon Sancho: The state of play
The German outfit have established themselves firmly among the mix for Sancho’s signature this summer, presumably only because they can get him for nothing.
It would come five years after Dortmund received £73 million to facilitate his switch to Manchester United, which has been nothing short of disastrous.
Sancho only represented United for two seasons before notoriously falling out with ex-manager Erik ten Hag in a public spat, spelling the end of his time as an active player in M16.
(Sancho’s full record at United across all competitions)
However, given he signed a five-year deal upon his arrival in 2021 and no clubs have been willing to pay up for him, the 26-year-old has been sent on three loan spells while seeing out the final years of his deal, one of which was with Dortmund for the second half of 2023/2024.
He subsequently spent 2024/2025 with Chelsea, who, at the end of the campaign, opted to pay a £5m penalty instead of activating Sancho’s £25m buy obligation.
Currently, he is plying his trade under Unai Emery at Aston Villa. There is no buy clause included in the terms, so he will return to United in June before departing as a free agent, despite the Reds having a 12-month option.
Although he enjoyed the highlights of his career and form with Dortmund, there’s no doubt that the prospective transfer marks yet another low in his career, based on the fact that he has simply failed to prove himself in the English top flight.
(Sancho’s record in the Premier League, courtesy of Transfermarkt)
The former Manchester City academy star was once considered one of the hottest prospects in world football when he broke onto the scene and really found his feet in Germany, but United haven’t been able to find any club willing to shell out a fee for him for love nor money over the last three years.
The latest on Sancho’s summer options
Nonetheless, Sky Sports’ Florian Plettenberg has revealed that Sancho has ‘multiple offers’ to mull over ahead of his contract expiring, though he would have to accept a pay-cut if he were to accept any proposals.
Ricken said of Dortmund’s stance: “We’re currently looking at a lot of players and analysing them closely. We check whether they can make us better. We’re doing that with Jadon as well.”
A lot of hockey players are great golfers due to similar rotations of the body and contact with the puck/ball with a stick or club. One lifelong Anaheim Ducks fan has made it all the way to the PGA Tour and is playing at the Masters this week.
Jake Knapp is a lifelong Ducks fan from Costa Mesa, Calif. After a few years participating on the Korn Ferry Tour, he turned professional in 2023. Prior to turning pro, once he made the Korn Ferry Tour, Knapp got the opportunity of a lifetime: a sponsorship with his favorite NHL team.
While playing at his local Costa Mesa Country Club, Knapp got paired with both the then-GM and president of his favorite franchise. After speaking with the two men and getting to know them more over the years, he finally inked his sponsorship deal in 2020.
Here's the unlikely story of how Knapp became sponsored by the Ducks, along with the gear he will be repping during Masters week.
Knapp first became sponsored by the Ducks after playing a round with the team’s former GM, Bob Murray, and team president Tim Ryan at his local country club in Costa Mesa.
Despite being a lifelong Ducks fan, Knapp said he didn’t know the two men in his group held two of the highest positions in Anaheim’s front office, but he got to know them over time. In 2020, he reached the Korn Ferry Tour, the developmental tour for the PGA Tour, and has had the sponsorship deal with the Ducks ever since.
Here is Knapp discussing how the sponsorship came about.
Ahead of his participation at the Masters, Knapp will be donning the Ducks' logo on his shirt collar, along with on his golf bag. Here is a photo of the gear.
The Back Post: A K League United Podcast. This latest episode looks at the media reaction and major stories from K League 1 Round 7.
Dominating the headlines this week includes Stefan Mugosa firing Incheon United to their first home win of the season, Jeonbuk beating Ulsan in the 'Hyundai Family Derby', and Pohang making it back-to-back wins with a 1-0 victory at home to a floundering Daejeon.
Marcus Rashford: Man United loanee struggles on big night in Europe
Manchester United had two players in loan action over Tuesday and Wednesday.
To find out where all of Manchester United’s loanees are plying their trade, click here.
Marcus Rashford
The Manchester United forward has been given a great opportunity to stake a claim in the first team with the injury to Raphinha.
He took full advantage at the weekend when he scored a great solo goal against Atletico Madrid. Nonetheless, it has been reported that his permanent move to the club could be in jeopardy as FC Barcelona seek out cheaper options.
Rashford played 73 minutes of Barcelona’s 0-2 home defeat to Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final. He thought he had given his side a route back into the game, but his goal was ruled offside after he tapped in from a Lamine Yamal cross.
Rashford had one key pass in the match and made one of his five cross attempts.
He had seven shots on goal, with four hitting the target. The United winger also hit the woodwork in what turned out to be a frustrating evening for the 28-year-old.
Rashford did complete all three of his dribble attempts and was proactive in his defensive duties, winning four out of five duels. Barcelona will return to action on Saturday evening against Espanyol in the Catalan derby.
Gabriele Biancheri
Biancheri played the final 27 minutes of Rotherham United’s 0-1 loss to Port Vale on Tuesday night.
He did not manage any shots on target during the match and lost possession three times.
The young Welsh forward did manage one key pass, and he created a big chance in the match for his side.
He was ineffective in his duels, though, winning just one from seven.
Biancheri might get the chance to play again when Rotherham face Barnsley on Saturday afternoon.
Marcus Rashford stats vs Atletico Madrid
Feature image Juan Manuel Serrano Arce via Getty Images
Bell has played 72 times for England across formats [Getty Images]
Time has moved fast for England bowler Lauren Bell.
There was a breakout in the first season of The Hundred in 2021, before England debuts the following year, and three World Cups and two Ashes series since.
Becoming a £140,000 signing in The Hundred and a Women's Premier League winner with Royal Challengers Bengaluru helped boost her Instagram following to 2.2m - more than Joe Root and Harry Brook combined - and she has become an increasingly senior member of England's side.
A position that was filled by iconic seamers Anya Shrubsole and Katherine Brunt, and latterly by Kate Cross, is now Bell's.
Aged 25, she is the leader of England's pace attack.
"I hadn't really comprehended the fact that maybe I was," Bell tells BBC Sport.
"With Crossy leaving, Katherine and Anya, slowly I just filled into that spot and I guess now I am.
"It does feel crazy.
"I don't know where the time has gone or how this has happened.
"It is exciting and cool and a job that I really love."
Bell's ascension was accelerated by England dropping seamer Cross last summer.
It left Bell as the most experienced of a pace group that includes Issy Wong and Lauren Filer, plus all-rounders Danielle Gibson, Em Arlott and Freya Kemp.
"I played a lot with Crossy," says Bell.
"She was like a big sister when I came to England and took me under her wing.
"I would still go to her with anything if I was struggling."
Bell's role as a senior player has come to the fore since Christmas, despite England's lack of competitive matches since their 50-over World Cup campaign ended in the semi-finals in October in India.
In their place, coach Charlotte Edwards took a 30-strong group to South Africa, the established internationals plus a smattering of the best youngsters, and split the players into two squads for a five-match series which marked the start of the serious build-up to this this summer's T20 World Cup at home.
Edwards has since likened the quality to full internationals.
"It was a really exciting camp," Bell says.
"We had a meeting and plan at the start and Lot [Edwards] said we want it to be as competitive as it can possibly be.
"Playing against your team-mates and friends, you do have that extra bit of competitiveness and it is really hard because they know exactly what you are thinking."
England's players have further T20 camps over the coming weeks, as well as their fitness testing which Edwards introduced after taking over last year - a topic much discussed after criticism during last year's Ashes but former captain Edwards believes has now been put to bed by improvements.
Around those camps, Bell, whose Hampshire side play Essex on Saturday, and England's other players, will be made available for the early rounds of the domestic 50-over competition which begins this weekend.
After that they have only six T20s, three against New Zealand and three against India, before their T20 World Cup campaign begins against Sri Lanka on 12 June.
It is nine years since England's 50-over World Cup victory in 2017, which stands as their last trophy win - a point not lost on Bell.
"We haven't won anything in a while and that is not a nice place to be as a team," she says. "Everyone is motivated to turn it around."
England's men are going through their own identity issues following this winter's Ashes defeat, something the women's side experienced to a lesser extent after their 16-0 loss in Australia last winter.
Bell was speaking at St Albans Cricket Club as part of the England and Wales Cricket Club's Get Set Weekend, where volunteers across the country get their club's ready for the new season.
It will be from clubs like this where the support Bell hopes can make the difference will come.
"There's obviously three really big countries - India who are in a great place at the moment, Australia who are really dominant and I guess we have got the home advantage, so who knows," Bell says.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — For the third straight season, the road to the NBA title goes through Oklahoma City.
And this latest No. 1 seed has put the Thunder in some storied basketball company.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and his defending champs became the seventh team in NBA history to finish with its conference's best regular-season record in at least three consecutive years when Oklahoma City wrapped up the No. 1 overall seed in the upcoming playoffs with a 128-110 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night.
The list of NBA teams who topped their conference standings in at least three straight seasons encompasses most of the greatest groups of the past half-century: The dominant Celtics teams of the 1970s and 1980s, the Showtime Lakers, the storied 1990s Chicago Bulls, the 2000s Lakers and the 2010s Golden State Warriors.
After comfortably holding off the Clippers for their 19th win in 20 games, the defending NBA champion Thunder (64-16) joined that elite group by clinching the top seed over San Antonio (61-19) and the league's best overall record.
The Thunder said they don't take this achievement for granted, even as they move on to chase bigger goals over the next two months.
“It feels better for sure, not only because we've had to weather a little more (adversity)," said MVP Gilgeous-Alexander, who had 20 points and 11 assists before sitting out the fourth quarter. “But just repeating something and doing it again is always a little bit harder. It's a little more challenging. The league gets better. Players get better. For us to still have the best overall record through those ups and downs speaks volumes to the team. ... We always say at the beginning of the season that no matter what happened, we have to earn what we get to make it to the playoffs and our seeding, and we earned the first overall seed.”
The Thunder have been a powerhouse ever since they broke through two seasons ago to claim the best record in the West with 57 victories. After winning 68 games last year, they've become only the third team in NBA history to win at least 64 games in back-to-back seasons, joining the 1995-97 Bulls and the 2015-17 Warriors.
But they all know the playoffs are a stiffer test, and Oklahoma City will attempt to become the first team to win titles after having the NBA’s best record in back-to-back seasons since Michael Jordan’s Bulls did it in 1996 and 1997.
“It's a great accomplishment,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “No two seasons are the same, and this season was a lot different experience. ... When you win the championship, that kind of hangs over you as a team the next year. Everybody — including ourselves — you judge yourself against that. It's incredibly hard to be present in the next regular season. I learned so much from this team, because their ability to come in every day and just embrace the day and the challenge that we had that day is really impressive, and it's why I think we had the season that we did.”
Indeed, Oklahoma City began this season with a 24-2 surge that had the basketball world wondering whether this was the best regular-season team in NBA history. Injuries slowed the Thunder to a mere 18-12 from mid-December to the All-Star break — but they've regained their ruthless momentum with a 22-2 rampage since then.
The Thunder were at least tied for first place in the conference for every day of the season, becoming only the seventh such wire-to-wire winner in league history. Golden State did it most recently in 2016.
“I thought we did a good job of fighting through everything we saw this year, and it’s paid off,” said Chet Holmgren, who scored 30 points against the Clips.
The injury problems might have prevented the Thunder from chasing the best single-season records in NBA history, but they also might have left Oklahoma City a bit fresher for the playoff challenges ahead: Isaiah Joe and Cason Wallace are the only players to appear in 70 games this season.
The Thunder have two more games before several days off to prepare for another postseason run, and Gilgeous-Alexander thinks they'll be ready.
"We understand how to win, and the formula for winning," said Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored at least 20 points in his 141st consecutive game despite not making a free throw for the first time all season. “We understand that everybody doing that is the key to success. It's not the razzle-dazzle and the stuff that's cute. Understanding that getting the job done every night, and how to get it done, I think we've built that muscle more than anything.”
Liverpool host Paris St-Germain for the second leg of the Champions League quarter-final next Tuesday [Getty Images]
Changing the shape of your side for a big game will always draw attention. So Arne Slot put himself in the spotlight by setting up Liverpool with a back five against the champions of Europe.
The result - a 2-0 defeat by Paris St-Germain in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final - left Liverpool's season hanging by a thread.
It was a surprising tweak. The only other time Liverpool have fielded a back five this season was in their Carabao Cup fourth-round defeat by Crystal Palace in October.
So why make that change? Did Slot get his tactics wrong? Or were PSG just too good?
Why PSG could bypass Liverpool high press
In Wednesday's match, PSG had 74% of the ball and 18 shots to Liverpool's three. These stats are damning but Liverpool didn't set up to defend their own box for 90 minutes, despite starting with a back five.
Out of possession, they looked to press high - albeit without much success. Hugo Ekitike, Dominik Szoboszlai and Florian Wirtz formed a narrow line between PSG's defence and midfield. PSG dropped one of their midfielders back, forming a make-shift back three with the two central defenders.
Liverpool's front three went man-to-man with these three players. Behind them were the remaining two PSG midfielders who were marked by Liverpool's midfield duo. Liverpool's wing-backs were tasked with marking Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes.
PSG rotated impressively to find players unmarked. Full-backs Hakimi and Mendes both pushed high up the pitch, pinning back Liverpool's wing-backs. This prevented Liverpool having any presence in wide areas when they pressed.
With Liverpool's midfield two marking PSG's central midfielders, they were unable to pull into these wide areas either.
The French side dropped their attackers deep, into these empty wide positions with Liverpool’s back three reluctant to follow them out into these areas.
"I thought we could try and press them really high and aggressive," Slot said. "Every time we tried to press them high and aggressive, those were the moments we got ripped apart."
Achraf Hakimi pins Milos Kerkez in the middle of the pitch. Ousmane Dembele has moved from a striker position to the right wing before dropping deep to get the ball unmarked. Joe Gomez is forced to come out into an unnatural position. [BBC]
How Konate was exposed despite following instructions
On the night, Liverpool's centre-backs were tasked with backing up the press when the players ahead of the ball applied pressure.
Ibrahima Konate, on the right, carried out these instructions throughout the game in support of Jeremie Frimpong - but the distances he ended up having to cover in an unfamiliar role left him exposed.
If he was slow to react, PSG would drop an attacker deep, who could then get on the ball, turn and drive at the defence, with space between him and an out-of-position Konate.
At times, Liverpool executed the press well, with their front three blocking PSG's makeshift back three - before Frimpong jumped up to press whichever home player had rotated to the left side of defence.
PSG, however, adapted to this. The players in full-back areas took up deeper positions, increasing the distance Liverpool's wing-backs had to cover when pressing.
When Frimpong did press, it was Konate's job to follow his man.
But with time on the ball, PSG began to play over the top, taking advantage of the spaces behind Konate, forcing 34-year-old Virgil van Dijk across from the centre.
A good example of this early on was seen in Hakimi's run from right-back to the left wing. Milos Kerkez, a natural left-back, tasked with marking him, likely felt uncomfortable moving to the other side of the pitch before Mendes played a long ball over Konate to find Hakimi unmarked.
Jeremie Frimpong presses Nuno Mendes (on the ball). The distance he has to cover gives Mendes time to play a long pass for Achraf Hakimi (white) running in behind Ibrahim Konate who has stepped up to apply pressure on winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. [BBC]
Why Van Dijk struggled with PSG's fluid attack
As the game progressed, PSG were able to establish dominance in Liverpool's third. With Liverpool's firmly in a back five at this point, the PSG attackers cleverly used unorthodox movements that made the game difficult for Van Dijk.
PSG's fluid attackers either dropped deep or moved to one side of the pitch, creating overloads around Liverpool's midfield.
Following the match, the Liverpool captain highlighted PSG's movement, saying: "It's what they do, isn't it? They move around everywhere and we have to communicate well and follow our man. And take the risk in that sense."
Konate did track his winger everywhere - which explains why he was seen defending on the right flank at times. Van Dijk largely stayed in the middle of the defence, venturing out less often than his defensive partner.
The free-roaming Ousmane Dembele didn't engage much with Van Dijk and was often seen on the left side of the pitch, leaving the Dutch defender without an attacker to pick up.
In the build-up to PSG's second goal, Dembele left the attacking line and picked up an unusual position in central midfield. Van Dijk moved over slightly before gesturing to Alexis Mac Alister to pick him up. While this occupied Van Dijk, PSG created a chance that led to their second goal, scored by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
Virgil van Dijk is fixated on Dembele as he moves into midfield, calling for midfielder Alexis Mac Allister to be aware of him. In the meantime, PSG create the chance that leads to their second goal. [BBC]
Joao Neves, Kvaratskhelia and Mendes ended up on the left flank in close proximity - an asymmetrical set-up intended to perplex Liverpool.
Right wing-back Frimpong pressed Neves on the touchline, while right centre-back Konate marked Mendes, the spare man who then dragged him out of position. Kvaratskhelia made a run from deep into the space Konate vacated.
The distance between Konate and centre-back Van Dijk here was big partly thanks to Dembele's role off the ball. That ultimately preventing van Dijk from being able to come across to defend against goalscorer Kvaratskhelia.
PSG put three players in close proximity on the left before Khvicha Kvaratskhelia made a run in behind Ibrahim Konate. In white, Virgil van Dijk is distracted by Dembele's unusual position. [BBC]
Luis Enrique's PSG are one of the most impressive sides in world football. In this kind of form, they would probably have found a way to win whether Liverpool set up in a back four or back five.
Although Liverpool did end up having more bodies around their own box, their press was ineffective, meaning they conceded control of the ball and ultimately the game.
The first leg was a clear mismatch but Slot and his players still have a chance to take the lessons learned and put things right in next Tuesday's second leg at Anfield.
So, here we go again. Death, taxes, and Tyson Fury coming out of retirement.
The former two-time heavyweight champion returns from his 2025 hiatus this weekend when he takes on big-punching Russian Arslanbek Makhmudov at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Fury (34-2-1, 24 KOs) has not boxed since his back-to-back points defeats to unified champion Oleksandr Usyk and has designs on regaining his place at the top of the sport's glamour division.
He must first navigate the challenge posed by Makhmudov (21-2, 19 KOs), who won on British shores in his last outing when he defeated Dave Allen via unanimous decision.
Fury represents an altogether more formidable challenge, although how much the now 37-year-old 'Gypsy King' has left in the tank after a lengthy lay-off and a long, gruelling career is the great unknown heading into his latest stadium headline date.
A stacked undercard is headed by another of British boxing's biggest names — another polarising figure with far more to prove.
Here's a breakdown of all the action on the Fury vs. Makhmudov card.
Conor Benn vs. Regis Prograis
Division/Weight: Super Welterweight
Benn record: 24-1
Prograis record: 30-3
Belts at stake: N/A
It's hard to think of a more high-profile undercard bout without a major title on the line than Benn's scheduled 10-rounder against former two-time super lightweight champion Prograis. It's Benn's first bout since his revenge win over Chris Eubank Jr. at the same venue last November and, more significantly, his first since his stunning defection from Matchroom to Dana White's Zuffa Boxing operation.
That wider context might end up being far more interesting than what unfolds in the ring. Prograis has campaigned for his whole career in the 140-pound division and got back in the win column in August last year, winning a slugfest against Joseph Diaz following back-to-back losses to Devin Haney and Jack Catterall. Now 37. the American moves up to a catchweight of 150 pounds to take on Benn, who was up at middleweight for the Eubank fights.
The intention is clearly for Benn to look good and claim an eye-catching stoppage over a faded former top-tier fighter, as he did in his run of wins against Samuel Vargas, Chris Algieri and Chris van Heerden prior to his failed drug tests in 2022. Each of Benn's four contests since then, including both Eubank fights, have gone the distance.
Jeamie Tshikeva vs. Richard Riakporhe
Division/Weight: Heavyweight
Tshikeva record: 9-2
Riakporhe record: 19-1
Belts at stake: BBB of C Heavyweight title
Tshikeva sprung an upset to defeat Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Frazer Clarke to with the British heavyweight title in a sapping thriller last November.
The Ben Davison gym member will have to overturn the odds again versus experienced former British cruiserweight champion Richard Riakporhe, who has two knockouts from as many bouts since stepping up a division.
Justis Huni vs. Frazer Clarke
Division/Weight: Heavyweight
Huni record: 12-1
Clarke record: 9-2-1
Belts at stake: N/A
Clarke will look to pick up the pieces from the Tshikeva defeat and is arguably drinking in the last-chance saloon when it comes to an elite heavyweight career.
He and Huni have a common opponent in reigning WBO champion Fabio Wardley, who the Australian dominated at Portman Road last summer before being KO'd by a brutal right hand in round 10.
Breyon Gorham vs. Eduardo Costa Do Nascimento
Division/Weight: Super Lightweight
Gorham record: 21-0
Nascimento record: 12-5
Belts at stake: N/A
Like Benn, Gorham is another Zuffa boxing signing hoping to achieve big things under the new promotion banner.
The 25-year-old Houston-based fighter has won 16 of his professional contests inside the distance but has gone 10 rounds in each of his past two. Teak-tough Brazilian Eduardo Costa has never been stopped but is essentially in town to facilitate a Gorham showcase.
Felix Cash vs. Liam O'Hare
Division/Weight: Middleweight
Cash record: 16-1
O'Hare record: 13-2
Belts at stake: N/A
Former British and Commonwealth champion Cash ends almost two years out of action with this eight-rounder.
Cash's third-round KO of recently crowned WBO interim champion Denzel Bentley in 2021 is obviously notable in light of the latter's impressive win over Endry Saavedra. O'Hare, who was stopped in the first round of his previous bout against Taz Nadeem, is on the first step on what is likely to be a long road back.
Simon Zachenhuber vs. Pawel August
Division/Weight: Super Middleweight
Zachenhuber record: 28-0
August record: 17-0
Belts at stake: N/A
Something of a curiosity here as Zachenhuber and August put their combined 45-0 records on the line... over six rounds.
German southpaw Zachenhuber enjoyed a career-best win over the previously undefeated Paulinus Ndjolonimu last July. Ranked No. 6 by the WBO and No. 11 by the IBF, he can't afford any slip-ups against southpaw August, who has built his professional record predominantly against journeymen over a 10-year period.
Mikie Tallon vs. Leandro Jose Blanc
Division/Weight: Flyweight
Tallon record: 12-0
Blanc record: 8-4
Belts at stake: N/A
Liverpool prospect Tallon returns to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium having secured a second career stoppage against Fezan Shahid on the Eubank-Benn 2 undercard.
Argentine southpaw Blanc is on a four-fight losing run, with his defeat to Hamza Uddin in June last year one of two stoppages in that slump.
Elliot Whale vs. Tom Hill
Division/Weight: Super Lightweight
Whale record: 13-0
Hill record: 12-4
Belts at stake: N/A
Whale is back in action after a couple of wins in 2025 helped him to continue climbing the ranks at 140 pounds. The Kent southpaw will hope clarity with his promoter Boxxer's television dates can help increase his activity.
Yorkshireman Hill travelled to Mexico for a 10-round loss to Akrem Aouina last December and has previously taken Paddy Donovan and Jack Rafferty the distance.
Sultan Almohammed vs. Hector Avila Lozano
Division/Weight: Light Heavyweight
Almohammed record: 2-0
Lozano record: 3-7-1
Belts at stake: N/A
Saudi teen Almohammed returns on another Ring Magazine card, having stopped Umesh Chavan in a couple of minutes in his previous fight.
Lozano has chalked up back-to-back wins at home in Mexico since going eight fights without a victory in the UK.
Ricky Gorman vs. Ryan Labourn
Division/Weight: Light Heavyweight
Gorman record: 1-0
Labourn record: 0-40-2
Belts at stake: N/A
Gorman is a cousin of Tyson Fury and is the great-nephew of legendary bare-knuckle boxing champion Bartley Gorman. Great things were expected when he made his professional debut in October 2022, but this will be his first outing since beating Bulgarian journeyman Milen Paunov.
Labourn is winless in 42 contests and it would take something truly astonishing for that fact to change.
Tyson Fury vs. Arslanbek Makhmudov tune-in info
Date: Saturday, April 11
Time: 2 p.m. ET | 11 a.m. PT | 7 p.m. BST
Main event start time (approx.): 5:30 p.m. ET | 2:30 p.m. PT | 10:30 p.m. BST
Mason Howell is 18 years old and will be playing in the 2026 Masters.
He won the 2025 U.S. Amateur, which qualified him for this year's tournament. This will be his first Masters Tournament and his first golf major on the professional circuit, despite being classified as an amateur. Howell will try to live in the moment and appreciate his first tournament, but that admittedly may be a little hard to do.
The groups for the first two rounds have been released, and Howell has been paired with Rory McIlroy. Not only is McIlroy the reigning Masters Tournament winner from last year, finally completing his career Grand Slam, but he was also Howell's favorite golfer when he was growing up.
Here is more on why Howell considers his pairing with McIlroy a "full circle moment."
Howell made an appearance on the Subpar podcast, joining Colt Knost and Drew Stoltz. They brought up that he would be playing the first two rounds alongside McIlroy. Howell joked initially that he was worried that he would be overshadowed by McIlroy's long drives, but then told a story of the first time that he ever interacted with the reigning Masters winner.
It came back in 2016 at the Tour Championship, which was in Atlanta. McIlroy gave Howell, who was nine years old at the time, his golf ball on the fourth hole, and Howell still has it to this day. He continued by saying that McIlroy was his favorite golfer growing up because he was the best golfer during his childhood.
From watching Rory at the Tour Championship to playing alongside him at Augusta.
Howell was born in Moultrie, Georgia, which is three hours south of Atlanta, four hours southwest of Savannah and an hour and a half northeast of Tallahassee. He grew up in Moultrie, but his family moved to Tallahassee. Howell attended Maclay School in Tallahassee where he joined the varsity golf team in sixth grade. He moved back to Georgia for high school, attending Brookwood School in Thomasville.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MARCH 21: Iliman Ndiaye of Everton (L) celebrates with Idrissa Gueye of Everton after scoring their 3rd goal during the Premier League match between Everton and Chelsea at Hill Dickinson Stadium on March 21, 2026 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images) | Offside via Getty Images
Aston Villa are understood to be eyeing a summer move to sign Everton star James Garner after his impressive form this season. [Football lnsider]
Everton are one of many Premier League clubs showing an interest in West Ham United’s Mateus Fernandes. [Team Talk]
Lots of people won't agree with the story behind this Neville Southall image & that's fair enough. I just like the idea of something other than a generic statue put in a bit of space. Here he is sitting at the stadium plaza steps, looking out over the River Mersey towards Wales. pic.twitter.com/O7yATwKYpk
Everton confirm the details of the seat move process for Season Ticket Members who wish to relocate at Hill Dickinson Stadium. [Liverpool Echo]
The Friedkin Group is facing harsh Everton reality at Roma with the potential multi-club ownership issue rearing it’s ugly head. [Sport Witness]
Everton in transfer tussle to sign Kevin Pedro as Everton scouts run the rule over him. [Football Fancast]
Toffees legend Adrian Heath has backed David Moyes to restore the club back to what he believes is their natural position in the top-six of English football. [Liverpool Echo]
The latest submission in the My Evertonian series. [Everton FC]
One of the greatest living Evertonians is celebrating his 77th birthday, today. Have a great day, Joe Royle! In this 1996 clip, Joe chooses names the forward three in his all-time EFC XI. pic.twitter.com/FUlyHpyfeD
— Everton FC Heritage Society (@EvertonHeritage) April 8, 2026
What to Watch
UEFA Europa League and Conference League matches continue including Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace.
Crystal Palace predicted XI vs Fiorentina: Eagles ready for historic European night at Selhurst Park
Crystal Palace host Fiorentina at Selhurst Park on Thursday night, knowing they are just two games away from a first-ever European semi-final.
Palace head into their maiden continental quarter-final in steady form. After a turbulent mid-season run, the Eagles have rediscovered rhythm at just the right time.
However, Fiorentina arrive as seasoned operators at this stage, with a proven track record in the Conference League.
Match preview
This stage is uncharted territory for Palace.
Manager Oliver Glasner has steadied the ship after a difficult winter spell, and there is a growing sense that his side can rise to the occasion under the lights.
They are unbeaten in six Conference League matches and have shown resilience in knockout football.
They dramatically edged past AEK Larnaca last time out. Momentum is quietly building.
Their form at Selhurst Park remains inconsistent domestically, but European nights bring a different edge. Palace will believe they can harness that energy.
Fiorentina, though, are a different proposition. Despite a disappointing Serie A campaign, the Italian side is unbeaten in six matches and boasts serious knockout pedigree.
They have reached at least the semi-finals in each of their last three Conference League campaigns.
With history on the line for Palace and expectation resting on Fiorentina, this first leg carries significant weight.
Match stats
Crystal Palace are unbeaten in their last six Conference League matches (W3, D3).
They have also avoided defeat in their last four European home games.
Fiorentina have won 10 of their 11 European quarter-final ties.
The Italian side has lost just one of their last five UEFA away games in England.
Palace are the fifth English club to reach this stage of the Conference League. The previous four all progressed.
Crystal Palace team news
Key players are back for Palace after a three-week break. The ‘fantastic’ Dean Henderson is expected to start after recovering from illness.
Slot must to drop Mac Allister for Liverpool to get past PSG next week
Liverpool suffered a 2-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in their Champions League quarter-final meeting.
The French side made light work of a Liverpool side that looked several levels below their counterparts.
While Liverpool still have a shot of making the semi-finals after the second leg next week at Anfield, manager Arne Slot will have to make some tough calls.
One of them will have to be dropping midfielder Alexis Mac Allister, who continues to struggle in the engine room.
After a stellar 2024/25 campaign, Mac Allister looks worn out this term and is a shadow of the player who played a key role in Liverpool’s league title triumph.
The Liverpool ace was very poor against PSG. He gave the ball away in dangerous situations, almost costing the reigning Premier League champions.
He was booked for a cynical foul on Desire Doue and never quite settled. The Daily Mail gave him a 5/10 rating.
Mac Allister lost possession seven times and won only 5/13 duels. He was also dribbled past on three occasions.
PSG easily played around him and Ryan Gravenberch in the engine room, even when Florian Wirtz and Dominik Szoboszlai dropped back to provide help.
The Parisians played through their lacklustre press and won the midfield battle easily.
Ultimately, this performance only reinforces what has been evident for much of the season.
Liverpool lack a steely, defensively reliable presence in midfield.
They are too easy to play through, too passive without the ball, and the backline is left exposed far too often against elite opposition.
Addressing that has to be at the very top of their summer transfer priorities.
A more combative, positionally disciplined midfielder would bring balance and allow Slot to reshape his engine room.
It would free him to drop Mac Allister out of the firing line when needed, while pairing Gravenberch with a natural ball-winner who can anchor the side.
Without that profile, Liverpool risk being overrun again on the biggest stage.
KINGSTON UPON THAMES, ENGLAND - APRIL 06: Eveliina Summanen of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates scoring her team's first goal during the Adobe Women's FA Cup Quarter Final match between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur at Kingsmeadow on April 06, 2026 in Kingston upon Thames, England. (Photo by Alex Davidson - The FA/The FA via Getty Images) | The FA via Getty Images
Good morning everyone!
Today’s hoddle was supposed to be A Look at the Lower Leagues, where hoddle headquarters dives into some of the lower tiers in the English football pyramid.
We’re not doing that today. Fitzie was up working until midnight, went to bed, then woke up at 12.30am and realised he didn’t write the hoddle.
So, I’m doing it now.
Here’s the thing you need to know: Lincoln City have been promoted to the EFL Championship! Isn’t that exciting? It’s the first time in 65 years they’ll be playing in the second tier of English football.
We don’t know who’ll join them yet. It’ll either be two of Cardiff, Bradford, Bolton, Stockport, Stevenage, or another team that isn’t yet eliminated from playoff contention. Even Luton Town aren’t out of it yet (remember them?).
Anyways, that’s it for the hoddle. Fitzie’s going back to sleep now.
Fill in the blanks of the EFL pyramid if you care to.
Nighty night. Sleep tight
Fitzie’s track of the day: Dream A Little Dream Of Me, by Mama Cass
And now for your links:
BBC: “Leicester lose appeal against points deduction”
The Telegraph: “Harry Kane and Trent Alexander-Arnold put on a show for Thomas Tuchel as Bayern beat Real”
Oklahoma City Thunder have won at least 60 games in consecutive seasons for the first time in their history [Getty Images]
Defending champions Oklahoma City Thunder clinched top spot in the Western Conference and home court advantage through the NBA play-offs with a 128-110 win against the Los Angeles Clippers.
The comfortable victory ensured the Thunder held off the San Antonio Spurs to secure the NBA's best regular-season record of 64-16 and claim the Western Conference's number one seed for the third consecutive season.
Thunder's Chet Holmgren led the way with 30 points and 14 rebounds while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander contributed 20 points and 11 assists to extend his record for the most consecutive games with 20 or more points to 140.
The Clippers, who had won eight of their past nine matches, face a key trip to Portland Trail Blazers on Friday with the two sides battling for eighth place in the Western Conference.
The team that finishes in eighth will only require one win in the play-in tournament to advance to the play-offs, while the team finishing ninth will have to beat 10th seeds the Golden State Warriors and the loser of the seventh against eighth match to keep their season alive.
Elsewhere, the San Antonio Spurs beat the Trail Blazers 112-101 to extend their record in their past 20 games to 18-2. Spurs guard De'Aaron Fox starred with 25 points, five rebounds, and seven assists.
The Denver Nuggets won their 10th consecutive match to tighten their grip on third place in the Western Conference. Jamal Murray scored a team-high 26 points in the 136-119 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Atlanta Hawks failed to guarantee a play-off spot after losing 122-116 to the Cleveland Cavaliers but can still secure a top-six finish in the Eastern Conference with victory in one of their final two regular-season matches.
Eastern Conference top seeds Detroit Pistons demolished the Milwaukee Bucks 137-111 while the Orlando Magic beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 132-120.
Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker scored 37 points in 37 minutes to lead his side to a 112-107 win over the Dallas Mavericks.
Meeting Jordan Miller at the rim, Chet Holmgren denied his daring drive with another block. Maneuvering the baseline, he found Jalen Williams on a timely cut for an animated dunk. The defense-to-offense sequence was enough to force a white flag to be waved.
The Oklahoma City Thunder were in firm control in their 128-110 win over the LA Clippers. They led by as many as 25 points. More importantly, they've officially clinched the NBA's first seed throughout the 2026 NBA playoffs.
Seeing a possible Round 1 series preview, you witnessed just how huge a talent gap there is between the Thunder and the play-in tournament field. Treating this as a pseudo-playoff game considering the stakes, they didn't have any funny business from the jump.
Holmgren set the tone on both ends of the floor. He knocked down a catch-and-shoot outside look. The seven-footer couldn't miss from the floor. Against Brook Lopez, the lob attempts were too easy. He had 14 points alone in the first frame — most nights, he doesn't even reach that total. The Thunder had a 34-23 lead after the first quarter.
Eventually, Jalen Williams had his moment under the sun. He helped the second unit stay competent with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander off the floor. He bulldozed his way to the rim. Once he saw a few go in, he went with his patented mid-range jumper.
To pile on, Holmgren's hot streak continued. He intercepted Kawhi Leonard's pass. He then went the other way for the transition jam. He had 24 points in the first half. The Thunder had a 23-9 run to balloon their lead to 20-plus points. They scored 35 points in the second frame. They entered halftime with a 69-49 lead over the Clippers.
After the break, the roles reversed a little. The Clippers found a groove. Particularly by feeding Lopez outside jumpers. Leonard commanded OKC's attention. LA had a 14-6 run to show a pulse. At one point, the Thunder had their lead down to 87-75 with three minutes left in the third frame. Uh oh. Second night of a back-to-back legs were starting to wobble.
Always the one to calm things down, Gilgeous-Alexander nailed an outside jumper. Alex Caruso went coast-to-coast. Like that, the Thunder regained control with a 92-75 lead. They had 25 points in the third quarter. That put them in a 94-80 lead with a dozen minutes to go.
Not totally over yet, the Thunder shut the door without Gilgeous-Alexander. The second-unit lineup did that with Holmgren and Williams rolling. Isaiah Hartenstein also helped on the boards with second-chance looks. And then Isaiah Joe caught fire from deep to put this away.
Hovering around a 20-point lead, the Clippers finally gave up. The Thunder put up 34 points in the final frame. It was another game where most of the bench logged minutes — 13 guys this time. Peaking at the right time, the final few minutes turned into an impromptu celebration as OKC finally clinched the first seed.
The Thunder shot 58% from the field and went 13-of-34 (38.2%) from 3. They shot 19-of-24 on free throws. They had 30 assists on 48 baskets. Five Thunder players scored double-digit points.
Gilgeous-Alexander had a quiet 20 points and 11 assists. Holmgren dominated with 30 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks. Williams had 18 points, six rebounds and six assists. Joe scored 21 points off the bench. Hartenstein tallied 10 points and seven rebounds.
Meanwhile, the Clippers shot 47% from the field and went 14-of-32 (43.8%) from 3. They shot 16-of-24 on free throws. They had 27 assists on 40 baskets. Seven Clippers players scored double-digit points.
Leonard had 20 points and eight rebounds. John Collins had 12 points and nine rebounds. Lopez finished with 16 points and six rebounds. Derrick Jones Jr. had 11 points and five rebounds. Miller totaled 16 points and six assists. Kobe Sanders had 17 points. Bennedict Mathurin dropped 10 points.
And like that, the Thunder have checked off all of their regular-season boxes. They're officially the first seed for a third consecutive NBA playoffs. Don't think we need to type out why that's important — check out their two Game 7 wins in last year's championship run for proof. It was more stressful than last year to cross that item, they still did it despite the San Antonio Spurs morphing into a winning machine.
Treating this as a dress rehearsal game, the Thunder are both fully healthy and red-hot — two variables you hope they had at this point of the regular season. After struggling in the middle with injuries, OKC is back to winning at a high clip in the final one-third of the year. All you can ask for with this group. We'll see who suits up for the last two regular-season games, but you gotta feel great with where they're mentally and physically at heading into the NBA playoffs.
Let's look at Thunder player grades:
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: B
With the half-filled LA crowd slowly coming back to life, Gilgeous-Alexander dashed away any naive hope. Only up by 12 points, he calmly walked to the left-wing spot before he swished in a pull-up outside jumper. That proved to be the closest his old squad would get in the second half.
Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 20 points on 9-of-17 shooting, 11 assists and one rebound. He shot 2-of-6 from 3 and went 0-of-1 on free throws. He also had one steal and one block.
Another low-stress game. Not much was asked out of Gilgeous-Alexander. He once again rested the fourth quarter as the Thunder completely blew out their opponent. That's been a trend over their last handful of games. The reigning MVP played within the flow of the offense like the bus driver. He allowed the rest of his teammates to get their shots up.
Despite Kris Dunn, Gilgeous-Alexander got to his spots. He drove to the basket through LA's defense — which isn't the same without Ivica Zubac. When he didn't do that, he populated the mid-range with a handful of pull-up attempts. He even sprinkled in a handful of outside attempts.
The scoring took a backseat. Instead, Gilgeous-Alexander turned into a playmaker. The assists back it up. If LA sent two, he passed it out to the open man. Rinse and repeat. Considering how far ahead the Thunder were on the scoreboard, there was no real sense of urgency to muster up difficult buckets. He either threw the ball up to a rolling big or sprayed it out to the perimeter.
Just textbook stuff. Nothing fancy that will make highlight reels. But points are points — even if they're the boring variety instead of stylish. Gilgeous-Alexander hasn't been asked to tax his legs too much over the last week. Those low-leverage minutes plus whatever rest he gets the rest of the way could pay dividends in the NBA playoffs.
Jumping off the floor to get the offensive rebound, Collins hoped to catch a highlight. The dunking savant made the critical error at trying to posterize Holmgren. Almost offended at the attempt, the seven-footer completely swallowed the ball away in his nastiest rejection of the night. Talking to himself, he was sky-high on confidence.
Holmgren finished with 30 points on 10-of-13 shooting, 14 rebounds and five assists. He shot 3-of-4 from 3 and went 7-of-10 on free throws. He also had four blocks and two steals.
If you ever wonder what Holmgren looks like at the peak of his powers, rewatch this game film. Just a complete takeover on both ends of the floor. On the cusp of the first seed, the 23-year-old had one of his best games ever to ensure the Thunder didn't mess around with fate.
Showing off his full bag, Holmgren was surgical at all four levels. Around the rim, Gilgeous-Alexander spoonfed him alley-oops. Things were too easy at that level. No offense to Lopez, but LA doesn't possess a true rim protector to limit the attempts. Around the baseline, the seven-footer swished in several attempts. It was at the juncture of the game where the basket probably looked wide-open to him.
And then there were the outside jumpers. Holmgren knocked down his catch-and-shoot looks. Now, that might be his most important variable. Over the last two playoff runs, his outside shot has waned. Credit that to fatigue or whatever you want. But over the last week, it's been the opposite. If he can shoot at a decent clip from the perimeter, that adds a new element to OKC's postseason offense that hasn't frankly been there.
Oh, and Holmgren went to the free-throw line plenty of times. The secretive fourth scoring level in the NBA. It's what separates decent scorers from upper-echelon ones. Holmgren got a taste of that. The Clippers resorted to fouling the seven-footer as he hunted for his shot once he realized he had entered a flow state.
Seven paragraphs in and we're barely touching on Holmgren's defense. Just one-for-one stuff. The box score stats speak for themselves, but watching the game shows even more nuance to how he completely shortens the halfcourt geometry. Aside from Leonard, nobody else dared to frequently attack the rim.
This was one of Holmgren's best games of his career. And I don't think that's reactionary. He had 14 points in the first quarter. And 24 at halftime. The Thunder were in complete control against the Clippers as Gilgeous-Alexander took a backseat to his fellow NBA All-Star's takeover.
Hands on his knees, Williams chilled at the left corner spot. Once Holmgren attracted a group of LA defenders, the 24-year-old cut baseline. He went with the up-and-under move to avoid Sander's late contest. The English finish drew oohs and aahs in OKC households.
Williams finished with 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting, six rebounds and six assists. He shot 0-of-1 from 3 and went 4-of-4 on free throws. He also had two steals.
While the first seed and Holmgren caught all of the headlines, Williams quietly put the work in as he ramps up for the NBA playoffs with a small sample of games. He continues to add to his momentum as he makes up for lost time. Against the Clippers, he enjoyed some low-stress hoops to get into a rhythm with his mid-range game.
Playing within the flow of the offense, Williams benefited from LA's full attention being placed on Gilgeous-Alexander and Holmgren. He had a handful of easy dunks as the Clippers lost track of him. Elsewhere, he hunted for his signature pull-up jumpers inside the paint and at the elbow.
Going back to an age-old formula, the Thunder have thrived in their bench lineups. They put this game away without Gilgeous-Alexander in the fourth quarter. You can thank Williams' return to comfort for that. Just having another guy who can get their own bucket eases a huge load from everyone's shoulders. Everybody gets back into a suitable spot. Things just flow better instead of relying on a duct-taped offense.
Aside from capturing the first seed, the other big goal of OKC's in the final month of the regular season was to see Williams get in a groove before the NBA playoffs. Think you can say they're near or at that point. While you can't officially cross it off like a black-or-white thing — ala the NBA standings — just watching these games makes you feel more confident about how much rust he's knocked off.
Running dribble handoff action with Holmgren, Joe didn't need much space or time. He swished in a deep outside jumper in the early stages of the fourth quarter. A couple of possessions later, he ballooned OKC's lead back to over 20 points with a corner make.
Joe finished with 21 points on 6-of-9 shooting, two rebounds and two assists. He shot 4-of-7 from 3 and went 5-of-5 on free throws.
Not trying to jinx it, but Joe has been scorching hot for the last handful of games. He's putting up some insane outside shooting numbers that resemble the percentages rim-running centers put up. Helping put the Clippers away with their ambitious comeback attempts, he had 16 points in the second half — specifically, 13 in the fourth frame.
Considering his body of work, it shouldn't be a shocker to see Joe universally viewed as one of the league's best outside shooters. The Thunder have enjoyed him breaking out this season on both ends of the floor. He's carved out a must-play spot in OKC's rotation.
At this point, if you can kick out the ball to Joe around the perimeter, you're guaranteed an assist. The Clippers were the latest team to stress themselves out at figuring out how to guard the Thunder. Do you collapse the paint at Gilgeous-Alexander and Holmgren or close out hard on OKC's designated sharpshooter?
The formula has been a resounding success in the regular season. Now, you hope Joe can carry this over into the NBA playoffs. Carving out a helluva career, that's the only weak point left for him to overcome. If he can put up these numbers in high-leverage moments, that goes a long way in helping the Thunder avoid any scoring droughts.
Rolling to the basket, Hartenstein cleaned up Williams' missed driving layup. The 27-year-old jumped up with force as he threw down the loud two-handed jam. The second-chance bucket showed just how much he completely changes OKC's dynamics on the boards.
Hartenstein finished with 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting, seven rebounds and one assist. He shot 2-of-2 on free throws. He also had one block.
The Thunder are just a different team with Hartenstein. And for the better. He helps them stay active in the rebound department. Without him, you can really sense how small OKC is in that area. Too often do they get beaten to the glass by the opposition for second-chance looks. The seven-footer plugs that hole when he's on the floor.
The wrinkles he adds on offense should be known by now. He helps run the second unit as a secondary playmaker. He also gives the Thunder a legitimate lob threat. Calf injuries have limited his production this regular season, but there's no question that all of the hassle is worth it.
There's a reason why the Thunder strategized to only play Hartenstein in the first half of their win over the Los Angeles Lakers. Going all out here to capture the first seed, they needed him to play his first back-to-back in months to accomplish that goal.
Real Madrid target reaches preliminary renewal agreement with current club
Real Madrid’s search for defensive reinforcements has taken another unexpected turn, with one of their previously monitored targets now looking increasingly out of reach.
As the club continues to assess options ahead of the summer window, developments surrounding Ibrahima Konate have effectively forced a rethink within the hierarchy.
For a long time, Konate’s situation at Liverpool made him an appealing opportunity.
With uncertainty surrounding his contract, there was a genuine belief that he could become available on a free transfer.
Story has changed
However, recent reports from Defensa Central suggest that the French defender has taken a step towards resolving his future, with a preliminary agreement in place to extend his stay at Liverpool.
While the deal is yet to be officially confirmed, the direction of travel is getting clearer, and it does not favour Real Madrid.
Interestingly, the Spanish giants had already begun to cool their interest even before this latest development.
Konate has an agreement with Liverpool. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
This is because there were growing doubts about whether Konate truly fit the long-term vision at the club.
Why is that?
Despite his physical presence and top-level experience, concerns were raised about his consistency and ability to handle high-pressure situations.
These reservations played a role in understanding the club’s position.
As such, Real Madrid conducted a thorough evaluation of the defender and the conclusion was that while Konate offered certain strengths, he was not seen as a significant upgrade on the options already available within the squad.
That assessment ultimately led to a decision that Real Madrid would step away from the pursuit rather than take a gamble on a player who did not fully convince from a long-term perspective.
With Konate now expected to remain at Liverpool, Los Blancos must shift their focus elsewhere.
The need for defensive reinforcement has not disappeared, and if anything, it has become more urgent.
Australian football fans are in for a winter treat with three Serie A teams coming to Perth for a series of matches at Optus Stadium.
Serie A giants AC Milan, FC Internazionale Milano, Juventus and Serie B side Palermo FC will take part in Calcio Italiano through the start of August with three matches at Western Australia's premier sporting venue.
Calcio Italiano will commence with a blockbuster 'Derby della Madonnina' between AC Milan and Inter Milan on August 5 and continues with a 'Derby d'Italia' featuring Juventus and Inter Milan three days later.
The tournament will wrap on August 11 with a contest between Juventus and Palermo.
Ticket pre-sales will commence on Tuesday, April 14, with general sales to go live from Wednesday, April 15.
Perth has been a major hub for Italian football in recent times, with a friendly being played between AC Milan and AS Roma at Optus Stadium in 2024.
The Australian city was also touted to host the first-ever Serie A match for points overseas this season - AC Milan vs. Como - but the historic event didn't eventuate after negotiations broke down with the Asian Football Confederation.
"Western Australia is ready to welcome these giants of Italian football to Perth this winter as part of our Winter of Unmissable Sport, featuring unforgettable events that are sure to draw fans from around the world and place our State firmly on the international stage," WA Tourism Minister Reece Whitby said.
"Attracting these clubs to Perth for this specific event across a week is truly a unique opportunity for football fans in Australia and around the world to experience a global event in the winter months.
"It’s fantastic to continue strengthening our relationship with Italy’s major football clubs, ensuring we can secure exclusive opportunities like Calcio Italiano and demonstrate that Western Australia is a world-class host for major sporting events.
"We are consistently seeing the positive impact these major events have on our communities – boosting our tourism sector, supporting local jobs and businesses, and diversifying Western Australia’s economy."
Calcio Italiano schedule - Perth 2026
AC Milan v FC Internazionale Milano - Wednesday, 5 August - Optus Stadium
Juventus v FC Internazionale Milano - Saturday, 8 August - Optus Stadium
Juventus v Palermo FC - Tuesday, 11 August - Optus Stadium
How to get tickets for Calcio Italiano Perth 2026
Pre-sale tickets for Calcio Italiano matches will go on sale Tuesday, April 14.
General public sales will commence on Wednesday, April 15.
In this week's Closer Report, Riley O'Brien has solidified his status as the Cardinals' top ninth-inning option. The Rays look to be turning to Bryan Baker. And Ryan Walker tumbles down the rankings with some unexpected usage. We break it all down and more as we run through the latest closer rankings.
⚾️ Baseball is back! MLB returns to NBC and Peacock in 2026! In addition to becoming the exclusive home of Sunday Night Baseball, NBC Sports will broadcast MLB Sunday Leadoff, “Opening Day” and Labor Day primetime games, the first round of the MLB Draft, the entire Wild Card round of the postseason, and much more.
2026 Fantasy Baseball Closer Rankings
▶ Tier 1
Mason Miller - San Diego Padres Edwin Díaz - Los Angeles Dodgers Jhoan Duran - Philadelphia Phillies Andrés Muñoz - Seattle Mariners Cade Smith - Cleveland Guardians
Miller worked back-to-back save chances against the Red Sox over the weekend, striking out the side each time to convert a pair of saves. He then pitched the ninth on Wednesday with a six-run lead after the Padres added four in the top of the ninth, striking out two in a clean frame. Miller has faced 18 total batters so far and has struck out 13. This is complete domination. Meanwhile, Díaz locked down a save on Sunday, striking out one in a clean inning against the Nationals, then struck out the side on Tuesday against the Blue Jays for his fourth save.
Duran is up to four saves after converting two more this week. He's been outstanding so far, giving up one earned run while striking out seven batters with no walks over 5 2/3. Muñoz also hasn't issued a walk across four innings of work while collecting seven strikeouts. He is, however, still searching for his first save opportunity. They will undoubtedly come.
Smith has worked through the most trouble among this top tier. After pitching a clean inning in his first appearance, he had allowed at least one hit in each of his next five outings. He got back on track with two strikeouts in a perfect frame on Tuesday before falling in line for a win against the Royals. There's nothing in the profile to suggest any cause for concern despite the crooked 6.43 ERA in the early going.
▶ Tier 2
Devin Williams - New York Mets Daniel Palencia - Chicago Cubs David Bednar - New York Yankees Aroldis Chapman - Boston Red Sox Ryan Helsley - Baltimore Orioles
So far, so good for Williams. He's made five scoreless appearances with a 7/2 K/BB ratio while converting a pair of saves. In Chicago, Palencia got on the board with his first save on Sunday against the Guardians. He's scattered three hits with no walks and three strikeouts over three innings of work.
Bednar gave up a run against the Marlins on Saturday before holding on for the save with two strikeouts. He then pitched a clean inning with one strikeout on Tuesday against the Athletics for his fifth save. And coming in with the game tied in the ninth on Wednesday, he surrendered a run on two hits while striking out two to take the loss.
Chapman picked up a save against the Padres on Friday, striking out one batter in a scoreless inning. He then surrendered a run and took the loss on Saturday before bouncing back with his third save of the season on Tuesday against the Brewers on just six pitches. The 38-year-old right-hander has just three strikeouts over five innings. It's likely just early-season noise as he's generated an excellent whiff rate.
▶ Tier 3
Jeff Hoffman - Toronto Blue Jays Raisel Iglesias - Atlanta Braves Trevor Megill - Milwaukee Brewers Pete Fairbanks - Miami Marlins Riley O'Brien - St. Louis Cardinals Emilio Pagán - Cincinnati Reds Kenley Jansen - Detroit Tigers Seranthony Domínguez - Chicago White Sox Jordan Romano - Los Angeles Angels Paul Sewald - Arizona Diamondbacks
Hoffman has done a great job at missing bats so far, collecting 15 strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings of work. He was charged with a loss and a blown save on Friday against the White Sox, though both runs allowed were unearned. He then surrendered a run against the Dodgers on Tuesday, striking out two in an inning of work before bouncing back with his second save of the season on Wednesday. All of the strikeouts early on are certainly a good sign for the 33-year-old right-hander.
Iglesias converted his first two saves of the season this week, including a five-out save against the Angels on Tuesday. He's pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings with a 5/0 K/BB ratio. Behind Iglesias, Robert Suarez has pitched six innings with no runs and seven strikeouts, recording two holds and a win.
In Milwaukee, Megill converted a pair of saves this week as he continues to work as the Brewers' primary closer. He's up to three on the season. Meanwhile, Abner Uribe has pitched exclusively in the seventh and eighth innings.
Fairbanks made one appearance this week, starting Sunday's contest against the Yankees as the opener to make an early departure for the birth of his child. He surrendered three runs in the outing, but has otherwise been solid as the Marlins' closer with two saves. Fairbanks will likely return on Thursday.
O'Brien makes a jump in the rankings as he's solidifying his role as the Cardinals' closer. The 31-year-old right-hander has been outstanding, tossing 6 1/3 scoreless frames with a 7/0 K/BB ratio, generating whiffs and ground balls for a great closer profile. O'Brien is up to three saves after picking up one in extra innings on Tuesday against the Nationals.
Pagán recovered nicely this week. He's made four scoreless appearances since giving up four runs against the Pirates on April 1, picking up three straight saves and earning a win. That four-run outing came on the road, where he's likely to be a bit more volatile, followed by his last four appearances on the road.
No save chances for Jansen and the Tigers this week. He made one appearance, recording the final out against the Cardinals on Saturday. Jansen has made just three appearances all season, giving up one run with five strikeouts over 1 2/3 innings.
Domíguez worked the final four outs against the Blue Jays on Friday, falling in line for a win. He then worked around two baserunners on Saturday before closing out the game for his first save of the season. Grant Taylor was considered one of the better closers-in-waiting coming into the year. He made three straight appearances as the team's opener. That kind of usage won't put him in line for any holds or saves.
Romano has paid off the late-round and waiver wire speculation. He locked down two more saves for the Angels this week, giving him four with seven strikeouts over five scoreless innings. The 32-year-old right-hander has pitched well enough to probably warrant a long look in the closer role, even when Kirby Yates returns from the injured list. This, of course, also hinges on Romano staying healthy.
Sewald had an up-and-down week, taking two losses and converting one save. It was an encouraging sign when his velocity came in at 92 mph to start the season. And he has the trust of manager Torey Lovullo. The velocity has fluctuated across Sewald's outings, becoming much more hittable when he's at 90 mph. Still, a 7/0 K/BB ratio across 4 1/3 innings will get the job done; it just might come with volatility.
▶ Tier 4
Bryan Baker - Tampa Bay Rays Lucas Erceg - Kansas City Royals Ryan Walker - San Francisco Giants Dennis Santana/Gregory Soto - Pittsburgh Pirates Bryan Abreu - Houston Astros
It seemed as though the Rays were holding Baker out of games to save him for a ninth-inning situation. Sure enough, he got two ninth-inning appearances this week, pitching in a tie game against the Twins on Sunday to fall in line for a win before converting his first save against the Cubs on Monday. Griffin Jax's struggles aside, Jax's usage never suggested that the closer role, or a significant share of it, was his to lose. As well as Baker is pitching, he's a great pickup for fantasy managers looking for a shot at saves from a relatively skilled reliever.
In Kansas City, Erceg gave up two runs in a non-save situation against the Brewers on Sunday, then bounced back with a clean inning against the Guardians on Monday for his third save of the season. He hasn't pitched particularly well enough to feel confident he'll hold the closer role all season, but take the saves while they're there.
Walker's usage has taken an unexpected turn early on. In last week's edition, I highlighted Keaton Winn and Caleb Kilian as possible save specs behind Walker after he was used in the sixth inning. Walker made another appearance before the ninth inning this week, pitching the seventh and eighth with a four-run lead against the Phillies on Tuesday. Winn pitched the ninth in a non-save situation. The Giants haven't had many save situations, so it warrants monitoring, but this may end up more of a committee under first-year manager Tony Vitello.
The Pirates seem to be going with a full matchup-based committee. Soto converted his first save last Friday against the Orioles with a clean inning of work, with Santana pitching the eighth. Santana got the ninth the next day with the game tied and fell in line for a win. Soto has been the more impressive of the two, striking out 13 batters over 7 1/3 innings.
Abreu is still here only by the fact that the Astros continue to give him ninth-inning looks, though that may not be far off if his struggles continue. He's yet to pitch a scoreless inning this season, giving up at least one run in all five appearances for a 19.64 ERA. Bryan King would be the next reliever to speculate on for saves until Josh Hader returns, likely sometime next month.
▶ Tier 5
Jakob Junis/Cole Winn - Texas Rangers Cole Sands/Taylor Rogers/Justin Topa - Minnesota Twins Victor Vodnik - Colorado Rockies Clayton Beeter/Cole Henry - Washington Nationals Hogan Harris/Mark Leiter Jr./Justin Sterner - Athletics
The Rangers recorded three saves this week, none by Robert García or Chris Martin. It was Junis who stepped in for back-to-back saves before Winn picked up his first on Wednesday against the Mariners. Neither reliever has much strikeout upside and isn't worth chasing in such a fluid situation, outside of the deepest of leagues. The same can be said in Minnesota, where Cody Laweryson, Justin Topa, and Kody Funderburk each recorded a save.
Relievers on the rise/Stash candidates
Hunter Bigge (RHP) - Tampa Bay Rays
Hunter Bigge could be working his way up the leverage ladder in Tampa Bay. He recorded the final two outs in the seventh before pitching a clean eighth on Monday against the Cubs, with Bryan Baker taking over for a save in the ninth. Bigge probably has some of the best stuff in the Rays' bullpen. He had an excellent spring, striking out 12 over seven innings. The 27-year-old pitched just 15 innings last season after he suffered an unfortunate injury when he was struck in the face by a foul ball.
Antonio Senzatela (RHP) - Colorado Rockies
I can't believe I'm going here, but Antonio Senzatela has actually been good out of the bullpen for the Rockies. He helped put the Astros away on Tuesday with 2 2/3 perfect frames to come away with a save. The 31-year-old right-hander has now pitched 7 1/3 scoreless innings on the season with a 9/1 K/BB ratio. Senzatela has fully shifted to a relief role this season, and it's brought with it a significant rise in his fastball velocity. It hasn't necessarily translated to more whiffs yet, but he is getting batters to chase outside of the zone at a far higher rate while showing excellent control. There's nothing to act on yet for fantasy purposes, but he's someone to keep an eye on if he starts working shorter, one-inning stints in high-leverage.
Barcelona maestro suffered hamstring discomfort during Atletico loss; likely to miss Espanyol tie
Barcelona’s difficult night against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final first leg may have ended in a 0-2 defeat, but the result was only part of the concern.
The bigger worry for Hansi Flick and his staff now revolves around the fitness of Pedri, whose absence in the second half raised immediate alarm bells.
The Spanish midfielder, often the heartbeat of Barcelona’s play, did not return after the break, a decision that was particularly felt.
Reduced to ten men just before half-time following Pau Cubarsi’s red card, Barcelona needed composure and control.
Pedri typically provides all of that, which made his withdrawal all the more puzzling at first.
What happened to Pedri?
It was only after the match that clarity emerged. Addressing the situation, manager Flick revealed that the substitution was precautionary rather than tactical, hinting at a physical concern that could not be ignored.
“He had a few minor issues. Nothing serious, but we need him now, so we decided to take him off and bring on Gavi,” he said.
Pedri could miss the Espanyol match. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)
Before that confirmation, there had already been concern within the camp.
According to AS, Pedri felt discomfort in the back of his thigh during the game, prompting immediate attention from both the medical and coaching staff.
Given his injury history, Barcelona were unwilling to take any risks, especially at such a crucial stage of the season.
At this point, the exact severity of the issue remains uncertain. Further medical tests are expected to determine whether it is a minor muscle strain or something more serious involving the hamstring.
As per the outlet, there is now a real possibility that Pedri could miss the upcoming league derby against Espanyol at Camp Nou.
In his potential absence, Barcelona may have to rely on alternative options in midfield.
The expected return of Frenkie de Jong could provide a timely boost, while Marc Casado is also being considered as a solution to maintain balance and energy in the middle of the park.
‘According to my information’: Romano confirms the two signings Man Utd will absolutely, 100% make this summer
Fabrizio Romano has confirmed Manchester United will sign at least two midfielders this summer, with Manuel Ugarte poised to follow Casemiro out the door.
The Brazilian will be pulling the curtains on his Red Devils tenure after four years when the end of June rolls around, and Ugarte won’t be far behind.
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United to cut ties with Manuel Ugarte prematurely
Indeed, United have decided that they’ve seen enough in the two seasons that the Uruguayan has represented them to know that he’s not dependable enough to keep beyond the summer.
The 24-year-old’s contract runs until 2029, plus the option of an additional year.
How Casemiro is faring in his final season
As for Casemiro, it goes without saying that a real marquee signing will be necessary to succeed the seasoned veteran.
Even now, with the likes of Ugarte, Kobbie Mainoo and Mason Mount all vying for places, the five-time Champions League winner has retained his starting spot throughout the duration of the campaign.
(Casemiro’s 2025/2026 league record)
The term also marks Casemiro’s career-best for goals thus far, with the defensive-minded stalwart returning a hugely impressive seven goals – as well as two assists – in the Premier League.
What Romano had to say about United
Weighing in on INEOS’ plans for the middle of the park, Romano said on YouTube: “The other update I can give you is, according to my information today, Manuel Ugarte could also leave Manchester United in the summer transfer window.
“Some movements have already started to find solutions. So you can imagine, with Casemiro leaving, Ugarte leaving, with Manchester United probably playing Champions League football, for sure playing European football, it means that United need two more midfielders.”
Chelsea enter race for Werder Bremen’s Karim Coulibaly
Chelsea have entered the race to sign Werder Bremen centre-back Karim Coulibaly, according to Florian Plettenberg.
Chelsea have made a habit of snapping up young talents early and are reportedly interested in the highly-rated 18-year-old.
The Blues will have to cough up a fee of €40-50 million to secure his signature with Real Madrid, Man United, Newcastle United, Paris Saint-Germain and Napoli also keen.
Coulibaly has caught the eye of clubs like Chelsea with his ‘very composed’ performances in the Bundesliga this term.
He has helped his side keep three clean sheets while winning 51% of his ground duels.
Chelsea actually need to reshuffle their defence, with Tosin Adarabioyo, Trevoh Chalobah, Wesley Fofana, and Benoit Badiashile failing to cover themselves in glory.
Meanwhile, the jury is still out on Mamadou Sarr, who has shone for Senegal and Strasbourg but struggled at Stamford Bridge.
A reliable partner for Levi Colwill is a must this summer, and they could turn to Coulibaly to be the difference-maker at the back.
However, that would be a colossal mistake by the Chelsea hierarchy.
The Blues need an experienced defender to anchor the rearguard, not another centre-half still learning the ropes.
Chelsea’s Achilles heel this season has been their porous defence, and they desperately need a quality centre-back to plug the gap.
Coulibaly should not be the target here. In fact, there is no need for him.
Chelsea already have Aaron Anselmino and Josh Acheampong waiting in the wings. They are secure in terms of prospects.
What the West Londoners need now is a centre-half like Jan Paul Van Hecke (Brighton & Hove Albion) to help shore up the defence and cut out the schoolboy defending.
Chelsea can take advantage of their relationship with the Seagulls to snap up the Dutchman, who is clearly ready for the step up.
Como’s Jacobo Ramon is another established centre-back with impressive numbers that the Club World Cup champions should be looking at.
On Saturday night under the stars in north London, Tyson Fury returns to the ring after a long absence and joins the heavyweight season. He is back, and now he has to prove he is still the No 1 attraction.
For his return, Fury has picked Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which was the venue for his last fight in the UK back in 2022, when he beat Derek Chisora for the third time.
Fury has only fought in the UK twice in the last eight years; all his major fights during that time have been in Las Vegas, Riyadh and Los Angeles. This Saturday’s fight is a genuine test of his pulling power, and Makhmudov is a real threat to Fury.
Tyson Fury at the launch press conference for his fight with Arslanbek Makhmudov (Getty Images)
The trilogy with Deontay Wilder concluded over four years ago, the last Oleksandr Usyk fight was in December of 2024, and since then Fury has maintained his profile with television shows, a retirement, and the promise of a fight with his long-standing rival, Anthony Joshua. This Saturday will be a real test of his appeal – even with Netflix’s involvement and the lack of a pay-per-view approach – and with 67,000 seats available, it will be hard to disguise a failure.
Since Fury last fought, the second points loss to Usyk at the end of 2024, the heavyweight division has survived and thrived. Usyk knocked out Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium last summer, Fabio Wardley won a version of the world title with a stunning stoppage of Joseph Parker, and the rise of Moses Itauma at just 21 has been inspiring. Furthermore, next month Wardley defends against Dubois in a fight of equal parts jeopardy and violence.
Fury is now an addition, no longer the king of the division.
“I’m back for my crown,” insisted Fury a few weeks ago, and he could have been talking about far more than just the trinket belts that both Usyk and Wardley own. Fury was heavyweight boxing’s No 1 attraction with the fans for years. There is no belt for that title, but it means more than anything that can be strapped across a boxer’s chest. In this way, the fight against Makhmudov is the start of Fury’s quest for his old title, but not necessarily his old belts.
Anthony Joshua was ringside at Chisora vs Wilder last weekend (PA Wire)Fury will box Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday (PA Wire)
It remains heavyweight boxing’s biggest attraction, and Fury is a massive part of that attraction.
On Saturday, we will all get a better idea of whether Fury remains the star he was, or if he has entered that phase of his long and distinguished career where he needs a dance partner to perform somersaults for viewing figures. The Chisora and Wilder brawl was a prime example of what can happen if the mix is right.
Makhmudov, meanwhile, is the perfect choice for Fury’s return from his short exile; he is big in every single way, a brilliant pantomime baddie and a risk. Fury has never been afraid of taking a risk, but he does have a healthy fear of not being popular.
However, Chelsea’s words on Acheampong and their actions simply don’t add up, and the teenager has only started 13 games this season.
In fact, ten of his starts came under Enzo Maresca, whilst he’s started just three under Liam Rosenior, with supporters disappointed he was left on the bench against Port Vale.
It’s clear Acheampong isn’t getting the minutes he needs to continue his development, but Football London have reported there’s no plans to sell the youngster this summer, and he remains part of the long term vision.
Acheampong has played well when given the opportunity, but for some reason keeps being overlooked, and Chelsea run the risk of losing another talented youngster, and they’d only have themselves to blame.
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In other news…
Chelsea have reportedly entered the race for 18-year-old Werder Bremen centre back Karim Coulibaly, with the Bundesliga outfit said to want €40-€50m.
PSG, Real Madrid and Manchester United are said to have scouted the teenager, but the last thing the Blues need is to add another young centre back to their ranks.
Check out the latest edition of Simon Phillips’ SPTC podcast here:
Liverpool eye Toure to replace Salah, face competition from Man United and Arsenal
Liverpool are expected to sign a left-footed winger this summer following Mohamed Salah’s decision to leave the club at the end of the season.
According to Bild, Liverpool have now identified Hoffenheim forward Bazoumana Toure as a potential target.
Toure impressed Liverpool scouts with his assertiveness and physical resilience in the Ivory Coast’s 1-0 friendly win over Scotland at the Hill Dickinson Stadium last month.
They face competition from Manchester United, Arsenal and Bayern Munich.
Toure joined Hoffenheim last summer and has established himself as a key player, helping their push for Champions League qualification.
He has scored two goals and provided eight assists in 24 league games – the third highest for Hoffenheim.
Toure is adept at finding teammates in key positions, averaging 1.5 key passes per game – the third best for the club.
Toure is also skilled at crosses, adding to his playmaking ability. He is a good dribbler, averaging 1.7 successful dribbles per game, which is only bettered by four players in the German top-flight.
However, he needs to improve his finishing to become an elite winger.
Hoffenheim are open to selling Toure as they plan to raise about €65 million from player sales this summer. They have placed a €40m valuation on him.
Steven Gerrard described Liverpool’s performance against Paris Saint-Germain as “toothless” as the Premier League champions were beaten 2-0 at the Parc des Princes in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie.
Arne Slot switched up Liverpool’s tactics following their disappointing 4-0 loss to Manchester City last weekend and set the team up with three centre-backs while Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong played as wingbacks.
That formation allowed more bodies around the penalty area but stifled Liverpool’s attacking qualities and they finished the match without recording a single shot on target.
“PSG were more ruthless, certainly in the second half they had big chances… to go and kill the tie off,” Gerrard said in the post-match analysis.
“Liverpool getting out of here at 2-0 is okay, it’s not fantastic but if any place can make a tie of this next week, it’s Anfield.”
Fellow pundit, and another former Liverpool star, Steve McManaman was less enthused and explained how things could, and perhaps should, have been worse for Liverpool.
Liverpool were lacklustre in Paris and trail heading into the second leg (Action Images via Reuters)
He explained: “It’s an easy game to analyse. Weirdly enough, PSG weren’t ruthless enough tonight. The chances they missed…
“Liverpool had Alisson to the rescue last year, if anything it was PSG not putting them to the sword today. I thought Liverpool were very lightweight up top. Not being ruthless enough, not taking shots on.
“It’s going to be difficult to turn this around, against this team. Marquinhos [PSG’s captain] has had the easiest game of the season, he’s hardly done anything today. It’s going to take a huge performance for Liverpool to turn this around next week.”
Desire Doue scored the first goal for PSG who went on to win 2-0 (AFP via Getty Images)
Yet, the most damning description came from Gerrard who described PSG’s performance as “total domination” and blamed Liverpool’s lack of bite in the final third for the result.
“It’s going to be a real big ask is because PSG are so good,” he said. “It was total domination tonight, Liverpool’s tactics and gameplan worked for large periods of the game but they didn’t have anything up top. They were quite toothless and didn’t create anything.
“Over the course of 90 minutes Liverpool haven’t offered enough but what they’ve done is given themselves a small opportunity next week at Anfield.”
Slot set the Reds up with a defensive back five to try an nullify PSG’s attacking qualities but the hosts opened the scoring after Desire Doue’s deflected shot looped over Giorgi Mamardashvili in Liverpool’s goal.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s individual brilliance double PSG’s lead in the second half but it was the Georgian goalkeeper who ensured matters were not worse for Liverpool with a series of fine saves to keep the scoreline manageable.
Liverpool will now have to overturn the deficit in next week’s second leg and Slot was hopeful that that match will not reflect the performance he saw tonight.
“If you reflect on the whole game I think we should be lucky only losing 2-0,” the Liverpool boss told TNT Sports after the game.
“They had more chances than the only goals they scored. The first goal fell hard as we had hardly let anything away but then a deflected shot goes in.
“They had enough chances to score more, and I think it’s very good for us that we’re still in the tie. We can now bring them to Anfield, and we all know how much of a difference Anfield can make for us.
“I stood here similarly last season although we won 1-0. The game was exactly the same and the game at Anfield was completely different so we’re happy to still be in this tie.”
Arne Slot praised the performance of Liverpool goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardasvili (Getty Images)
Despite he disappointment, Slot was quick to praise Mamardashvili’s performance and compared his effort to Bayern Munich’s exceptional shot-stopper Manuel Neuer.
Slot added: “Very crucial [Mamardashvili’s saves]. I watched the game yesterday between Real Madrid and Bayern Munich and I saw Manuel Neuer be very crucial for Bayern making a lot of good saves and I think Giorgi had that for us.
“You need performances like that against Paris Saint-Germain. You need a hard-working team that tries to do everything to prevent them from scoring, but it was difficult. The moment when we needed Giorgi, he was there for us. He played a very good game today.”
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk said the match against PSG was ‘tough work’ (Adam Davy/PA Wire)
Meanwhile, Liverpool’s captain spoke about the change in formation and whether he felt it helped or hindered Liverpool’s performance.
“I think we defended with a lot of bodies around the box. Unfortunately, the first goal is a deflection. We get some small moments on the break where we could have done better.
"They [PSG} always move around everywhere. We have to communicate and follow your man and take risks in that sense. As well and wait for the right moment to win the ball. Hopefully, we can be much better, especially possession at Anfield.”
Liverpool on the brink of agreement to finally sign world-class star
Liverpool are now closing in on an agreement to secure the services of a world-class star.
An era is drawing to a close at Anfield.
The expected departure of Mo Salah this summer very much feels like the final chapter of one of the greatest periods in the club's history.
Salah has been the face of Liverpool’s modern golden years.
He has been a symbol of excellence and the superstar of Jurgen Klopp's golden team. His exit alone would mark a major turning point, but he may not be the only familiar figure to move on.
Andy Robertson is another whose future remains uncertain with his contract set to expire at the end of the season, and his departure would further signal the breaking up of a core group that defined an era.
This shift comes on the back of a major exodus last summer, when several key players moved on including the likes of Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz, Trent Alexander-Arnold and others. That was the beginning of the process of transition.
And it's set to continue this summer. Sadly, football moves quickly, and even the most successful cycles must come to an end.
Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes will be looking to rebuild the team and create a new and exciting era at Anfield.
Continuity will be very important.
While some players will have to leave, it's equally important that others stay at the club.
Retaining players in their prime years who can provide stability and continuity has never been more important. That is why keeping Ibrahima Konate, whose contract is set to expire this summer, should be a top priority for the club.
Konate is no longer just a promising defender - he is now an established presence within the squad. And in European football.
The Frenchman is one of the best centre-backs in the world - he is a world-class player who is a key part of the French national team looking to win the World Cup.
Having now spent several years at Liverpool, he understands the demands of the club, the expectations of the supporters, and the intensity required to compete at the highest level. As experienced figures begin to depart, that familiarity becomes invaluable.
Beyond his defensive qualities, Konate has the attributes to become one of the leaders of the next generation. His physical dominance, composure on the ball, and growing confidence position him as a natural successor to those who have formed the backbone of Liverpool’s recent success.
He'll be even more important as the likes of Jeremy Jacquet and Giovanni Leoni come into the team.
As Liverpool look toward a new era, Konate is the obvious choice to form the foundations needed for the Reds to be successful.
The Phoenix Suns are well on their way to the Play-In Tournament as the seventh seed in the Western Conference. They will be playing against the Los Angeles Clippers or the Portland Trail Blazers for the seventh spot in the Playoffs.
Throughout the season, the Suns have dealt with all kinds of injuries, particularly to Jalen Green. On Wednesday, he exited the game with a right knee injury, but thankfully, Suns head coach Jordan Ott revealed that it was not too bad.
Jalen Green's injury is not as bad as people feared
In their game against the Dallas Mavericks, the Suns managed to pull away with a close 112-107 win. They had to do it without Jalen Green and Jordan Goodwin for the most part.
Thankfully for the Suns' hopes for the Playoffs, they will likely keep playing with them in the rotation. Head coach Jordan Ott said that his players were ready to come back, but it seems there was a precaution in place to keep them healthy.
Since the Suns already have their spot in the Play-In Tournament secured, they did not risk too much in this game. With a couple of games left in the schedule, they want to keep everyone fresh for the Play-In.
Considering they were unable to return, it seems the Suns' medical staff is doing their best to stay healthy. It will be challenging to keep that up in the long run, but they are doing whatever they can today to help them in the future.
The end finally came into focus Tuesday night for the Calgary Flames—not with a bang, but with the kind of quiet inevitability that has followed them all season.
A 4–3 overtime loss to the Dallas Stars, paired with a dominant 5–0 win by the Nashville Predators over the Anaheim Ducks, officially slammed the door on Calgary’s playoff hopes. They join the Chicago Blackhawks and Vancouver Canucks as the Western Conference teams sent packing early.
On paper, the numbers tell a bleak but unsurprising story: seventh in the Pacific Division, 30th overall, and a 32-36-9 record through 77 games. But this season was never just about the standings—it was about a franchise caught in the middle of something bigger, and frankly, deeper than one bad year.
What Went Wrong for the Flames?
This wasn’t a collapse—it was a continuation.
The Flames entered the year already trending toward a reset. Trade rumors surrounding core pieces like Rasmus Andersson and Nazem Kadri surfaced early, and by midseason, management leaned fully into that direction. Andersson was dealt to the Vegas Golden Knights, while Kadri—along with MacKenzie Weegar—was moved at the deadline, with Kadri returning to the Colorado Avalanche and Weegar landing with the Utah Mammoth.
Those moves made sense long-term. In the short term, they stripped down an already thin roster.
But even before the sell-off, the problems were obvious—especially offensively.
Calgary spent much of the year struggling to generate consistent scoring. Early in the season, they were averaging just 2.17 goals per game—worse than even a slumping New York Rangers squad that had its own issues finishing chances. The Flames have since improved marginally to 2.57 goals per game, but that still ranks near the bottom of the league.
Even more telling? Four players are tied for the team lead with just 41 points—and one of them is Kadri, who was traded back to the Avalanche more than a month ago.
And if you zoom out, the roots of this go back even further—to a franchise-altering move that simply hasn’t aged well.
A Blockbuster Trade That Backfired Badly
When the Flames traded Matthew Tkachuk, part of the urgency came from the reality that he didn’t want to stay in Calgary long-term. In return, they acquired Jonathan Huberdeau, who was coming off a monster season—30 goals, 85 assists, 115 points—and looked like a cornerstone piece.
Instead, Calgary is locked in what could arguably be considered the worst contract in the NHL at this point. At the very least, it's a bona fide contender for a top two finish.
Huberdeau signed an eight-year, $84 million extension shortly after arriving—$10.5 million annually in a hard-cap league. Four years in, he hasn’t come close to replicating his Florida production. This season, he managed just 25 points in 50 games (10 goals, 15 assists), a steep drop-off that’s impossible to ignore.
In a league built around cap efficiency, that kind of contract doesn’t just hurt—it echoes through the entire lineup. When that much money is tied up in underperformance, something else inevitably gives.
To put it bluntly: when you’ve got the NHL version of Anthony Rendon eating up cap space, the ripple effects are unavoidable.
This isn’t about one player being solely responsible—but it is about how one contract can quietly limit flexibility, depth, and ultimately competitiveness.
What’s Next
If there’s a silver lining, it’s that the Flames are positioned to reshape their future—if they get it right.
They currently hold the third-best odds heading into the draft lottery on May 5, with a chance to land a franchise-changing talent. And in a draft class headlined by names like Gavin McKenna, Ivar Stenberg, and Keaton Verhoeff, the opportunity is there to find a true centerpiece.
Calgary also owns Vegas’ first-round pick and holds four second-round selections, giving them volume as well as upside. This isn’t just one swing—it’s multiple chances to accelerate a rebuild.
Beyond the draft, the organization will turn its attention to a growing prospect pool. Players like Jonathan Castagna, Samuel Honzek, Zayne Parekh, and Matvei Gridin represent the next wave, and development will be everything.
The timeline also aligns with a bigger organizational milestone: the opening of Scotia Place in 2027–28. The expectation isn’t just to be better by then—it’s to be relevant again.
There’s no sugarcoating a season like this. But for the Flames, this wasn’t about falling short—it was about arriving exactly where the trajectory was always pointing.
Now comes the hard part: turning all of this into something that actually works.
Sandro Tonali chase complicated by asking price and wage demands
Manchester United’s hunt for Casemiro’s replacement is expected to be far from smooth, according to the latest reports.
The Red Devils need an elite defensive midfielder to replace the Brazilian, and United had identified Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson as the answer to their problems.
Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali was considered the next best bet, with the Italian keen to leave St. James’ Park due to the lack of Champions League football next season.
Sandro Tonali, a man in demand
The Magpies are reluctant to part ways with the classy operator, but given their financial situation, a sale looks the most likely outcome.
A return to Italy seems unlikely, with multiple Premier League teams chasing the former AC Milan ace’s signature, including City.
Newcastle are unlikely to yield without a fight, and according to Talksport, Eddie Howe’s side are likely to demand £100 million to part ways with the 25-year-old.
The Italy international also earns £150,000 gross per week, excluding bonuses (via capology), and United will be expected to offer him a substantial pay rise.
Asking price and wage demands proving to be an obstacle
Reporters Ben Jacobs and Alex Crook contend that United feel his price tag, coupled with his wage demands, are not good value for money.
As a result, United do not view Sandro Tonali as their primary target. Unless his asking price comes down, a move seems unlikely as things stand.
“United view Anderson as their top choice ahead of Sandro Tonali and Adam Wharton.
“The Newcastle and Crystal Palace midfielders are also under consideration, but Tonali’s fee and wage are currently viewed as less value for money.
United’s stance revealed
“There is overlap between the two Manchester clubs in targets with City also appreciating Tonali. Newcastle could be open to a sale for the Italian but for a fee of £100 million or more.”
The price tag was expected given Tonali’s potential and ability, but with his contract running until 2028, Newcastle remain in an advantageous position regarding to negotiating power.
Unless the midfield maestro haggles for a move away, a major reduction is not expected. It will be interesting to see which midfielder the 20-time English league champions finally sign in the summer.
Cleveland Cavaliers (51-29, fourth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Atlanta Hawks (45-35, fifth in the Eastern Conference)
Atlanta; Friday, 7 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Cleveland looks to keep its four-game win streak intact when the Cavaliers take on Atlanta.
The Hawks have gone 26-24 against Eastern Conference teams. Atlanta scores 118.4 points while outscoring opponents by 2.5 points per game.
The Cavaliers have gone 32-18 against Eastern Conference opponents. Cleveland ranks sixth in the Eastern Conference shooting 36.0% from 3-point range.
The Hawks average 118.4 points per game, 3.1 more points than the 115.3 the Cavaliers give up. The Cavaliers average 14.4 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.5 more made shots on average than the 12.9 per game the Hawks give up.
The teams meet for the fourth time this season. The Cavaliers won 122-116 in the last meeting on April 8. Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 31 points, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker led the Hawks with 25 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jalen Johnson is averaging 22.6 points, 10.3 rebounds and 7.9 assists for the Hawks. Alexander-Walker is averaging 24.2 points over the last 10 games.
Mitchell is averaging 27.9 points, 5.7 assists and 1.5 steals for the Cavaliers. James Harden is averaging 17.9 points and 7.1 assists over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Hawks: 7-3, averaging 123.1 points, 43.8 rebounds, 29.0 assists, 9.4 steals and 4.9 blocks per game while shooting 48.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 110.8 points per game.
Cavaliers: 8-2, averaging 123.3 points, 44.5 rebounds, 28.5 assists, 7.3 steals and 3.7 blocks per game while shooting 51.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 118.6 points.
INJURIES: Hawks: Jock Landale: out (ankle).
Cavaliers: Jaylon Tyson: out (toe), Thomas Bryant: out (calf).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Dallas Mavericks (25-55, 13th in the Western Conference) vs. San Antonio Spurs (61-19, second in the Western Conference)
San Antonio; Friday, 8 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: San Antonio hosts Dallas trying to prolong its six-game home winning streak.
The Spurs are 35-15 in Western Conference games. San Antonio ranks sixth in the NBA allowing only 111.2 points per game while holding opponents to 45.0% shooting.
The Mavericks are 4-11 against opponents in the Southwest Division. Dallas ranks fifth in the league scoring 52.9 points per game in the paint led by Cooper Flagg averaging 11.3.
The Spurs average 119.6 points per game, 0.3 more points than the 119.3 the Mavericks allow. The Mavericks are shooting 46.5% from the field, 1.5% higher than the 45.0% the Spurs' opponents have shot this season.
The teams play for the fourth time this season. The Spurs won the last matchup 138-125 on Feb. 7, with Stephon Castle scoring 40 points in the victory.
TOP PERFORMERS: De'Aaron Fox is scoring 18.5 points per game with 3.8 rebounds and 6.1 assists for the Spurs. Keldon Johnson is averaging 15.8 points and 4.7 rebounds while shooting 48.4% over the last 10 games.
Max Christie is scoring 12.2 points per game and averaging 3.3 rebounds for the Mavericks. John Poulakidas is averaging 1.6 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Spurs: 9-1, averaging 125.5 points, 50.4 rebounds, 32.0 assists, 8.1 steals and 5.5 blocks per game while shooting 50.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.8 points per game.
Mavericks: 2-8, averaging 116.1 points, 43.1 rebounds, 25.3 assists, 8.4 steals and 4.6 blocks per game while shooting 44.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 125.1 points.
INJURIES: Spurs: David Jones Garcia: out for season (ankle), Stephon Castle: out (knee), Victor Wembanyama: out (rib).
Mavericks: P.J. Washington: out (elbow), Dereck Lively II: out for season (foot), Daniel Gafford: out (shoulder), Caleb Martin: out (foot), Brandon Williams: out (illness), Kyrie Irving: out for season (knee), Naji Marshall: out (hip), Klay Thompson: out (rest).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Oklahoma City Thunder (64-16, first in the Western Conference) vs. Denver Nuggets (52-28, third in the Western Conference)
Denver; Friday, 9 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Oklahoma City seeks to keep its seven-game win streak alive when the Thunder take on Denver.
The Nuggets are 10-5 in division matchups. Denver is 23-20 against opponents with a winning record.
The Thunder are 41-9 in Western Conference play. Oklahoma City ranks third in the NBA with 34.7 defensive rebounds per game led by Chet Holmgren averaging 7.0.
The Nuggets' 14.1 made 3-pointers per game this season are just 0.1 fewer made shots on average than the 14.2 per game the Thunder give up. The Thunder average 13.8 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.2 more makes per game than the Nuggets allow.
The teams meet for the fourth time this season. The Thunder won 129-126 in the last meeting on March 9. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 35 points, and Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets with 32 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jokic is averaging 27.8 points, 12.9 rebounds and 10.9 assists for the Nuggets. Jamal Murray is averaging 27.6 points over the last 10 games.
Cason Wallace is scoring 8.6 points per game and averaging 3.1 rebounds for the Thunder. Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 29.0 points and 3.3 rebounds over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Nuggets: 10-0, averaging 130.6 points, 45.9 rebounds, 33.1 assists, 6.0 steals and 3.6 blocks per game while shooting 52.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 120.9 points per game.
Thunder: 9-1, averaging 125.6 points, 46.3 rebounds, 27.9 assists, 9.1 steals and 5.6 blocks per game while shooting 51.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 106.0 points.
INJURIES: Nuggets: Peyton Watson: out (hamstring), Spencer Jones: out (hamstring).
Thunder: Thomas Sorber: out for season (knee).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Los Angeles Clippers (41-39, eighth in the Western Conference) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (40-40, ninth in the Western Conference)
Portland, Oregon; Friday, 10 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Los Angeles visits Portland looking to prolong its four-game road winning streak.
The Trail Blazers are 27-23 in Western Conference games. Portland is seventh in the Western Conference scoring 115.4 points while shooting 45.3% from the field.
The Clippers are 24-26 against Western Conference opponents. Los Angeles is last in the league recording 23.8 assists per game led by Kawhi Leonard averaging 3.6.
The Trail Blazers score 115.4 points per game, 2.8 more points than the 112.6 the Clippers give up. The Clippers average 12.4 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.2 fewer makes per game than the Trail Blazers allow.
The teams meet for the fourth time this season. The Trail Blazers won 114-104 in the last matchup on April 1. Jrue Holiday led the Trail Blazers with 30 points, and Leonard led the Clippers with 23 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: Deni Avdija is scoring 24.0 points per game with 6.9 rebounds and 6.7 assists for the Trail Blazers. Toumani Camara is averaging 18.6 points and 4.6 rebounds while shooting 54.8% over the past 10 games.
Leonard is averaging 28 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.9 steals for the Clippers. Brook Lopez is averaging 2.0 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Trail Blazers: 6-4, averaging 116.5 points, 46.7 rebounds, 25.8 assists, 8.6 steals and 6.3 blocks per game while shooting 46.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.7 points per game.
Clippers: 7-3, averaging 119.4 points, 40.5 rebounds, 25.3 assists, 10.0 steals and 6.1 blocks per game while shooting 50.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.9 points.
INJURIES: Trail Blazers: Jerami Grant: out (calf), Shaedon Sharpe: out (calf), Vit Krejci: out (calf), Damian Lillard: out for season (achilles).
Clippers: Darius Garland: out (toe), Isaiah Jackson: out (ankle), Yanic Konan Niederhauser: out for season (foot), Bradley Beal: out for season (hip).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Scottie Scheffler has withstood a tough run of form, by his own lofty standards, while Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau have discovered something close to their top form on the LIV Golf circuit.
With excitement building to see who will be slipping on the green jacket on Sunday after four captivating rounds, here’s everything you need to know about The Masters:
The Masters 2026 schedule
Round one: Thursday, 9 April (all times BST)
*denotes amateur
12:40 John Keefer (US), Haotong Li (Chn)
12:50 Naoyuki Kataoka (Jpn), Max Homa (US), Carlos Ortiz (Mex)
13:02 Jose Maria Olazabal (Spa), Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen (Den), Aldrich Potgieter (SA)
13:14 Angel Cabrera (Arg), Sami Valimaki (Fin), Jackson Herrington (US*)
13:26 Charl Schwartzel (SA), Max Greyserman (US), Ryan Fox (NZ)
13:38 Vijay Singh (Fij), Matt McCarty (US), Rasmus Hojgaard (Den)
13:50 Kurt Kitayama (US), Kristoffer Reitan (Nor), Casey Jarvis (SA)
14:02 Bubba Watson (US), Nicolas Echavarria (Col), Brandon Holtz (US*)
14:19 Cameron Smith (Aus), Sam Burns (US), Jake Knapp (US)
14:31 Keegan Bradley (US), Ryan Gerard (US), Nick Taylor (Can)
14:43 Dustin Johnson (US), Shane Lowry (Ire), Jason Day (Aus)
14:55 Patrick Reed (US), Tommy Fleetwood (Eng), Akshay Bhatia (US)
15:07 Bryson DeChambeau (US), Matt Fitzpatrick (Eng), Xander Schauffele (US)
15:19 Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn), Collin Morikawa (US), Russell Henley (US)
15:31 Rory McIlroy (NI), Cameron Young (US), Mason Howell (US*)
Rory McIlroy slips on the green jacket after victory at The Masters (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
15:43 Viktor Hovland (Nor), Patrick Cantlay (US), Alex Noren (Swe)
16:03 Samuel Stevens (US), Sung-jae Im (Kor)
16:15 Andrew Novak (US), Tom McKibbin (NI), Brian Campbell (US)
16:27 Mike Weir (Can), Wyndham Clark (US), Mateo Pulcini (Arg*)
16:39 Zach Johnson (US), Michael Kim (US), Nicolai Hojgaard (Den)
16:51 Danny Willett (Eng), Davis Riley (US), Ethan Fang (US*)
17:03 Adam Scott (Aus), Daniel Berger (US), Brian Harman (US)
17:15 Fred Couples (US), Min Woo Lee (Aus), Fifa Laopakdee (Tha*)
17:27 Sergio Garcia (Spa), Aaron Rai (Eng), Jacob Bridgeman (US)
17:44 Harry Hall (Eng), Corey Conners (Can), Michael Brennan (US)
14:43 Jon Rahm (Spa), Chris Gotterup (US), Ludvig Aberg (Swe)
14:55 Jordan Spieth (US), Justin Rose (Eng), Brooks Koepka (US)
15:07 Sepp Straka (Aut), Ben Griffin (US), Justin Thomas (US)
15:19 Scottie Scheffler (US), Robert MacIntyre (Sco), Gary Woodland (US)
Scottie Scheffler putts out on the 15th green at Augusta National (Getty Images)
15:31 Harris English (US), Marco Penge (Eng), Si Woo Kim (Kor)
15:51 John Keefer (US), Haotong Li (Chn)
16:03 Naoyuki Kataoka (Jpn), Max Homa (US), Carlos Ortiz (Mex)
16:15 Jose Maria Olazabal (Spa), Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen (Den), Aldrich Potgieter (SA)
16:27 Angel Cabrera (Arg), Sami Valimaki (Fin), Jackson Herrington (US*)
16:39 Charl Schwartzel (SA), Max Greyserman (US), Ryan Fox (NZ)
16:51 Vijay Singh (Fij), Matt McCarty (US), Rasmus Hojgaard (Den)
17:03 Kurt Kitayama (US), Kristoffer Reitan (Nor), Casey Jarvis (SA)
17:15 Bubba Watson (US), Nicolas Echavarria (Col), Brandon Holtz (US*)
17:32 Cameron Smith (Aus), Sam Burns (US), Jake Knapp (US)
17:44 Keegan Bradley (US), Ryan Gerard (US), Nick Taylor (Can)
17:56 Dustin Johnson (US), Shane Lowry (Ire), Jason Day (Aus)
18:08 Patrick Reed (US), Tommy Fleetwood (Eng), Akshay Bhatia (US)
18:20 Bryson DeChambeau (US), Matt Fitzpatrick (Eng), Xander Schauffele (US)
18:32 Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn), Collin Morikawa (US), Russell Henley (US)
18:44 Rory McIlroy (NI), Cameron Young (US), Mason Howell (US*)
18:56 Viktor Hovland (Nor), Patrick Cantlay (US), Alex Noren (Swe)
How can I watch The Masters 2026?
Fans in the UK can watch The Masters on Sky Sports, with coverage underway from 2pm BST on Thursday. Featured Group action and updates around the course are available on Sky Sports Golf until 6pm BST, when the global broadcast window opens up. That time is brought forward at the weekend, for rounds three and four, at 5pm BST.
Sky Sports+ will have live coverage of the Featured Holes/Amen Corner from 3:45pm BST on Thursday and Friday, 5pm BST on Saturday and 4:45pm BST on Sunday.
Fans can subscribe to Sky, or use Now TV with a day or month pass. Independent Sport will also have a live blog with all the latest scores, news and reaction.
The Edmonton Oilers got the response they were looking for Wednesday night, bouncing back from a defensive lapse against the Utah Mammoth with a convincing 5-2 win over the San Jose Sharks.
It was the Connor McDavid show in the first two periods, then an overall shut-down game from the rest of the roster in the third. This was the kind of performance the Oilers needed, even if they didn't walk away from it without scars.
Moving to 90 points on the season and climbing back into the top spot in the Pacific Division, McDavid put up five points. It was the kind of performance where it was clear he knew it was his job to put the team on his back, and he did.
The Oilers surrendered the opening goal when Macklin Celebrini capitalized, giving San Jose a brief 1-0 lead. Following the brief hiccup, it was all McDavid and Edmonton.
The Oilers captain delivered one of his most dominant performances of the season, factoring in all five goals. He opened the scoring for Edmonton on the power play, and set up Jack Roslovic on another. His second goal was a beauty as he drove wide on two Sharks defenders and out-waited the goaltender. His third goal was a friendly bounce, and he got an assist on the Vasily Podkolzin goal as well. Edmonton finished a perfect 3-for-3 with the man advantage, a development they badly needed given their recent struggles to capitalize on the power play. "To get the three goals that we got was the difference in the game," said head coach Kris Knoblauch.
The assumption, based on the way McDavid played the first 40 minutes, was that he'd keep going in the final 20. However, Connor Ingram suffered an injury with a few minutes left in the second and didn't return for the third. Then, Jason Dickison took a shot and had to be helped off the ice, unable to put weight on his leg.
The game pivoted from an offensive display to a defensive clinic. The Sharks were limited to just three shots in the first period and struggled to generate sustained pressure all night. Four shots in the third and 14 total for San Jose made Tristan Jarry's job easy in relief.
What Now for Ingram and Dickinson?
The win didn’t come without concern. Connor Ingram remained at ice level as a backup, but didn't play the third period. He tried to stretch out whatever was bugging him, but could not come in. The good news is that he appeared to be in good spirits at the end of the game and congratulated Jarry. Perhaps it was just a cramp or a minor, uncomfortable tweak. More will likely be learned on Friday as the Oilers have Thursday off.
As for Dickinson, nothing is known, but it didn't look as positive. He was clearly in some discomfort and unable to leave on his own accord. The hope is that his injury isn't serious. Losing him -- the team's best defensive forward -- would be a big loss.
Still, the overall takeaway is a positive one. The Oilers not only secured two critical points but did so in a way that resembled their best form. McDavid acknowledge that the work isn't done yet and they still have to "punch their ticket" to the playoffs, but he also believes their best game is in front of them and they're going to hit their peak at the right time in a couple of weeks.
Tyson Fury retired after back-to-back defeats to Oleksandr Usyk [Getty Images]
If Tyson Fury beats Arslan Makhmudov on Saturday, I wouldn't be surprised if he calls me out - and I'd 100% be up for that fight later in the year.
In fact, I was pushing for Fury as an opponent before we announced my upcoming fight with Daniel Dubois.
I was the one saying yes, and he actually was the one that said: "Let me have a little time, I've had a year out, let me have a warm-up."
Of course, the priority for me will always be an undisputed fight against Oleksandr Usyk - I want to test myself against the best in the world - but if Fury does his thing and, God willing, I defend my belt against Daniel Dubois next month, then we can have a conversation.
I never actually expected Fury to stay retired. It's great to have him back, active, posting on Instagram, doing his shout-outs and whatever he does.
He is the biggest crossover star in British boxing - the guy with his own Netflix reality show, the guy who fought in the WWE.
I didn't really feel like he was gone, more that he was just taking a break, as he does. When he said he was retired, I thought: "We'll see you in a year."
But although it's good to have him back in a boxing ring, in the current state of the heavyweight division, I can't see how Fury becomes a world champion again.
He would have to fight either me or Usyk - and do I think he can beat either of us? No.
If the titles get fractured - if Usyk is stripped of a belt for one reason or another - and Fury fights someone like Lawrence Okolie or Agit Kabayel for a vacant title, then yes, he can become champion.
Regardless of the belts, there will always be an appetite for him to fight Anthony Joshua as well.
No matter what, they could be 50 and if we haven't seen it, we'd still want to see it. It would generate huge public interest.
Makhmudov tailor-made but Fury should retire if he loses
Makhmudov has two losses on his record, including to Agit Kabayel in 2023 [Getty Images]
Makhmudov is a very well-picked opponent for a number of reasons. He looks and sounds the part – a strong, aggressive and powerful Russian - but stylistically he's kind of perfect for Fury.
What Makhmudov does is relatively simple. He lacks agility and punch variation. Don't get me wrong, if he clocks you, it hurts and you will feel it - but for Fury, someone who's always on the move and hard to pin down, an opponent who is a bit heavier on his feet is the right fit.
If I were in Makhmudov's corner, I'd say rush him - not blindly, but get close, get on his chest and get in front of him. Makhmudov is a big, weighty, strong guy and he needs to use that. At range, 100 out of 100 times he will lose - Fury will just pick him off and break him down.
His best bet is to get close and just keep working. Body, arms, shoulders, head - wherever. Just keep working for 12 rounds and see if that long lay-off takes a toll on Tyson.
There's always that concern about complacency, and we saw with Francis Ngannou that Fury switched off and got caught. At this stage of Fury's career, there's no space for error. He has to get it right. But I think he'll have learned his lesson there.
Fury says he's training himself for this fight - whether that's true or not, we don't know. He knows his body better than anyone, and while an elite fighter can do that, whether it's the best course of action is another question.
We're here to find out what version of Fury we're going to see - the fleet-footed mover, or someone who has made a conscious decision to flatten his feet and rely more on upper-body movement.
But I do think Fury wins on points - decisive, pretty clean and pretty comfortable. Not easy, but comfortable.
If he does lose, though, I feel like that's the end of the road for the Gypsy King. I can't see him re-climbing the ranks and building himself back up.
He probably should retire in that scenario - but knowing boxing and Fury, I don't think he would - he wouldn't want to leave the sport like that.
Fabio Wardley was speaking to BBC Sport boxing journalist Kal Sajad.
The 2026 WGI Color Guard World Championships are here, which means the top ensembles are traveling to Dayton, Ohio to compete for a title.
In the arena of competitive color guard, this competition takes the cake. Hundreds of programs are preparing once-in-a-lifetime performances for the event in Dayton, starting with color guard this week, and extending into percussion and winds next week.
Ensembles of many different levels will be participating throughout the weekend, from high school to college and independent groups as well. You'll have to tune in to see who claims a championship in Dayton.
Here's everything you need to know about the WGI Color Guard World Championships, including TV channel and streaming options for the 2026 event.
Where to watch WGI Color Guard World Championships
The 2026 WGI Color Guard World Championships will not be broadcast on television. Instead, fans can stream all the action on FloMarching, which will be covering the entire event.
WGI Color Guard World Championships start time
Date: Thursday, April 9 - Saturday, April 11
Time: 9 a.m. - 11 p.m. ET
The WGI Color Guard World Championships will take place from Thursday, April 9 to Saturday, April 11 from 9 a.m. - 11 p.m. ET, depending on venue and the flow of competition.
The competitions will be held at a number of different venues around the region, including the University of Dayton Arena, Wright State University's Nutter Center, Cintas Center at Xavier, Truist Arena at Northern Kentucky University and the Dayton Convention Center.
WGI Color Guard World Championships schedule
For a full schedule of each day of competition, visit the WGI website. Preliminary rounds are set to take place Thursday, followed by semifinals on Friday and finals on Saturday.
As the field competes for the green jacket at the Masters, the amateurs are in a separate competition for the low-am at the end of the weekend. This year, amongst a field of young amateurs looking to make a career in golf, one of them is a 39-year-old father of two with a full-time job.
Brandon Holtz enters Masters week as the unlikeliest member of the 91-person field, since the amateur golfer is older than many of the top competitors. These kind of stories usually happen at the U.S. Open or PGA Championship, with the Masters using the smallest field of the four majors.
However, Holtz's victory at the Mid-Amateur Championship earned him a spot to compete at Augusta National this week, providing a story for the first few days. Get to know Brandon Holtz before his Masters debut.
Brandon Holtz is a 39-year-old real estate agent who is competing in the 2026 Masters as one of six amateurs in the field. Holtz is an unlikely participant, as he played basketball in college an attempted professional golf for four years over a decade ago.
However, Holtz returned to competitive golf in 2024, which led to him winning the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship in 2025. As a result, Holtz earned a spot in the Masters, allowing him to participate in the event after years of attending as a fan.
After graduating college, Holtz attempted to turn pro in golf and played four years as a professional golfer in mini tours throughout the United States. While he rarely missed the cut at those events, he never won outright and struggled to make money doing this full-time.
Holtz spent a decade away from professional golf before giving it another go in 2024, regaining his amateur status in the process. Last year, Holtz won the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship, which came with an invitation to compete in the Masters this year.
Drive the green. Tap in for eagle. Clinch the match.
Holtz has been to Augusta many times as a fan, as his dad, Jeff, received lifetime badges to the Masters. Now, he gets to actually play in this event and the U.S. Open.
"I'm not going to speak for everybody, but I'd say 99.9 percent of golfers dream for that," Holtz said. "Like I said, my dad winning the Masters badges in the lottery in 2010 just makes it extra special because we've been there. We know how special it is. Then the U.S. Open, not to discredit the U.S. Open at all, I've made it to sectionals in the U.S. Open probably seven times and just haven't been able to crack it. But here I am."
Holtz's goal this week appears more to compete with the five other amateurs than for the green jacket itself, but he will still try to win the whole thing.
"I'm a pretty realistic guy, the chances of me going out and winning the whole thing is a pretty low percent but I'm a competitor," Holtz said. "I want to make the cut and just want to compete for that low am."
Holtz sold sports equipment in the late-2010s, but changed careers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, Holtz works as a real estate broker for ReMax in his hometown of Bloomington, Illinois.
Holtz has held this job for four years, and it has allowed him to use a flexible schedule to get more serious about golf on the side. Additionally, it isn't much of a surprise that Holtz earned a sponsorship with State Farm ahead of the Masters this weekend.
Holtz competed in the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship, which means at the time, Holtz's handicap was no better than +2.4. The U.S. Mid-Am is eligible for any player 25-or-older whose handicap is no better than +2.4.
Holtz is unranked on the Official World Golf Rankings, but he is ranked No. 3,262 on the World Amateur Golf Rankings. Holtz has played in just three events that count toward the Amateur rankings: the Mid-Am Championship last year, and the Jones Cup Invitational and Gasparilla Invitational.
Before he went professional in golf, Holtz played college basketball for Illinois State from 2005-2009. Holtz played four seasons for the Redbirds, appearing in 87 games an averaging 2.7 points per game while primarily serving as the team's three-point specialist.
As a high-schooler, Holtz once scored 68 points in a basketball game, which helped him earn a scholarship to Illinois State. However, his basketball career fizzled after college, leading him to attempt professional golf.
Flick talks Cubarsi, VAR, Lamine, Pedri after Barcelona 0-2 Atletico Madrid
Barcelona’s UEFA Champions League hopes took a serious hit after a frustrating 0-2 defeat against Atletico Madrid at Spotify Camp Nou, but the result only tells part of the story.
The match was heavily overshadowed by a controversial refereeing performance, with Hansi Flick making his frustrations clear after the final whistle.
The defining moment came in the first half when Pau Cubarsi was shown a red card, a decision that completely altered the course of the game.
Down to ten men, Barcelona were forced to adapt, and Atletico took full advantage of the numerical superiority.
Flick did not hold back when addressing the officiating, particularly the role of VAR.
Speaking with visible frustration, he suggested that key decisions went against his side from the very beginning.
“VAR was very much on Atlético’s side… he was German, thanks Germany,” began the Barcelona manager.
Providing further context on Cubarsi’s dismissal, Flick questioned whether the contact even justified such a decisive punishment in such a crucial game.
“I’m not sure he made enough contact because the ball was behind him.”
A clear handball
However, the red card was not the only incident that left the Barcelona boss baffled.
Flick also highlighted a moment when Atletico’s Marc Pubill handled the ball inside the box after a goal kick.
This incident went completely unnoticed by both the referee and VAR officials.
Clearly frustrated by the lack of intervention, Flick did not hold back in his assessment of the situation and the purpose of VAR itself.
“I don’t know why VAR didn’t intervene. I think it’s unbelievable. We all make mistakes, but what’s VAR for? I can’t understand it.
“It should have been a penalty, a second yellow, and a red. This is exactly what can’t happen.”
Praising the effort
Despite the disappointment, Flick made sure to acknowledge his team’s effort, especially given the difficult circumstances of playing with ten men for a large part of the match.
“We played well and gave it our all, but we were unlucky. This isn’t over yet. The semifinal may seem far away, but we’ll give it our best shot.”
One of the brightest positives for Barcelona was Lamine Yamal, who once again showcased his immense talent on the European stage.
Flick was full of praise for the youngster, highlighting both his performance and his long-term potential.
“He played an incredible game. He’s 18 years old, and we need to support him.
“He’s going to be one of the best players in this country’s history. The referees need to protect Lamine more, just like they do with Vinicius, Mbappe, or Pedri.”
He further emphasised how impactful Yamal was, even in a difficult match scenario.
“Today, Lamine and all of us are disappointed, but he made some incredible plays, beating four or five players.”
Second leg comeback?
Lamine Yamal was Barcelona’s best player. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
With the second leg approaching, Flick shifted focus towards what lies ahead, insisting that Barcelona still have everything to play for.
“We have to focus on Tuesday’s game. We have the players to fight. We’ll see and analyse everything,” he said.
The Barcelona coach also pointed to his team’s second-half performance as proof that the tie is far from over.
“We believe in ourselves because we played very well in the second half despite being a man down.
“They also played very well—they have quality up front. The truth is, it wasn’t easy to defend against them, but we had chances to win this tie,” he added.
Lastly, the manager provided an update on Pedri, stating that the Barcelona midfielder was taken off because he was feeling discomfort.
“He had a few minor issues. Nothing serious, but we need him now, so we decided to take him off and bring on Gavi. He played fantastically, as did Olmo,” he concluded.
Despite this The Gunners have lifted the world’s oldest cup competition 14 times in history, more than any side since the introduction of the tournament over 150 years ago in 1871, with our latest victory occurring in 2020 when Mikel Arteta’s side bounced back to defeat Chelsea 2-1 at Wembley just after the first Covid-19 pandemic.
Arsenal’s strong FA Cup history shows this is not a disaster
In fact in the past 12 seasons the North Londoners have secured it on four occasions in 2014 (3-2 Hull City), 2015 (4-0 Aston Villa), 2017 (2-1 Chelsea) and as highlighted above 2020, it is not as if Arsenal have never won the Cup or have not won it in decades.
I myself, without trying to sound ungrateful, believe that if all we won this season was the FA Cup it would be hugely disappointing after leading the title race for a large chunk of the season.
On top of that say Arsenal reached the final of another cup competition this season and faced Manchester City again, like we did in the League Cup (0-2), which we did not turn up to, I would not feel confident that we would seal our portion of glory.
Invincibles (Getty Images)
Premier League must now be the priority
All eyes should be on the Premier League title race with seven games left to play, with a nine point gap we can ill afford to slip up on, if we are not careful we will end up with nothing and no Gooner wants that!
We are in the best position to lift the title in over 20 years since sealing our golden Invincible trophy in 2004 after going the whole campaign unbeaten under legendary manager Arsene Wenger, when we were still at Highbury which we left two decades ago without trying to add insult to injury.
Adding to the argument Arteta’s army have not won any silverware since that 2020 FA Cup victory over Chelsea nearly six years ago and have lost out on the title late on for the past three seasons from inexcusable positions.
If the one and only Arsenal from the red side of North London do not claim what could be their 14th English top flight title in history come May, when will we ever win it again?
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Real Madrid forced into tough sales as squad overhaul becomes inevitable – report
There is a growing sense that Real Madrid are approaching a pivotal moment not just on the pitch, but apart from it as well.
Despite still being in contention for the titles, the current reality is far less comfortable than many would assume.
As such, at Valdebebas, the message is becoming increasingly clear that this squad needs fresh energy, but rebuilding it will not be easy.
This is because, according to Ok Diario, financially, Real Madrid are not in a position to spend freely, which means every decision ahead of the summer window must be carefully weighed.
Real Madrid need change
Simply put, the need for change at Real Madrid is obvious.
Across multiple areas of the pitch, there are gaps that cannot be ignored anymore.
In that context, the right-back role remains unresolved, the centre-back department lacks consistency, and most importantly, the midfield is crying out for a true playmaker.
It is arguably the biggest weakness in the current setup, and one that has been exposed repeatedly this season.
Real Madrid could sell Camavinga. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)
However, before any new arrivals are even considered, the outlet mentions that departures are likely to take centre stage.
There will be sales
The club is already preparing for a clear-out, with several players no longer seen as essential to the project.
Once viewed as a long-term pillar, his situation now reflects how quickly things can change at a club like Real Madrid when expectations are not met.
Alongside him, Raul Asensio is also expected to move on, as the club looks to create both financial breathing room and space within the squad.
What makes the situation more tense is the context of the season itself.
Real Madrid are staring at the very real possibility of finishing without a major trophy. For a club of this stature, that is not just disappointing, it demands a response.
Unless something extraordinary happens, whether in Europe or La Liga, the summer is likely to be a reset for the club.
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — The best way for the Edmonton Oilers to shake off a tough loss was to let Connor McDavid take over the game.
One night after his team squandered three separate leads in an overtime defeat at Utah, McDavid delivered the kind of performance Edmonton needed.
He scored three goals for his 15th career hat trick and added two assists in a 5-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday that moved the Oilers into sole possession of first place in the Pacific Division.
“He knows our team needed a win,” coach Kris Knoblauch said. “We’re playing a little short-handed and he’s going to be the guy. Tonight every shift he was really dialed in and played extremely well. I’ve seen him play a lot of good games and that was one of his best.”
McDavid was sharp right from the start, scoring a power-play goal on his third shift. He assisted on a power-play goal by Vasily Podkolzin late in the first period and then added two more goals and an assist on his first seven shifts of the second to put away the game.
When McDavid is playing the way he did against the Sharks, the strategy for his teammates is simple.
“Get him the puck,” Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard said. “When you see him playing the way he was tonight, and honestly, most of the season, you want to get him the puck. He makes things happen when not many other people can.”
McDavid got the best of his matchup against his Canadian Olympic teammate and fellow Hart Trophy contender Macklin Celebrini, who scored on the power play to give San Jose a 1-0 lead.
McDavid answered that goal less than two minutes later, and the Sharks couldn't slow him down the rest of the night.
“He’s the best player in the league and he’s also the fastest so if you don’t really slow him down or get in his way he’s just going to skate by you,” Celebrini said. “It’s simple as that. You’ve seen it his whole career. I loved watching it when I was a fan but it’s super frustrating when you play against it.”
McDavid's 133 points this season are six more than Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov in the race for Art Ross Trophy and the second-most McDavid has had in a season to his 153 in 2022-23.
He needs three goals in the final three games for his second career 50-goal season, although his focus remains on bigger goals. Edmonton is two points ahead of Vegas in the division race, but the Golden Knights have a game in hand.
“We've got to punch our ticket,” McDavid said. “We've got three games left. We've still got to punch our ticket to the playoffs. Those individual things are nice but not at the top of mind.”
After making back-to-back trips to the Stanley Cup Final the past two springs, the Oilers have sputtered their way through much of this season. But Edmonton has gone 6-1-1 over the past eight games to move into first place in the Pacific Division.
With high-scoring teammate Leon Draisaitl possibly returning from injury for the start of the postseason, the Oilers are trying to get back into top form in time to make another deep run.
“It’s been kind of an up-and-down year for us, honestly,” McDavid said. “We still feel like our best hockey is ahead of us. We’re kind of finding it right now, which is a good time to do it.”
It’s almost time for the proper footy to make its return, so we thought it was a good time for this week’s episode of Haway The Q&A! Join Gav, Jonny and Andrew as they answer everything that’s in this week’s mailbag, including:
Should Régis be loyal after beating the mags, or should he ring the changes and bring back some of his established players for the visit of Spurs?
With 21 points to play for, how far can we go?!
What do we make of all the big changes behind the scenes?
What should the club do in the summer window?
Which Sunderland legends deserve a statue?
All this and more! Get subscribed to Haway The Podcast so you never miss another episode of our free daily show.
Want to get in touch with us? You can drop us an email at HawayThePodcastSAFC@Gmail.com, or you can contact us via social media – we’re @RokerReport on almost every platform. For your daily SAFC fan-written content, head over toRokerReport.SBNation.com
𝗛𝗔𝗪𝗔𝗬 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗣𝗢𝗗𝗖𝗔𝗦𝗧 🎙️
⁉️ Q&A SHOW! ⁉️
Join us as we answer YOUR Sunlun questions — with nothing off the table!
With his NBA Draft decision official, Labaron Philon's name won't be heard when Alabama basketball takes the court next season. There will still be a Philon roaming the hardwood, though.
Joe Philon, a 6-foot-8 forward, is one of the top 12 basketball prospects in Florida and a 4-star prospect in the 2026 recruiting class.
And yes, the Montverde Academy standout is related to the man from Mobile.
When asked if the two were family while on a TikTok livestream with Montverde teammate Javion Tyndale, Joe revealed that he and Labaron are cousins. Labaron has not publicly commented on his relation to Joe.
Since Saturday, March 21, Joe has been a hard commit to UCLA. He chose the Bruins over Ohio State, South Florida − then led by former UA assistant Bryan Hodgson − UNLV and Xavier.
In a January interview with the Springfield Student, Joe said that he hadn't visited Labaron in Tuscaloosa. However, he noted that the two "chopped it up a bit" over text.
Emilee Smarr covers Alabama basketball and Crimson Tide athletics for The Tuscaloosa News. She can be reached via email at esmarr@usatodayco.com.
Roma prepare summer revolution with 3 key signings
The defeat against Inter marked a radical turning point for Roma and its Friedkin ownership.
It marked the end of an era of compromise and the beginning of a revolution, with Gian Piero Gasperini placed at the center of the new Giallorossi project.
After years of upheavals and dismissals, the ownership has decided to change perspective, shifting the burden of responsibility onto a team deemed inadequate.
This Roma, as it is built, is not competitive. To escape the morass of fifth and sixth place, a decisive, profound, and structural breakthrough is needed.
To implement this ambitious plan, however, Roma will have to overcome a fundamental obstacle: Financial Fair Play.
A significant capital gain must be completed by June 30, a “painful sacrifice” that will allow the club to finalize the settlement agreement with UEFA and unlock the summer transfer window.
This step will be crucial to achieving the financial freedom needed to make the signings Gasperini has requested.
As Corriere dello Sport reports, once this phase is completed, the Giallorossi management will focus on three specific players Gasperini has requested to strengthen the squad.
The coach has identified the need for a high-quality left-sided attacker, a natural left-back to allow Wesley to return to the right flank, and a quality attacking midfielder capable of linking the lines and bringing greater fluidity to the attacking play.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WFXR) – University of Virginia Director of Athletics Carla Williams announced on Wednesday Head Football Coach Tony Elliott has agreed to a contract extension that keeps him at UVA through the 2030 season. “We are extremely fortunate to have Tony Elliott continue to lead our football program,” Williams said. “His commitment to the values of the University of Virginia and his commitment to developing the whole person through football have been a blessing. His vision of building the model program has never wavered, despite extraordinary adversity. The future is bright for UVA Football and we’re excited to continue this work together.” “I want to thank Carla and the administration for their support of this football program,” Elliott said. “I also want to recognize that we are not in the position that we are without the loyalty of this staff and the buy-in from our scholar-athletes past and present. The commitment to football at the University of Virginia is real and palpable throughout our building. I’m proud of the foundation that we have laid and excited for what we can do together in the years to come.” Elliott led Virginia to a school-record, 11 wins in 2025 which included a 13-7 victory over Missouri in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl, UVA’s first bowl victory since 2018. The Cavaliers went 7-1 in ACC play, claiming the top spot in the ACC regular season standings outright for the first time in program history. UVA clinched a berth into the ACC Championship game and first since the 2019 season. Virginia finished the year ranked No. 16 Associated Press poll, appearing in the final 12 polls, the program’s longest stay since 2004. It marked the highest final AP ranking for UVA since 1995. The Cavaliers were ranked in all six College Football Playoff rankings for the first time ever and finished in the No. 19 spot. For his efforts, Elliott was named the ACC Coach of the Year, the Bear Bryant ACC Coach of the Year, the Associated Press ACC Coach of the Year and the TD Club of Richmond Bobby Ross Coach of the Year Award. Elliott was also a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award and a semifinalist for the Eddie Munger Award.
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Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick and forward Jarred Vanderbilt had a heated confrontation caught on camera. Vanderbilt was not playing well, as he only had five minutes in the Tuesday game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
After the game, Vanderbilt left the arena almost immediately. That was not a good look for the Lakers, but Redick downplayed the disagreement, saying it was not a significant problem.
Eddie Johnson does not see a problem with Redick's feud with Vanderbilt
For most people, seeing a coach argue with a player is worrying. Considering Vanderbilt is not a player in the normal rotation, that is not a good look for him, as his coach was dissatisfied with his performance.
Vanderbilt is mostly seen as a defensive player because he is a limited player on offense. Getting pulled out early in the game won't help him in the future, especially if the Lakers let him go in the future.
Former Sixth Man of the Year Eddie Johnson is quite a vocal former analyst who often makes bold takes. However, he does not see the big issue with Redick and Vanderbilt because he feels this is a normal interaction between a coach and player.
"Coaches are normally getting on their players, that's what they're supposed to be. There has to be a balance to keep those guys whole, keep their confidence up. Not make him think 'Oh, this guy doesn't like me.' It's the balance of everything," Johnson said on SiriusXM NBA Radio.
"I don't know the balance is with JJ, that's personal stuff with the players. I do think he has that personal relationship with the players, that's why he can say that."
Considering Redick is also a former NBA player, he knows what it is like to be in his players' shoes. Moving forward, Redick will likely maintain his relationship with his players, but there will be some who fall into the cracks, like Vanderbilt.
SALEM, Va. (WFXR) — Nine Salem High School Spartans student athletes sign NLI. Cam Boles – Basketball – Roanoke College Elijah Clark – Soccer – Roanoke College Aniyah Fox – Basketball – Bluefield University Lexie Hart – Basketball – Bluefield University Rylee McNeill – Lacrosse – University of Mary Washington Andrew Nevergold – Lacrosse – Newberry College Drew Perez – Tennis – Sewanee (The University of the South) Bailey Rider – Basketball – Emory & Henry University Anne Craig Thomas – Lacrosse – Grove City College
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
ROANOKE COUNTY, Va. (WFXR) — The 3-time defending VHSL Class 2 boys soccer champs in the Glenvar Highlanders shut out the Franklin County Eagles 5-0 Wednesday night at Highlander Stadium.
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Karim Coulibaly: Werder set price for defensive gem amid United interest
Manchester United have officially extended Harry Maguire’s contract following his outstanding performances under Michael Carrick.
Maguire’s previous deal was due to expire at the end of the season. By handing him a new one-year contract, with the additional option of a further 12 months, United have certainly avoided a desperate need to strengthen their backline in the window, where their priority is to overhaul the midfield.
However, the club’s recruitment team appear to still be exploring the market for a defensive player with high potential, which has become a trend under the INEOS ownership.
Manchester United set their sights on Karim Coulibaly
According to Sky Deutschland, Manchester United are among the clubs to have sent scouts to watch Werder Bremen’s Karim Coulibaly.
The “incredibly fast” Germany U21 international has enjoyed a meteoric rise at the Bundesliga club, having only been promoted to their first team at the start of the season. He now has 22 league appearances under his belt.
The left-footed centre-back is a unicorn profile of sorts, possessing an imposing 6’3″ frame, explosive pace, and an exceptional level of composure with the ball at his feet.
Accordingly, Europe’s biggest clubs, including United, are chasing the 18-year-old defender. Chelsea are ahead of other suitors as they have already made contact with his representatives.
It is claimed that “a Coulibaly transfer this summer is 100 percent planned.”
Werder are seemingly resigned to losing their defensive jewel, but their managing director Clemens Fritz wants €40-50m (£34.8-43.5m) to sanction the youngster’s exit.
Manchester United want Leny Yoro to be more aggressive
United are no strangers to paying staggering fees to secure the services of inexperienced but insanely talented prospects. In 2024, they signed Leny Yoro from Lille in a deal worth more than £50m.
Yoro has shown glimpses of promise, but the Frenchman is yet to establish himself as a regular starter at Old Trafford.
Recently, The Peoples Person relayed a report claiming the coaches at Carrington want Yoro to work on the aggressive side of his game.
Featured image Alex Livesey via Getty Images
The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 08: Corbin Carroll #7 of the Arizona Diamondbacks connects for a double in the first inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field on April 08, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Evan Bernstein/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After last night’s heartbreaking walkoff loss, the combination of a sluggish start to the season for the offense and an unusual cold snap in the New York area would probably have resulted in a slow start for most teams. Instead, the D-Backs looked extremely well-prepared and aggressive, scoring early and often to immediately put the Mets on the back foot. This felt like the first complete win of the season. The coaching staff prepared the players well, the players executed their game plan, and both the offense and pitching supported one another. That’s not to say there weren’t ugly moments or that there isn’t room for improvement – look no further than those two fielding errors – but it was a refreshing sight to see after an entire season last year where this kind of game was few and far between.
Evidently the game plan on the Mets’ starter David Peterson was to attack his offspeed pitches and the batters executed it perfectly. In the first two innings, the team scored five times on six hits (including two doubles), a walk, and two sacrifice flies with three of those hits coming on Peterson’s curveball and two on his sinker. The second inning was particularly satisfying as the team built a rally by loading the bases on consecutive singles from Ildemaro Vargas and Jose Fernandez along with a one-out walk to Jorge Barrosa. Ketel Marte cashed in one run on a sharp single past Marcus Semien and Corbin Carroll cashed in two more runs with a double that split the gap. It was a great way to start on a blustery afternoon, but after that hot start, the offense was blown away with just two hits over the next five innings. Happily, the offense had one more rally in them when bottom of the order again loaded the bases on consecutive singles from Vargas and Fernandez along with a Tim Tawa walk that Barrosa cashed in with a generous “double” that could just as easily been an error on Robert Jr.
But all of that offense could have gone for nought if Ryne Nelson had continued to demonstrate the frustrating struggles he’s shown in the early going of this season. Thankfully, there were no such worries today. Through the first five innings, Nelson allowed just two hits: a leadoff single to Bo Bichette in the fourth and a two-out single from Francisco Alvarez. The sixth inning was his only trouble spot when Bichette again collected a leadoff single and came around to score on consecutive one-out singles from Luis Robert Jr and Brett Baty to break the shutout. Nelson ended his afternoon by striking out his fifth Met before yielding to Ryan Thompson to finish the frame. Fittingly, he struck out Mark Vientos on a four-seamer on an afternoon when he heavily leaned on his fastball for 76% of his offerings compared to his 53% usage of it on the year. His fastball was extremely effective last year with a .207 BAA and 19% whiff rate, but while the whiff rate on it has risen slightly to 22%, he’s also yielded a .286 BAA so far this season. The effectiveness of his fastball will be an absolute linchpin for Nelson moving forward and today’s performance was a great step forward in that regard. After Thompson, Andrew Hoffman and Taylor Clarke combined for three innings of one-run ball with just three baserunners between them.
I know it’s easy to overreact to a single game because of the limited number to choose from, but this really was a refreshing game to watch. This Mets team is missing arguably its best individual player in Juan Soto, but we’ve seen too many times over the last two years how thin the margins for error can be and this win feels more important than it actually might be. It’s exactly these kinds of team wins that eluded the D-Backs last year. Now they just have to keep doing it.
Caernarfon beat CPD Y Rhyl 1879 in the Welsh Cup semi-final [FAW]
Manager Richard Davies is looking to create more Caernarfon Town history in Sunday's JD Welsh Cup final at Newport's Rodney Parade.
Caernarfon have never previously won the competition and are appearing for the first time in the final, facing fellow Cymru Premier side Flint Town United.
Davies guided Caernarfon to European qualification for the first time two years ago and the prize for the winners on Sunday will be a place in next season's Europa Conference League.
"To lead the players out on Cup final day will be something special and a proud moment for myself and my staff," Davies told BBC Sport Wales.
"It's an occasion we want to enjoy and want to embrace it but more than anything we are going there to win and hopefully put our name on the Cup."
Davies added: "Just to win the Cup would be something really special and proud but to then get the golden ticket to go to Europe on the back of it and what it means financially.
"We've had a taste of it and once you taste something nice you want a bit more of it.
"As a club we want to be competing in Europe year-by-year but we're not there yet and we've got a tough game against Flint."
Caernarfon secured their place in Europe for the first time in 2024 after winning the play-off final.
Davies' side beat Northern Ireland's Crusaders in the Europa Conference League first qualifying round in 2024 but lost to Legia Warsaw of Poland in the next round.
Newport's Rodney Parade will stage the final for the third successive season with Caernarfon facing fellow north Wales side Flint, who won the Welsh Cup in 1954.
The Football Association of Wales confirmed in February that the final would be played in Newport despite all four semi-finalists in this season's tournament being from north Wales.
"For me as a manager it doesn't make too much of a difference," Davies said of playing the final in south Wales.
"We'll prepare as normal.
"But probably for the fans it would have been easier in north Wales with travelling.
"But I know the fans will be behind us in their numbers - I think we've already sold 1,400 tickets."
With two weeks to go until the 2026 NFL Draft in their city, the Pittsburgh Steelers still don't know if Aaron Rodgers is coming back yet.
While he's expected to return, the timing of his decision could have a major impact on the Steelers' draft plans.
If Rodgers comes back, Pittsburgh can afford to wait on a quarterback in the draft, if it drafts one at all. If he doesn't, however, then quarterback becomes a much bigger priority.
On Tuesday's episode of "NFL Live," former NFL player Mark Spears explained why he thinks the Steelers should take a quarterback with their first pick, regardless of whether Rodgers is coming back or not.
Specifically, he thinks Pittsburgh should try to draft Ty Simpson to be the team's next franchise quarterback.
"There's a lot of glaring issues in Pittsburgh, but the one glaring issue that you cannot win without in this league, is high-level quarterback play."@mspears96 thinks the Steelers should draft Ty Simpson regardless if Aaron Rodgers is there 👀 pic.twitter.com/AOYe18XK3y
"There's a lot of glaring issues in Pittsburgh, but the one glaring issue that you cannot win without in this league, is high-level quarterback play," Spears said. "You gotta take swings at quarterbacks out of college and hope one of them can turn into their Dak Prescott."
Simpson is ESPN's consensus No. 2 quarterback prospect, so he'd be a great get for the Steelers if he falls to them at No. 21.
Simpson is coming off four years at Alabama, where he earned the starting job last year as a junior. He immediately established himself as one of the better quarterbacks in college, leading the NCAA in pass completions and pass attempts last season.
The 23-year-old has a ton of potential and is nearly two full decades younger than Rodgers. With Rodgers' career winding down, Pittsburgh would be wise to snag his potential long-term replacement if possible.
The Los Angeles Lakers have been an impressive team this season, which is because of Luka Doncic's excellent performances. He is one of the league's best players, especially on the offensive side of the game.
Unfortunately, Doncic has struggled with injuries this season. Weeks before the postseason, Doncic strained his hamstring, which will not only take him out for an extended period but could also lead to him losing out on the season awards.
Cam Johnson defends Luka Doncic's viability for the season awards
Doncic will not be playing for the rest of the regular season, so he will be capped at 63 games. With the NBA's 65-game rule, that means he will not be eligible for any regular-season award.
That is a huge miss for the NBA because most fans would agree that Luka has been one of the league's best players. He is on par with the other top MVP candidates, which are Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Victor Wembanyama.
Denver Nuggets forward Cameron Johnson is quite vocal about the latest events in the NBA with his podcast. On his show, Johnson made sure to address the situation with Doncic and how he feels about that.
"I completely understand the goal of it, but it's just that hard stop. The difference between, say, a guy like Luka, if he plays 63 games, and him playing two or three more games is not going to change that much," Johnson said on The Old Man and The Three.
"Like, it's not going to be like, 'Oh, that pushes him over the hump from a non-All-NBA player to an All-NBA player.' You know what I mean? If Jokic ended up playing 62 games instead of 65, it doesn't push him."
Johnson brings up some valid points because the top players will feel hard done by. This goes for players like Anthony Edwards, Cade Cunningham, and Doncic. They all deserve their accolades, but the rule is preventing them from getting those awards.
In a Wednesday night legal filing, Spire Motorsports and co-owner Jeff Dickerson responded to Joe Gibbs Racing’s motion for expedited fact discovery with retorts that the Toyota flagship organization’s posture has devolved into a series of hypotheticals.
“In a case that is supposed to be about JGR’s ‘crown jewels’ and ‘secret sauce,’ JGR’s primary focus in the preliminary stages of this litigation has quickly collapsed into a run-of-the-mill discovery dispute about text messages for a one-month period between a party and a non-party.
“Finding nothing of value in response to initial expedited discovery, JGR’s talk of ‘past car setups,’ car simulations, and ‘two one-hundredths of an inch [makes the difference]’ has given way to newfound fantasies about what might have been. But a burning desire for evidence that does not exist does not warrant expedited discovery.”
Everything taken directly from the filing is italicized.
As part of its $8 million lawsuit against its former competition director and longtime crew chief, Joe Gibbs Racing is alleging that Gabehart participated in a ‘brazen scheme’ to take trade secrets from JGR to Spire in violation of a non-compete agreement between them. In the week after suing Gabehart, JGR also amended its legal complaint to include Spire.
Since then, Joe Gibbs Racing has pursued expedited discovery on Gabehart and Spire, which meant asking Judge Susan C. Rodriguez for the right to seek communications and documents pertinent to the lawsuit to address potentially time-sensitive damages.
In this case, JGR believes that Spire has obtained trade secrets from Gabehart and is using that information against them right now during the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season. Judge Rodriguez granted a ‘narrow in scope’ expedited discovery order, and while JGR did find some questionable work documents from Gabehart, did not find anything that definitely suggested the sharing of proprietary data.
It did force Gabehart to disclose that he had deleted text messages with Dickerson from before November 15 and that Dickerson’s same text messages with Gaebhart were lost as part of a 30-day auto delete feature that was only turned off once the suit was filed in March.
So now Joe Gibbs Racing has asked Judge Rodriguez for a second round of expedited discovery, which Gabehart largely rejected earlier on Wedneday and Spire echoed with its own filing.
“JGR has already sought expedited discovery once, and now, dissatisfied with the results, presses an even broader motion—all while the parties are negotiating an expedited scheduling order that will govern this entire case. JGR specifically seeks expansive, expedited, one-sided discovery from Spire, Dickerson, and even Spire’s competitors … JGR fails to establish that ‘good cause’ exists to depart from the normal merits-based discovery timeline.
“JGR claims expedited discovery is necessary to identify the contents and assess the recoverability of the missing texts and prevent future spoliation, but its sweeping requests— untethered to those objectives and despite Spire’s robust preservation efforts, which JGR has never challenged—are not tailored to those goals.
“JGR thus fails to show any irreparable harm from waiting until merits discovery begins. Further, piecemeal, one-sided discovery would only add unnecessary cost and inefficiency for both sides, especially where Spire’s preservation efforts eliminate any risk of evidentiary loss. The Court should deny JGR’s motion.”
Merits-based discovery is the standard fact discovery procedure that has yet to take place, with JGR, Spire and Gabehart each asking Judge Rodriguez for an expedited process to reach a trial as soon as possible this year in the absence of a settlement.
Earlier in the day, Gabehart’s filing offered a willingness to subpoena his own cellular provider for his missing text messages, because ‘I have nothing to hide’ but that he had not yet received a response. Spire submitted a declaration from a forensics analyst under retainer, Kevin Clarke, who testified that the text messages were not recoverable from Dickerson’s devices.
These messages, both individuals say, were deleted prior to the lawsuit being filed and before either Dickerson or Gabehart suggested they had any reason to believe they would be subject to litigation.
JGR disputes that, of course, arguing in court and in legal filings that its legal department called Dickerson in December warning Spire to not interfere with the contractual non-compete period between it and Gabehart.
For his part, Gabehart said JGR violated its non-compete period by not paying him. JGR said it stopped paying him under the belief that Gabehart was conspiring with Spire. It also maintains its contract with Gabehart allowed for a 90-day cure or remedy period.
That’s to be argued further in court.
Like Gabehart, Spire’s legal response says it has agreed to subpoena Dickerson’s wireless provider for call records and text message logs but says Joe Gibbs Racing ‘inexplicably refused’ unless Spire also consents to a series of third-party subpoenas on representatives from Trackhouse Racing, Haas Factory Team and Rick Ware Racing.
Also like Gabehart earlier in the day, Spire’s legal position is that if the court mandates a third-party subpoena on third-parties like the above team representatives and Dickerson, Judge Rodriguez should also allow reciprocal third-party subpoenas and discovery against every JGR employee that has filed declarations over the past month.
“If the Court authorizes expedited third-party discovery of Dickerson’s personal devices, the Court should authorize reciprocal third-party discovery of communications contained on personal devices belonging to JGR’s owners and employees, including Joe Gibbs, Heather Gibbs, Tim Carmichael, Dave Alpern, Toni Rogers, Eric Schaffer, Denny Hamlin, Todd Berrier, and Walter Brown.
“To do otherwise would permit JGR to avoid the very expedited discovery it now seeks to impose on Dickerson. Indeed, three weeks ago, it was JGR who argued forcefully that expedited third-party discovery is unwarranted at this stage.”
To wit, both Gabehart and Spire are calling Joe Gibbs Racing intellectually and legally dishonest in pursuing third-party discovery and subpoenas on a basis it also suggests should not apply to its own employees.
Dickerson challenges JGR in declaration
Joe Gibbs Racing specifically is asking for third-party subpoenas of the following individuals from the court believing that Dickerson has communicated with them in some form or shared trade secrets with them:
Joe Custer, Haas Factory Team presdient
Justin Marks, Trackhouse founding co-owner
Todd Meredith, Trackhouse president of Racing Operations
Rick Ware, Rick Ware Racing founding owner
Tommy Baldwin, Rick Ware Racing competition director
In his declaration, Dickerson said it was untrue but also illogical that he would share any advantage with rival teams that aren’t even the one organization (Hendrick Motorsports) that Spire does have a technical alliance with.
From Dickerson’s new declaration:
“I have never shared JGR’s trade secrets or confidential information with any of these individuals or their teams. I do not possess JGR’s trade secrets, so could not have shared them.
“Putting aside that I do not have and never have had any JGR trade secrets or confidential information, and JGR has not shown any evidence to the contrary, these teams are Spire’s competitors. The notion that I would share any JGR trade secrets with Spire’s competitors is frankly preposterous, because Spire actively competes against these teams. That is why Spire itself does not share any of its own data directly with these competitor teams. JGR knows this.
“Spire does share certain of its own trade secrets and confidential information with its technical alliance partner, Hendrick Motorsports. Spire does not share any trade secrets or confidential information with any other General Motors race teams, including Haas Factory Team,Trackhouse Racing, and Rick Ware Racing. Hendrick Motorsports is widely considered the most successful team in NASCAR history.
“Notably, I understand that JGR has not sought any discovery from Hendrick Motorsports, which is the only entity Spire shares any of Spire’s data with.”
Translation, Dickerson is challenging JGR, if it truly believes Spire is using trade secreted information from the Toyota flagship, it is more likely that Hendrick Motorsports would be the one that would know … and not Haas, Trackhouse and Ware.
Brodie Coghlan has played 51 games for Dragons [Huw Evans Picture Agency]
If anybody wants to know the love affair some Welsh players still have with their local side, they just need to spend a few minutes in the company of Wales hooker Brodie Coghlan.
The Dragons front-rower has just signed a two-year contract for his home region and could not be more proud.
"Playing for Dragons means everything to me because this was the side I grew up watching," said Coghlan.
"I still have a few moments now when I can't actually believe I am playing a lot for the Dragons now."
With all the turmoil within Welsh rugby and talk of cutting a professional side, you can sometimes forget the passion players have for their teams.
Coghlan, who is hoping to help his side reach the European Challenge Cup semi-final by beating Zebre on Saturday, soon reminds you of that.
"I remember when I was younger and just hoping I'd be here one day, looking out on the pitch, watching the games when they play, dreaming of being there," said the 25-year-old.
"I have moments of realisations every now and again, like I'm actually here now involved in it. It's what drives me and reminds me of what I wanted coming up as a kid.
"It makes me incredibly proud and means everything to me and my family."
Coghlan had earlier crossed the line himself in a victory that sets up a quarter-final trip to face Zebre in Parma on Saturday.
"It was very special," said Coghlan.
"We tried not to put too much pressure on ourselves and go out there and just play how we wanted to play."
The Newport-born Dragons academy product said the feeling after the victory was incredible.
"The changing rooms were bouncing, constant smiles on faces," he added.
"I personally had my dad and cousin came out with a few of his mates. I could see all my friends, all the boys' families out there and the crowd afterwards.
“When we went over to them, they were absolutely bouncing. It made it even more special because it shows how much it means to everyone."
Breakthrough season with first Wales cap
Brodie Coghlan came on as a replacement for captain Dewi Lake in the 73-0 defeat against South Africa in November 2025 [Huw Evans Picture Agency]
It has been a breakthrough season for Coghlan who was named in Wales' autumn squad and won his first cap as a replacement in the 73-0 defeat against South Africa in November 2025.
The former Wales U19 international was left out of the Six Nations squad but wants a Test return.
"It was incredible," said Coghlan.
"When I did get my chance to get my cap, it was a special feeling, hard to explain, a lot of emotions and just felt incredibly proud.
"Growing up it's your dream goal and that feeling is something now I want to keep chasing.
"I want to do everything I can to get back in there and represent my country, so hopefully I can get more caps in the future."
Coghlan is being inspired by Dragons and Wales hooker Elliot Dee, who he is currently keeping out of the starting side.
"Elliot's a legend and so supportive of me," said Coghlan.
"He's given me lots of tips over the last few years.
"He's really competitive as well, so it's what drives me to train harder. I want to try to push myself to do what he's done.
"The amount of caps he's had for Wales, the games he's had for the Dragons, to have him in the group and to learn so much off him is class.”
'European semi-final place would mean everything'
Both Coghlan and Dee will hope to inspire Dragons to a first European semi-final since 2016 with an away trip to Montpellier or Connacht waiting if the Welsh side can win in northern Italy this weekend.
It might be the bottom two teams in the United Rugby Championship (URC) going head-to-head in Europe's second tier tournament but a place in the final four would be a welcome boost to Welsh rugby, with Dragons flying the flag as the only side left in the continental competitions.
"It would mean everything," said Coghlan.
"This group is so passionate. It's why I love it here.
"We haven't always had the results we want, but everyone loves each other and plays for each other.
"I think the boys would deserve it, the amount of work everyone's put in as a group with all the players, coaches and staff."
In this latest edition of The Detroit News' Gritiron Gang podcast, Nolan Bianchi and Richard Silva conduct a live mock draft and select an offensive tackle for the Lions at No. 17.
“Atlanta Braves pitcher Reynaldo Lopez and Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Jorge Soler were ejected after a brawl between the two players Tuesday night. Soler charged the mound after Lopez threw a pitch high and inside that tipped off Jonah Heim's glove in the bottom of the fifth inning,” ESPN wrote.
MLB quickly handed down suspensions on Wednesday afternoon. Both players initially received seven-game suspensions, but Soler and Lopez appealed. Lopez later reached a settlement with the league, reducing his suspension to five games.
“Chad Bishop of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that MLB and López reach a settlement whereby his suspension is reduced to five games and he will start serving it immediately. It’s not clear if that includes today’s game, which started a few minutes after the suspension announcement,” MLB Trade Rumors’ Darragh McDonald wrote.
Lopez will now be able to make his next scheduled start for the Braves on Tuesday, while Soler is still awaiting the final outcome of his appeal. The financial impact of Lopez’s suspension has also been revealed.
Now that the situation has been resolved, the Braves can begin to move forward and focus on their upcoming homestand. Lopez has been one of Atlanta’s top pitchers to start the season, so avoiding a longer suspension is a positive outcome for the team.
While the fine is significant, it could have been much worse given the circumstances. Lopez will take the mound for his next start in front of the Atlanta crowd, albeit with a lighter wallet.
The New York Rangers ended their home campaign at Madison Square Garden with a 4-2 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night.
With the Rangers playing their last home game of the 2025-26 season, let's take a deep dive into the team’s rocky play at the world’s most famous arena.
The season opened up at Madison Square Garden on Oct. 7 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Going into that matchup, there was a lot of excitement, yet uncertainty as the Mike Sullivan era was set to begin.
Against Sullivan’s former team in front of a full house at MSG, the Rangers were outplayed and lost 3-0 in what would ultimately be a sign of things to come.
The Blueshirts failed to score a goal over their first three home games, marking the second-longest scoring drought to start a season at home.
They also lost their first seven games at home before finally recording their first win on Broadway against the Nashville Predators on Nov. 10.
During this tumultuous stretch, the Rangers became the first NHL team in 98 years to be shut out in five of their first seven home games.
Through the first handful of games, despite struggling to score goals, the Rangers were putting up shots and generating offense at a high rate. It was constantly preached by both Sullivan and veteran leaders in the locker room that they were playing the right way and would eventually be rewarded.
“'I’ll go back to when you look at the first 20 games of the season, there were a lot of games that we felt pretty good about our overall game from a process standpoint, and we struggled to score goals for whatever reason in particular, at home,” Sullivan said. “We were creating offense. We just weren't scoring.”
Over time, as the Rangers’ scoring woes persisted, their confidence wavered, and the positive messages that used to come out of the locker room turned into cryptic messages and seeds of doubt.
Playing in the comfort of your own building is usually an advantage, but the mounting pressure on the Rangers in the confines of MSG overwhelmed them to the point that playing on home ice became a disadvantage.
“To a certain extent, it took a life of its own because our guys care deeply about playing in front of the home crowd and the people that support us,” Sullivan said. “We have a sincere appreciation for that, and so sometimes that becomes a challenge because you're trying so hard to try to win at home. Sometimes it gets in the way of your instincts and you don't play with a free mind and instinctive mindset, which is when players are at their best.”
By the midpoint of the season, the Rangers managed to scrap together just five home wins compared to their 14 wins on the road.
“It’s a passionate fanbase. It’s hard when things are not going well, and then you squeeze a little tighter to get out of it,” J.T. Miller said. “Maybe you play a little differently than you would when you're a little more loose. It’s hard mentally.”
With the Rangers well out of the playoff race late in the season, they’ve brought life back to MSG and have played their best hockey despite the games being meaningless from a standings perspective.
The Rangers have won five out of their last seven games at home, while scoring three or more goals in each of those five victories.
“It's not like we've changed our game plan,” Sullivan said. “I think we've got back to a pretty consistent team game. We're generating a lot of offense, and we're scoring a lot of goals. I wish I could have solved it earlier. Sometimes you can't always control whether the puck goes in the net, but what you can try to control is the process.”
To finish the season, the Rangers held a 14-20-7 record at home. The franchise record for fewest wins at home is 13, set back during the 2003-04 season.
In the grand scheme of things, this hot stretch to close out the year will likely get lost in the shuffle of a season haunted by failure and disappointment.
Through it all though, there’s a sense at least from the players’ words that they’ve been able to recapture an identity that you can only hope can be carried into the 2026-27 campaign.
“I just like the way at the end of the year you can look at it like we're not playing for anything, but I think that we've done a good job of flipping that like, ‘Hey, we're playing for something, playing for the Rangers in Madison Square Garden. We're going to show up.’ I think the results lately have shown that,” Miller said. “I feel good about the way we are playing.”
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Chet Holmgren had 30 points and 14 rebounds, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 20 points and 11 assists, and the Oklahoma City Thunder clinched the NBA's best regular-season record with a 128-110 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night.
Jalen Williams scored 18 points for the NBA champion Thunder (64-16), who will have homecourt advantage throughout the postseason in their title defense after holding off San Antonio (61-19), which is on an 18-2 run since February. Oklahoma City has won seven straight and 19 of 20 to earn the West's No. 1 seed for the third straight season.
Kawhi Leonard scored 20 points and Brook Lopez added 16 for the eighth-place Clippers, who had won seven of nine. Los Angeles is 35-18 since shortly before Christmas, but still must win one of its final two games to extend this once-moribund franchise's streak to 15 consecutive winning seasons.
The Clippers head to Portland on Friday for a crucial game. The winner almost certainly will finish eighth in the Western Conference, while the losers will slip to ninth, where they'll need two wins in the play-in tournament to make the playoffs.
While Gilgeous-Alexander scored at least 20 points in his record 141st consecutive game despite sitting out the fourth quarter, Leonard scored at least 20 in his 56th straight game. Leonard also remained on track to play in at least 65 games this season — his second-most in seven years with the Clippers, and enough to qualify for All-NBA consideration.
Holmgren scored 24 points in the first half and propelled the Thunder to an early 25-point lead. Oklahoma City hit 58.1% of its shots and thoroughly stifled the Clippers' offense, allowing no fast-break field goals.
Darius Garland sat out for the Clippers to manage his toe injury. He hasn't played in back-to-back games since Los Angeles acquired him from Cleveland in a trade for James Harden.
INGLEWOOD, CA — OKC's top players weren't playing much during this time last season.
The Thunder had already locked up the top seed in the Western Conference by then. In fact, it had done so on March 20, 2025, with 13 regular-season games still left on its schedule.
OKC's journey to the top of the West was much longer this time around, though, and it came with more obstacles. More teams testing the chin of the reigning champs with their best punch. More physical injuries that tested its mental strength.
The Thunder (64-16) has two games left on its regular-season schedule. It'll face Denver on the road at 8 p.m. CT Friday before hosting Phoenix at 7:30 p.m. Sunday.
The NBA Playoffs tip off Saturday, April 18, but OKC would likely open April 19 as it awaits the No. 8 seed out of the play-in tournament.
Gilgeous-Alexander had a similar reaction to a play on Wednesday. But it wasn't one of his own buckets, and it wasn't at the end of the game either. He was fired up after dishing the ball to Lu Dort, who drilled a 3-pointer from the left wing late in the second quarter.
That summarized the mindset of Gilgeous-Alexander, who found joy in finding his teammates for buckets throughout the night. He recorded 11 assists to go along with his 20 points in 30 minutes.
There was no debating who the most dominant player on the floor was.
Chet Holmgren rested his case by dropping the hammer late in the second quarter.
That capped off an impressive sequence by the 7-foot-1 phenom, who intercepted a pass intended for John Collins underneath his own rim. Holmgren then launched the fastbreak by giving the ball to Gilgeous-Alexander, who later gave it right back to him.
And none of Los Angeles' defenders dared to stand in Holmgren's way, as he elevated for an emphatic one-handed slam. One that didn't shatter the backboard but shattered the spirits of The Wall, a crowd of the most crazed Clippers fans.
Holmgren continued to deliver demoralizing plays as the game unfolded, and he did so on both ends of the floor. He racked up 30 points, 14 rebounds, five assists, four blocks and two steals in 31 minutes while going 10 for 13 from the field (3 for 4 from deep).
OKC's starting five is in sync entering the playoffs
The sequence was chaotic at first glance.
It all started with a missed 3-pointer by Gilgeous-Alexander early in the third quarter. Dort tried to snag the offensive board but could only tap the ball as he fell to the floor, sending it on its way out of bounds.
But Holmgren chased it down and saved it to Dort, who was still seated. He then zipped a pass to Isaiah Hartenstein, who delivered an over-the-shoulder dime to a cutting Jalen Williams for the layup.
It was a chaotic play to the untrained eye, but those who gave it a closer look could see the synchrony. The growing chemistry of a starting five that entered Wednesday with just 101 shared minutes of game time all season.
OKC's starting lineup shined all night in the blowout victory. And with the playoffs approaching, it's a sight to behold.
∎ Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has scored at least 20 points in 140 straight games. It's the longest streak in NBA history.
∎ OKC was without Thomas Sorber (right ACL surgical recovery).
∎ Los Angeles was without Bradley Beal (left hip fracture), Darius Garland (left toe injury management), Isaiah Jackson (right ankle sprain) and Yanic Konan Niederhauser (right Lisfranc ligament tear).
Justin Martinez covers the Thunder and NBA for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Justin? He can be reached at jmartinez@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at @Justintohoops. Sign up for the Thunder Sports Minute newsletter to access more NBA coverage. Support Justin's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
Thunder at Nuggets
TIPOFF: 8 p.m. CT Friday at Ball Arena in Denver (FanDuel Sports Network)
With Wednesday marking the start of five games in a 6-day span, Arizona’s already overworked pitching staff is going to be pushed to the limit. Making it so those arms didn’t have to throw a full nine innings in the first contest was about the best possible outcome for the Wildcats.
The UA used a 9-run bottom of the 6th to beat New Mexico State 13-3 in seven innings at Hi Corbett Field, finishing the homestand 2-3 ahead of four consecutive road games at TCU and ASU.
Arizona (11-21) only had nine hits but drew eight walks and had three batters hit by pitches, the types of “free 90s” coach Chip Hale has often lamented giving the opponents this season. And when the Wildcats put the ball in play it usually found a hole, particularly in the 6th when 2-run doubles by Nate Novitske and Jackson Forbes and a 2-run single by Cash Brennan all came on hits on the ground.
“Low and hard, and the ball gets through the infield,” Hale said.
Forbes had three hits, while Brennan had two. They were among five players with at least two RBI including Carson McEntire, who put Arizona on the board first with a 3-run home run in the 2nd.
On the mound, six Arizona pitchers combined for the victory, with Collin McKinney retiring all six batters he faced to start the game and three other relievers notching scoreless frames. NMSU (14-17) finished with five hits, four coming in the 7th.
The UA will face TCU for three games Friday through Sunday and then visit ASU on Monday. The next home game is April 17 against Kansas State.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - APRIL 08: Rafael Devers #16 of the San Francisco Giants hits a three run home run in the sixth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies on April 8, 2026 at Oracle Park in San Francisco, CA. (Photo by Matthew Huang/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Things were very different in 2013. Barry Zito was completing a wildly successful eight-year contract with the San Francisco Giants. America was falling in love with a prehistoric family called The Croods and an up-and-coming rapper from the Pacific Northwest named Macklemore. Anthony Weiner was running for mayor and Toronto mayor Rob Ford (R.I.P.) was smoking crack. It was also the last year the Philadelphia Phillies won a series in San Francisco.
That streak continued Wednesday as the Giants shut out the Phillies for the second game in a row. Tyler Mahle and four relievers combined on a four-hit shutout, with Matt Gage getting the first win of his career after Rafael Devers got the Giants on the board with a three-run home run in the 6th inning.
The 411-foot blast was Devers’ second of the season and delighted all the fans perusing the organic garden in center field. Devers finished the day with four RBI when he singled in Luis Arraez in the 8th. Arraez scored two runs, as did Willy Adames, who celebrated his teammate’s big day, by, what else, throwing a big bucket of Gatorade on him.
Adames scored on the Devers bomb and scored from first when Phillies reliever Jose Alvarado threw away Arraez’s sacrifice bunt in the 8th inning. He and Adames each went 2-for-4, with Adames adding a double and Arraez tripling in the first, though he was stranded after two strikeouts. Arraez is now hitting .320 and clearly heading for another batting title.
The 31-year-old Mahle had his best start as a Giant, yielding three hits — one on the infield — and four walks in 5.2 innings, striking out six. He retired eight straight Phillies after Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper got hits in the first, then pitched his way out of a third-inning jam after walking those same two Phillies and throwing a wild pitch, by getting Alec Bohm to ground out to third baseman/baseball vacuum Matt Chapman.
Mahle couldn’t retire Schwarber, who hat a hit and two walks, but the other Phillies went 2-for-18 with two walks against him. Gage replaced Mahle with two outs in the 6th and 94 pitches on Mahle’s count after Adolis Garcia singled and retired Brandon Marsh.
Gage gave up a pinch-hit to Otto Kemp and Caleb Killian relieved him, walking Trae Turner on four pitches. But he finally retired Schwarber, striking him out with his knuckle curve, and getting Harper to ground out. Daywalker Blade Tidwell and Erik Miller pitched perfect innings for a Giants bullpen that struggled to hold leads recently. Gage, Killian, and Tidwell still have spotless ERAs for the season.
Phillies starter Aaron Nola pitched well into the 6th, escaping trouble with strikeouts in the first and getting Devers to ground into a double play with two runners on in the 4th. But he couldn’t escape Devers and dropped to 1-1.
Jose Avila got his first hit as a Giant with a pinch-hit single in the 8th. Center fielder Harrison Bader couldn’t stick it to his old team, going 0-for-4 in the game and 1-for-10 in the series.
The Giants are now 5-8 and are 2-2 in their series, which isn’t actually a stat that counts in the standings but still feels good after some miserable games against the city of New York to start the season. They’re making what Boyz II Men would call an East Coast swing for the next week and a half, heading to Baltimore for a three-game series Friday, then hitting Cincinnati and our nation’s capital. Get ready for some crabs, spaghetti covered in chili, and some serious legislative gridlock, fellas!
Utah Sports Commission President CEO Jeff Robbins speaks to reporters prior to the annual Utah Governor’s State of Sport Awards ceremony at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, April 8, 2026.
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Laura Seitz, Deseret News
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox honored some of Utah’s top athletes, coaches and teams at the 14th annual Governor’s State of Sport Awards Wednesday night at the Delta Center.
Athletes from the high school ranks to professionals were honored for their achievements over the past year.
Twenty-three-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps was the event’s special guest.
American former competitive swimmer Michael Phelps speaks to reporters prior to the annual Utah Governor’s State of Sport Awards ceremony at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, April 8, 2026. Phelps won more Olympic medals than any other athlete, a total of 28 medals across four Olympic Games.
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Laura Seitz, Deseret News
Three of Landstedt’s former Utes competed at the 2026 Olympics for the U.S., Australia and Great Britain.
Professional Female Athlete of the Year
Mina Tanaka: Soccer, Utah Royals
Tanaka was the Utah Royals’ leading goal scorer for the 2025 NWSL season with six goals and an assist.
This season, she has already scored two goals in three games after missing the first two games while leading the Japan women’s national team to an AFC Women’s Asian Cup title.
Utah Royals FC forward Mina Tanaka (11) prepares to take a penalty kick during Utah Royals FC’s match against Chicago Stars FC at America First Field in Sandy, Utah, on Friday, April 3, 2026.
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Emma Corona
Professional Male Athlete of the Year
Clayton Keller: Hockey, Utah Mammoth
As captain, Keller has the Mammoth on the verge of the team’s first playoff appearance. In his first season in Utah in 2025, Keller put together his best season yet with 30 goals and 60 assists. With five games left in the 2026 regular season, Keller has 26 goals and 54 assists.
Utah Mammoth right wing Clayton Keller (9) controls the puck against the Minnesota Wild during an NHL game held at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 27, 2026.
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Isaac Hale, Deseret News
Olympic Female Athlete of the Year
Kaysha Love: Bobsleigh, USA Bobsled
Love won her first Monobob World Championship in 2025 and represented the U.S. and Utah at her second Olympics this winter.
Quinn Dehlinger: Freestyle Aerials, U.S. Ski & Snowboard
Dehlinger, a Utah resident from Ohio, was named to his first Olympic team this year. But before Dehlinger could compete, he injured his knee during training at the 2026 Olympics and had to withdraw from competition.
Dehlinger previously tore his ACL in 2024 and came back the next year to win silver in aerials and gold in mixed team aerials at the World Championships.
Adaptive Female Athlete of the Year
Sophie Post: Soccer, U.S. Women’s Deaf National Team
Post, a forward from Murray, Utah, played in all four games and tallied one goal and three assists at the Deaflympics.
Adaptive Male Athlete of the Year
Brayden Butler: Para Climbing, USA Climbing
Butler, a para climber, won his first World Cup and Para Climbing World Championship in 2025, according to the Utah Sports Commission.
He podiumed in every start of the season.
Collegiate Female Athlete of the Year
Ilove’a Brittingham: Softball, BYU Cougars
Brittingham led BYU’s softball team in 10 categories and the Big 12 in seven, according to the Utah Sports Commission.
She also set a BYU freshman RBI record and tied the single-season freshman home run record.
Collegiate Male Athlete of the Year
AJ Dybantsa: Basketball, BYU Cougars
Dybantsa dominated in his freshman — and likely only — season at BYU, leading the country in scoring and averaging 25.5 points a game. He had seven 30-plus point games.
He became just the third Cougar to be named to the Associated Press All-America First Team, joining Danny Ainge and Jimmer Fredette. Dybantsa is in the running to be the No. 1 overall pick at this year’s NBA draft.
High School Female Athlete of the Year
Belle Sorensen: Soccer, Bountiful Redhawks
In her senior season at Bountiful, Sorensen led the Redhawks to a 5A state title, scoring 25 goals and tallying 11 assists. She finished her Bountiful career with 81 goals and 33 assists, according to Utah Sports Commission, and was named the Deseret News 5A Player of the Year.
She is committed to play her college soccer at UVU.
Bountiful Redhawks' Belle Sorensen (9) kicks the ball during a 5A semifinal girls varsity soccer game against the Springville Red Devils at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman on Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025.
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Tess Crowley, Deseret News
High School Male Athlete of the Year
Kihei Akina: Golf, Lone Peak Knights
Akina is a three-time Utah High School Individual Medalist and two-time 6A State Champion. In August, Akina became the youngest golfer to win the Larry H. Miller Utah Open.
Akina has continued to dominate since arriving at BYU last fall.
Kihei Akina hits his tee shot on the 18th hole of the final round of the 2025 Utah Open at Riverside Country Club in Provo on Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Partner of the Year
Feld Entertainment
Feld Entertainment, thelive show production company, has entertained Utah for 25 years, including last year’s Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship Final and Monster Jam World Finals XXIV held at Rice-Eccles Stadium, according to the Utah Sports Commission.
Highlight of the Year
Red Bull Soapbox Race
Nearly 50 people registered for the Red Bull Soapbox race held in front of the Utah state Capitol in June.
The pursuit of the green jacket returns to its spiritual home Thursday as the 90th Masters Tournament ignites the 2026 major season.
Augusta National is set to host a field defined by legacy and a high-stakes power struggle, with defending champion Rory McIlroy returning just one year after his historic playoff triumph over Justin Rose—a victory that finally completed his career Grand Slam and ended a decade-long major drought.
McIlroy’s quest for a repeat is steeped in history; no player has successfully defended his title since Tiger Woods in 2002. Blocking his path is a juggernaut in World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, the pre-tournament favorite eyeing a third victory before the age of 30. The narrative is further sharpened by a potent LIV Golf contingent, led by a surging Bryson DeChambeau and 2023 Masters champion Jon Rahm, both arriving in peak form to challenge for supremacy on golf's most scrutinized stage.
Beyond the established icons, all eyes are on the next generation of talent, including Ludvig Aberg, who looks to make a statement in his highly anticipated tournament debut. From the opening ceremonial tee shots to the final groups climbing the hill at 18, the first day of play promises immediate drama for purists and casual fans alike.
Staying connected to the live leaderboard and streaming platforms is vital to catch every pivotal moment at Amen Corner. Below is everything you need to know about today's Masters schedule, including tee times, TV channels, and how to stream the action from start to finish.
Comprehensive coverage of the 2026 Masters is split between ESPN and CBS, with ESPN handling the first two rounds on Thursday and Friday. Weekend coverage transitions to CBS for the pivotal moving day and Sunday’s final round. For those who prefer to stream the action, cord-cutters can catch the main broadcast via fubo and DIRECTV, while the signature specialized feeds of Amen Corner and the featured groups are available on multiple platforms. That includes Prime Video this year for the first time, and the Amazon service will also handle the first two hours of the main broadcast Friday and Saturday. See the full daily broadcast schedule below.
Fubo offers a free trial for new subscribers, so you can try the service before you buy. Stream ESPN, ABC, CBS, Fox and 100+ top channels of live TV and sports without cable. (Participating plans only. Taxes and fees may apply.)
DENVER , CO - APRIL 7: Kyle Freeland (21) of the Colorado Rockies works against the Houston Astros during the fourth inning at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado on Tuesday, April 7, 2026. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post) | Denver Post via Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Rockies fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
The 6-6 Colorado Rockies have made it through their rotation 2.4 times so far and each starter has had at least one road start and one home start (except for José Quintana, of course, who is on the IL with a hamstring injury).
We’ve seen some dominant performances and some not-so-dominant performances so it begs the question: how is the new Rockies’ pitching philosophy playing out in real time?
But before we answer that question, since we’re still in small sample size territory, I’d rather ask you this: how would you grade the starting rotation so far in 2026?
PHOENIX (AP) — Devin Booker scored 37 points, Dillon Brooks added 28 and the Phoenix Suns edged the short-handed Dallas Mavericks 112-107 on Wednesday night.
The Mavericks pulled within 110-107 on John Poulakidas' 3-pointer with 1:08 left and had a chance to get even closer on their next possession but Oso Ighodaro blocked Moussa Cisse at the rim to stop the rally.
Brooks made a driving layup with 13.7 seconds to finally put the game away. The Suns clinched the No. 7 spot in the Western Conference playoff race, meaning they get two chances at home to win one game in the play-in tournament.
Poulakidas — a 6-foot-5 undrafted rookie who played at Yale — scored a season-high 23 points. Rookie of the Year front-runner Cooper Flagg had a tough game, scoring 11 points on 4 of 19 shooting.
The Mavericks trailed 71-53 early in the third quarter but used an 18-1 run to get back into the game. Dallas took its first lead of the second half when Max Christie hit a 3-pointer for a 95-93 advantage with 8:16 left.
The Suns responded with a 9-0 run and didn't trail again. Dallas had just 10 available players because of injuries.
It was a potentially costly win for the Suns. Guards Jalen Green (right knee) and Jordan Goodwin (left ankle) left the game in the first half and didn't return, though both players were out on the court at halftime going through warmups.
Green has been limited to 32 games this season because of injuries, mostly due to his hamstring.
Suns rookie Khaman Maluach — the No. 10 overall pick out of Duke — got his first start of the season and finished with a season-high 14 rebounds. The 7-foot-1 center stuffed his college teammate Flagg on a dunk attempt in the fourth quarter.
The Oklahoma City Thunder will enter 2025-26 NBA playoffs as the No. 1 team in the Western Conference and the team with the overall record in the league after defeating the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday.
It's the first time in franchise history that the Thunder has won at least 60 games in consecutive seasons. They are also one of two teams -- along with the Boston Celtics -- to achieve the feat since the Golden State Warriors from 2015-17.
It's the second straight year the Thunder have been the NBA's most dominant team. Last season, OKC finished 68-14 and went on to win the NBA title for the first time in franchise history. The last team to post the best record in the NBA in back-to-back seasons was the Milwaukee Bucks in 2019 and 2020.
The Thunder began the 2025-26 season 8-0, then had a 16-game winning streak heading into mid-December. They've now won 19 out of their last 20 games dating back to Feb. 25.
The Thunder has once again been led by reigning NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is set to finish the regular season averaging at least 30 points per game for the fourth straight year. He's currently at 31.1through 68 games.
OKC will wrap up the regular season on Friday at the Denver Nuggets and Sunday against the Phoenix Suns.
Apr 08, 2026; San Jose, CA, USA; during San Jose Sharks vs Edmonton Oilers at SAP Center. Photo: Sport Shots / Dean Tait
The San Jose Sharks welcome the Edmonton Oilers into SAP Center.
Macklin Celebrini and Kiefer Sherwood scored, but the Sharks lost 5-2. Connor McDavid had a hat trick and five points.
Period 1
Celebrini goal: Exactly the start that you want for the San Jose Sharks. Switching Celebrini and Smith on the flanks yields results, their forehands being closer to walls helps them protect the puck more, which Smith needed vs. Nashville. You lose the one-timer option, but you gain puck protection.
ANOTHER MILESTONE FOR CELEBRINI
With point No. 108 on the season, Macklin Celebrini now has the third most points by a teenager in a single season in NHL history, trailing only Wayne Gretzky and Sidney Crosby! pic.twitter.com/7ZXc1HPcrG
Misa penalty: Exactly the start that you don’t want lol. Sharks are back with Graf-Wennberg-Ferraro-Desharnais as their top PK unit.
McDavid goal: Edmonton, besides ridiculous skill, just puts constant pressure on net on a power play, something that the Sharks can learn. McDavid is going for the cross-slot pass, but it’s right in front of Nedeljkovic, bounces off something, sits on goal line, then McDavid pokes it home. ABP, always be pressuring. Sharks sometimes are always be perimeter on the PP.
7 in: Huge exchange there, Eklund picks up rebound from his own shot, brilliant pass to Sherwood, post. Whoever was on Sherwood defended him hard to end, I think, so Sherwood couldn’t get all of it. Then Podkolzin rush chance the other way, Nedeljkovic save.
10 in: Dickinson gets eaten up by Roslovic high, that can’t happen. Roslovic breakaway, he goes glove high, misses. Zubair, sitting next to me, says (he thinks) a Kapanen breakaway earlier in game also went glove high miss.
6 left: Celebrini and Toffoli execute (almost) back-to-back PP give-and-go’s.
Podkolzin goal: You can’t give Oilers power plays, but you also got to stop a couple. San Jose Sharks, after a good PK run, are now 8-for-16 recently. But again, Edmonton, bad-angle shot-pass by Nugent-Hopkins, Podkolzin jumps on it, beats Ferraro and Leddy to it. Always be pressuring.
Defensively, they only allowed 5 to Oilers, so that's good, but as we saw in the 1st, if you're counting on winning the power play battle vs. EDM, well, that's a bold strategy, Cotton
15,683 announced attendance. There is a noticeably loud Oilers booster group here.
Roslovic goal: Disaster. Pure disaster. Terrible line change, Roslovic all alone on PP breakaway. Maybe Graf who goes off, when Wennberg does, but maybe Graf should’ve stayed out there? The defense too.
Sherwood goal: Just get it to the net! San Jose Sharks’ first 5v5 shot tonight. Wennberg point shot, Sherwood tip and Eklund is in front of the net too.
McDavid goal: Starts with Dickinson, had a chance to do something with the puck, but weak pass or clear, stays in zone. He’s had a rough night so far, he’s got to sharpen up. The puck does get out barely, McDavid regroup, but he blows by Leddy and Nedeljkovic sells out for the poke check, I think, misses, too easy. Last two goals are simply unacceptable from the San Jose Sharks. I don’t blame Dickinson on the actual goal, but I think with more veteran instincts, he’ll recognize that Leddy needs help, and leave his position to come down harder on McDavid. It was an emergency. Just an area of improvement for him, not a mistake, per se. Of course, goal is on Leddy for getting smoked and Nedeljkovic missing on the poke. Also, that’s best player in the world stuff by McDavid. He’s been an absolute terror tonight.
One of those games where it feels like Sharks are afraid of making mistakes, which is causing them. Let ‘er rip!
9 left: After a frankly awful San Jose Sharks power play, Oilers had best chance, then Orlov on counterattack dropped it to no one, after PP ended, Sharks kept it simple, got it to the net, Sherwood in front with a Grade-A, dynamite save by Ingram. KISS.
7 left: Small example of where you need more pace around Celebrini. Desharnais didn’t make a bad play, but Oilers clear, Nedeljkovic hands it off to Desharnais, who needs a half-beat to collect, before he tries to stretch it to Celebrini, who was at opposite blueline a la Roslovic earlier. Wouldn’t have been a breakaway, but a split-second earlier, on the tape, maybe a chance? Instead, nothing doing.
McDavid goal: Dickinson has been an adventure tonight. Chernyshov prevented from exiting, puck lands on Dickinson’s stick, he doesn’t necessarily do anything wrong trying to plug it up the wall, but it doesn’t get out, and it’s a down-low 2-on-1, McDavid pass hits Orlov and in. Feel for Sam there, but results business there, he didn’t have a terrible idea.
5 left: Sherwood being too fine there, just shoot it. Had all day in slot, tries to hit Eklund crashing net hard.
Whoa incredible Smith bid there, coming from side, backhand bad angle, hit the crossbar. I like his directness there, don’t find a pass, just get it on Ingram. Celebrini forced an Ekholm turnover, Smith pounced on it. Oilers are susceptible, but the Sharks have just been too irresponsible tonight. They deserve to be down by three. McDavid with an MVP performance.
1 left: Desharnais just erases Kapanen one-on-one behind the net. Good puck battle win, gets it up the ice, and then, he gets the shot on goal with a little traffic in front. Good shift.
Period 3
Jarry in for Ingram.
8 in: Dickinson post, be curious how he is next game? Wouldn’t surprise me if he gets a break against the Ducks tomorrow? He did bounce back from a tough game in Nashville with one of his best in St. Louis on the road trip.
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — De'Aaron Fox had 25 points and the San Antonio Spurs kept rolling even with Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle sidelined by injuries, defeating the Portland Trail Blazers 112-101 on Wednesday night.
San Antonio (61-19) is 28-3 since Feb. 1 and has its best record since 2017, its last appearance in the Western Conference finals during a 22-year postseason run that included five NBA championships.
Deni Avdija scored 27 points and Scoot Henderson added 20 for the Trail Blazers, who have lost two straight after a three-game winning streak.
Portland (40-40) remains ninth in the West, just 2 1/2 games ahead of Golden State (37-42) heading into the final weekend of the regular season.
San Antonio had six players in double figures to offset the absence of the NBA's past two Rookie of the Year winners. Keldon Johnson scored 20 points and rookie forward Carter Bryant added a season-high 17.
Wembanyama bruised a rib Monday and Castle is out with right knee soreness. San Antonio coach Mitch Johnson said the Spurs are hopeful both will play in Friday's home game against Dallas.
Wembanyama needs to play at least 20 minutes in one more game to reach the league-required minimum of 65 games for award eligibility.
The Spurs got off to a sluggish start, missing their first three shots and committing a turnover in the opening two minutes.
Fox got them rolling, scoring 10 points on 4-for-4 shooting in the first 4:13 to stake the Spurs to a 12-8 lead. Fox finished 10 for 20 from the field in leading San Antonio in scoring for the first time since March 1.
San Antonio closed the first quarter on an 8-0 run to set up its first double-digit lead in the opening seconds of the second.
San Antonio closed the third quarter on a 13-2 spurt to expand a four-point lead and roll to its second straight victory.
Up next
Trail Blazers: Host the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday.
With only three games left in the regular season, the Mavericks entered Wednesday night looking every bit like a team nearing the finish line.
Dallas listed eight players as out Wednesday night, giving off the same vibe as teams like the Utah Jazz and Memphis Grizzlies, who have spent the closing stretch of the season prioritizing draft position.
But even while shorthanded, the Mavericks’ reserves delivered some of their best performances of the season.
Marvin Bagley III finished with 20 points and eight rebounds while knocking down trree 3-pointers. Max Christie added 18 points, including four made 3s.
Still, John Poulakidas turned in the best performance of his young NBA career.
The Mavericks’ two-way guard scored 23 points and knocked down five 3-pointers in Dallas’ 112-107 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night.
Cooper Flagg added 11 points and 13 rebounds, recording his 13th double-double of the season.
It was also Flagg’s second straight game shooting under 40 percent from the field, which won’t help his efficiency numbers. Still, he continued to play through a wrist injury.
The Mavericks will face the San Antonio Spurs on Friday.
Going yard: Korey Lee, who got the start in right field, launched a crucial three-run homer during Charlotte’s seven-run third inning. | Photo by Jacob Soriano/MLB Photos via Getty Images
Knights starter and star prospect Noah Schultz, 22, ran into some trouble in the top of the first. César Prieto led off the game with a double, and Joshua Báez followed with an RBI single. Báez proceeded to score an unearned run with two outs after an error by Jacob Gonzalez. However, Schultz recovered nicely, and he only allowed one earned run on two hits in five innings, and he racked up nine strikeouts.
The Knights did not score during the first two innings, but they made up for lost time and then some in the third. After a walk to Josh Breaux and a single by William Bergolla Jr., Korey Lee launched a three-run homer to turn the game around and give Charlotte a 3-2 lead. The Knights led from that point forward, but they were not done. Oliver Dunn was hit by a pitch, and Gonzalez crushed his third homer of the year to extend Charlotte’s lead to three. The Knights tacked on two more in the third, as Breaux hit an RBI single, and Bergolla drew a walk with the bases loaded. By the end of the frame, the Knights led by a score of 7-2.
Charlotte’s bullpen performed well, only allowing one run on one hit in four innings, so Charlotte held on for a convincing victory.
It was not the finest day for Barons starter Christian Oppor, 21. Oppor made a splash in 2025, posting a 3.08 ERA and a 3.50 FIP in 87 2/3 innings, mostly with the Dash. However, Oppor’s first start with the Barons was rough. Oppor allowed two in the first and two in the second, and that turned out to be enough for the Lookouts.
The Barons bullpen did not allow any runs in 6 1/3 innings, that effort went by the wayside. Birmingham finished 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position and only collected four hits overall. Adam Fogel reached on an error that allowed Jeral Perez to score in the fourth. The Barons scored their other run on a wild pitch that allowed Wilfred Veras to score in the sixth. However, that was not enough for the Barons to complete the comeback.
Winston-Salem Dash 5, Frederick Keys 4 The Dash (3-2) won a nail-biter against the Keys (2-2), holding off a ninth inning rally and stranding the potential tying run 90 feet away.
In the bottom of the first, the Dash offense got started early, with Kyle Lodise leading off with a double. With one out, Caleb Bonemer was hit by a pitch, and after back-to-back walks to Anthony DePino and George Wolkow brought in the game’s first run. Finally, with two outs, Colby Shelton reached on an error that allowed two runs to score, and suddenly, Winston-Salem had a 3-0 lead.
Dash starter Gabe Davis, 22, delivered three shutout innings, and he only needed 37 pitches to make it that far. However, Frankeli Arias did not have it as easy, as he allowed three runs on two hits while only retiring two batters.
With the game still tied at three, Alec Makarewicz doubled to lead off the bottom of the sixth. Shelton followed with an RBI single to put Winston-Salem back on top, 4-3.
Dash reliever Seth Keener had a solid appearance, but the seventh was not a picnic. After a leadoff single, a stolen base, and an RBI single, the game was tied once again.
Winston-Salem made sure that the game did not remain tied for long. In the bottom of the seventh, Ely Brown drew a walk, and Bonemer doubled to put a pair in scoring position. From there, a wild pitch allowed Brown to score the go-ahead run, and the Dash did not look back. The Keys made it interesting in the ninth, putting the potential tying run on third with two outs. However, Aric McAtee picked up a clutch save by forcing a ground out to end the game.
Kannapolis starter Riley Eikhoff, 24, was fantastic, only allowing one hit and striking out seven in five frames. Jackson Nove, Ryan Schiefer, and Pierce George combined to pitch four shutout innings to complete the all-around masterpiece.
Since the pitching staff was on a different level, the hitters did not have to do much, but they took care of business. With runners on first and second with one out in the fifth, Billy Carlson drove in the game’s first run with a single. Ryan Galvan added an RBI single, and Nathan Archer drew a walk with the bases loaded to make the score 3-0. Archer also drove in the fourth and final run of the game with a single in the seventh to drive in Boston Smith.
Matching up with veterans means needing to be sharp from the outset. Portsmouth jumped on the Eagles in the bottom of the first inning and just about put this Division II contest away.
The Patriots used three errors and a three-run triple by Kylie Toner to build what turned out to be a decisive lead. Mia Ruggieri handled the rest in the circle as Portsmouth eased to a 6-2 home victory under sunny skies on April 8.
“No one really sees them coming,” Ruggieri said. “But they are a really good hitting team. It was really important for us to get out early and take advantage of the opportunities we had.”
The Eagles recorded two quick outs before finding serious trouble in the first. Barbara Rainey’s infield single, two errors and a fielder’s choice that didn’t record an out loaded the bases for Toner. She slashed a drive to right that found the grass and rolled toward the fence, handing the Patriots a 4-0 cushion.
“I went up there hoping to make contact,” Toner said. “Honestly, I just kind of did it and went from there.”
Portsmouth added another run on an error and turned things over to Ruggieri, who allowed just three singles and a walk through the first four innings. Barrington put together a threat by loading the bases with nobody out in the top of the second but Ruggieri strung together three straight strikeouts to escape. She fanned 11 against two walks while keeping the Patriots in front throughout.
“My mindset is always to try to go one pitch at a time,” Ruggieri said. “Don’t look at the bigger picture. It is what it is.”
Ruggieri helped herself in the bottom of the fourth when an infield out gave Portsmouth a 6-0 lead. The Eagles (2-1) clawed a couple of runs back thanks to Grace Fontaine, who drove one in on a hard infield single in the fifth and drilled a two-out solo homer to left in the seventh. Ruggieri recorded the final out on a fly to right and the Patriots (2-1) banked an early win against a fellow playoff qualifier from last season.
“I think we all have confidence in her,” Toner said. “She has us and we definitely all have her back behind her. I think that’s what makes us a team — a real team.”
Fontaine was one of five sophomores who started for Barrington in this one and the Eagles also featured four first-year players in their lineup. Senior catcher Maya Etheridge stood out thanks to her experience and a 2-for-3 effort out of the cleanup spot. Barrington lost a 10-inning heartbreaker to Johnston in last year’s postseason opener and was eventually eliminated by East Greenwich.
Portsmouth enjoyed a deeper run, winning three straight games in the loser’s bracket before falling to West Warwick. The Patriots knocked out Toll Gate, the Panthers and the Avengers before the Wizards proved too much. Ruggieri and Rainey form an all-senior battery that’s been together since third grade.
“I think all of us are just so close,” Ruggieri said. “We don’t really have that many underclassmen, but even the underclassmen — we've been playing together for so long.”
Barrington 000 010 1 — 2 6 5
Portsmouth 500 100 x — 6 6 1
Audrey Paxton and Maya Etheridge. Mia Ruggieri and Barbara Rainey. HR — Grace Fontaine (B).
The San Francisco 49ers haven't often had much urgency to add offensive line help in the NFL draft. They'll invest draft capital in the position, but across Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch's nine previous drafts, they've used only one first-round pick, one second-round pick and one third-round pick on the offensive line. Looking at offensive linemen projected to go later in the draft may be a better move when assessing who the 49ers might take at that position, which is why University of Kentucky interior OL Jager Burton would make a ton of sense for them.
Burton was paired with San Francisco in a piece by Sports Illustrated's Justin Melo that highlighted developmental prospects each team could take.
Given the 49ers' penchant for favoring versatility up front and their need to develop some depth along the interior of their offensive line, Burton's ability to play all three interior OL spots could be appealing for a team with no real long-term answers at left guard or center.
Burton has very good size at 6-4, 312 pounds and he flashed good athleticism at the NFL combine. NFL.com's scoring system rated him the most athletic center at the combine this year. He was also a four-year starter for the Wildcats with 47 total starts across his 50 games played. He started 23 games at left guard, 15 at center and nine at right guard per the Athletic's Dane Brugler.
Chances are the projected Day 3 prospect isn't ready to start on Day 1. However, if he has backup capabilities at all three interior OL spots there's a strong chance he could land on the roster and begin his path toward carving out some kind of starting role for San Francisco down the line.
SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) — The defending state champions have hit their stride in district play and look to finish the regular season strong.
The No. 5 Wall Hawks are on a roll following another dominant district performance, thrashing Clyde 15-1 Tuesday night to secure the team’s 16th straight win. It took only two innings for the Hawks to reach double digits, as Kellan Oliver drove in six RBIs via two home runs including a grand slam. The Hawks totaled 14 hits in the game to improve to 10-0 in district play and 18-7 overall.
In the final two weeks of the regular season, the Hawks look to keep soaring. Wall hosts Abilene in a non-district matchup this week followed by a home-and-away series with No. 1 Jim Ned. As the homestretch approaches, the Hawks continue to embrace adversity and compete as a team.
“It’s good that [Wall] went through those growing pains early in the season and faced some of that adversity because now you see it paying off in a huge district ball game against Clyde,” Wall head coach Jeremy Gordon said. “That’s exactly why we scheduled our schedule the way that we do.”
In the players’ vision, this Wall team sets aside individual accolades for team success.
“It’s just for the boys,” senior Stephen Laney said. “Whatever we do is for the team, [Wall’s] not really a selfish team.”
Wall gears up to face Abilene on Friday, April 10. The following week, the Hawks host longtime rival Jim Ned.
“We got a big district one coming up,” senior Reid Ballard said. “Everybody’s excited about that. It’s the talk of the town, so show up and make a statement. [We will] show everybody who Wall really is.”
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Well the Braves are quietly cruising so far this season, with a strong 8-5 record and tied for the MLB lead in run differential. The rotation hasn’t been a weakness yet overall, though the fifth spot had been pretty rough, and while the offense hasn’t been truly humming, only 3 teams in MLB have scored more runs. With Sean Murphy and Spencer Strider seemingly only a few weeks away from their return and further reinforcements coming later on with Ha-Seong Kim and potentially a handful of talented pitchers, it sure feels like the Braves could be near the top of the standings this season based on the first two weeks of baseball. When Ronald Acuna gets going and Austin Riley recovers some of his form at the plate, this team could be a force to be reckoned with at full strength.
Ben Johnson's first season as the Chicago Bears head coach ended with an NFC North title and a playoff win over the Green Bay Packers.
The 2025 season set the bar high for Johnson as he continues his head coaching career in Chicago.
With Johnson's immediate success and turning around a team that struggled for relevancy within its own division, Johnson has positioned himself among the top coaches in the NFL.
But how far up on the coaching hierarchy should Johnson be ranked?
NBC Sports ranked all 32 head coaches, and Johnson came in as No. 13.
In the explanation for Johnson, writer Patrick Daugherty highlighted how Johnson helped quarterback Caleb Williams reduce his sack total from 68 to 24 and the offensive EPA per play improved from 26th in the NFL to seventh. The offense also scored 131 more points than last season and finished ninth in scoring after being 28th in 2024.
Daugherty also mentioned what Johnson and the Bears could face in the 2026 season.
"They were lucky in 2025, living off one-score, and even sometimes one-point, victories," Daugherty wrote. "Regression comes for even the best players and coaches. The follow-up will be 10 times more difficult than the opening act. Johnson knows this, and as the rare offensive-minded coach who doesn’t just call plays but sets the tone for all 53 of his players, he seems perfectly suited to keep leveling up. You should never speak too soon in the NFL — Chip Kelly, et. al say hello — but it sure seems like it won’t take long for Johnson to accomplish even greater things in Chicago."
Like many professions and especially in the NFL, this is a what have you done for me lately league. Daugherty noted that he treats his coaching list "more of an almanac, an assessment of where the league’s 32 coaches find themselves right now. How they got here and where they might be going."
The three coaches who are ranked ahead of Johnson on this list, none of them won a playoff game in 2025: Green Bay's Matt LaFleur (No. 10), Houston's DeMeco Ryans (No. 11) and Minnesota's Kevin O'Connell (No. 12).
Where Johnson finished last season is in a better position than the three coaches mentioned, which should make Johnson a top-10 coach in the league. Even though the Bears' head coach has just one season under his belt, Johnson can continue to move up the head coach rankings if he stacks more successful seasons during his time in Chicago.
STONY BROOK, N.Y. (AP) — With Iran qualifying for the World Cup, Arad Ershad had visions of splurging on flights and tickets to attend one of the team’s upcoming first-round matches in Los Angeles.
That changed when Ershad, a New York graduate student who grew up in Tehran, saw how many of the players he had adored since childhood failed to speak out following its theocratic leadership’s deadly crackdown on protesters in January.
“It feels so bad that I do not want them to succeed. They were like my icons, my legends," he lamented during a recent pickup soccer game on Long Island. “I know playing a World Cup is the biggest thing a soccer player can achieve in his life, but how can you just be silent?”
Ershad is one of many diehard soccer fans in the Iranian diaspora with conflicting emotions as Team Melli — the Persian nickname for Iran's national squad — prepares for its seventh World Cup. Iran is set to begin its campaign against New Zealand on June 15 near Los Angeles, a region that's home to the largest Iranian community outside of Iran, including many who fled the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Some view the men's team as complicit in whitewashing the Iranian government's repression and can’t bear to watch the competition. Others plan to attend Iran's games to show their love for the country and sport, but bearing signs of protest. Still others say they’ll set politics aside and just enjoy seeing Iran compete on soccer's biggest stage.
All of this is assuming the team actually takes part, which Iranian officials called into question because of the country's war with the United States and Israel. Iranian soccer officials recently met with the head of FIFA, international soccer's governing body, who has insisted that Iran stick to the schedule.
The Iranian team often finds itself unable to avoid political issues. Before a recent match in Turkey, players held small backpacks honoring the Iranian children who were killed in a U.S. missile strike on an elementary school — a move Iranian American fans said showed their allegiance to the government and the political pressure it places on them.
Iranian athletes have faced serious consequences for speaking out. In 2022, a prominent former member of the national team was arrested for allegedly protesting against the country's leadership. This year, star striker Sardar Azmoun wasn't selected for World Cup warmup games, reportedly because of a social media post that angered the authorities.
Worries that Iran won't take part
Nader Adeli, who manages Iranian American club team Arya FC's over-60 squad in Los Angeles, is worried the war might keep Iran from attending the World Cup.
Last month, U.S. President Donald Trump discouraged the Iranian team from taking part, citing safety concerns. In response, Iran asked to move its matches to Mexico, which is co-hosting the event along with the U.S. and Canada, though the head of FIFA has repeatedly rejected such a move.
Adeli, who didn’t win the ticket lottery to attend one of Iran's two Los Angeles-area matches, said the World Cup should be a moment to enjoy the sport without outside distractions.
But with war raging, he doesn't think the team will travel. And if it does, he doubts the players would be able to fully focus on competing.
“Sports should never become a political issue,” he said. “As people, we have nothing against any Americans, we have nothing against any Iranians. It is just the governments.”
Former women's team player says Iran shouldn't play
Iran's women's team made headlines last month when several members didn't sing along to the country's national anthem before their opening match at the Women’s Asian Cup in Australia.
Although they sang it before Iran's next two fixtures, some commenters saw their initial silence as a protest against their government — though others saw it as a display of mourning about the war. The team and players — two of whom accepted asylum offers to remain in Australia — didn't comment on the matter.
Shiva Amini, who used to play for the national team but now lives in New York City, is among the Iranian ex-pats calling on the Trump administration not to grant visas to the men's team to play in the World Cup.
The 36-year-old player, who left Iran in 2017 after being photographed not wearing a headscarf while in Europe, said many Iranians soured on the men’s squad during the 2022 World Cup, when players stayed silent as Iran was roiled by street demonstrations over the country's mandatory headscarf laws following the death of Mahsa Amini.
“They had a big platform, and instead of talking about that, they were laughing, they were so happy, and it was honestly a slap on the face,” she said. “So those are not the Iranian national soccer team. Those are the regime’s national soccer team.”
The few players who have spoken out paid dearly, Amini acknowledged, including Amir Nasr-Azadani, who faces years behind bars for his involvement in the 2022 protests.
Azmoun, the Dubai-based star striker who played for Iran's past two World Cup teams, wasn't picked to play in the team's warmups for this year's tournament, reportedly because he posted a photo on social media of himself greeting United Arab Emirates political leaders.
Plans to cheer on — and protest — Iran
Masoud Ahmadi, a 62-year-old interior designer who plays for another largely Iranian American over-60 club team, Sina FC, said he's trying to get a ticket to see Iran play. If he does, he said he'll take a stand against the Iranian leadership by carrying the country's lion-and-sun flag, which predates the Islamic Revolution.
Ahmadi said he was detained in Iran as a teenager before he fled to Turkey on foot. The U.S. granted him political asylum.
“We’re going to definitely raise our voice,” said Ahmadi, who is proud of his Iranian heritage but critical of the men's squad. “This team is not an Iranian people’s team. This is a government team."
Sasan Sadri, who manages the team, said if he scores a ticket, he'll try to wear a shirt calling for leadership change in Iran.
“As my countrymen, I like them to achieve,” he said. “I don’t support the regime, but soccer is soccer.”
As for Ershad, the New York grad student, he plans to support the Iranian team if the government is overthrown before the tournament starts. If not, he'll back soccer great Cristiano Ronaldo's side to win it all.
“It's so hard to not cheer for your national team, but let’s go Portugal," he said.
Continuing our recurring series, which began earlier this month and will run until the 2026 NFL Draft begins on April 23, The Detroit News will spotlight one prospect a day who could be a first-round fit for the Detroit Lions, who own the 17th overall pick. Assuming the Lions don't trade out, it'll be their highest selection since running back Jahmyr Gibbs went No. 12 in 2023.
Today's focus will be on Texas Tech edge defender David Bailey.
By the numbers
▶ T-first in regular season sacks (14½), first in pressures (73), first in pressure rate (21.3%) across FBS in 2025
▶ Recorded pressure on 19.3% of pass-rush snaps over four college seasons
Bailey, 22, was a four-star recruit coming out of Mater Dei High School, where he just missed out on the opportunity to play with Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. But he did win a state championship on a team that went wire-to-wire as MaxPreps’ No. 1 team in the country in his senior year, and he would end up establishing a Detroit connection through his college recruitment by committing to current Lions pass-game specialist David Shaw, who was the head coach at Stanford when Bailey stepped on campus in 2022.
As a true freshman, Bailey started nine of 11 games for Stanford and tallied 46 tackles, 8½ tackles-for-loss with 2½ sacks on 28 pressures en route to being named the team’s top freshman. After Shaw and Stanford parted ways, Bailey improved his sack numbers (five) and led the team in tackles-for-loss (six) during his sophomore season before truly beginning his ascent as a junior.
In 2024, Bailey had a whopping five forced fumbles with eight sacks and 39 pressures and had the highest Pro Football Focus pass-rushing grade in the nation (93.2, min. 20% of snaps), a feat he’d reclaim the following year in a bigger role. He graduated from Stanford with a bachelor’s degree in STS: Science, Technology and Society and enrolled at Texas Tech, where he became one of the scariest pass rushers in the nation.
Once becoming a full-time starter, Bailey set career-highs in sacks (14½, tied for first in the country), tackles-for-loss (19½) and tackles (52) and was named a unanimous All-American and Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year as Tech won its conference for the first time since 1994 and made a College Football Playoff appearance; Tech lost the Orange Bowl to Oregon, 23-0, but Bailey finished his college career with four pressures, a sack and two tackles-for-loss in the defeat.
“Of course, you could say I’m biased, but I also look at the production. I’ve seen all the guys that maybe could go No. 2 (in the draft) over him, and their production is nowhere close to David Bailey’s,” Tech coach Joey McGuire said last month, referring to players like Arvell Reese (Ohio State) and Rueben Bain (Miami). “And it’s hard to say they have more potential than David Bailey. This is the first year he truly played defensive end and wasn’t dropping into coverage and stuff like that.
Added McGuire, “He’s put it on tape, and he’s done it at a higher level than anybody else in this draft.”
Analysis
Bailey’s combination of explosiveness and production has given him a decent shot at being the first defensive player taken in the draft. His burst off the line of scrimmage immediately puts him into the backfield, allowing him to make game-changing plays for the defense. As The Athletic’s Dane Brugler writes, “Bailey fires off the ball like a sprinter, with stride length and hell-raising intentions to quickly build forceful momentum to the quarterback.”
Detroit has been pretty insistent on deploying edge-setting, pocket-crushing defensive ends as the starters opposite of Hutchinson. While Bailey (6-foot-4, 251 pounds) is extremely capable of using his speed to get off the ball and make a splash play in the ground game, he might not possess the anchor to compete down-in, down-out in the way Detroit wants against the run. In his NFL.com profile, an AFC executive says he worries about Bailey’s “size and toughness.”
“If you are taking him high, you need him to play on all three downs,” the scout adds.
Even if Bailey isn’t the well-rounded defensive end Detroit typically wants, he might be the pass-rushing hero it needs right now. The Lions ranked 30th in time to pressure (2.86 seconds) last season, even with a mostly healthy front seven. Bailey can win rushes before the quarterback has his fingers on the laces, a terrifying trait for opposing offenses that would have to see him lined up across from Hutchinson, who helped the speedy Al-Quadin Muhammad to a career year (11 sacks) with the attention that he commanded on passing downs.
Unlike some defensive ends who are clearly more advanced as pass rushers, Bailey is not a lost cause against the run. There’s simply a concern about whether he’s physically capable of doing so consistently at the next level, and whether his play style meshes with what the Lions are hoping to get from the position.
“Against the run, he plays with effort and range from the back side but needs to improve his consistency and physicality when holding the point of attack,” NFL analyst Daniel Jeremiah writes. “Overall, Bailey has areas to address, but his ability to create short corners to the passer is exceptional.”
The consensus rankings say Bailey has a high chance of going in the top five, and maybe even as high as No. 2 to the New York Jets. But the lack of true blue-chip players in the class provides serious potential for the draft to go haywire at the top, so while the idea Bailey could fall to the Lions at No. 17 might be a little rich, we can see some scenarios where he falls out of the top 10 and into striking range for a trade-up by Detroit, if that’s a player general manager Brad Holmes is enamored with.
“If you want to win, play for a good coach and play for a good program and work the hardest you have ever worked in your life, choose Tennessee,” Okpara told the media.
Okpara only spent two years on Rocky Top, but he quickly became a fan favorite. There has already been speculation about who Tennessee could bring in to replace him, with Mouhamed Sylla emerging as one name to watch.
“Sylla is an absolute beast at 6-foot-10, 240 pounds who could fill in perfectly for the Vols at center, taking Felix Okpara's spot. As a freshman in 2025, Sylla averaged 9.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in 21 minutes a game for the Yellow Jackets. Sylla is a defensive-minded big man who can rebound, roll to the basket off screens, and be a lob threat,” All For Tennessee’s Conner Linsner wrote.
While that remains speculation, it has been confirmed that Tennessee will host another big man, Miles Rubin, for a visit.
“Tennessee is set to host Loyola Chicago transfer Miles Rubin this weekend, as first reported by Mike Wilson. The six-foot-10, 220 pound center started in all 33 games in 2025 and averaged a team-leading 11.3 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. The Chicago, Illinois native shot 58.5 percent from the field, and became the program's all-time leader in blocks with 237. The Vols are also expected to host another transfer in addition to Rubin this weekend, I am told,” Tennessee reporter William Patteson wrote.
Landing Rubin would be a major addition for the Vols, as he fits the mold of an ideal replacement for Okpara. His 237 career blocks at Loyola Chicago are just six shy of Okpara’s career total, highlighting his defensive presence.
DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic had 14 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists for his 34th triple-double of the season, and Denver beat the Memphis Grizzlies 136-119 on Wednesday night for the Nuggets’ 10th straight win.
Denver increased its hold on the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference with its first double-digit winning streak since getting 15 in a row Feb. 23-March 23, 2013. The Nuggets lead the reeling Los Angeles Lakers by 1 1/2 games and finish the regular season with games against the top two teams in the conference.
Jamal Murray scored 26 points and Jonas Valanciunas had 14 points in his 1,000th career game.
The wins during the streak haven’t been easy. Memphis needed to rally from double-digit deficits in the fourth quarter twice, winning both in overtime.
Jokic, who leads the NBA in rebounding and assists, already clinched a triple-double average for the second straight season. His assist on Cameron Johnson’s layup midway through the third gave him the 198th triple-double of his career. He didn’t play in the fourth quarter.
Cedric Coward had 27 points, for the Grizzlies, who have lost six in a row and 18 of 20. Memphis was 19 of 50 from deep two nights after tying an NBA record with 29 made 3-pointers.
MAGIC 132, TIMBERWOLVES 120
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Paolo Banchero had 20 points and eight rebounds, Desmond Bane added 18 points and six assists and Orlando beat Minnesota.
Franz Wagner scored 17 points and Goga Bitadze came off the bench with 14 points and 15 rebounds for the Magic, who have won four straight.
The win pulled the Magic (44-36) up to seventh place in the tight race for playoff/play-in positions. With two road games remaining (Chicago on Friday and Boston on Sunday), they could finish anywhere between six and ninth in the Eastern Conference.
Terrence Shannon Jr. led the Timberwolves with a career-high 33 points. Jaden McDaniels, back in the lineup after missing six games with a left knee injury, added 18 points in 19 minutes.
The Timberwolves, who have lost five of seven, played without Anthony Edwards (right knee injury) and four players who started Tuesday night’s win at Indiana that clinched their Western Conference playoff spot.
Julius Randle missed his first game of the season and Rudy Gobert missed his fifth.
PISTONS 137, BUCKS 111
DETROIT (AP) — Cade Cunningham had 13 points and 10 assists in his return from injury as Detroit beat Milwaukee in its home finale.
Cunningham hadn’t played since sustaining a collapsed lung in a win against the Washington Wizards on March 17, but appeared comfortable while playing 26 minutes in short stints. He hit six of 11 field goal attempts, including one 3-pointer, and pulled down five rebounds.
Jalen Duren added 21 points and nine rebounds as the Pistons won for the sixth time in eight games. Duncan Robinson scored 20 points on a night where J.B. Bickerstaff kept all five starters under 30 minutes.
Detroit (58-22) can win 60 games for the first time since 2005-06 by winning against the Charlotte Hornets and Indiana Pacers in their final two games.
Jericho Sims had a triple-double — 11 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists — while Ryan Rollins scored 23 points for Milwaukee, which has lost 10 of its last 13 games.
Cunningham played 13 minutes in the first half, putting up six points and five assists as the Pistons built a 75-57 lead. Duren had 11 points, six rebounds and a plus-20 in his 13 minutes.
CAVALIERS 122, HAWKS 116
CLEVELAND (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 31 points, Evan Mobley had 22 points and tied a career high with 19 rebounds, and Cleveland defeated Atlanta.
James Harden added 21 points for the Cavaliers, who have won four straight and seven of eight. Cleveland (51-29) can finish no lower than fourth place in the Eastern Conference and is 1/2 game behind New York for the third seed.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 25 points and Jonathan Kuminga had 24 off the bench as Atlanta was unable to clinch a playoff berth with the loss. The Hawks (45-35) have dropped their last two after winning four straight. They are one game ahead of Toronto for the fifth seed but only 1 1/2 in front of Orlando to avoid being in the play-in tournament.
It was Mitchell’s 200th regular-season game with at least 20 points in four years with the Cavaliers. He is the fifth player in franchise history to reach that milestone.
Mitchell had his 14th game this season with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds.
SPURS 112, TRAIL BLAZERS 101
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — De’Aaron Fox had 25 points and San Antonio kept rolling even with Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle sidelined by injuries, defeating Portland.
San Antonio (61-19) is 28-3 since Feb. 1 and has its best record since 2017, its last appearance in the Western Conference finals during a 22-year postseason run that included five NBA championships.
Deni Avdija scored 27 points and Scoot Henderson added 20 for the Trail Blazers, who have lost two straight after a three-game winning streak.
Portland (40-40) remains ninth in the West, just 2 1/2 games ahead of Golden State (37-42) heading into the final weekend of the regular season.
San Antonio had six players in double figures to offset the absence of the NBA’s past two Rookie of the Year winners. Keldon Johnson scored 20 points and rookie forward Carter Bryant added a season-high 17.
The Mavericks pulled within 110-107 on John Poulakidas’ 3-pointer with 1:08 left and had a chance to get even closer on their next possession but Oso Ighodaro blocked Moussa Cisse at the rim to stop the rally.
Brooks made a driving layup with 13.7 seconds to finally put the game away. The Suns clinched the No. 7 spot in the Western Conference playoff race, meaning they get two chances at home to win one game in the play-in tournament.
Poulakidas — a 6-foot-5 undrafted rookie who played at Yale — scored a season-high 23 points. Rookie of the Year front-runner Cooper Flagg had a tough game, scoring 11 points on 4 of 19 shooting.
The Mavericks trailed 71-53 early in the third quarter but used an 18-1 run to get back into the game. Dallas took its first lead of the second half when Max Christie hit a 3-pointer for a 95-93 advantage with 8:16 left.
The Suns responded with a 9-0 run and didn’t trail again. Dallas had just 10 available players because of injuries.
THUNDER 128, CLIPPERS 110
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Chet Holmgren had 30 points and 14 rebounds, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 20 points and 11 assists, and Oklahoma City clinched the NBA’s best regular-season record with a victory over Los Angeles.
Jalen Williams scored 18 points for the NBA champion Thunder (64-16), who will have homecourt advantage throughout the postseason in their title defense after holding off San Antonio (61-19), which is on an 18-2 run since February. Oklahoma City has won seven straight and 19 of 20 to earn the West’s No. 1 seed for the third straight season.
Kawhi Leonard scored 20 points and Brook Lopez added 16 for the eighth-place Clippers, who had won seven of nine. Los Angeles is 35-18 since shortly before Christmas, but still must win one of its final two games to extend this once-moribund franchise’s streak to 15 consecutive winning seasons.
The Clippers head to Portland on Friday for a crucial game. The winner almost certainly will finish eighth in the Western Conference, while the losers will slip to ninth, where they’ll need two wins in the play-in tournament to make the playoffs.
Bayern Munich’s commitment to youth development and progression this season has been incredible, as numerous young players have been given the chance to make their respective debuts during this campaign.
Would you believe it if we told that Bayern Munich supervisory board member Uli Hoeneß was the mastermind behind the effort? Well, per Sport Bild, the executive could be the guy pulling the strings for the club on this initiative:
Uli Hoeneß invited Vincent Kompany to the Tegernsee twice during the past summer break. At the meetings, it was agreed to place greater emphasis on homegrown talents. Hoeneß declined to comment on the matter when asked. Kompany is consistently implementing this approach.
Since the company’s appointment in 2024, he has given 11 young players their debut in competitive matches, 8 of them alone in this season. A demand that had previously also been put to Thomas Tuchel, Julian Nagelsmann, and Hansi Flick.
The campus is considered internally to be as valuable as never before. According to internal calculations, the market value of the young players has risen by more than 100 million € in the last 2 years and is approaching the 300 million € mark. Talent development is generating great satisfaction in the executive suite.
The commitment to the young players makes sense on a number of levels. First, having any homegrowns on the roster means that they have a certain, specific level of quality to be a contributor to Bayern Munich. Second, if they progress to a good developmental point, but do not have a spot at Bayern Munich, they can become valuable assets for the transfer market.
While Hoeneß might be the person propelling this forward, it takes buy-in from Kompany, Max Eberl, and Christoph Freund as well. It seems like the plan is working and all parties are bought into making it work. After a period where Julian Nagelsmann was supposed to be the guy to make this happen, Kompany has proven that he can delicately balance the task far better than the current German national team coach ever could during his time at Säbener Straße.
VfB Stuttgart wants to do everything it can to keep midfielder — and former Bayern Munich academy product — Angelo Stiller, including buying out his release clause:
🚨💶 As revealed in March 2025 and confirmed again: VfB Stuttgart can buy out Angelo #Stiller’s release clause (up to €40m) at any time for around €2m.
Stiller cannot reject it, receives the payment immediately, and his contract (until 2028) remains unchanged – only the clause is removed.
After that, his transfer fee would be freely negotiable, and he would be allowed to leave the club if a top offer arrives. Premier League clubs are interested. @SkySportDE
Stiller has had a decent, but not great, season, which is unfortunate because his spot on Germany’s World Cup roster is not assured. A strong finish to the season would be a big help for him.
Well, Borussia Dortmund is not keeping it a secret — it wants to bring back Jadon Sancho for a third time:
Borussia Dortmund managing director Lars Ricken has confirmed they are considering making an offer for Jadon Sancho, with his contract at Manchester United and loan at Aston Villa expiring on June 30 ⏳
Per this report, Alessandro Bastoni wants to make the move from Inter Milan to FC Barcelona:
Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni is pushing to complete a move to Barcelona quickly, according to Mundo Deportivo, as he looks to agree on personal terms. Bastoni, 26, is Barcelona’s top target to improve their backline and the Italy international believes that the sooner negotiations start, the sooner a move can be completed. However, Sport reports that Bologna center back Jhon Lucumí could be a cheaper alternative as his transfer would cost €25 million as opposed to Bastoni’s €60 million.
If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast, Spotify, Apple, or any leading podcast distributor…
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 15: Khamzat Chimaev of Russia poses on the scale during the UFC 319 ceremonial weigh-in at Radius Chicago on August 15, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC)
Welcome to Midnight Mania!
Let’s start the night off by taking a look back over the three biggest stories of Wednesday, April 8, 2026.
Khamzat Chimaev’s d’arce choke is legitimately so slick and powerful. Alongside Islam Makhachev, he is leading the pack in pushing that strangle into the elite meta of top control.
Demetrious Johnson thinking about life decisions right before Khamzat Chimaev wraps it up in 47 seconds 😂😂
Khamzat Chimaev: ‘’Demetrious Johnson ile çalışmak harikaydı. O bir efsane. Bir numara, tek ve gerçek. Kimse bu adamı yenemedi. İnanılmaz teknikleri var. Eğer bu sporda birinde ‘bilgisayar’ varsa, o bu adamdır. Onun dövüşlerini izleyerek büyüdüm. Kendi vücudumla onun yaptığı bazı… pic.twitter.com/zIshUT9tEC
“That guy is fat as a f—k” is the official Paulo Costa quote of the week. It’s not as good as “That’s your own personal problem,” but a quality addition to the Costa book of quotes.
What a hook! Siro Choi (12-0) 🇺🇿🇰🇷 knocks out the internationally renowned Giovanni Cabrera (22-3) 🇺🇸 in the lightweight division in Namyangju, South Korea. 😯 pic.twitter.com/Bvtc5ASVXF
🚨#BREAKING: Watch as an employee starts a massive fire inside a 1.2 million square foot warehouse filming himself on Instagram as he sets toilet paper packages ablaze
Troop score 10 in the 7th to come back! WP- D Fierro O Martin 1x3 1 RBI, D Rubio 1x4 1 RBI, A Serrano 2x5 2 RBI, C Lopez 2x3 2 RBI, S Chavez 2 RBI, J Gomez 2x2 3 RBI, I Amezola 1x3 2 RBI
WHITNEY POINT, N.Y. (WETM) – It was a perfect day on the mound for one Schuyler Storm standout.
Sophomore pitcher Paige Ells tossed a perfect game in a 14-0 win at Whitney Point in five innings. Ells had nine strikeouts and went 4-for-4 at the plate with six RBI in the big win for the Storm on the road. Ells doubled in the second scoring two, tripled in the third scoring two more RBI and then singled in the fourth scoring two more runs.
Olivia King added two RBI on two hits and Keira Ells also added two hits and one RBI for the Storm (2-0). The biggest inning of the game was a six-run second inning by Schuyler in the contest.
Full Wednesday night scoreboard below.
High School Softball Schuyler Storm 14, Whitney Point 0 – F/5 Corning 23, Greenbrier East (WV) 1 – Myrtle Beach
High School Baseball Lakewood (OH) 13, Horseheads 9 – Myrtle Beach Boyd County (KY) 14, Elmira 4 – Myrtle Beach Trumansburg 9, Edison 5
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Fight week is reaching its climax. Before the martial arts superstars can throw down at ONE Fight Night 42: Mann vs. Dzhabrailov on Prime Video, live from Bangkok’s iconic Lumpinee Stadium, they must first clear the final checkpoint standing between them and showtime.
Every athlete must successfully weigh in and pass their hydration test to ensure they are healthy and fit to compete in U.S. primetime this Friday, April 10.
Fans can watch the official ONE Fight Night 42 Weigh-Ins & Hydration Tests by clicking the video below beginning at 6 a.m. ET/5 p.m. ICT on Thursday, April 9.
In the headline attraction, a pair of undefeated mixed martial artists collide, and the winner could earn the next crack at two-division ONE World Champion Christian “The Warrior” Lee‘s ONE Welterweight MMA World Title.
American powerhouse Chase “Mannimal” Mann has been an absolute wrecking ball, as he has overwhelmed the competition with his heavy hands, suffocating grappling, and relentless physicality. The 29-year-old Arkansas native has his eyes on Lee’s belt, and a statement win on Friday could put him firmly in that conversation.
Standing across from him is a 21-year-old phenom equally obsessed with finishing his adversaries. Turkish juggernaut Dzhabir Dzhabrailov has knocked out or submitted every single one of his opponents. In fact, he has stopped all three of his rivals in ONE Championship within two minutes. Only one perfect record will survive when the final bell sounds on April 10.
The co-main event is a story for the ages. Sam-A Gaiyanghadao – the inaugural ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion, ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Champion, and ONE Strawweight Muay Thai World Champion – refuses to ride off into the sunset. At age 42, the living legend is riding a two-bout winning streak and has one final prize in his sights.
In Elmehdi “The Sniper” El Jamari, however, he faces a man who has the ability to turn off an opponent’s lights in the blink of an eye. The 28-year-old Moroccan holds a distinction few can claim: he is the only man to have knocked out the iron-chinned Thongpoon PK Saenchai in the organization. This Friday, he looks to do the same to Sam-A.
Take a look at the lineup for ONE Fight Night 42 below.
Tommy Reamon Jr., in partnership with the City of Hampton, is launching a new high school football showcase aimed at developing local talent across Hampton Roads.
The event, titled “The Evaluation,” is a free camp scheduled for Friday at Darling Stadium. It is open to rising freshmen through seniors and will run from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Participants will take part in drills, competitions and skill development sessions, while also receiving guidance on the recruiting process. The camp is designed to provide hands-on coaching and exposure for athletes throughout the region.
The event is expected to draw coaches from across Hampton Roads, with approximately 50 schools represented.
Drills will be led by former NFL players, including former Chargers edge rusher and UVA alum Chris Peace and former Eagles cornerback and Virginia Tech alum Roc Carmichael, both of whom bring high-level playing experience to the camp.
Top performers from the event will be featured in Sports Illustrated and The Reamon Report.
Reamon, a former Old Dominion quarterback and NFL scout, organized the showcase not only to create opportunities for young athletes but also to honor the legacy of his late father, Tommy Reamon Sr., who was known for his commitment to supporting student-athletes.
Head coach Cori Close speaks to the crowd during the celebration for the NCAA Champion UCLA Bruins Women’s basketball team, Wednesday April 8, 2026, in Los Angeles, Calif.
LOS ANGELES - When the buzzer rang and UCLA officially became the 2026 NCAA champions, there was one thing that head coach Cori Close kept circling back to in the litany of interviews that followed: the village. Anyone who played a part in building and supporting what became a championship team from coaches and staff to the Bruins faithful themselves.
On Wednesday, Close and the Bruins brought the NCAA trophy back to the village. It was the fulfillment of a lesson that John Wooden taught her long ago.
“He used to say that if you are going to go about something like that, make sure it's not just about you. Maybe not just about your team or sometimes not even just about the university. But make sure what you accomplish is also good for the baker, the banker and the community you have the privilege to serve,” Close said.
Confetti fills Pauley Pavilion as the UCLA Bruins and their fans celebrate during the celebration for the NCAA Champion UCLA Bruins Women’s basketball team, Wednesday April 8, 2026, in Los Angeles, Calif.
Jordan Teller - The Sporting Tribune
Confetti fills Pauley Pavilion as the UCLA Bruins and their fans celebrate during the celebration for the NCAA Champion UCLA Bruins Women’s basketball team, Wednesday April 8, 2026, in Los Angeles, Calif.
Past acknowledges present
Fans packed Pauley Pavilion for what’s officially the last time this season to receive the Bruins on a star-studded night for fans of UCLA’s history.
Among the marquee speakers were Denise Curry and Ann Meyers, who appeared in a video message.
Curry and Meyers are, as of this moment, the only two women’s basketball players to have their numbers retired by the program and they’re also both members of the last UCLA team to win a national championship back in 1978.
Gabriela Jaquez, Lauren Betts, and Charlisse Leger-Walker dance during the celebration for the NCAA Champion UCLA Bruins Women’s basketball team, Wednesday April 8, 2026, in Los Angeles, Calif.
Jordan Teller - The Sporting Tribune
Gabriela Jaquez, Lauren Betts, and Charlisse Leger-Walker dance during the celebration for the NCAA Champion UCLA Bruins Women’s basketball team, Wednesday April 8, 2026, in Los Angeles, Calif.
“Every time I come to Pauley Pavilion, I take a look at that banner and every single time it fills me with pride and gratitude,” Curry said. “Pride for what we accomplished and how we did it. Gratitude for all of those that poured into us and acknowledged us… So it’s getting some company and I can’t wait for that banner raising.”
This season, before it became defined by a national championship, was defined by joy, community and love.
Power of friendship and love
Those are the qualities that brought about the result and it’s those qualities, maybe even more than the trophies, rings and banners themselves, that will make this season memorable, especially for the six seniors that ended their college careers on the highest note there is.
Gabriela Jaquez and Angela Dugalić celebrate during the celebration for the NCAA Champion UCLA Bruins Women’s basketball team, Wednesday April 8, 2026, in Los Angeles, Calif.
Jordan Teller - The Sporting Tribune
Gabriela Jaquez and Angela Dugalić celebrate during the celebration for the NCAA Champion UCLA Bruins Women’s basketball team, Wednesday April 8, 2026, in Los Angeles, Calif.
“We worked hard every single day. We stayed focused, we stayed determined on our mission and this group is just so special," senior forward Gabriela Jaquez said. “We're all best friends. The power of friendship and the power of love is so special and so powerful and that's what got us to be national champions."
Echoing Close’s sentiment on the village, seniors Kiki Rice and Lauren Betts took the stage after Jaquez and celebrated every facet of the UCLA women’s basketball experience, including the band, cheer and dance teams and the students that packed the stands.
The key UCLA Bruins seniors, Gianna Kneepkens, Charlisse Leger-Walker, Angela Dugalić, Gabriela Jaquez, Kiki Rice, and Lauren Betts look on during the celebration for the NCAA Champion UCLA Bruins Women’s basketball team, Wednesday April 8, 2026, in Los Angeles, Calif.
Jordan Teller - The Sporting Tribune
The key UCLA Bruins seniors, Gianna Kneepkens, Charlisse Leger-Walker, Angela Dugalić, Gabriela Jaquez, Kiki Rice, and Lauren Betts look on during the celebration for the NCAA Champion UCLA Bruins Women’s basketball team, Wednesday April 8, 2026, in Los Angeles, Calif.
Close victorious
This championship is something 15 years in the making for Close. It brought a new brand and new air of legitimacy to the UCLA women’s basketball program, something that has been one of Close’s most earnest goals.
She was told in 2011, when she first signed on as head coach, that she would never be able to make Los Angeles care about women’s basketball. That there was too much competition, too much to do and that she and her program would always go overlooked.
Head coach Cori Close is introduced to the crowd during the celebration for the NCAA Champion UCLA Bruins Women’s basketball team, Wednesday April 8, 2026, in Los Angeles, Calif.
Jordan Teller - The Sporting Tribune
Head coach Cori Close is introduced to the crowd during the celebration for the NCAA Champion UCLA Bruins Women’s basketball team, Wednesday April 8, 2026, in Los Angeles, Calif.
On Wednesday, Close, surrounded by a raucous crowd there to celebrate her team, stood victorious, vindicated and joyful.
“Let me tell you,” Close said. “LA cares about women's basketball now.”
The Minnesota Twins don't have the most stacked lineup on paper, as center fielder Byron Buxton is their only position player with an above-average track record. However, that didn't matter in Wednesday's 8-6 win over the Detroit Tigers.
The Twins scored all eight of their runs on Tigers starter Framber Valdez, who gave up 10 hits over five innings. The southpaw gave up just one earned run over his first two starts, but Minnesota rallied immediately and didn't let up.
Buxton opened the scoring by running home on a wild pitch before Ryan Jeffers hit an RBI groundout to make it 2-0 in the bottom of the first. Josh Bell then hit an RBI single before Matt Wallner smacked an RBI double and Royce Lewis hit a two-run single, making it 6-0 with just one out. Valdez then retired the next two hitters to finally end the frame.
The score stayed that way until Luke Keaschall notched an RBI single in the fourth. Buxton also came home again in the sixth when Austin Martin got picked off and caught stealing second, making the score 8-2.
The Tigers had a four-run rally on Minnesota reliever Anthony Banda in the seventh, but it wasn't enough to come back.
Anything can happen in a baseball game, but scoring eight runs on Valdez is no small feat. The two-time All-Star is 82-52 with a 3.34 ERA over 190 career outings (168 starts), and he hasn't had an ERA above 4.00 since 2019.
This wasn't Minnesota's only effective offensive game recently, either. The club tallied nine runs against the Kansas City Royals on April 1, 10 against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday, and seven against the Tigers on Monday. It lost the Kansas City game 13-9, but beat Tampa Bay 10-4 and Detroit 7-3.
What's helped the Twins is getting everyone involved. For example, all of their starters besides Brooks Lee had at least one hit on Wednesday, and five of them had at least one RBI.
Minnesota still has room for improvement, as it's 17th in baseball with a .675 team OPS. However, the club is on the right track, as it is 6-6 and has the chance to sweep Detroit on Thursday.
Thursday's game will start at 1:40 p.m. ET, and right-handed pitcher Mick Abel will start against Tigers right-hander Jack Flaherty. After that, the Twins will hit the road to play the Blue Jays.
Postseason action is heating up in Escambia and Santa Rosa County. District lacrosse tournaments are underway and district weightlifting continues. Below is a roundup of the action from April 8.
Boys lacrosse
District 1-1A quarterfinals
No. 2 Pensacola Catholic 18, No. 7 Pensacola 1
The Crusaders rolled into the district semifinals, topping the Tigers for the second time this year. Catholic previously beat PHS 20-0 on Feb. 9.
Pensacola Catholic (11-7) will host the winner of Booker T. Washington/North Bay Haven in the District 1-1A semifinals on April 10. A game time has yet to be announced.
Pensacola (0-12) is eliminated and its season is over. The Tigers had to win the district tournament to qualify for the state playoffs.
Girls lacrosse
District 1-2A quarterfinals
No. 4 Tate 12, No. 5 Milton 0
The Aggies recorded their first shutout of the season to advance to the district semifinals. They previously beat Milton 11-4 on Feb. 17
Tate (8-11) will play at No. 1 Gulf Breeze in the District 1-2A semifinals on April 10 at 7 p.m. The Dolphins beat Tate 23-0 on Feb. 25.
Milton (3-12) is eliminated and its season is over. The Panthers had to win the district tournament to qualify for the state playoffs.
District 1-1A quarterfinals
No. 4 Seacoast Collegiate 12, No. 5 Booker T. Washington 11
The Wildcats season ends with a nailbiting loss. Booker T. Washington (4-9) had to win the district tournament to qualify for the state playoffs.
Seacoast Collegiate (5-6) will play at No. 1 South Walton in the District 1-1A semifinals on April 10 at 5:30 p.m.
No. 2 Pensacola Catholic 18, No. 7 Pensacola 0
The Crusaders recorded their fourth shutout win this season on their way to the district semifinals. They previously shutout the Tigers 19-0 on Feb. 10.
Pensacola Catholic (10-7) will host No. 3 West Florida in the District 1-1A semifinals on April 10. A game time has yet to be announced. The Crusaders blanked the Jaguars 18-0 on Feb. 12.
Pensacola (0-15) is eliminated and its season is over. The Tigers had to win the district tournament to qualify for the state playoffs.
No. 3 West Florida 19, No. 6 North Bay Haven Charter Academy 5
The Jaguars dominated the Buccaneers (3-8) on their way to the district semifinals.
West Florida (13-5) will play at No. 2 Pensacola Catholic in the District 1-1A semifinals on April 10. A game time has yet to be announced.
Boys weightlifting
District 1-1A championship (at Baker)
Jay finished as the district runner-up in both the Olympic and traditional categories.
The Royals totaled 48 points in both categories, finishing behind Baker in both as well. The Gators won the Olympic title with 54 points and the traditional title with 58 points.
Jay's Tanner Martinez (129 pounds), Rylan Williams (199) and Chase Dooley swept both categories in their respective weight class. Dooley is the defending 1A unlimited Olympic and traditional state champion.
Below are area weightlifters who placed in the top 10. The district champions automatically qualify for regionals, while the top 10 finishers in each weight class will be eligible for an at-large bid. The Region 1-1A championship will take place April 24 at Walton High School.
Olympic
119: Tucker Cooley, Jay (1st, 245 pounds, 110 snatch, 135 clean and jerk); Max Webster, Pensacola Catholic (2nd, 240 pounds, 105 snatch, 135 clean); Jair Leon, Pensacola Catholic (4th, 235 pounds, 110 snatch, 125 clean); Karson Ellis, Central (7th, 180 pounds, 80 snatch, 100 clean); Hunter Mandell, Jay (8th, 155 pounds, 65 snatch, 90 clean); Nathan Thompson, Central (9th, 125 pounds, 50 snatch, 75 clean)
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Michael Conforto thought he had connected on a grand slam for his first home run with the Chicago Cubs.
Instead, Conforto’s 414-foot barreled ball in the fifth inning Wednesday slammed off the center-field wall just beyond the outstretched glove of the Tampa Bay Rays’ leaping center fielder Jonny DeLuca. Conforto settled for a two-run double with a third run scoring when Dansby Swanson raced home as the Rays committed two errors on the relay. Conforto sparked a five-run frame in the Cubs’ 6-2 win on Wednesday to take the series and move back to .500 (6-6).
“I thought I got it,” Conforto said. “It’s a little embarrassing. Just watched it, walked out of the box. He almost caught it, too, so I’m glad he didn’t catch it. But it’s a good swing.”
Manager Craig Counsell called the contact they got from Conforto (three hits, three RBIs, two walks) in the last two games an important development. Conforto felt he had been late getting ready to hit and having his hands set, contributing to starting the year with five strikeouts in his first nine at-bats.
“Adding another position player and another left-handed bat to something that we can mix and match based on pitching matchups is going to make us more successful and more offensive as the year goes on,” Counsell said after the game.
Conforto getting more locked in helped the Cubs take the series against the Rays. There are three other key takeaways in the Cubs’ series performance.
1. Nico Hoerner showing slug.
It took until late June for Nico Hoerner to finally slug his first home run of the season in the Chicago Cubs’ 79th game last year.
Hoerner needed just 12 games to launch his first long ball of the 2026 campaign by sending a 1-2 sweeper from Tampa Bay’s right-hander Joe Boyle over the left field fence for a leadoff home run in the Cubs’ 6-2 win on Wednesday at Tropicana Field to secure a series victory.
Hoerner also recorded an RBI double in the Cubs’ five-run fifth inning, part of a three-hit night.
“We’re well aware as players things that we don’t do at a high level or things that we can do better, and it’s part of my game that I don’t do it at a high level, but what do you do with that?” Hoerner said after the win. “And for me, I’ve had stretches where I’ve thought of hitting for power as taking chances and big swings, and I think that’s taken me away from some of my strengths and has honestly been a little sloppy and not the best version of myself. But I also don’t regret those times because I think it’s all part of figuring out who you are as a player.”
Hoerner already has six doubles this year after tallying 29 a season ago. His extra-base hit percentage (XBH%) currently sits at 13.2%, well above the 6.4% he averaged the previous four years. Expecting Hoerner to maintain that level of XBH% over the course of this season isn’t realistic, but the Cubs have seen a shift in his ability to hit for more slug dating to the final weeks of last season.
“Hitting for power isn’t necessarily hitting home runs for me,” Hoerner said. “I’m not going into at-bats trying to hit home runs. But I do want to get pitches that I can drive. I want to hit balls hard on high line drives, preferably to the pull side in the air, but not getting away from the things that make myself, myself.”
2. Colin Rea delivering as usual in an important role.
Less than a week ago, the Cubs weren’t anticipating Javier Assad and Colin Rea making starts in Tampa.
Injuries to Matthew Boyd and Cade Horton forced the Cubs to pivot and rely on their depth, and the two right-handers delivered against the Rays. Assad and Rea combined to allow just one run and five hits in 10 2/3 innings. Their composure on little notice impressed but didn’t surprise their teammates. This isn’t the first time each has shown he can deliver in tough circumstances.
For Rea, he again becomes valuable to the rotation with Horton out for the rest of the season.
“Just being ready for anything,” Rea said after Wednesday’s win. “Being prepared for whatever role that may be, and guys are going to have to step up and fill those roles.”
Counsell believes Rea’s low, steady heartbeat is a strength of the veteran’s.
“He’s not going to let the situation change him,” Counsell said. “He’d give you this effort if he’s pitching in a beer league game on Tuesday night in Iowa — that’s what he’d give you. So that’s just Colin, and that’s what we love about him and respect about him.”
3. Offensive shows what it can be.
The Cubs know their lineup is capable of beating teams in a variety of ways offensively.
Their back-to-back wins against the Rays showed that any hitter in the lineup is capable of delivering big hits. After managing only 11 runs and 19 in their first four games of the road trip, the Cubs put up 15 runs and 24 hits in the last two games versus Tampa Bay. Playing in the Rays’ domed ballpark certainly helped after dealing with varying weather and temperatures during their first nine games of the season.
For as much as the Cubs didn’t panic when the offense didn’t produce as they envisioned at the onset of the season, the group knows what they’re capable of when the lineup gets rolling. Hoerner described their offensive numbers the last two days as “super uplifting” and said it’s always a big deal when the entire lineup clicks. The Cubs hope it’s the start of the offense having more games where they can carry the pitching staff.
“It’s a new team every year, no matter how many guys you bring back,” catcher Carson Kelly told the Tribune. “Teams are going to go through this. There’s going to be some ups and downs. It felt, these last couple of days, it felt like a lot of the games we played last year. You could feel the energy. You can feel it. And winning is contagious.”
COLLINSVILLE — John Tedesco may be a freshman, but Tuesday night he displayed the mental fortitude of a seasoned veteran.
Just one day after striking out to end a 9-7 home loss to Collinsville, Tedesco delivered a masterclass on the mound despite going 0-for-3 with 3 strikeouts at the plate, striking out 13 batters himself in a no-hit effort while navigating 5 walks across 6 shutout innings to lead Claremore to a 12-1 District 5A-3 road victory at Pat Oolpitt Field.
“I just flushed it [last night’s ending], and my teammates helped me bounce back,” Tedesco said, specifically noting Arizona State commit Jax Van Valkenburg’s role in helping build his confidence.
He wasn’t alone in the redemption effort.
Brayden Floyd turned in a career night, going 3-for-4 — including a double and a triple — with 5 RBIs while also closing the game on the mound. He was 1-for-4 in the Game 1 loss.
“I think the team was more high-energy, and I could feel that from our dugout,” Floyd said. “I felt more confident coming up to bat and felt like I had my team behind me. That really helped me.”
Notably, Floyd hadn’t pitched since he was 12 years old before this season, yet finished Tuesday’s game by striking out the side after a shaky start in the seventh.
Claremore coach Jonathan Gelnar said Floyd has evolved into a pitcher they can rely on in high-pressure scenarios.
“With our team, everybody’s a pitcher until we tell them you can’t,” Gelnar said. “He’s a guy who’s really developed into a leader, and every time we’ve thrown him out there, he’s done really well. He’s named himself as the best closer in our district, and that’s just kind of the mindset you’ve got to have in that role. It’s going to be a pressure situation most of the time, and he’s had fun with it.”
Floyd was one of three Zebras with 3 hits, joining Bo Wolf [3-for-4, 1 RBI] and Kellen Gaede [3-for-4, 2 RBIs], who had 2 doubles, while Luke Roberts added 2 hits. The quartet combined for 11 of Claremore’s 12 hits in a dominant offensive showing.
“Credit to the kid yesterday — he threw a really good game — but we did not stick to a game plan very well, and we were taking a lot of fastballs. In high school baseball, if you take a lot of fastballs, you’re going to be behind in a lot of counts. It was just, you gotta get your swings off today, especially if it’s over the white. You don’t want to get behind against really good pitchers — we don’t want to be 0-1 without getting a swing off.
Claremore [15-7, 9-1 District 5A-3] struck first in the opening inning when Floyd doubled to right, scoring Wolf — who reached on a single — for a 1-0 lead.
The Zebras extended the advantage in the third.
Gaede led off the inning with a double, and Floyd followed with a triple down the right-field line to bring him home. Moments later, Roberts delivered an RBI single to center, pushing the lead to 3-0.
“It feels great [getting multibag hits],” Floyd said. “It helps my confidence and makes me feel better. I think it helped set the tone for the game, and I think that’s what helped us win the game.”
From there, Tedesco took complete control.
The freshman retired hitters in bunches, including a stretch of 7-consecutive strikeouts, keeping the Cardinals off balance all night.
“Johnny was electric tonight,” Gelnar said. “He is poised and very businesslike — he’s going to make money someday.”
Claremore added to its lead in the fifth when Floyd grounded out to drive in a run, making it 4-0.
Then the game broke open in the sixth.
After loading the bases with walks and a hit batter, Wolf drew a walk to force in a run, extending the lead to 5-0. Floyd was then hit by a pitch to bring home another run, and a passed ball allowed a third run to score.
Roberts added an RBI groundout to cap a 4-run inning, giving the Zebras an 8-0 advantage.
Claremore then put the game out of reach in the seventh.
With two outs, Gaede ripped a 2-run double to left field, scoring Braden Trail and Evan Jameson. Floyd followed with a 2-run single, driving in Wolf and Gaede to extend the lead to 12-0.
Collinsville [12-7, 8-2] avoided the shutout in the bottom half when Cayden Cupps tripled and later scored on a wild pitch, but Floyd recovered after issuing a pair of walks.
“It was really cool to come out here on a district night,” Floyd said. “I’ve got good stuff. The coaches got behind me, and I have the confidence.”
Claremore was clean defensively, committing no errors, while Tyler Osgood anchored the defense with 16 chances.
The win gave the Zebras a quick bounce-back after Monday’s loss and kept them firmly in the district race.
“It was one of our lowest moments yesterday and one of our highest moments today,” Gelnar said. “That’s a good team, and it’s always fun to come beat them. It’s kind of a rivalry because we’re so close, and they play a good style of baseball and they’re always good. With Collinsville and Pryor, the guys are fired up to play because they see each other all the time and get bragging rights.”
Claremore returns to action at 6:30 p.m. Thursday against Chickasha in the Tiger/Zebra Festival at Legendary Legion Field at Murray-Pixley Park before hosting Oologah at 4 p.m. Friday.
Paolo Banchero had 20 points, eight rebounds and six assists as the Orlando Magic beat the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves 132-120 on Wednesday for their fourth consecutive victory. Desmond Bane scored 18 points and Franz Wagner added 17 for Orlando (44-36), which moved into seventh place in the tight Eastern Conference standings, one-half game ahead of the Philadelphia 76ers (43-36) with two games remaining. Goga Bitadze had 14 points and a season-high 15 rebounds, Tristan da Silva added 12 points, and Jalen Suggs and Jevon Carter finished with 11 apiece. Orlando led by as many as 24 in the third quarter and completed a two-game season sweep against the Wolves. Terrence Shannon Jr. set career highs with five 3-pointers and 33 points for short-handed Minnesota (47-33), which clinched the sixth position in the Western Conference on Tuesday. Jaden McDaniels returned after missing six games with a knee injury and scored 18 points in 19 minutes. Naz Reid had 15 points and Donte DiVincenzo added 12.
The Majors Detroit: FINAL: Pistons 137, Bucks 111 Cade Cunningham returned and immediately made an impact: 13 PTS 10 AST 5 REB Detroit improves to 58-22 and needs wins over Charlotte and Indiana to reach 60 victories for the first time in nearly two decades.
A catcher bringing the lumber. Dillon Dingler came through at the plate for Detroit on Wednesday night, tallying three hits and an RBI, helping to fuel a rally that ultimately fell short as the Tigers played from a 6-0 hole after the first inning. It’s a good sign for Dingler, who had been hitless in his last three outings. And Wednesday’s outing is Dingler’s first three-hit game of the 2026 season. Dingler is a steady presence behind the plate for Detroit and has a laser beam of an arm. When he shows up as a hitter, few can affect the game quite like he can.
Yesterday and today, the Tigers’ top pitchers started on the mound with reigning back-to-back Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal pitching Tuesday and Framber Valdez, who arrived in Detroit this offseason on a big-time free agent deal, starting Wednesday. The lefties gave up 12 runs on 18 hits and four walks over 9.2 combined innings as Detroit lost both games. Valdez got shellacked early on Wednesday, giving up six runs in the bottom of the first inning. He’d give up two more runs, one in the fourth inning and another in the sixth, getting pulled before recording an out in that frame. Valdez finished giving up eight runs on 10 hits. It’s early in the season, the sample size is small and better days are likely ahead, but back-to-back days of one's top starters getting roughed up is never a good time.
Royce Lewis drives in two runs to give the @Twins a 6-0 lead in the 1st!
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 04: Jiri Prochazka of the Czech Republic reacts to his knockout of Khalil Rountree Jr. in a light heavyweight fight during the UFC 320 event at T-Mobile Arena on October 04, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC) | Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
UFC 327 is live this weekend (Sat., April 11, 2026) at Kaseya Center in Miami, Fl. and broadcast on Paramount+. This is will be the most stacked PLE of the Paramount+ era to date, even with one of its title fights falling by the wayside.
The main event is soon to be father Jiri Prochazka vs. Carlos Ulberg for the vacant UFC Light Heavyweight title. That belt is available after Alex Pereira said he’d rather fight Ciryl Gane on the White House lawn than defend it.
The co-main event is Azamat Murzakanov vs. Paulo Costa, in Borrachinha’s first real debut in the Light Heavyweight division. He’ll have his hands full there, with the 16-0 Russian KO machine.
UFC 327’s main card is rounded out by Curtis Blaydes vs. Josh Hokit, Dominick Reyes vs. Johnny Walker and Cub Swanson vs. Nate Landwehr.
The featured “Prelim” this weekend is Patricio Pitbull vs. Aaron Pico. The “Prelims” also have Kevin Holland vs. Randy Brown and Kelvin Gastelum vs. Vicente Luque.
As always, there’s lots to bet on this card and we’ve got odds for all the fights below:
UFC 327 Main Card Money Line Odds
Jiri Prochazka (-120) vs. Carlos Ulberg (+100)
Prochakza’s shot at the vacant UFC Light Heavyweight title comes after his mythic victory over Khalil Rountree at UFC 320 last October (see it here). That amazing comeback win earned him both the Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night awards. That was Prochazka’s second win a row, having finished Jamahal Hill back in January, 2025 (see it here). Prochazka’s only losses since 2015 are to Alex Pereira.
Ulberg was stunned by Kennedy Nzechukwu in his debut back in 2021, losing by second round TKO. All he’s done is win since then, though. He’s notched nine wins in UFC with six stoppages. Last time out he dropped Dominick Reyes. Before that he took cautious decisions over Jan Blackowicz and Volkan Oezdemir.
To get straight to the point, I’m picking Prochazka here. And I don’t know if I have a good reason why. The man just has ‘aura’, as the kid’s say. It just feels like this is a moment that Prochazka will seize upon, even if he has to suffer to do so.
Prochazka is a special character in MMA and he seems capable of willing himself to victory. We’ve seen him get in a hole, a few times, and just mentally break himself out of that funk and go forwards with almost supernatural levels of endurance and violence.
Ulberg, on the other hand, just seems like a nice fighter. He’s a great striker and has a lot of size and athleticism. And he fights a smart game. In his toughest match-ups to date, against Blachowicz and Oezdemir, he fought with intelligence and a lot of caution. That helped him get his title shot, but I don’t think that will get him the title against a man like the Last Samurai.
On paper, Ulberg’s stats look better than Prochazka’s. But you have to consider the difference in their levels of competition and also the intangibles around Prochazka, which I mentioned earlier.
I think we’re due for a fire fight in this contest, with Prochazka going forwards and Ulberg sitting back looking for a counter shot. If that happens, it will be interesting to see whether Ulberg hurt’s Prochazka and then puts him down or if he hurts him and merely unleashes Prochazka’s final form.
I’ve really fallen in love with the narrative of this fight, so I might not be seeing things as clearly as normal. But even so, I want to stake my money with Prochazka and back him here.
Best bet: Jiri Prochazka moneyline (-120)
Curtis Blaydes (-135) vs. Josh Hokit (+114)
Blaydes got his hand raised opposite Rizvan Kuniev in June, though he should have probably lost that split decision. That was his first fight since he was steamrolled by Tom Aspinall in July, 2024 (see it here) for the interim UFC Heavyweight title. Blaydes’ other recent wins are his TKO over Jailton Almeida, in a fight he was losing, and his win over Aspinall (which was due to Aspinall blowing out his knee).
Hokit has been fast tracked up the UFC rankings after his quick wins over Denzel Freeman and Max Gimenis. His advancement might be due, in part, to his budget Colby Covington act.
I think we’re currently watching the decline of Blaydes. He’s 2-2 in his last four. However, when you throw out the split decision he should have lost to Kuniev and the freak injury in the first Aspinall fight, the only win he’s had in that period was his victory over Almeida (a fight he was getting beat up in). His losses are both first round stoppages to Aspinall and Sergei Pavlovich. Blaydes’ last totally convincing win was in 2022, over Chris Daukaus.
As repellent as Hokit’s personality may be, I have to admit that he is a blue chip Heavyweight prospect. The former NFL man moves with a lot of speed and athleticism, something seldom seen in the Heavyweight ranks. Physically, he has all the tools to be a top ranked Heavyweight and part of the “Heavyweights who can actually fight well” club.
I think he’s due a big coming out party this weekend, which will likely include another cringy Macho Man impression on the mic.
I’m feeling this way because Blaydes’ has been stopped plenty of times with strikes. All five of his pro losses are due to strikes. His best defense against them is his wrestling. However, Hokit has shown he’s pretty good on the mat so far. I think Hokit is going to be too fast and strong to fall victim to Blaydes’ concrete blanket and that means he’ll have lots of opportunities to land power shots.
Best bet: Josh Hokit moneyline (+114)
Dominick Reyes (-135) vs. Johnny Walker (+114)
Reyes would have been in the main event tonight had he not lost to Carlos Ulberg last September. Reyes lost his chance for a second title fight after going down to a one-two in the first round (see it here). He’d won three straight before then, with stoppages of Nikita Krylov, Anthony Smith and Dustin Jacoby.
Walker defied his critics last year, surprising red hot prospect Zhang Mingyang with a second round TKO (see it here). Walker was a +300 underdog in that fight. It came after back-to-back KO losses to Volkan Oezdemir and Magomed Ankalaev.
I poured cold water on Reyes’ hot streak before his title eliminator and I’ll do that again here. The win over Jacoby was impressive, but he fought Smith on a night where Smith wept on his way to the cage. Lionheart had just suffered the death of his coach and close friend and was in no shape to fight. And Krylov was returning from a two year absence.
When you consider those caveats, Reyes’ recent form isn’t nearly as impressive as it is on paper and that was exposed by Ulberg.
I think there’s a chance that happens again. Walker is a long way from Ulberg, but he’s lively and not afraid to attack. I still have questions about Reyes’ durability, so I think there’s a chance Walker gets through to him and scores his second stoppage in a row.
Walker will have five inches of reach advantage to help him in that endeavor.
Best bet: Johnny Walker moneyline (+114)
Azamat Murzakanov (-198) vs. Paulo Costa (+164)
Murzakanov has looked brutally effective in UFC thus far. He’s won his first six fights and finished them all, except for a decision win he took over Dustin Jacoby. Last time out he KO’d Aleksandar Rakic with a jab (see it here). Other victims include Brendson Ribeiro and Alonzo Menifield.
Costa is back at Light Heavyweight for this bout. His last fight was a unanimous decision over Roman Kopylov in July. He had to pull out of a fight with Brunno Fereira in March. He’s fought six times since 2020 and is 2-4, with high profile losses to Sean Strickland, Robert Whittaker and Israel Adesanya.
This should be Murzakanov’s fight to lose. I have questions over how Costa will look at Light Heavyweight, not so much due to his physique, but just because I don’t know how well is he going to train without the discipline that comes with the threat of a weight cut down to 185. Costa has a great chin, but, again, I don’t know what that’s going to look like at Light Heavyweight, where guys can crush.
Murzakanov seems to possess ungodly power. Costa absorbs a ridiculous 6.2 sig. strikes a minute and has only 49 percent defense on sig. strikes. If he keeps those numbers at Light Heavyweight, he’s going to end a few fights looking up at the lights, not knowing what happened.
I really like Murzakanov’s chances of being just the second man to finish Costa. Murzakanov by TKO/KO is +200. I’m going to take him minus the points, though, for a little insurance.
Best bet: Azamat Murzakanov -3.5 (-105)
Responsible Betting
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Cub Swanson (+102) vs. Nate Landwehr (+114)
Due to Tatsuro Taira and Joshua Van needing to be rebooked, Swanson’s retirement fight has been promoted to the main card at UFC 327. This is scheduled to be Swanson’s 35th career bout and his 26th in the Octagon. The 42 year-old has been competitive in his late career, going win-loss-win-loss since 2019. He won his last fight, over Billy Quarantillo, by KO in December, 2024 (see it here).
Landwehr is on a two fight losing skid. Last time out he was TKO’d by Morgan Charriere (see it here). Before that he was dominated, and stopped, by Doo Ho Choi (see it here). When he first joined UFC, Landwehr scored wins over Ludovit Klein and David Onama.
Landwher feels like a tailor made opponent for Swanson to fight (and beat) before he rides off into the sunset. These two are probably going to brawl it out and get the fans on their feet.
In that situation I favor Swanson’s technique over Landwehr’s aggression. I like Landwehr, but I think Swanson will be able to catch him too many times coming in.
Swanson’s age would concern me if he didn’t look so good against Quarantillo in his last fight. And Landwehr is no spring chicken himself. He’s 37.
So give me Swanson to get his Chiesa moment in the Kaseya Center.
Best bet: Cub Swanson moneyline (+102)
UFC 327 ‘Prelims’ Under Card Odds
Patricio Pitbull (+270) vs. Aaron Pico (-340)
It’s hard to know who is being trolled with this match-up. Is it Pitbull, Pico, us or everyone?
After spending almost all his career in Bellator, Pitbull landed in the Octagon with a terrible unanimous decision loss to Yair Rodriguez almost exactly a year ago. He followed that up with a largely comfortable decision win over Dan Ige in July. He’s been on the sidelines since then, perhaps frozen out because he refused to fight an overweight Losene Keita in September.
Fellow Bellator vet Pico started his UFC career with a loss, too. He was looking good against Lerone Murphy before getting obliterated with a spinning elbow (see it here). That was in August. That was the fourth KO/TKO loss of Pico’s 18 fight career.
I’m not going to overthink this one. Pitbull is 39 in a few months. Pico, though he’s got some wear and tear on him, is in his prime at 29. Pico is also a lot bigger, with a three inch reach advantage.
Pico’s wrestling had Murphy in a lot of trouble early on in that fight. I think he’s going to have even more success when wrestling against the aging Pitbull. And I don’t think Pitbull can uncork a massive fight ending strike like Murphy did.
The round total is set at 1.5. That’s a little curious. I think Pitbull is washed, but I also think he’s a tough out. And if Pico is going to look to just ground him and guarantee his first UFC win, then he might take a cautious position over submission approach for fifteen minutes.
Best bet: Over 1.5 rounds (-188)
Mateusz Gamrot (-180) vs. Esteban Ribovics (+150)
Gamrot’s status as a dark horse Lightweight contender has fallen apart since his split decision loss to Dan Hooker, his uninspiring win over Ludovit Klein and a submission loss to Charles Oliveira (see it here). Before that he was 7-2 in UFC action, including a very questionable decision over Arman Tsarukyan.
Ribovics had one of the fights of the year in 2024, going toe-to-toe with Daniel Zellhuber for a split decision win at Sphere. He failed to capitalize on that big win, though, due to a lack of activity. He’s fought only twice since then, dropping an exciting split decision to Nasrat Haqparast and then winning an exciting unanimous decision over Elves Brener.
This is a really interesting fight. We’ve got a relentless wrestler versus a relentless volume striker and two guys who, at times, struggle to seal the deal.
Gamrot’s wrestling game fell apart after Hooker was able to tag him a few times. If Ribovics is landing early and often, I can see that happening again. I thought there was a risk of that happening in the Klein fight, too, but Gamrot proved just too big and cumbersome for Klein to get space and tee off on him.
Ribovics might be better equipped for standing up to Gamrot’s wrestling. He’s not big, but not terribly undersized like Klein was. Ribovics takedown defense is seventy percent. Though, the best wrestler he’s ever faced (Loik Radzhabov) took him down eleven times on twenty one attempts.
This is going to be a race to see if Ribovics can deplete Gamrot with his striking quick enough to nullify the wrestling, or if Gamrot can deplete Ribovics enough with his wrestling to sap the power on Ribovics’ striking. I’m leaning towards Gamrot here, since his wrestling is better than anything Ribovics has seen and that Ribovics striking is more death by a thousand cuts (head kick win over Terrance McKinney aside) and Gamrot might be able to weather that early on route to imposing his wrestling.
Best bet: Mateuz Gamrot moneyline (-180)
Kevin Holland (+102) vs. Randy Brown (-122)
This is Holland’s first assignment of 2026. She managed five bouts last year (not for the first time in his career). In 2025 he went 2-3 with wins over Vicente Luque and Gunnar Nelson and losses to Reinier de Ridder, Daniel Rodriguez and Mike Malott. He’s 15-12 1 NC in UFC, despite only joining the company in 2020.
Brown was finished by Gabriel Bonfim in his main event debut last year (see it here). He earned that APEX main event with a KO over Nicolas Dalby. Prior to that he lost a split decision over Bryan Battle.
I think this is a bad match-up for Brown and I’m surprised to see the odds where they are. Holland will have some reach and muscle on Brown. Both men are pretty similar in the striking department, but I think Holland has more power.
When it comes to grappling, Holland is more slick and more likely to look for submissions.
Though Holland has had far more highs than Brown, he has had some pretty notable lows, too. Those usually come about through poor decision making. Brown is a lot more steady, albeit less spectacular. Brown is probably not going to do something to put himself in a lot of trouble. But, by the same token, he’s probably not going to do something wild and unexpected that could win the fight out of nowhere.
I’m going to go Holland, hoping the big stage (and the lesser known opponent) conspire for one of his highlight reel finishes.
Best bet: Kevin Holland moneyline (+102)
Tatiana Suarez (-155) vs. Loopy Godinez (+130)
Suarez took a unanimous decision over Amanda Lemos in September. She didn’t have things totally her own way in that fight, though. Prior to that, nothing went her way, in a five round drubbing she took from Zhang Weili. The Zhang loss, for the UFC Strawweight title, was Suarez’s first pro loss.
Godinez took a comfortable decision over Jessica Andrade in August. Before that she took a decision over Julia Polastri. She’s 6-2 in her last eight. The two losses were to Mackenzie Dern and Virna Jandiroba.
I’m really not sure what to make of Suarez at this stage of her career. She got tired late against Lemos and then got really lit up on the feet. She likely got tired because of how much Lemos made her work for takedowns. She went three for twelve in that fight.
I think there’s a chance Godinez makes things even more difficult, in that respect. Outside of Zhang, Godinez is probably the best wrestler Suarez has ever faced. Godinez is also a very willing striker, who has shown some nice development in that area. Against Andrade, Godinez landed 107 significant strikes.
If Godinez stuffs takedowns better than Lemos did and is able to land punches, we might see Suarez get worn down. I’m willing to take a chance on that for plus odds.
Best bet: Loopy Godinez moneyline (+130)
UFC 327 Early ‘Prelims’
Kelvin Gastelum (-250) vs. Vicente Luque (+205)
Gastelum won a very fun fight over Dustin Stoltzfus in September. He managed to out muscle Stoltzfus, which might have been helped by him missing weight (by a lot). Before that he lost a decision to Joe Pyfer. His other most recent win was weight assisted, too. He beat Daniel Rodriguez by decision, in Saudi Arabia in 2024, in a bout where Rodriguez was forced to fight at Middleweight due to Gastelum having no chance of making the Welterweight limit. Gastelum is now 14-10 1 NC in his UFC career.
Luque lost a lopsided decision to Joel Alvarez in his last fight. That was back in October. He was supposed to fight Kyle Daukaus here, but Daukaus has been moved onto the White House card (since he’s such a big star). Prior to the Alvarez fight, Luque lost to Kevin Holland by submission (see it here). Luque is now 16-8 in UFC action.
This is a fun fight and it’s great fight booking. Neither of these guys should be facing up and comers or top title contenders. They should be fighting guys like them, vets with name value who are close to being, but not completely, over the hill.
I think the weight class will really favor Gastelum in this fight. Luque fought at Middlweight back in his very early career, but he’s going against an opponent who is known for being heavy and using every ounce of his weight. Gastelum is probably going to weigh a lot more than Luque when they step into the cage. And I think we’re going to see that by how comfortably Gastelum will be able to press Luque up to the fence and keep him there.
Luque is taller and longer than Gastelum, but he won’t be as thick. Gastelum has the wrestling advantage, so Luque will likely need a finish to win this. Gastelum might have the best chin in MMA right now, so I don’t see him going down against Luque.
Best bet: Kelvin Gastelum moneyline (-250)
MarQuel Mederos (+150) vs. Chris Padilla (-180)
Mederos was due to fight Nazim Sadykhov at this event. However, due to injury, Padilla slides in to take that spot. Mederos is 3-0 in UFC, thus far, with decisions over Mark Choinski, Austin Hubbard and Landon Quinones.
Padilla is on a very nice run at the moment, going 4-0 in UFC and 7-0 overall. He debuted in 2024 with a first round submission win over James Llontop (see it here), while a +340 underdog. He then stopped Rongzhu (as a +200 underdog) and won a split decision over Jai Herbert. Last time out he TKO’d Ismael Bonfim (see it here).
Padilla has shown himself to be very crafty and smart, so far in his career. He’s also shown he has plus striking and grappling, which is rare for someone on this rung of the UFC ladder. Mederos has shown some good versatility so far, too, but he’s not done it against the same level of competition.
Mederos has a leg kick heavy offense (25 and 35 percent of his sig. strikes have been leg kicks in his last few fights). I think Padilla is very creative, though, and he will be able to mitigate some of that with checks, stance switches and maybe even a take down.
Best bet: Chris Padilla moneyline (-180)
Charles Radtke (-185) vs. Francisco Prado (+154)
Radtke showed off some improved grappling last time out, by taking out Daniel Frunza with an RNC (see it here). He also showed that he could do more than play rock ‘em sock ‘em robots in that fight. That prior approach had earned him wins over Gilbert Urbina and Matthew Semelsberger. But it had also led to big KO losses to Carlos Prates (see it here) and Mike Malott (see it here).
Prado is on a three fight losing skid. He’s also 1-4 in UFC. His last three losses were decisions to Nikolay Veretennikov, Jake Matthews and Daniel Zellhuber. The Zellhuber fight earned him a Fight of the Night bonus. Many scored the Veretennikov fight for Prado (as did I).
I was very impressed by Radtke’s last outing. He felt very composed and just had a clear idea of everything he wanted to do. I’m not mad at a lot of Prado’s losses. He’s fought tough opposition. But he has been frustrating to watch and seemingly struggles to really assert himself and make convincing arguments for him winning bouts.
This clash of styles really favors Radtke, in my opinion. Radtke also has three inches of reach on Prado and he lands his sig. strikes with much more accuracy (54 percent versus 43 percent).
Best bet: Charles Radtke moneyline (-185)
UFC 327 Long Shots!
Here’s a couple of long shots for Saturday night’s action …
Azamat Murzakanov to win by KO/TKO/DQ in Round 1 (+450)
I think Murzakanov is a serious contender in the Light Heavyweight division. And I think Paul Costa’s move to the division is our of desperation and not because he is a genuine fit at this weight class. I don’t think he will be prepared for the power Murzakanov possess.
Two bet parlay: Reyes vs. Walker Over 1.5 rounds, Swanson vs. Landwehr Under 2.5 rounds (+450)
Reyes and Walker will be wild and there has to be a finish in here. However, I think that might be a bit of dancing and prancing in the first round and that a finish is probably going to come in the second period. I’m hoping it happens in the late second round and I’m pairing that hope with my hopes that Swanson and Landwehr ends early. I think Cub has been given a perfect opponent for his retirement fight and he’s got a great chance of stopping Landwehr early.
Josh Hokit vs. Curtis Blaydes First Minute Finish (+1100)
Hokit is an extremely annoying presence in MMA right now. But he’s also, sadly, very good. Blaydes hasn’t looked good over the past few years and I don’t think he’s durable or quick enough to last long against Hokit. I’ll take this and also hope that Blaydes might shock us all by silencing Hokit in under sixty seconds (and thus spare us from him getting any time on the mic).
To checkout the latest and greatest UFC 327: “Prochazka vs. Ulberg” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.
After the Dodgers' tough loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday, Roberts emphasized there needs to be patience with Ohtani, noting that as a two-way player, he sometimes requires additional time between innings to properly get ready.
"Just talking about the World Series obviously, they [Blue Jays] were a little frustrated about how long Shohei takes in between innings," Roberts said. "If he's on the bases, there's got to be some grace, which I think the umpires are trying to give him. If you are on the other side, you're trying to rush him as much as possible and treat him like any other pitcher, but the truth is, he's different."
Blue Jays Still Not Happy With Shohei Ohtani's Two-Way Process
The Blue Jays had a problem with it during the World Series, and that remained the case for Wednesday's contest when Ohtani took the mound.
Blue Jays outfielder George Springer spoke with umpires regarding the time Ohtani was given to prepare to pitch. During last season's Fall Classic, Blue Jays manager John Schneider complained about the excessive time Ohtani took to switch between his pitching and hitting.
This is Ohtani's first full season as a Dodger as a two-way player with no limitations. So far, things have been great for Ohtani on the hill. In two starts, the 31-year-old has a 1-0 record, an impressive 0.00 ERA, eight strikeouts, a 0.75 WHIP, and has allowed an incredible.119 average against opposing hitters in 12 innings.
As for his offense, the four-time MVP has tallied three home runs, eight RBIs and is slashing .286/.407/.524 with a .931 OPS.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Lauren Betts and her UCLA teammates celebrated the Bruins' first NCAA women's basketball championship with their fans at Pauley Pavilion on Wednesday night.
Betts, Gabriela Jaquez and Charlisse Leger-Walker capped the party by hitting the court to perform their TikTok dance with the championship trophy in the background. Angela Dugalic made a snow angel in the blue-and-gold confetti littering the court.
“This group is so special,” Jaquez told the crowd that filled half the arena. “We're all best friends.”
Jaquez led a spirited eight-clap, the band blared the school fight song, and mascots Joe Bruin and Josie Bruin danced.
It's been a whirlwind for the Bruins since their 79-51 rout of South Carolina in the title game in Phoenix on Sunday. The game averaged 9.9 million viewers, the third most-viewed women's championship game since 1996.
Coach Cori Close recalled arriving in Westwood as head coach in 2011 and someone saying they didn't know if she could ever make Los Angeles care about women's basketball.
The crowd booed.
“Let me tell you,” she said. “L.A. cares about women's basketball now and you guys helped do that.”
Close received a standing ovation from her team and the crowd that chanted “Cori! Cori!”
“I want to say thank you to you," she said. ”It truly does take a village to go win a championship."
Eventually, a banner signifying the first NCAA women's basketball title will be raised to the ceiling in Pauley Pavilion, where currently the only women's basketball title banner is from the school's 1978 AIAW championship, the precursor to the NCAA.
“It’s getting some company. I can’t wait,” said Denise Curry, who starred for the Bruins on that team, along with Ann Meyers Drysdale.
Via video, Meyers Drysdale told the team, “This is your TLC moment — your team, your legacy, your championship.”
John Wooden's single gold seat in a sea of blue ones sat empty behind the Bruins bench. He coached the men's teams to 10 national titles, including seven in a row, and was a mentor to Close before his death in 2010.
Now, Close's title run will be represented in the same rarified air as Wooden.
“It's such a symbol of something that’s really made a difference in my life,” she said.
Wooden's son Jim texted congratulations to Close. Wooden's great-granddaughter Cori Anderson sent a photo of her and her daughter dressed in UCLA gear.
“They've been incredibly gracious to me,” Close said.
The team's six seniors took the stage in front of a mix of adults and young kids.
“We could not have done it without you,” Jaquez said. “I want to shout out all the little kids who gave us friendship bracelets, cookies and notes.”
A group of young men from the Tamaki Basketball Academy in Auckland, New Zealand, performed a traditional Maori dance signifying respect and honor for Leger-Walker, who wrapped herself in her native country's flag. The group flew into Los Angeles just to perform at the celebration.
"I’m the first New Zealand women’s basketball player to ever win a national title, so that’s been kind of the talk of the town,” she said before the party. “It's huge for the kids back home to see that this is possible for them, too.”
The Bruins headed to the Clippers game against Oklahoma City afterward. They've already visited the Lakers and Jimmy Kimmel's late-night show. Next week, they'll be at a Dodgers game.
“I did wake up this morning after a couple more hours of sleep and I'm like, ‘Wow, this is real. I did wake up again and I’m still a national champion,'" Leger-Walker said, laughing.
Betts was wearing a backward championship cap with a piece of the net tucked in front.
“This is my net, man,” she said. "No one can take this from me. It's mine forever."
🔥Tigres roar at the Volcán: crucial edge over Seattle Sounders
In a vibrant, tension-filled clash, Tigres UANL defeated the Seattle Sounders 2-0 in the first leg of the 2026 Concachampions quarter-finals. The Estadio Universitario witnessed feline dominance that, despite controversy and a missed penalty, puts the series on course toward the semi-finals.
Herrera and Joaquim make the difference
After a scrappy first half, Ozziel Herrera sparked wild celebrations in the 51st minute with a well-placed shot following a brilliant individual play.
The decisive blow came in the 75th minute, when defender Joaquim connected with a pinpoint header from a corner taken by Juan Brunetta. The MLS side held firm, but paid dearly for its lack of finishing against an unbeatable Nahuel Guzmán.
Drama from the penalty spot and injury concerns
The negative note for the home side was the missed penalty by Ángel Correa, who blasted the ball over the bar before halftime. In addition, the match left concerns over the injuries to Vladimir Loroña and Diego Lainez. The second leg will be played next Tuesday in Seattle, where Tigres will look to seal its place with the advantage earned at home.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Byron Buxton had three hits and the Minnesota Twins batted around in a six-run first inning against Framber Valdez before holding off the Detroit Tigers 8-6 on Wednesday night.
Bailey Ober (1-0) allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings for the Twins, who will go for a four-game sweep of their AL Central rivals Thursday afternoon. Cody Laweryson struck out two in 1 1/3 innings before Kody Funderburk got two outs for his third career save and first this season.
Buxton singled on the first pitch from Valdez (1-1) and later scored on a wild pitch. Ryan Jeffers had a sacrifice fly, Josh Bell singled in a run and Matt Wallner added an RBI double. Royce Lewis made it 6-0 with a two-run single before Valdez retired the side on his 29th pitch.
Buxton singled and scored on a two-out base hit by Luke Keaschall for a 7-0 lead in the fourth. Buxton also doubled and scored the Twins' final run in the sixth.
Ober allowed RBI singles to Kerry Carpenter and Dillon Dingler before leaving with two on in the sixth. Justin Topa gave up an infield single to Parker Meadows that loaded the bases before Zach McKinstry lined out to left field.
Anthony Banda allowed a two-run double to Gleyber Torres and an RBI single to Riley Greene in the seventh. Cole Sands let Greene score on a wild pitch before striking out Meadows to keep it 8-6.
Valdez exited after Buxton and Austin Martin singled to start the sixth. The left-hander gave up eight runs — matching his career high — on 10 hits and two walks.
Valdez had allowed just one earned run over 12 innings in his first two starts for Detroit after signing a $115 million, three-year contract as a free agent in February.
Up next
Twins RHP Mick Abel (0-2, 11.05 ERA) starts Thursday opposite Tigers RHP Jack Flaherty (0-1, 7.56).
The No. 6 Florida State Seminoles softball team beat the Santa Clara Broncos 11-3 on Wednesday in Santa Clara, California. They have now won 25 straight games, improving to 36-4 overall.
The Seminoles seized control of the game in the first inning, scoring seven runs. Three straight singles and a double put FSU up 3-0 before Santa Clara recorded an out. A two-out double drove in two more runs before Isa Torres made it a 7-0 game with a two-RBI triple, her second hit of the inning.
Santa Clara got on the board in the third inning on a throwing error by Kennedy Harp, making it a 7-1 game. FSU catcher Bella Ruggerio had an error earlier in the inning.
FSU got the run back in the fourth when Torres hit a one-out single and got to second on a wild pitch before scoring on a Jaysoni Beachum double. Torres finished the game 4-4 with a triple, a stolen base, two RBI, and three runs scored.
The Seminoles added three more runs in the sixth inning to put the run-rule into play. Makenna Sturgis walked and took second on a wild pitch before another single by Torres put runners at the corners for Beachum. She drove in Sturgis with a groundout before Ashtyn Danley doubled home Torres. Angelee Bueno followed her up with a single, getting Danley to third, who scored on a wild pitch, making it an 11-1 FSU lead.
Bella Dimitrijevic got the start for the Seminoles, allowing one run over three innings on two hits and a walk. Jazzy Francik pitched two perfect innings before Makenna Reid and Marlee Gaskell pitched the sixth inning, each allowing one run.
FSU finished the game with 12 hits and two walks to three strikeouts. Torres, Beachum, and Danley all had multiple hits and drove in multiple runs. The team hit .529 (9-17) with runners in scoring position.
The Seminoles are staying in California for the weekend and will play the Stanford Cardinal in a three-game series. Game One is set to start on Friday at 9 p.m. ET and will be on ESPN2.
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The Cleveland Cavaliers are headed into the 2026 Playoffs with some good momentum. This is the stage people expected them to be early in the 2025-26 season, as they were seen as contenders. They have struggled since the start of the season, but they have picked up their form as of late.
They cannot catch up to the Detroit Pistons and Boston Celtics at the top of the Eastern Conference, but they are a dangerous team in the postseason. With Donovan Mitchell showing confidence as the team's star player, this could be bad news for the other postseason teams in the East.
Mitchell and the Cavaliers are ready for postseason basketball
At the start of the season, the Cavaliers struggled mightily. They were not the same team that people expected them to be. With Darius Garland leading the charge as the point guard, they were a decent team. However, they were not the same team that won 60+ games in the previous season.
Now, the Cavs are ending the year with 50+ wins to their record, but they look convincing ahead of the Playoffs. After making the trade for James Harden by sending over Garland, the team looks more cohesive with the former MVP serving as the floor general.
While Harden is a fantastic player, the team's star player is Mitchell. The Cavaliers are prepared for anything in the postseason, and that is reflected in what Mitchell is saying ahead of the Playoffs. He is the team's leader, and everyone is prepared to follow his lead.
"I’m excited. I think the fans are excited. They feel it. I know the city is excited. We understand what’s at stake here. The biggest thing is we and the city gotta stay together. We’ll do our job," Mitchell said on Wednesday after another big win.
As the Cavaliers continue to showcase their potential in the Playoffs, teams should be wary of them. With Mitchell leading the way, this team can surprise a lot of teams. The Pistons, Celtics, and New York Knicks might be higher in the standings, but the Cavs might have the highest ceiling among them.
🚨 Tigres thrash Seattle in Champions Cup quarter-final first-leg win
The Concacaf Champions Cup quarter-final first-legs continued this evening, with another slate of showdowns featuring Liga MX and MLS sides locking horns.
Here's how it all went down tonight.
Sounders can't stand the heat at El Volcán
Scorers: Herrera (51'), Ragen (Own Goal - 75')
Liga MX outfit Tigres placed one foot into the Concacaf Champions Cup semi-final after a dominant 2-0 win over MLS side Seattle Sounders.
Los Auriazules failed to grab a deserved opener in the third minute of stoppage time when Ángel Correa couldn't convert from the spot, but would open the scoring six minutes after the restart, when a clever backheel pass from Fernando Gorriarán released Jonathan Herrera in the box to break the deadlock at Estadio Universitario.
The result would be put to bed in the 75th minute with a close-range header from substitute Joaquim, who rose highest to meet Juan Brunetta's near-post corner before watching his effort deflect off Jackson Ragen and past a sprawling Stefan Frei.
Tigres are now firmly in control of the two-legged affair ahead of the return fixture at Lumin Field a week from tonight.
The team has a solid roster, but they have questions at the quarterback spot, and unfortunately play in one of the toughest divisions in football. Other than signing quarterback Kyler Murray, the team has also been fairly quiet in free agency.
As a result, the team could be looking to make some big moves during the draft. Ralph Vacchiano of FOX Sports recently identified some big trades that could happen during the 2026 draft, and one involves the Vikings trading for some firepower.
Vacchiano suggests that the Vikings trade for Miami Dolphins' running back De'Von Achane. The Dolphins have purged their roster of talented veterans this offseason as they dive head-first into a rebuild. As a result, it's not totally out of the question that they would even trade Achane.
Regarding this potential deal, Vacchiano offered the following:
The Vikings brought back Aaron Jones, but he's 31 and constantly battling injuries. And while he’s a good receiver out of the backfield, Achane is a great one, a much faster and more dynamic player overall and seven years younger (24). The Dolphins say they want to keep him after he ran for 1,350 yards and caught 67 passes for 488 yards last season. But they have the look of a team undergoing a fire sale, so surely they have their price. Achane will need a contract extension, so maybe a third-round pick and change will do it. The Dolphins would be crazy to say no for a second-rounder.
As Vacchiano mentioned, the Vikings could probably upgrade from veteran Aaron Jones. When you have a questionable quarterback situation, it makes sense to at least upgrade the weapons as much as possible.
Regarding compensation, Vacchiano suggested that a 2026 third-round pick and a fifth-round pick could be enough to get a deal done. The Vikings would soon have to think about extending Achane, but given his production, that shouldn't be a problem.
In 2025, Achane rushed for 1,350 yards and eight touchdowns, while also catching 67 passes for 488 yards and four touchdowns. The running back is not only an elite runner, but would be a reliable safety valve in the passing game as well.
This is the type of move the Vikings should make if they want to stay above water in the NFC North. If Murray plays like has in the past, and has weapons like Achane, Justin Jefferson, and T.J. Hockenson, the Vikings could be scary once again.
The Toronto Blue Jays have had a so-so start to the 2026 MLB season.
In one particular area, though, they've been historically bad.
The scenario: Hitting with the bases loaded.
So far this season, Toronto has had 19 at bats with the bases loaded. The Blue Jays have just one hit in that scenario.
That works out to an .053 average.
Overall, the Blue Jays have had 22 plate appearances with the bases full and ended up with five runs.
If this keeps up, it could set a negative MLB record:
If it holds, the Blue Jays' .053 average with the bases loaded would be tied for the lowest mark by a team (min. 20 PA) in March/April this century. https://t.co/GZOuSiQNgepic.twitter.com/oA9x4oc3TH
That stat filters by March plus April, and there's a lot of April left, so the Blue Jays will have a chance to save themselves.
Still, it's not an ideal start.
Hitting with runners in scoring position is a lot more random and a lot less clutch than it was classically believed to be in old-school baseball thinking. Still, this could start to be a bit contagious if the Blue Jays continue to struggle with the bases full.
To start heating up, Toronto will need to start cashing in on its best scoring opportunities rather than leaving runners on base everywhere.
Florida State softball opened up West Coast play with a win over Santa Clara. Isa Torres continued her streak, and FSU uses the bullpen to cruise against the Broncos.
Lineup
SS – Isa Torres (JR)
3B – Jaysoni Beachum (JR)
2B – Marin Heller (FR)
RF – Ashtyn Danley (JR)
DP – Anna Hinde (FR)
CF – Kennedy Harp (JR)
C – Bella Ruggiero (R FR)
1B – Hayley Griggs (FR)
LF – Makenna Sturgis (FR)
RHP – Bella Dimitrijevic (FR)
Recap
1st Inning
FSU got started in typical fashion, with an Isa Torres single. She stole second, and got to third on a error by the Broncos. The second hit of the inning, off the bat of Jaysoni Beachum, drove in Torres to make it 1-0.
And we're off🔥🔥🔥
Isa gets to third on a stolen base and error, and Jay drives her in to make it 1-0🍢
— Florida State Softball 🥎 (@FSU_Softball) April 9, 2026
The inning kept rolling as Marin Heller reached, and the RBI double from Ashtyn Danley extended the score. A walk came before SCU’s Hazyl Gray got the first out. Gray added Bella Ruggiero on a single, and a two out single from Makenna Sturgis made it 5-0. The Broncos went to the bullpen for Cari Ferguson. Facing the top of the FSU lineup, she gave up a 2 RBI triple to Torres.
She just keeps doing what she does🔥🔥🔥
Isa with her fifth triple of the year, and it's 7-0‼️‼️
— Florida State Softball 🥎 (@FSU_Softball) April 9, 2026
In the bottom of the inning, Bella Dimitrijevic gave up a lead off single. The Seminole defense got the next two outs before a stolen base put a runner in scoring position. The Freshman got out of the inning, keeping her teams seven run lead.
3rd Inning
Ferguson had a clean inning of the Seminoles in the top of the third, giving way to Dimitrijevic in the bottom of the inning. After getting the first two batters, the defense began to see traffic on the bases. A single, stolen base and error had a runner at third before a walk. With runners on the corners, an error in the outfield broke into the FSU lead, 7-1.
4th Inning
The ‘Noles faced new pitcher, Avery Seva, to begin the 4th inning. With a single from Torres, who reached second on a wild pitch, Beachum’s double got the run back, making it 8-1.
Seva wasn’t the only new pitcher of the inning, as Jazzy Francik took over in relief. Following a pop up, an error allowed a runner to reach, but a double play got Francik out of the inning.
6th Inning
Kendal Manley became the fourth Santa Clara pitcher in the 6th inning. Leading off against Malney, Makenna Sturgis walked, and reached second on a wild pitch. Torres continued her streak with a single, putting runners on the corners for Beachum. A ground out brought the score to 9-1.
After the second out, Danley’s RBI double made it a double digit score, and a nine run lead. Manley continued to put Seminoles on base after Angelee Bueno’s single. The inning ended with a 11-1 score following a wild pitch, allowing Danley to score.
Ashtyn with her second double and third RBI of the evening to make it 10-1🍢
— Florida State Softball 🥎 (@FSU_Softball) April 9, 2026
Now facing a run rule, Makenna Reid came on in relief. Looking to close out the game, a lead off single put a runner on for the Broncos, and a fielder’s choice got the first out. Reid’s outing only lasted two batters before Marlee Gaskell became the second pitcher of the inning.
Gaskell had a single, making it two runners on base. After getting the second out, a double cleared the bases, but the defense got the runner out at third to end the game at 11-3.
Up Next
FSU will begin a three game series with 23rd ranked Stanford on Friday April 10th.
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - OCTOBER 05: Fans hold up signs supporting Jonathan Taylor #28 of the Indianapolis Colts in the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Lucas Oil Stadium on October 05, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) | Getty Images
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Williams has been the Falcons' head coach for the past three years, leading the program to Class 3A state championships the past two seasons. Millwood earned a state runner-up finish in Williams' inaugural season in 2023-24.
In his playing days, Williams led Douglass to back-to-back 4A state titles in 2010 and 2011 at point guard before spending five seasons at Missouri State.
He later joined Douglass as an assistant and won a state title before taking over at Millwood in 2023.
Williams recently guided Millwood to its state record 19th state championship and leaves with 69-16 record throughout his tenure. He was named The Oklahoman's Super 5 Coach of the Year and Little All-City Coach of the Year in 2025.
"Honored and excited to accept the opportunity to be a part of something special at Carl Albert High School," Williams said in a post on X. "A program built on tradition, pride, and excellence and I'm ready to get to work. Grateful for the chance to lead, grow, and continue building on a championship culture."
Jordan Davis covers high school sports for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Jordan? He can be reached at jdavis@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at @thejordancdavis. Sign up for The Varsity Club newsletter to access more high school coverage. Support Jordan’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com
Williams has been the Falcons' head coach for the past three years, leading the program to Class 3A state championships the past two seasons. Millwood earned a state runner-up finish in Williams' inaugural season in 2023-24.
In his playing days, Williams led Douglass to back-to-back 4A state titles in 2010 and 2011 at point guard before spending five seasons at Missouri State.
He later joined Douglass as an assistant and won a state title before taking over at Millwood in 2023.
Williams recently guided Millwood to its state record 19th state championship and leaves with 69-16 record throughout his tenure. He was named The Oklahoman's Super 5 Coach of the Year and Little All-City Coach of the Year in 2025.
"Honored and excited to accept the opportunity to be a part of something special at Carl Albert High School," Williams said in a post on X. "A program built on tradition, pride, and excellence and I'm ready to get to work. Grateful for the chance to lead, grow, and continue building on a championship culture."
Jordan Davis covers high school sports for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Jordan? He can be reached at jdavis@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at @thejordancdavis. Sign up for The Varsity Club newsletter to access more high school coverage. Support Jordan’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com
The Houston Rockets had one of their most resilient wins of the season Tuesday night against the Phoenix Suns. They overcame a large deficit in the first quarter and won their 50th game of the season.
On Wednesday, their week went from good to great, as they got an assist from the Orlando Magic.
Houston secured a top-five seed after the Timberwolves were beaten by the Magic
The Minnesota Timberwolves had several of their main contributors out for their clash against the Magic, and they paid the price, losing by a score of 132-120 and gifting the Rockets a higher seed, with Minnesota now being unable to catch the Rockets in the standings.
The likeliest scenario for Houston as of the time of writing is a date with the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the playoffs, regardless of whether they finish in the 4th or 5th seed.
The Rockets were dealt a big blow before the season even started after Fred VanVleet tore his ACL. However, they’ve won seven straight games and have looked like a completely different team thanks to Reed Sheppard’s recent performances, especially as a starter.
With the two teams set on a collision course, the Rockets look like the better team on paper, and now they’ll try to lock down the fourth seed and gain home-field advantage.
A softball game between Oklahoma State and Wichita State scheduled for Wednesday was postponed after an accident involving the Cowgirls’ team bus, the program announced.
According to KOCO News 5, the accident was a fatal crash in which the bus struck and killed a woman on I-35. Authorities had reportedly received earlier 911 calls about a woman running in and out of traffic on the highway.
Oklahoma State’s statements notes no one from the program was harmed:
Today's scheduled softball game between Oklahoma State and Wichita State has been postponed after the Cowgirls' team bus was involved in an accident on the way to Wichita. No one from the OSU travel party was injured.
When the new game day and time are set, those details will be shared.
The accident victim has not been identified.
Oklahoma State and Wichita State were scheduled to play at 6 p.m., which was a resumption of a game interrupted by rain in the seventh inning on March 10. Wichita State leads 8-3.
With no game Wednesday, Oklahoma State is next scheduled to play a weekend road series against Iowa State starting Friday.
The miracle somehow happen. | Matt Krohn / Getty Images
It looked like Framber’s arm in error Let the Twins tee off; Left announcers in conclusion, Made the coaches scoff; Our offense the driver of American League this game.
Panic in Detroit, The fans really ought to laugh While most of us stay home And chug a jeroboam; Panic in Detroit.
Initial frame of lumber violence To start with loaded bags, A pitch gone wild, a ringing double, Putting up six, no snags. The sixth supplied danger, but they somehow got out alive;
Panic in Detroit, The fans really ought to laugh While most of us stay home And write a nonsense poem; Panic in Detroit.
Then the seventh came, bullpen to play the fool; Would the lead be lost and blundered after all? But Jeffers came to rock the ABS machine, And got a pair of Ks to keep the joy tonight.
Having played for three long hours, Hoped they’d fasten it. Fundy off, but got a liner Into Keaschall’s mitt. Still counts as a win, though; the series is ours anew!
Panic in Detroit, Our fans really ought to laugh Though our teeth have been ground dust, No Twins fan’s locked in gloam! Panic in Detroit, Panic in Detroit, Panic in Detroit!
Mike Weir tees off on the sixth hole during the Par 3 contest at the Masters golf tournament on Wednesday, April 6, 2022, in Augusta, Ga. Weir will be back representing Utah — and BYU and Canada — at this year's Masters.
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Charlie Riedel
Fans of professional golfers with Utah ties will have only one local favorite to cheer for on Thursday when the 90th Masters Tournament begins at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia.
And it won’t be Tony Finau.
For the first time since he made his Augusta debut in the 2018 Masters with a tie for 10th place, the 36-year-old Finau will not tee it up in what he has referred to as his favorite golf major. The former Salt Lake City and Lehi resident failed to qualify because he is outside the top 50 in the Official World Golf Rankings (he’s currently 111th) and has not won a PGA Tour event in the past year.
However, former BYU golfer Mike Weir is in the field of 91 players — the smallest field of any of the four majors — because as the 2003 Masters champion, the Canadian who still lives in Utah, has a lifetime exemption into the tournament.
Weir, who mostly competes on the PGA Tour’s Champions Tour, is outside the top 300 in the OWGR and is not being given much of a chance to make the cut, let alone win the tournament. Weir, 55, who grew up in Brights Grove, Ontario, before playing for legendary coach Karl Tucker in Provo, is a huge long shot, according to USA Today.
The publication ranked all 91 golfers in the field and put Weir at T84 with another former champion, Angel Cabrera, and several others. Weir’s odds of winning are at 200,000 to 1, slightly better than the 300,000 to 1 odds being given to past champions Fred Couples and Vijay Singh.
When will Mike Weir tee off Thursday?
Weir will tee off in Group 19 at 9:27 a.m. MDT Thursday with former U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark and Mateo Pulcini, an amateur from Argentina. Friday, that group will begin play at 6:02 a.m. MDT.
Weir has played in three Champions Tour events in 2026, with a T14 finish at the Hoag Classic last month in Newport Beach, California, his best finish this season. He earned $35,294 for the performance.
Fellow Canadians Nick Taylor and Corey Conners are also in the field.
“Weir’s victory in 2003 remains the best result by a Canadian at the Masters,” wrote the Golf Canada website.
Finau’s impressive streak comes to an end
Finau has played in 33 consecutive majors dating back to the 2017 U.S. Open and needed a win in last week’s Valero Texas Open to prolong the streak. He was tied for the lead after shooting a 66 in the first round, but faded as the tournament wore on and tied for 49th to earn $24,676.
Needing to win “gives me an extra piece of motivation, for sure,” Finau said after that opening round. “Winning always takes care of everything, no matter what. I’ve got one last opportunity to add to that major count. We will give it our best shot this week.”
Alas, it didn’t happen.
Finau has struggled to contend for more than a year now; his last top-10 finish was in the Genesis Invitational in February 2025.
At the Masters last year, Finau failed to make the cut for the first time in eight appearances. He missed the cut by two shots in the event that Rory McIlroy won in a playoff over Justin Rose to complete the career grand slam.
Scheffler is a significant favorite (+550) to win this week, followed by Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, McIlroy and Xander Schauffele.
Obviously, Finau is heartbroken that he won’t be there to give them a run for their money.
“It’s a golf course when I first played it and got on the grounds (that) was just one of those places that give you almost like a holy spiritual experience,” he told ABC 4 Utah’s Wesley Ruff in 2024. “It really is like one of the holy grails of golf, and so I feel that every time I am there it is just a special, special feeling that I will never take for granted.”
Corey Conners, of Canada, Nick Taylor, of Canada, and Mike Weir, of Canada, walk on the first hole during a practice round ahead of the Masters golf tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club, Tuesday, April 7, 2026, in Augusta, Ga.
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Gerald Herbert, Associated Press
Hansi Flick head coach of Barcelona gives instructions during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Quarter-Final First Leg match between FC Barcelona and Club Atlético de Madrid at Estadio Spotify Camp Nou on April 8, 2026 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
FC Barcelona did something admirable. Trailing 1-0, Hansi Flick made two changes to try to chase the game and score a goal. Most other coaches, and especially not Diego Simeone, would have never done so. Atlético Madrid’s boss would have parked the bus and accepted the 1-0 loss, looking to get the goal in the second leg.
It was admirable, but maybe it wasn’t the smartest. The Catalans came close to scoring despite having 10 men. In the second half alone, Barcelona out-shot Atlético 8 to 1, and held 60% possession compared to 40%. Barcelona also racked up 0.61 expected goals to 0.09. It was Atleti who got the most important number though, and that was another goal with their only shot of the second half to make it 2-0.
Not all is lost. Barcelona could easily go into Madrid and win this UEFA Champions League tie, but they will have to do so starting in a two-goal hole. Considering how well they played even down a man for most of the game, it’s completely possible.
Pau Cubarsí’s sending off in the first half was followed up quickly by Julián Alvarez scoring a stunning free-kick past Joan Garcia. Barcelona were sucker-punched at a moment in which they were dominating. Atleti would’ve likely settled for any win at Camp Nou, but Flick had other ideas. He didn’t bring on a new defender to compensate for Cubarsí’s absence. Instead, he brought on Fermín López and Gavi for Robert Lewandowski and Pedri.
That wasn’t the worst idea, as it gave Barcelona more legs to cover spaces. Barcelona played well under the circumstances, and came reasonably close to scoring. The gamble nearly paid off. Only it wasn’t a gamble Barça had to take.
True, playing away is harder than playing at home. However, playing with 10 is significantly more difficult than playing with 11. Barcelona did the admirable thing here, and even did it well, but was it the wise choice?
🏆A night of draws: the best of Wednesday in the Libertadores
The Copa Libertadores keeps rolling, and tonight brought plenty of action. At OneFootball, we bring you the star, the surprise, and the disappointment of Wednesday.
The champion made its debut with star power
Flamengo traveled to Peru to face Cusco and, just as everyone expected beforehand, came away with all three points.
With goals from Bruno Henrique and Giorgian De Arrascaeta, Mengão now leads Group A after the draw between Estudiantes and DIM.
Junior stunned Palmeiras
The early predictions had Palmeiras as the favorite, but visiting Barranquilla is never easy.
At 40 years old, Teo Gutiérrez gave Junior the lead, but Ramón Sosa equalized to make it 1-1, a result that does little for either side.
The Sudamericana champions disappointed on their debut
There was no doubt that, as champions of the Gran Conquista, everyone expected Lanús to start with a win.
However, Mirassol produced one of the surprises of the night and, thanks to a goal from Joao Victor, won at the Estádio José Maria de Campos Maia.
Those aren't all traditional powers, but they have plenty of experience in this new era of figuring out how to make things work in the near-constant transfer market.
For any of these programs, particularly UK or UofL, Byrd would be a massive add.
Byrd is the reigning Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year. The 6-foot-6 wing averaged 10.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.9 steals and 1.2 blocks per game this past season.
With a lengthy college basketball resume that includes lots of production and lot of winning, Byrd would be a fantastic pickup for any contending team.
That list of seven has some fascinating components to it, but by far the most intriguing is the battle between Kentucky and Louisville.
They could both be disappointed at Byrd's announcement, or one could be a big winner over the other.
The New York Yankees are not just a baseball team. They are an institution, a century-long argument for why sustained excellence in professional sports is possible when an organization gets the right things right. Twenty-seven World Series championships. A roster of retired numbers that reads like a who’s who of baseball immortality. A tradition so heavy with greatness that even being called one of the best Yankees ever carries more weight than being called the best player in most other franchises’ histories.
This list isn’t just about career stats, though the numbers here are staggering enough to stand entirely on their own. It’s about players who defined eras, who won when it mattered, who gave New York something to believe in and gave the rest of baseball something to fear. Some of them changed the sport entirely. Others simply showed up, day after day, decade after decade, and performed at a level that left everyone around them speechless.
From the dead-ball era through the Core Four dynasty to the modern sluggers still rewriting the record books today, the Yankees have produced a lineage of baseball greatness that no franchise can rival. The men on this list didn’t just play for the Yankees. They became the Yankees. They are pinstripes, Yankee Stadium, the postseason, the rings. When people argue about the greatest baseball player of all time, several of the names on this list are always in that conversation, and that alone tells you everything about the organization that produced them.
10. Bernie Williams
Aug 9, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; Former New York Yankees outfielder Bernie Williams at Old Timer’s Day at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Career stats (Yankees): .297 BA | 287 HR | 1,257 RBI | 4x World Series champion
Bernie Williams spent his entire 16-year career in pinstripes and was the quiet engine at the center of one of baseball’s great dynasties. He was a switch-hitter with genuine pop, a Gold Glove center fielder, and a four-time World Series champion who consistently delivered in October when the lights were brightest. He wasn’t the loudest name in that late-90s Yankees lineup, but he was one of the most indispensable.
9. Aaron Judge
Apr 5, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) heads to the dugout after catching a fly ball to end the fifth inning against the Miami Marlins at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images
Career stats (Yankees): .285 BA | 350+ HR | 3x AL MVP (2022, 2024, 2025)
Judge has made a case in recent years that is impossible to ignore. He broke Roger Maris’s American League single-season home run record with 62 in 2022, won back-to-back MVPs in 2024 and 2025, and was named Yankees captain after re-signing on a nine-year, $360 million deal. He led MLB in home runs and OPS in 2024 and followed it up with his first batting title in 2025, all while captaining the U.S. team at the 2026 World Baseball Classic. The career is still being written, and it already belongs on this list.
Career stats (Yankees): .283 BA | 351 HR | 1,096 RBI | 2009 World Series champion
The complicated legacy doesn’t erase the production. A-Rod was one of the most gifted offensive players in baseball history, and his Yankees tenure, while never free of controversy, included some of the most dominant individual seasons the franchise has ever seen. He holds the all-time record for career grand slams, spent years as the most feared right-handed hitter in the American League, and won a ring in 2009. The numbers always spoke, even when everything else got loud.
7. Mariano Rivera
Career stats: 652 saves | 2.21 ERA | 1.00 WHIP | 13x All-Star | First unanimous Hall of Fame inductee
No closer in the history of baseball has ever done what Rivera did, and he did it almost entirely with one pitch. The cut fastball was no secret; every hitter in the league knew it was coming, and they still couldn’t hit it. Rivera recorded 652 career saves, posted a 2.21 ERA across 19 seasons, and was the first player ever inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame by unanimous vote. His WHIP of 1.00 across that entire career is simply not a real number for a human being.
6. Derek Jeter
Jul 28, 2013; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter (2) rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the first inning of a game between the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Career stats (Yankees): .310 BA | 3,465 H | 260 HR | 1,311 RBI | 5x World Series champion | Yankees all-time hits leader
Jeter is the all-time Yankees leader in hits, doubles, games played, stolen bases, plate appearances, and at-bats. He was the face of the most successful dynasty of the modern era, a five-time World Series champion who played 20 seasons in New York and never once seemed out of place on the biggest stage. He was the 28th player in history to reach 3,000 hits, finished his career sixth all-time in the category, and did all of it with a calm that made winning look routine.
Yankee great Yogi Berra was honored in 2015 during a spring training game.
Career stats: .285 BA | 358 HR | 1,430 RBI | 3x AL MVP | 10x World Series champion
Ten World Series rings. That number alone separates Berra from nearly every player in baseball history. He was the Yankees’ RBI leader for seven consecutive seasons from 1949 to 1955, doing it on a roster that included Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle. He was a three-time MVP and an 18-time All-Star, and the argument can be made that no player in Yankees history was more valuable to more championships than the catcher from St. Louis.
4. Joe DiMaggio
July 13, 1985; New York City, NY, USA; Former NY Yankee Joe DiMaggio appears at the Old Timers Game held at Yankee Stadium in New York City on July 13, 1985. The day was dedicated to the former centerfielder who did not play in the game, but despite his aversion to public attention, responded to the accolades of the fans with dignity. Mandatory Credit: Ed Hill-USA TODAY NETWORK
Career stats: .325 BA | 361 HR | 1,537 RBI | 9x World Series champion | 56-game hitting streak (MLB record)
DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak in 1941 remains the most untouchable individual record in American professional sports, a feat so statistically improbable that modern analysts still struggle to explain it. He won nine World Series titles in 13 seasons, posted a .325 career batting average, and was selected to 13 All-Star Games. Hemingway wrote about him. Sinatra sang about him. That’s the level of cultural footprint the Yankee Clipper left behind.
3. Mickey Mantle
Unknown date and location; New York Yankee infielder Mickey Mantle waits on deck. Mantle won three Most Valuable Player awards in 1956, 1957, and 1962, won the triple crown in 1956, and helped the Yankees win 12 pennants and 7 World Series titles while establishing the record for most home runs in the World Series at 18. Mandatory Credit: Photo By Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Career stats: .298 BA | 536 HR | 1,509 RBI | 3x AL MVP | 7x World Series champion
Mantle was the switch-hitting center fielder who carried the Yankees through the 1950s and 60s on legs that spent most of his career breaking down, and the numbers he posted while half-injured are staggering to consider. He won the Triple Crown in 1956, led the American League in home runs four times, and hit 54 in 1961 while chasing Roger Maris’s then-record-breaking season. With full health across his career, the conversation about where he ranks all-time would be very different.
2. Lou Gehrig
Lou Gehrig… | Louis Van Oeyen/ WRHS/Getty Images
Career stats: .340 BA | 493 HR | 1,995 RBI | 6x World Series champion | 2,130 consecutive games played
Gehrig’s consecutive games streak of 2,130 was considered unbreakable for 56 years, which tells you as much about his durability as any stat could. He batted .373 with 47 home runs and a league-leading 173 RBIs in the legendary 1927 season, part of the Murderers’ Row lineup that is still considered the greatest single-season team in baseball history. Gehrig was the first player ever to have his number retired by a franchise, and his farewell speech at Yankee Stadium in 1939 remains one of the most moving moments in American sports history.
1. Babe Ruth
Career stats (Yankees): 659 HR | .349 BA | .484 OBP | .711 SLG | 7x AL pennant | 4x World Series champion
There is no honest argument against Babe Ruth being first. He didn’t just change the Yankees; he changed the sport. Ruth arrived in New York in 1920, and within two seasons, the Yankees had built a stadium specifically to house the crowds that came to watch him. He hit 60 home runs in 1927, breaking his own single-season record, posted a .846 slugging percentage in 1920 that still stands as the highest single-season mark in MLB history, and averaged 49 home runs per season across a seven-year peak from 1926 to 1932. The case for calling him the greatest baseball player who ever lived begins and ends in pinstripes.
Forever in pinstripes
Aug 9, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; Former New York Yankees outfielder Bernie Williams at Old Timer’s Day at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
The Yankees have had more Hall of Famers than any franchise in baseball history, and this list barely scratches the surface of what this organization has produced. What unites every name on it is a singular ability to rise in October, to perform when the World Series was on the line, and to make pinstripes mean something. That’s the Yankees standard, and these ten men set it higher than anyone.
The New York Rangers had the chance to put an emphatic exclamation point on the home portion of their schedule Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden. But like so many other times this season, they failed to get the job done on home ice, falling to the Buffalo Sabres 5-3.
The Rangers (33-37-9) were rejuvenated at MSG down the stretch, winning five of six coming into this finale of a season-long seven-game homestand. And it appeared the Rangers were going to take down, perhaps, the hottest team in the NHL on Wednesday, holding a 3-2 lead early in the third period.
But the Sabres (48-23-8) scored three unanswered goals in the final period — by Alex Tuch, Jason Tucker, and Zach Benson — to earn the comeback victory and move into sole possession of first place in the Atlantic Division. Buffalo held New York to one shot on goal in the third period, and goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen finished with 17 saves.
Alexis Lafreniere scored twice for the Rangers, who’ll play their final three games of the 2025-26 season on the road. Adam Fox had a goal and an assist to extend his point streak to eight games. Igor Shesterkin stopped 22 of 26 shots in the loss.
The Rangers spotted the Sabres two goals in the opening nine minutes of play, before scoring three straight to carry a 3-2 lead into the second intermission.
Buffalo’s Ryan McLeod got things started at 4:40 of the first period, scoring his 13th goal of the season. McLeod beat Shesterkin with a right-wing shot off the rush, one of several rush opportunities for the speedy Sabres in the early portion of the game.
Rasmus Dahlin made a gorgeous pass through a maze of players that caromed off Benson and into the net at 8:59 to make it 2-0 Sabres. Four minutes later it was nearly 3-0, but Tage Thompson rang a shot off the post, after Conor Sheary’s turnover in the neutral zone led to another rush chance for the Sabres.
McLeod’s tripping penalty at 18:24 of the first period provided the opening the Rangers needed to swing momentum their way, however. And at 19:21, they did just that when Lafreniere deflected Fox’s slap pass into the cage for a power-play goal, drawing the Rangers back to within one.
After a successful penalty kill by the Rangers early in the second period, Lafreniere and Co. struck again to tie the score, 2-2, at 2:57. Lafreniere took a head-man pass from Drew Fortescue, got behind the Buffalo defensemen, and wired a forehand shot past Luukkonen to tie things up with his 24th goal of the season.
New York’s power play went back to work at 14:14 when Peyton Krebs was whistled for hooking; and it took only 30 seconds before the Rangers had their first lead of the night. After patiently working the puck around the perimeter, Vincent Trocheck passed it to Fox, who zipped a shot through a Lafreniere screen, beating Luukkonen blocker side for his ninth goal of the season, to make it 3-2 Rangers.
It stayed that way because the Rangers killed off consecutive Sabres power plays late in the second, including 56 seconds of a 5-on-3, to maintain their lead into the intermission.
But with Vladislav Gavrikov and Tuch battling in front of Shesterkin, the Sabres forward was able to get his stick blade on a Krebs shot and deflect it past the Rangers goalie for his 31st goal to tie the game 3-3 at 5:45 of the third period.
And the Sabres struck again at 7:14, when Zucker patiently tucked the puck into the net after collecting it in front and working around a prone Shesterkin for his 24th goal.
The Rangers had little pushback, and didn’t record their first — and only — shot of the third period until J.T. Miller’s long wrist shot at 18:26. Shortly thereafter Benson scored his second goal of the game, this one into an empty-net off an unselfish pass by Josh Doan, to make it 5-3 at 18:45.
Key takeaways after Rangers lose 5-3 to the Sabres in home finale
Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images
Home groan
The Rangers finished the season with a 14-20-7 home record, despite this mostly successful and uplifting homestand, which included two rousing victories over playoff contenders — the Detroit Red Wings and Washington Capitals — this past weekend.
Those 14 home wins are fewest, by far, in the Eastern Conference, and fourth fewest in the entire NHL. The last-overall Vancouver Canucks have eight wins at home, with one more game to play on home ice. The only worse record at MSG over the past 22 years was in 2003-04, when the Rangers were 13-21-4 with three ties at home.
Though things got better at The Garden late this season, it’s impossible to ignore their 0-6-1 record with five shutouts losses at home to begin the 2025-26 campaign.
“It’s been a tough year for everyone here, especially at home, so we know [the fans have] been frustrated. When we’re on home ice, we want to do it for them. We haven’t done a great job doing that this year,” Trocheck said postgame.
Special performance
Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images
The Rangers were eventually outscored 4-1 at even strength, but they nearly pulled off a big victory on the backs of their special teams play. The Rangers were 2-for-3 on the power play, though did fail to tie the game with a brief opportunity on the man advantage in the third period. Still, they worked the puck around with confidence and plenty of swagger on the power play, which entered the game third in the NHL at 25.5 percent, and now is a scorching 5-for 9 in the past three games. Lafreniere’s power-play goal was his career-high ninth of the season.
And the Blueshirts were pretty darn good on the penalty kill, too, against the Sabres. New York was a perfect 4-for-4 on the kill, including an abbreviated PK midway through the third period. And they had that massive kill of the two-man disadvantage in the second period.
The Rangers PK has allowed one power-play goal in the past eight games (killing 23 of 24 times short-handed). And on Wednesday, Will Cuylle very nearly scored a short-handed goal, off a Trocheck set-up, late in the middle period, coming that close to giving the Rangers a 4-2 lead.
Hot potato
The teams played as much “hot potato” as they did hockey for a healthy stretch of the first period. It started just 52 seconds into play when a ghastly turnover by the Sabres in their own end set up a prime scoring opportunity for Mika Zibanejad, who rang a sizzling shot off the post. At 6:14, another hellacious giveaway by Buffalo landed on the stick of Noah Laba all alone in front of the net, though the rookie was denied 1-on-1 by Luukkonen.
Two minutes later, Shesterkin cleaned up Braden Schneider’s mess that allowed an in-close shot by Doan. But it still proved costly because the Rangers were caught scrambling, and the Sabres scored seconds later to take a 2-0 lead. Then there was Sheary’s turnover that Thompson just missed cashing in on.
Things did settle down, but for what it’s worth, the Sabres were “credited” with 17 giveaways, and the Rangers 11, in this one. And it felt like the mostly costly ones were early on in the first period.
The Green Bay Packers had quick playoff exits in both 2024 and 2025. As a result, the team is hoping that 2026 will be the year they finally make another deep run.
As is usually the case, the Packers haven't been very active in free agency. The team's biggest additions came on defense in the form of veteran linebacker Zaire Franklin and defensive lineman Javon Hargrave.
The team likely won't make any more big signings, but what about the trade market? The defense, especially on the edge, could use more help, and Jordan Love could always use some more targets.
Ralph Vacchiano of FOX Sports recently identified one player each NFC team should trade for. For the Packers, Vacchiano suggested wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. Harrison is on the Arizona Cardinals, who seem to be one of the most directionless teams in the league.
In Green Bay, Harrison could immediately be the top target and get to play for a contender. Regarding this potential deal, Vacchiano offered the following:
They have the same situation at WR as usual — good depth, decent players, but no apparent No. 1. And they let their best receiver (Romeo Doubs) go while only bringing in Skyy Moore. Harrison has been a disappointment with the Cardinals, but that could be all about their miserable quarterback situation. Pair him with Jordan Love, and his numbers should soar.
Of course, the new Cardinals head coach is Mike LaFleur, who is the brother of the Packers' Matt LaFleur. Whether that would help this potential deal get done or not is unknown, but it's an interesting caveat.
As for compensation, Vacchiano thinks a 2026 second-round pick and a 2027 third-round pick could be enough to get this deal done. Harrison is only 23 and can be under team control through 2028.
In 2025, Harrison played in 12 games and caught 41 passes for 608 yards and four touchdowns. The receiver had even better production as a rookie in 2024, when he caught 62 passes for 885 yards and eight touchdowns.
It's hard for a young receiver like Harrison to thrive on a struggling team like Arizona. Perhaps the Cardinals feel like Harrison won't ever reach his potential, and they'd be willing to take a couple of picks for him.
Phoenix Suns guard Jalen Green limped to the locker room in the first quarter against the Dallas Mavericks with what appeared to be a right leg injury.
Green grabbed at his leg after tripping while guarding Mavs guard Ryan Nembhard.
The athletic, talented guard checked out the game with 8:10 left in the first quarter of the April 8 game at Mortgage Matchup Center.
Jalen Green subbed out of the game early in the 1st quarter and limped straight to the locker room 🫠🙏 pic.twitter.com/RI1XP91LI1
Green has played just 32 games in his first season with the Suns mostly due to a right hamstring injury that sidelined him 47 games.
This is after playing every game in his previous two seasons with the Houston Rockets.
Green is averaging 18.3 points this season.
Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
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During the final week of an NBA regular season that’s missed Tyrese Haliburton, the Indiana Pacers star provided an encouraging update about his return to play.
Haliburton was playing through a calf strain at the time. He knew the risks that came with that endeavor, and, yet, he rolled the dice in order to try to help the Pacers win their first NBA championship.
But in the first quarter of a fateful Game 7 against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Haliburton stumbled while dribbling forward, hit the deck and, in obvious pain, pounded the hardwood with his hand.
Then tied, the game wound up in the Thunder’s hands, and Oklahoma City hoisted the Larry O'Brien Trophy while the Pacers wondered what could have been. Haliburton, after all, was a late-game assassin throughout last year’s playoffs.
“Now that I’ve gotten surgery, I wish I could count the number of times people will tell me I’m going to “come back stronger.” What a cliche lol, this s*** sucks. My foot feels like dead weight fam. But what’s hurting most I think is my mind. Feel like I’m rambling, but I know this is something I’ll look back on when I’m through this, as something I’m proud I fought through. It feels good to let this s*** out without y’all seeing the kid ugly cry.”
In that message, he said he didn’t regret his decision to keep playing after sustaining a calf strain in Game 5. The former Iowa State standout and Sacramento Kings first-round pick apologized to the city of Indianapolis, but he assured Pacers faithful that he’d get back to being “the best version of Tyrese Haliburton.”
Tatum’s first game back was on March 6. In 15 games, he’s averaged 21.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.1 assists while shooting 41.9% from the field and 33.8% from deep for a Celtics team that’s second in the East.
Indiana has struggled mightily in his absence. With three regular-season games remaining, the Pacers are 18-61. That’s the second-worst record in the NBA.
It’s a lost season, but the next one will feature the return of Haliburton, who signaled his progress on Wednesday night.
Local baseball and softball teams have been busy on the diamond as both sports enter their league seasons. For softball, Astoria’s sluggers have seen their bats come alive, in Seaside, they are building momentum and Warrenton is off to a fantastic start.
Astoria’s bats come alive
In softball play, Astoria dropped the hammer last Friday against Pendleton in a battle of top five teams. The Fishermen beat Pendleton 12-0 in five innings at Estacada High School.
Hailey Svensen and Lyla Carlson led the Fishermen with three hits apiece. Svensen went 3-4 with one RBI, while Carlson had a 3-3 day that included two home runs and five total runs batted in. In total, the Fishermen had 12 hits and pitcher Taryen Wray struck out nine in five shutout innings.
Astoria returned to CMH Field for a Tuesday game against Tillamook.
This game was over quickly as the Fishermen scored three runs in the first and cruised to an 11-0, five inning victory. Finley Cameron, Aryana Adams and Wray each had two hits. Wray led the team with three RBIs while Carlson and Adams had two apiece.
On the bump, Wray and Kate Barendse combined to throw a no hitter. Wray pitched the first three innings striking out eight and Barendse pitched the last two.
Astoria now sits at 8-1 and is ranked No. 1 in 4A, ahead of Cowapa league rival Scappoose. Next up for the Fishermen is a Thursday game at Banks.
Seaside softball flys up the rankings
Seaside softball is off to a good start as the team sits at 4-4 after eight non-league games.
The Seagulls currently are ranked No. 11 in 4A and have a 3-1 record against teams from the state of Oregon. After challenging themselves in Arizona once again, the youthful Seagulls have won back-to-back games to put themselves in playoff position.
A 6-1 victory over North Marion last Friday, April 3 and a 7-2 victory over Junction City on Monday, puts the team on a winning streak. The girls have two more non-league games before they host Astoria on April 14. A Wednesday home game against Estacada and a rematch against North Marion on Thursday will serve as final tuneups.
Friday’s game against North Marion was a balanced performance for Seaside as they accumulated eight hits, made just one error and saw Allie Corder shove on the mound for seven innings.
In the game, Corder gave up just four hits, walked three batters and struck out 10. At the plate, freshman Jahzara Marshall led the Seagulls with two hits from the leadoff spot. Number two hitter Grace Walker smacked a home run for the standout play. Other Seagulls to get hits were Carly Corder, Allie Corder, Mackenzie Haag, Tiera Spivey and Lilly Morris.
In addition to eight hits at the plate, the Seagulls swiped three bases with Carly Corder, Olyvia Morse and Spivey.
Monday against Junction City saw the Seagulls score four runs in the sixth inning to pull away. Also, the Corder sisters combined to throw a no hitter as older sister Carly started things off by going four innings, then younger sister Allie finished the last three. Seaside has seen really good pitching so far this season and in addition to improved fielding, the results have started to show for the team.
At the plate, Allie Corder led the way with three hits and two RBIs. Walker and Carly Corder followed with two hits a piece.
Warrenton’s in a groove
Warrenton softball pushed its record to 8-2 after three wins last week.
The Warriors returned from La Grande and swept Portland Adventist Academy to start off league play. Warrenton defeated the Cougars by a total score of 29-0 in the two games played. The Warriors then had an impressive 7-1 win over 2A Clatskanie on Friday.
In the Warriors 15-0 victory over Portland Adventist Academy, Lucy Smith led the way with five runs batted in. Smith went 3-4 to lead the offense, while senior catcher Natalie Pike knocked in three runs as well.
On the mound, Warrenton saw a familiar face return after a long absence.
Junior Kiki Olson returned to athletic competition after more than a year off due to a knee injury. Olson played first base and went 1-1 and also pitched one inning, striking out the side and walking just one in the Warriors five inning victory. Olson now joins Gracelyn Brown and Scarlet Anderson on the mound for Warrenton this season.
Game two saw the Warriors win 14-0 and throw a combined no hitter. Olson and Anderson only allowed one total base runner in their five innings of work.
At the plate, Hannah Leavitt had three RBIs, Smith had four and Emma Stevens had three as a pinch hitter.
Against Clatskanie, Anderson led the way on the mound with seven strong innings. Anderson struck out eight in the game. At the plate, Pike and Olson led the way with two runs batted in and Pike, Leavitt and Natalie Davis had two hits each.
Warrenton baseball continues a streak
It’s been a tale of two divisions for Warrenton baseball.
Against 4A opponents, they are 0-3 and against 3A teams the Warriors are 4-0 after defeating Westside Christian on Monday in the team’s home opener.
The 6-2 victory improved Warrenton’s record to 4-3 and league record to 1-0.
Ryan Palmer, RJ Thornton and Dylan Ballard combined to throw a five hitter. Palmer struck out five in 2.1 innings, Thornton came in to relieve him and threw four innings before giving way to the closer, Ballard, who got the final two outs.
At the dish, Warrenton combined for five hits and seven walks. A Duke Anderson double was the big hit that broke the game open.
Scottie Scheffler, left, and his wife, Meredith, right, holding their son, Remy, talk with their son, Bennett, on the sixth hole during par-3 contest ahead of the Masters golf tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club, Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) (Eric Gay/Associated Press)
The Masters' par 3 contest is once again generating plenty of buzz out at Augusta National.
The annual event took place Wednesday, providing plenty of cute scenes as competitors took the course with their family members. Dallas-area products Scottie Scheffler and Jordan Spieth were among the golfers accompanied by their children.
Bennett Scheffler, Sammy Spieth and others donned Augusta National jumpsuits for the event. The par 3 contest also included an appearance from Remy Scheffler, who was born in Dallas on March 27. Remy was carried onto the course by mom, Meredith.
This year's par 3 contest also included a celebrity appearance. Comedian Kevin Hart teamed up with SMU product and Grapevine resident Bryson DeChambeau for the event. Take a look at some photos from the Par 3 contest below:
Kiyan Anthony and Sadiq White both announcing on social media Wednesday that they will return to Syracuse for their sophomore seasons next year.
Kiyan played in 29 games for the Orange, averaging eight points per game. He scored 52 in his first three games of his college career. Anthony missed the final two games of the season due to injury.
Sadiq White, a former five-star recruit started 11 games for SU this past season. He played in 31 of the 32 games, averaging six points and three rebounds.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The 18th hole at The Patch in Augusta, Georgia.Courtesy
AUGUSTA, Ga. — Three years ago this week, Masters Chairman Fred Ridley made a promise. His club, Augusta National, was going to branch out into the community like never before, partnering with local establishments to refashion Augusta Municipal Golf Course. The course nicknamed “The Patch” had “good bones,” Ridley said, meaning that even if its appearance sagged, its structure was something an Augusta National budget could work with.
And work with it they have, in the only way Augusta National knows: expeditiously.
A year ago, the Patch was dirt. Next week, it opens to the public. On Wednesday morning, two-time major champion Retief Goosen was ripping around it for the first time, part of a soft launch for VIPs during this Masters week.
What Goosen and a handful of others found was a good golf course that will absolutely become great over time. A great place to hang during Masters week. A great place for Augusta juniors to learn the game. A great place for the public to find extremely affordable golf.
By most every metric, The Patch project should be considered a success. Course designers Tom Fazio and Beau Welling made it a much more compelling track. Countless trees were removed, opening up the sprawling scenery that was once hidden by forestland. After time, its greens will grow softer and its fairways will look tenured; it will be the most fun public course in the vicinity of the Masters. You will want a tee time, and may struggle like hell to get one.
The vibe will feel decidedly public, too. The veranda wrapped around the clubhouse peers out over the 10th tee and 9th green — a place you’d want to have lunch. Or just drink beers, like The Patch Pale Ale, a new brew you can only get on property. The Loop, a short course designed by Tiger Woods, could become the real treat. Guests played its floodlit holes until well after bedtime Tuesday night. Next to the 18-hole putting green is an immense practice range, outfitted with Trackman hitting bays. Every derivative of golf seems to exist there, and it makes me happy for the potential it offers.
What we don’t know about The Patch is how it will feel to those who called it home forever. For decades, in a not-so-distant past, the caddies at the private club in town — Augusta National — were Black, and many of them played their golf at the public course nearby — Augusta Municipal. They were the lifeblood of the muni, and they’ve been remembered in spots by the people who reshaped it.
Golfers can find The Patch Pale Ale in one place only.Sean Zak
In one corner of the pro shop is a shrine for Jim Dent, the Augusta-raised Black golfer who competed on the PGA Tour in the 70s and 80s. His Callaway Big Bertha driver is tacked to the wall in a display case, near signed photos and a signed trading card. Dent’s role at the muni was so strong — it was the first course he ever shot in the 60s at, the same course his son was the head pro at — that the entrance to the course was renamed “Jim Dent Way” in 2020. When he passed away in 2025, they held a ceremony for him at The Patch. He probably deserves a statue out front.
There are also framed pictures in that same corner of the pro shop, devoted to four legendary Black caddies: Jariah “Jerry” Beard, Willie Peterson, Willie Lee “Pappy” Strokes and Tommy Bennett. Beard, Peterson and Strokes all won Masters as caddies. Bennett was on the bag for Tiger Woods during his debut at Augusta National.
This Patch is different from the Patch they knew. So different. But Jim Dent was stoked about its prospects when he was interviewed three years ago. He loved that it was a partnership with the local First Tee. The land is recognizable, but the aesthetic has changed. The old clubhouse, where Black caddies played card games for hours, was razed to the ground.
The Patch will undoubtedly be a public asset, and when you’re there, even on a quiet day during this soft launch, you can envision the golf magic it will feature on a warm April night. But it will not feel much like The Patch of old. And frankly, that may be too much to ask. It’s hard to make something so demonstrably better for everyone without completely altering what it once was. But the fact that it was changed, via the funds and direction of an inspired and generous Augusta National, means something. It used to cost locals $20 to play 18 holes. Now, it’ll be $25. Put your faith in that. And harken back to that press conference Ridley gave three years ago.
“If we are successful working on this project,” Ridley said, “I really do think it’s a model for other communities, and we are very interested in taking this on the road, as we say.”
What could that mean? Where could that mean? The mind wanders, and optimistically so.
NEW YORK (AP) — Jason Zucker scored the tiebreaking goal early in the third period, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 17 saves, and the Buffalo Sabres rallied to beat the New York Rangers 5-3 on Wednesday night.
Zucker slid his 24th goal past Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin at 7:14 after teammate Alex Tuch had tied the contest with his 31st at 5:50 of the third.
Zach Benson scored twice and Ryan McLeod added a goal for the Sabres, who will participate in the postseason for the first time since 2010-11.
The Sabres won their 48th game in a dramatic turnaround from last year when they had 79 points and missed the playoffs for a 14th straight season. Buffalo is 22-6-3 in its last 31 games, including a league-best 16 wins and 34 points since the Olympic break.
Alexis Lafreniere scored twice and Adam Fox also scored for the Rangers in their home finale. Shesterkin had 22 saves.
CAPITALS 4, MAPLE LEAFS 0
TORONTO (AP) — Logan Thompson made 21 saves to register his third shutout of the season as Washington breathed life into their fading playoff hopes with a victory over the Toronto.
Dylan Strome and Martin Fehervary, with a goal and an assist each, Ryan Leonard and Cole Hutson scored for Washington, which sits three points back of the Eastern Conference’s final wild-card spot with three games left on the schedule.
Anthony Stolarz suffered a lower-body injury early in the first period after stopping the second of two shots he faced for Toronto.
Joseph Woll finished with 14 saves in just over 57 minutes of work for the Maple Leafs, who are set to miss the postseason for the first time since 2016.
UFC fighters Deiveson Figueiredo and Raul Rosas Jr. met inside the ring for a submission-only grappling match in the co-main event of Hype Brazil, which went down Wednesday night in Sao Paulo, and neither fighter got close to securing a finish.
Instead, fans in attendance witnessed two MMA fighters taunting and having fun in the ring.
Rosas Jr. started off by clowning Figueiredo, keeping his hands behind his back before trying a flying armbar that was nowhere near the target. Figueiredo ended up on north-south position before making the transition to the back, but Rosas Jr. escaped back to his feet.
Rosas Jr. returned to taunting, playfully giving Figueiredo his back and dancing around the ring. Figueiredo smiled back before Rosas Jr. went for a takedown and entered Figueiredo’s guard, posing for pictures and not necessarily doing anything to advance positions and chase submissions.
O GRINGO TA FAZENDO GRAÇA
Raul Rosas Jr. solta as gracinhas no ringue e tenta usar o psicológico contra Deiveson Figueiredo agora. 🥋🤪
The UFC fighters got back up and Figueiredo worked for a guillotine, easily defended by Rosas Jr. The young UFC talent decided to expose his neck on purpose for another guillotine attempt just for the fun, escaping with apparent ease.
Rosas Jr. shot for a takedown and Figueiredo once again attacked the neck, again with no luck. nothing there again. Rosas Jr. emulated basketball moves instead of engaging, and time eventually ran out.
With no finish, the match was declared a draw. Figueiredo now turns his focus back to his May 30 UFC bout with Song Yadong, and called for a grappling match with Marlon Vera as well. Rosas Jr. has yet to book his next octagon bout after defeating Rob Font this past March.
TORONTO — By his own admission, Shohei Ohtani was feeling tired before he even threw a pitch.
That is perhaps the reason that the two-way supernova was not at his best on Wednesday. Making his second pitching start of this young baseball season, the Dodgers hurler did not have his typical crispness. The command was scattershot, the mechanics were out of sorts. Ohtani struck out only two hitters, his lowest total ever in a start that lasted more than four innings. Particularly in the early going, he had little feel for his splitter or curveball, two offerings he typically leans on to get left-handed hitters out.
But while the process was far from dominant, the end product was more than sufficient.
Ohtani surrendered just one run and four hits across six innings. He grew more comfortable as the game wore on. His fastball touched 100.1 mph and averaged 98.3, the latter an encouraging 1.5 mph jump from his debut outing last week. He took advantage of a scuffling Blue Jays lineup to limit damage and avoid the big inning.
Oh, and he reached base twice as a hitter.
When Ohtani left the mound after six with the Dodgers up 2-1, everything was hunky dory. That was the case until a Los Angeles bullpen misstep tipped the scales, giving Toronto a 4-3 victory and ruining the Dodgers’ hopes of a 6-0 run away from home.
“When you win the first five, you want to get greedy and win the last one,” manager Dave Roberts said afterward. “But yeah, it’s still a really good road trip.”
After the game, Ohtani was honest about his relatively subpar showing, telling reporters through interpreter Will Ireton that he “didn’t really feel great going into the game.” Pressed as to whether that meant he was simply tired or physically and mechanically discombobulated, Ohtani was characteristically vague.
“I think it’s a little bit of both, for sure,” he said.
He also implied that the timing of this particular start played a role in that tiredness. Los Angeles headed home Wednesday night after a weeklong East Coast swing. Four of L.A.’s six games on this trip, including all three over the weekend in Washington D.C., were afternoon affairs. For a famously sleep-needy machine such as Ohtani, the combination of cross-country jet-lag and early morning alarms could be liable to fritz the system.
“It was a grind. You could see it,” Roberts admitted postgame. “He just didn’t feel synced up with his delivery. You can see by the misses, he was fighting himself, you know, the entire outing. But obviously, the compete comes into play, the stuff comes into play, and you know, he found a way to get through six innings.”
Shohei struggled on the bump today. Not close to his best stuff.
Ohtani led off the game, in the batter’s box, with a walk against Toronto starter Dylan Cease. Two batters later, with Ohtani on second base, Cease tried to pick off his Dodgers counterpart. Ohtani slid cleanly back into the bag, but his uniform wasn’t so spick and span. When he jogged to the mound a few minutes later, he did so with a large mud stain stretching from his chest down to his knees on one side.
That image — Ohtani as the dirtied pitcher — perfectly encapsulated the outrageousness of it all, of what he is trying to do and is doing. Despite being at less than full strength on Wednesday, he was able to deliver an effective performance.
Yet the outing was also a humbling reminder that, even for this outlier of outliers, there are such things as physical limitations.
Ohtani’s two-way exploits come with a significant amount of stress and strain. We saw that reality laid bare the last time he climbed the hill at Rogers Centre, in Game 7 of the 2025 World Series. Working on short rest that night, Ohtani was rickety, vulnerable. A subpar slider to Bo Bichette in the third ended up in the seats and gave Toronto a 3-0 lead. Ultimately, the Dodgers clawed back and made history, but Ohtani’s evening on the bump was one to forget.
There’d been other occasional signs of fatigue from the four-time MVP, but that was the most striking example of exhaustion negatively impacting his performance. Some of that, obviously, was related to his willingness to throw on short rest, but Ohtani’s offensive responsibilities absolutely played a role. Remember, a week prior, he’d gone 4-for-4 with two homers and five walks in Game 3 before pitching the next day. By the end of the Fall Classic, he was a man on empty, running on less than fumes.
But now, just two starts into his first full two-way season since 2023, Ohtani is already offering glimpses of what being stretched too thin might look like for him. Practically, nothing is dire or even approaching it. To be clear, there are no alarm bells ringing. The Dodgers will happily take Wednesday’s pitching output. And while there’s work to be done, everybody expects Ohtani to do it and to figure things out. Besides, it is, on a macro level, preposterously unwise to doubt a sporting force so transcendent.
However, there will come a time when Ohtani’s workload becomes too much. Even for him.
Whether that moment arrives this year or the next or further down the line will be the final mystery of Ohtani’s legendary career. The Dodgers will remain hyper-aware, hyper-vigilant of any concerning clues that arise in order to protect the game’s most valuable character. But on Wednesday, while standing in the visitor’s batting cage conducting his postgame interview in the bowels of Rogers Centre, Ohtani, with his throwing arm wrapped over an oversized bulge of ice, looked strikingly human.
Chennedy Carter has played in the WNBA with Angel Reese before.
Social media chatter is wondering if they could reunite with the Atlanta Dream now that Reese has been traded there from the Chicago Sky.
There hasn't been any real reporting on the matter, but women's basketball fans want to see Carter join Reese in the ATL.
Carter has come under fire throughout her WNBA career, both for "conduct detrimental to the team" in 2021 with the Dream and then again in 2024 when she had a hard foul on Caitlin Clark draw a lot of criticism.
That would make her a risky signing in one sense.
But if Carter can handle herself off the court and in her decision-making, her ability would make her worth taking the chance on.
Carter is a career 14.6 point per game scorer.
She came out of Texas A&M as the No. 4 overall pick in the 2020 WNBA Draft after being a near-unstoppable scorer for the Aggies.
She spent her first two seasons with Atlanta before things got dicey.
She played for the Los Angeles Sparks in 2022, no one in the WNBA in 2023 and then the Sky in 2024.
Carter wasn't in the league in 2025.
She's still just 28 years old, so Carter could have a lot of quality ball left to play if she's given the chance.
There are so many free agents this offseason that it's unlikely anyone will rush to sign Carter. But later in the bidding game, if someone needs a scoring guard -- particularly if Reese's new team needs a scoring guard -- maybe Carter is someone worth considering.
Columbus Blue Jackets forward Cole Sillinger is a young player who they are hoping will be in a key part of their future. While Sillinger is only 22 years old, he is currently in his fifth season with the Blue Jackets, as he jumped into the NHL immediately after being drafted 12th overall by Columbus in 2021.
Sillinger is continuing to grow his game as he gets more experience and has made an impact again this campaign with the Blue Jackets. In 77 games this season with Columbus, the 6-foot forward has recorded eight goals, 25 assists, and 105 hits. Overall, he has been giving the Blue Jackets a nice mix of secondary offensive production and grit.
Now, with the regular season almost over, Sillinger is on the verge of setting a new career high.
Sillinger is currently at 33 points this season and needs only one more to reach a new career high of 34. The Blue Jackets have four more games remaining, so Sillinger does have a little time to get that last point.
No matter what happens on that front, Sillinger is continuing to show promise with the Blue Jackets. While he has yet to have that big offensive season for Columbus, he is showing signs of improvement and is a key part of their roster.
Valdez surrendered six runs in the first inning in the Tigers' 8-6 loss to the Twins on Wednesday, April 8, in the third of four games in the series at Target Field. The Tigers (4-8) have lost four games in a row – and eight of their last 10 games.
To avoid a series sweep, the Tigers will turn to right-hander Jack Flaherty in the finale against the Twins (6-6) on Thursday (1:40 p.m., Detroit SportsNet) after losing back-to-back games with their best pitchers.
In Wednesday's game, Valdez allowed eight runs on 10 hits and two walks with two strikeouts across five-plus innings, throwing 87 pitches – his third start since signing a lucrative multi-year contract with the Tigers in free agency, which could pay him $115 million over three years.
The Twins took a 6-0 lead in Valdez's 29-pitch first inning.
It was death by a thousand cuts.
Everything began with Byron Buxton's leadoff single, then the Twins chipped away by scoring on Valdez's wild pitch for a 1-0 lead, Ryan Jeffers' groundout for a 2-0 lead, Josh Bell's single for a 3-0 lead, Matt Wallner's double for a 4-0 lead and Royce Lewis' two-run single for a 6-0 lead.
Meanwhile, the Tigers were shut down by right-hander Bailey Ober, who allowed two runs on five hits and one walk with two strikeouts across 5⅔ innings, throwing 99 pitches.
Entering the sixth inning, the Tigers were scoreless with one hit against Ober. That hit belonged to Dillon Dingler on an infield single with one out in the second inning.
The Tigers trimmed their deficit to 7-2 in the sixth, thanks to hits from Colt Keith (double), Gleyber Torres (single), Kerry Carpenter (single) and Dingler (single). The two runs scored on the hits from Carpenter and Dingler, with Dingler chasing Ober.
Right-handed reliever Justin Topa allowed a single to pinch-hitter Parker Meadows to load the bases, but he escaped without further damage when Zach McKinstry lined out to left field.
The Twins grabbed an 8-2 lead after Valdez struggled out of the gate in the sixth inning, surrendering a double to Buxton and a single to Austin Martin to conclude his start – leaving two runners in scoring position for left-handed reliever Enmanuel De Jesus. Buxton scored later in the inning during a rundown, then De Jesus stranded the bases loaded by striking out Wallner with an up-and-in fastball.
Valdez owns a 4.76 ERA across 17 innings in three starts.
He struggled to locate his curveball early on, then settled in.
The Tigers shocked the Twins with a comeback effort in the seventh inning, similar to the way the Twins surprised Valdez by scoring six runs in the first inning.
It happened fast.
In the seventh, the Tigers scored three runs on Torres' two-run double and Riley Greene's single against left-handed reliever Anthony Banda and one more run on right-handed reliever Cole Sands' wild pitch.
The Tigers threatened in the eighth inning with Javier Báez's double and Spencer Torkelson's hit-by-pitch with one out, but Kevin McGonigle derailed the momentum with a poor swing decision in a 3-0 count. He hacked at an elevated fastball and popped out in foul territory.
To end the eighth, Jeffers – the Twins' catcher – overturned a call from home-plate umpire Steven Jaschinski using the ABS challenge system, flipping a ball into a strike for a strikeout against Torres.
Jeffers pumped his fist as he left the field.
He received high-fives from his teammates as he bounced through the dugout in celebration.
The Tigers put two runners on with one out in the ninth inning when left-handed reliever Kody Funderburk walked Greene and hit Dingler, only for Meadows to ground into a force out and McKinstry to line out.
Jahmai Jones – a right-handed hitter who replaced Carpenter as a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning – failed to get a hit in two trips to the plate, striking out in a favorable matchup against Banda in the seventh and flying out in an unfavorable matchup against right-handed reliever Cody Laweryson in the ninth.
In 2026, Jones is 0-for-10 with four strikeouts in seven games.
Valdez surrendered six runs in the first inning in the Tigers' 8-6 loss to the Twins on Wednesday, April 8, in the third of four games in the series at Target Field. The Tigers (4-8) have lost four games in a row – and eight of their last 10 games.
To avoid a series sweep, the Tigers will turn to right-hander Jack Flaherty in the finale against the Twins (6-6) on Thursday (1:40 p.m., Detroit SportsNet) after losing back-to-back games with their best pitchers.
In Wednesday's game, Valdez allowed eight runs on 10 hits and two walks with two strikeouts across five-plus innings, throwing 87 pitches – his third start since signing a lucrative multi-year contract with the Tigers in free agency, which could pay him $115 million over three years.
The Twins took a 6-0 lead in Valdez's 29-pitch first inning.
It was death by a thousand cuts.
Everything began with Byron Buxton's leadoff single, then the Twins chipped away by scoring on Valdez's wild pitch for a 1-0 lead, Ryan Jeffers' groundout for a 2-0 lead, Josh Bell's single for a 3-0 lead, Matt Wallner's double for a 4-0 lead and Royce Lewis' two-run single for a 6-0 lead.
Meanwhile, the Tigers were shut down by right-hander Bailey Ober, who allowed two runs on five hits and one walk with two strikeouts across 5⅔ innings, throwing 99 pitches.
Entering the sixth inning, the Tigers were scoreless with one hit against Ober. That hit belonged to Dillon Dingler on an infield single with one out in the second inning.
The Tigers trimmed their deficit to 7-2 in the sixth, thanks to hits from Colt Keith (double), Gleyber Torres (single), Kerry Carpenter (single) and Dingler (single). The two runs scored on the hits from Carpenter and Dingler, with Dingler chasing Ober.
Right-handed reliever Justin Topa allowed a single to pinch-hitter Parker Meadows to load the bases, but he escaped without further damage when Zach McKinstry lined out to left field.
The Twins grabbed an 8-2 lead after Valdez struggled out of the gate in the sixth inning, surrendering a double to Buxton and a single to Austin Martin to conclude his start – leaving two runners in scoring position for left-handed reliever Enmanuel De Jesus. Buxton scored later in the inning during a rundown, then De Jesus stranded the bases loaded by striking out Wallner with an up-and-in fastball.
Valdez owns a 4.76 ERA across 17 innings in three starts.
He struggled to locate his curveball early on, then settled in.
The Tigers shocked the Twins with a comeback effort in the seventh inning, similar to the way the Twins surprised Valdez by scoring six runs in the first inning.
It happened fast.
In the seventh, the Tigers scored three runs on Torres' two-run double and Riley Greene's single against left-handed reliever Anthony Banda and one more run on right-handed reliever Cole Sands' wild pitch.
The Tigers threatened in the eighth inning with Javier Báez's double and Spencer Torkelson's hit-by-pitch with one out, but Kevin McGonigle derailed the momentum with a poor swing decision in a 3-0 count. He hacked at an elevated fastball and popped out in foul territory.
To end the eighth, Jeffers – the Twins' catcher – overturned a call from home-plate umpire Steven Jaschinski using the ABS challenge system, flipping a ball into a strike for a strikeout against Torres.
Jeffers pumped his fist as he left the field.
He received high-fives from his teammates as he bounced through the dugout in celebration.
The Tigers put two runners on with one out in the ninth inning when left-handed reliever Kody Funderburk walked Greene and hit Dingler, only for Meadows to ground into a force out and McKinstry to line out.
Jahmai Jones – a right-handed hitter who replaced Carpenter as a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning – failed to get a hit in two trips to the plate, striking out in a favorable matchup against Banda in the seventh and flying out in an unfavorable matchup against right-handed reliever Cody Laweryson in the ninth.
In 2026, Jones is 0-for-10 with four strikeouts in seven games.
The No. 27 pick in the 2026 NFL draft is a prime area for trading back if the San Francisco 49ers don't like what they see with the board. And that's exactly what The Ringer's Diante Lee did for the team in his newest mock draft.
Lee had the Chicago Bears trading the Nos. 57 and 60 to move back into the first round to take Texas A&M edge rusher Cashius Howell. The move would leave the 49ers with three second-round picks in four selections at 57, 58 and 60.
This would be a new experience for the 49ers under general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan. They've never traded back and out of the first round, and have had a first-round selection every year together except in 2022 and 2023 after they had already sent those selections to the Miami Dolphins in 2021 for the No. 3 overall pick.
Doing so now would be a way for the 49ers to accumulate more shots at Day 2 picks, and possibly use those selections to move up in the second round if a player they covet falls.
It's an intriguing idea, and one that only makes sense if the 49ers don't see an instant impact player at No. 27.
The Lions may look to add a healthy safety in the upcoming draft to bolster a position that suffered season-ending injuries to Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch. A mid-late round option is VJ Payne who looks to be medically clean.
(Ages in parentheses are at start of 2026 season and are factored into the concern level. Injury info and ages based on available public information are unverified and subject to update. Games played data courtesy of sports-reference.com.)
Kansas City Royals up and coming star Jac Caglianone is likely going to play a significant role with the ball club for years to come. However, he also could help Team Italy in the World Baseball Classic in the future tournaments. The 23-year-old joined his Royals teammate Vinnie Pasquantino with Team Italy in the 2026 WBC, and the young outfielder contributed in a pivotal manner.
The Italy team was not expected to make too much noise in the tournament. Yet, they upset Team USA in a game in the first round and ended up reaching the WBC semifinals. Caglianone slashed .286/.500/.571 across five games played. He hit a home run and recorded four RBIs as well.
"That was the most fun I've ever had playing baseball," Caglianone said.
He also explained that it felt like postseason baseball. The experience has seemingly given him even more motivation to help lead the Royals to the playoffs.
Jac Caglianone's High Ceiling
Caglianone made his MLB debut during the 2025 season. He only appeared in 62 games, and Caglianone endured ups and downs.
He certainly displayed his power. The outfielder crushed seven home runs and six doubles. He also had 18 RBIs and 18 walks. However, he also hit only .157. It seems like almost all of his hits went for extra bases.
So far in 2026, Caglianone is hitting .250/.325/.306 across 11 games played. He has recorded two doubles and no home runs, though.
The power will surely return at some point. The Royals believe Caglianone features the talent and potential to become a star at the MLB level. Fans are certainly excited about Caglianone's outlook.
Royals' Overall 2026 Performance
Overall, Kansas City holds a 5-7 record this year. They have endured an up and down all-around campaign so far. The Royals most recently dropped two out of three games to the Cleveland Guardians in a three-game series.
Kansas City's outlook remains intriguing, however. This is a ball club that could realistically make some noise this season. Many analysts and experts who cover the league believe the Royals can compete for a division title in the American League Central. If Jac Caglianone meets his lofty expectations, the team will certainly receive a crucial boost.
The Royals will attempt to bounce back in their upcoming series against the Chicago White Sox in Kansas City.
Apr 8, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton (25) steals home plate beating the tag by Detroit Tigers pitcher Framber Valdez (59) during the first inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Johnson-Imagn Images | Jordan Johnson-Imagn Images
Another chilly day for a game in Minnesota (honestly, scheduling games before May in the midwest is really a fool’s errand, but that’s baseball for you). The Tigers, currently on a three-game losing streak, were looking to break up the bad luck with Framber Valdez on the mound. They’d be facing off against Bailey Ober for the Twins, whose only aim was to continue the Twins’ winning run against their division rivals.
The Tigers quickly went 1-2-3 to start the game. As things headed into the bottom of the first, Byron Buxton got a base hit immediately. Austin Martin was then hit by a pitch to put two baserunners on. Then, what should have either been a force-out or even a double play turned into a bases loaded scenario as Luke Keaschall reached on a fielder’s choice. A wild pitch from Valdez allowed Buxton to score. Ryan Jeffers then hit a ground out to score Martin. The inning continued to be a bummer, as Victor Caratini walked. Josh Bell then singled to get Keaschall in. A Matt Wallner double brought Caratini home. The cold weather must super power the Twins. Oh but this inning still isn’t over. Royce Lewis singled, scoring two more Twins runs. He then stole second.
In the second, the Tigers got an early baserunner in Kerry Carpenter, who took a leadoff walk. Dillon Dingler got lucky as Royce Lewis made a great infield grab but couldn’t turn around to get it to first, and Dingler arrived safe on base with a single. Despite the efforts, however, the Tigers couldn’t convert the baserunners to actual runs. Valdez started the home half og the second a lot stronger, with two outs back-to-back. Ryan Jeffers then singled. The Twins didn’t manage to add to their early lead, though.
The Tigers went 1-2-3 in the top of the third. Much to the relief of Valdez, though, the Twins did the same in the bottom of the inning.
The top of the fourth was another three-up, three-down for the Tigers, which isn’t the ideal result if they hope to come back from a six-run deficit. Things got worse in the home half. Buxton got a one-out single. Then, with two outs, Keaschall singled into center, there was no easy play, and Buxton scored. Keaschall then stole second, followed by a Ryan Jeffers walk. The Twins didn’t manage to convert any additional baserunners, but the score was now 7-0.
Heading to the fifth, Dingler reached on a throwing error by Brooks Lee. A Matt Vierling ground out then pushed Dingler into scoring position. Two more outs followed, however, leaving Dillon on base and the Tigers still scoreless. While Valdez continued to look more confident and dialled in as the innings progressed, in the bottom of the second, once again with two outs, the Twins got the better of him. Lewis hit a single, but thankfully they weren’t able to score any additional runs. Given how the first inning had gone, with 29 pitches, it was somewhat surprising to see Valdez get through five, but it was good to see his quality improve over the course of the game. While it’s certainly not the kind of start fans would want from someone who was touted to be such a good offseason score, it was still just one bad inning, when you really look at it, much of which was also on the fielders to shoulder blame for. So certainly not time to pull out any pitchforks just yet.
Colt Keith proved that the Tigers still had some motivation left to play this game as he hit a leadoff double. With one out, Gleyber Torres then singled. A Kerry Carpenter single finally got the Tigers on the board, bringing Keith home. With two outs, Dingler singled to score Torres, and that was it for Bailey Ober for the day. Justin Topa came out of the overworked Twins bullpen. Parker Meadows, pinch-hitting for Matt Vierling, came in and singled, loading the bases. Unfortunately a flyout ended the inning, but at least they were finally on the board. Valdez’s day wasn’t done after five, which was a bold choice despite all the nice things I said earlier. Byron Buxton hit a leadoff double. Austin Martin followed that with a single. That was it for Valdez, whose final line was 5.0 IP, 10 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 2 BB, 2 K on 87 pitches. Rough. Would have liked to see those strikeous a lot higher to feel really good about this one, but so it goes. Better luck next time. Emmanuel De Jesus came out of the Tigers pen to try getting out of the jam. With one out, Martin got picked off trying to steal second and was caught in a rundown for an out. Naturally, though, Buxton scored another run. Ryan Jeffers walked, and Caratini singled. Josh Bell then challenged a strike call and was rewarded when it was overturned but getting a walk to load the bases again. A strikeout finally ended the inning, though, with only the one run of damage.
Anthony Banda was the next reliever in for the Twins in the top of the seventh. Javier Baez got a leadoff single. Spencer Torkelson came in to pinch-hit for Keith and did little more than take a walk to the plate and then back to the dugout. Kevin McGonigle then singled. A Gleyber Torres double then scored Baez and McGonigle. Rally time? Sure! There was a brief delay onfield as the umpires assessed whether the Torres double was lodged, but since no one made a call on the field about it, the ball was considered live and both runs counted. Jahmai Jones came in for Carpenter, and a wild pitch from Banda allowed Torres to advance to third. Riley Greene then singled to score Torres.
The Twins had to dip into their bullpen again, a nightmare for them at this point given how overworked the pen has been this series. Cole Sands came out, and gave up a single to Dingler. With two outs the Tigers managed to have the tying run at the plate. A wild pitch scored Greene. While Meadows struck out to end the inning, the Tigers had come way, way back, and the score was now 8-6. Baseball is a wacky game.
In the bottom of the seventh the Tigers turned to Kyle Finnegan. Lewis got a leadoff walk. One out later, Buxton walked. A pinch-hitting Trevor Larnach hit into a double play, eliminating Buxton, thank goodness. That ended the inning and put the Tigers back in a position to turn things around even more.
Cody Laweryson was the next Twins reliever out. Baez got a one-out double, followed by Torkelson getting hit by a pitch for a free base. The effort was good, but a pop out and strike out ended the inning (though Torres did attempt to challenge one of the strike calls, it was upheld), another ABS call, this time from Jeffers, ended the inning as it was ruled to be a strike and not a ball. Brutal. Will Vest came in for the Tigers in the bottom of the inning. Vest had a much-needed clean inning getting the Twins out 1-2-3.
With one out in the top of the ninth there was a Cody for Kody swap, as Kody Funderburk came in to finish off the game. Riley Greene then walked. Dingler was then hit by a pitch to put two runners on. Parker Meadows grounded into a force out, eliminating Dingler but advancing Greene to third. While the Tigers made a valiant late effort at a comeback, it wasn’t enough to turn it around.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Coaches are reminded to send in game results each weeknight by emailing pjsports@providencejournal.com from 6 to10 p.m.
⚾Game of the Day
La Salle 1, Bishop Feehan (MA) 0
In a pitchers' duel, every hit matters. And in this particular matchup of two baseball powers, each team only had one, but La Salle's was a solo home run to left field off the bat of AxelDaSilva in the bottom of the fifth, and that proved to be the difference.
On the mound, both starters were nearly perfect. La Salle's JairoMartinez recorded 10 strikeouts through seven innings, allowing just a single hit – to lead-off man EddieRitchie in the sixth – and walking one.
For the Shamrocks (from Attleboro), starter BrodyBumila threw three no-hit frames, striking out nine, and reliever TraceReed came in for the final three innings, allowing the lone run, while fanning six and walking one.
La Salle improves to 5-0 in RIIL's Division I.
⚾BASEBALL - Division II
Middletown 2, Narragansett 0
The Islanders plated their first run in the third inning when RyanJohnson, who had reached on a single, took second on a passed ball, took third on a fielder's choice and came home on another passed ball.
Middletown tacked on an insurance run in the sixth when KennyPirches singled home CamCarlisle.
On the mound Pirches earned the win after taking over for starter GarrettWest in the third inning and tossing five shutout frames, striking out four and allowing three hits. West fanned three and walked three in two scoreless innings.
For the Mariners, AidenClancey took the loss after striking out eight and walking one through four innings.
Five Narragansett batters got in the hit column (Middletown outhit the Mariners 10-5) but none crossed the plate.
North Providence 10, Johnston 0
MikeRyan allowed just one hit and two walks while striking out nine in this mercy-rule shortened shutout of the Panthers.
And five innings was more than enough for the Cougar bats do some major damage. Three North Providence batters enjoyed a two-RBI game: JaydenAllard was 1-2 with three runs scored, CarterHarris went 2-3 and NickAlmonte was 1-3. Also, TylerLinehan and AlexDieffenbach each tallied a pair of hits and both scored twice.
NP outhit the Panthers 10-1, with both Dieffenbach and Almonte hitting doubles.
AnthonyMorales recorded the lone hit for Johnston in the loss.
West Warwick 15, Rogers 2
Freshman Michael Sabetta, pitching in his first varsity game, went 5 innings, allowing only one earned run while striking out nine to lead the Wizards to victory over the Vikings in a game that ended in the sixth due to the Mercy Rule.
The WW offense was led by Junior Blanco, who had two hits and 5 RBI. Also contributing to the win were Joseph Riviera, Kole Kilduff and Mason Hunt, who each drove in two run.
East Greenwich 10, Toll Gate 5
The Avengers plated six runs in the second inning and never looked back in this Division II victory over the Titans.
CaidenSouza was 2-3 for East Greenwich with three RBIs, and BradyO'Brien was 1-4 with a pair of RBIs. Lead-off batter VanMartin was 2-3, including a double, and scored three times and TylerGecawich went 1-3 with a double and run scored.
On the hill, MilesDoman struck out five batters through 3.2 innings to earn the win.
For Toll Gate, EdwardRosario had a pair of RBIs and BraydenRandall had a team-high two hits with a run scored in the loss.
⚾BASEBALL - Division III
Scituate 15, Mount Pleasant 2
Behind AidenOulette's dominant four innings on the mound – in which he struck out eight and gave up just three hits and no runs – the Spartans offense provided more than enough run support for this Division III victory.
Scituate's MattJohnson was 2-3 with an RBI and two runs scored, lead-off hitter QuinnLiptrot was 1-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored, TylerNorth drove in three and scored two more, and DH DrakeDumont drove in three and scored twice.
The offensive barrage led to a mercy-rule shortened (five innings) contest, although the Kilties offense got on the scoreboard in the final frame, thanks to a WanerMatteo double to bring home JarielEchavarria, which followed Moya scoring on a wild pitch.
Woonsocket 18, Paul Cuffee 0
The Villa Novans scored early and very often in this mercy-rule shortened affair. JulianDejesus was 3-4 at the plate with an RBI and four runs scored. BraylonGuilbeault and CesarVazquez each went 2-3 and each drove in three runs, and PatrickMunger and TyChhorun were both 2-4 with two RBIs.
Starter JordanPlante struck out nine in a five-inning no hitter, allowing one base on balls.
BVP 8, Classical 0
NoahFerreira tossed six shutout innings and struck out 12 to lead the Blackstone Valley Prep/Central Falls team to victory over the host Purple. CameronBeaudreau came on in relief and struck out three batters to close the door.
At the plate, AlexTorres, AliezelFernández and Ferreira each scored twice, with Fernandez going 2-4 on the day. Ferreira also swiped four bags, and was caught once.
SilasMcKay led Classical, going 2-3 with four stolen bases in the loss.
The Sentinels got the scoring off to a good start in the first inning by plating three runs. AvaLopez and SophiaParrillo had singles in that frame and Mallory Cavanagh tripled. A double by Maggie Lee and an inside-the-park home run by Giannah Tutt in the third inning helped Smithfield extend the early lead.Maddie Bose started in the circle for the Sentinels. She allowed eight hits and six runs (just one earned) over six innings, striking out eight and walking one. MadelynCrawford took the loss for Cumberland.Adison Merchant led the Clippers with three hits in three at-bats. Smithfield had 17 hits in the game. Tutt and Cavanagh drove in three runs each for the Sentinels.
East Providence 12, Moses Brown 0
Trinity Provencher collected three hits in four at bats to lead the Townies to the victory on their home field. She hit an inside-the-park home run in the fourth inning and singled in that inning, and singled in the first inning. East Providence scored eight runs in the fourth inning. The Townies totaled 15 hits in the game.
Cassandra Dulude earned the win in the circle for East Providence. The right-hander surrendered two hits and no runs over two innings, striking out three and walking one. CeliaBodurtha took the loss for Moses Brown.
Abigail DeWolf led the Quakers with two hits in two at bats. She also stole two bases.
La Salle 13, Bay View/PCD Co-op 0
Elle Kershaw drove in four of the Rams’ runs in the victory. Gia DeNinno started in the circle and in five innings of work struck out 10 batters, gave up only four hits and one base on balls.
La Salle’ Kayleigh Ventura homered to left field in the first inning with a runner on base to start the scoring. The Rams scored another 10 runs in the fifth inning. La Salle had 11 hits on the day with Kershaw, Sophia Morgan and Ventura collecting two each.
Madison Caletri went 2-for-2 at the plate to lead the Bengals in hits.
Natalia Scorpio had three hits in three at-bats — a single in the fifth inning, a double in the third inning and a single in the fourth inning — to lead the Chieftains to the overwhelming victory. Ponaganset scored nine runs on three hits in the top of the fifth inning. Ella McKenney started the game in the circle for the Chieftains and allowed no hits or runs, striking out one and walking one, during the inning that she pitched. Cali LaMountain and LillyIaci each appeared in relief for Ponaganset.
The Chieftains tallied 18 hits in the game. ElkePearson led the way in RBIs with three runs batted in. The outfielder went 2-for-3 on the day.
Toll Gate/West Warwick Co-op 13, Scituate 1
TG/WW scored eight runs on seven hits in the top of the third inning on its way to the victory. Shortstop GraceGallo homered to left field in that inning to drive in three of the runs.Bryce Principe earned the win for TG/WW. The starter allowed four hits and one unearned run over four innings. She struck out five batters during her stint and did not issue a walk. Leigha Dimascio took the loss for the Spartans.
TG/WW amassed 15 hits in the game. Alivia Cota, Gallo, Charlotte Horak,SophiaMoreira and AbigailO’Connor collected two hits each.
Lincoln 20, Mt. Hope 0
Adeline Macomber had 3 hits, including a homerun and 3 RBI and teammates MykiahOldham and Alicia Valois drove in 3 runs each, and Sydney Marchand belted a two-run homer as the Lions crushed Mt. Hope in a D-II game that went sideways fast.
Lincoln scored 18 of its runs in the first three innings. They also drew 9 walks and stole 11 bases in the contest.
Johnston 11, North Providence 3
Haley Boudreau had a double and two singles in five at bats to lead the Panthers to the victory on the road. The senior pitcher also struck out 15 batters in seven innings. She surrendered only three hits and walked two batters.
An RBI triple by freshman KendallDuguay put Johnston on the board in the top of the first. The Cougars scored a run in the bottom of the first on a solo homer to center field by Mariana Xavier on the seventh pitch of the at-bat. Xavier led North Providence with three runs batted in. The infielder went 2-for-3 on the day. The Panthers tallied 13 hits in the game.
🥎Other softball scores
Division II
East Greenwich 7, Burr/NS 4
Division III
Exeter-West Greenwich 17, Central 2
Tiverton 16, Hope 0
🥍BOYS LACROSSE - Division I
La Salle 15, Barrington 3
LachlanGot led the Rams with a game-high four goals, Quincy Marino amd Nick Loo each scored three times and Tanner Poirier had two goals in the win.
For the Eagles, Peyton Hillier, Patrick McNamara and Dylan Edwards each had a goal.
🥍BOYS LACROSSE - Division III
Mt. Hope 16, PCD 0
The Huskies attack proved too strong for the PCD/St. Raphael/EP co-op. BenBrowne led the way with four goals (and two assists), BraydenVales and NathanCarpenter each had three goals, and CharlieKnapman, AedanNelson and EmersonTorrey each scored twice.
In net, EthanLaBollita and RoccoFratterelli combined for eight saves for Mt. Hope. PCD goalies AlexSilva and IsaacEllacin combined for 19 saves.
Several Lynx players recorded a pair of goals as they defeated the visiting Islanders at Faxon Farm.
Shea Broady, Maggie McDonald, Sadie Schiller, Arianna Casey and AnnieLenihan each scored twice, and HanaaAmanullah and ZelfaNaddaf each had two saves in net for Lincoln School.
Middletown's goals came from Charlotte O'Hagan. Addison Ford and Elle Sobin.
JackCasey recorded 13 kills and five aces, DeltonCabral had three kills and three blocks, and PedroSilva had four aces and 22 assists in the Patriots' win (25-15 25-10 25-17).
(No Woonsocket stats were provided.)
Pawtucket 3, South Kingstown 0
BryanLeon led the way with 12 kills, 17 digs and an assist, CooperMarkley recorded nine kills and six digs and MylesCarter had 33 assists in the win.
For the Rebels, LukeBrock had 10 kills and 6 digs, and AnthonyPates recorded four kills and four blocks in the loss.
West Warwick 3, Pilgrim 0
Solid outings by Ian Degnan (22 assists 6 aces), Colin Kelly (8 kills 2 blocks) and Michael Gallo (6 kills) helped the Wizards upend the Patriots, 25-14, 25-22 and 25-18.
Connor McColl had 10 kills for Pilgrim in the loss.
🏐Other Boys Volleyball scores
Division II
Central Falls 3, Johnston 0
Lincoln 3, Westerly 0
🏀UNIFIED BASKETBALL
Mt. Pleasant 57, East Providence 52
With just under three minutes to go in the game, Jescell Stevens hit a long-distance shot and put Mount Pleasant ahead for good as the Kilties edged East Providence, 57-52.
THURSDAY'S SCHEDULE
BASEBALL
Cranston East at Hendricken, 4 p.m.
Mt. Hope vs. North Kingstown at Lischio Field, 4 p.m.
Chariho at Prout, 4 p.m.
La Salle Academy at Smithfield, 4:05 p.m.
Cranston West at Barrington, 4:15 p.m.
East Providence vs. South Kingstown at Old Mountain Field, 4:15 p.m.
St. Raphael Academy at East Greenwich, 4:30 p.m.
Moses Brown vs. Pilgrim at Mickey Stevens Sports Complex, 4:30 p.m.
Lincoln at Portsmouth, 4:30 p.m.
Juanita Sanchez vs. Pawtucket Co-op at Slater Park, 4:30 p.m.
Tiverton vs. Exeter-West Greenwich at Wawaloam Field, 4:30 p.m.
Cumberland vs. Westerly at Cimalore Field, 5:30 p.m.
SOFTBALL
Pilgrim at Moses Brown, 4:30 p.m.
Rogers at Mount Pleasant, 4:30 p.m.
La Salle vs. St. Raphael at Slater Park, 4 p.m.
Prout at East Provdence, 4:30 p.m.
Westerly at Fitch (Conn.), 4:45 p.m.
Pawtucket Co-op at Middletown, 4:45 p.m.
BOYS LACROSSE
Fordham Prep (N.Y.) at Moses Brown, 4 p.m.
Narragansett vs. Rogers at Braga Park, 5 p.m.
Westerly at Chariho, 5 p.m.
Cumberland at Prout, 5 p.m.
Bishop Hendricken at Portsmouth Abbey, 5:30 p.m.
GIRLS LACROSSE
Cranston East at Narragansett, 4 p.m.
South Kingstown vs. Cumberland at Tucker Field, 5:30 p.m.
Ponaganset vs. PCD/BV/SRA at Providence Country Day, 4 p.m.
East Providence at Smithfield, 4 p.m.
Chariho at Westerly, 5 p.m.
BOYS OUTDOOR TRACK
Meet at North Kingstown, 4 p.m.
GIRLS OUTDOOR TRACK
Meet at North Kingstown, 4 p.m.
BOYS TENNIS
Scituate vs. TG/Pilgrim Co-op at Warwick Vets Middle School, 3:30 p.m.
La Salle vs. SK/EWG at Broad Rock Middle School, 4 p.m.
Cranston West vs. Midd/Rog Co-op at Gaudet Middle School, 4 p.m.
East Providence vs. PCD at Kendbrin, 4 p.m.
Smithfield at Tiverton, 4 p.m.
Central vs. North Providence at Stephen Olney Courts, 4:15 p.m.
St. Raphael Academy vs. Cumberland at Tucker Field, 4:30 p.m.
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
St. Raphael at Hope, 5:30 p.m.
Toll Gate at Mount Pleasant, 6 p.m.
Coventry at Cranston East, 6:30 p.m.
Classical vs. Pawtucket Co-op at Tolman, 6:30 p.m.
Chariho at Cranston West, 6:30 p.m.
Achievement First at Exeter-West Greenwich, 6:30 p.m.
What does Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky, OH and the Daytona 200 have in common? Hurry up then wait, ups and downs, and all the adrenaline a person could ask for. As a true Ohioan, this reference is the best way to describe my time as a crew member with MP13 Racing for the 2026 Daytona 200. Follow along as I take you through the chaos that is Daytona and how a handful of inspiring women, Melissa Paris and Ella Dreher, are proving to the motorcycle community that they belong in the big leagues in a male-dominated sport.
When Melissa Paris asked me to be a part of her team this year for the Daytona 200, I was honored and excited. She was one of the first big names I heard about when I started riding. With a résumé that includes racing at Daytona and in World Supersport, she is a legend in my eyes. But what stands out isn't just her past, it is how she runs a team in the present.
If you don't know, the Daytona 200 is one of the most iconic and unforgiving motorcycle races in the world. For Melissa, this year's event was yet another chapter in a career built on breaking barriers. For Ella, it was a leap into the deep end. For me, it was a front-row seat to both.
The Dreher siblings showing off Daytona's 31-degree banking.
Florida is traditionally known as a retirement and vacation spot, but in my world it's known for Daytona. The Daytona 200 is one of the most respected endurance races in motorcycle racing, with legends tied to its history like Kenny Roberts, Scott Russell, and Josh Hayes. The 31-degree banking, the speed, the chaos, it's a place that demands respect. Or, as Melissa put it, "Daytona is mean. It's a mean place. There is a lot of luck involved."
A Young Rider, A Big Jump
MP13 Racing rolled in as the only team campaigning the MV Agusta F3, with Ella and her older brother Avery. Ella is only 16 years old, which made her the youngest rider in history to race the Daytona 200. After chatting with Ella, she played off this fact but was more interested in becoming the youngest ever to win the modern Daytona 200 - an accomplishment currently held by Johnny Cecotto who won at 19 years old in 1976. That's a mindset worth envying. Just a year ago, she was on a Kramer APX-350 in the MotoAmerica Talent Cup. A feeder class to the big leagues, the Talent Cup is where tomorrow's champions are groomed. Now she was lining up for the Daytona 200 in the Supersport class, working her way up the professional ladder. That kind of jump doesn't come easy, and Melissa knew it. Throughout the week, she made a clear effort to keep Ella comfortable, help her manage the pressure, keep things light when needed, and focused when it mattered. It's a balance that doesn't show up on a timing sheet but makes a difference everywhere else.
Getting to Daytona wasn't guaranteed. Despite being on the team the previous year, Melissa wanted Ella on the team again, but needed to secure funding. Avery was also in the picture, though Melissa believed he was talented enough to land elsewhere, if need be. Ella and Avery are more than siblings though. If you follow their social media, you will find that they are also competitors. They push each other to go faster and ride better, which I truly believe is going to lead them to success deeper into their careers. It wasn't until around Christmas that everything came together, thanks in large part to a major sponsor. Without him, the team likely wouldn't have happened. Behind the scenes, Evan Wilcox also delivered, building the custom gas tanks that would play a critical role in the race - more on that shortly.
Rule changes
This year, a few rules changed for the 200. For the first time since MotoAmerica took over, the race was now a points-paying round for the racers. The race also now required three pit stops instead of two, due to reduced fuel tank capacity - dropping from 19 liters to 15.5 in 2026. All of these adjustments came with their own challenges. Now, more racers would be competing to secure more points. For several years - after the DMG regime was transitioned to MotoAmerica - Daytona was basically a standalone race, kept alive through club organizations and history refusing to let it die. But now there was more pressure to compete and do well for the top racers. Fuel capacity was adjusted for the three stops, however that meant the fuel tanks needed to be altered to hold that exact amount. This was Melissa's job to get right.
The Real Work Begins
Inside the garage, there were multiple veteran Daytona crew members and two new ones. Luckily, I have worked at the 200 in the past and was eager to show the team I was an asset. From my position on the crew, everything revolved around giving Ella a bike she could trust for 200 miles at full speed. And with the MV Agusta, that wasn't straightforward. Aftermarket support is limited, which meant a lot of what we needed didn't exist, so we had to make it work ourselves. Parts didn't just bolt on; they had to be modified, adjusted, and sometimes completely reworked just to function the way we needed. This was a huge time suck. Every detail mattered. Safety wire had to be perfect. Torque specs had to be exact. Wiring couldn't rub, components couldn't shift around, and nothing could be left to chance. Daytona exposes everything.
Here, Melissa Paris keeps Ella cool, calm, and collected while waiting 45 minutes on grid. Holding the umbrella is the team's main sponsor, proof that small teams require everyone to pitch in.
Then there were the pit stops. What looks simple on TV turned into one of the biggest challenges of the week - for the entire paddock. The single-sided swingarm on the MV Agusta sounded like an advantage, but in reality it fought us. The spindle nut design made quick changes difficult because the tolerances were tight, and even getting tools on and off quickly became a challenge. We ended up modifying parts, tools, reshaping edges, and constantly practicing just to get consistent.
Fueling added another layer. Melissa's main job was making sure we had enough fuel, and the right amount, for every stop. Too much fuel is obviously not allowed. Too little, you don't finish. It meant constant measuring, refilling, and double-checking under pressure, usually running on almost no sleep.
"There are problems you can solve with money and others you can solve with time," Melissa said early in the week. "Daytona tends to limit both."
By the time practice started, we were already exhausted, but that's when Ella's part really began. Speeds climbed past 180 mph on the banking, and while she approached it methodically at first, the progression was clear. Lap by lap, she got more comfortable, more confident. You could see Melissa managing that growth, keeping her steady, not letting the moment get too big. Melissa's message to Ella: "Your job is to finish the race."
The first qualifying session reflected that progress. Ella settled into competitive times and earned a mid-pack starting position, exactly where she needed to be to stay in the fight.
Overcoming Mechanical Challenges
Remember that bit about making sure there was exactly enough fuel in the tank at each stop? Melissa made that my job, and it was time consuming, odorous, and difficult. Changing out the fuel pumps to test the new gas tanks eight times over was a pain, but a critical part of the process. Furthermore, we had to make some adjustments to the tanks to make them bulletproof, and had to find a way to limit fuel capacity from the 20-liter tank we had to turn it into a 15.5-liter tank, per the rules. We used empty Gatorade bottles and homemade PVC closed pipes to offset the allotment. Yeah, I know, it sounds ludicrous but we shoved those things in there to get the fuel to the top.
Another major challenge was installing the quick-change kit for the wheels, a crucial component to endurance racing. These are custom made to each bike and have to work perfectly. These systems, including specialized rear kits, utilize captive wheel spacers, captive brake calipers, and guides, allowing the axle to be removed without removing the brake components. Additionally, in racing, you try to eliminate as much weight from the bike as possible but MotoAmerica also has a minimum weight limit with bike and rider combined. Ella is so light that we actually had to add weight to the bike to meet the minimum requirement.
Race Day
This was the day we put our custom-built fuel tanks on (we had used the stock tanks during practice), which also meant that it was our first chance to test its mettle. After working through some teething issues with the new tanks, we were good to go by the second qualifying. Now we knew that the bikes were ready for this demanding race.
Of course, race day proved how quickly things could change.
As we were sitting on the grid, waiting for the race to begin, Ella and Melissa were locked in. Waiting on the grid for 45 minutes, I could see Ella's nervousness, just wanting to get the start over with. Melissa always does a phenomenal job in managing Ella's thoughts and emotions. It is very cool to see a legend helping an upcoming racer, working towards proving to the world they belong. And now, it was finally time to go racing. The grid cleared and the racers took off to do their sighting and warm up laps.
One of the eeriest and most anxious feelings I have ever experienced personally is the moment right before the race starts. Sighting and warm up laps were done and the pits became almost dead silent (apart from the running engines). Nobody said anything. Everyone was just waiting, and hoping that when the revs go up, their riders would come out of turn one unscathed.
It's finally time. We sat by and watched the lights come on at the grid. Revs ramped and held steady - I'm pretty sure I wasn't breathing at this point. I could only imagine how Ella was feeling. The transition from dead silence to ear ringing limiters is an experience that you can't truly grasp through the TV. The lights go out. The race is on. And everyone is barreling into turn one as if it was the only thing that mattered in that moment.
On the first start of the season, Ella delivered one of the strongest openings on the grid, immediately moving forward and passing multiple riders within the first lap. It was the kind of start that could define a race. Then the red flag came out. The restart reset everything. You'd think doing a restart would settle the nerves compared to the first start. I asked Ella about this later. She told me it doesn't matter how many restarts there are, the nerves are always the same because the goal is still the same: get to the front as soon as possible. Ella still launched well the second time, gaining positions again, but not to the same extent. From her perspective, that interruption mattered. Without it, she felt she would have been in a stronger position, with faster riders ahead to chase, which is something that can make all the difference at Daytona.
Chaos and Recovery
What followed was exactly the kind of drama that happens in racing: chaos. A crash shuffled the field on the second lap, causing both Dreher siblings to drop to the back of the pack, forcing them to regroup. That's where the race really began.
Ella stayed composed. No panic, no desperation, just steady riding and smart decisions. From the pit, our job was to match that. Every stop had to be clean. No mistakes, no delays. After everything we fought through during the week, this was where it had to come together.
As a team, there was only one small mistake on our end. During one of Avery's pit stops, while fueling the bike, a crew member touched the retaining clip on the rear wheel. One of the rules states that nobody, other than the fueling team member, can touch the motorcycle while fueling. Despite incurring a small penalty, it did not affect Avery's finishing position. Now we will be more prepared and aware next year.
A Hard-Earned Finish
Photo by Racerxphoto.
As the laps wound down, Ella kept moving forward. Then, with just a few laps remaining, she made a clean, decisive pass for 16th place, locking in her position after a full race of fighting through the field. It wasn't handed to her. She took it.
Avery made his own charge from nearly last to 12th place, but the bigger picture for MP13 was clear: both riders finished strong at a race that doesn't guarantee anything.
After the checkered flag, the team finally exhaled, while I cheered so loud that my voice cracked. The pressure was gone, replaced with a satisfactory relief. There was still work to do, but it felt lighter.
Melissa summed it up best in her own way: "Don't look in the kitchen of your favorite restaurant." A reminder that what people see on race day is only a fraction of what it takes to get there.
Daytona delivered what it always promises: highs, lows, setbacks, and small wins that turn into something bigger. For Melissa, it was another step forward building something different. For Ella, it was proof she belongs at this level. From where I stood, it was clear, none of that happens without the struggle that came first. Would you line up for this rollercoaster of adrenaline? I know my answer.
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MIAMI – The team with maybe the best starting rotation in the league had its worst start of the season. The only team in the majors without an error committed two in the first two innings.
And just like that, the Cincinnati Reds followed their most thrilling, unlikeliest victory one night with a 7-4 dud of a loss to the Miami Marlins on Wednesday – the Reds’ first road loss of the young season after winning their first five games of this opening trip.
Veteran right-hander Brady Singer didn’t get out of the third inning of this one, giving up 10 hits and six runs – five earned – before giving way to reliever Sam Moll with two out and one on in the third.
It was his worst start since giving up seven runs in 2 1/3 innings against the Nationals in Washington last July 21.
He’d also committed the Reds’ first two errors of the season by then, on errant pickoff attempts in the first and second innings – all after the lineup staked him to a 2-0 lead before he ever took the mound.
If there was an upside to the night it might have been hometown slugger Sal Stewart continuing his big week in his first big-league trip to Miami since he debuted last September.
Stewart isn’t staying at his house while in Miami. But he’s been living in a lot of Marlins’ pitchers heads since he got to town, with between 100 and 200 family and friends in attendance all week.
In this one, he reached on an error and scored in the first, doubled in the third and hit a two-run homer in the fifth that cut the Marlins’ lead to 6-4 at the time.
Connor Norby homered off Connor Phillips in the seventh to extend the lead back to three.
The Reds’ five-game winning streak, which matched their longest of last season, had pushed them to an 8-3 start before Wednesday – their best 11-game start to a season since the 1990 World Series champs went 9-2.
The Reds brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth inning before another late rally fell short.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are getting off to a solid start in their efforts for a World Series three-peat. One of the key components to their team is a player that will have his name etched into Major League Baseball's history books for a long, long time, in Shohei Ohtani.
With a walk, Ohtani has now reached base in each of the last 43 games, tying Ichiro Suzuki's record run from 2009. and at 24.2 straight innings, he did not allow a single run to get across on the mound. It wasn't even an earned run either, which keeps his ERA at 0.00 on the season after his second start on the season.
Ohtani has been electrifying, as he completely changes the dynamic of the game. This season has seen his return to the mound, full-time, following Tommy John surgery, and it does not look like he has skipped a beat. At the plate, his batting average has not been very Ohtani-esque, currently sitting at .267. But that will surely shape up in time as the 2026 season is not even two weeks old yet.
The Dodgers are 9-3 on the season, and hold a strong 3.0 game lead in the National League West. Ohtani is a big reason why, as his two-way game is still unmatched across the baseball universe. With one more game to reach base safely, No. 17 can etch his name into the history books, in another incredible feat.
The Los Angeles Rams' quarterback situation is an interesting watch, with Matthew Stafford on the back nine of his career.
With the MVP winner going around again in 2026, many wonder if this is the last season for the Super Bowl-winning quarterback, and if it is, the Rams have to have some sort of plan in place for his successor.
Stetson Bennet likely isn't "that" guy, so could the Rams look elsewhere?
Fox Sports' Ralph Vacchiano has proposed a bold draft day trade that sends Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy to the Rams in exchange for a 2026 second-round pick.
"The Vikings sure look like they’ve moved on from the former 10th overall pick (2024) by signing Kyler Murray," Vacchiano wrote. "He could benefit from learning under McVay on a loaded offensive team. Right now their backup is Stetson Bennett. McCarthy would at least be an upgrade over that. And that’s important for an expected Super Bowl contender."
The change for McCarthy to sit back and learn from Stafford makes this a great move. But what makes it better is the fact that J.J. will also have one of the best offensive minds in football coaching him in Sean McVay.
This move does make sense, but only if the Vikings are truly out on McCarthy.
Plus, will just a second-round pick get it done? If this happens on draft night, maybe, but it still feels a little light on.
Either way, if this does eventuate, the Rams potentially have their next franchise quarterback, and the Vikings start completely fresh with Kyler Murray.
BROOKLYN, NY — They spoke about head sizes, and head movement, and levels, and long nights, and fat camp. And respect.
On Wednesday, at the very same place they will be fighting a few months from now, unified WBA and WBO 154-pound world champion Xander Zayas and Jaron “Boots” Ennis got into a war of words to kick off their super welterweight mega-fight on June 27 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, live on DAZN.
At age 23, Zayas (23-0, 13 KOs) is the youngest 154-pound world champion in boxing. At 28, Ennis (35-0, 31 KOs) wants to take over the boxing world — a promise many have been waiting for in recent years.
This is his chance.
Privately, both fighters are on the laid-back side. Very little irritates them. At Wednesday’s kickoff press conference, they did a good job of agitating each other. Ennis kept chiming about “fat camp” and questioning Zayas’ confidence in thinking he could beat him.
A 23-year-old two-belt champion putting it all on the line and accepting a challenge from a P4P level fighter – THIS IS WHAT BOXING NEEDS! 🏆🏆 #ZayasEnnis
“I have no idea where [Zayas] thinks some of this up, he really thinks he can beat me,” Ennis said away from the media crowd. “It cracks me up that he really thinks he has a shot at me. He doesn’t. Watch any of my fights — I leave and still look good. My opponents come out bleeding, and that shows who works on their defense and who doesn’t.
“This is going to get to him. He’s going to burnt out with all this media stuff and pay-per-view stuff all day. Watch it, I’m telling you — this is going to get to him. I’ve been there. I know how to handle it. Fight week is going to drain him. Xander has a fat camp right now — he’s around 190 pounds. Look at him, he had a gut. He’s too slow. He doesn’t move his big head. Everyone at 154 has to come to me now. I know he has his two belts, and they will soon be mine. I’m really the cash cow of this fight. I’m really the champion. He has my belts.”
“Don’t get me wrong, Xander will be easy to hit, too, with that big head of his,” said Ennis, laughing. “Hey, I didn’t know his head was that big until I stood next to him.”
That was the most interesting point of Wednesday’s Zayas-Ennis kickoff festivities: Zayas is bigger. Though they are each listed at 5-foot-10, Ennis may be closer to 5-foot-11, with a 74-inch reach and fights from an orthodox stance, while Zayas may be closer to 6-foot, and also has a 74-inch reach, though has stopped just one of his past five opponents.
Xander Zayas vs. Jaron "Boots" Ennis for the unified super welterweight title goes down June 27 in Brooklyn. (Zachariah Delgado, Matchroom Boxing)
Zachariah Delgado/Matchroom Boxing
But Zayas thinks he has a distinct advantage over Ennis.
“He’s underestimating me and he’s going to pay for that,” Zayas told Uncrowned exclusively. “That’s the confidence that [Ennis] is supposed to have, and the way he is supposed to think. I get it. I like that he thinks that way. Let him carry that attitude in the ring. I meant what I said up there (pointing at the dais where the fighters spoke at Barclays Center), I’m going to rip his heart out. I told you, I told everyone.
“His biggest weakness is looking past me. He may see me as this little kid, 23, but notice when we stood next to each other — who was bigger? I was. And I’m going to be much bigger than him on fight night. He’s going to find out what I am about on June 27.”
Javiel Centeno, Zayas’ trainer, who goes way back with him to his youth days, stood on the periphery of the media horde surrounding Zayas with a grin, nodding his head. Centeno likes this version of Zayas — or E-X, “Evil Xander,” Centeno admitted laughing.
“I’m actually surprised by this side of Xander, and he’s always been self-motivated, and ‘Boots’ can talk about the betting 55-45 split thing [to the winner], but Xander is betting ‘Boots’ he can’t take his two belts, and he won’t,” Centeno said. “We always knew Xander was a big boy, and we know he is bigger than ‘Boots,’ and come fight night, he will be much bigger.
“I hate to hear people talk about Xander’s defense, and throughout his entire career, he has hardly lost six rounds.”
The Top Rank hierarchy, which has promoted Zayas throughout his career, feels this is a win-win for their fighter. They say it is equivalent to Saul “Canelo” Alvarez taking on a prime Floyd Mayweather Jr. early in his career and suffering his first loss in 2013, a majority decision victory for “Money Mayweather.” Mayweather was 36 at the time and Alvarez was just 23, like Zayas, although Alvarez has since called it one of the most important nights of his career. It taught him valuable lessons about being on this big of a stage.
For Zayas, a victory over Ennis catapults him to greater boxing stardom. A loss, and he reaps the rewards of what it is like facing a fighter many believe could be the next dominant force in boxing.
“I like the scenario, but the problem is, I’m not going to lose,” Zayas said. “He doesn’t think I can be a problem for him. That’s his problem. I may not have faced anyone like him, full respect to him, but he has never faced anyone as large, as fast, and as athletic as I am. I know what he thinks — he thinks he’s going to beat my ass. Let him keep thinking it.”
As for Ennis, he still feels he has doubters out there.
“I hear it — I get hit too much,” Ennis said.
“[Zayas] needed extra time to get ready for this fight, when I know I don’t need it. I’m too much for him. I know I don’t have a belt, but I’m the best in this division.”
SEATTLE, CA - JANUARY 25: Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Davante Adams (17) warms up before the NFC championship game against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026 in Seattle, CA. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Would an early wide receiver selection signal the end of Adams’ tenure in Los Angeles? The rumor may not be dead.
The class is shaping up to have two high profile receivers at the top of the order in Carnell Tate and Makai Lemon. Jordyn Tyson entered draft season as a frontrunner but teams seem concerned with his lengthy injury history and mental makeup. Omar Cooper is gaining steam and climbing up the order in first round mocks, but that still feels rich within the top 15 picks.
There will be teams that need a receiver that will find themselves without one when the music stops. Adams might be the best short-term option available for a playoff hopeful, and he may become expendable in Los Angeles if a premium talent enters the door. It’s important to note that Adams’ contract only became more tradeable when his bonus vested back in March, as astutely pointed out by Turf Show Times’ fearless leader Kenneth Arthur.
We don’t often see draft day trades that include veterans, but when we do see them they often include receivers. AJ Brown is fittingly one of the most recent examples alongside Hollywood Brown in 2022. AJ Brown was dealt from the Titans to the Eagles in exchange for the 18th overall pick plus a third rounder. Hollywood Brown swapped jerseys from the Ravens to the Cardinals for the 23rd overall pick. Baltimore also received a return third round selection as they moved up for center Tyler Linderbaum. If we go further back in tine, Randy Moss was traded from the Raiders to the Patriots back in 2007, and there are even older examples that include Jerry Rice and Keyshawn Johnson.
Trading Adams may very well be unlikely. We do know that the Rams contemplated moving the veteran the last time they were within striking distance of acquiring a high caliber player. If LA drafts a receiver again, they could refresh this line of thinking.
Barcelona and Atletico Madrid players react to VAR controversy – “Let’s stop f****** with a play where nothing happens”
Atletico Madrid defeated Barcelona 2-0 in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie on Wednesday, but that only tells half the story. The hosts were left furious with a couple of calls that went against them – most notably, one where they were not awarded a penalty after Marc Pubill handled the ball inside the area.
Martin: VAR has to call the handball
On-field referee Istvan Kovacs and the VAR team agreed that Pubill’s indiscretion did not occur while the ball was in play, much to the fury of Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick. A number of the players involved in the match have now had their say on the matter, with the first of those being Gerard Martin, as per MD.
“In that action, the goalkeeper plants the ball and plays it. The ball is in play. Obviously, the player stops it with his hand. It may be that the referee does not see it, because the action is a bit silly, but from the VAR that action has to be seen. The ball is in play and he touches it with his hand.”
Musso: Pubill’s action does not change anything
Atleti goalkeeper Juan Musso, whose pass to Pubill led to the controversial incident, pushed back against the controversy, as he claimed that nothing should be made of it, as per Marca.
“If we’re going to sum up the game in that play… Let’s talk about the match. Let’s stop f****** with a play where nothing happens. They played a very good game. They are a very good team and they improve us. Pubill’s move does not change anything. If Marc had wanted to take advantage because he has the pressure on him, it could be interpreted differently, but it is not like that. The ball is not in play, the referee has to say so. The referee is in charge.”
Rashford: It’s a clear penalty
Meanwhile, Barcelona’s Marcus Rashford told CBS Sports Golazo that he saw the matter as a clear infringement, which would have given the Catalans the chance to equalise at 1-1.
“It’s clear, it’s a penalty. It’s happened before, and it’s always been given as a penalty. It’s common sense that it should be a penalty, and you can see that with the reaction of our players but also (Atleti’s) too. I’ve played in a match where it’s happened against us before, so for me, it’s clear.
“Can we complain about this since the decision went against us? The goalkeeper was doing it during the whole match, and on that occasion, (Pubill) touches it with his hand. For me, it’s a penalty.”
Apr 6, 2026; Henderson, Nevada, USA; quarterback Kirk Cousins discusses signing with the Raiders and reuniting with head coach Klint Kubiak during a media session, addressing his fit with new teammates including tight end Brock Bowers after joining Las Vegas three weeks into 2026 free agency. Mandatory Credit: YouTube.
In 2021, Kirk Cousins played the best ball of his career, and the man who offensively coordinated him is now the head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders: Klint Kubiak. So when Cousins praised his new head coach and his lieutenants this week, it made sense.
Cousins touted Kubiak this week, and the familiar partnership could matter for the Raiders’ next step at quarterback.
Las Vegas signed Cousins last week, presumably as a patchover quarterback for Fernando Mendoza, and Cousins thinks the relationship will work because of his prior experience with Kubiak.
Vikings Reunion Energy Followed Cousins to Vegas
Cousins and Kubak ride again in the AFC West.
Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak speaks with attendees and observes activity Mar 31, 2026, at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix, Arizona, during the NFL Annual League Meeting, where coaches and executives gather to discuss league matters and offseason developments ahead of the upcoming season. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Cousins on Kubiak
The former Viking spoke with Raiders reporters this week, unshy about recalling Minnesota memories.
“Thrilled to be here. It’s such an iconic logo, iconic jerseys, so to get to be a part of it is a real privilege to me. I think it starts with the coaching staff. I was really excited about being able to work with coaches I worked before. Klint Kubiak, Rick Dennison, Andrew Janocko,” Cousins said.
“I had some of my best years playing with them, and coaching is a big deal in this league. A big reason why I’m sitting in this chair and I’m now a Raider is because of Klint Kubiak. I can talk about him all I want, but my actions really show what I think of him by being here. Great football mind and extremely hardworking. There’s a humility there that I deeply respect.”
It also helps that Kubiak won a Super Bowl two months ago as the offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks, helping to propel another ex-Viking, Sam Darnold, to the championship.
A New Pile of Cash, Too
Cousins is set to earn a fully guaranteed $20 million in 2026. Although his contract is structured as a five-year, $172 million deal, it essentially operates as a one-year, $20 million agreement. Entering the offseason, when it seemed evident that Atlanta would drop him, some wondered if Cousins might sign a minimum deal to re-establish his market value, but this did not happen.
Cousins continued his pattern of securing high-value contracts. After receiving $100 million in guaranteed dough from Atlanta in 2024 and 2025, he is now collecting the aforementioned $20 million from Las Vegas. The outcome aligns with Cousins’ reputation for maximizing his earnings.
The Raiders also hold a two-year, $80 million option for the following offseason, depending on Mendoza’s progress. If Mendoza develops successfully, Las Vegas can transition without major complications.
In all likelihood, Cousins will be a free agent next March, and he’ll do the same song and dance again.
Probably a Month to Post a Winning Record
The Raiders do not live in an easy division, and Cousins will have Mendoza breathing down his neck for the QB1 job, assuming he topples Mendoza at training camp for the QB1 job. How can he keep Mendoza at bay? Well, the simplest way to think about it is a winning record. If the Raiders exit September with a 2-2 or 3-1 record, for example, the Cousins show will likely continue. Anything worse than that would pave the way for Mendoza’s insertion into the starting lineup.
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) drops back and delivers a pass in the second quarter Dec 7, 2025, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, facing the Seattle Seahawks as he works through reads and releases the football during live game action. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
After all, first overall picks always see the QB1 job before too long, and frankly, it’s a little weird that Cousins is in town to serve as a patchover quarterback. Most franchises tear the band-aid off these days and let it rip. See: Caleb Williams in 2024 and Cam Ward in 2025.
Cousins has one big chance to help the Raiders stack wins before Mendoza inevitably takes over.
He also has the humility for the job. Cousins said this week, “Honestly, I don’t want to start unless I’m the best option. I told Klint that: The best player should play. Certainly, as long as that’s the case, I have no qualms about how it plays out. I do think Fernando is going to be a great addition to our team. I think he’s going to have a great future in the league.”
“I have no problem being a voice in the room to help him to the degree that I can. … Being able to watch a veteran quarterback go through his habits, routine and process, that can be a great asset for him. … It’ll be a noisy quarterback room, we’ll all be helping each other, and we’ll all be pulling in the same direction.”
Cousins’ Numbers with Kubiak
The new Raiders signal-caller became a full-time starter in 2015 for the Washington Commanders. There are his NFL rankings per EPA+CPOE since then, with the rankings in bold during the Kubiak years:
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins walks along the sideline during the first half Aug 17, 2024, at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland, observing preseason action against the Ravens while teammates rotate through series during early exhibition play. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Cousins played his most consistent ball with Kubiak’s tutelage, so perhaps in 2026, he can turn the clock back to 2021 or 2022.
Oddsmakers, though, are not high on the Raiders. They expect Kubiak and Co. to win four or five games next season.
MADRID, SPAIN - APRIL 07: Michael Olise of FC Bayern Munich is challenged by Alvaro Carreras of Real Madrid during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Quarter-Final First Leg match between Real Madrid CF and FC Bayern München at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on April 07, 2026 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Real Madrid head coach Álvaro Arbeloa can read the room and the game film, too.
The 43-year-old manager knows that left-back Álvaro Carreras had some tough moments in a 2-1 loss to Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Tuesday.
The coach sought to quickly support his guy for a bounce-back effort.
“Alvaro Carreras is a fantastic player, one of the best full-backs in the world,” Arbeloa said (as captured by football journalist Fabrizio Romano). “I fully trust him, and he’ll learn from this.”
Carreras, of course, misfired a pass that was intercepted by Bayern Munich midfielder Aleksandar Pavlović, who found Michael Olise, who bought time with some dribble before sending a pass to striker Harry Kane. Kane unleashed a pinpoint from 20 yards out that gave the Bavarians a 2-0 lead and would ultimately serve as the game-winning goal.
It was one of several poor plays for Arbeloa, who was under duress operating against Bayern Munich’s high octane attacking group.
If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast, Spotify, Apple, or any leading podcast distributor…
Mar 11, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; Toluca midfielder Franco Romero (5) brings the ball downfield during the second half against San Diego FC at Snapdragon Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
Toluca enters as a slight favorite at home, where they’ve been extremely difficult to beat, going 21 matches without a home loss and scoring in 15 of their last 16 games at Estadio Nemesio Díez. Despite a recent dip in league form, they advanced to this stage with a 6–3 aggregate win over San Diego FC and will rely on their attacking consistency and strong home atmosphere to take control of the tie early. Historically, they’ve also had success against the Galaxy, winning their last meeting 3–2 in the 2025 Campeones Cup.
LA Galaxy, meanwhile, arrives with momentum after a dominant 6–0 aggregate victory in the previous round, showcasing their attacking firepower. Players like Gabriel Pec, who recorded a hat trick earlier in the tournament, have led a dangerous front line, while the team has also shown defensive improvement, with multiple recent clean sheets in the competition. However, their struggles away from home remain a concern, with poor results in the most recent road matches, making this first leg a critical test as they try to secure a result before heading back to Los Angeles.
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INDIANAPOLIS -- Tyrese Haliburton posted on his X account Wednesday that he played 5-on-5 for the first time since June.
June, of course, was when the Pacers' All-Star point guard tore his right Achilles tendon in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, an injury that not only led to the Pacers' loss but kept him out of the entire 2025-26 season. In his absence, the Pacers are 18-61, holding the second-worst record in the NBA after last year's Finals trip.
INDIANAPOLIS -- Tyrese Haliburton posted on his X account Wednesday that he played 5-on-5 for the first time since June.
June, of course, was when the Pacers' All-Star point guard tore his right Achilles tendon in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, an injury that not only led to the Pacers' loss but kept him out of the entire 2025-26 season. In his absence, the Pacers are 18-61, holding the second-worst record in the NBA after last year's Finals trip.
PORTLAND, OR - APRIL 8: Baye Fall #12 of Team World looks on during the 2023 Nike Hoop Summit on April 8, 2023 at the Moda Center Arena in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2023 NBAE (Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Rutgers center Baye Fall will enter the transfer portal for the third time in his career.
Fall will be looking for his fourth school in four years after entering the portal on Wednesday.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Golfers and their children took part in the family-friendly Par 3 Contest ahead of the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National in Georgia.
This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
The Boras Classic has seen lots of upsets this week. No. 1 St. John Bosco, No. 4 Corona and No. 6 Huntington Beach were all beaten in first-round games. On Wednesday, No. 2 Orange Lutheran was taken into the eighth inning by Gahr until a walk-off single by CJ Weinstein delivered a 2-1 victory and sent the Lancers into Thursday's 6 p.m. semifinal at JSerra.
Weinstein finished with two hits and two RBIs. Angel Gonzalez started the bottom of the eighth with a double and moved to third on a sacrifice. Then came consecutive walks to load the bases before Weinstein ended the game. Jake Ourique struck out six with no walks in seven innings for Gahr.
Norco 14, Los Osos 0: The Cougars (14-1) advanced to the Boras Classic semifinals with a five-inning mercy-rule win. Codey Brown had three hits and three RBIs and Jacob Melendez added four RBIs. Dylan Seward and Jordan Ayala each hit home runs. Ayala struck out nine and gave up three hits. Norco will play at Mater Dei at 6 p.m. on Thursday.
Huntington Beach 4, St. John Bosco 2: Ely Mason had three hits and Jared Grindlinger recorded eight strikeouts in 4⅓ innings to hand St. John Bosco its third consecutive defeat.
Corona 3, Arcadia 2: Anthony Murphy finished with two hits and Trey Ebel had a triple for the Panthers. Matt Manzo had three hits for Arcadia.
Newport Harbor 2, Corona Centennial 0: Ryan Williams had a solo home run and Henry Mann added an RBI double for Newport Harbor.
El Camino Real 9, Cleveland 3: The Royals ended Cleveland's nine-game winning streak. Jackson Sellz threw a complete game, Shane Bogacz had three hits and three RBIs and Ryan Glassman added two hits and two RBIs.
South Gate 7, Bell 3 The Rams handed a rare Eastern League defeat to Bell (16-2, 2-1). Joe Corona had two hits and three RBIs. Ernesto Brenes threw a complete game. South Gate put together a six-run sixth inning to wipe away a 2-1 deficit.
Granada Hills 12, Chatsworth 1: Caleb Reclusado finished with three hits, including a home run, to lead the Highlanders. Luke Chau struck out five in six innings.
Carson 15, Gardena 4: Kris Sinclair had two hits and three RBIs for the Colts.
Garfield 8, Legacy 1: Nathan Gaytan hit two home runs to help the Bulldogs take over sole possession of first place in the Eastern League.
Villa Park 8, El Dorado 4: Jack McGuire limited El Dorado to two hits and one run in five innings.
Cypress 14, La Habra 3: Freshman Ivan Ortiz had four hits and three RBIs for Cypress.
Sierra Canyon 13, Warren 0: Greyson Gullage and Fletcher Taylor hit home runs and Mikhail Johnson had two hits and two RBIs.
Chaminade 7, Santa Barbara 0: Jackson Schroeder struck out 11 and Isaiah Hearn homered for the Eagles.
Bishop Alemany 12, Nevada Centennial 2: MJ Serrano threw five shutout innings and Brody Thompson and Chase Stevenson each hit home runs. Noah Chan finished with two hits and three RBIs.
St. Francis 4, St. Joseph 2: Daniel Izaguirre had two hits and two RBIs and Donovan Udell threw a complete game.
Is Michigan football about to land its quarterback of the future?
The previous staff had Peter Bourque, a highly sought-after four-star who ended up backing off his pledge once some of the support staff departed the program. But at the same time, new head coach Kyle Whittingham had his eye on another target from his old stomping grounds.
2027 West Valley City (Utah) four-star quarterback Kamden Lopati has been committed to Illinois since late July last year. After visiting Ann Arbor this past week, despite seeming as if Notre Dame was surging in his recruitment, the maize and blue made a strong impression. Strong enough that Rivals insiders Steve Wiltfong and Adam Gorney both put in predictions that Lopati will end up a Wolverine.
Rivals’ @SWiltfong_ and @adamgorney have logged expert predictions for Michigan to flip Illinois 4-star QB commit Kamden Lopati〽️
Lopati is one of the top quarterbacks in the national ’27 class. He’s a big frame quarterback who has actually slimmed down over the last year and has a solid 6-foot-3, 215 pound frame. A pure thrower with some under-rated athleticism and has shown he can stress a defense with his arm and his legs. For his size, he moves well and shows some real dual-threat ability. Has been highly productive the last two seasons, throwing for over 5,600 yards and nearly 60 touchdowns. Will take his shots down the field and has the arm strength to throws the deep outs and posts on a rope. Moves well in the pocket and shows the quickness to get outside and elude the rush and throws very well on the run. Rushed for 730 yards and 10 touchdowns as a junior and is a zone read threat who a defense has to respect. Can continue to improve his ability to process the game and be quicker with his reads but has made strides in those area over the last two years and his game is trending in the right direction. A definite high Power 4 prospect with an NFL ceiling.
Lopati is rated highest by ESPN, which has him as the No. 50 player in the 2027 class, regardless of position. He’s also ESPN’s top quarterback and No. 2 player in the state of Utah.
Even after David Peterson allowed five runs in the first two innings of Wednesday afternoon’s 7-2 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks, it would be fair to say the New York Mets starting rotation has largely inspired confidence this season.
Only five teams’ rotations have struck out more batters, and two of them have played a full game more than the Mets had as of late Wednesday evening. Nolan McLean has looked ace-ready. Kodai Senga has pitched with more power than he did in 2025. Freddy Peralta has yet to be at his best, and he has still been very good.
But if cracks are going to spread – and when it comes to major league starting pitching, they almost always do – Wednesday offered a glimpse into where they might find room.
After allowing a run on two hits in the first, Peterson was vexed with small ball and pummeled with hits in a four-run second inning before retiring 11 of the last 12 batters he faced. Inconsistency, not total ineffectiveness, has been his undoing: Since he worked in and out of traffic through 5.1 scoreless innings in his first start of the year, Peterson has allowed 10 runs over 9.1 innings in his last two, scattering 15 hits and four walks. His ERA is 6.14.
Two mediocre starts seem like far too small a sample to dislodge a pitcher who was an All-Star in the first half of last season, though Peterson did struggle in the second half. His manager confirmed as much after the game, when asked if he was considering making a change in the rotation.
“As I’m sitting here right now, no,” Mendoza said.
Exactly why Peterson is pitching less effectively seems to be a subject of debate. Mendoza suggested that Peterson was struggling to execute his pitches in side right-handed hitters, leaving pitches meant to land on his glove side out over the plate.
“When he’s going well,” Mendoza said. “The two-seam comes in, the slider down and in to righties. And like I said, right now, he’s having a hard time.”
Peterson, meanwhile, admitted that while he did require mechanical adjustments after that troublesome second inning, he thought pitch selection, rather than execution, was his problem.
“I don’t think I’ve had a problem executing the pitch,” Peterson said. “I don’t think we’ve gone there enough. I think we’ve relied on the sinker and change-up too much and allowed hitters to sit over the plate. In my eyes, it’s more about usage than it is execution.”
Apr 2, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher David Peterson (23) throws a pitch against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning at Oracle Park. / Robert Edwards-Imagn Images
Whatever the issue, Peterson seems likely to get plenty of time to address it. For one thing, none of his potential rotation replacements are currently applying pressure. As recently as spring training, the Mets rotation looked sturdy – maybe even deep. But in the weeks since, a series of worrying developments – none of them remotely catastrophic – have nonetheless whittled at its edges.
Sean Manaea’s velocity still hasn’t come back, and he is trying to rediscover his best stuff in the bullpen while also keeping his pitch counts high enough to start. He allowed two runs on five hits (unaided by a few defensive miscues) in four innings following Peterson Wednesday, the second straight time he has followed his fellow lefty into a game.
He said he felt better, that his secondary stuff felt sharper than it had in his last outing – the product, in part, of working on leaning over less so he can rotate through his delivery more easily.
“I thought he was aggressive. The way he was moving on the mound, threw with his delivery,” Mendoza said. “I thought he was good.”
Mendoza initially suggested they would consider reincorporating Manaea into the rotation after a few turns through the rotation. But Wednesday, Mendoza said they will stick with the five starters they have used so far instead.
“It’s just where we’re at right now with this turn, where everyone is at and how they’re bouncing back,” Mendoza said. “I think that’s the bottom line. We wanted to be flexible. We wanted to leave it open just to make sure that [if] somebody comes in and says, ‘Hey man, I might need an extra day,’ then you can always make an adjustment. That was the whole idea coming out of camp.”
Some of the Mets less convenient would-be rotation options are not knocking forcefully at this exact moment, either. Christian Scott, who looked like an obvious first call-up after a strong spring training, allowed six earned runs in 3.1 innings in his first outing for Triple-A Syracuse. Jonah Tong walked three and allowed four runs in 1.2 innings in his second Syracuse outing, though of course, their samples are minuscule, too.
Two or three starts do not make a season. The question Peterson will now answer is whether they will become a problem.
Munhoz (20-10 MMA, 10-10 UFC) has been a fierce competitor in the bantamweight division since 2014, taking on newcomers and elite opposition. "The Young Punisher" picked up big wins over the likes of former champion Cody Garbrandt, Rob Font, Jimmie Rivera, and Chris Gutierrez, among others. He's also shared the octagon with multiple former champions, including Sean O'Malley, Dominick Cruz, Jose Aldo, Frankie Edgar and Aljamain Sterling.
Munhoz has recently hit a rough patch of results, as he's currently on a three-fight skid, with his last outing coming in November 2024. Now at .500 in the UFC, the 39-year-old says he has asked the promotion for his release so that he may continue his career elsewhere.
"Since 2014, I’ve been part of the UFC, building my name, proving myself, and showing what I’m capable of inside that octagon," Munhoz wrote on Instagram. "After 32 fights, I can proudly say I’ve never been submitted or knocked out. I’ve always stepped in there with heart, discipline, and respect for the game. There comes a point in life when you don’t just stay comfortable, you take control of what’s next.
"Right now, I feel it’s time to take a new direction, explore different opportunities, and focus on other important areas of my life. I’ve asked the UFC to release me, and I’m currently in the process of becoming a free agent. I’m not retiring yet. Still hungry. Still focused. Still ready to put on great fights and make statements 👊"
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 1: Ty Simpson #15 of the Alabama Crimson Tide warms up prior to a game against the Indiana Hoosiers during the College Football Playoff Quarter Final Game at Rose Bowl Stadium on January 1, 2026 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by CFP/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama
The New York Jets entered the 2026 NFL Draft with a clear objective: overhaul a roster that sputtered to a 3-14 finish. After securing the cornerstone of their defense at No. 2, the front office stunned the league at No. 16 by selecting Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson—a move that signals a boom-or-bust philosophy for the franchise’s future.
The Foundation: With the second overall pick, the Jets took the safe route by selecting Arvell Reese, the standout linebacker/edge hybrid from Ohio State. Reese, a consensus All-American, is widely viewed as a positionless weapon who can instantly elevate a Jets defense that allowed nearly 30 points per game last season. Standing 6-foot-4 and 243 pounds with 4.46 speed, Reese is the blue-chip athlete the Jets desperately needed to anchor their front seven.
The Gamble: While Reese was the consensus choice, the decision to take Ty Simpson at No. 16 is already being labeled a massive reach. Despite having only 15 collegiate starts, Simpson showcased elite potential in 2025, throwing for 3,567 yards and 28 touchdowns. However, many analysts projected him as a late first-round or even second-round prospect due to his limited experience and unpredictable draft stock. By jumping on Simpson at 16, the Jets bypassed higher-rated prospects to secure their signal-caller of the future. It is a pick born of necessity; with the Arizona Cardinals reportedly eyeing Simpson as a successor to Kyler Murray, the Jets couldn’t afford to wait.
The Jets are betting that Simpson’s high ceiling—combined with Reese’s immediate defensive impact—will finally stabilize a franchise in desperate need of a new identity. The New York Jets’ 2026 draft strategy isn’t just about adding talent; it’s the final phase of a calculated, painful teardown. Following a gut-wrenching 2025 season, the front office executed a total roster purge, trading away veteran pillars and high-priced contracts to stockpile the draft capital used to secure both Reese and Simpson.
This scorched-earth approach was designed with a clear two-to-three year window in mind. By clearing the books and moving on from aging stars, the Jets prioritized flexibility over immediate wins. However, that plan only works if there is a cornerstone under center. In today’s NFL, you cannot rebuild without a heartbeat at quarterback, making the selection of Simpson at No. 16 an absolute necessity rather than a luxury. While critics call taking Simpson at 16 a reach, the Jets view it as a mandatory investment. Simpson provides the raw, high-ceiling arm talent required to lead a young roster that will now grow together. By pairing the defensive ferocity of Reese with the potential of Simpson, the Jets have officially laid the foundation. The roster may be thin today, but the blueprint for 2028 is now firmly in place.
🎙️ Kevin Cataño and a promising debut: the start of a story
Atlético Nacional’s goal now has a new leading figure. After the 2-1 victory over Jaguares de Córdoba, young goalkeeper Kevin Cataño shared his feelings about a debut he described as the first step on a long road. “It’s the first match of many; the beginning of a story yet to be told,” said the keeper, who stood out for his calmness and composure in a highly demanding setting.
Self-criticism between the posts
Despite the win, Cataño showed unusual maturity for a debutant when analyzing the goal conceded. He acknowledged that his advanced positioning made the opponent’s finish easier, but took the mistake as part of his professional growth. “This teaches me that this is not my ceiling and that I can give much more,” he said, making it clear that his personal standards are high.
Projection in Atlético Nacional’s goal
Cataño’s performance not only gave security to Diego Arias’ team, but also gives the fans hope for a goalkeeper project with character. With the clásico against DIM on the horizon, the youngster is emerging as a real alternative with great potential to guard the goal of the “King of Cups.”
The Kansas City Chiefs likely know that the 2026 season has a good chance of being the last in the NFL for Travis Kelce.
As such, the team should look for his replacement. We have seen several mock drafts have the Chiefs taking Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq, which is a great move.
But could the Chiefs look to replace Kelce with an already established tight end?
This is what Fox Sports' Ralph Vacchiano is thinking, as he proposed a trade that sends Kansas City's first-round pick (No. 9) to the Detroit Lions, with the NFC franchise's first-round pick going to Kansas City (No.17) along with a conditional 2027 selection, in exchange for tight end Sam LaPorta.
"Yes, they just re-signed Travis Kelce, who is still an effective player and one of Patrick Mahomes’ favorite receivers," Vacchiano wrote. "But Kelce is 36, not what he once was, and could be in the last season of his Hall of Fame career. LaPorta is coming off back surgery, heading into the last year of his contract and may get squeezed out in Detroit, where the Lions have a lot of young players to sign.
"It would probably cost the Chiefs a second-round pick. As an alternative, they could consider a package that involves swapping first-rounders instead."
One could only imagine what LaPorta, in an offense with Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes, could look like, and Chiefs fans will hope this comes to fruition.
I doubt the Lions will want to move on from the talented tight end, but as Vacchiano wrote, the cap squeeze is real in Detroit, and LaPorta could be the odd one out.
As such, the Chiefs could strike a deal.
Going from Kelce to LaPorta does seem unfair, but if the Lions have any intention of moving on from LaPorta, Kansas City feels like a good landing spot.
Atletico Madrid's Argentine forward #19 Julian Alvarez celebrates scoring his team's first goal with Atletico Madrid's French forward #07 Antoine Griezmann during the UEFA Champions League quarter final first leg football match between FC Barcelona and Club Atletico de Madrid at Camp Nou Stadium in Barcelona on April 8, 2026. (Photo by Josep LAGO / AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images
Many different storylines dominated the days that led up to kickoff from Nou Camp Nou on Wednesday night. Barcelona’s unwavering tampering with Julián Alvarez’s future as an Atlético de Madrid player was only one of the many issues that fans discussed in the build-up to this all-Spanish quarterfinal.
But Julián made sure to change that narrative after his glorious free kick led Atleti to a 2-0 win at the Nou Camp Nou.
Despite the many injuries, Atleti have been surprisingly competitive in recent weeks, when a next-man-up attitude has taken over. Five players, mostly starters, were missing from Atleti’s squad on Wednesday night; another starter in defense was injured during the first half.
Simeone definitely had decided to give Antoine Griezmann one last dance on the biggest of stages: the stadium of his former team in the UEFA Champions League. The press conference prior to the match was a real tear-jerker. It felt as if Diego Pablo’s kid was Antoine, rather than Giuliano. The “dare to dream” statements were bold. “Five games more” in the Champions League. Make it big or die trying. Griezmann deserves this last dance, and Simeone is going to do everything in his hands to make it memorable.
Rare to see Simeone this open in a press conference. He loves Griezmann like he’s one of his kids. https://t.co/KuqGMMxZf7
— Into the Calderón (@intothecalderon) April 7, 2026
With one last act to come in this Barcelona trilogy, Atleti is just one game away from pulling off their second huge upset of Barça in as many months. Catalan fans seem to have had enough of the rojiblancos, and some of the rowdiest ones have turned Atleti visits into minor acts of street warfare that local police should make sure to fix for the future. Atleti’s bus was stoned on its way to Barça’s stadium for the second game there in a row in less than a month.
Let’s get into some more takeaways from a seriously-impressive night in Barcelona.
Julián scores a legendary goal
Barcelona-Atlético matches are highly unpredictable. Anything can happen at any given moment. And this time, the coin fell on Atleti’s side.
In a first half where Barcelona seemed to be in control, Atleti got an advantage that might define the tie. Giuliano forced Pau Cubarsí to foul him on the edge of the box in one of the only dangerous attacking sequences Atleti had been able to string together after the first 15 minutes or so
Julián punched Barcelona in the teeth with a clinical shot into Joan García’s left corner and gave a huge advantage to the rojiblancos on the verge of halftime. Marc Pubill and Robin Le Normand created a visual obstacle for García for just enough time to make the goalkeeper hesitate.
(Unfortunately, right after Atleti’s goal, Robert Lewandowski forced Marc Pubill into a yellow card when the ball wasn’t even close to either player.)
— Movistar Plus+ Deportes (@MPlusDeportes) April 8, 2026
At halftime, what counted was despite the Marcus Rashford-Lamine Yamal nightmare duo, Atleti was on top.
Despite being one man down, Barcelona still found avenues to play direct football and take advantage of Rashford’s powerful stride. Gavi and Fermín came on for Pedri and Lewandowski in what seemed an attempt from Hansi Flick to stop the defensive bleeding and make it alive to the second leg. Le Normand fouled Lamine in a very similar position to the one from where Álvarez scored. But Rashford’s attempt only glanced the crossbar, in an indication that luck perhaps would be on Atleti’s side — even with a feeling taking hold that the visitors weren’t taking advantage of the red card.
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) April 8, 2026
Barca fans taunted Atleti with “rag-tag army” chants (“es una banda, Atleti es una banda”). The 3,000 atléticos at the Barça venue had some stepping up to do to counter the atmosphere and they became much more vocal as the game progressed. Lamine and Rashford felt that teaming up on Barça’s right side was their best option and they were not wrong as they continued to pound Atleti’s left back for most of the second half. Matteo Ruggeri, unable to deal with both of them following Dávid Hancko’s injury, conceded a corner that was almost slotted in by Jules Koundé and Dani Olmo. Neither made it to the ball only by inches.
One hour in, Barcelona had attempted four times as many shots (16 to 4). It felt like Atleti were walking a tightrope. But Alvarez’s incredible strike, his ninth goal in this season’s Champions League, held up.
Musso collects more than a clean sheet
“In Jan we trust” has been the mantra for 12 seasons. No one has been able to dethrone Oblak as GK1. But Juan Musso is taking huge steps to become a more-than-worthy successor for Oblak the Great once he moves on from Atlético.
Only three months and eight days into 2026, Musso has accumulated the same nine games he played in all of 2025. Is this the beginning of a new reign? Time will tell, but pulling off a Champions League clean sheet away to Barcelona is quite the feat.
🚨 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗧: Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Juan Musso made 7 saves against Barcelona tonight. pic.twitter.com/vGtPl0llxG
Musso was drawn into action quickly as he saved from Rashford inside 90 seconds. The tempo was furious, an electric game with both teams slugging it out, a constant high tempo in place back and forth. Barcelona’s wings presented Musso with constant danger. On the right, Lamine Yamal’s high-speed dribbling. On the left, the Rashford-João Cancelo duo had Nahuel Molina on skates more often than not.
An 18th-minute disallowed goal for Rashford was as close as Barça came to beating Musso, who later touched a Rashford free kick off the crossbar. It exposed Atleti’s high-risk, high-reward game plan that made it easier to counterattack and find offensive opportunities for Griezmann, Giuliano, Lookman and Julián in a fluid front four where only Lookman seemed to stay fixed to his position.
Hancko’s KO is a painful one
With Oblak, Pubill, Pablo Barrios and Johnny Cardoso still on their way back from injury, another injury to a key player is not at all what Diego Simeone needed.
On 31 minutes, Hancko felt a sharp pain in his left ankle while jumping for a header. Pubill was rushed back into the side despite the initial plan being to ease him back into action and try not to expose him in the first leg. After the match, Hancko was seen on crutches; the club has only said he suffered an ankle twist.
Atleti felt the pain of the defensive readjustment on both wings. Pubill took Le Normand’s right center back position while Le Normand switched sides. But despite the demanding match, Molina, Ruggeri and Le Normand can feel happy with their performances in a high-stakes game. That should give each player confidence that they can hold the line while Hancko is out — however long that is.
Sørloth strikes Barça again
Alexander Sørloth and Alex Baena were sent onto the pitch for Lookman and Koke in an attempt to stretch the field in Atleti’s favor and keep the ball farther from Musso. Baena conceded a very early yellow card by holding onto Olmo’s sleeve; ironically, he had just been sent on for Koke to avoid picking up a second yellow card.
But after a few minutes on the pitch, Simeone’s substitutions proved to be gelling well and finding their footing. Ruggeri, in a great performance despite suffering so much with Lamine Yamal all night, was able to get a good pass in and crossed the ball perfectly so Sørloth could do what he does best: dominate with a final touch.
Griezmann's pass to Ruggeri to then set up Sørloth. Exquisite.
Barcelona, down two, still trusted the process and brought the pressure on, making it a nightmare for Atleti to get the ball past midfield again. There were times where Atleti seemed one trip or slip away from granting Barça the edge they needed to get a goal. Cancelo, always the threat, kept creating chances for himself and feeding Lamine inside the box. After losing a very dangerous ball, Giuliano was subbed out by his dad along with Griezmann to bring on fresher legs. Almada and Nico were sent on with the mission to secure Simeone’s first win at Camp Nou (and Atleti’s first there since 2006), even though Cholo did come away with a Montjuïc win last season in La Liga.
The players were able to finally celebrate the hard-fought win and now take a two-goal advantage to the Metropolitano stronghold where Atleti traditionally has shown its best version. Atleti has not lost a knockout tie match as a home team in European competition since 1997. The 2016 dagger to the heart of Barcelona fans is closer than ever.
Atlético Madrid win 2-0 and end Barcelona's 14-game unbeaten run at the new Camp Nou 💣 pic.twitter.com/i2fCsu6H3e
Atleti collected all the minor stat defeats imaginable — time of possession, challenges won, attempts on target, successful passes, fouls, yellow cards, offsides, corner kicks conceded. Except for the two that mattered the most. Atleti did not get a red card and they scored twice while Barcelona remained scoreless all night and face a second consecutive elimination by that rival that they tend to downplay and not take as seriously as they should.
The sense of mild disappointment present in the first post-match interviews that Atleti players had is a refreshing sense of accountability that the team is putting on its shoulders. The feeling of “we can and will do better in future games” is a great way to remain focused for what lies ahead. For those few in doubt, Atleti are all-in in the Champions League and as Simeone says, they are hoping to “give Griezmann five games more.”
Older fans will reminisce how the 2013/14 and 2015/16 teams were also able to beat the odds and make a deep run that deserved to have been rewarded with a Champions League title. In Spanish, they say “a la tercera va la vencida.”
💣Paulo Díaz’s future: his father rules out a return to Colo Colo
Amid growing rumors linking Paulo Díaz with a possible departure from River Plate, his father, Ítalo Díaz, stepped in to provide clarity. Despite supposed interest from clubs like Independiente de Avellaneda or a return to Colo Colo, the Chilean center-back’s camp was emphatic: the player has no intention of leaving Núñez in the short term.
Contract secured until 2027
Ítalo Díaz confirmed that the “Bombero” will honor his contract with the Argentine club. “He has a contract with River until 2027. He won’t leave before then,” he said, also denying reports claiming that coach Eduardo Coudet did not count on him. With 220 official appearances under his belt, the defender remains a historic figure in the “Millonario” squad.
No plans to return to Chile
As for a possible return to Chilean football, the stance is definitive. “Going back to Chile isn’t even on his mind yet,” his father said, while leaving the door open to other markets such as Brazil or Mexico in the future. For now, Díaz remains focused on River’s Copa Sudamericana opener against Blooming.
The Los Angeles Angels ended their homestead with a dull thud as they dropped the rubber game of their three-game set with a disappointing 7-2 loss to the Atlanta Braves.
This started out as a tight game, with the Braves scoring single runs in the first two innings and the Angels coming back to tie the game with a pair. The Braves runs were driven in on a sacrifice fly by Ozzie Albies, with the second coming on a ground-rule double from catcher Jonah Heim.
The Angels countered with yet another home run from DH Jorge Soler, this one a bomb to center, and Logan O’Hoppe got an RBI when Atlanta starter Grant Holmes walked in the tying run after loading the bases.
Things went downhill fast from there for the Halos, though, and those two runs represented their production for the evening. Starter Reid Detmers couldn’t duplicate anything from his last stellar outing, as he got hit hard and ended up lasting just 4-1/3 innings.
Matt Olson broke the 2-2 tie with a two-run home run in the third that also plated Drake Baldwin, and a key throwing error by shortstop Zach Neto resulted in another run. Mauricio Dubon drove in two more with an RBI double to extend the Braves lead to 7-2, and Baldwin drove in the final run with an RBI single.
Detmers was charged with six runs, five of them earned, and he struck out four and walked two while giving up five hits. Ryan Zeferjahn also struggled out of the ‘pen behind Detmers, giving up the last two runs in 1-2/3 of relief work.
The Angels offense went dormant against Atlanta starter Grant Holmes after the Soler home run, with the only bright spot being a three-hit day from DH Jo Adell as he took a day off from robbing opponents of home runs in the outfield.
The loss was a disappointing finish to a roller-coaster homestand that featured plenty of highs and lows. Today was one of the lows as it dropped the Angels below .500, and it also dropped the Angels out of a first-place tie in the AL West as the Texas Rangers now lead the division after posting a three-game win streak.
The Angels also got some expected bad news when they learned that they’ll be losing for Soler for seven games when he was suspended for his role in the benches-clearing brawl last night. The Angels now hit the road for another six-game trip that includes a stop in Cincinnati to play the Reds and a trip to New York for a three-gamer against the Yankees.
Seattle Kraken President of Hockey Operations Ron Francis (L) speaks tat a press conference announcing the promotion of Jason Botterill (R) to general manager on April 22, 2025. (Photo by Christopher Mast/NHLI via Getty Images)
NHLI via Getty Images
If Sundays have become the day for coaching changes late in the 2025-26 season and Mondays are about dismissing general managers, the Seattle Kraken have taken a shot at claiming Wednesday for changes at the team president level.
On Apr. 8, the team announced that president of hockey operations Ron Francis will be leaving the organization at the end of this year.
Francis, now 63, has been a key leader in Seattle since the early days after the NHL’s 32nd franchise was officially awarded in December of 2018. A decorated player with two Stanley Cups and multiple individual awards, Francis was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007. After spending more than a decade working his way up the executive ranks with the Carolina Hurricanes after his playing career ended, he signed on as the first GM of what was still known as NHL Seattle in July 0f 2019. Francis had a hand in everything from the team branding to the build-out of Climate Pledge Arena and the team’s practice facility, the Kraken Community Iceplex, as well as the roster and coaching staff.
Last summer, he was elevated to the role of president of hockey operations while his former assistant GM, Jason Botterill, took over as general manager and executive vice president of hockey operations. Botterill has also been with the team since its inception.
According to Wednesday’s team statement, 49-year-old Botterill will now lead Seattle’s hockey operations. Francis will not be replaced.
Following in the expansion shadow of the Vegas Golden Knights was never going to be an easy path for the Kraken. The Golden Knights were a smash hit out of the box in 2017. They reached the Stanley Cup Final in their first season, missed the playoffs just once in their first five seasons and won it all in Year 6.
That season, 2022-23, was Seattle’s second, and marked the team’s only playoff appearance to date. The Kraken may have thrown an assist in the direction of their expansion cousins by taking out the defending championship Colorado Avalanche in a Game 7 overtime upset in Round 1, then pushing the dangerous Dallas Stars to seven games before falling in Round 2.
From there, the Golden Knights were able to take out the Stars in six games in the Western Conference Final, then defeat the Florida Panthers in five to take the Cup.
The Kraken were unable to build on that playoff momentum. They’re now on their third coach in three years after Dave Hakstol was replaced by Dan Bylsma for the 2024-25 season, then Bylsma was replaced by Lane Lambert just one year later.
Lambert got off to a good start this season. At U.S. Thanksgiving, the Kraken were one point out of first place in the Pacific Division with a record of 11-6-6. At the Olympic break in February, they remained in third place in the division with a record of 27-20-9.
At the trade deadline, Botterill appeared to fill a team need for scoring effectively when he acquired winger Bobby McMann from the Toronto Maple Leafs for a fourth-round draft pick and a conditional second. But even though McMann has been Seattle’s top scorer since his acquisition, with eight goals in 13 games, the team has floundered.
Seattle’s record of 3-11-2 from the Mar. 6 deadline to the Apr. 8 announcement on Francis’s future is the worst in the league at just a .250 points percentage, and the Kraken are now nine points out of a wild-card spot, poised to miss the playoffs for a third-straight season.
The Kraken had hoped to be further along by now, especially because a major force in their market could change the landscape going forward.
Sports fans in the region were burned badly by the departure of the NBA’s Seattle Supersonics in 2008 but their long-held hope that they’d be considered for an NBA expansion franchise got real in March, when the board of governors officially authorized the exploration of new franchises in both Seattle and Las Vegas.
If the NBA does return to Seattle, the Kraken will no longer be the shiny new toy. They deliver a first-class game experience at Climate Pledge Arena but at some point, they’re going to need to start delivering more on-ice excitement, and more wins, if they want to hold fans’ attention in what is already a very saturated sports market.
The Kraken have five games remaining in their 2025-26 season. They’ll play the first three at home, starting with the Golden Knights arriving on Thursday with a 4-0 record since installing John Tortorella behind their bench on Mar. 29. Seattle’s final two games of the year will be played on the road, in Vegas on Apr. 15 and at Ball Arena in Denver on Apr. 16.
This article was originally published on Forbes.com
As first reported by Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football, the Saints have officially exercised the 2027 option for their 2023 29th-overall pick. The move locks in a $13.931 million fully guaranteed salary for that season. To some, that’s a steep price for a player whose 2025 production saw a dip; to those watching the tape, it’s a necessary investment in a homegrown disruptor.
The Saints picked up Bryan Bresee's fifth-year option, I'm told. He is now under contract through the 2027 season.
Bresee’s NFL journey has been a fascinating study in development. After a productive rookie year, he exploded in 2024 with 7.5 sacks and 14 quarterback hits, appearing to be the heir apparent to the dominant interior forces the Saints have historically relied upon.
However, 2025 was a bit more "human." His stats took a step back:
Games Played: 15 (missed 2 due to a knee injury)
Sacks: 2.5
QB Hits: 8
If you only look at the box score, you might question the nearly $14 million price tag. But the NFL isn't played on a spreadsheet. Bresee remains a 6-foot-5, 305-pound athlete who can move like a man ten years his senior. While his run defense still needs polish—a fact often highlighted by Pro Football Focus—his ability to collapse the pocket from the inside is a trait the Saints cannot afford to let walk out the door.
Why the Move Makes Sense
The Saints’ cap gymnastics are legendary, and while "guaranteed money" is usually a scary phrase in New Orleans, this decision provides much-needed stability.
Market Value: By the time 2027 rolls around, a $13.9 million salary for a starting-caliber defensive tackle will likely look like a bargain. The interior defensive market has skyrocketed recently; paying Bresee "middle-of-the-pack" money for "top-tier potential" is smart business.
The Defensive Identity: New Orleans has always built from the inside out. With aging veterans across the roster, Bresee represents the "bridge" to the next generation of the Saints' defense.
Durability: Aside from a minor knee setback late in 2025, Bresee has been remarkably durable, appearing in 49 of 51 possible games. For a player who dealt with significant injuries in college at Clemson, this is a massive green flag.
The Outlook
Exercising this option isn't a reward for what Bresee did last season. It’s a bet on what he’ll do in the next two. The Saints are banking on the 24-year-old finding the consistency that saw him dominate in 2024.
Is it a gamble? Of course. But in a league where finding interior pass-rushers is like hunting for gold in a muddy river. The Saints just decided to hold onto the biggest nugget they’ve found in years. Now, it’s on Bresee to prove that $13.9 million is a discount, not a debt.
Two days after winning its first national title in 37 years, the Michigan basketball team has had its first player enter the transfer portal.
Winters Grady, a 6-foot-6, 210-pound wing, will explore his options elsewhere after playing sparingly during his freshman year.
Grady appeared in nine games, tallying 26 points, 10 rebounds, two assists and two steals in 54 minutes. He last played on Jan. 2 against USC before he was shut down for the rest of the season with a lingering foot injury that he’s been battling for some time.
“I fractured my foot my sophomore year of high school. Initially, we didn't know there was a fracture, so I kept playing on it for a while and it got 10 times worse,” Grady told The News during the NCAA Tournament last month.
“It just required a lot of rest, because it never actually fully healed. My high school career, I was very adamant on playing every game I could play in. I don't think it necessarily helped a lot. But when you're trying to get recruited, you have to be seen and give yourself the most exposure possible.”
Grady noted that his foot issue has flared up “on and off” since the fracture, including early on when he first got on Michigan’s campus. But when it became a struggle, the decision was made to sit out the rest of the campaign.
He’s expected to apply for a medical redshirt, which will give him four seasons of eligibility at his next stop.
Grady, a top-100 prospect and four-star recruit, arrived at Michigan with a reputation as a knockdown shooter. He shot 6-for-19 from 3-point range in limited action because he was buried on the depth chart behind an experienced and talented group of perimeter players that included Nimari Burnett, Roddy Gayle Jr. and Trey McKenney.
With Burnett and Gayle graduating, there was an opportunity for Grady to carve out a role in the rotation. But that’s no sure thing, with McKenney expected to return, a bunch of young talent coming in and potential portal additions to be made.
Grady, an Oregon native, picked Michigan over Oklahoma, Oregon, Colorado, Iowa and New Mexico when he committed in October 2024.
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Michigan basketball may have just won the national championship, but it wasn’t necessarily going to be able to keep everyone on the roster moving forward.
The Wolverines were already expecting some natural attrition, with Nimari Burnett, Yaxel Lendeborg, and Roddy Gayle out of eligibility. And then Aday Mara and Morez Johnson Jr. also have to make NBA draft decisions. But with a nucleus of young talent, as well as six incoming freshmen, some are going to look elsewhere.
Such is the case for Winters Grady, the sharpshooter from Napa (Calif.) Prolific Prep. Grady missed most of the 2025-26 season due to injury, and it appears he will get a fresh start elsewhere as he’s entering the transfer portal.
Grady appeared in nine games this past season, averaging 1.9 points per game. He scored six in against Rutgers, his career high, and also saw spotty time in the Player’s Era Championship in Las Vegas, when the Wolverines beat San Diego State, Auburn, and Gonzaga in dominant fashion.
He will have four years of eligibility remaining at his school of choice.
The Baltimore Ravens' offseason has been up and down with the franchise walking back on the Maxx Crosby trade, only to then sign Trey Hendrickson a day later.
They have lost Isaiah Likely and Tyler Linerbaum, leaving two holes on offense, and they hold the No. 14 pick in the upcoming draft.
Who could the Ravens take? Well, there's a host of players that will be available in positions of need for Baltimore, but what if the franchise used some draft capital to trade for a player?
That is what Fox Sports' Ralph Vacchiano is thinking in his latest thought exercise, with the Ravens sending a third-round pick this year and a conditional 2027 fifth-round pick to the New York Giants for Kayvon Thibodeaux.
"Jesse Minter is taking over a team ready for a Super Bowl run, but still too dangerously thin on the edge," Vacchiano wrote. "The Ravens could fix that by adding Thibodeaux, who is an expensive luxury for the Giants."
South American champ Clarinha eyes USA friendlies for U20 World Cup
Brazil’s Women’s U-20 National Team has begun preparations in Kansas (USA) for the friendlies against the United States, a key step on the road to the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, which will be played in September in Poland.
Midfielder Clarinha highlighted the importance of the matches against one of the leading powers in women’s football worldwide.
“Everyone is well prepared for this new stage, because our goal is the World Cup. These two friendlies will be very important, not only for the coaching staff but also for the players, because it’s a different kind of match for us,” she said.
According to the player, facing a national team from outside the South American sphere raises the level of difficulty and directly contributes to the group’s development.
“It’s very important preparation for our next objective. Everyone knows that the United States are a technically very strong team, so we need to prepare a lot for that,” she added.
Clarinha also drew attention to the growth of women’s football in the United States, both at youth level and professionally.
Clarinha celebrates a goal scored at the South American Women’s U-20 Championship in Paraguay Credits: Staff Images
“It’s a national team that has been improving a lot, and their league is very strong and well recognized. So we’re going into these matches with great seriousness, focus, and hard work,” she said.
The midfielder arrives for the FIFA international window riding the momentum of the U-20 South American title, won in February in Paraguay. As one of the standout players of the campaign, Clarinha scored one of the goals in the 2-0 victory over Venezuela in the final, a result that secured Brazil’s 11th continental title in the category.
Now, Brazil is using the friendlies against the United States as a benchmark to gauge the team’s level ahead of the World Cup. The first match will be played on April 11 at CPKC Stadium. The second takes place on the 15th at Riverside Stadium, both in Kansas, United States.
Orlando forward Franz Wagner (22) passes during the Minnesota Timberwolves at Orlando Magic NBA game at the Kia Center in Orlando on Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Orlando center Wendell Carter Jr. (34) blocks a shot by Minnesota center Naz Reid (11) during the Minnesota Timberwolves at Orlando Magic NBA game at the Kia Center in Orlando on Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Minnesota forward Joe Ingles (7) falls down while guarding Orlando forward Franz Wagner (22) during the Minnesota Timberwolves at Orlando Magic NBA game at the Kia Center in Orlando on Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley smiles during the Minnesota Timberwolves at Orlando Magic NBA game at the Kia Center in Orlando on Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Orlando forward Paolo Banchero (left) scores over Minnesota guard Donte DiVincenzo (rioght) during the Minnesota Timberwolves at Orlando Magic NBA game at the Kia Center in Orlando on Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Orlando guard Desmond Bane passes during the Minnesota Timberwolves at Orlando Magic NBA game at the Kia Center in Orlando on Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley claps during the Minnesota Timberwolves at Orlando Magic NBA game at the Kia Center in Orlando on Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Orlando fans wave to the big screen tv during the Minnesota Timberwolves at Orlando Magic NBA game at the Kia Center in Orlando on Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Orlando center Goga Bitadze (35) scores past Minnesota center Joan Beringer (right) during the Minnesota Timberwolves at Orlando Magic NBA game at the Kia Center in Orlando on Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Minnesota coach Chris Finch yells during the Minnesota Timberwolves at Orlando Magic NBA game at the Kia Center in Orlando on Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Orlando forward Franz Wagner (22) scores past Minnesota forward Jaden McDaniels (3) during the Minnesota Timberwolves at Orlando Magic NBA game at the Kia Center in Orlando on Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Orlando guard Anthony Black (0) gets a hand on the ball as he defends Minnesota forward Jaden McDaniels (3) during the Minnesota Timberwolves at Orlando Magic NBA game at the Kia Center in Orlando on Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley makes a face during the Minnesota Timberwolves at Orlando Magic NBA game at the Kia Center in Orlando on Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Orlando guard Desmond Bane (middle) drives through Minnesota center Naz Reid (11) during the Minnesota Timberwolves at Orlando Magic NBA game at the Kia Center in Orlando on Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Orlando center Wendell Carter Jr. (34) scores past Minnesota guard Terrence Shannon Jr. (right) during the Minnesota Timberwolves at Orlando Magic NBA game at the Kia Center in Orlando on Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Orlando center Wendell Carter Jr. (34) screams as he is fouled by Minnesota guard Terrence Shannon Jr. (bottom right) during the Minnesota Timberwolves at Orlando Magic NBA game at the Kia Center in Orlando on Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Orlando forward Tristan da Silva (23) looks to shoot past Minnesota center Naz Reid (11) during the Minnesota Timberwolves at Orlando Magic NBA game at the Kia Center in Orlando on Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Orlando center Wendell Carter Jr. (34) slam dunks during the Minnesota Timberwolves at Orlando Magic NBA game at the Kia Center in Orlando on Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Orlando guard Jalen Suggs (bottom) falls beneath Minnesota forward Joe Ingles (top) during the Minnesota Timberwolves at Orlando Magic NBA game at the Kia Center in Orlando on Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Orlando forward Franz Wagner (22) pulls in a rebound over Minnesota forward Joe Ingles (7) during the Minnesota Timberwolves at Orlando Magic NBA game at the Kia Center in Orlando on Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Orlando forward Paolo Banchero (5) scores during the Minnesota Timberwolves at Orlando Magic NBA game at the Kia Center in Orlando on Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando SentinelOrlando forward Franz Wagner (22) shoves aside Minnesota guard Donte DeVincenzo (0) during the Minnesota Timberwolves at Orlando Magic NBA game at the Kia Center in Orlando on Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Show Caption1 of 23Orlando center Wendell Carter Jr. (34) screams as he is fouled by Minnesota guard Terrence Shannon Jr. (bottom right) during the Minnesota Timberwolves at Orlando Magic NBA game at the Kia Center in Orlando on Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)Expand
According to ESPN’s Field Yates, the Texans have officially exercised the 2027 fifth-year options for quarterback C.J. Stroud ($25.904 million) and edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. ($21.512 million).
On the surface, this was a "no-brainer." But in the context of where this franchise was just a few years ago, these two signatures represent something much larger than a cap hit: they are the final stamps of approval on the most successful turnaround in modern AFC South history.
The Texans have exercised the 2027 fifth-year options on the contracts of QB CJ Stroud and All Pro DE Will Anderson, per source.
Stroud is now due $25.904M in 2027, while Anderson is due $21.512M.
For a combined $47.4 million fully guaranteed in 2027, the Texans have secured two of the most valuable commodities in professional sports: a franchise quarterback and a game-wrecking pass rusher.
C.J. Stroud ($25.9M): While the national conversation has recently cooled following a turnover-heavy postseason against the Patriots, the decision to pick up Stroud’s option is an endorsement of his trajectory. He has led Houston to 28 wins over three seasons and remains the undisputed face of the city. At $25.9 million, he will be a bargain in 2027 compared to the projected $60M+ annual salaries of the league's top-tier veterans.
Will Anderson Jr. ($21.5M): This move is essentially a formality. After a 2025 campaign that saw him earn First-Team All-Pro honors and rack up 12 sacks, Anderson isn't just a "core player", but he’s the engine of DeMeco Ryans’ defense. Rumors suggest this option is merely a placeholder for a record-breaking extension that could make him the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history.
A Tale of Two Extensions
The timing here is fascinating. While both options were exercised simultaneously, the paths forward for the two stars look very different:
The "Wait and See" for Stroud: By locking in the 2027 option now, the Texans are buying themselves time. Following his recent playoff struggles (five interceptions in two games), the front office is signaling that while Stroud is the guy, they aren't in a rush to hand out a $300 million extension until they see how he adapts to new QB coach Jerry Schuplinski.
The "Fast Track" for Anderson: For Anderson, this is the prelude to a payday. By picking up the option, Houston ensures they have maximum leverage in negotiations, but all signs point to a long-term deal being finalized before the 2026 season kicks off.
The Verdict: Caserio’s Vision Validated
When the Texans traded their 2024 first-round pick to move back up to No. 3 for Anderson in 2023, critics called it an overpay. Today, that move looks like the foundational moment of a contender.
By exercising these options, Houston has guaranteed that the "Stroud-Anderson Era" will last at least five seasons. In a league defined by parity and turnover, the Texans have found something far more valuable, which is certainty.
The 2027 season might seem far away, but for Texans fans, the future has never looked more secure. The "Twin Pillars" are staying put, and the window for a Super Bowl in Houston is officially wide open.
The New York Giants hold the No. 5 overall pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, which will open its first round in just over two weeks. The team should have several enticing prospects sitting on the board at that slot, but there is a strong argument to be made that trading down and collecting more picks might be the team's best move.
Recent reports suggest that a "trade-heavy" draft is expected, and that could play right into the Giants' hands.
The Cleveland Browns hold the No. 6 pick and could be looking at one of the draft's top receivers, such as Ohio State's Carnell Tate. If there is a team a bit further down the board looking at him, they could jump into the No. 5 spot. A team such as the New Orleans Saints, who hold the No. 8 pick, would be a good example of a team that could do just that.
The expectation among many NFL teams is that the 2026 draft will be one of the more trade-heavy drafts in recent memory, according to multiple league sources.
Specifically, on the defensive side of the ball — EDGE, CB and LB are all strong/deep — while WR is typically… pic.twitter.com/NhNQJiM91T
Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report touched on this while addressing the latest rumors just two weeks out from the draft. He called the idea of the Giants taking one of the draft's top receivers at No. 5 "market manipulation". Here was his full analysis:
"The New York Giants are best-situated to trade out of the fifth overall pick. In order to do so, some interest must be generated from those willing to pay the price and move into that range.
Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate simultaneously makes sense for the Giants with the fifth overall pick, so Malik Nabers can have a running mate in the passing game, and an obvious name to entice a trade.
"You're always going to want to add more explosiveness to your offense, guys that score touchdowns, wherever that comes from: running back, receiver, tight ends, whatever it may be,'' general manager Joe Schoen told reporters at the NFL combine. "That will be something we'll look for."
Todd McShay believes Tate may end up among the top-five picks. Similarly, ESPN's Matt Miller believes that 6.5 is the over/under for Tate's selection. These two are essentially saying the same thing, albeit from different viewpoints.
The first point of view is from the Giants, who want a team to trade up and nab Tate before the Cleveland Browns can choose him with the sixth pick. Essentially, Miller thinks the Browns will select the wide receiver if he's available.
The Tate example isn't the only instance of the Giants setting the table for a trade-down, because there is also a report of the team's potential interest in an offensive lineman with the fifth pick.
Head coach John Harbaugh told reporters: "Offensive line is a work in progress. Not done there yet."
What's the other position the Browns desperately need to address? Offensive tackle.
The Giants are laying smokescreens to ensure an interested suitor gets ahead of Cleveland for its preferred wide receiver or offensive lineman. Thus, New York can trade down and add extra assets.
Art Stapleton of NewJersey.com identified Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, Penn State guard Olaivavega Ioane and Miami offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa as trade-down targets."
There are some fun options for the Giants there, and the team could grab one of those prospects while gaining more capital from another team in exchange for dropping down a few slots in the first round.
The Giants could use another wide receiver or offensive lineman, for example, but the Browns are a team that has many glaring needs and could be more desperate to get one of these players than the Giants currently are. That leaves New York in a strong position going into this draft as solid contributors can still be found far down the board in this class.
A former Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl champion has found a new team this offseason.
According to a report from ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Atlanta Falcons and former Chiefs free-agent offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor reached an agreement on Wednesday on a one-year deal. The contract reportedly has a base value of $5 million, plus an additional $1 million in incentives for the veteran lineman.
Falcons and former Chiefs free-agent offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor reached agreement today on a one-year deal with a base value of $5 million and an additional $1 million in incentives, per his agents Drew Rosenhaus and Robert Bailey. pic.twitter.com/NhoXjoYMVj
The 28-year-old was released early last month to clear cap space and relief from the four-year, $80 million contract he signed in 2023. Taylor had struggled with penalties throughout his tenure in Kansas City, leading to constant criticism from fans and analysts. During the 2024 season, he played with a partially torn meniscus, which severely affected his effectiveness at right tackle.
Taylor appeared in 12 regular-season games but battled injuries again in 2025. A severe elbow/triceps injury cost him multiple weeks of the season.
In Taylor's first season with the Chiefs, he contributed to the Chiefs' Super Bowl LVIII victory over the San Francisco 49ers, 25–22.
As fans and media outlets alike try to predict the 2026-27 campaign, let's take a look at USA TODAY Sports' too-early Top 25 Poll, in which North Carolina lands 22nd.
The Tar Heels are one slot behind Tennessee, plus a spot ahead of ACC rival Louisville.
"One big question was answered with the hiring of Michael Malone," Erick Smith and Paul Myerberg wrote. "It's unclear how bringing in an NBA title-winning coach –without experience as college head coach – will shake out. But let's assume for now that most of their returning pieces stay in place. Luka Bogavac and Jarin Stevenson are good building blocks that return for their senior season, and key recruits Dylan Mingo and Maximo Adams could contribute right away. Expect there to be major moves in the portal with Chapel Hill still remaining a desired destination."
Bogavac announced his return to UNC on Tuesday, giving the program a sharpshooter who still hasn't maxxed his potential. Chapel Hill native Jarin Stevenson will likely spend his senior campaign at North Carolina, while Mingo and Adams could very well be Day One starters.
With Malone's hiring, top-end talent is bound to follow. Right now, Tar Heel Nation has no idea where that talent will come from – and how it'll play out on the court.
Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.
The Golden State Warriors have put together their teams through a variety of ways over the years, yet few approaches have proven as successful as the NBA draft. More than anything else, the most talented players to represent the Warriors have arrived in Golden State either by being selected directly in the annual draft or through trades executed on that same night.
The Golden State Warriors have taken many of their top stars through the draft, but have also landed a number of notable players over the years as well. From tiny colleges to blue blood programs, these alumni have contributed significantly to the team's roster over the years. So, we chose to take a closer look at which Dubs came from which schools over the years.
So without further ado, let's take a look at every player who has been drafted by the Warriors out of Arizona State.
Sam Williams - forward
Draft year and position: second round (10th pick, 33rd overall), 1981 NBA Draft
Seasons at Arizona State: three
Seasons played with Warriors: three
Ike Diogu - forward
Draft year and position: first round (ninth pick, ninth overall), 2005 NBA Draft
Seasons at Arizona State: three
Seasons played with Warriors: two
All stats and data courtesy of Basketball Reference.
The Brooklyn Nets have 52 jersey numbers worn by over 600 different players over the course of their history since the franchise was founded in 1967 as a charter member of the American Basketball Association (ABA), when the team was known as the "New Jersey Americans".
Since then, that league has been absorbed by the NBA, with the team that would later become the New York Nets and New Jersey Nets before settling on the name by which they are known today, bringing their rich player and jersey history with them to the league of today.
To commemorate the players who played for the Nets over the decades wearing those 52 different jersey numbers, Nets Wire is covering the entire history of the franchise's jersey numbers and the players who sported them since the founding of the team.
And for today's article, we will continue with the first of two people to wear the No. 53 jersey, big man alum Rich Kelley. After ending his college career at Stanford, Kelley was picked up with the seventh overall selection of the 1975 NBA Draft by the (then) New Orleans (now, Utah) Jazz.
The San Mateo, California native played the first four seasons of his pro career with New Orleans, coming to an end when he was dealt to the (then) New Jersey (now, Brooklyn) Nets in 1979. His stay with the team lasted until he was dealt to the Phoenix Suns in 1980.
During his time suiting up for the Nets, Kelley wore only jersey No. 53 and put up 10.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game.
All stats and data courtesy of Basketball Reference.
The Houston Rockets have had players donning a total of 52 different jersey numbers (and have one not part of any numerical series for Houston assistant coach and general manager Carroll Dawson) since their founding at the start of the 1967-68 season, worn by just under 500 players in the course of Rockets history.
To honor all of the players who wore those numbers over the decades, Rockets Wire is covering the entire history of jersey numbers and the players who wore them since the founding of the team all those years ago right up to the present day.
With seven of those jerseys now retired to honor some of the greatest Rockets of all time to wear those jerseys, there is a lot of history to cover.
And for today's article, we will continue with the sixth of 10 who wore the No. 11, forward alum Major Jones. After ending his college career at Albany State University, Jones was picked up with the 20th overall selection of the 1976 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers.
The McGhee, Arkansas native played the first three seasons of his pro career in another league after being cut, later signing with the Houston Rockets in 1979. His stay with the team lasted until he was cut in 1984.
During his time suiting up for the Rockets, Jones wore only jersey No. 11 and put up 4.6 points and 3,7 rebounds per game.
All stats and data courtesy of Basketball Reference.
Jorge Masvidal’s promotion, Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA, is back, and it is bringing a stacked card full of former UFC fighters. It is the start of a 16-man Heavyweight and Lightweight tournament with the winners taking home $500,000 in prize money. In the main event, recently retired Anthony Smith returns to take on Chase Sherman.
Event: Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA: “Smith vs. Sherman” Date: Fri., April 10, 2026 Location: Ovalo Feria Ganadera in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic Broadcast: YouTube for free! Start Time: 8 p.m. ET
Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA Main Event
265 lbs.: Anthony Smith vs. Chase Sherman
Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA Main Card
265 lbs.: Guto Inocente vs. Thiago Santos 155 lbs.: Rafael Alves vs. Anthony Njokuani 155 lbs.: Landon Quiñones vs. Elias Santos 265 lbs.: Alex Nicholson vs. Joel Bauman 155 lbs.: Charles Rosa vs. Jhonasky Sojo 155 lbs.: Luis Pena vs. Miri Sadygov 155 lbs.: Ray Cooper III vs. Gláucio Eliziário 265 lbs.: Karl Moore vs. Niyaz Ramazanov 265 lbs.: Said Sowma vs. Nikolay Kovalenko 265 lbs.: Oscar Hierro Sosa vs. Denis Petrov
MAINZ, GERMANY - JANUARY 13: Nadiem Amiri of 1. FSV Mainz 05 celebrates scoring his team's second goal with teammate Armindo Sieb during the Bundesliga match between 1. FSV Mainz 05 and 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 at MEWA Arena on January 13, 2026 in Mainz, Germany. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Armindo Sieb has had such a hard time of things at Mainz 05. Sent on a two year loan from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2024, the rise of Jonathan Burkardt and inconsistency kept the young striker rooted to the bench for long periods of the 2024/25 season. After Burkardt moved to Eintracht Frankfurt for the 2025/26 season, there was hope that Sieb had matured and would be able to somewhat replace Mainz’s star forward. That has not happened, however, as again Sieb has remained rooted to the bench for most of the season. Mainz’s exploits in the Conference League this season have, however, opened up more of a need to rotate. Former Mainz boss Bo Henriksson did not really acknowledge that need and kept playing his most trusted players on Thursdays, but new head coach Urs Fischer has been more open to rotation since he arrived.
Sieb again started on the bench in the return leg of Mainz’s Round of 16 Conference League clash against Sigma. But he came on to the pitch in minute 74 and delivered, scoring the crucial goal to make it 2-0 and secure victory, as well as progression to the quarterfinals, for Mainz.
“Armindo showed in his minutes on the pitch exactly what I want from every player: That he works hard, that he tries everything and that he is capable of scoring goals,” Fischer enthused about the unlikely hero in post-match remarks captured @iMiaSanMia_GER.
Of course, Sieb was duly left on the bench for 90 minutes in Mainz’s next match. So perhaps those words were nothing more than a nice sentiment.
Sieb played 15 minutes last weekend In Mainz 05’s 2-1 win over Hoffenheim.
If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast, Spotify, Apple, or any leading podcast distributor…
Center-forward Kristaps Porzingis talks with forward Quinten Post, left, on the bench in the second half against the San Antonio Spurs at Chase Center on Feb. 11. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/S.F. Chronicle)
After returning from runner's knee to play the last two games for the Golden State Warriors, Curry (right knee injury management) is questionable to play Thursday against the Los Angeles Lakers at Chase Center. Porzingis has been ruled out with an illness after missing Tuesday's matchup with the Sacramento Kings.
Golden State has two games left - Friday in Sacramento and Sunday at the Los Angeles Clippers - in the regular season after Thursday and thus two games to prepare to play in the Western Conference play-in tournament. The Warriors clinched the No. 10 seed and will need to win a pair of games - the first on the road against the Clippers or Portland Trail Blazers and the second against either the Clippers, Blazers or Phoenix Suns - to make the playoffs as the No. 8 seed.
Their hope was that the final week of the regular season could help them iron out their kinks and cultivate chemistry before the postseason. Porzingis was a scoring hub for Golden State before Curry returned to the lineup Sunday, when they shared the court for eight minutes against the Houston Rockets.
"The good thing with Kristaps is that he's a really easy guy to play with for anybody," head coach Steve Kerr said Sunday postgame. "He fit in immediately with our team as soon as he got here. I don't think it's going to take a long time for those guys to feel comfortable."
Indeed, Porzingis is an optimal fit for Golden State with his skill at center, shooting touch and the height and finesse to score when guarded by smaller defenders. Health has eluded him with the Warriors, and he's set to miss his 15th game Thursday of 28 since Feb. 6, when they acquired from the Atlanta Hawks.
Additionally against the Lakers, Al Horford (right calf strain) will miss his 14th straight game and Quinten Post (right foot soreness) is out a fifth straight game. Gui Santos (right pelvic contusion) and Charles Bassey (left ankle sprain) are questionable. Will Richard (low back strain) is doubtful and LJ Cryer (illness) is probable.
IOWA CITY — While the rain appeared heavy at times on the Big Ten Network stream it was a case of “when it rains, it pours” as Iowa State (23-15, 4-8 Big 12) and Iowa (21-17, 5-10 Big Ten) combined for five home runs, punctuated by Reagan Bartholomew’s game-winning two-run homer to deep center field in the top of the seventh that secured the 9-7 victory for the Cyclones at Pearl Field on Wednesday.
Serayah Neiss was tagged with the loss, her fifth of the season, while Lauren Schurman earned the win – her 13th of the season – for the Cyclones after retiring the Hawkeyes in order in the bottom of the seventh.
Early Defensive Stands
The game began as a defensive struggle, with neither team scoring in the first two innings. In the top of the first, Iowa’s defense ended a threat when catcher Leah McAnally threw out Jessie Clemons at second base for a caught stealing. The Cyclones responded on defense in the second inning when Kadence Shepherd, Reagan Bartholomew, and Sydney Malott combined for a double play to neutralize an Iowa walk.
Third Inning Offensive Explosion
The scoring erupted in the third inning as Iowa State built a four-run lead. After McKenna Andrews drew a walk, Tatum Johnson hit a two-run home run to deep right field.
This prompted Iowa to replace starting pitcher Avery Sapp with Carly Brewer.
Iowa responded immediately in the bottom of the third. After a walk to Brianna Johnson and a single by Devin Simon, Tory Bennett hit a three-run home run to deep left field, cutting the deficit to 4-3.
This surge led Iowa State to make their own pitching change, bringing in Lauren Schurman for Jaiden Ralston.
Mid-Game Lead Changes
In the fourth inning, Iowa State added an unearned run when Ames native Ireland Buss scored during a caught-stealing sequence involving Andrews.
However, Iowa leveled the score at 5-5 in the bottom half when the 2024-25 Iowa Gatorade Softball Player of the Year Mariah Myers hit a two-run home run that scored Nailyn Marshall.
The Cyclones reclaimed the lead in the fifth inning. Tatum Johnson and Reagan Bartholomew both singled to start the inning, eventually leading to a sacrifice fly by Sydney Malott and an RBI double by Karlee Ford to make the score 7-5.
T5 | Karlee doing Karlee things 🫡
Her second hit of the day drives in Shep to put us in front by two.
The Hawkeyes continued to fight back, using an RBI single by Kiara Sipe in the fifth and an RBI single by Brianna Johnson in the sixth—following a double by Mariah Myers—to tie the game once more at 7-7.
The Decisive Seventh
The deadlock was broken in the top of the seventh inning. After Tatum Johnson led off with a single, Reagan Bartholomew hit a go-ahead two-run home run to deep center field off relief pitcher Neiss.
In the bottom of the seventh, Lauren Schurman retired the Hawkeyes in order to secure the victory. Schurman forced Tory Bennett, Kiara Sipe, and Leah McAnally into three consecutive groundouts to end the game.
It never fails. Every year, there are late risers who find their way into round one conversations, while not even being mentioned at all during the regular season. This year, I would argue there is no bigger case than Georgia offensive tackle Monroe Freeling. We did not hear his name once all season, but as soon as the season ended, he was being mocked as one of the top tackles on the board. Is this all hype, or is the juice worth the squeeze?
Let's talk about it.
Freeling, a former four-star recruit out of Oceanside Collegiate Academy in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, was the number 32 overall recruit nationally and the fifth-ranked tackle coming out. He saw the field early and often, appearing in eight games as a true freshman, and 14 appearances in 2024 with five starts. In 2025, he'd start 13 games for the Bulldogs, earning Second Team All-SEC honors.
Monroe Freeling is a plus-plus pass blocker, which, coming out of the SEC, is huge given his level of competition. He allowed minimal pressure across almost 750 snaps. His basketball background shows, as he is athletic for someone his size at 6'7. This is evident in his first step out of his stance, as he always seems to reach his spot before his defender arrives. When his first punch doesn't land where he wants, he does a great job resetting his hands to where they need to be, which is not commonly seen among tackles in this class. His massive wingspan allows him to land early, too, which helps matters.
Freeling definitely has the advantage in pass protection, but struggles in the run game. His tape shows him struggling to get to his gap and seal defenders on outside runs, and doesn't really climb as much as you'd think someone with his athletic profile would suggest. Unless he adds muscle this offseason, he might struggle early against bull rushers, even with a long wingspan, as play strength doesn't show. There should also be more questions surrounding his limited starting experience.
Monroe Freeling is certainly a curious case. I can understand where the hype is coming from, as he appears to be projecting as a plus pass blocker, but his shortcomings in the run game leave me hesitant to pull the trigger early. However, I still landed with a mid-second round grade, as I could see him developing into a nice starter with decent upside once he earns more reps.
Diego Simeone disagrees with Barcelona assessment of handball incident – “It’s common sense”
Atletico Madrid were celebrating on Wednesday after a 2-0 victory over Barcelona at the Spotify Camp Nou, their first win at the stadium in 20 years. It leaves them in pole position to reach the Champions League semi-finals, which would be a fantastic achievement for Los Colchoneros.
As per Marca, head coach Diego Simeone gave his assessment of how things played out in Barcelona when he spoke to the media post-match.
“We defended in an orderly manner so that they could not progress. We couldn’t have any more chances than we would have liked and the one we were looking for appeared. I’m far from Cubarsí’s action, but the VAR calls the referee. Then there is an incredible goal from Julián. In the second half we looked more for the counter-attack.”
Simeone: Referee and VAR got Pubill incident correct
Barcelona were left furious at not being awarded a penalty in the second following a handball incident involving Marc Pubill, but Simeone believes that the right decision was made by the officiating team.
“If I was far from Giuliano’s play, I was even more so for the other. If (Pubill) and the referee interpreted that the play had not started, it is common sense of the game. Then we can look for all the situations we want.”
Tie not done yet – Simeone
Atleti only need to avoid losing by two or more goals at home to confirm their place in the Champions League semi-finals, but Simeone is clear that the tie is far from over at this stage.
“We are facing a very strong opponent, we have the humility to say that they are very good. We will play with all the enthusiasm, with our people, and with the commitment. I’d rather have the advantage, but after the 4-0 (in Copa del Rey) we saw how they responded at home. We imagine a difficult and complex match.”
Keller’s loss to Trinity moves Waxahachie back into the top spot in Class 6A while Rockwall-Heath makes the biggest leap of the week, jumping two places to overtake both Denton Guyer and Mansfield Legacy. Guyer lost a high-scoring affair to Mansfield Legacy while Legacy had a rough series against Mansfield, dropping both games last week. Marcus’ loss to rival Flower Mound drops it out of the Top 10 with the team now losing three of its last four games.
A narrow loss for Prestonwood Christian to John Paul II was the only blemish for any of the Top 10 teams in our other poll. The one-run defeat wasn’t enough to move Prestonwood off the third-ranked position.
Class 6A
Waxahachie, 25-2 (LR: 2)
Keller, 25-2-2 (LR: 1)
Byron Nelson, 20-5-2 (LR: 3)
Allen, 18-6 (LR: 4)
Dallas Jesuit, 18-6-2 (LR: 5)
Hebron, 17-6-2 (LR: 6)
Rockwall-Heath, 18-7 (LR: 10)
Mansfield Legacy, 19-7 (LR: 8)
Denton Guyer, 19-8 (LR: 7)
Flower Mound, 18-9-1 (LR: NR)
Dropped Out:Flower Mound Marcus, 14-10 (LR: 9)
Others considered:South Grand Prairie (15-6-1), Keller Timber Creek, 17-9 (LR: 10)
On Wednesday, the Steelers brought in three prospects for pre-draft visits for the second-straight day. One of those is UConn’s Skyler Bell, who ranked second in FBS receiving yards last season. He was joined by Miami (Fla.) safety Jakobe Thomas and BYU linebacker Jack Kelly in advance of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Bell is an interesting option and a guy who reminds us a lot of former Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III. Bell is a little bigger and Austin was a little faster but both player's film is loaded because they were the focal point of their team's passing offense on mediocre passing games.
There are really two things about Bell's game that hurt his stock. First and less relevant is his speed. Not on the stopwatch but on the field. Bell gives up way too much speed in and out of his routes and has to work against himself to get back to full speed. Second, and the bigger issue, is his drops. Bell had nearly as many drops as he did touchdown catches over the last two seasons, and in the NFL, if you can't hold onto the football, there's no place for you.
Gary Woodland tees off on Wednesday on the 7th hole at Augusta National.Getty Images
AUGUSTA, Ga. — Gary Woodland sees the girl in the white bucket hat, but she sees just his blue pant legs. Maybe.
She’s only a few years old, only a couple of feet tall and very timid, so mom had gently pushed her toward where other boys and girls were staring at Woodland, wishing for an autograph, a photo or all of the above. No one leaves without some ink or a smile, though.
Even the girl in the white bucket hat. Woodland looks down. She’s kinda just there, just looking at the green metal fence in front of her at the spot near Augusta National’s practice putting green, and Woodland laughs, then everyone does.
He’d always been a darling, and he’s maybe the favorite this week at the Masters, at least based on what you pick up anywhere Woodland walks around ANGC. Pros included. On the range, Scottie Scheffler taps him on the belly. Chris Gotterup slaps his hand. Matt McCarty, too. Woodland hugs J.J. Spaun, last week’s PGA Tour winner. Two weeks ago, Woodland won. Four weeks ago, in an interview on Golf Channel, he confessed. In 2023, he’d undergone a procedure to remove part of a lesion that had been found on the part of his brain that controls fear, but he was still fighting. He had now been diagnosed with PTSD. He’d have to be unaccommodating occasionally, especially when things became overstimulating.
Everyone’s more than stuck around, which Woodland said has surprised him, though admissions like that are why everyone came to him in the first place.
“It’s probably the first thing I’ve done for myself,” Woodland said. “I did it because I was really struggling with energy. I was struggling to say no. I don’t like to say no. I like to help people. I like to do everything I can.
“I’m at a point where it’s hard for me to do most weeks, and I need to say no. The doctors are pushing me and pushing me [that] I can’t do everything I used to do from an energy standpoint. When I say no, I feel horrible. I see the disappointment in people’s eyes. And they’re like, well, then maybe it is time to come out because now people will know why you’re saying no.”
To himself, he’s felt empowered, which he hadn’t anticipated.
He believed in avoiding opening up, but doing so has given him strength. You can spot that in his golf, though recent 190 mph-plus ball speed has come through coach Randy Smith. (“I’ve been telling guys I think I’m just angry that I have to battle this thing in my head,” Woodland said.) Fellow pro Justin Thomas has also told him he appears more at ease, but Woodland believes that’s due more to his condition, interestingly. “The doctors and everybody I’m working with were trying to slow my heart rate down, were trying to slow my thoughts down just to function and be healthy. But doing those things obviously helps my golf game as well,” he said. “I wish I knew a lot of this stuff 20 years ago.” A security presence has also helped Woodland, who remains susceptible to movement or noise. “It can be a fan. It can be a walking score. It can be a camera guy running by me, just any startlement from behind me can trigger this pretty quickly,” Woodland said. “Knowing where the security is is a constant reminder that I’m safe.”
His golf, though, has given him purpose for others, he said.
Like the patron on the practice green who, in a quiet moment, said in his direction: “Gary, we have your back.” That got a thumbs up.
“When I was diagnosed with this brain tumor three years ago, my number one thought was I wasn’t going to let this thing win,” Woodland said. “I’ve dreamed of being a professional athlete since I was a little kid, and I would do everything in my power to live that dream for my childhood self.
“Golf has given me something a lot more to fight for than just myself and my family. I love being out here. I love the guys. I love competing. And the thought of losing that is hard.”
Tuesday, during his pre-Masters press conference, Woodland at times choked back tears. He said he thought he was close to never returning to the Masters and that he was proud of earning his way back. He said Augusta National will be stimulant-heavy, and that he will still have “a battle in my head if I’m safe or not. That’s a tough pill to swallow.”
But each day here will be appreciated, he said.
That can be endearing to folks.
“I’ve got to worry about today,” Woodland said. “That’s a big tell. I love this place. I love the tradition. There’s nothing like driving down Magnolia Lane. I definitely drove down a little slower this year than I ever have, even the first time I was here in 2011.
“I’m definitely taking it all in this week, for sure.”
Rutgers big man Baye Fall has entered the NCAA transfer portal, per On3’s Pete Nakos. He’s a former four-star recruit and McDonald’s All-American who started his career at Arkansas.
His four-star rating in the 2023 class, per to the Rivals Industry Rankings, which is a proprietary algorithm that compiles ratings and rankings from all four primary recruiting media services, saw him ranked No. 30 overall. He was the No. 1 overall recruit from Colorado and No. 8 power forward in the cycle.
He committed to Eric Musselman out of high school, but would only play nine games for the Razorbacks. Fall transferred after the season to play for Jerome Tang at Kansas State in 2024-25. Similarly, Fall would only appear in four games.
His transfer to Rutgers this past season saw him log minutes in just nine games as well. However, he was kept out of action since the end of January following an injury to his hand which required surgery.
In all, Fall has been limited to 22 games overall in his collegiate career. He’s averaged 1.0 point, 1.5 rebounds and 0.5 blocks per game across his career. He’ll now be looking to find his fourth program in four seasons at the collegiate level.
For Rutgers, the Scarlet Knights just wrapped up its fourth season in a row without an NCAA Tournament berth. Head coach Steve Pikiell has held the position since the 2016 season and has compiled four winning seasons with two March Madness appearances to show for it.
He’s back for another season in 2026, and will be looking to build on last season’s 14-20 record. However, Fall will not be around to see it.
The NCAA transfer portal window for men’s basketball officially opened on April 7, remaining open for 15 days. Thousands of college basketball players have entered their names into the portal since it opened, looking to find their next program. Fall is the latest.
An NCAA panel is scheduled to discuss potential changes to eligibility rules that would incorporate age into the process, two people with knowledge of the situation said Wednesday.
The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the NCAA hasn’t publicly discussed the proposal. They said the matter was scheduled to be reviewed and discussed by the Division I Cabinet next week, but not voted on for implementation.
Yahoo Sports was first to report the proposal. An NCAA spokesman did not immediately return a message left by AP.
The proposal, which mirrors language written into the executive order issued by President Donald Trump last week, would give athletes five years of eligibility with the clock starting at the earliest of two dates: either when they turn 19 or graduate high school. There would be limited exceptions but they would not involve injuries, which has been a common reason for players to ask for extra eligibility.
Still unknown is whether the rule would shield the NCAA from lawsuits over eligibility. Dozens of players have sued for extra years, claiming injuries and other circumstances made them candidates for extra eligibility. The NCAA is seeking a limited antitrust exemption from Congress to prevent these lawsuits.
Speaking at the Final Four over the weekend, NCAA President Charlie Baker said Trump wanted to figure out a way to “get something on the books that works and represents what most people are looking for at this point, which is a much simpler eligibility process, which we’ve been talking to our committees about." ___
A $180 million investment will be made to "transform" the Toyota Center, the home of the Houston Rockets and soon-to-be Houston Comets.
Officials confirm renovations will begin this month on the interior, before work on the exterior is slated to begin on July 1 ahead of the new NBA season. It is predicted that it will take 14 to 15 months, but the arena is planning to stay open for events.
According to Toyota Center and Clutch City Sports Entertainment, the renovations will include:
A 20,000 square foot atrium that will create a covered outdoor gathering space and be equipped with state of the art digital displays
A season ticket member's lounge
New Rockets and Comets team store
New bars and lounges that offer premium experiences such as the new Summit Club with The Sky Bar and HOU Market adding addtional square space
New elevators that will provide ease of access across across the five levels of the arena.
The popular Skybridge entrance connecting Toyota Center to the Toyota Tundra Garage will undergo an overhaul to enhance the premium arrival experience. All suites inside the arena will undergo full modernized renovations. According to a press release, the arena's original seating and roof will be replaced.
The GRB expansion is set to add 700,000 square feet and plans to "reimagine" the district, according to the Houston First Corporation. The plans were unveiled last month to make it a "vibrant, walkable convention and entertainment district unlike anyplace else in the nation."
In the first phase of the GRB expansion, officials said a 100,000-square-foot pedestrian plaza will provide easy access to the Toyota Center.
Harris County Commissioner Lesly Briones said in a statement Wednesday that the move will boost economic activity.
"Today's announcement of a $180 million investment into one of our most beloved stadiums represents another step forward for the future of Houston and Harris County as a world-class sports and entertainment destination. This investment will enable increased economic development and expanded opportunities for our region. Harris County is thankful for our partners and will continue to lead with collaboration, innovation, and fiscal responsibility."
During the city council meeting, a breakdown was given of the funds for the investments. According to Whitmire, at least $95 million will come from the state, and the rest will be handled by the Fertitta family, the Rockets' majority owners.
"Today's announcement reflects our commitment to continually invest in Houston and deliver a world-class experience for the millions of guests who visit Toyota Center and downtown Houston each year," said Tilman J. Fertitta, Owner of Clutch City Sports & Entertainment.
"Toyota Center Reimagined will elevate the guest experience, introduce dynamic newgathering spaces, and ensure Toyota Center remains one of the premier sports and entertainment destinations in the country."
Atlanta Falcons right tackle Kaleb McGary retired on Wednesday, but it didn't take the team long to find a replacement. The Falcons agreed to terms with former Chiefs offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor on a one-year, $6 million contract roughly one hour after McGary stepped away.
Taylor, 28, was drafted in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. He has started 111 games over his seven-year career and spent the last three seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs.
McGary missed the entire 2025 season due to a knee injury he suffered in training camp. Veteran Elijah Wilkinson started all 17 games in place of McGary but signed with the Arizona Cardinals in free agency. So what are the Falcons getting in their new right tackle?
While Taylor is nowhere close to McGary in terms of run-blocking ability, he may end up being a slight upgrade in terms of pass protection. Although, Taylor has had issues with penalties.
Check out the Falcons' updated offensive line depth chart for 2026 below.
Left Tackle
Jake Matthews
Jack Nelson
Left Guard
Matthew Bergeron
Kyle Hinton
Center
Ryan Neuzil
Corey Levin
Right Guard
Chris Lindstrom
Andrew Stueber
Right Tackle
Jawaan Taylor
Storm Norton
Michael Jerrell
The Falcons have a few other options at right tackle, but Taylor's contract almost guarantees he will start for the team next season. Storm Norton is a quality backup and Michael Jerrell has some starting experience as well.
The San Antonio Spurs are optimistic that they will have superstar center Victor Wembanyama for one of their final games of the season.
ESPN's Shams Charania shared the news via X.
"There’s confidence that Victor Wembanyama will be able to play at least one of these final two games, as soon as Friday against the Dallas Mavericks at home," Charania said. "The good news for the Spurs is that tests showed a bad bruise to his rib, which can impact breathing, so he is day-to-day.
"He needs to play at least 20 minutes in one more game. The Spurs and Victor Wembanyama are confident he’ll be able to do so, potentially on Friday."
The 22-year-old superstar suffered a rib contusion in the first half of Monday's contest against the Philadelphia 76ers. Things got a little tricky for San Antonio when the injury occurred, and he didn't return for the second half.
However, Spurs coach Mitch Johnson wasn't too worried about the severity of it.
Wembanyama has been everything and more for the Spurs this season. He's been the engine that has driven this team to a stellar 60+ win season and is among the frontrunners for MVP.
The Frenchman has been stellar all season long. In 63 games, Wembanyama is averaging 24.8 points per game, 11.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 3.1 blocks while shooting 51 percent from the field.
According to BetMGM, Wembanyama has the second-best odds to win MVP at +2000. After the Spurs' contest against the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday, San Antonio will have two games remaining: Friday against the Dallas Mavericks and Sunday against the Denver Nuggets.
The Arizona Cardinals are supposedly looking to trade back in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft so they can draft a tackle and acquire more picks. ESPN's Bill Barnwell proposes a trade for every pick in the first round, and the Cardinals are involved in two.
In both cases, they would move back a few spots but still be in the top 10. They would get a 2027 second-round pick as part of the deals.
Here are the proposed trades:
Cardinals trade with Washington Commanders
The Cardinals could move back to the seventh pick, and the Commanders give Arizona their 2027 second-round pick. Washington would be able to select a playmaker on offense — either Ohio State receiver Carnell Tate or Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love. Meanwhile, the Cardinals would be in position to land one of the tackles — Francis Mauigoa, Spencer Fano or Monroe Freeling.
Cardinals trade with New Orleans Saints
Barnwell's second trade involving the Cardinals has them going back five spots to No. 8 overall, swapping with the Saints. The Saints would give up the eighth overall pick, the 73rd pick (Round 3) and a 2027 second-round pick. New Orleans adds a pass rusher, while the Cardinals can still target a tackle with the eighth pick.
Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
You'd be forgiven for having forgotten that lately as the Los Angeles Dodgers' centerfielder went on an absolutely absurd tear.
But on Wednesday in Toronto, Pages was 0-for-4 with four strikeouts. Not a day to write home about, but a good reason to check out just how good he had been lately.
The hot streak started on March 30, when Pages went 2-for-4.
He went 2-for-4 on March 31 with two RBI.
On April 1, it was 3-for-3 with a double.
Then April 3, 3-for-4 with a home run, two RBI and a walk.
On April 4, Pages was 3-for-5 with another home run and three RBI and a steal.
All information shown is current as of 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, April 8.
Current space: $7.7 million
This includes the estimated salary cap impacts of all known signings and releases. More information about our cap space calculation is available below the tables.
Please note: All NFL teams must remain below the salary cap between the beginning of the new league year in mid-March and the end of each season. If our estimate of the team’s cap space is a negative number, it’s because contracts for some reported roster moves have not been officially submitted to the league office, or there is a difference between publicly available salary information and the official figures.
Most recent transactions
Older transactions are at the bottom of the page.
Current roster number: 66
Signed (4/2) cornerback Kaiir Elam
Re-signed (3/23) tight end Travis K6elce
Re-signed (3/20) linebacker Jack Cochrane
Acquired via trade (3/16) quarterback Justin Fields
Re-signed (3/14) offensive lineman Mike Caliendo
Signed (3/12) running back Emari Demercado and safety Alohi Gilman
Please note: The number of players listed in each position group may include players who are under contract, but are not counted on the active roster because of a roster exemption. Those players are indicated in the second table. The Total shown here is the number of players counted on the active roster; adding up the numbers for each position group may give a different result.
Roster by category
Active Roster
Pos No.
Hgt Wgt
Exp Thru
Hit Dead Svgs
Anudike-Uzomah, Felix 2023:1/31:KAN Kansas St.
DE 91
6-3 255
3 2026
$3.8M $1.4M $2.4M
Armstrong, Andrew 2025:UDFA:DET
WR
6-4 210
0 2026
$885K $0K $885K
Arnold, Kam 2025:UDFA:WAS Boston College
LB 53
6-1 229
0 2026
$885K $0K $885K
Bassa, Jeffrey 2025:5/156:KAN Oregon
LB 31
6-2 235
0 2028
$1.1M $310K $798K
Bolton, Nick 2021:2/58:KAN Missouri
LB 32
5-11 237
4 2027
$19.3M $23.5M -$4.3M
Briningstool, Jake 2025:UDFA:KAN Clemson
TE 88
6-6 230
0 2027
$1.0M $20K $995K
Brownlee, Jason 2023: UDFA NYJ S Mississippi
WR 89
6-2 202
3 2026
$1.1M $0K $1.1M
Butker, Harrison 2017:7/233:CAR Georgia Tech
K 7
6-4 199
8 2028
$7.3M $10.0M -$2.7M
Caliendo, Mike 2022:UDFA:KAN W. Michigan
G 66
6-4 301
3 2026
$1.4M $650K $750K
Christiansen, Cole 2020:UDFA:LAC Army
LB 48
6-2 225
5 2025
$1.2M $0K $1.2M
Cochrane, Jack 2022:UDFA:KAN S. Dakota
LB 43
6-3 236
4 2026
$1.4K $650K $750K
Conner, Chamarri 2023:4/119:KAN Virginia Tech
S 27
6-0 205
2 2026
$3.9M $188K $3.7M
Dercardo, Emari 2023: UDFA: ARI TCU
RB
5-9 215
3 2026
$1.2M $550K $650K
Downs, Ethan 2025:UDFA:JAX Oklahoma
DE 68
6-4 263
0 2026
$1.0M $0K $1.0M
Driskell, Ethan 2024:UDFA:KAN Marshall
OL 75
6-9 329
1 2026
$1.1M $13K $1.1M
Fields, Justin 2021: 1/11:CHI Ohio State
QB
6-3 227
5 2026
$3M $3M $0K
Fulton, Kristian 2020:2/61:TEN LSU
CB 8
5-11 197
5 2026
$13.0M $8.0M $5.0M
George, Brandon 2025:UDFA:KAN Pittsburgh
LB 50
6-3 240
0 2027
$1.0M $10K $1.0M
Gillotte, Ashton 2025:3/66:KAN Louisville
DE 97
6-3 275
0 2028
$1.5M $1.2M $374K
Gilman, Alohi 2020: 6/186: LAC Notre Dame
S 17
5-10 201
6 2028
$3.5M $15M -$12M
Godrick, Chukwuebuka 2023:UDFA:KAN None
T 72
6-5 295
2 2026
$1.0M $0K $1.0M
Gray, Noah 2021:5/162:KAN Duke
TE 83
6-3 240
4 2027
$7.0M $3.0M $4.0M
Haener, Jake 2023: 4/127:NO Fresno State
QB
6-1 200
2 2026
$1.1M $0K $1.1M
Hanson, C.J. 2024:7/248:KAN Holy Cross
OL 61
6-5 300
1 2027
$1.1M $0K $1.1M
Harris, Marcus 2024:7/247:HOU Auburn
DT 68
6-3 295
1 2026
$885K $0K $885K
Hicks, Jaden 2024:4/133:KAN Washngton St.
S 21
6-2 211
1 2027
$1.2M $264K $943K
Holiday, Jimmy 2025:UDFA:KAN Louisiana Tech
WR 82
6-0 199
0 2027
$885K $0K $885K
Humphrey, Creed 2021:2/63:KAN Oklahoma
C 52
6-4 302
4 2028
$18.1M $25.1M -$7.0M
Jones, Chris 2016:2/37:KAN Mississippi St.
DT 95
6-6 310
9 2028
$44.9M $64.3M -$19.4M
Karlaftis, George 2022:1/30:KAN Purdue
DE 56
6-4 263
3 2025
$15.2M $26.9M -$11.8M
Kelce, Travis 2013:3/63:KAN Cincinnati
TE 87
6-5 250
13 2028
$4.9M $12M -$7.1M
Knowles, Kevin 2025:UDFA:KAN Florida St.
CB 38
5-11 183
0 2026
$1.0M $0K $1.0M
Kohou, Kader 2022:UDFA:MIA Texas A&M Comm
CB 26
5-10 196
4 2026
$1.8M $1.8M $0K
Mahomes, Patrick 2017:1/10:KAN Texas Tech
QB 15
6-2 225
8 2031
$78.2M $77.8M $388K
McDonald, Cooper 2025:UDFA:KAN TCU
LB 59
6-1 235
0 2027
$1.0M $0K $1.0M
Moore, Jaylon 2021:5/155:SFO W. Michigan
T 77
6-4 211
4 2026
$18.7M $10.7M $8.0M
Morris, Wanya 2023:3/92:KAN Oklahoma
T 64
6-5 307
2 2026
$1.7M $226K $1.5M
Norman-Lott, Omarr 2025:2/63:KAN Tennessee
DT 55
6-3 315
0 2028
$1.6M $3.0M -$1.4M
Nourzad, Hunter 2024:5/19:KAN Penn St.
G 60
6-3 317
1 2027
$1.2M $160K $995K
Oladokun, Chris 2022:7/241:PIT S. Florida
QB 19
6-2 195
3 2026
$1.0M $0K $1.0M
Pickens, Zacch 2023:3/64:CHI S. Carolina
DT 79
6-4 303
2 2025
$1.1M $0K $1.1M
Pole, Esa 2025:UDFA:KAN Washington St.
T 79
6-7 319
0 2027
$1.0M $0K $1.0M
Powell, ShunDerrick 2025:UDFA:KAN C. Arkansas
RB
5-7 183
0 2026
$885K $0K $885K
Remigio, Nikko 2023:UDFA:KAN Fresno St.
WR 81
5-9 187
2 2026
$1.1K $0K $1.1K
Rice, Rashee 2023:2/55:KAN SMU
WR 4
6-1 204
2 2026
$2.1M $431K $1.6M
Roland-Wallace, Christian 2024:UDFA:KAN USC
S 30
6-0 201
1 2026
$1.1M $2K $1.1M
Royals, Jalen 2025:4/133:KAN Utah St.
WR 11
6-0 205
0 2028
$1.2M $650K $571K
Simmons, Josh 2025:1/21:KAN Ohio State
T 71
6-5 310
0 2028
$3.3M $12.0M -$8.7M
Smith, Brashard 2025:7/228:KAN SMU
RB 24
5-10 196
0 2028
$1.0M $100K $938K
Smith, Trey 2021:6/226:KAN Tennessee
G 65
6-6 321
4 2025
$24.5M $33.2M -$8.7M
Smith, Tyreke 2022:5/158:SEA Ohio St.
DE 57
6-3 255
3 2026
$1.1M $0K $1.1M
Smith Jr., Melvin 2025:UDFA:KAN S. Arkansas
CB 39
5-10 185
0 2026
$1.0M $0K $1.0M
Suamataia, Kingsley 2024:2/63:KAN BYU
G 76
6-5 326
1 2027
$1.8M $745K $1.0M
Thornton, Tyquan 2022:2/50:NWE Baylor
WR 80
6-2 185
4 2026
$3.5M $7.4M -$3.9M
Tonga, Khyiris 2021:7/250:CHI BYU
DT 92
6-2 335
5 2028
$3.3M $14.0M -$10.7M
Tranquill, Drue 2019:4/130:LAC Notre Dame
LB 23
6-2 234
6 2026
$5M $4.5M $500K
Waletzko, Matt 2022:5/155:DAL N. Dakota
T 73
6-8 305
3 2026
$1.1M $0K $1.1M
Walker, Kenneth 2022:2/41:SEA Michigan State
RB 9
5-9 211
4 2028
$5.7M $28.7M -$23M
Watson, Tre 2025:UDFA:KAN Texas A&M
TE 49
6-2 236
0 2026
$0K $0K $0K
Wiley, Jared 2024:4/131:KAN TCU
TE 12
6-6 249
1 2027
$1.2M $344K $903K
Williams, Nohl 2025:3/85:KAN California
CB 20
6-1 200
0 2028
$1.4M $936K $504K
Winchester, James 2013:UDFA:PHI Oklahoma
LS 41
6-3 209
12 2025
$1.7M $1.7M $0K
Worthy, Xavier 2024:1/28:KAN Texas
WR 1
5-11 165
1 2027
$3.8M $8.1M -$4.4M
Excl Rights FA
Pos No.
Hgt Wgt
Exp Thru
Hit Dead Svgs
Araiza, Matt 2022:6/180:BUF San Diego St.
P 14
6-2 200
3 2025
$1.1M $0K $1.1M
Unrestricted FA
Pos No.
Hgt Wgt
Exp Thru
Hit Dead Svgs
Bush, Deon 2016:4/124:CHI Miami (FL)
S 26
6-0 200
9 2025
$0K $0K $0K
Edwards, Mike 2019:3/99:TAM Kentucky
S 34
5-10 205
6 2025
$0K $0K $0K
Hunt, Kareem 2017:3/86:KAN Toledo
RB 29
5-11 216
8 2025
$0K $0K $0K
Ingram, Keaontay 2022:6/201:ARI USC
RB 38
6-0 221
3 2025
$0K $0K $0K
Johnson, Nazeeh 2022:7/259:KAN Marshall
CB 13
5-10 199
3 2025
$0K $0K $0K
Pennel, Mike 2014:UDFA:GNB Arizona St.
DT 69
6-4 330
11 2025
$0K $0K $0K
Robinson, Janarius 2021:4/134:MIN Florida St.
DE 98
6-5 260
4 2025
$0K $0K $0K
Smith-Schuster, JuJu 2017:2/62:PIT USC
WR 9
6-1 215
8 2025
$0K $0K $0K
Tonyan, Robert Ton 2018:UDFA:GNB Indiana State
TE 85
6-5 240
7 2025
$0K $0K $0K
Cap space calculation
Salary data shown in the table is from Spotrac.com, which estimates the team’s salary cap space to be $7.7 million.
This cap figure is based on a total team salary cap of $294.4 million, plus $336,000 in 2025 rollover and $9.8 million in dead cap from previously released players.
But Spotrac’s figure does not include the salary cap impacts of the following recently-signed free agent, drafted rookie or otherwise missing contracts. The amounts shown in parentheses are estimated cap space decreases for each contract. These could change when actual figures are available.
Cornerback Kaiir Elam (-$70,000)
With these adjustments (if any) included, the team’s cap space should be $7.6 million.
Remember: salary cap figures are estimates based on publicly available contract information, which can be misunderstood, rounded or inaccurately reported. Only the NFL, the involved teams and players know the precise figures. Therefore, any salary cap calculation must be taken with a grain of salt.
Older transactions
Re-signed (3/7) long snapper James Winchester
Traded (3/4) cornerback Trent McDuffie
Released (3/2) offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor
Released (2/23) defensive end Michael Danna
Signed to a Reserve/Future deal (2/2) quarterback Jake Haener
Signed to Reserve/Future deal (1/27) wide receiver Jason Brownlee
Signed to Reserve/Future contract (1/12) tight end Tre Watson
Changed to ERFA (1/12) punter Matt Araiza, wide receiver Nikko Remigio and cornerback Eric Scott Jr.
Changed to RFA (1/12) guard Mike Caliendo
Changed to UFA (1/12) wide receiver Marquise Brown, safety Deon Bush, linebacker Leo Chenal linebacker Cole Christiansen, linebacker Jack Cochrane, safety Bryan Cook, safety Mike Edwards running back Kareem Hunt, running back Keaontay Ingram, cornerback Nazeeh Johnson, tight end Travis Kelce, quarterback Gardner Minshew, defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi, defensive end Charles Omenihu running back Isiah Pacheco, defensive tackle Mike Pennel, running back Dameon Pierce, defensive end Janarius Robinson, wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, wide receiver Tyquan Thornton, defensive tackle Jerry Tillery, tight end Robert Tonyan Jr., cornerback Jaylen Watson, cornerback Joshua Williams and long snapper James Winchester
Practice squad contracts expired (1/12) guard Matt Broeker, wide receiver Jason Brownlee, running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, defensive end Malik Herring, running back Carson Steele, defensive tackle Marlon Tuipulotu, tight end Tre Watson (PS roster to zero)
Released from practice squad (1/10) defensive back Tanner McCalister (PS roster to 7)
Signed to Reserve/Futurecontracts (1/6) wide receiver Andrew Armstrong, running back ShunDerrick Powell
Signed to Reserve/Futurecontracts (1/5) linebacker Kam Arnold, defensive tackle Marcus Harris, wide receiver Jimmy Holiday, tackle Matt Waletzko
Waived (1/5) quarterback Shane Buechele (roster to 52)
2025
Elevated from practice squad (1/3 – Raiders) wide receiver Jason Brownlee, wide receiver Jimmy Holiday (roster unchanged)
Signed to practice squad (12/30) linebacker Kam Arnold and defensive tackle Marcus Harris (PS roster to 12)
Elevated from practice squad (12/25 – Broncos) wide receiver Jason Brownlee, tackle Matt Waletzko (roster unchanged)
Activated from practice squad (12/25) linebacker Cole Christiansen (roster to 53, PS roster to 10)
Reserve/Injured (12/25) wide receiver Nikko Remigio (roster to 52)
Activated from Reserve/Injured (12/24) cornerback Nazeeh Johnson (roster to 53)
Activated from practice squad (12/24) defensive end Ethan Downs, cornerback Melvin Smith and defensive end Tyreke Smith (roster to 52, PS roster to 11)
Reserve/Injured (12/24) cornerback Trent McDuffie, cornerback Jaylen Watson, wide receiver Rashee Rice and wide receiver Tyquan Thornton (roster to 49)
Signed from Bills’ practice squad (12/22) quarterback Shane Buechele (roster to 53)
Reserve/Injured (12/22) quarterback Gardner Minshew (roster to 52)
Elevated from practice squad (12/20 – Titans) linebacker Cole Christiansen, tackle Matt Waletzko (roster unchanged)
Activated from practice squad (12/20) tackle Chu Godrick, quarterback Chris Oladokun, running back Dameon Pierce (roster to 53, PS roster to 14)
Waived (12/20) running back Elijah Mitchell (roster to 50)
Reserve/Injured (12/20) linebacker Leo Chenal, tackle Jawaan Taylor (roster to 51)
Designated to return from Reserve/Injured (12/17) tight end Jake Briningstool, cornerback Nazeeh Johnson (roster unchanged)
Signed to practice squad(12/17) wide receiver Jimmy Holiday (PS roster to 17)
Activated from practice squad (12/17) defensive tackle Zacch Pickens (roster to 53, PS roster to 16)
Reserve/Injured (12/17) quarterback Patrick Mahomes (roster to 52)
Signed to practice squad (12/16) guard Nick Broeker and safety Tanner McCalister (PS roster to 17)
Elevated from practice squad (12/13 – Chargers) tackle Chu Godrick, defensive tackle Zacch Pickens (roster unchanged)
Activated from practice squad (12/13) guard C.J. Hanson (roster to 53, PS roster to 15)
Reserve/Injured (12/13) tackle Wanya Morris (roster to 52)
Elevated from practice squad (12/6 – Texans) tackle C.J. Hanson (roster unchanged)
Activated from practice squad (12/6) safety Mike Edwards (roster to 53, PS roster to 16)
Reserve/Injured (12/6) safety Christian Roland-Wallace (roster to 52)
Signed to practice squad (12/3) tackle Matt Waletzko (PS roster to 17)
Activated from practice squad (12/3) tackle Esa Pole (roster to 53, PS roster to 16)
Reserve/Injured (12/3) tackle Josh Simmons (roster to 52)
Elevated from practice squad (11/26 – Cowboys) safety Mike Edwards and tackle Esa Pole (roster unchanged)
Signed to practice squad (11/24) running back Dameon Pierce (PS roster to 17)
Released from practice squad (11/24) wide receiver Jimmy Holiday (PS roster to 16)
Elevated from practice squad (11/22 – Colts) running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire (roster unchanged)
Signed to practice squad (11/12) wide receiver Jimmy Holiday (PS roster to 17)
Poached from practice squad by Steelers (11/5) defensive tackle Brodric Martin (PS roster to 16)
Signed to practice squad (11/4) defensive end Malik Herring (PS roster to 17)
Released from practice squad (11/4) wide receiver Jimmy Holiday (PS roster to 16)
Elevated from practice squad (11/1 – Bills) tackle C.J. Hanson, running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire (roster unchanged)
Signed (10/29) defensive tackle Mike Pennel (roster to 53)
Waived (10/29) defensive end Malik Herring (roster to 52)
Elevated from practice squad (10/27 – Commanders) tackle C.J. Hanson, defensive tackle Marlon Tuipulotu (roster unchanged)
Signed to practice squad (10/25) tackle Esa Pole (PS roster to 17)
Activated to roster (10/21) defensive back Kevin Knowles (roster to 53, PS roster to 16)
Reserve/Injured (10/21) defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott (roster to 52)
Activated to roster (10/18) wide receiver Rashee Rice (roster to 53)
Signed to practice squad (10/15) wide receiver Jason Brownlee (PS roster to 17)
Poached from practice squad by Lions (10/15) defensive back Jammie Robinson (PS roster to 16)
Waived (10/13) wide receiver Jason Brownlee (roster to 52)
Elevated from practice squad (10/6 – Jaguars) defensive tackle Marlon Tuipulotu (roster unchanged)
Elevated from practice squad (9/28 – Ravens) defensive back Kevin Knowles, defensive tackle Brodric Martin (roster unchanged)
Elevated from PS (9/20 – Giants) defensive back Kevin Knowles (roster unchanged)
Signed (PS) (9/16) linebacker Cole Christiansen (PS roster to 17)
Released from PS (9/16) wide receiver Hal Presley (PS roster to 16)
Elevated from PS (9/13 – Eagles) defensive back Kevin Knowles (roster unchanged)
Released from Reserve/NFI with injury settlement (9/12) defensive end B.J. Thompson (roster unchanged)
Signed (PS) (9/10) wide receiver Hal Presley (PS roster to 17)
Released from PS (9/10) linebacker Cole Christiansen (PS roster to 16)
Elevated from PS (9/4) (Chargers) defensive tackle Marlon Tuipulotu
Signed (PS) (8/28) defensive end Ethan Downs, running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, defensive tackle Brodric Martin, defensive tackle Zacch Pickens, defensive back Jammie Robinson and linebacker Tyreke Smith (PS roster to 17)
Activated to roster (8/28) tight end Robert Tonyan (PS roster to 11, roster to 53)
Released (8/28) defensive tackle Coziah Izzard and wide receiver Hal Presley (PS roster to 12)
Signed (PS) (8/27) safety Mike Edwards, tackle Chukwuebuka Godrick, quarterback Chris Oladokun, fullback Carson Steele, defensive tackle Coziah Izzard, cornerback Kevin Knowles II, wide receiver Hal Presley, tight end Robert Tonyan, linebacker Cole Christiansen, cornerback Melvin Smith, defensive tackle Marlon Tuipulotu, wide receiver Jimmy Holiday, tight end Tre Watson and guard C.J. Hanson (PS roster to 14)
Suspended (8/27) wide receiver Rashee Rice (roster to 52)
Reserve/Injured (8/26) tight end Jake Briningstool, linebacker Brandon George and cornerback Nazeeh Johnson (roster to 53)
Reserve/NFI (8/26) tackle Ethan Driskell (roster to 56)
Waived (8/26) wide receiver Elijhah Badger, defensive end Owen Carney, cornerback Ajani Carter, tackle Dalton Cooper, safety Jacobe Covington, wide receiver Mac Dalena, guard C.J. Hanson, cornerback Azizi Hearn, wide receiver Jimmy Holiday, defensive tackle Coziah Izzard, linebacker Cam Jones, cornerback Kevin Knowles, center Joey Lombard, defensive tackle Fabien Lovett, defensive end Nate Matlack, safety Glendon Miller, linebacker Xander Mueller, quarterback Chris Oladokun, tackle Esa Pole, wide receiver Hal Presley, wide receiver Key’Shawn Smith, cornerback Melvin Smith, tight end Geor’Quarius Spivey, running back Carson Steele, tight end Tre Watson, running back Michael Wiley, safety Major Williams and quarterback Bailey Zappe (roster to 57)
Released (8/26) linebacker Cole Christiansen, safety Mike Edwards, defensive tackle Mike Pennel, tight end Robert Tonyan and defensive tackle Marlon Tuipulotu (roster to 85)
Traded from Jets (8/24) defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi (roster to 90)
Traded to 49ers (8/20) wide receiver Skyy Moore (roster to 89)
Signed (8/18) defensive end Owen Carney and linebacker Xander Mueller (roster to 90)
Waived (8/18) running back Elijah Young (roster to 88)
Reserve/Injured (8/18) defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah (roster to 89)
Signed (8/12) running back Michael Wiley (roster to 90)
Signed (8/11) defensive end Nate Matlack (roster to 89)
Reserve/Injured (8/11) safety Deon Bush, defensive end Janarius Robinson (roster to 88)
Released with injury settlement (8/8) cornerback Darius Rush (roster unchanged)
Passed physical (8/7) cornerback Kristian Fulton (roster unchanged)
Reserve/Injured (8/3) cornerback Eric Scott Jr. and cornerback Darius Rush (roster unchanged)
Signed (8/2) cornerback Ajani Carter, cornerback Azizi Hearn and wide receiver Key’ShawnSmith (roster to 90)
Waived-Injured (8/1) cornerback Eric Scott Jr. and cornerback Darius Rush (roster to 87)
Waived (7/30) punter Eddie Czaplicki (roster to 89)
Passed physical (7/27) right tackle Jawaan Taylor and tight end Tre Watson (roster unchanged)
Active/PUP (7/21) right tackle Jawaan Taylor, cornerback Kristian Fulton and tight end Tre Watson (roster unchanged)
Signed (7/21) wide receiver Hal Presley (roster to 90)
Rookie contract signed (7/21) defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott (roster unchanged)
Contract extension signed 7/20 defensive end George Karlaftis (roster unchanged)
Waived (7/16) wide receiver Justyn Ross (roster to 89)
New contract signed (7/15) right guard Trey Smith (roster unchanged)
Signed (6/23) tight end Geor’quarius Spivey (roster to 90)
Signed (6/20) center Joey Lombard (roster to 89)
Waived (6/20) tight end Kevin Foelsch (roster to 88)
Released (6/20) guard Tremayne Anchrum (roster to 89)
Signed (6/11) tight end Kevin Foelsch (roster to 90)
Waived (6/11) defensive tackle Siaki Ika (roster to 89)
Rookie contract signed (5/20) cornerback Nohl Williams (roster unchanged)
Signed (5/16) guard Tremayne Anchrum (roster to 90)
Released from Reserve Injured (5/15) wide receiver Justin Lockhart (roster unchanged)
Waived (5/15) running back Keontay Ingram (roster to 89)
Rookie contract signed (5/13) defensive end Ashton Gillotte, wide receiver Jalen Royals (roster unchanged)
Signed (5/6) wide receiver Jimmy Holiday, linebacker Cooper McDonald and defensive back Major Williams (roster to 90)
Released (5/6) cornerback Robert Rochell (roster to 87)
Reserve/NFI (from waivers): (5/6) defensive end BJ Thompson (roster unchanged)
Waived (5/6) safety Will Brooks and wide receiver Justin Lockhart (roster to 88)
Rookie contract signed (5/4) tackle Josh Simmons (roster unchanged)
Signed (5/3) tight end Jake Briningstool, wide receiver Elijhah Badger, tackle Dalton Cooper, safety Glendon Miller, tackle Esa Pole, linebacker Brandon George, defensive tackle Coziah Izzard, cornerback Melvin Smith Jr., wide receiver Mac Dalena, punter Eddie Czaplicki, tight end Tre Watson, cornerback Jacobe Covington, running back Elijah Young, safety Will Brooks, defensive back Kevin Knowles II and wide receiver Justin Lockhart (roster to 90)
Released (5/3) linebacker Blake Lynch (roster to 74)
Waived (5/3) defensive end BJ Thompson (roster to 75)
Rookie contract signed (5/3) linebacker Jeff Bassa and running back Brashard Smith (roster unchanged)
Released (4/30) tight end Anthony Firkser and linebacker Shaun Bradley (roster to 77)
Waived (4/30) Tight end Baylor Cupp, guard McKade Mettauer and defensive back Jason Taylor (roster to 79)
Drafted at 7/228 (4/26) running back Brashard Smith (roster to 82)
Drafted at 5/156 (4/26) linebacker Jeff Bassa (roster to 81)
Drafted at 4/133 (4/26) wide receiver Jalen Royals (roster to 80)
Drafted at 3/85 (4/25) cornerback Nohl Williams (roster to 79)
Drafted at 3/66 (4/25) defensive end Ashton Gillotte (roster to 78)
Drafted at 2/63 (4/25) defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott (roster to 77)
Drafted at 1/32 (4/24) tackle Josh Simmons (roster to 76)
Signed RFA tender (4/11) linebacker Jack Cochrane
Signed (4/4) defensive end Janarius Robinson (roster to 75)
Signed (4/3) safety Mike Williams (roster to 74)
Signed (3/24) defensive tackle Mike Pennel (roster to 73)
Signed (3/21) cornerback Robert Rochell (roster to 72)
Signed (3/20) defensive end Charles Omenihu (roster to 71)
Signed (3/19) defensive tackle Marlon Tuipulotu (roster to 70)
Signed (3/15) wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (roster to 69)
Signed (3/14) quarterback Bailey Zappe, running back Kareem Hunt, defensive tackle Jerry Tillery (roster to 68)
Signed (3/13) quarterback Gardner Minshew (roster to 65)
RFA contract tender (3/12) linebacker Jack Cochrane and cornerback Nazeeh Johnson (roster to 64)
Signed (3/12) tackle Jaylon Moore, running back Elijah Mitchell, long snapper James Winchester, linebacker Cole Christiansen,cornerback Kristian Fulton, tight end Robert Tonyan and defensive end Malik Herring (roster to 62)
Traded to Bears (3/12) left guard Joe Thuney (roster to 55)
Signed (3/9) linebacker Nick Bolton (roster to 56)
Signed (3/8) wide receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown (roster to 55)
ERFA contract tender (3/7) placekicker Matt Araiza and offensive lineman Mike Caliendo (roster to 54)
Signed (3/3) linebacker Blake Lynch
Franchise-tagged (2/27) right guard Trey Smith
Signed to 2025 Reserve/Future contract (2/13) RB Keaontay Ingram
Signed to 2025 Reserve/Future contract (2/12) TE Anthony Firkser
Signed to 2025 Reserve/Future contracts (2/11) WR Jason Brownlee, S Deon Bush, TE Baylor Cupp, TE Anthony Firkser, T Chukwuebuka Godrick, DT Siaki Ika, DT Fabien Lovett, QB Chris Oladokun, WR Justyn Ross, CB Darius Rush, DB Eric Scott and WR Tyquan Thornton
Returning for 2025 (2/10) DE Felix Anudike-Uzomah, PK Harrison Butker, LB Leo Chenal, S Chamarri Conner, S Bryan Cook, DE Michael Danna, T Ethan Driskell, TE Noah Gray, OL C.J. Hanson, S Jaden Hicks, C Creed Humphrey, LB Cam Jones, DT Chris Jones, DE George Karlaftis, TE Travis Kelce, QB Patrick Mahomes, CB Trent McDuffie, OL McKade Mettauer, WR Skyy Moore, T Wanya Morris, OL Hunter Nourzad, RB Isiah Pacheco, WR Nikko Remigio, WR Rashee Rice, CB Christian Roland-Wallace, RB Carson Steele, T Kingsley Suamataia, T Jawaan Taylor, DE BJ Thompson, G Joe Thuney, LB Drue Tranquill, CB Jaylen Watson, TE Jared Wiley, CB Joshua Williams and WR Xavier Worthy
Exclusive rights free agents (ERFA) for 2025 (2/10) P Matt Araiza and OL Mike Caliendo
Restricted rights free agents (RFA) for 2025 (2/10) LB Jack Cochrane, TE Peyton Hendershot, DE Malik Herring, CB Nazeeh Johnson and CB Keith Taylor
Unrestricted free agents (UFA) for 2025 (2/10) LB Nick Bolton, WR Marquise Brown, TE Jody Fortson, WR Mecole Hardman, WR DeAndre Hopkins, T D.J. Humphries, RB Kareem Hunt, DT Derrick Nnadi, DE Charles Omenihu, DT Mike Pennel, RB Samaje Perine, S Justin Reid, G Trey Smith, WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, DT Marlon Tuipulotu, DE Joshua Uche, WR Justin Watson, QB Carson Wentz, DT Tershawn Wharton and LS James Winchester
Signed to 2025 Reserve/Future contracts (1/9) linebacker Shaun Bradley, defensive back Jason Taylor
Tommy Fleetwood's son Frankie (bottom of the photo) proved to be one of the stars of the show at the Masters annual Par 3 Contest on Wednesday [Getty Images]
Three-time Masters champion Gary Player might turn 91 later this year, but on Wednesday he was still high-kicking his way around Augusta and lapping up another chance to play in front of the patrons.
Remy Scheffler is just two weeks old. The new-born son of world number one Scottie was ferried around the course by his mother Meredith in a baby carrier.
The presence of two people at the opposite ends of human lifespan showed the Masters' annual Par 3 Contest is not just providing wholesome, family-friendly entertainment.
It also showed how golf - in a time when all sports and pursuits are battling for attention in a saturated leisure market more than ever before - has the capacity to bring generations together like few others.
The sight of Player holing birdie putts and celebrating by lifting one young fan into his arms, contrasted superbly with nine-year-old Frankie Fleetwood's focus and determination to clear the water and hit the ninth green.
"I just think about the time span. That's why our game is so incredible," defending champion Rory McIlroy said earlier this week.
For the world's leading golfers, there are few weeks in the season which heighten the senses more than the Masters - especially if you're in the mix for the Green Jacket.
The shortform spectacle demonstrated once again that the annual pilgrimage to Augusta National is not all about stressing over fairway lies and pin positions.
It's about seeing the stars switch off on the eve of what could be the biggest week of their careers, beaming from ear-to-ear as they play a glamorous version of pitch and putt, with their partners and children by their side dressed in Augusta caddie boiler suits.
England's Aaron Rai said it felt "phenomenal" to top the leaderboard - even though nobody has ever won the event - which started in 1960 - and gone on to claim the main prize at the weekend.
"I'm not sure if it's a good omen or not," smiled Rai, who credited his wife Gaurika - also a professional golfer - for helping him win by reading his putts.
"A lot of people just enjoy this tournament for what it means for spending time with the family."
Rai was spot on. The event isn't about the winning. It's all about the taking part.
Last year, McIlroy's daughter Poppy stole the show by knocking in a 30-foot putt as the stars cut loose before the serious stuff starts on Thursday.
This year, it was Tommy Fleetwood's son Frankie who took the spotlight.
Wolverhampton-born Rai won the Par 3 Contest with a six-under-par score of 21 [Getty Images]
The youngster had the galleries chanting his name as he tried to fulfill a vow made 12 months ago - to clear the water with his tee-shot on the final ninth hole.
A year older, bigger and stronger - and armed with a bespoke club - he had made it a mission to conquer what had turned into a personal challenge.
"When I go on to the range I just think about this every single day," Frankie said in one of countless television interviews during the round.
Described as a "chatterbox" by his dad, Frankie showed he is a chip off the old block - talking confidently in front of the camera, demonstrating a steeliness to succeed and possessing a stylish swing of the club.
Anticipation built on the course as the Fleetwood family, again alongside good friends the McIlroys and Lowrys, played their way round to the ninth tee.
Young Frankie was wide right with his first attempt and, after the Augusta patrons sang for him to get another chance, came closer with a second but it still ended up wet.
He walked off with the consoling arm of Shane Lowry’s daughter Iris - who also went close to hitting the putting surface - round his shoulders.
"I think more than anything the pressure is on me to keep making the Masters until he reaches the green on the ninth," said father Tommy, who continues his quest this week for a first major title following several top-five finishes.
Fleetwood tuned up his short game with a hole-in-one which made the patrons roar, with American trio Justin Thomas, Wyndham Clark and Keegan Bradley also carding aces to dial up the entertainment factor.
Bradley, who was the US captain in their Ryder Cup defeat by Europe last year, is first player in the history of the 66-year competition to land holes-in-one in consecutive years.
The noise in the galleries is likely to be matched this week as the sporting drama intensifies, but the chaos inside the ropes - toddlers sliding down bunkers and babies crawling across putting surfaces - will make way for the cordiality of the main event.
Father-of-five Jason Day jokingly described the occasion as "a circus", with Clark adding: "As a man with no kids I'll say it's great birth control but it's a lot of fun."
Celebrity stardust came in the shape of comedian Kevin Hart, who caddied for two-time major champion Bryson DeChambeau, and former NFL star Jason Kelce in a roving reporter role on the course.
Their presence came hours after Augusta chairman Fred Ridley discussed the ongoing battle for the Masters to find the balance "between respecting tradition and innovating".
On this evidence, the Par 3 Contest is treading the line nicely as the Masters looks to ensure it - and golf - remains relevant for generations to come.
Gary Player, who first appeared at the Masters in 1957, was accompanied by his great-grandchildren [Getty Images]All the excitement became a bit too much for Jon Rahm's son Kepa by the time they reached the ninth hole [Getty Images]Even the players want photos at Augusta with world number 25 Maverick McNealy snapping his wife Maya and daughter Adeline to mark his second appearance at the Masters [Getty Images]Scottie Scheffler and his wife Meredith showed off their newly-extended family as two-week-old Remy joined his older brother Bennett at Augusta [Getty Images]
After Washington Huskies running back Jordan Washington was taken off the field in an ambulance at Saturday's practice, the sophomore from Long Beach Jordan High School in Southern California was back at practice on Tuesday, watching from the sidelines in a neck brace.
Several members of the Huskies came over to greet and embrace the former four-star recruit, who Jedd Fisch and position coach Scottie Graham have high hopes for in the 2026 season.
However, those hopes are on hold as he recovers. On Tuesday, Fisch appeared on KJR Radio's Chuck & Buck, where he provided an update on the speedy ball carrier.
Thank you God and the UW community. So grateful to be a dawg! Best family to be apart of ! 💜Thankful for my coaches and staff in walking this journey with me, most loving staff to be apart of! #godawgspic.twitter.com/SirFfKepvw
"Jordan's doing well right now," Fisch said. "There's going to be some rehab and recovery involved here, so we're going to not see him for the rest of spring."
While Washington has stated on social media that he is ok, the Huskies appear prepared to handle his situation with extreme caution, which should open up opportunities for several other young members of the roster to seize bigger opportunities in camp.
"Our running back room will consist of Quaid Carr, Brian Bonner, Julian (McMahan), Ansu (Sanoe), Ryken Moon, and that group," Fisch continued. "Then we have two guys we brought in through the portal in Trey Cooley and Jayden Limar, who are both going to be cleared to participate come June, so in training camp, we should have a full deck, but not until then. So it's going to be a great opportunity for these young running backs to get a lot more reps than they ever would've dreamt of getting."
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - MARCH 10: Keanu Dawes #8 of the Utah Utes rebounds against the Utah Utes in the first half during the first round of the Big 12 Tournament at T-Mobile Center on March 10, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Indiana men’s basketball has fully entered its first full offseason under head coach Darian DeVries. The program has been in offseason mode for a few weeks now with roster movement and a new assistant coaching hire, but the transfer portal opening up gives the Hoosiers the chance to rebuild the roster ahead of year two.
Last year, DeVries was focused on assembling both a staff and roster with just a few staffers and one player following him from West Virginia. The resulting roster came with several flaws that ultimately helped keep the Hoosiers out of the NCAA Tournament. Now DeVries has a fully assembled staff of assistants and staffers to focus solely on roster construction.
With this in mind, we’re going to be taking a look at the transfer portal in the coming days to see which players Indiana could go after. With a near-total roster rebuild underway, the program won’t have a shortage of need.
This is an interesting position, for sure, given the flexibility of small and power forwards along with centers, who are sometimes just power forwards an-
Anyway, this is a list of guys who I think are close to being true power forwards who could be interesting in Indiana’s offense. Obviously we need to see a bit more of what DeVries wants from the position at Indiana, or if there is a specific mold, because Tucker DeVries was his power forward for a long time there.
There’s gonna be a separate list for wings, a position DeVries has prioritized with plenty on last year’s roster and two incoming as freshmen in the class of 2026. Now, to the power forwards.
Kwame Evans Jr., Oregon
Evans Jr. already has a visit set to Villanova and things could move quickly there given the nature of the portal but it’s still worth taking a peek and talking about him, because why not.
He’s spent the past three seasons at Oregon, mostly at power forward next to center Nate Bittle, while improving steadily. He averaged 13.3 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2 assists while shooting 45.4% from the field and 30.4% from 3-point range this past season.
Standing at 6’10” with the rebounding numbers you’d expect, he’d provide the kind of size and physicality that the Hoosiers were sorely missing in DeVries’ first season.
Keanu Dawes, Utah
Here’s a neat one. Dawes has shifted over from power forward to center as his career has gone on, but can definitely still play the former spot and might be better suited to do so.
He averaged 12.5 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game while shooting 54.6% from the field and 31.7% from 3-point range in 30.8 minutes per game this past season. He’s spent the past two seasons with the Utes after starting his career at Rice in 2023-24.
The 3-point shooting numbers may not be DeVries’ ideal, but he’s improved as a rebounder every season despite size limitations.
Sam Orme, Belmont
Orme is an interesting one because he may not necessarily start and there’s an Indiana connection given he’s from Carmel.
He averaged 12.7 points, 5 rebounds and 1.8 assists while shooting 55.9% from the field and 39.7% from 3-point range for Belmont this past season. He wasn’t high up on the Bruins’ list of dudes with a pretty low usage rate, but he’d be in a similar spot at Indiana.
Khani Rooths, Louisville
Last but not least, Rooths. There’s a pre-existing connection with assistant coach Thomas Carr having been hired away from the same position at Louisville.
Rooths has size for sure at 6’10” but saw a similarly limited role in his second season with the Cardinals in 2024-25, averaging 5.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1 assist while shooting 44.9% from the field and 22.4% (not ideal) from 3-point range.
He’s on here moreso for the pre-existing connection. If there’s something there, maybe Indiana takes a flier on having him play a similar bench role while seeing if it could mayyybe get a bit more out of him.
Jiri Prochazka is once again challenging for the light heavyweight title.
This Saturday, the UFC returns to Miami for UFC 327, headlined by a fight for the vacant light heavyweight title between Prochazka and Carlos Ulberg. With Alex Pereira off to heavyweight, Prochakza and Ulberg both have the opportunity to establish themselves as the face of 205 pounds, and No Bets Barred is here to break it all down.
This week, host Jed Meshew is joined by Luke Noseda of Morning Kombat and Main Card Minute to dive into all things UFC 327. Topics discussed include which light heavyweight will walk away with gold on Saturday, the new co-main event bout between Azamat Murzakanov and Paulo Costa, Josh Hokit’s opportunity to make a big jump, Cub Swanson’s retirement, the newest version of The Climb, and more.
Tune in for episode 153 of No Bets Barred.
New episodes of the No Bets Barred podcast drop every Wednesday and are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever else you find your favorite podcasts. The latest episode can be heard below.
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - SEPTEMBER 21: Tony Nathan #22 of the Miami Dolphins carries the ball against the New York Jets during an NFL football game at Giant Stadium September 21, 1986 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Nathan played for the Dolphins from 1979-87. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If you are here, you are likely a rabid fan of the Miami Dolphins and also, most likely, a long-time fan. Being a long-time fan is, of course, subjective, given that many fans are much, much younger than others. This subjective nature of things also leads to a wide variety of points of view, such as all-time favorite players, the best game ever watched, and the most memorable moments as a Phins fan, etc. This will also apply to this evening’s question.
On a side note, there will be just question posts for this week and into the beginning of next week, as I will be out of town for a few days.
So this evening’s Phinsider Question Of The Day is:
In your opinion, who is the most underrated Miami Dolphins player ever, and why? This can be a long-time player or a guy who only made a pit stop in Miami for a season.
Please share your thoughts and answers in the comments section below-
Pittsburgh Steelers fans need to go buy a lottery ticket if this player that popular Big Ten analyst Joel Klatt mocked to them is still on the board when they pick 21st overall in the 2026 NFL Draft.
“21. The Steelers. Okay, there’s a guy left on the board that I’m just like, I know he’s not going to be available here,” Klatt said on “The Joel Klatt Show.” “If Olaivavega Ioane is on the board, they should run to the podium and take him!
“He played at Penn State, he’s the best interior offensive lineman in the draft.”
I, like Klatt, have trouble imagining a world in which the three-year Nittany Lions starting offensive guard is on the board this late. However, this would be the absolute best-case scenario for new head coach Mike McCarthy’s Steelers.
Olaivavega (pronounced “Vega”) Ioane allowed zero sacks in the disaster of a year that was his final season at Penn State.
He is a top-10 overall player in this draft, but due to the position he plays, it will be hard to talk an owner and front office into selecting him with a single-digit draft pick.
At 6-foot-4, 320 pounds, he is a force in the run game, while remaining nimble enough to mirror and hatch onto speed rushers on the interior of the defensive line.
Todd McShay believes the All-American is a plug-and-play day one starter with All-Pro potential.
Things were tied up at three apiece in the bottom of the eighth inning with a runner on first and third. Gimenez was at first base, and he tried to steal second base.
Smith threw the ball over to second to a ready Miguel Rojas, who ended up unable to field the ball.
As a result, the runner at third took advantage and got home safely, giving the Blue Jays a one-run lead that they held on to at the top of the ninth for their first win of the season against the Dodgers.
May 28, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith (16) celebrates after scoring with manager Dave Roberts, right, during the fourth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
Then, reliever Jack Dreyer came into the game and allowed two runs before being saved by Blake Treinen, who cleaned up the mess to keep the game tied.
However, the errant pickoff attempt by Smith and Rojas proved the difference, and after the game, manager Dave Roberts and the catcher explained what happened on the play.
According to Smith, the dugout made the decision to throw on a steal attempt. He believes a good throw gets the out, but that turned out not to be the case.
Roberts backed up Smith’s decision to throw to second, saying it was the right thing to do and things would have been different if Rojas smothered the ball and did not have it squirm enough to leave the runner on third an opening.
“I think it was a ball that I know Miggy would love to have back and hold onto,” Roberts said. “That’s baseball. That happens. There’s nobody more sure-handed than Miggy. But yeah I thought it was the right play. The guy (on third) wasn’t going and if he holds onto it he’s out.”
Miguel Rojas, who has been great defensively, went for the tag on the stolen base attempt, but the ball got away enough to score a runner from third.
The Dodgers still walk away with a series win against a World Series foe and a healthy team overall, other than Mookie Betts. Considering their bullpen has been solid to start the season off, one rough outing from Dreyer does not change their newfound confidence in the pitching group.
At least Liverpool fans who witnessed the four-goal mauling at Manchester City on Saturday were able to escape after an hour.
Those who paid hundreds of pounds to travel to Paris and watch an abject Champions League performance devoid of ambition were not so lucky.
Half an hour after the referee blew the full-time whistle to confirm Paris St-Germain's 2-0 win - and Liverpool's 16th defeat of the season - the away fans were still inside the ground as French police held them back in order to clear the home supporters.
"That was our champions against their champions. Our champions were nowhere near," said former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson, who was inside Parc des Princes for BBC Radio 5 Live.
Stephen Warnock, the former Liverpool defender, went further after this quarter-final first-leg loss in the French capital - in which Liverpool failed to register an attempt on target in a Champions League match for the first time since 2020.
"It feels like confidence is at an all-time low," he told BBC Sport.
And yet, somehow, Liverpool are still alive in the tie.
Could another "special evening at Anfield", as Reds boss Arne Slot put it, be on the cards - or is that a step too far this time?
Liverpool will still believe they can turn this tie around when the teams meet for the second leg in six days' time.
After all, the Reds have done it before when all has seemed lost in Europe.
"We've seen some memorable European comebacks at Anfield before - from 3-0 down against Barcelona in 2019 to win the second leg 4-0, for example," said Warnock.
"But it feels like they are a million miles away from doing anything like that at the moment."
Liverpool were second best by some distance against the European champions, who enjoyed 74% possession on Wednesday, despite Slot's team setting up in survival mode.
PSG had 18 shots to Liverpool's three. Thirty-nine touches in the box to the Reds' nine. More corners, more crosses, more passes - and with better passing accuracy.
Liverpool played with five in defence yet were ripped apart time and again. Up front, their attack lacked a cutting edge.
"They are a team which is creaking, hence why they played a back five," added Robinson.
"Soon as they played a back five, it sends out the wrong signals for me.
"It is not playing to Liverpool's strengths and it is defending their weaknesses."
One French journalist at the game likened Liverpool's tactics to those of a "little team" in the French Cup coming up against PSG.
"It was like they were scared," he added.
Liverpool have lost four consecutive away games in all competitions for the first time since 2012 [Getty Images]
'Better for Salah to save his energy'
On a night £125m British record signing Alexander Isak made his comeback from injury as a substitute - his first appearance of 2026 - Slot decided to drop Mohamed Salah.
The Egypt forward was not even utilised from the bench.
"I think it is better for him to save his energy for games coming up," the Liverpool manager said after the game.
Slot's side have managed just one goal in three matches - and none in the past two.
"We were in survival mode for large parts of the game but maybe also the period of the season we are in, we are in survival mode," he said.
"PSG was the better team but we didn't give up and that is why we still have a chance.
"They kept us alive by not scoring a few open chances.
"We want to create much more chances. We tried many times to get them high, but they were able to play through us when we went man-to-man.
"I think that happened in the second half as well. There were a few times with players in promising positions."
At least Isak's return gave the Reds something to cling to on an otherwise night to forget.
Yet he was unable to influence the game after his 78th-minute introduction and, according to Opta, had just three touches.
So what now for Slot?
Liverpool went into their Champions League last-16 tie against PSG last season with a 74.4% win rate under Slot after 43 games.
Since being knocked out on penalties, the Reds have won just 49.2% of their past 59 games, while their loss percentage has more than trebled.
Slot has retained the support of Liverpool's owners and has credit in the bank after last season's Premier League triumph - but that is likely to change if they do not qualify for the Champions League.
The Reds either have to win this season's competition - which seems unlikely after Wednesday's performance - or qualify through finishing in the top five in the Premier League.
They are currently fifth - one point ahead of sixth-placed Chelsea.
"Slot is not going to get sacked for losing 2-0 at PSG," said Warnock.
"They are one of the best teams in Europe. But the defeats are stacking up, and there's the danger there could be more damage next week.
"It is going to suit PSG next week because Liverpool have to go at them.
"They can't play like this and sit in at Anfield, when they need goals.
"But what does Slot do? Liverpool's system tonight screams 'you are better than us'. If he opens up, they leave themselves vulnerable and they could get battered."
Captain Virgil van Dijk accused the team of "giving up" against City last weekend, when Liverpool conceded four times in the space of 20 minutes either side of half-time.
After losing to PSG, he insisted the team would not give up on their Champions League ambitions.
"We shouldn't forget we play against the European champions of last season and you see the quality they have in the games that they played already this season," he said.
"We have to be absolutely spot on with everything we do.
"Hopefully our fans can play a big part in that as well. I've been through many special evenings at Anfield, I'm very lucky and privileged, and our fans, that's the backbone of the club and hopefully they can be there for us again."
— Maxwell Hiller 5⭐️OL (@HillerMaxwell) April 8, 2026
Hiller is the No. 1 inside offensive lineman and No. 4 overall lineman in the class of 2027, according to Rivals. Florida now stands at No. 10 in the 2027 recruiting rankings.
“The relationship I have with Coach (Phil) Trautwein goes back to eighth grade,” Hiller told Rivals. “Coach Sumrall is a really good guy. I had a couple good meetings with him and he can help me accomplish my dreams as well.”
The Coatesville, Pennsylvania, native, who stands at 6-foot-5, 305-pounds, was between Tennessee, Alabama and Ohio State.
Florida’s last five-star offensive lineman was Martez Ivey back in 2015. Ivey was ranked the No. 1 offensive tackle in the country and No. 1 overall recruit in Florida at the time.
Currently, the Gators also have commitments from four-star athlete Tramond Collins, four-star cornerback Amare Nugent and three-star tight end Jackson Ballinger.
The PGA Tour is built on one simple number, which is wins. Every season adds new names, but only a few players keep climbing the list for years. That is why this week matters. After the last PGA Tour event, attention now shifts to the Masters, which begins on Thursday. Who owns the most complete winning record in modern golf? Looking at the list of all-time and modern-era winners gives a clear picture of how difficult it is to stay at the top for long.
As per Statmuse, the field is split between present stars and all-time legends. Tiger Woods still stands out with 67 PGA Tour wins in the modern list, while Phil Mickelson sits next with 32. Rory McIlroy is right behind them with 28, and Scottie Scheffler has already moved to 20. That shows how the current era is still producing elite winners.
At the same time, the all-time list is still ruled by old giants like Sam Snead and Tiger Woods, who are tied at 82 official Tour titles. Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, Byron Nelson, and Billy Casper are also part of the same historic group. This mix of modern players and all-time stars is what makes the PGA Tour win race so important. It connects generations, and it gives every Masters week a bigger story than just one tournament.
Top 15 players with the most PGA Tour wins since 2000
Tiger Woods: 67
Tiger Woods celebrates during the trophy presentation after winning the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club, Sunday, April 14, 2019, in Augusta, Georgia. [ALLEN EYESTONE/FOR THE AUGUSTA CHRONICLE]
Tiger Woods leads this era with 67 PGA Tour victories since 2000. He won 15 majors, including four Masters (last in 2019) and his most recent Tour win was the 2019 ZOZO Championship. Woods remains one of the sport’s all-time greats and even in recent years his returns from injury have been closely watched. He dominated golf in the 2000s and continues to compete at a high level on the PGA Tour and LIV Golf.
Phil Mickelson: 32
Aug 23, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Phil Mickelson of HyFlyers GC walks on the first green during the semifinals of the LIV Golf Michigan Team Championship at The Cardinal at Saint John’s Resort. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images
Phil Mickelson has 32 PGA Tour wins since 2000. He has 45 career victories overall, including six major championships. His most recent Tour win came at the 2021 PGA Championship, making him the oldest major champion at age 50. Mickelson’s career spans decades and he remained a top competitor into his late 40s. He is known for his short-game skill and unorthodox playing style.
Rory McIlroy: 29
Apr 7, 2026; Augusta, Georgia, USA; Rory McIlroy follows his shot from the no. 7 fairway during a practice round for the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Katie Goodale-Imagn Images
Rory McIlroy has 29 PGA Tour wins (all coming since 2000). He is a four-time major champion (including the 2025 Masters) and in 2025 became one of the few to complete a career Grand Slam. McIlroy is a current star who still wins regularly; his latest win was at the 2025 Masters Tournament. He has been ranked world No.1 multiple times and is known for his ball-striking and power off the tee.
Vijay Singh: 26
Apr 6, 2026; Augusta, Georgia, USA; Vijay Singh tees off on the third hole during a practice round for the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Vijay Singh recorded 26 PGA Tour victories after the year 2000. A two-time Masters champion and three-time Tour Money List winner, Singh was one of the top players in the early 2000s. His last PGA Tour win came in 2008. He later moved to the PGA Tour Champions (senior tour) and his career is notable for his late peak – he spent much of the 2000s ranked world No.1.
Dustin Johnson: 24
Apr 8, 2026; Augusta, Georgia, USA; Dustin Johnson walks the practice facility during a practice round for the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
Dustin Johnson has 24 PGA Tour wins since 2000. He won two majors, including the Masters in 2020. Johnson’s most recent Tour victory was the 2020 Masters Tournament. He was a dominant player in the 2010s and finished 2020 as world No.1. Johnson has since joined LIV Golf, but his PGA Tour record remains among the best of his generation.
Scottie Scheffler tees off on the 16th hole during the third round of The Players Championship golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. Saturday March 14, 2026. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]
Scottie Scheffler has 20 PGA Tour wins since 2000. He is a current superstar and world No.1, with two Masters titles (2022 and 2024). Scheffler’s most recent major victory was at the 2024 Masters. As the reigning Masters champion entering 2026, he is known for his consistency and has quickly racked up wins in the 2020s despite still being in his 20s.
Justin Thomas: 16
Mar 20, 2026; Palm Harbor, Florida, USA; Justin Thomas plays his shot from the 16th tee during the second round of the Valspar Championship golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images
Justin Thomas has earned 16 PGA Tour titles since 2000. A FedEx Cup champion and five-time major winner, Thomas won the 2022 PGA Championship. His most recent Tour victory was the 2025 RBC Heritage at Harbour Town. Thomas is one of the top American players of the 2010s and 2020s, known for his driving and short game.
Adam Scott: 14
Mar 6, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Adam Scott walks off of the fourth tee during the second round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images
Adam Scott has 14 PGA Tour wins since 2000. He won the Masters in 2013, becoming the first Australian to don the green jacket. Scott’s last PGA Tour victory came at the 2016 WGC-Cadillac Championship. He remained a strong competitor for many years, known for his silky smooth swing and consistently high finishes on tour.
Jordan Spieth: 13
Apr 7, 2026; Augusta, Georgia, USA; Jordan Spieth looks over the 16th green during a practice round for the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Michael Madrid-Imagn Images
Jordan Spieth has 13 PGA Tour wins since 2000. He won three majors early in his career (Masters and U.S. Open in 2015, The Open in 2017). Spieth’s last Tour win was the 2017 Open Championship. After a dominant period in 2015–2017, his form cooled, but he is still a regular contender and one of the game’s recognizable stars.
Jason Day: 13
Apr 7, 2026; Augusta, Georgia, USA; Jason Day tees off on no. 3 during a practice round for the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
Jason Day has 13 PGA Tour wins since 2000. He won the 2015 PGA Championship and spent time as world No.1. Day’s most recent win was the 2023 AT&T Byron Nelson. He battled injuries but is known for a powerful game; Day was one of golf’s top players in the mid-2010s and has also competed on the PGA Tour Champions.
Justin Rose: 13
Apr 6, 2026; Augusta, Georgia, USA; Justin Rose follows his tee shot on the eighth hole during a practice round for the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Justin Rose has 13 PGA Tour victories since 2000. His major win came at the 2013 U.S. Open. Rose’s last PGA Tour title was at the 2019 Farmers Insurance Open. He later won the Olympic gold medal in 2016 and reached world No.1 in 2018. Rose is a veteran known for accuracy and a steady playing style.
Jim Furyk: 13
Jim Furyk reacts to his tee shoot off of #3 during the first round of the Furyk & Friends PGA Tour Champions event held at Timuquana Country Club in Jacksonville, Fl., Friday October 3, 2025. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]
Jim Furyk has 13 PGA Tour wins since 2000. He won the 2003 U.S. Open and famously shot a 58 in competition. Furyk’s last Tour victory was in 2015 (BMW Championship). By the 2010s he was one of the game’s most consistent players, and he remains on the PGA Tour Champions in his 50s.
Bubba Watson: 12
Apr 7, 2026; Augusta, Georgia, USA; Bubba Watson tees off on no. 4 during a practice round for the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Katie Goodale-Imagn Images
Bubba Watson has 12 PGA Tour wins since 2000. He won two Masters (2012, 2014) and is known for his creative lefty shot-making. Watson’s most recent win was the 2018 Travelers Championship. He has continued to compete on tour into the 2020s and later joined LIV Golf, but his Masters victories remain career highlights.
Zach Johnson: 12
Zach Johnson acknowledges the crowd as he walks up the 18th fairway during the final round of the James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational at The Old Course at Broken Sound Club on Sunday, March 8, 2026, in Boca Raton, FL.
Zach Johnson has 12 PGA Tour wins since 2000. He captured the 2007 Masters and 2015 Open Championship. Johnson’s last PGA Tour victory was the 2019 RBC Heritage. A steady player from 2000 through the 2010s, he is known for excellent short-game and hitting many greens in regulation.
Ernie Els: 12
Ernie Els of South Africa sends his ball down the No. 3 fairway during the first round of the 2025 Kaulig Companies Championship at Firestone Country Club, Thursday, June 19, 2025, in Akron, Ohio.
Ernie Els has 12 PGA Tour wins since 2000. He won four majors (two U.S. Opens and two Open Championships). Els’s last PGA Tour win came at the 2017 WGC-HSBC Champions. Nicknamed “The Big Easy,” he was one of golf’s top figures in the 2000s, and he still plays on the PGA Tour Champions.
The Masters will test more than form. It will test history, pressure, and patience. Rory McIlroy enters with one of the strongest modern win totals on this list, and that brings attention with it. Tiger Woods remains the benchmark, Phil Mickelson and Vijay Singh have already built long winning resumes, and Scottie Scheffler is pushing the current generation forward.
The list shows that PGA Tour wins are never easy to collect, and even harder to keep adding year after year. As the Masters opens on Thursday, the race for more wins will once again become part of the story.
Mirassol make history with win on their Libertadores debut 🎥
Mirassol had a special night this Wednesday (8).
In the first international match in its history, the club from the interior of São Paulo beat Lanús in the opening round of the Libertadores group stage.
João Victor scored the only goal of the match at Maião after a corner kick taken by Reinaldo.
Watch below:
This was Mirassol’s first win since January 29, against Vasco, in the opening round of the Brasileirão.
The team had been coming off five straight defeats and currently sits at the bottom of the Brasileirão table, with only six points.
Lanús had been piling up important wins against Brazilian teams since last year.
On the way to the 2025 Copa Sudamericana title, the Argentine side knocked out Fluminense in the quarterfinals and beat Atlético-MG in the final.
In 2026, Flamengo also became a victim of Lanús, losing in the Recopa final.
LDU and Always Ready are the other teams in this year’s Libertadores Group G.
On the latest episode of “Baseball Bar-B-Cast,” Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing joined hosts Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman to talk about the art of hitting, what it’s like being part of the Dodgers and more.
Below are some of the highlights. For the full conversation with Rushing, check out the episode wherever you get your podcasts.
On the art of hitting
Shusterman noted that while Rushing is a catcher, hitting has long been his main focus. Through 10 plate appearances in 2026, the 27-year-old is batting .667 with a 2.367 OPS. Shusterman asked him to explain his approach to hitting and what makes hitting an art form.
“I think it comes when I get to the point where I’m trying to play the game a little bit with the pitcher, and I’m understanding their moves before they understand what they’re trying to do,” Rushing said.
“Hitting is not just having a great swing. … Understanding the art of hitting and being able to pick a pitcher apart before he beats you, I think you get get so much satisfaction as a baseball player from it. And there’s really no better feeling.”
On how his preparation is different at the big-league level
The hosts discussed with Rushing the vast amount of information available to big-league hitters today — “we know what color socks each guy is wearing every day,” Rushing quipped — and how that varies from high school and the lower levels of the minor leagues.
“You know what the guy throws. That’s really it [at lower levels],” Rushing noted. At the same time, he said his approach these days is not all the different.
“I’ve always taken pride in my plate discipline. So before I take an at-bat, let’s say I’m facing a lefty that throws 88 when I’m a junior in high school. Well, one, I need to know what he’s throwing, what kind of pitches does he throw? And then I just play in my head, like, ‘What’s the shape? Where do I need to hunt this pitch in order to one, not chase, but two, give myself a chance to do damage?’
“And that’s kind of similar to what what I do now. … I try and match up a plan to give myself the best chance to do two things. Don’t swing at pitches out of the zone and don’t miss pitches in the heart of the plate. That’s my whole game plan.”
On the unique pressure of catching for the Dodgers
“The standard for you guys is on a different level,” Mintz observed of Rushing’s role as a young catcher working with the Dodgers’ elite rotation.
“It’s not even close, and I don’t think people from the outside looking in really even comprehend the difference,” Rushing agreed.
“I strike out on four pitches … and I have to turn around and go catch the greatest left-handed pitcher of all time. And if I miss one pitch call, I might be going back to Oklahoma City. That’s pressure.”
Rushing also noted that the high-stakes dynamic of the Dodgers is different for catchers.
“The game is so much bigger when you’re in the squat than when you’re standing in the box, especially for a team like this,” he said. “We are rolling out Cy Young after Cy Young, MVP after MVP, the greatest player to ever play the game today.
“I think last year was a huge testament to me learning and understanding what it means to be a big-league catcher. … and not just a big-league catcher. Be a catcher with the Dodgers, with a team like this.”
On being drafted by the best organization in baseball
Rushing was drafted by the Dodgers in 2022. At that point, the team had won a World Series in 2020 and was considered a top organization in the sport. But since then, as Shusterman noted, the Dodgers have elevated even further. He asked Rushing to reflect on how he felt about being part of the team then vs. now.
“At first, it was like, all right, Los Angeles? … I had mixed feelings,” Rushing said. “I’m not a West Coast kid. I’m from a small town in Tennessee. So it was a little different.
“But getting here and understanding … how much the city cares about winning. There’s nothing like it.”
Just as important to Rushing is being part of the organization as a whole.
“It’s the best organization in baseball,” he said. “They say, ‘All right, wer’e going to build a dynasty.’ We’re going to do it, and I get to be a part of it. …
“As long as baseball allows us to be this team. we’re going to be this team. And it’s a blessing. I don’t want to be anywhere else. I want to win as many games as possible. That’s my whole goal, and I think we’re going to do plenty of that over the next eight to 10 years.”
The Kansas City Chiefs missed the playoffs in 2025 for the first time in the Patrick Mahomes era, as a 6-11 record saw the franchise on the couch when the tournament started.
Having gotten to at least the AFC Championship game every year Mahomes has been the starter, that meant less time to recover and plan for the season ahead.
But this offseason has been different.
The Chiefs, for the first time in nearly eight years, have more time to get things right and have a closer look at the roster.
And for Reid, he's detailed the benefit of that poor season.
"You have time, a chance to step back and look at things a little bit different," Reid said via ESPN's Nate Taylor. "There's some good to that. But you don't want to be in that position."
We have seen the franchise strengthen its draft hand by dealing both Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Warren to the Los Angeles Rams, giving Kansas City two first-round picks.
Plus, the addition of Kenneth Walker to the offense should transform the run game from poor to very good.
So, there are moves being made, and how the Chiefs approach the draft will be fascinating.
Yes, last season wasn't ideal, but it gives the Chiefs a chance to do something they haven't in recent years, and that's a full going over of the roster.
Apr 8, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher David Peterson (23) reacts during the second inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images | John Jones-Imagn Images
Over the course of a 162 game season, the team you root for will have days where they definitionally and categorically do not have it, whether you root for the best team in the league or the worst.
Today was one of those days for the 2026 Mets, who dropped game two of their mid-week series to the Arizona Diamondbacks by a score of 7-2, snapping their four game win streak.
David Peterson got the ball to start and picked up right where he left off after his first start of the season, much to the chagrin of Peterson, the Mets, and likely everyone reading this. He surrendered a run in the first inning, but the wheels truly came off in the second.
Back to back singles to lead off the frame put the Mets in immediate danger. A sacrifice bunt put them in scoring position, and a walk loaded the bases with one away for Ketel Marte. Marte made Peterson pay with an RBI single, Corbin Carroll behind him doubled home a pair, and a well-struck Geraldo Perdomo sacrifice fly made it 5-0 in a flash. The game was basically over from there.
Peterson managed to settle down after his second inning debacle, throwing scoreless frames in the third, fourth and fifth to keep the score respectable and the Mets theoretically in the game. It was nice to see, even though the ship had long sailed away by the time he was throwing up zeroes.
The Mets offense had an equally frustrating day. Ryne Nelson was on the hill opposite Peterson was was excellent, surrendering a single run over five and two thirds innings. He struck out five.
Ryne Nelson's (ARI) four-seamer was outstanding on Wednesday, helping him allow one earned run against the Mets over 5.2 innings with five strikeouts pic.twitter.com/1Z2dPSblUl
— Pitcher List Stats (@PitcherListPLV) April 8, 2026
As you can see above, his four-seamer was dominating, which is very typical for a Ryne Nelson start. He was very good.
The Mets threatened a few times over the course of the game, getting two on in the fourth to no avail. They scratched a run across in the sixth, with Bo Bichette leading off with a single, Luis Robert Jr. singling after, and Brett Baty driving Bichette home with a single of his own, but the rally could not extend beyond the one run.
Sean Manaea came into the game in the sixth inning, and did a thankless job; saving the bullpen for tomorrow. He threw the final four frames of the day, surrendering two runs on an eighth inning bases loaded double that clanked off of Robert’s glove in deep center (in any event, it should have been a 6-2 loss instead of a 7-2 loss). Manaea overall was just okay, though his velocity in the ninth inning was all the way down to the mid-80s per Statcast, which is not exactly what you want to see.
The Mets second and final run of the game came in the bottom of the eighth, when Mark Vientos hit a sacrifice fly that scored Robert.
Overall, it was just not the Mets day. The Mets will look to get back into the win column tomorrow, as a World Baseball Classic Final rematch will take place at Citi Field, with Nolan McLean facing off against Eduardo Rodriguez.
Ernie Clement had a playoff run most hitters can only dream of.
As the Toronto Blue Jays made it to Game 7 of the World Series, Clement set an all-time MLB record. His 30 hits in the postseason were the most any player had ever put up in a single playoffs.
In the early going this season, Clement hasn't been bad. He's batting .277 after a rough 0-for-4 showing in the series finale against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday.
His Statcast numbers, though, are a tad worrisome.
It was always a bit unlikely that Clement was going to keep up his playoff pace. Even in his improved ability with the Blue Jays in the last few seasons, his playoff standard was too high to do for a whole 162-game season.
The Blue Jays need Clement's quality of contact to improve back to last season's rates, though.
He hit the ball 86.6 MPH on average last season.
In the early going of this season, that's down to 84.9 MPH.
Clement also has yet to have a barrel so far this season -- a stat which measures ideal exit velocity combined with launch angle.
One additional piece of Clement's early-season stats that stands out -- he's popping the ball up at double the rate he did last season.
It's early, and Clement is a great contact hitter, and he'll surely be just fine.
But for the Blue Jays to get going just a little bit more, they need Clement to start hitting the ball a little harder and a little purer than he has so far.
The new regime in Miami, which came from Green Bay, made a beeline for Packers backup quarterback Malik Willis in free agency. Now that the Dolphins have opened their offseason program, new coach (and former Packers defensive coordinator) Jeff Hafley had a message for Willis.
"I had a great conversation with him yesterday," Hafley told reporters on Tuesday, "he came to [the] office. I said, 'Don't change who you are.' I said, 'Don't put any extra pressure on yourself. You've earned the right to be here and have this opportunity, and you've done that by doing all the things the right way — don't change that. Don't press, just be you.'
"And I want to make sure that he understands that. It doesn't have to be perfect. There's going to be mistakes made, but I want him to play with that confidence and I want him to play the way he's always done it."
Willis has played well when his number has been called over the past two seasons. Beyond that, Hafley has been able to study him in practice and elsewhere. He and G.M. Jon-Eric Sullivan (a former Packers exec) had much more to go on than the film of his games with the Packers. The fact that they moved quickly to sign him shows that they believe in him.
That makes it easier to believe that the Dolphins could be in the early stages of turning the team around — and perhaps of ending a streak of years without a playoff win that dates back to the 2000 season.
Geoff Yang (from left), chairman Fred Ridley and Tom Nelson met with media at Augusta National on Wednesday.Getty Images
AUGUSTA, Ga. — Fred Ridley had his annual State of the Masters press conference Wednesday morning. (Tradition, tradition.) The club chairman sat in the middle of a windowless auditorium with a familiar face sitting to his left, Tom Nelson, the tournament’s media chairman. But to his right there was a new one, in that seat: Geoff Yang, an Augusta National member and a longtime USGA rules official. Yang, a tech investor from Northern California, is in his first year as the chairman of the competition committees, a position Ridley had all through the years Billy Payne was chairman of the club.
In this role, Yang serves as the ultimate rules official for the tournament, among other duties, including course setup. It is the ultimate behind-the-curtains position. You won’t see him, but you’ll see what he does.
Ridley took questions from 14 different media members Wednesday. Yang took one. It came from Jerry Tarde, the longtime editor of Golf Digest.
“We have the portraits of the founders staring at us on the wall here,” Tarde said. “What do you think would surprise Jones the most if he came back?” There was a little more after that, but that was the thrust of it.
There are two founders of the club, Cliff Roberts, a Midwestern banker, and Bob Jones, the great amateur who designed the course with the architect Alister MacKenzie.
“I think Jones would be amazed by a lot of things,” Yang said, “including how far people are hitting the ball and the level of athlete involved in the game. And I think the conditions have adapted to try to maintain those skills. I don’t think it would be any one thing. I think everything is a little bit of a reaction to where the game has gone.”
The response alone tells you that Yang can do careful and thoughtful when his public life calls for careful and thoughtful. What you wouldn’t know from that response is that Yang, who studied engineering at Princeton, has wry sense of humor with any eye for nuance and irony. Top rules officials — and Yang is now the Masters’ top rules official — typically seek to settle any rules debate in a binary way. A rule was broken, or not. When any of the four men’s Grand Slam events has a rules controversy it reverberates throughout golf, and that is especially true at the Masters.
There are still people talking about a drop Arnold Palmer took on Masters Sunday on the par-3 12th hole in 1958. Ken Venturi, Palmer’s playing partner that day, groused about the legality of that drop for decades, even though Bob Jones said Palmer’s drop was done correctly during play. That was the first of Palmer’s four wins in the tournament.
There are still people talking about the 1968 Maters, won by Bob Goalby after the great Argentine golfer Roberto De Vicenzo signed an incorrect Sunday scorecard. Had he signed for a correct score, Goalby and De Vicenzo would have played in an 18-hole playoff for the title. But that did not happen and Goalby walked off with a green club coat. Roberts sat with both men during a Butler Cabin interview and said to De Vicenzo that “in our hearts we will always regard you as one of the two winners of this tournament, without taking anything away from the new Masters champion.” That comment got deeply under Goalby’s skin — there was, under unfortunate circumstances, one winner — and remained there for years, until the annoyance finally gave way to acceptance.
In 2013, in the Saturday round, Tiger Woods took an incorrect drop after his second shot into the 15th green ricocheted off the flagstick and into a water hazard. Per the rules then, he could have been disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard. Ridley, in the role Yang has now, ultimately decided to give Woods a two-shot penalty. Still gets discussed and analyzed.
This week, and in the years to come, Yang will face new rules questions, ones that will influence the outcome of the tournament. You won’t see much of Yang or hear much from him. But the rulebook rides herd over every aspect of this event, and any serious golf event. The Augusta National philosophy is to try to prevent rules problems before they happen or get out of hand. That’s what Jones did with Palmer in 1958. Yang, in his own way, will be asking a long series of questions: what do the rules say — and what would Jones do?
NEW YORK — For the second start in a row, David Peterson didn’t have it.
The left-hander was hit hard early in Wednesday afternoon’s 7-2 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks at frigid Citi Field as the Mets’ four-game winning streak came to an end.
Arizona came out swinging, tagging Peterson for a run in the first inning and four in the second.
The second-inning rally included an RBI single by Ketel Marte and a two-run double by Corbin Carroll — both of which came on Peterson’s first pitch of the at-bat.
And while Peterson settled in to retire 11 of his final 12 batters, it was too little, too late on an afternoon in which D-Backs starter Ryne Nelson stifled the Mets’ Juan Soto-less lineup.
Peterson was charged with five earned runs in five innings, allowing six hits and two walks with six strikeouts.
Two of those hits — including a first-inning bunt single — were infield knocks. But Arizona recorded eight batted balls with exit velocities of at least 95 mph against Peterson, including seven over the first two innings.
Peterson fell to 0-2 with a 6.14 ERA through three starts.
After hurling 5 1/3 scoreless innings in his season debut, Peterson has surrendered five earned runs in back-to-back starts. Last Thursday’s 7-2 defeat by the San Francisco Giants was the Mets’ previous loss.
Peterson was a first-time All-Star last year, but he struggled down the stretch, pitching to an 8.42 ERA over his final nine starts.
Sean Manaea, who remains in the bullpen as the Mets stick to a five-man rotation, tossed four innings in relief of Peterson, allowing two runs.
Both runs came on a bases-loaded double by Jorge Barrosa that clanked off of a retreating Luis Robert’s glove in center field.
Manaea’s velocity remained down, as his four-seam fastball averaged 88.8 mph on Wednesday after being 91.7 mph last year and 92.2 mph in 2025.
But Manaea has a 3.00 ERA over nine innings in relief this year. He allowed five hits and struck out two over 70 pitches on Wednesday.
Nelson limited the Mets to one run in 5.2 innings, striking out five. The Mets finally broke through against the right-hander in the bottom of the sixth, stringing together three hits, including a one-out RBI single by Brett Baty that made it a 5-1 game.
But Nelson struck out Mark Vientos for the second out, then gave way to reliever Ryan Thompson. Marcus Semien flew out against Thompson to end the inning, stranding two runners.
It was the Mets’ lowest offensive output — and first loss — since Soto left in the first inning of Friday’s game due to a right calf strain. Soto has since landed on the injured list.
Wednesday’s game was the second in a row in which the Mets moved up the start time by three hours to 4:10 p.m. due to cold, windy conditions.
With the three-game set now evened, the Mets will attempt to earn a series victory on Thursday night. Nolan McLean (1-0, 2.61 ERA) is set to start for the Mets, while left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez (0.00 ERA through 12 innings) is lined up for Arizona.
As the NFL offseason progresses, teams continue to evaluate their rosters. While preparing for the 2026 NFL Draft, they are also working to finalize their lineups.
The Atlanta Falcons have stayed active in free agency. On Wednesday, longtime offensive tackle Kaleb McGary announced his retirement.
McGary missed the entire 2025 season due to injury, now leaving the Falcons in need of an immediate replacement. It appears they have already found one.
Reports indicate that Atlanta has signed Super Bowl–winning offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor to a one-year, $5 million contract.
Sep 14, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor (74) gestures at the line of scrimmage against the Philadelphia Eagles during the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images
Taylor originally signed a massive deal with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2023—a four-year contract worth $80 million—but the team released him earlier this offseason.
During his time in Kansas City, Taylor experienced both highs and lows. He played in two Super Bowls, winning his first in 2023.
However, he and the Chiefs’ offense struggled mightily against the Philadelphia Eagles’ dominant defensive line in Super Bowl 59, where Kansas City suffered a lopsided loss.
Taylor and the offense aimed to rebound in 2025, but the team regressed instead. He also drew scrutiny for multiple apparent false starts that went uncalled, sparking controversy.
Aug 9, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Kansas City Chiefs offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor (74) against the Arizona Cardinals during a preseason NFL game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Despite that, Taylor held his own against some of the AFC’s top pass rushers, routinely facing defenders like T.J. Watt, Nik Bonitto, and Maxx Crosby.
He now gives the Falcons a valuable and experienced presence on the offensive line. His addition not only provides flexibility heading into the draft but also brings proven experience at the highest level.
Taylor is expected to step in as the blindside protector. With right-handed quarterbacks Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix on the roster, Taylor—a natural right tackle—will likely fill the role McGary once held.
The question now: can Taylor bounce back in Atlanta as the team’s new blindside protector?
Apr. 8—Editor's note: The Aiken Standard is looking back at the 40th anniversary of the 1986 Masters, the first one John Boyette covered as a journalist.
The most famous club used by Jack Nicklaus to win the 1986 Masters Tournament is no longer in his possession.
It's not in a trophy case at Augusta National Golf Club, and it's not at the Jack Nicklaus Museum in Columbus, Ohio.
But Nicklaus thinks he knows where the oversized putter, a MacGregor model called the Response ZT, is located.
"It's the only club I won a major with that I don't have from 1962 on," Nicklaus said in February.
The mystery starts with a tennis match. Nicklaus has grass courts at his family home in North Palm Beach, Fla., and former major tennis champion and world No. 1 Ivan Lendl asked if he could use the courts to prepare for an upcoming tournament.
Lendl brought his coach, Tony Roche — the Australian was a 16-time major champion in doubles and mixed doubles — and another tennis player named Billy Scanlon.
"Roche and Billy were playing Ivan and me," Nicklaus said. "In the afternoon, we played golf. We did this for about 10 days."
Scanlon was having trouble with his putting, so Nicklaus lent him a putter one day.
"I reached in the room and grabbed a putter and at the time I didn't realize it was THE putter," Nicklaus said. "And so I said, 'Billy, try this putter.' He never gave it back."
Nicklaus wanted to put the putter in his namesake museum in Ohio, and he also said Augusta National was interested in displaying it in its clubhouse.
"I don't know why he didn't give it back. Four or five years later, we start looking for golf clubs to put in the museum," he said. "And that's the only club we couldn't find. Lendl called me. He said 'Jack, I know where that putter is.'
"'What do you mean you know where that putter is?' Billy Scanlon has it, Lendl said. It's in his trophy case in his house. I said 'Oh really? I know where it is. I can get it back anytime from Billy. He knows I just lent it to him, I didn't give it to him."
Scanlon died in 2021, and his widow kept possession of the famous putter.
"We tried to get it back and she wouldn't let us have it back, buy it back or anything," Nicklaus said. "I told her that's not your putter. It's my putter. I just loaned it to Billy. She said, 'Well, I've got it now.' I didn't want to create a scene."
The putter was reportedly put up for auction and Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay was going to buy it, Nicklaus said.
"So I put a call in to Irsay but he was too sick to talk. Then he passed away," Nicklaus said. "That's what happened. Hopefully one of these days (she) will understand it's not her putter and give it back and we'll credit her with that."
The putter
Nicklaus excelled in all facets of golf. He was among the longest drivers of his era, if not the longest, and was also a marvel with long irons.
His putting was pretty good, too.
For 15 of his 18 major championship wins as a professional, Nicklaus had used a George Low Sportsman Wizard 600 blade model.
Nicklaus used a Slazenger model at the 1966 Masters when he became the first to successfully defend his title at Augusta National.
At the 1967 U.S. Open at Baltusrol, Nicklaus won using "White Fang." It was a Bull's Eye model that had the head painted white to eliminate sun glare.
Ironically, White Fang went missing for a few years. Nicklaus's son Steve had lent it to a friend, who returned the famous club after finding it in his garage one day.
By 1986, Nicklaus was experimenting with a new putter from MacGregor — he was one of the equipment manufacturer's owners by this point — and seeing mixed results.
The putter was a Response ZT.
Designer Clay Long was commissioned by Nicklaus to produce a putter that resembled the model by Ping, which was known for its putters.
Long and his team came up with an oversized putter with a large moment of inertia, which helped the club not twist or turn at impact. ZT stood for "zero twist."
"It was such a goofy looking thing," Long recalled.
Nicklaus, when he first saw it, asked if it was a joke.
But after trying the putter and having some success at clubs around his Florida home, he agreed to try it in competition for 1986. The "MI 615" model was born.
At the Honda Classic, Nicklaus nearly gave up on it. He had about a 4-inch putt, but the wind was blowing so hard that it blew the Response ZT into the ball and moved it a couple of inches.
Nicklaus stuck with it, and by April he found some confidence. In the final round of the 1986 Masters, he made three consecutive birdies at Nos. 9, 10 and 11 of 12 feet, 25 feet and 20 feet.
Augusta National came alive with excitement, and Nicklaus and the Response ZT delivered. He rolled in a 12-foot putt for eagle at 15, a 3-footer for birdie at 16 and an 11-footer for birdie at 17.
At 18, he two-putted from 40 feet for a par. He remembered his "golden rule" of putting: don't leave a second putt.
"It got pretty close, I just needed to hit it a little harder," Nicklaus said.
According to Golf Digest, MacGregor received 5,000 orders for the Response ZT the day after his Masters win. By the end of 1987, the company had sold 350,000 of the putters.
The Response ZT used to win perhaps the most famous Masters of all time would likely fetch a pretty penny.
"I don't know what it's exactly worth," said Nicklaus, noting with a laugh that it retailed for about $60 in 1986. "From a museum standpoint, my George Low putter that I won 15 majors with was a $3 million evaluation.
"White Fang was a $1 million evaluation. So, I'd put it between $1 and 3 million."
MIAMI – The most confounding success story in an early season full of them for the Cincinnati Reds got a short-lived second chance at history this week, thanks to a scoring change by MLB’s official keeper of the stats.
That pursuit of league history didn’t last another full inning of baseball.
But it doesn’t diminish the larger point about one of the more impressive ways the Reds have played baseball to start this season – baseball so clean in the field that they were the only team in the majors without an error until Brady Singer’s pair of errant pickoff throws in the first two innings of their 12th game of the season.
“It’s something we pride ourselves on,” second baseman Matt McLain said. “We want to be great on defense. We want to play clean baseball.”
That’s been one of the biggest keys to the Reds’ best 11-game start (8-3) since the 1990 World Series champs opened 9-2.
Even with their franchise-record 11-game errorless streak to open a season snapped.
Even after Singer took all of four batters into Game 12 to blow their second chance at catching the 2022 San Diego Padres for the MLB record (16).
The second chance came when an obstruction call that went against McLain and was originally scored as an error April 7 was changed the next day to more accurately reflect the rule, which calls for that play to be ruled dead and the runner awarded the base.
In this case, that meant Heriberto Hernandez – who was originally called out on a stolen base attempt before a second umpire applied the obstruction call – was awarded a stolen base. And the error was erased.
“Does he get a stolen base for that? And they called him out?” McLain said. “That’s good, I guess.”
For a while anyway. At least when it came to their pursuit of the record books.
Their streak of remarkably clean baseball during this hot start was intact either way.
“It’s a huge part of the game,” said outfielder-infielder Spencer Steer, a Gold Glove finalist at first base last year. “Just with how many close games we’ve played already, sometimes that’s the difference. One mistake could cost you a game.”
The Reds were the lowest-scoring team in the majors through 11 games but were tied for the third-best record. Exceptional pitching backed by focused play in the field has been the obvious difference.
The fielding has been an emphasis since manager Terry Francona took over last year and stepped up this spring.
“We want to be thinking ahead about ‘if this ball’s hit here where do we go’ so we can slow down and make the play,” said McLain who credited Gold Glove third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes with helping him and others since being acquired at the trade deadline last year.
The infielders compete daily during pregame infield drills to practice mistake-free, and anyone who doesn’t do that gets an earful from the others – especially McLain and middle-infield pal Elly De La Cruz.
“Stuff like that,” McLain said, “taking it seriously pregame, so in the game you can go out there and play.”
It’s a far cry from what this team looked like defensively in 2023 and 2024. It’s also too early in the season to draw any conclusions about how this will play out long-term.
But Steer just keeps thinking about the Milwaukee Brewers as the Reds keep winning in early April.
“They had the best record in the big leagues last year, and every time we play them it seems like you have to beat them because they’re not going to beat themselves,” he said of MLB’s top-fielding team. “That’s what we’ve done a really good job of up to this point.
“That started in spring training with how we went about out business on the defensive side of the ball,” he said. “It’s a big emphasis with Tito, playing clean baseball and taking care of the baseball. It’s been a good start for sure.”
Mark Calcavecchia, a 13-time winner on the PGA Tour, learned April 8 that no one is above the rules when it comes to playing Augusta National Golf Club during Masters week.
The 65-year-old golfer was reportedlyremoved from the course by security for using his cell phone, a violation of tournament rules.
According to Golfweek, Calcavecchia “didn’t offer any details, but he also didn’t deny that it happened” when he was reached by phone and asked to explain what led to his removal from the course.
Calcavecchia, 65, has enjoyed a durable and often colorful professional career, highlighted by a major championship and sustained success.
The Nebraska native turned professional in 1981 and joined the PGA Tour the following year. His early years wre marked by inconsistency — he lost his tour card after the 1985 season — but he quickly re-established himself, earning his first victory at the 1986 Southwest Golf Classic.
Calcavecchia’s breakthrough came in 1989, his signature season. He won three times on tour, including the Open Championship at Royal Troon, where he defeated Greg Norman and Wayne Grady in a four-hole playoff to claim his only major title.
Over nearly three decades on the PGA Tour, Calcavecchia compiled 13 victories and more than 140 top-10 finishes. He’s earned more than $24 million since turning pro.
Calcavecchia remained competitive into the 2000s, highlighted by a record-setting performance at the 2001 Phoenix Open, where he made 32 birdies and set a then-tour scoring mark. His most recent PGA Tour win came in 2007 at the PODS Championship.
Calcavecchia also represented the United States in multiple international competitions, including four Ryder Cup teams (1987, 1989, 1991, 2002).
After turning 50, Calcavecchia transitioned to the PGA Tour Champions in 2010, extending his competitive career. Over time, he amassed 29 professional victories worldwide and remained active in senior events.
One day before The Masters is scheduled to begin, Calcavecchia’s latest 15 minutes of fame served as a literal wake-up call.
Apr. 8—AUGUSTA — Fred Ridley, chairman of the Masters Tournament and Augusta National Golf Club, delivered his strongest words to date about the distance the modern golf ball is traveling and what the game's governing bodies need to do.
"I've commented for the past several years on the subject of distance," Ridley said April 8 in his annual "State of the Masters" address prior to the start of the tournament. "We have been consistent in our support of the governing bodies in their effort to regulate the distance elite players are hitting the golf ball."
Golf's governing bodies, the U.S. Golf Association and the Royal & Ancient, initially set a 2028 start date for a new testing rule that could reduce driving distances by 15 yards for the game's elite players. The rule would then apply to all golfers in 2030.
Now a new proposal calls for a universal start date of Jan. 1, 2030.
"Recognizing that the implementation of the Overall Distance Standard test for golf balls may be delayed to 2030, I want to reemphasize that support and affirm our position as the USGA and R&A represent their collective obligation as custodians of the game," Ridley said. "I also want to be clear that our position is grounded on much more than protecting the Augusta National golf course."
Ridley delivered "Exhibit A" in his remarks, noting that amateur Jackson Herrington was hitting drives over the bunkers at Nos. 1 and 5 in practice for the Masters. That's about a 325-yard carry.
"I've said that we can make changes, but there's not much we can do to make changes to No. 1 unless we tear down the Eisenhower Cabin, and we're not going to do that," Ridley said. "We'll make changes when we can, but I think it's time to really address this issue. It's been talked about for a long time."
Augusta National famously lengthened its course by 285 yards in 2002 with changes to nine holes. In 2006, the home of the Masters changed six holes and stretched the course another 155 yards.
The course now measures 7,565 yards. Many classic courses don't have the resources to make such changes.
"We will continue to make modifications as are necessary to react to driving distances that in some cases exceed 350 yards," Ridley said. "Unfortunately, many courses, including some iconic venues, do not have that option."
For the 2023 Masters, Augusta National moved the tees back 35 yards on the 13th hole. The par-5 has long been held as a classic example of risk and reward, but prior to lengthening it was likely a 3-wood off the tee and a mid-iron to the green for the world's best players.
"The scoring average, the number of birdies and eagles, has not materially changed. What has changed is the way the hole is played today and, I think, the excitement of the hole," Ridley said.
"For example, before we added the yardage to 13, only about 60 percent of the field hit drivers. Now it's 90 percent. We had an interesting statistic, I do remember, from the first year that we had the added length, and that is we actually had more players going for the green than in the previous year."
Bobby Jones, who co-designed Augusta National with Alister MacKenzie, said it should be a "momentous decision" on whether to go for the green in two shots.
"So I think the hole is now playing more like it was designed to play," Ridley said. "There are going to be more longer irons and even some fairway metals that are played. I think that's the way we want the hole to play."
In 2023, the USGA and R&A proposed a Model Local Rule that reduces distances at the men's elite level. A "Masters ball," as former Chairman Hootie Johnson once suggested, isn't a "practical solution," Ridley said then.
But he reiterated his desire this week to "come to some agreement."
"My feeling on this subject is failure's not an option," Ridley said.
SEATTLE (AP) — Ron Francis will step down as president of hockey operations at the end of the season, the Seattle Kraken announced Wednesday.
Francis, 63, was promoted from his longtime role as general manager last April, shortly after the Kraken fired coach Dan Bylsma. The Kraken said the decision was mutually agreed upon to have Francis step down at the end of the season.
In their fifth season, the Kraken are 32-34-11, have lost 10 of their last 11 games and are tied with the New York Rangers for the fourth-fewest points (75) of any team in the NHL.
“Ron and I agreed that this is the right moment to make a thoughtful transition for both Ron and the organization, and move in a new direction,” co-owner Tod Leiweke said in a statement. “From a small office in Lower Queen Anne to the 32nd NHL franchise, Ron’s leadership and vision were instrumental in building this franchise from the ground up."
Barring a late surge and some help from the teams ahead of them in the standings, the Kraken are in line to finish their third straight season without a playoff appearance. Seattle has not qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs since the 2022-23 season, in which they lost in the second round to the Dallas Stars in seven games.
“It has been an honor to help launch and lead the Seattle Kraken over the past seven years,” Francis said in a statement. “I am proud of the culture we built, the people we brought together, and the milestones we achieved, including our historic first playoff run. I want to thank our entire ownership group, everyone throughout the organization, and our incredible fans for their unwavering support. This organization has a bright future, and I’m grateful to have been part of its beginning.”
MADRID, SPAIN - APRIL 08:Ferland Mendy of Real Madrid in training with teammates at Ciudad Real Madrid on April 08, 2026 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Maria Jimenez - Real Madrid/Real Madrid via Getty Images) | Real Madrid via Getty Images
Real Madrid were back at Valdebebas on Wednesday as they continued preparations for their upcoming La Liga fixture against Girona, set to be played at the Santiago Bernabéu on Friday night.
Following the midweek clash against Bayern Munich, the session was split in intensity. Players who featured from the start in that match focused on recovery work inside the gym, while the rest of the squad trained out on the pitch.
The session began with activation drills and rondos before transitioning into more demanding work with the ball. Players went through high-intensity exercises and finishing drills, with the training wrapping up in small-sided games.
One of the key positives from the session was Ferland Mendy’s full participation. The French left-back completed the entire workout with the group, signaling a potential return to matchday involvement. While he could be included in the squad against Girona, the priority appears to be ensuring he is fully fit for the decisive second leg against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena next week. That said, he may still get minutes in the league as part of his reintegration.
Meanwhile, Thibaut Courtois and Rodrygo remain sidelined as they continue their respective recovery processes.
Looking ahead, Álvaro Arbeloa is already setting the tone for the trip to Munich, making it clear that only players who believe in a comeback will be part of the squad. The expectation is that Mendy will be available, along with Jude Bellingham and Éder Militão, both of whom are nearing full fitness and could play important roles in the return leg.
Mendy’s return, in particular, could have tactical implications. His defensive reliability at left-back has historically been crucial in containing elite wingers, and Madrid may look to him again in that role against Bayern’s wide threats. His previous performances in big European ties underline his importance when fully fit.
Freshman shooting guard Winters Grady intends to enter the transfer portal, a source with knowledge of the situation confirmed to the Detroit Free Press on condition of anonymity because it isn't official.
This was somewhat expected for the 6-foot-6, 210-pound shooting guard, who appeared in just nine games in 2025-26 and just once in 2026.
Grady dealt with a foot issue that has lingered since he broke his fifth metatarsal on his right foot as a junior in high school, he told the Free Press over the weekend in Indianapolis. The Free Press reported that Grady would be out for the remainder of the year in February after he had not appeared in a game for more than a month.
The expectation is he will apply for a medical redshirt after appearing in just nine games his first collegiate season.
A knockdown shooter, Grady was buried on the depth chart by a number of proven veterans like Nimari Burnett, Roddy Gayle Jr. and L.J. Cason, as well as freshman Trey McKenney this past year. When he did play, Grady averaged 2.9 points, 1.1 rebounds, 0.2 assists and 0.7 turnovers in 5.6 minutes per game while shooting 35% overall, 31.6% on 3-pointers and 85.7% on free throws.
A possible landing spot to keep an eye on? Oregon State, where former U-M assistant coach Justin Joyner has taken over as head coach. Grady, a Tualatin, Oregon native, grew up just more than an hour south of Corvallis.
Expect more movement from the Wolverines in the coming days.
Tony Garcia is the Michigan beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at apgarcia@freepress.com and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.
Freshman shooting guard Winters Grady intends to enter the transfer portal, a source with knowledge of the situation confirmed to the Detroit Free Press on condition of anonymity because it isn't official.
This was somewhat expected for the 6-foot-6, 210-pound shooting guard, who appeared in just nine games in 2025-26 and just once in 2026.
Grady dealt with a foot issue that has lingered since he broke his fifth metatarsal on his right foot as a junior in high school, he told the Free Press over the weekend in Indianapolis. The Free Press reported that Grady would be out for the remainder of the year in February after he had not appeared in a game for more than a month.
The expectation is he will apply for a medical redshirt after appearing in just nine games his first collegiate season.
A knockdown shooter, Grady was buried on the depth chart by a number of proven veterans like Nimari Burnett, Roddy Gayle Jr. and L.J. Cason, as well as freshman Trey McKenney this past year. When he did play, Grady averaged 2.9 points, 1.1 rebounds, 0.2 assists and 0.7 turnovers in 5.6 minutes per game while shooting 35% overall, 31.6% on 3-pointers and 85.7% on free throws.
A possible landing spot to keep an eye on? Oregon State, where former U-M assistant coach Justin Joyner has taken over as head coach. Grady, a Tualatin, Oregon native, grew up just more than an hour south of Corvallis.
Expect more movement from the Wolverines in the coming days.
Tony Garcia is the Michigan beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at apgarcia@freepress.com and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.
The Milwaukee Bucks have appeared in the headlines this season for all the wrong reasons.
Milwaukee has reportedly bumped heads with star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, as the 2021 champions and two-time MVP aren’t on the same page about finishing the 2025-26 season (Milwaukee wants to shut Antetokounmpo down for the year, while he wants to continue playing).
“The core four that were there at the (trade) deadline, when the Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves and New York Knicks were known to be in the market for Antetokounmpo, will almost certainly be back if they fall short,” The Athletic’s Sam Amick wrote Monday.
“Even the Celtics, who have the ‘Two Jays’ back now and look fully capable of winning it all, are known to be interested and discussed in league circles as potential suitors.”
While the Celtics are unquestionably a wild-card destination for Antetokounmpo, the Lakers, Warriors, and Knicks are ideal landing spots.
Assuming the storied organizations fall short in the postseason, they’ll have every reason to aggressively pursue arguably the most highly touted asset on the offseason trade market.
What do all three of them have in common? They have contributors the Bucks would want in a potential blockbuster trade (Lakers- Austin Reaves, Warriors-Kristaps Porzingis and/or Draymond Green, and Knicks-Karl-Anthony Towns).
Expect the Antetokounmpo summer sweepstakes to be must-see TV from start to finish.
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 27: Nikolas Khamenia #14 of the Duke Blue Devils defends against Ruben Prey #17 of the St. John's Red Storm during the Sweet Sixteen round game of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament held at Capital One Arena on March 27, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/NCAA Photos via Getty Images) | NCAA Photos via Getty Images
Another day, another portal decision for a Dukie. Nik Khamenia has decided to check out what else college basketball has to offer. The Duke Basketball Roundup crew says this one stings a bit more than losing Darren Harris. Jason and Donald say they could see glimpses of what Nik could become during his freshman campaign and they are bummed that we won’t get to watch that at Duke, but they also understand why Nik made this decision. And the podcast guys have a warning for worried Duke fans… do not judge the portal until you know both who is going out and who is coming in.
After the break, the guys also dive into a proposed NCAA rules change that could be a seismic shift in eligibility. This change could open the door for another season from Maliq Brown.
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The Milwaukee Brewers continued to take a cautious approach with Brice Turang, holding the second baseman out for a second straight game as he deals with left ankle tendinitis. The decision comes as part of a short-term plan to reduce strain and allow the issue to settle.
Turang indicated the goal is simple: give the ankle time to recover fully. With the schedule aligning with an off day, the expectation is that a few days of rest will be enough for him to return to the lineup by Friday’s series opener.
Managing a Lingering Issue
The discomfort, according to Turang, dates back to Spring Training and gradually worsened over time. While he has continued to play through it, the Brewers ultimately decided a brief shutdown was necessary when it became clear the soreness would not resolve on its own.
Manager Pat Murphy emphasized that the move is precautionary and not expected to require a roster change. Even while limited, Turang has continued to contribute with his on-base ability and defense, reinforcing his importance to the club’s everyday lineup.
Further clarification on Brice Turang’s absence for the Brewers: He has some left ankle tendinitis. Plan is that with yesterday and today off, and a team off day tomorrow, he will be back in the lineup Friday at home.
Turang’s situation is just one of several health concerns currently impacting Milwaukee’s roster. The team has been forced to navigate multiple injuries despite a strong start to the season.
Pitcher Quinn Priester began the year on the injured list with thoracic outlet syndrome, while outfielder Jackson Chourio is sidelined with a fractured left hand. Infielder Andrew Vaughn is also recovering from hand surgery, and reliever Jared Koenig is dealing with a UCL sprain.
The absence of key contributors has tested the Brewers’ depth, particularly in the lineup, where missing bats have been noticeable in tougher matchups.
Looking Ahead
Milwaukee remains optimistic that Turang’s absence will be brief, with the organization prioritizing long-term health over short-term availability. With several players already on the injured list, avoiding further setbacks is critical.
If all goes as planned, Turang is expected to return for the Brewers’ upcoming series, providing a needed boost as the team works to maintain momentum despite its growing list of injuries.
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After two years at Duke, Oluchi Okananwa is in the middle of a new chapter at Maryland—one defined by growth, opportunity and a bigger role.
A viral moment with head Coach Brenda Frese during the NCAA Tournament gave fans a glimpse into the competitive intensity that Okananwa brings to the game.
In this Q&A interview with The Lead’s Jarrett Spence, the Maryland star opens up about her journey, development, and what is ahead as she continues to create her story.
Playing for Maryland
Jarrett Spence: What was going through your mind in that viral moment with Coach Frese?
Oluchi Okananwa: In that moment, I was just locked in. It wasn’t really about anything outside of the game. I’m competitive, and I care deeply about winning. Coach Frese was pushing me, and I was responding, and that’s what you want as a player. Looking back, I think people saw the passion in it, but for me, it was just a real, in-the-moment exchange between a coach and a player who both want the same thing.
JS: How would you describe your relationship with Coach Frese, and how do you like to be coached?
OO: My relationship with Coach Frese is built on trust and honesty. She’s going to tell me exactly what I need to hear, not just what I want to hear—and I respect that. I like being coached to a high standard. I don’t want it sugarcoated. If you see something I can do better, tell me, because I know it’s coming from a place of wanting me to grow.
JS: What have been the biggest adjustments from Duke to Maryland and stepping into a starting role?
OO: The biggest adjustment has been embracing responsibility. At Maryland, I’m being counted on in a different way, whether that’s leadership, consistency, or production. I’ve had to grow mentally just as much as physically, understanding the game at a deeper level, staying poised, and being someone my teammates can rely on every night.
Reflecting on the Moments
JS: Was there a moment where everything clicked for you?
OO: I wouldn’t say it was one single moment—it’s been a buildup. But there were definitely games and practices where I started to feel like, ‘okay, I’m understanding this new system I’m in and that confidence came from preparation and from trusting the work I’ve been putting in for years.
JS: What has been the toughest moment in your journey and how you got through it?
OO: One of the toughest parts has been navigating change—transferring, adjusting to new environments, and proving myself all over again. What got me through it was my faith, my support system, and just staying grounded in who I am. I reminded myself why I started and kept pushing forward. Christ placed me at Maryland for a reason and I rely on His own understanding not my own so I placed all anxiety and fear at His feet.
OO: I love fashion and creative expression—that’s a big part of who I am outside of basketball. Whether it’s styling, content, or just putting together outfits, it’s something that lets me show a different side of myself. It’s also something I’m building into a bigger platform with ‘Styling with Luchi.’ Styling with Luchi is an epitome of my love for playing dress up and bringing others on that journey with me. I feel like fashion and clothing is such an earnest peak into someone’s mind and their personality. I also enjoy spending time with my friends and family binge watching movies all day!
Motivation
JS: What does it mean to be someone young girls can look up to?
OO: It means everything to me and I don’t take that responsibility lightly at all. Being someone young girls can look up to is about more than just what you do on the court or what people see on social media. It’s about how you carry yourself every day, especially when no one’s watching. I want young girls to see that you can be confident, expressive, and still be disciplined and focused. You don’t have to shrink yourself or fit into one box to be successful. Be bold in your personality, creative in your style, and still locked in on your goals. Embrace every part of who you are.
My faith plays a huge role in that too. My relationship with God keeps me grounded and reminds me that my purpose is bigger than just basketball or achievements. It’s about serving others, leading with love, and walking in integrity. I want young girls to know that you can chase big dreams and still stay rooted in your faith—that you don’t have to compromise your values to succeed.
Next Steps for Oluchi Okananwa
JS:Who were your favorite players growing up, and what stood out about them?
OO: Growing up, I really watched Arike Ogunbowale, especially during her time at Notre Dame. Seeing what she did in 2018 with those back-to-back game winners on the biggest stage—that really stuck with me.
What stood out wasn’t just her skill, but her confidence and how fearless she was in big moments. She embraced the pressure and played with a presence that you could feel.
JS: Did you picture yourself in the WNBA? What would it mean?
OO: Definitely. That’s been a dream of mine for a long time. Reaching the WNBA would mean everything, not just for me, but for my family and everyone who’s supported me. It would be a reflection of all the work, sacrifice, and belief it took to get there.
JS: If someone were telling your story, what’s one thing they must get right?
OO: If someone were telling my story, the one thing they have to get right is that I never lost who I am. Everything I do is rooted in my relationship with Jesus Christ. That’s what keeps me grounded, especially in a world where there’s a lot of pressure, attention, and expectations.
Basketball can change, opportunities can come and go but my faith is constant. It reminds me that I’m playing for something bigger than myself, and that my identity isn’t in stats, wins, or recognition. I try to carry myself in a way that reflects that—how I treat people, how I handle adversity, and how I stay disciplined in what I’ve been called to do. I’m not perfect, but I stay anchored in Him, and that’s what’s guided me through every stage of my journey. That’s the real story.
The transfer portal is only a few days old, but college basketball fans can expect activity to pick up rapidly. In Chapel Hill, you're likely looking at another new-look roster.
UNC made its long-awaited head coach hire on Monday afternoon, landing longtime Denver Nuggets boss Michael Malone. Despite no previous head coaching stops in college, Malone is a proven winner across 12 seasons as an NBA leader
With Malone's hire, several Tar Heels are in the portal, most notably point guard Derek Dixon and wing Jonathan Powell. North Carolina needs to reshape its backcourt, with the likes of Isaiah Denis and Jaydon Young also in the portal.
How will UNC re-shape its roster? Malone is a passionate, respectful player's coach, which works to the Tar Heels' advantage for portal additions. Top-end talent will want to choose North Carolina, both for Malone's coaching prowess and program history.
UNC needs experienced guards, which the portal has plenty of early. Wake Forest star Juke Harris grew up in Salisbury – and he averaged over 20 points per game a season ago. P.J. Haggerty averaged 23.4 points per game, third-most in the nation, but landing him and Harris is a tough ask.
Kansas big man Flory Bidunga is arguably the portal's top name. Imagine Bidunga and Henri Veesaar teaming up in the Tar Heels' front court, assuming the latter returns for one final year.
There's no telling who North Carolina will target in the transfer portal, though Utah guard Terrence Brown Jr (19.9 PPG) is an early interest. Those looking for a new home should want to come play for a championship-caliber coach in Malone – and it'll be exciting to see who chooses Chapel Hill as their next stop.
Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.
Don't let the headline fool you; this is a good stat to lead in for Brock Purdy.
The San Francisco 49ers quarterback finished second behind only Matthew Stafford for the lowest "failed completion" percentage, according to FTN Fantasy data. His 19.8% rate was just ahead of Drake Maye, and Purdy's 39 failed completions were tied with Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow for the fewest among quarterbacks with at least 170 passing attempts.
A "failed completion, per FTN Fantasy, is a "completion is any completed pass that fails to gain 45% of the needed yards on first down, 60% on second down, or 100% on third of fourth down." Examples include third-and-long screens, angle routes and checkdowns that don't garner many yards.
This means that Purdy was effective in making sure that his passing attempts would be enough to either get a first down or put his team in a position to get one quickly. It's also a result of playing in a Kyle Shanahan offense, but it's good to be able to execute well, too.
FTN Fantasy's Bryan Knowles noted Purdy has finished in the top two of this list in three of his qualified seasons, although dropping below 20% is something only five other quarterbacks had done over the past five seasons before Purdy and Stafford did in 2025.
Some may question Purdy's playmaking ability, but the quarterback knows how to keep his offense afloat on drives.
How might the latest 2026 NFL draft intel from one insider impact the Jacksonville Jaguars?
NFL insider Jordan Schultz is hearing that this could be "one of the more trade-heavy drafts in recent memory." He adds that this could be particularly true on the defensive side of the ball, specifically at edge rusher, linebacker, and cornerback.
A lack of depth on the back end of this draft could also make teams more willing to pursue an additional Day 2 or early Day 3 picks, Schultz added.
The expectation among many NFL teams is that the 2026 draft will be one of the more trade-heavy drafts in recent memory, according to multiple league sources.
Specifically, on the defensive side of the ball — EDGE, CB and LB are all strong/deep — while WR is typically… pic.twitter.com/NhNQJiM91T
Considering that edge rusher, cornerback, and linebacker are all positions that Jacksonville could realistically target early on, perhaps that will require a more aggressive approach from James Gladstone to land one of the prospects rated highly on the Jaguars' draft board.
If so, the good news is that, even without having a first-round pick, the Jaguars do own a good amount of draft capital, with 11 selections in total, including four in the top 100.
In addition to that, with five picks between Rounds 2-4, the Jaguars are positioned well to maximize where much of the talent in this year's draft class is located.
The lack of depth on the back end of the draft could mean that Gladstone is less likely to move back on Day 2, considering that the Jaguars already have six picks between Rounds 5 and 7.
All that said, the Jaguars will enter this year's draft with a good amount of flexibility, given the number of picks they have, coupled with the current state of their roster. In addition to that, Gladstone showed us last year that he is more than willing to move up and down the draft board. Those two factors create some uncertainty around what the Jaguars might actually do, even if things play out as Schultz is reporting.
Barcelona 0-2 Atlético Madrid: Simeone’s men stun hosts in Champions League quarter final fist leg
Atletico Madrid won at the Camp Nou for the first time since 2006 as they secured a hard-fought 2-0 win over ten-man Barcelona in their Champions League quarter final first leg.
Julian Alvarez and Alexander Sorloth scored a goal each, as Diego Simeone’s men took control of the tie following Pau Cubarsi’s reckless red card.
Hansi Flick’s side dominated the second half and had countless opportunities to halve the deficit, but in the end slumped to a deserved defeat after winning eight of their past nine games.
Both teams had chances in a frenetic start, Marcus Rashford’s second-minute effort being easily saved by Juan Musso before Alvarez’s strike was dealt with by Joan Garcia soon after.
That pattern continued throughout the opening 15 minutes, with Joao Cancelo and Rashford spurning further chances for the Blaugrana either side of Giuliano Simeone’s poor effort for Atletico.
Rashford was further denied, this time by the offside flag, on the 18 minute mark following sublime interplay from the Barca forwards.
And the Englishman was foiled AGAIN by Musso just prior to the half hour after a delightful ball in from the left, before Gerard Martin went close with an attempt from range soon after.
But just when Barcelona looked to be exerting a stranglehold on the game, Cubarsi had his yellow card for a professional foul changed to a red on 44 minutes following a VAR review.
And Alvarez struck a sublime free kick seconds later to net his ninth goal in 12 Champions League outings and stun the Camp Nou faithful.
Rashford had yet another glorious chance to drag Barcelona level within ten minutes of the restart, but his searing free kick was expertly saved by Musso.
Despite Barcelona threatening to get back into the game it was Atletico who scored next, substitute Sorloth doubling Los Rojiblancos lead with a composed close-range finish after a wonderful whipped cross from the left.
The home side had opportunities to reduce the arrears late on, but ultimately could not break down a dogged defensive display from Los Colchoneros as they kept just their second clean sheet in eight matches.
Having been tipped as potential winners of this year’s competition, the Catalonia outfit will surely see tonight’s result as a chance missed.
Atleti, meanwhile, will feel confident they can finally win the trophy for the first time having fallen agonisingly short against city rivals Real in 2014 and 2016.
The IPL 2026 points table is beginning to take shape, with teams jostling for early dominance in the tournament. Rajasthan Royals sit comfortably at the top with three wins from three matches and a strong net run rate, while Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru follow closely behind. Delhi Capitals, after their latest result, have strengthened their position in the top half, showing consistency with both bat and ball.
Delhi Capitals now find themselves in a competitive mid-table battle, alongside teams like Sunrisers Hyderabad, Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants, all of whom are trying to build momentum. Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians have had a mixed start, and Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings are struggling at the bottom, with CSK yet to register a win this season. At this stage, net run rate is already playing a crucial role in separating teams with similar points.
The early trend suggests that teams with strong top-order batting and disciplined bowling units are gaining an edge. Delhi, in particular, have looked balanced, with contributions coming from multiple players. Their ability to chase and handle pressure situations has been a key factor in their rise on the table.
In the latest match, however, Delhi Capitals fell agonisingly short against Gujarat Titans in a last-over thriller. Chasing 210, KL Rahul’s 92 and David Miller’s unbeaten 41 kept them in the hunt, but they ended at 209/8. A dramatic run-out of Kuldeep Yadav on the final ball sealed a narrow one-run win for Gujarat Titans.
Nov 29, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans wide receiver Makai Lemon (6) celebrates after catching a 32-yard touchdown pass against the UCLA Bruins in the second half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The NFL draft has become its own media entity. Where Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN used to be the lone name in the game, the industry is now full of great analysts and opportunities to learn about prospects.
Among those names is Dane Brugler, author of “The Beast,” a part of The Athletic’s coverage of the NFL draft. A Warren, Ohio native, Brugler has been covering the draft for a long time and is one of the few analysts who gets recognized by everyone in the NFL media. The amount of work he puts into “The Beast” is the reason why.
With wide receiver being an important position for the Browns this year, it was interesting to see that Brugler only has Carnell Tate and Makai Lemon with pure first-round grades. After that, four others are labeled with “1st-2nd” grades:
Jordyn Tyson
KC Concepcion
Omar Cooper Jr.
Denzel Boston
Six others are listed with 2nd or 2nd-3rd round grades at the receiver position.
Washington Nationals fans know that. More and more baseball fans are learning that, too.
And in this impressive record Wood already holds and is expanding on, that's proven even more.
On Wednesday, Wood notched his sixth career batted ball of at least 116 miles per hour.
There have been six total batted balls of that exit velocity by every other Nationals player since Statcast began recording this data in 2015, according to MLB Network's Sarah Langs.
Bryce Harper and Juan Soto each had two of them in a Nats uniform.
Kyle Schwarber and Adam Lind each had one of those for the Nationals.
While Soto and Harper weren't in D.C. forever, this is only Wood's third year in the bigs, and the start of his second full season. He simply hits the ball hard with incredible frequency.
He didn't homer on Wednesday, but he had done so in the three games prior -- including a laser home run to dead central on Monday that seemed to barely leave the ground but simply didn't drop until it was beyond the fence.
Here's the hard-hit single on Wednesday that expanded this record:
James Wood's 1st inning single was hit 116.0 MPH, the hardest hit ball of the season by Wood. Where it ranks in MLB this season:
Cole Ragans’ start to the season could have gotten off to a better start, as he hasn’t had the best performances from the mound in his opening three starts of the year. His first start would come against the Atlanta Braves, who shelled three home runs off the 28-year-old, with his day coming to a close after four innings.
Ragans’ second outing would see him go further into the game, as he’d make it through six innings, allowing four hits and one run, which would still net him the loss on the day, bringing his record to 0-2.
Wednesday afternoon would see his third start of the season, in which he’d only make it through 0.2 innings, as he was pulled early on in the game after getting hit by a line drive from Jose Ramirez.
How is Ragans feeling?
While the Royals haven’t stated anything publicly following Wednesday’s loss, Ragans spoke with reporters, in which he feels that he “should be good,” as reported by MLB.com’s Anne Rogers.
All things considered, sounds like #Royals avoided the worst with Cole Ragans’ thumb contusion. Just was too stiff for him to keep going in that game. But, he says, he “should be good.”
If Ragans is to miss time, it would prevent Ragans from getting more opportunities to improve his standing in the Royals’ rotation this season.
His 5.91 ERA is miles above where he has been over the last few seasons with Kansas City, as he posted a 2.50 ERA in 2025 and a 2.99 ERA in the 2024 campaign, when he was an All-Star and received the fourth-most votes for the American League’s Cy Young award.
Jun 18, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Arizona Diamondbacks right fielder Corbin Carroll (7) slides into third base on his triple against the Toronto Blue Jays during the sixth inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
NEW YORK – Corbin Carroll’s speed and timing on the basepaths are back on full display. His third triple of the 2026 season was a blast at the top of the seventh inning, and it was more than just another highlight. Carroll looks locked in early, and when he’s at this level, the Diamondbacks’ offense starts clicking like a well-oiled machine. Ketel Marte and José Perdomo are waiting in the wings, but Carroll can be the catalyst.
Apr 8, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks right fielder Corbin Carroll (7) reacts after hitting a double against the New York Mets during the first inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images
Corbin Carroll gets third triple of the 2026 MLB season:
Statistically, Carroll is chasing history. MLB’s all-time triples leader, Chief Wilson, set a pretty high mark of 36 in 1912. Carroll already owns the D-backs’ top two spots in franchise history for most triples, and could climb even higher past his record of 14 triples back in 2024 and 17 triples back in 2025. Carroll’s 2026 start positions him to potentially dominate the leaderboard once again, highlighting the strategic impact of having a true game-changing leadoff hitter.
Mar 30, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks right fielder Corbin Carroll (7) hits a triple against the Detroit Tigers in the first inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images
For D-backs fans, Carroll represents more than stats; he embodies hope and momentum. His triples don’t just fill the box score; they shift games, energize the crowd, and force pitchers into mistakes. The psychological lift of a hot Carroll at the top of the order can ripple through an entire lineup, turning close games into commanding wins. If Corbin Carroll maintains this trajectory, the Diamondbacks aren’t just watching franchise history; they’re making it with every triple, driving both team success and fan excitement toward the MLB record books.
Aug 31, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Arizona left fielder Corbin Carroll (7) celebrates in the dugout after hitting a three-run home run during the eighth inning off Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Tanner Scott (66) at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
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Reporter Benjamin Bliklen covers the Arizona Diamondbacks, Arizona Cardinals, and Phoenix Suns for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @BenBliklen
Slot sack decision imminent at Liverpool after eye-opening James Pearce tweet – opinion
Arne Slot’s days at Liverpool are surely numbered after James Pearce shared one shocking stat on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday evening.
The Athletic reporter confirmed that the Reds failed to register a single shot on target in their Champions League clash with PSG.
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It’s the first time the Merseysiders have fired blanks all night since a 2-0 home defeat to Atalanta back in 2020.
Arne Slot sack feels inevitable after PSG vs Liverpool
How can anyone justify keeping the manager in the job for the second leg at Anfield?
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With so much hanging in the balance – including a place in next year’s Champions League – it feels like a change, any change, has to be better than what we’re all witnessing week in week out.
Look, we can accept losing to the reigning European champions; it happens.
But no shots on target? Not one? Finishing the first leg with 0.00 xGOT created against the Ligue 1 giants?
We can cite mitigating circumstances until the cows come home (and we were right to do so earlier in the campaign). However, what we’re seeing on the pitch just doesn’t resemble what a Liverpool side should look and feel like in any way, shape or form.
And if we’re all honest with ourselves, it’s been this way for quite some time.
We’ll forever be grateful to the manager for what he helped deliver last term, but for the sake of the season, Arne Slot has to go.
What are Liverpool waiting for?
We can accept that a new manager may not be able to change the outcome of our quarter-final clash with PSG in the Champions League.
But a change in the dugout would surely at least fire up this low-morale squad in the Premier League and help us limp over the line to secure Champions League qualification for 2026/27.
We’re not expecting Xabi Alonso to take over with immediate effect – that’ll have to wait until the summer.
But an interim head coach (most likely Steven Gerrard at this stage) is desperately needed to help raise standards for our remaining seven Premier League games.
‘Sends out the wrong signals’: Arne Slot criticised over tactical call in PSG defeat
Liverpool lost 2-0 to Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday.
Desire Doue gave PSG an early lead, before Khvicha Kvaratskhelia sealed the victory in the second half, putting the French side in control of the tie.
The result was Liverpool’s worst defeat in European competition against a French side in 29 years.
Manager Arne Slot deployed a defensive 5-3-2 formation, but that could not prevent PSG from creating several chances. The French giants registered 18 shots.
Former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson criticised Slot for his tactical approach.
He told the BBC: “That was our champions against their champions. Our champions were nowhere near.
“Obviously, Liverpool are not in a good run of form and the confidence is very low. They are a team which is creaking, hence why they played a back five. Soon as they played a back five, it sends out the wrong signals for me.
“It is not playing to Liverpool’s strengths, and it is defending their weaknesses. In Hakimi, Mendes, Kvaratskhelia, and Doue – Arne Slot knew the problems his team would have in the wide areas.”
PSG’s wastefulness in front of goal and Giorgi Mamardashvili’s heroics prevented the Reds from suffering an heavy defeat for a second consecutive game.
Liverpool also struggled offensively, mustering just three attempts, none of which were on target.
It was the first time the Reds had failed to register a shot on target in the competition since 2020.
When Taj Bradley arrived in St. Paul last summer, the starting pitcher had recently been demoted to Triple-A by the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays wanted him to work on his splitter. They wanted him to become more consistent. It wasn’t about his raw stuff — it was about being able to put it all together.
It’s easy to forget, as he begins his fourth season in the majors, that Bradley is just 25 years old. He’s still young, just months older than rotation mate Mick Abel, who has thrown about 350 fewer innings than Bradley.
And so as Bradley, in the very early going of the season, has been the Twins’ biggest bright spot, it’s not uncommon to hear words like “growth,” and “maturity,” thrown around when coaches and teammates are talking about Bradley, who has a 1.08 earned-run average through his first three starts.
He uses those words when he’s talking about himself, too.
“Look at the physique. I’m swole now,” he joked about his growth. “I think mentally I’ve grown and matured into a better picture than what I was last year, and I want to keep evolving.”
The decision to forgo competing in last month’s World Baseball Classic for Team Mexico was, he said, the most mature decision he has made. He wanted to compete, but knowing that he had an important season coming up, he decided it was for the best to stay back at spring training and continue working with Twins staff and teammates.
The maturity has shown up on the field, too.
In the past, Bradley noted that one inning would blow up and take him out of the game. But he has done a good job this season not letting situations spiral.
That showed in the first inning of his first start when the Baltimore Orioles loaded the bases with two outs against him before he blew strike three past Dylan Beavers. And again on Tuesday night against Detroit when he recovered from a rocky second inning and ended up throwing 6 1/3 innings of one-run ball, outdueling reigning two-time American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal.
“(I’m) just getting out of my own way,” Bradley said. “I think I was hard-headed in sticking to what I thought was best for me. Kind of being scared of change, thinking it’s going to take me out of the progression I want to go. But I feel like I was hindering myself. So just being open to change, open to try new things, different mentalities, different coaching philosophies, stuff like that.”
That’s been evident to those around him.
There was no doubt, catcher Ryan Jeffers said, “that he was an ace-caliber pitcher,” when the Twins acquired him from the Rays for reliever Griffin Jax last summer. But now he has gotten more comfortable with the information that the Twins are giving him and how to utilize it, and it seems to be paying dividends.
“By him buying into the stuff that goes on before his start, the game planning and the off-the-mound stuff, by him buying into that more, I think it gives him more of a comfortable feeling to trust me and then go out there and just be the version of Taj,” Jeffers said.
That version has touched 100 miles per hour this season, has been working very effectively with the splitter that he worked hard through the winter on and has gotten promising early results.
“We are seeing him continuing to mature right in front of our eyes,” manager Derek Shelton said.
Steven Gerrard was quite intrigued by what Mo Salah did just after full-time in Liverpool defeat
Steven Gerrard couldn’t help but notice what Mo Salah was doing shortly after the final whistle in Liverpool’s 2-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain tonight.
The Egyptian was dropped to the bench for the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final at the Parc des Princes and, despite the Reds chasing the tie, wasn’t called upon by Arne Slot at any stage.
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Even though the 33-year-old’s form in recent weeks and months has come in for fierce criticism, it still seemed surprising that he wasn’t deployed for some portion of the game against PSG.
However, Gerrard was impressed with what he saw from Salah after the full-time whistle had blown and the stadium was almost empty.
Gerrard praises Salah mentality
Speaking on TNT Sports‘ match coverage, the ex-Liverpool captain observed of the winger: “Credit to him, he’s just stayed behind and done extra running.
“If there wasn’t a midweek game, Wednesday probably would be a big [training] session, so in his mind he’s already got his mind on Fulham and doing extra work, which shows the pro and the mentality we’re dealing with.”
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Salah will be chomping at the bit for a return to the starting XI
We all remember how Salah reacted to being left out of the starting line-up for three successive games at the start of December (and playing no part in two of those), and some people have been waiting for him to kick off in full view of the watching public tonight.
We don’t doubt that he’ll have been privately fuming at not getting on the pitch against PSG, but from what Gerrard noticed, it seems as though the Egyptian channeled any frustration into a positive action by undertaking extra running after the game, rather than throwing his toys out of the pram.
Having played no part in this match, there’s a strong chance that he’ll be restored to the starting XI against Fulham on Saturday, when a return to goalscoring form would be most welcome for a winger who’s netted only 10 times all season, by far his lowest output for a single campaign at Anfield.
Barring an improbable comeback next Tuesday night, Salah will have a maximum of eight more matches for Liverpool, and naturally we’ll all want to see as much of him as possible before his emotional departure from the club at the end of May.
Hopefully he’ll use his non-appearance tonight as motivation to excel against Fulham at the weekend and reignite the Reds’ pursuit of a top-five finish, which we now know will guarantee Champions League football for next term.
Denver's Johnny Hicks (31) leads the nation in goals-against average and save percentage.
LAS VEGAS — Someone is going to make history this weekend at T-Mobile Arena as the NCAA Men’s Frozen Four Hockey Championship is contested for the first time in Las Vegas.
Chances are it will be a hot goaltender who propels his team to victory beginning Thursday with the national semifinals.
Yes, this year’s Frozen Four field is loaded with college hockey bluebloods. Between Michigan, North Dakota, Denver and Wisconsin, there are a total of 33 national championships.
That’s a lot of hardware.
But you can make a case for each of this year’s participants thanks to who is in net for them. Johnny Hicks of Denver leads the nation in winning percentage. North Dakota’s Jan Spunar has a goals-against average of 1.93, third in the nation behind Hicks (1.12) and Minnesota State’s Alex Tracy (1.80). Michigan’s Jack Ivankovic is fourth in the nation in winning percentage at .773 and Wisconsin’s Daniel Hauser is fifth with a win percentage of .724.
So when play begins Thursday afternoon, keep an eye on the goalies. You’re likely looking at a couple of future NHL netminders. For the first time, all four starting goaltenders at the Frozen Four are freshmen.
They’ll be tested. There’s a lot of firepower between the four schools, led by Michigan. The Wolverines average 4.56 goals a game, tops in the nation. Not far behind is North Dakota. The Fighting Hawks are No. 3 in scoring with a 3.85 average. Wisconsin is No. 5 nationally as the Badgers average 3.76 goals and Denver is No. 8 in the country with the Pioneers averaging 3.61 goals per outing.
I’m sticking to my process,” said Hicks, who didn’t start for the Pioneers until Jan. 24 against St. Cloud State and has been in the crease ever since. “I’ve got to give credit to the team — all my coaches and my teammates. They’ve helped me tremendously. It’s been an amazing experience.
“I try not to look too far ahead. Just soak everything in. I know I wasn’t playing at the start of the year, but it gave me time to settle in and get to know our system and how we work as a team.”
North Dakota coach Dane Jackson said the goalies here have played a lot of big hockey games before they ever reached college. As for his goalie, he likes the poise Spunar has exhibited.
“Yeah, I think it starts with Jan's demeanor,” Jackson said. “He has kind of a laid-back kind of quiet confidence that doesn't get too riled up about too many things. I think his approach kind of allows him to just have that kind of not be flustered by anything.
“I really think that he'll handle the spotlight well here. All season he's played extremely solid for us. He just gives us a real confidence to our group. He's kind of earned everything he's got. He gives our team a lot of kind of belief and confidence to play our game.”
Wisconsin’s Mike Hastings had similar thoughts about Daniel Hauser, his freshman goalie.
“He’s about as calm a water as you’ll find,” Hastings said. “Whether we’ve won or lost, he’s stayed on an even keel. He crushes everything he can control. He’s a real ‘We’ guy.”
There’s also two of the three Hobey Baker Award finalists competing here. Michigan senior forward T.J. Hughes, who was the Big Ten’s Player of the Year and has 21 goals and 35 assists in 39 games this season, will be showcasing his talents on the T-Mobile ice, as well Denver senior defenseman Eric Pohlkamp, a fifth-round draft pick of the San Jose Sharks in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. Pohlkamp has 18 goals and 21 assists in 41 games with the Pioneers this year.
Minnesota-Duluth F Max Plante is the other Hobey Baker finalist. The winner will be anon red Friday afternoon at a ceremony at the Park MGM Hotel.
It’s little wonder this is such a hot ticket. The event sold out weeks ago and prices on the secondary market are going for double to three times face value. A seat in T-Mobile’s lower bowl near the glass for the championship game Saturday will cost you over $2,200 on Stubhub. A seat in the balcony is more reasonable — $187.
But that’s not going to stop fans from showing up. The Frozen Four experience never gets old. The students. The bands. The cheerleaders. The hard-core fans decked out in their team’s sweater. It all makes for a festive atmosphere, one that Las Vegas will play the perfect host for.
And since UNLV doesn’t sponsor a Division I NCAA men’s ice hockey program, North Dakota accepted the role of host institution for this year’s event. Never mind that Grand Forks is 1,589 miles from T-Mobile Arena. The UND fans will be out in force, perhaps mores than when their team played Minnesota at the Orleans Arena in 2018 and the rink was filled with green-clad fans as the Fighting Hawks defeated the Gophers, 3-1.
If you’re wondering how any of this makes sense, consider that when the Frozen Four was played in Anaheim, Calif., in 1999 at was then called the Arrowhead Pond, the University of Alaska-Anchorage was selected as the host institution. That year, Maine defeated New Hampshire in overtime, 3-2, for the title. The atmosphere then was outstanding and it figures to be even better as the Frozen Four is played in the Pacific time zone for only the second time in its history.
There were concerns about the ice quality in Anaheim but the sheet was fine. Will it be a similar result at T-Mobile, where they put a second sheet over the regular ice the Golden Knights play on?
“It’s going to be a little choppy,” said Wisconsin’s Christian Fitzgerald after the Badgers skated on Wednesday afternoon. “But everyone has to play on it.”
It may play a bit slow, but it shouldn’t impact the outcome. In the end, whichever team stops the most pucks the most often will likely leave town the ultimate winner come Saturday. But if you’re one of the goalies, you better be aware of the lively end boards at T-Mobile Arena. The puck sometimes takes crazy caroms.
“I didn’t realize there are four freshman goaltenders playing (in the Frozen Four),” Hicks said. “That’s pretty cool. I think it’ll be a great opportunity for all of us. I know I’m looking forward to it.
“I’ve heard the boards here are pretty lively, so I’ll be ready for it.”
FROZEN FOUR SCHEDULE (All times Pacific) Thursday’s semifinals Wisconsin vs. North Dakota, 2 p.m. Denver vs. Michigan, 5:30 p.m. (approximately) Saturday’s Championship Semifinal winners, 2:30 p.m.
FROZEN FOUR TEAM CAPSULES
Michigan Wolverines (32-7-1) Location: Ann Arbor, Mich. How they got here: Won Albany, N.Y. Regional National titles: 9 (Last in 1998) Coach: Brandon Naurato (4th season, 98-46-10) Players to watch: Sr. F T.J. Hughes (39 GP, 21 G, 35 A, 56 pts.), Fr. G Jack Ivankovic (34 GP, 2.13 GAA, .911 SV%), So. F Michael Hage (38 GP, 13 G, 38 A, 51 pts.), So. F Will Horcoff (39 GP, 25 G, 13 A, 38 pts.) Key stat: Michigan’s power play is No. 1 in college hockey at 31.6 percent. Vegas connection: Golden Knights GM Kelly McCrimmon played for Michigan from 1980-84. McCrimmon, a right wing, was team captain his senior year.
Denver Pioneers (27-11-3) Location: Denver, Colo. How they got here: Won Loveland, Colo. Regional National titles: 10 (Last in 2024) Coach: David Carle (8th season, 206-85-20) Players to watch: Fr. G Johnny Hicks (18 GP, 14-0-1, 1.12 GAA, .958 SV%), Jr. D Eric Pohlkamp (18 GP, 18 G, 21 A, 39 pts, Jr. F Sam Harris (41 GP, 15 G, 19 A, 34 pts.), So. F James Reeder (41 GP, 10 G, 23 A, 33 pts.). Key stat: Denver is 18-1 when scoring four or more goals in a game. Vegas connection: Veteran NHL F Jason Zucker, who grew up in Las Vegas and currently plays for the Buffalo Sabres, attended Denver from 2010-2012 and had 91 points in 78 games for the Pioneers.
Wisconsin Badgers (23-12-2) Location: Madison, Wis. How they got here: Won Worcester, Mass. Regional National titles: 6 (Last in 2006) Coach: Mike Hastings (3rd season, 62-45-7) Players to watch: Sr. D Ben Dexheimer (37 GP, 7 G, 20 A, 27 pts.), So. F Gavin Morrisey (34 GP, 9 G, 27 A, 36 pts.), Fr. G Daniel Hauser (32 GP, 2.56 GAA, .899 SV%), Jr. F Quinn Finley (35 GP, 17 G, 16 A, 33 pts.). Key stat: Wisconsin has a faceoff win percentage of 54 percent. Opponents of the Badgers are just 46 percent at the faceoff dot. Vegas connection: Curtis Joseph, who played for the IHL Las Vegas Thunder in 1995-96, was Wisconsin’s goaltender in 1988-89. North Dakota Fighting Hawks (29-9-1) Location: Grand Forks, N.D. How they got here: Won Sioux Falls, S.D. Regional National titles: 8 (Last in 2016) Coach: Dane Jackson (1st season, 29-9-1) Players to watch: Fr. G Jan Spunar (27 GP, 1.90 GAA, .917 SV%), Sr. F Ellis Rickwood (34 GP, 8 G, 28 A, 36 pts.), Sr. F Dylan James (39 GP, 21 G, 10 A, 31 pts.), Fr. F Will Zellers (37 GP, 18 G, 16 A, 34 pts.). Key stat: 11 UND players have 20+ points, the most of any team in the nation. Vegas connection: Former casino-hotel owner Ralph Engelstad played goaltender at North Dakota in 1954. The team’s home rink is named after Engelstad.
TORONTO (AP) — Davis Schneider scored the tiebreaking run on a throwing error by catcher Will Smith in the bottom of the eighth inning and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-3 on Wednesday, stopping a six-game losing streak and avoiding a three-game sweep.
Schneider scored from third when shortstop Miguel Rojas couldn’t handle Smith’s throw on Andrés Giménez’s stolen base attempt.
Tyler Rogers (1-0) got five outs for the win and Jeff Hoffman finished for his second save in four chances, stranding runners at first and second.
Ben Casparius (0-1) took the loss as the Dodgers were beaten for the first time in seven games when leading after six innings.
Smith went 2 for 3 with an RBI and scored twice but the Dodgers lost for the first time in six games.
Schneider sparked Toronto’s comeback from 3-1 in the seventh, when he led off with a pinch-hit walk against left-hander Jack Dreyer. Tyler Heineman hit a one-out single before George Springer drove in a run with a double off the wall. Daulton Varsho tied it with an RBI single.
Toronto’s comeback spoiled a strong, six-inning start by Shohei Ohtani, who allowed one run and four hits.
Ohtani also extended his career-best on-base streak to 43 games with a four-pitch walk in the first. He was hit by a pitch in the fifth and finished 0 for 3.
Hoffman struck out Ohtani looking to begin the ninth.
Smith challenged umpire Dan Bellino’s call on Ohtani’s first pitch of the game, but the ball was 1.9 inches below the strike zone.
Rojas returned to the lineup at shortstop after sitting out Tuesday’s game following the sudden death of his father, Miguel Rojas Sr. Several Dodgers players had MR written on their caps in tribute.
Up next
Dodgers: RHP Tyler Glasnow (1-0, 3.00 ERA) is expected to start at home Friday against Texas RHP Kumar Rocker (0-1, 3.60).
Blue Jays: LHP Patrick Corbin is expected to make his Toronto debut against Minnesota on Friday. The Twins had not named a starter.
On Wednesday, Davis finally broke his silence on the blockbuster deal that turned his world upside down.
“I said, who the (expletive) they gonna trade me for," Davis said on the latest installment of the Draymond Green show. “Luka? I was like, ‘Who else could you trade me for on that team?”
“I had no idea this was happening,” Davis said. “And I couldn’t make sense of it. … From a business standpoint, I can’t be mad. But why? It just caught me off guard.”
“I still think I deserved much more respect than that,” Davis said. “All the time I’ve been here. (Expletive), I was there for six years. We won a championship. All this stuff, and I can’t get a phone call or a text of, ‘This is what we’re thinking.”
Davis made a fair point as he broke down his feelings about the historic trade to Green. The NBA is a business, meaning organizations shouldn’t hesitate to make moves they believe will help them reach new heights.
In this case, Pelinka and the Lakers believed that swapping an injury-prone big man for a thriving point guard in his prime was a no-brainer trade.
Considering Doncic (who’s currently dealing with a hamstring injury) has given the Lakers’ offense a significant boost, and Davis only lasted 29 games with the Mavericks before the franchise shipped him to the Washington Wizards, it would be challenging to argue that Los Angeles made a mistake.
That said, after everything Davis did with the Lakers, the least the franchise could have done was give him a heads-up before completing the deal.
Simply put, Davis’ feelings are undoubtedly justified, whether individuals are fond of the 10-time All-Star or not.
Apr 8, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers catcher Danny Jansen (9) scores on a fielders choice as Seattle Mariners catcher Mitch Garver (18) is unable to come up with the catch during the fifth inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images
If the first dozen games of this Mariners season have felt derivative to you, that wouldn’t be misplaced. Dating back to 2023, Seattle has stumbled out of the gate, starting each season with a record of 4-8. Thankfully, in all previous three years, the M’s have bounced back, staunching the bleeding to win their next game (and more often than not the few following ones). But hasn’t that script gotten old? The trips to the callback well surely wore thin in 2025. What’s next, a clip show episode? A main character has a baby?
You’d do well to know that a new path has been chosen.
Today’s morning contest got off to a promising start, with Rob Refsnyder battling back from an 0-2 count (and missing his first hit of the season by about two feet when he hammered a line drive down the third-base line foul) to work a leadoff walk against new Rangers lefty MacKenzie Gore. Cal Raleigh’s slow start to the year continued on a strikeout, but Julio Rodríguez drew a second walk on a 3-1 pitch that probably would have been challenged in a higher-leverage spot. Although Randy Arozarena and Brendan Donovan both went down on strikes, Seattle pushed Gore’s pitch count up to 26 to open the game; always an encouraging early sign.
By contrast, Bryan Woo stepped out of the gate as his usual self; breezy pace, bevy of fastballs, brisk at-bats. He needed eight fewer pitches to get through two frames than Gore used for one, and aside from a true jammed bleeder from Brandon Nimmo to lead off the first allowed no baserunners. Mitch Garver contributed with a keen ABS challenge in the second against Evan Carter, flipping a 1-1 count to 0-2 before Carter harmlessly flew out to Julio a few pitches later. Despite the efficiency, though, there were some scary contact moments, most notably a shot to left field off the bat of Jake Burger that Randy caught right at the wall and would have been out in seventeen big league ballparks. Those worries continued when Josh H. Smith led off the third by turning on a first-pitch four-seam up in the zone, sending it deep to right field. Refsnyder, filling in for the freshly injured Víctor Robles, had quite the amount of ground to cover, somehow getting a bead on the ball. He leapt, and…
Jo Adell, eat your heart out. Woo had to work a bit more through his next two frames, picking up a pair of strikeouts from Ezequiel Durán and Wyatt Langford that sandwiched a double over Julio’s head from Nimmo. Corey Seager led off the fourth with a walk, but was erased on a double play from Burger.
Meanwhile, Gore settled in, facing the minimum through his next three frames, including striking out the side in order in the third. Any chances for a no-hitter were put to rest in the fifth, though, when Mitch Garver led off the fifth with a solidly stroked base hit into center field for his first knock of the season. After having a possible double taken away by a diving stop by Durán in the third, it was a nice treat to see the Garv man get on the board. Any hopes of a big inning were dashed by a one-out double play from newest Mariner Connor Joe – on the second hardest-hit ball of the game. Tough scenes.
The bottom of the frame is where Woo began to wobble, despite getting a seven-pitch flyout from Carter for the first out. Danny Jansen grinded out another seven-pitch at-bat before hitting a bounding ball to third that Donovan cleanly fielded, but got off a weak throw due to his feet being improperly set, allowing the not-fleet-footed Jansen to reach. Smith and Durán followed with a pair of much more legitimate singles, loading the bases for just the guy we all wanted to see in this spot: Brandon Nimmo. Woo got the count to 1-1, and got Nimmo jammed on an inside fastball, dribbling the ball up the third base line. Joe, giving Josh Naylor the day off at first, charged, fielded, and threw well offline to home plate, allowing a pair of runs to cross on a ball that went maybe seventy feet.
Kyle’s brother tacked on the third and final run of the game with a routine sacrifice fly, and the rest of the game passed by in a blurry blink. While the M’s got Gore out of the game through five on the back of that hefty first inning, the Rangers relievers were suffocating, allowing just one baserunner (a soft line drive into right field from Cole Young leading off the ninth. Hell yeah, Cole) over the last four frames in economical fashion. José A. Ferrer, Eduard Bazardo, and Gabe Speier all stitched together three scoreless innings, facing the minimum thanks to a caught stealing by Garver and a double play from Durán. If you’re looking for a crumb of good news, Speier particularly looked sharp, picking up a pair of strikeouts in the eighth inning to get some work in.
The Mariners fell today to 4-9 for the first time in the Dipoto era. If nothing else, this year has gotten off to a different start. An off day tomorrow feels like a gift for fans and players alike before they head back home, kicking off the homestand with a weird, wrap-around Friday-to-Monday series with the Astros – who have just been swept by the Rockies. We’ll see how that turns out when we get there, but for now, I am prescribing reading a book, playing a video game, going for a walk (it’s a perfect spring day in Seattle if you’re so inclined), or any other activity is not paying a disastrous road trip any mind. You’ve earned that.
Atletico Madrid have one foot in the Champions League semi-finals after two minutes of chaos at the end of the first half laid the foundations for a 2-0 first-leg win over Barcelona at the Camp Nou.
Diego Simeone’s side started the tie as slight underdogs having narrowly lost to Barcelona at the Metropolitano last week, but they will go into next week’s return leg as heavy favourites to progress after a performance that had all the hallmarks of the Simeone masterclasses of old.
Anyone who was lucky, if that is the right word, enough to watch the best Simeone sides will have known what to expect from Atletico ahead of a Champions League first-leg tie away at Barcelona, and this time round there were plenty of similarities as a moment of madness from Pau Cubarsi and a piece of brilliance from Julian Alvarez came to define the match.
The hosts were quickly on the front foot, Lamine Yamal and Marcus Rashford providing plenty of threat down the wings and the England international guilty of missing a good chance early on, firing too close to Juan Musso when played clean through. The on-loan winger did get the ball in the net eventually, but Yamal had gone too soon and strayed offside in the build-up.
(Getty Images)
The visitors remained a threat on the counter – as shown early on when a superb solo run from Julian Alvarez ended with the Argentine forcing a good save from Joan Garcia – but it was Barcelona who began to take control of the game in possession. Joao Cancelo and Yamal both came close to clear-cut chances, though they were kept at bay by the type of resolute defensive display we’ve become accustomed to seeing from Simeone sides in this competition.
The usual signs of an Atletico European away performance were there for all to see in each calculated foul, theatrical dive and last-ditch block, and in the end it was the classic away tactic that unlocked the game for the visitors, as Giuliano Simeone latched onto the clipped ball over the top to go clean through before being clipped by Pau Cubarsi.
The 19-year-old defender was initially shown a yellow card but it was quickly upgraded to a red – for denial of a goalscoring opportunity – after a brief VAR review, leaving the hosts depleted and the home crowd furious.
Pau Cubarsi was sent off (REUTERS)
It was exactly what Simeone would have been dreaming about in the lead-up to the game, with the killer run delivered by none other than his own son. And while the game had so far followed the classic Simeone playbook, the first goal came via a route we’re less used to seeing from the Rojiblancos.
The hosts had been left reeling after the red card and the Camp Nou was paying little attention as Julian Alvarez lined up the free-kick from 25 yards, but the Argentine soon caught the eye as he stepped up to curl a magnificent effort past a sprawling Joan Garcia.
Barcelona were stunned on the stroke of half-time and Atletico had a dream start to the first leg. The Camp Nou waited for the second half with bated breath; neutrals watching around the world prepared for the type of diabolical display we’re used to seeing from Atleti when a game is poised like so.
(AFP via Getty Images)
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick was quick to change things at the break, taking off an ineffective Robert Lewandowski for Fermin Lopez and moving Rashford to centre-forward.
It almost paid off immediately too, the England international latching onto a through ball and rounding Musso before hitting the side-netting from a tight angle.
Rashford continued to be influential in attack – dovetailing well with Yamal and hitting the crossbar with a free-kick – and the 10-man hosts soon had their tails up, buoyed by a baying home crowd and an Atletico side who were all too happy to sit back.
But with the game in the balance – and just as it began to look like maybe Atletico were the team playing with 10 men – the visitors snatched the goal that might just put the tie beyond their opponents.
Atletico take a two-goal lead back to Madrid (REUTERS)
Barcelona had begun to dominate once more but a perfectly executed smash-and-grab attack saw Atletico grab a second, with Matteo Ruggeri cutting back a cross that was turned in by Alexander Sorloth.
It was a fairly speculative cross but Sorloth produced a brilliant finish to turn it in, hitting it on the volley from behind himself and guiding it expertly past Garcia.
The second goal will go down as a masterstroke from Simeone – who had brought on the Norwegian striker for Ademola Lookman only 10 minutes earlier – and it may yet go down as the goal that effectively decided the tie too.
Atletico now have one foot in the Champions League semi-finals for the first time since 2016/17, and to add to the storylines, it is 10 years since the Rojiblancos were last in a European Cup final.
Sorloth's goal puts Atletico in an enviable position ahead of next week's second leg (REUTERS)
That game at the San Siro was marked by Antoine Griezmann’s penalty miss and their subsequent loss in the shootout, as the club missed out on becoming European royalty despite breaking into the upper echelons of the sport.
With the Frenchman approaching his final games with the club and with Simeone surely in the twilight of his time at the Metropolitano, that European Cup remains the one thing missing in the trophy cabinet.
It would be a fitting end to a fairytale of sorts if the duo were to put that 2017 final right in Budapest in May. In order to do that they’ll need to evoke the spirit of the Atletico sides from times gone by, and they made the perfect start tonight at the Camp Nou.
Julian Alvarez's free-kick gave Atletico Madrid the lead in their Champions League quarter-final first leg win at Barcelona (Josep LAGO)
Julian Alvarez and Alexander Sorloth's goals earned Atletico Madrid a commanding 2-0 lead over 10-man Barcelona in a tense Champions League quarter-final first leg clash on Wednesday.
The La Liga leaders were on top in the all-Spanish tie at Camp Nou before Pau Cubarsi was sent off for bringing down Atletico's Giuliano Simeone, who was through on goal.
Alvarez whipped home the resulting free-kick and Sorloth doubled their advantage with 20 minutes remaining to give Atletico a strong chance of reaching the semi-finals.
Diego Simeone's side, who have never won the competition, reached the 2014 and 2016 finals but were beaten by rivals Real Madrid on both occasions.
"We have things to improve and learn from... we're happy for the win but there's a long way to go," Atletico's Antoine Griezmann told Movistar.
"We're very far from the semis, we're 90 or more minutes away... we're confident but keeping our feet on the ground."
Barca, semi-finalists last season, need to make a huge comeback next Tuesday in Madrid if they are to stand a chance of lifting the trophy they last won in 2015.
"It will be tough there but if anyone can do it, it's us," Barca defender Ronald Araujo told Movistar.
Barca coach Hansi Flick was upset by the use of VAR to punish his side for Cubarsi's red card but not to analyse a potential handball incident against Atletico's Marc Pubill in the second half.
The defender touched the ball with his hand after goalkeeper Juan Musso passed it to him, to take the goal kick himself, which Flick said should have been reviewed.
"The VAR was very focussed today for Atletico, he's a German guy, so thanks Germany," complained the former German national team boss.
"It's for me a clear red card, then it (can) change (things) totally."
Diego Simeone said the decision that was made was "common sense".
Atletico knocked Barca out of the Copa del Rey in the semi-finals in March and this was the second of three meetings between the sides in the space of a fortnight.
Barcelona started well with Marcus Rashford, on loan from Manchester United, their main threat down the left.
On the right flank Atletico tried to suffocate teenage star Lamine Yamal with defensive numbers, allowing Rashford more room.
The first chances fell to the England international, who scored against Atletico in La Liga on Saturday, but Musso denied him.
At the other end, Alvarez, who has been linked with a switch to Barcelona in recent months, tested Joan Garcia.
The busy Rashford, constantly escaping beyond Nahuel Molina, volleyed narrowly wide and then rolled a shot into the bottom corner but it was disallowed for offside in the build-up.
Even though the 18-year-old Yamal was up against three Atletico defenders, he produced some superb skill to break free of their shackles, but Robin Le Normand blocked his shot.
Veteran Atletico midfielder Koke was fortunate to stay on the pitch after fouls on Dani Olmo, Pedri and Yamal were only punished with a yellow card, to Barca supporters' fury.
- Pivotal red card -
Flick's side were controlling the game with Atletico talisman Griezmann quiet against his former team, but a moment of clumsiness from Cubarsi dramatically gave the visitors the upper hand before half-time.
The 19-year-old centre-back, chasing Giuliano Simeone as he ran through on goal to reach a ball in behind Barca's defence from Alvarez, clattered the Atletico coach's son from behind.
Although referee Istvan Kovacs only produced a yellow card for Cubarsi, he upgraded it to a red after a VAR review.
Worse was to come for Barca, with former Manchester City striker Alvarez whipping the free-kick into the top corner.
Barca battled well with 10 men, continuing to create chances for Rashford. Yamal sent the forward through on goal but after rounding Musso he could only hit the side netting, and he had a free-kick tipped over.
It was against the run of play again that Atletico snatched their second.
Griezmann and Matteo Ruggieri combined and the latter crossed for target man Sorloth, who outmuscled Gerard Martin and fired past the helpless Garcia.
Barca tasted defeat at home for the first time since Camp Nou reopened in November 2025 -- and Atletico coach Simeone won at the stadium for the first time in his 14-year career at the helm of the Rojiblancos.
It was Atletico's first win at Camp Nou since 2006 and a potential stepping stone towards the trophy they crave most.
NEW DELHI: Rajasthan Royals youngster Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is quickly making a name for himself in IPL 2026, especially after his fearless hitting against top bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah.
In a recent match against Mumbai Indians, his aggressive batting helped RR secure a convincing win and extend their strong run in the tournament.
Steyn on Sooryavanshi’s fear factor
Former South Africa pacer Dale Steyn believes the young opener is already getting into bowlers’ heads. After Sooryavanshi smashed Bumrah for a six off the very first ball, Steyn said,
“I think that's what he's done," he told ESPNCricinfo. "I mean, honestly, he's created and instilled the fear into bowlers that he's going to hit you for boundaries.”
He pointed out that even a world-class bowler like Bumrah looked under pressure, adding, “That delivery from Bumrah, that's in the slot. That's so rare of Bumrah. So even the great Bumrah is thinking in the back of his mind: ‘don't get it wrong, because if I get it wrong, this guy's going to hit me for six'.”
Steyn explained that this fear can lead to mistakes: “I feel, if you think like that, more often than not, you do get it wrong.”
Fearless batting driving RR’s success
Steyn also highlighted that Sooryavanshi’s confidence makes him dangerous against any bowler.
“And this kid's not scared, man. If you miss a half-volley, he's going to hit you out of the ground… It doesn't matter who you are, Bumrah or Jofra Archer,” he added.
In the match, Sooryavanshi scored a quick 39 off just 14 balls, while Yashasvi Jaiswal added an unbeaten 77. Their explosive start helped Rajasthan Royals beat Mumbai Indians by 27 runs, marking their third straight win of the season.
The good news for Liverpool is that they do not require their greatest Anfield comeback in Europe. But if that tag will forever be reserved for Barcelona in 2019, it may need their second best to eliminate Paris Saint-Germain.
A night when Arne Slot abandoned the basis of his system – and, some would say, his principles – in favour of pragmatism brought a damage-limitation exercise that might be bracketed as a qualified success. Because Liverpool, walloped 4-0 at Manchester City on Saturday, only lost 2-0 to the European champions. Liverpool looked outclassed. They are not quite out of this tie.
It might have been worse, whether with a repeat of their failings at the Etihad Stadium, or without the excellence of Giorgi Mamardashvili. When Liverpool were a goal down after 11 minutes, with a different shape and precious little possession, it threatened to be another rout. Instead, there was an exercise in concentration and improvised organisation. “We were in survival mode for large parts of the game but maybe also the period of the season we are in, we are in survival mode,” said Slot. It was survival of sorts: there was no capitulation, no collapse. “We didn’t give up and that is why we still have a chance,” said Slot. But there was little evidence to suggest they can beat PSG by at least two goals, and three to avoid a penalty shootout.
Liverpool were beaten having played passively in Paris – though are not totally out of the tie (AP)
Not when, for the first time since 2020, they finished a Champions League game without a shot on target. And not if they again encounter Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in this vein of form. Liverpool spent £300m on attacking talent last summer but, as Alexander Isak made his first appearance of 2026 – in an anonymous cameo – the Georgian staked his claim to be the Champions League’s most compelling attacker.
His goal was superb. Kvaratskhelia ran onto Joao Neves’s perceptive pass, skipped away from a sliding Ryan Gravenberch and his international teammate Mamardashvili and slotted the ball into the net. He first tormented Liverpool with Napoli in 2022. They may have had the Georgian on their mind again but stopping Kvaratskhelia is altogether harder. This was his eighth Champions League goal of a productive season. He will not succeed Ousmane Dembele as the Ballon d’Or winner, if only because he will not be at the World Cup, but he might otherwise be a contender.
Otherwise, however, Liverpool could note they only conceded to a sizeable deflection, bringing Desire Doue the early opener. There might have been more goals. “They kept us alive by not scoring a few open chances,” admitted Slot.
Liverpool were caught on the counterattack too often. Mamardashvili, seeking to emulate Alisson’s heroics at the Parc des Princes last season, saved well from Kvaratskhelia and Doue, from Dembele and Achraf Hakimi.
Dembele delivered everything but the goal. He blazed one chance over. He rattled the post with a late drive. Rewind seven years and he missed the opportunity to put Barcelona 4-0 up at the Nou Camp against Liverpool, which eventually cost them; Liverpool may hope this is déjà vu.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia of PSG scores his team's second goal (Getty)Giorgi Mamardashvili was forced into several fine saves (AP)
They had a different sort of let-off when referee Jose Maria Sanchez initially gave a penalty for Ibrahima Konate’s challenge on Warren Zaire-Emery. A review later, he reversed his decision. Konate escaped what might have been more plausible penalty for a nudge on Nuno Mendes. One way or another, PSG could feel their dominance ought to have brought a third goal. “We know we played a great match,” said Luis Enrique.
Had they extended their lead, the verdict on Slot’s change of formation may have more damning. Perhaps it was an admission nothing else had worked. Whether a product of inspiration or desperation, for the first time in his reign, he started with three centre-backs, with Joe Gomez the left of the trio. Slot’s plan was to halt PSG’s flying full-backs, Hakimi and Mendes, but if intended to play 3-4-1-2, Liverpool often ended up with 5-4-1 and sometimes with a 5-5-0 system in the first half. They were stretched and struggling.
Desire Doue opened the scoring (Reuters)Arne Slot's tactical gamble brought mixed results (Getty Images)
As they ended up camped near their goal, the concentration of players may have cost them the opener. Doue’s effort looped up off Gravenberch and over Mamardashvili.
Slot had said Liverpool would go toe to toe with PSG. They began with no attempt to; their first-half xG was 0.00, their shot count zero. A manager who has been annoyed by other teams’ defensiveness in the Premier League went on the defensive. It showed an inferiority complex. While Liverpool grew in confidence and ambition, their three shots were all wayward.
There was a notable absentee from the attack. Mohamed Salah was dropped, his farewell tour bringing only a seat on the bench in Paris. He was overlooked again when Isak came on, having a mere three touches. “Mo has so many qualities but to be 20-25 minutes defending in his own box, I think it is better for him to save his energy for games coming up,” rationalised Slot. “In the last part of the game it was more about surviving us than having a chance.”
Liverpool live to fight another day but they are still on the brink. “Football has shown so many times that anything is possible,” argued Slot. But it feels improbable for Liverpool to progress from this position.
Atlanta's Ozzie Albies turned a strikeout into a walk by challenging the pitch, kicking off an eight-run rally against the Diamondbacks. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
Getty Images
Last Thursday, the Atlanta Braves beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 17-2. It was, by all accounts, a butt whooping. But upon closer inspection, was it?
As Ben Lindbergh pointed out in Episode 2462 of the Effective Wild podcast, just one at-bat changed everything about this game. And this inning (the fifth) and this game could be a microcosm of the “new baseball,” something that would be unrecognizable to fans just a generation ago (let alone 50 or 75 years in the past).
Here is how that fifth inning unfolded, which started with the Braves leading 2-1:
Second baseman Ozzie Albies led off and was called out on strikes on a 3-2 pitch. However, he tapped his helmet, compelling an ABS challenge, and was proven correct. As such, rather than one out and none on, there were no outs and one on.
Ozzie Albies clearly took ball four.
Baseaball Savant
Michael Harris II followed with a line out to center.
Dominic Smith walked, which moved Albies to second.
Mauricio Dubón then hit a ball to ten-time Gold Glove third baseman Nolan Arenado, who booted it, thus loading the bases. Does Arenado make this error ten years ago when he had a .973 fielding percentage and made only five fielding errors all season?
Ronald Acuña Jr. followed with a walk of his own, which gave the Braves their third run.
Catcher Drake Baldwin then hit a ground ball to Arenado, who started an inning-ending 5-4-3 double play. But Atlanta challenged the call at first, and won, leaving runners on the corners with two outs, and the Braves now leading 4-1.
Matt Olson followed with a double to right; Atlanta 5, Arizona 1.
After a pitching change, third baseman Austin Riley slashed a ball down the left field line for a double, scoring two.
Mike Yastrzemski then walked on a 3-2 pitch.
Albies, batting for the second time in the inning, lofted a soft flyball to left field that fell in front of Jordan Lawlar, for yet another run.
Harris, who made the first out of the fifth many moons ago, got redemption, doubling on a sharp line drive to left, scoring both Yastrzemski and Albies, which gave the Braves a 10-1 lead.
Dom Smith, also batting for the second time in the frame, gave Arenado one more shot, and the third baseman made good, tossing to first to end the inning.
51 pitches were thrown by Arizona pitchers in the fifth – 44 after Albies went from striking out to walking and starting the onslaught.
Prior to this season, when the ABS challenge system was instituted, Albies would have recorded the first out of the inning (rather than getting a base on balls). And Baldwin’s ground ball to Arenado, which resulted in a force out at second base (here for the second out), would have ended the inning, with no runs scored. Add to the mix that the possibility that Albies may have objected vociferously to a pitch clearly outside the strike zone and got himself thrown out for arguing balls and strikes, making him unavailable for the remainder of what was then a one-run game.
Prior to 2014, when replay review was instituted for plays other than home runs (which started in 2008), the inning would have ended with Baldwin’s ground ball to third, and the Braves leading 3-1.
The Braves tacked on two more runs in the sixth, and then five more in the ninth off catcher James McCann, who took the hill for the D’Backs in the blowout. Position players have always pitched in non-competitive games or in a pinch, but their usage has exploded, jumping by nearly 500% since 2016 (according to FanGraphs, in 2016, position players accounted for 0.16% of all relief appearances, while in 2025, they accounted for 0.76%). And while there were only 61 such appearances last season, regardless of the score, it would have been unheard of for a catcher to throw the ninth inning in say, 1986.
Catcher James McCann came in to pitch the ninth inning against the Braves, and gave up five runs. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
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However, love it or hate it, this is baseball in 2026. We have the ABS system and replay reviews and non-pitchers throwing garbage-time innings.
This article was originally published on Forbes.com
Few golf courses in the world have inspired more creative equipment tinkering than Augusta National. Players have shown up to the first tee with everything from extra wedges and one-off prototypes to unconventional setups built specifically for one week in April.
Phil Mickelson famously employed two drivers in 2004—one for a high, hard draw, one for a controlled fade—squeezing every possible advantage out of a bag designed for a single purpose. The pursuit of a Masters edge has always had a way of pushing players toward decisions they'd never consider anywhere else.
Tommy Fleetwood has his own answer. It just happens to be a club he's been carrying for a few years now.
"It's a perfect 9-wood golf course," Fleetwood said. "The biggest thing is the 9-wood for me. If I can put myself in position on the par-5s or the long par-3 fourth—for me, I can't really hit that high 4-iron, so 9-wood helps me a lot."
That might sound like a modest equipment confession, but it's worth noting that Fleetwood is hardly alone in this thinking. Over the past several years, high-lofted fairway woods have quietly become one of the most common additions to tour bags.
Players across all skill levels have been swapping out long irons and utility clubs in favor of 7-woods and 9-woods—clubs that were once considered the domain of recreational golfers—because the performance data simply makes too much sense to ignore. At Augusta specifically, where approach angles into firm, elevated greens demand height and stopping power, the trend accelerates.
The numbers back him up. In recent robot testing Golf Digest conducted with Golf Laboratories using Ping's G440 long-game lineup, the 9-wood produced the biggest carry gains of any club in the entire test when delivered with a slightly descending blow.
At 95 mph, a steeper attack angle resulted in nearly seven additional yards of carry compared to a neutral approach—a byproduct of spin dropping from 6,300 rpm down to 5,835 rpm without sacrificing launch height. At 85 mph, the gain was still a meaningful four-plus yards. At Augusta, players will be chasing that high, soft trajectory and shot-stopping spin above all else—but the fact that the 9-wood can also add meaningful distance makes it an even easier sell.
For Fleetwood, who has the swing speed to optimize those gains, the 9-wood is a calculated choice that lets him attack holes like the 8th, 13th and 15th on his own terms. It gives him the trajectory he wants, the confidence he needs, and eliminates the guesswork that comes with trying to manufacture a high 4-iron he's never fully trusted in those spots.
"I can't really hit that high 4-iron," he admitted, with the kind of refreshing candor tour players rarely offer. For Fleetwood, the high-lofted fairway wood doesn't just fill the void—it might be his most important club this week.
Fleetwood may be leaning on his 9-wood to navigate the world's most famous par-5s. For the rest of us, it might be time to look a little closer at what that same club can do on ours.
Just up the road from Augusta National, historic Palmetto GC is a club for serious golfers that doesn't take itself too seriously.Connor Federico
Picture this. You’re walking (on eggshells) through the Augusta National clubhouse, absorbing the ambiance, admiring the decor, when you spy a glass case with trophies in it. Except they aren’t trophies. They’re Styrofoam cups, cheeky stand-ins for the real things.
An exhibit of that kind would never be allowed at the home of the Masters.
But 30 minutes up the road, at a club whose roots run deeper than Augusta’s, a setup just like it stands on proud display.
Palmetto Golf Club in Aiken, S.C., is a rarity in the game: an historic club for serious golfers that doesn’t take itself too seriously. It dates to 1892, making it the oldest 18-hole course in the American South and the second-oldest club in the same location in the United States after Chicago Golf Club.
As at Augusta National, prominent names had a hand in its design. Thomas Hitchcock got Palmetto’s layout started before Herbert Leeds (of Myopia Hunt Club fame) completed the front nine. Donald Ross is said to have pitched in on irrigation, followed by Alister MacKenzie, who helped convert the greens from sand to grass even as he worked with Bobby Jones at Augusta. Modern-day contributors include Tom Doak, Rees Jones and Gil Hanse.
The course itself is not a bear. It is intimate in scale, tipping out at just over 6,600 yards, but it punches well above its weight in character and charm. Its routing is creative. Its elevation shifts are ample as are its shot-making demands.
Palmetto’s membership runs the gamut: blue-collar locals and Tour pros alike. One of those pros is Kevin Kisner, who, after winning the 2019 WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, earned a tribute from his home club that was right on brand. Without the actual trophy to display in the clubhouse, Palmetto head professional Brooks Blackburn got creative and mocked one up out of a Styrofoam cup, with Kisner’s name inscribed in Sharpie. Two years later, when Kisner won the Wyndham Championship, he asked Blackburn if Palmetto might honor him with another trophy.
Blackburn obliged. But, he says, “I thought it was a smaller win, so I put it on a smaller cup.” So it goes at Palmetto, where even newly minted champions aren’t above a good razzing.
GOLF.com got a good look at both of Kisner’s “trophies” on a recent visit to Palmetto that was part of a broader exploration of the golf scene in Aiken, which is both old and wonderfully new, with an explosion of contemporary courses to complement Palmetto and other local landmarks. During our time there, we toured courses with Kye Goalby, whose father, Bob, won the 1968 Masters; we followed Tour pro members as they played a money match; and we talked with Blackburn and others about a club where no one walks on eggshells, no one rides a high horse and beers are cheap at the self-service bar.
Immediately after news spread of Davey Lopes’ death at 80, tributes poured in from the baseball community in remembrance of the four-time MLB All-Star and former Milwaukee Brewers manager.
According to TMZ, Lopes died April 8 following complications from Parkinson’s disease and had been in hospice care in his native Rhode Island.
“Sending heartfelt condolences to Davey Lopes’ family,” former Philadelphia Phillies manager and shortstop Larry Bowa wrote on X. “He was one of the greatest competitors I had the privilege to play with in Chicago, and against when he was with the Dodgers. RIP my friend.”
“Davey was tough, honest and a terrific athlete,” Hall of Fame sports writer Ross Newhan, who covered Lopes’ playing career with the Dodgers for the Los Angeles Times, wrote on Facebook. “Visited with him a few times in retirement and saddened to think those visits are no more.”
“Davey Lopes, the best base stealing coach we’ve ever had,” former Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. wrote on X. “And a great base stealer in his own right. So sad to hear of his passing. God bless the Lopes family that has had to endure so much heartache. Thank you, Davey, for bringing joy to all of us. RIP”
TORONTO, ON - April 8 Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter George Springer (4) is safe at first on a pick off attempt in the first inning as Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) can't apply the tag in time.The Toronto Blue Jays played the Los Angeles Dodgers at the Rogers Centre in MLB baseball actionApril 8 2026 Richard Lautens/Toronto Star (Richard Lautens/Toronto Star via Getty Images) | Toronto Star via Getty Images
The Dodgers were on the verge of ending their first road trip undefeated, but the Blue Jays rallied against the bullpen for three unanswered runs to avoid being swept as the Dodgers fell 4-3.
Before Shohei Ohtani took the mound for the second time this season, he drew a lead-off walk to extend his on-base streak to 43 games, tying Ichiro for the longest on-base streak by a Japanese-born player. His on-base streak is now tied for sixth for the longest such streak in Dodgers history. Kyle Tucker followed Ohtani with a walk of his own to put the first two men on base with no outs, but Toronto starter Dylan Cease struck out Will Smith for his first out and induced a line-drive double play from Freddie Freeman to end the threat.
Ohtani was in danger of having his scoreless streak snapped as he allowed a pair of singles to George Springer and Vladimir Guerrero Jr., but he was able to get Jesús Sánchez to pop out on a 3-0 count and struck out Kazuma Okamoto to keep Toronto off the board.
After a scoreless second inning, the Blue Jays proceeded to snap Ohtani’s scoreless streak at 25 1/3 innings as Sánchez lined a two-out RBI double down the left field line to give Toronto their first lead of the series.
The Dodgers were left struggling for answers against Cease after the first inning walks, as they went down quietly over three innings until Smith reached on an infield single in the top of the fourth, advancing to second on a throwing error from Okamoto. Freeman brought him home with a single up the middle to give him his team-leading 13th RBI and erase a short-lived Toronto lead.
The Dodgers got to Cease to begin the top of the sixth inning, as he allowed two hits and a walk to load the bases with nobody out. Cease was pulled after 96 pitches and he was accounted for a Teoscar Hernández sacrifice fly off of Louis Varland to put the Dodgers back in front by a run.
The Blue Jays threatened against Ohtani in the bottom of the sixth inning, as Guerrero lined a lead-off double to put the tying run in scoring position with nobody out. Sánchez followed Guerrero with a hard ground ball to Rojas at short, but he gunned down the lead runner at third for the first out, and Ohtani kept Toronto at bay to end his day on the mound. It was another quality start for Ohtani, and he maintains a spotless earned runs average after allowing just the unearned run. His two strikeouts on Wednesday are a career low for any start of at least six innings in his big league career.
Game 7 heroes Miguel Rojas and Smith combined to give the Dodgers an insurance run in the top of the seventh, with the latter driving an RBI single up the middle against Tyler Rogers to make it a two-run game.
Jack Dreyer came in to face the bottom of Toronto’s lineup in the bottom of the seventh inning, and he faced trouble early by walking Davis Schneider and allowing a single to Tyler Heineman to put the tying run on base. George Springer narrowly missed hitting an opposite field go-ahead home run, but still connected for his second RBI double of the series to bring the Blue Jays to within a run. Dalton Varsho got Cease off the hook for the loss with a base hit up the middle to tie the game at three and knock Dreyer out of the game.
Blake Treinen came in to face the righty Guerrero, but walked him on four pitches to load the bases and put the go-ahead run at third. He bounced back to strike out Sánchez for the second out and then got Okamoto to roll over to third to keep the game tied.
Ben Casparius took over in the bottom of the eighth inning, and after getting Ernie Clement to fly out on one pitch, he walked Schneider and allowed a base hit to Andrés Giménez to put men on the corners, once again with the go-ahead run at third. Giménez took off for second base on a 1-0 pitch to Brandon Valenzuela, and Smith’s throw kicked away from Rojas, allowing Schneider to score and giving the Blue Jays the lead.
Kyle Tucker connected for his second straight single against closer Jeff Hoffman to put the tying run on first base with one out in the top of the ninth inning, and Smith walked to put the potential go-ahead run on base. Hoffman got Freeman to strike out on a high fastball and induced a weak ground ball from Max Muncy as the Dodgers suffered their first defeat away from home in 2026.
It was a rare struggling performance from the red-hot Andy Pages, as he went 0-4 with four strikeouts while snapping an eight-game hit streak dating back to March 30.
Three runs are the lowest total the Dodgers have had in any road game this year, although they are still averaging 8.67 runs per game away from Dodger Stadium. Now they’re set to return back home, where they last struggled mightily against the Cleveland Guardians combining for just seven runs in the three-game series.
The Dodgers are off on Thursday but are back at home to open a three-game series with the Texas Rangers on Friday (7:10 p.m. PT, SportsNet LA). Tyler Glasnow kicks off the series for the Dodgers against right-hander Kumar Rocker.
Elliot Anderson: Forest’s clear summer plan for United target revealed
Manchester United are hoping that the arrival of a world-class midfielder this summer can propel them back to their former glory. The Red Devils have been starved of success in recent seasons and are yet to win the league since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.
INEOS’ arrival has brought discipline and planning to the English giants’ recruitment, and they have taken a systematic approach to the transfer market. United invested heavily in the backline in the summer of 2024 and reinforced the attack and goalkeeping departments before the start of this campaign.
Next on the Red Devils’ agenda is the middle of the park, which will be significantly weakened by Casemiro’s departure this summer. Manuel Ugarte, who was signed to eventually succeed the Brazilian, has been a disappointment so far and is expected to leave as well.
United are eyeing Premier League-proven candidates who can help dominate the midfield and also hit the ground running at the Theatre of Dreams. Recent reports have suggested that Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson has become a priority for them ahead of the summer.
The best in his position in the Premier League?
Anderson rose through the ranks at Newcastle United and left in 2024 to join Forest in a reported £35 million deal. Since arriving at the City Ground, the Englishman has transformed into one of the best in his position in the Premier League.
This season, Anderson has been a rare shining light for the West Bridgford club, who are battling for survival in the top tier of English football. The 23 year old has registered the most successful short passes (1,611), the fourth-most successful long passes (106) and the fourth-most interceptions (34) among Premier League midfielders.
He has also won the most duels (254) in the Premier League, highlighting his tremendous dominance in midfield. Anderson has registered two goals and three assists in 41 games across competitions this season, 37 of which have been starts.
Recent reports have suggested that the Englishman prefers to join Manchester City instead of United. However, an update on the situation has now emerged that suggests the door may not be entirely closed at the moment.
Forest eager to ignite bidding war
According to journalist Graeme Bailey, Forest are hoping that Anderson can ignite a bidding war for his signature this summer. Speaking to TEAMtalk, Bailey said: “With Elliot Anderson, which one club benefits massively from multiple clubs being interested? Nottingham Forest.”
“They don’t want anyone to think that Manchester City have this tied down – they want a bidding war and that is completely understandable. They want top-of-the-market price, they want to be able to get a deal into three figures.”
“Is Anderson worth £100million? There is that age old argument that nobody is, but in the current market it is hard not to see him in that bracket, his stock is going up and up.”
The report, though, adds that United are aware that City are leading the race for his signature. There is also a belief that the player will ultimately end up at the Etihad this summer.
Final Thought
A recent report from The Peoples Person states that United have not thrown in the towel yet, and are planning to hold talks with the player’s entourage this summer. Anderson is just what the doctor ordered for the Red Devils, so they should do everything possible to beat City in this race.
New Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins has said all the right things since joining the AFC West franchise.
Coming from the Atlanta Falcons, Cousins is ready to play whatever role the Raiders want him to.
Whether that is as a mentor to Fernando Mendoza, the player Las Vegas is expected to take at No. 1 overall in the draft, or as the starter for Klint Kubiak
And if he's the starter, he'll have some weapons at his disposal, like tight end Brock Bowers, whom Cousins thinks might just be the best in football.
"Yeah, I think he may be the best tight end in football," Cousins said via the team website's Levi Edwards. "Hopefully, we can make that a reality this fall. Gotta keep him healthy, just like some of the other great players on this team.
"I've always really enjoyed playing with talented tight ends because of the curveball that it throws at defenses. I expect Brock to be as good of a curveball as I've ever played with. Can't wait to see how we can use him and to get on the grass with him. Even routes on air, I think it's going to be exciting to see a guy like that go to work."
In his two seasons, Bowers is already an All-Pro and Pro Bowler, totaling 1,874 yards and 12 TDs, so the production is there.
After playing 17 games in 2024, Bowers managed just 12 in 2025 due to injuries.
Still, we know that at full health, Bowers could be one of the best tight ends in football, and if Cousins is throwing him the ball, well, we saw what Kyle Pitts did last year.
So, Bowers has the NFL world at his feet, and if he stays healthy in 2026, there is every chance that at some point this upcoming season, many will see him as the best tight end in football.
Baseball and history are coming together in west Charlotte as local students get the chance to compete and learn in a three-day tournament, honoring Black history.
Blair Brown has been playing baseball for as long as he can remember.
“Around 2, 3 years old, my dad started me off with machines and stuff, just hitting around the house,” Brown told Channel 9’s Miana Massey. “I just fell in love with it from there.”
Now, the Phillip O. Berry Academy junior is one of several student athletes taking the field at the Knothole Foundation’s Westside Story tournament.
“I’m pretty excited,” he said. “Hopefully we can come out with a dub like we did last year.”
Morris Madden, the cofounder of the event, says this tournament brings together students from schools that don’t always get this kind of opportunity.
“We’re having a tournament for inner city kids of schools that are around the area, schools that don’t normally participate in a spring break tournament, and we want to give them an opportunity here,” he said.
The event is designed to give students exposure, experience and place to grow. Players will also have the chance to connect with college-level coaches.
“You got to put the work in yourself,” Brown said. “You can’t depend on other people to push you. It’s certain things that you have to meet to get to those requirements.”
The tournament honors the past and present with a special tribute to the Negro Leagues. Each of the days will feature an educational lunch with guest speakers, historians and more.
“Baseball is a pretty under-looked sport for my people,” Brown said. “I think bringing it it an area like this is bringing more opportunities for Black kids like myself.”
Madden says it’s about remembering the people who paved the way for the sport we know today.
“We want our kids to know the history of where they came from,” he said. “If you don’t know where you came from, then how are you going to know where you’re going to go?”
The event runs through Friday. The tournament championship will be held Thursday night at Richard “Stick” Williams Dream Fields and Education Center.
Monday’s national championship game capped a 2025-26 men’s college basketball season that saw a surge in TV ratings. On3 is breaking down the most-watched games of the year.
The title game between Michigan and UConn averaged 18.3 million viewers across TBS, TNT and truTV. As a whole, the 2026 NCAA Tournament drew 10.9 million viewers on average, marking a 7% increase from last year and the second most-watched March Madness since 1994. It followed up a regular season which also saw ratings rise across all major networks.
On3 tracked TV ratings data throughout the 2025-26 men’s college basketball season. Here are the most-watched games of the year, according to Nielsen Big Data + Panel figures.
National championship: Michigan vs. UConn
Date/Time: April 6, 8:50 p.m. ET Channel: TBS + TNT + truTV Viewers: 18.3 million
Michigan‘s victory over UConn, which secured the Wolverines’ first national title since 1989, averaged 18.3 million viewers across TBS, TNT and truTV. That includes a peak audience of 20.4 million as it became the most-watched national championship since 2019 and the top game of the 2025-26 college basketball season.
Final 4: Michigan vs. Arizona
Date/Time: April 4, 9:08 p.m. ET Channel: TBS + TNT + truTV Viewers: 14.29 million
Michigan‘s dominant victory over Arizona averaged 14.293 million viewers across TBS, TNT and truTV, making it the second most-watched game of the year. That includes 811,000 people watching the “Fab Five” alt-cast on truTV.
Final 4: UConn vs. Illinois
Date/Time: April 4, 6:09 p.m. ET Channel: TBS + TNT + truTV Viewers: 14.16 million
Although Final Four viewership was down compared to last year, UConn’s win over Illinois was still the third most-watched men’s college basketball game of the year. An average of 14.16 million viewers tuned in across TBS, TNT and truTV as the Huskies fought off a late surge from the Fighting Illini to punch their ticket to the national championship once again.
Elite 8: UConn vs. Duke
Date/Time: March 29, 5:05 p.m. ET Channel: CBS Viewers: 13.43 million
An average of 13.4 million viewers tuned to CBS as UConn rallied from 19 points down to defeat Duke in the Elite 8 That includes a peak of 18.9 million viewers as Alex Karaban found Braylon Mullins for the game-winning shot with 0.4 second left.
Round of 32: St. John’s vs. Kansas
Date/Time: March 22, 5:15 p.m. ET Channel: CBS Viewers: 10.58 million
St. John’s victory over Kansas led the TV ratings charge as it became the most-watched game through the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament. An average of 10.58 million viewers tuned to CBS as the Red Storm took down the Jayhawks on a buzzer-beating shot by Dylan Darling in the Round of 32.
Elite 8: Purdue vs. Arizona
Date/Time: March 28, 8:49 p.m. ET Channel: TBS + truTV Viewers: 10.14 million
Through the first half against Arizona, Purdue had an upset on its mind as the Boilermakers took a halftime lead. But the Wildcats flipped the script out of the break, outscoring Purdue 48-26 in the second half to clinch a spot in the Final Four for the first time in 25 years.
Round of 32: Kentucky vs. Iowa State
Date/Time: March 22, 2:40 p.m. ET Channel: CBS Viewers: 9.79 million
Early in the Round of 32 matchup against Iowa State, Kentucky made things interesting with an early lead. But the 2-seeded Cyclones hit the gas and didn’t look back as they advanced to the Sweet Sixteen, and more than 9.79 million viewers tuned in for the game.
Round of 32: TCU vs. Duke
Date/Time: March 21, 5:15 p.m. ET Channel: CBS Viewers: 9.55 million
After surviving Siena in the first round, Duke again faced an upset scare in the second round against TCU. But Cameron Boozer and the Blue Devils prevailed to keep their season alive. An average of 9.55 million viewers tuned in for the thrilling round of 32 matchup.
Sweet 16: St. John’s vs. Duke
Date/Time: March 27, 7:10 p.m. ET Channel: CBS Viewers: 9.37 million
Caleb Foster’s return came at the perfect time for Duke in the Sweet 16 matchup against St. John’s. Foster and Patrick Ngongba made key plays down the stretch to help the Blue Devils take down the Red Storm and advance to the Elite 8.
Round of 32: Louisville vs. Michigan State
Date/Time: March 21, 2:40 p.m. ET Channel: CBS Viewers: 8.47 million
As Michigan State secured a second straight trip to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time in a decade, Louisville kept things fairly close. The Spartans’ 77-69 win averaged 8.47 million viewers on CBS in the afternoon window on Saturday and rounded out the Top 10 most-watched men’s college basketball games of the year.
More most-watched men’s basketball games
Sweet 16: Texas vs. Purdue (March 26, 7:10 p.m. ET, CBS) – 8.35 million Elite 8: Iowa vs. Illinois (March 28, 6:09 p.m. ET, TBS + truTV) – 8.24 million Elite 8: Tennessee vs. Michigan (March 29, 2:15 p.m. ET, CBS) – 7.49 million Sweet 16: Michigan State vs. UConn (March 27, 9:45 p.m. ET, CBS) – 7.34 million Round of 32: Miami (FL) vs. Purdue (March 22, Noon ET, CBS) – 6.83 million Duke vs. Arkansas (Nov. 27, 8:15 p.m. ET, CBS) – 6.81 million Michigan State vs. North Carolina (Nov. 27, 4:30 p.m. ET, FOX) – 6.499 million Round of 32: Saint Louis vs. Michigan (March 21, Noon ET, CBS) – 6.25 million Round of 32: VCU vs. Illinois (March 21, 8 p.m. ET, CBS) – 5.65 million Sweet 16: Arkansas vs. Arizona (March 26, 9:45 p.m. ET, CBS) – 5.53 million Round of 64: Siena vs. Duke (March 19, 2:50 p.m. ET, CBS) – 5.43 million Round of 32: Iowa vs. Florida (March 22, 7 p.m. ET, TBS) – 5.14 million Round of 64: Santa Clara vs. Kentucky (March 20, Noon ET, CBS) – 4.999 million Sweet 16: Alabama vs. Michigan (March 27, 7:35 p.m. ET, TBS + truTV) – 4.83 million Big Ten Championship: Purdue vs. Michigan (March 15, 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS) – 4.72 million
The 2026 NCAA Tournament dominated TV ratings to cap the college basketball season, though some regular-season games also appeared in the Top 25. Now, it’s on to the offseason with the transfer portal window open.
PORTLAND, OREGON - MARCH 19: Robert Wright III #1 of the BYU Cougars dribbles the ball while being guarded by Chendall Weaver #2 of the Texas Longhorns during the second half in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Villanova has been mentioned as a potential landing spot for BYU transfer Robert Wright III.
The Wildcats are in need of a point guard this offseason after Acaden Lewis entered the transfer portal. It makes sense that Kevin Willard would be interested in the top point guard, and one of the best overall players, on the market.
The question remains — is Villanova a fit? The answer might be yes and no.
On the court, Wright is a definite fit and the type of elite player needed. He averaged 18.1 points and 4.6 assists per game in his only season at BYU. Wright’s defense leaves much to be desired. Lewis set the freshman program record for steals in a single season so the Wildcats like a backcourt that can defend. What Wright lacks in defense, he makes up for beyond the arc.
Wright shot 41% from three-point range during his sophomore year. This opens up his ability to get in the paint and either score or create for his teammates. Wright is a true point guard and one that will come with a heavy price tag. This is where some doubts creep in.
There were some hard feelings when Wright left Baylor after a tremendous freshman campaign. Now, he is back in the portal but there is a chance he cold return to BYU if the price is right. Let’s not forget that AJ Dybantsa will likely be leaving for the NBA Draft and Richie Saunders has exhausted his eligibility. BYU might have the ability to pay Wright the $3 million — or more — that he is looking for.
With that being said, Villanova has some money to work with too and it will be interesting to see if more opens up with a player like Wright available. As of now, the Wildcats are tasked with replacing three starters and more production coming off the bench.
Wright will have plenty of suitors during this process and Villanova should be a team that makes a phone call.
A pair of powerhouse matchups in the NCAA basketball championships resulted in big audiences for the men’s and women’s finals.
Both games showed year-to-year ratings gains — which is particularly notable for the men’s side, as Monday’s final aired on TNT Sports rather than CBS; the broadcast network’s years with the title game typically bring in larger audiences. Michigan’s 69-63 win over Connecticut Monday night averaged 18.3 million viewers on TBS, TNT and TruTV, up a little from the 18.1 million who watched the 2025 title game on CBS (with the caveat that Nielsen has added a big data component to its ratings measurement this season). Monday’s telecast improved by about 23 percent over the last time TNT Sports carried the championship in 2024 and was the most watched men’s title game since 2019.
The women’s championship game Sunday afternoon on ABC and ESPN, meanwhile, delivered 9.88 million viewers who watched UCLA thump South Carolina, 79-51. The game grew about 16 percent from 8.5 million viewers last year and finished as the third most-watched women’s final on record, behind the record-setting 2024 game (18.87 million viewers) and just off the 9.9 million for the 2023 championship.
The men’s Final Four averaged 14.2 million viewers, down about 8 percent from last year. Both games (UConn-Illinois and Michigan-Arizona) finished within a couple hundred thousand viewers of the average. The men’s tournament as a whole averaged 10.9 million viewers across CBS, TBS, TNT and TruTV, up 7 percent from 2025 and the second highest average since 1994.
Final Four games in the women’s bracket averaged about 5.2 million viewers, including altcasts on ESPN2, up 33 percent from a year ago. The two matchups (South Carolina-UConn and UCLA-Texas) rank in the top five women’s Final Four games since ESPN began airing the tournament in 1996.
Cameron Young's golf bag was created with purpose to help him win.Andrew Redington/Getty Images and Jack Hirsh/GOLF
Welcome to Bag Spy, a GOLF series devoted to understanding the crucial equipment choices that define a player’s bag. With the help of players and/or their expert fitters, we dig deep beyond the photos to examine setups, specs and the thinking behind them. In this installment, GOLF associate equipment editor Jack Hirsh takes you inside Cameron Young’s bag and equipment setup for 2026.
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Cameron Young enters his fifth career Masters in a much different position than all of his previous visits. His golf bag is drastically different, too.
Young is making his first start since the biggest win of his young career at the Players Championship. A year ago, he was talked about as the best PGA Tour player without a win. Now he has two.
In that time, Young and Titleist’s Tour team have been meticulous to dial in his golf bag to match one of the fastest and highest-spin players on the PGA Tour. Many of the changes revolve around Young’s prototype Titleist Pro V1x Double Dot over the past eight months, but others have been in the works for years before it was even a thought.
He really doesn’t change technically,” Titleist Vokey rep Aaron Dill told GOLF. “His golf swing, his action, his ball flight. It’s very consistent, right? And so as a, as a club fitter and as an equipment team, you know, the little things that we do to help him manage some of the problems, the problem areas of being a stronger ball flight guy.
“Using the golf ball, putting, putting a wider sole on the wedge, J.J. putting together a driver that creates high launch, low spin, you know, there’s just this perfect symphony of all these things that give him all these freedoms and flexibilities to swing the way he wants to swing. And when you put those together, and he’s putting well — which he does all the time — you start winning championships.”
Keep reading below to dive into Young’s unique bag.
Breaking down every club in Cameron Young’s bag
Ball
Titleist Pro V1x Double Dot
Jack Hirsh/GOLF
The golf ball is the foundation of almost all the bags on the PGA Tour, but Young’s is especially so given his recent changes. During his breakthrough win last summer, Young became one of the first players to game Titleist’s prototype Pro V1x Double Dot golf ball.
He was previously a user of one of Titleist’s other Custom Performance Option (CPO) golf balls, the Pro V1 Left Dot, to help rein in his super-high-spin delivery conditions. But during a research session at the Titleist Performance Center at Manchester Lane, Van Wezenbeeck and the golf ball R&D teams noticed Young had an especially strong flight with one of the prototypes. This testing session was more for Fordie Pitts and the R&D team than it was for Young, but clearly, there was something worth pursuing.
“That was kind of a light bulb moment, I think, for golf ball R&D and Fordie going, ‘Okay, we have a profile here. It needs a little refinement, but it’s kind of doing some things that, um, that they’re asking to do,'” Van Wezenbeeck said.
That ball eventually became the Pro V1x Double Dot prototype that Young first played at the Wyndham Championship, where he would get his first win.
Titleist Pro V1x Golf Balls
Total Performance With Higher Flight And More Spin Pro V1x golf balls are the optimal premium performance choice for players looking for maximum distance, higher flight and more stopping power. Why Play Pro V1x? Pro V1x is recommended to players who are looking for high-trajectory flight, low long game spin with maximum short game spin, and firmer feel. Comparison to Pro V1 Due to its unique dimple pattern, Pro V1x has a higher flight than Pro V1. A high-gradient dual core produces slightly more iron and wedge spin than Pro V1.
The driver Young used for the recorded longest drive ever on the 18th hole at TPC Sawgrass at the Players was one he just started using the week before.
Titleist’s fitting philosophy revolves around fitting the golf ball to the iron set and then fitting the driver and the rest of the bag to the ball.
With Young’s new Double Dot prototype resulting in such a great flight with his irons, Van Wezenbeeck began working with him to further dial in the rest of the bag over the last several months. The last part was switching to the 11-degree lofted GT3, the highest lofted driver of any winner so far this season on the PGA Tour.
The move was actually precipitated after prototype testing of the GTS lineup, where Van Wezenbeeck found that Young was performing best with the GTS3. That led them to re look at Young’s driver as he was currently in GT2.
At Bay Hill, Young put into play the new GT3, set to D1, taking the loft down 3/4 of a degree, which got his launch angle up from 9 degrees to 11 while keeping spin relatively in the same window at 2500 rpm. The goal was to increase peak height and thus carry efficiency, not increase spin.
“if we had just gone to an 11-degree GT2, we’re going to get kind of launch and spin,” Van Wezenbeeck said. “By going from a 10-degree GT2 to an 11-degree GT3, we were able to control the spin in a similar window and get launch, which really helped that ball flight.”
Titleist GT3 Custom Driver
GT3 – Speed-Tuned Distance & Control GT3 offers Titleist’s boldest combination of power and personalization. With a speed-tuned design that allows you to precisely match performance to your most frequent contact location, you can make your biggest drives even bigger while taking total control over flight and shaping. For players with a relatively consistent impact location, GT3 offers a precisely adjustable CG Track to max out distance and directional control. Seamless Thermoform Crown A reimagined ultra-lightweight design, born from a new Proprietary Matrix Polymer. The tunable acoustic properties of this unique composite allow Titleist engineers to realize new material gains while maintaining our signature sound and feel. All wrapped in a clean look that inspires total confidence. Split Mass Construction A breakthrough in internal weighting unlocks longer drives and enhanced directional control in GT3. The Adjustable CG Track now sits closer to the face for more dynamic CG control, while additional discretionary mass is pushed to the back of the club to maintain optimal stability through impact. Advanced Aerodynamics GT3 features a new raised tail contour that represents a dramatic shift in driver aerodynamics. Previously impossible to execute due to design constraints, this advanced shaping results in a driver that swings faster while still providing optimal CG control.
Titleist GT1 3Tour Loft: 14.5˚ SureFit Hosel Setting: A1 SureFit Weights: 15 g front, 7 g back Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana PD 80 TX
Young’s fairway wood and hybrid are the same story as his driver. After the golf ball change, he was looking to increase launch without increasing spin to take advantage of the flight characteristics of his Double Dot Prototype.
After winning with the GT3 fairway wood in the bag at Wyndham, and previously using a strong lofted 13.5˚ GT2, Young moved into the GT1 3Tour in the fall to, again, deliver more launch without increasing spin.
The fairway wood has a prototype silver face to allow Young to see the 14.5 degrees of loft easier and it’s something we’ve seen on some of the GTS fairway wood prototypes spotted out on Tour in the last few weeks.
“We went … to the 14.5 with a silver face, and that face really provided that shallow head, let him see a lot of loft and allowed him to keep impacts up the face to keep launch up,” Van Wezenbeeck said.
Titleist GT1 3Tour Custom Fairway Wood
Lift your launch window with GT1 3Tour Fairway. Featuring a Tour-inspired player profile, shallow face, low CG, and a stronger “Tour Loft,” this fairway is designed to launch higher and fly farther without over-spinning. New adjustable fore/aft weights enable further optimization of ball speed, launch, and spin to achieve effortless fairway performance. Features High Launch and Exceptional Forgiveness Stronger Loft Adjustable Fore-Aft Spin Control Refined, Tour-Inspired Shaping Enhanced Sound and Feel
Titleist GT1 Loft: 20˚ SureFit Hosel Setting: A1 SureFit Weights: 13 g front, 5 g back Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana PD 80 TX
The GT1 hybrid is probably the most surprising club in Young’s bag since being added at the Farmers Insurance Open earlier this season.
Unlike the GT1 3Tour fairway wood, which has a lower and more forward CG than the standard GT1 3-wood head, the GT1 hybrid is the same as the version in many weekend hackers’ bags.
The larger profile hybrid (between the size of a traditional hybrid and a 7-wood) has the unique ability to accept both fairway wood and hybrid shafts. A fairway wood shaft typically has a softer tip compared to a hybrid shaft because of the smaller tip diameter, and using the same Diamana PD 80 TX as Young’s 3-wood helped them create more launch and higher peak heights.
“We took advantage of GT1 being able to use a fairway shaft here. So we have kind of this small, you know, big-headed hybrid or kind of small-headed fairway,” Van Wezenbeeck said. “In this case, we needed a little speed, we needed a little spin, and a little launch. So when we paired it with a fairway shaft, we got a little bit of everything.”
Young is one of a few Titleist staffers playing their own, unique one-off set of irons. How did Van Wezenbeeck and the Tour team decide that Young would benefit from a personal set of irons?
It came out of Young’s high shaft lean delivery, which was causing issues with turf interaction, especially on his short irons. The first solution was to add some bounce to the leading edge of his 620 MBs, but then the team started to go further.
“We work through the process where I kind of interview the player on things that he likes, doesn’t like. I bring that to Marni Ines (Titleist’s director of iron development) and the irons team and say, ‘Okay, here’s kind of our 1st swing,’ Van Wezenbeeck said. “We’ll mill a piece. We’ll take that back out. We’ll get further feedback and refinement and kind of work through that process, until we get something we really like.”
It helped that Young loved the profile and offset of the existing 620 MBs, so they could build off that profile. To enhance the turf interaction, the irons have a progressive bounce, with more on the scoring irons to transition into his wedges. The 6- to 8-irons also have a slightly wider sole to help lower the CG and give Young a touch more launch.
For the first two prototype heads made for him, a 9-iron and a 6-iron, Young requested no changes for either of them.
There was a 631.CY 5-iron made for Young, but his existing T100 5-iron outperformed the custom-made prototype. He’s remained in his ’23 T100 5-iron and T200 4-iron because of the familiarity and trust he has in those clubs.
His larger-profile long irons are becoming somewhat of a theme out on Tour, but that’s all to help him create consistent launch and yardage gappings and pair with his low-launch and high-spin delivery.
This year, as Young was working through some swing changes, Young and Van Wezenbeeck made the lie angles on his short irons more upright to optimize his start lines.
Titleist 620 MB Custom Irons
Read more about the Titleist 620 MB Custom Irons at Golf.com Designed for low handicaps, the MB is the modern choice for those desiring a traditional forged blade look and feel. The new Titleist 620 MB is the definition of a true forged player’s blade. The muscle-back design is perfect for players that are seeking total shot-making capabilities and an incredibly soft feel. Strategically designed CG locations deliver responsive feedback, allowing you to hit any shot you desire.
Young’s wedge set helped him as much as any part in his bag at the Players, where he led the field in Scrambling at 76 percent and made the crucial final birdie on 17 after knocking a sand wedge to 10 feet.
One of two major changes Young has made to his wedge was switching to the 56.14F (bent weak to 57˚) from an M-Grind sand wedge to optimize his carry yardage gaps and give him another option around the greens.
But the other change was moving to a unique WedgeWorks 60K* lob wedge bent to 62˚ at the PGA Championship at Valahalla in 2024. Then, Young was in a low-bounce and narrow-soled T-Grind lob wedge. That’s the most popular wedge grind on the PGA Tour, but one that was making it difficult for Young to get out of the bunkers.
“I’m just watching him from a distance, just seeing how things are going, and and every time every time he hits a shot out of the practice bunker, it’s coming out low and dead and just releasing a lot,” Dill said. ”And his body, you know, his body language just looked a little frustrated.”
Young was looking to get more and easier height out of the sand, so that led Young to give him a demo head of a 60˚ K*, with the adjustable hosel set to 62˚ to add even more bounce.
“I gave him the 60 K* at 62, and I knew there were two things he’d love — the wide sole creates effortless height, and it helps him in the sand. He’s getting height around the green and consistency through the sand,” Dill said. “He played it that week, and I asked how it went. He said, ‘I was 10 for 10 in bunker saves.’ So I’d say it worked pretty well.”
Given that Young plays such stout Dynamic Gold X7 shafts in his irons, he keeps them through his sand wedge to match the feel and consistency. At the lob wedge, he does go slightly softer, although not much, with an X100.
One of the most popular lob wedge grinds on the PGA TOUR, the K* features a low-bounce sole that originates from the .06K Grind. Instead of the full, smooth sole of the K, the K* features a steeper pre-wear on the leading edge as well as heel, toe and trailing edge relief. The pre-wear helps resist excessive digging on square-faced shots, while the heel, toe and trailing edge relief adds greenside versatility when the face is opened. Like all K Grind variations, K* has a wide sole that excels out of the bunker. Justin Thomas, Lottie Woad, Cameron Young and the 2024 Champion Golfer of the Year are among the many players who travel with a K* lob wedge in their bag week in and week out.
Scotty Cameron Phantom 9.5R Tour Prototype Grip: SuperStroke
Young has played one of Scotty Cameron’s Phantom mallets for the entirety of his PGA Tour career, but there were multiple different options before the 9.5R Tour prototype he’s in today.
While he was on the Korn Ferry Tour, he used a face-balanced and large Phantom 11. By the time he was on the PGA Tour, he preferred a more compact Phantom 5, but with a long plumber’s neck, so it was still face balanced.
Young has had a relationship with Scotty Cameron’s Brad Cloke since his days on the Korn Ferry Tour and while he was in the long-neck Phantom 5, he told Cloke he wanted to get into a putter with more toe flow.
“Some of it’s a desire for him to play a blade,” Cloke said. “Although he, self-admittedly, says he would never put a blade in play, he’s got one that he’s always teased and tempted to put in play, but it’s kind of that same original feeling of more flow.”
In late 2024, Cloke built him some Phantom options with a high toe flow jet neck, but it wasn’t until early 2025 that Young felt he he was comfortable using one. He made the move to the 9.5R at the Cognizant Classic and hasn’t switched since. He recorded the best putting season of his career in 2025, ranking 7th in SG: Putting after being outside the top 140 the previous two seasons.
The “R” denotes more rounded edges and contours on the No. 9 shape and eventually inspired Cameron to bring the modification to retail with the 2026 Phantom lineup.
“Guys just pick up putters and sometimes they get attached to them right away,” Cloke said. “That’s what happened with the 9.5R—it just appealed to his eye and gave him what he was looking for.”
AUGUSTA, Ga.—How serious is Augusta National about its no-phone policy?
Serious enough apparently for a claret jug winner to pay the price when crossing it.
According to Golfweek’s Adam Schupak, 1989 Open champion Mark Calcavecchia was removed from the club on Tuesday for using his phone on property. When Schupak reached Calcavecchia by phone, the golfer declined to elaborate on the infraction but also didn’t deny he was asked to leave by security.
“I’ve got nothing negative to say about Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters, so I think we should literally hang up right now,” Calcavecchia said in a short conversation with the reporter.
In 1994, the former tour player and CBS broadcaster Gary McCord’s color description of Augusta National’s green speeds led to the end of his Masters broadcasting career . “I don’t think they mow these greens, I think they bikini wax them,” McCord said on air. Three days later, McCord was told he would be removed from the tournament broadcast team.
Augusta National has yet to respond to a request for comment.
The Philadelphia 76ers will continue their final road trip of the season on Thursday when they take on the Houston Rockets. The Sixers need a win in the worst way to give themselves a chance to get out of the play-in and into the playoffs, so there is a lot riding on this one.
As far as the injury report is concerned, the Sixers will, of course, be without rookie big man Johni Broome who remains sidelined due to right knee surgery recovery. He suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee and is probably looking ahead to the 2026-27 season.
Cam Payne (right hamstring strain) also remains sidelined. The Sixers announced on Sunday that he will be re-evaluated in two weeks as Philadelphia looks ahead without him.
As for Joel Embiid, the big fella is once again not listed on the injury report as this continues a strong trend for him. As he continues to build himself up for the postseason, Embiid will look to lead the way for Philadelphia and pick up important wins.
The Boston Red Sox are struggling to start the new year out on the right foot. Despite blanking the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday, they still sit at the bottom of the AL East with a 4-8 record.
Not much has gone right for this club at this point. The pitching staff, which should have been a strong point, is getting hit around a bit, and the offense hasn't been able to get much going.
They have 44 runs pushed across the board so far, which ranks them 21st across MLB.
Previous reports hinted at Roman Anthony having defensive question marks
While hitting and pitching have not been all the way there yet, neither has the defense. They have had a few questionable plays so far this season.
Most recently, Roman Anthony had a golden opportunity to throw out the go-ahead run at home plate on Monday against the Brewers, but his throw wasn't even close.
After the game, he was the first one to admit that the throw was bad, but it wasn't his only questionable play. He has made at least three missed throws to the plate, allowing runs to be scored.
This was something that was hinted at in MLB Pipeline's report on the slugger last year.
"His instincts allow him to steal some bases and to get the job done in the center field, though he profiles much better on a corner. He earns average-to-solid grades for his arm strength but recorded just two assists in 101 outfield starts in 2024."
His arm strength came into question well before he was on the Red Sox roster. On top of that, he had very few assists while starting over 100 games in the outfield in the minors in 2024.
This is something that the Red Sox cannot just let go of. They need to figure this out, or they would be doing themselves a disservice.
5 Takeaways From PSG’s 2-0 Win Over Liverpool in the Champions League
PSG have taken a big step towards the Champions League semi-finals.
Fielding the strongest possible side without the injured Fabian Ruiz and Bradley Barcola, Luis Enrique played no surprises at the start of this Champions League quarter-final first leg against Liverpool. Arne Slot, meanwhile, opted for a defensive setup with three center-backs and a very deep defensive line early on. This shows just how much he fears the reigning European champions. There was far less space than last season, but that didn’t stop Désiré Doué from opening the scoring in magnificent fashion. His right-footed shot, deflected by Gravenberch, looped over Mamardashvili and nestled under the bar (1-0, 11’). In the second half, Kvaratskhelia pulled off a brilliant bit of skill in the Reds’ box, holding off Gravenberch, evading Mamardashvili, and scoring with his right foot (2-0).
All the starting players performed well in this Champions League quarter-final, with the exception of Dembélé.
With Safonov in fine form and the defense rock-solid, Liverpool posed very little threat. The midfield trio of João Neves, Vitinha, and Zaïre-Emery dominated the Reds’ midfield. Doué and Kvaratskhelia were on the scoresheet. The Georgian has also become the first player in history to score in four consecutive Paris SG matches in the Champions League knockout stages.
Ousmane Dembélé was the only attacking player not to score in this first leg of the quarter-final.
He missed three chances, two of which were clear-cut. In the first half, the Parisians put together a superb move, building from their own half. Kvaratskhelia found Doué in the center, who, at the end of his run, played the ball out to Dembélé 15 meters out. The Ballon d’Or winner, perfectly positioned, blasted his left-footed shot wide (42’). In the second half, Kvaratskhelia played Mendes in on the left of the box. A cut-back cross later, Dembélé found himself unmarked 10 meters out, but missed the target with his left foot, shooting over the bar (53’). Finally, set up by Nuno Mendes, he hit the Liverpool post (2-0, 87’).
Paris could have gone 5-0 or 6-0 up and killed off any suspense ahead of next week’s return leg at Anfield.
The Parisians missed four huge chances through Doué, Dembélé, and Nuno Mendes. In the Champions League and at this stage of the competition, the European champions should have been more clinical in front of goal.
Finally, a brilliant atmosphere at the Parc des Princes.
As always on European match nights. A magnificent tifo as the players entered the pitch, a huge amount of noise in the first half – I couldn’t hear the journalist next to me. Slightly less noise in the second half, but from the moment Kvaratskhelia scored, we couldn’t hear a word. What a night for the European champions and for the whole of the Parc des Princes.
Barcelona player ratings against Atletico Madrid: Lamine Yamal shines in Champions League defeat
Barcelona were defeated 2-0 by Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie at the Spotify Camp Nou on Wednesday, which has left their progression hopes on the brink of being dashed.
Joan Garcia – 6
Made an important save early on to deny Julian Alvarez, but could do little to stop either of Atleti’s goals.
Jules Kounde – 6
Did not look sharp, which was to be expected since he has only just returned from injury. However, he did manage to keep Ademola Lookman quiet.
Pau Cubarsi – 5.5
Started the match well, but his red card – his role in which was unlucky – has proven to be very costly for Barcelona.
Gerard Martin – 6
Outmuscled too easily by Alexander Sorloth for Atleti’s second goal.
Joao Cancelo – 6.5
Did not have as much success as recent weeks in an attacking sense, but he always provided an option down the left for his teammates to find.
Eric Garcia – 6
Started in midfield, where he did not look comfortable at times, and pushed back to defence in the second half following Cubarsi’s red card.
Pedri – 6.5
Had some good moments and bad moments, but in the end, he lasted only 45 minutes before being replaced by Gavi.
Lamine Yamal – 7.5
Everything Barcelona did came through him. Almost had an assist in the first half, but Marcus Rashford’s effort was adjudged offside. He had a couple of fantastic solo runs that lacked the finishing touch.
Dani Olmo – 6
Preferred to Fermin Lopez from the start, but he could not make much of a difference in attack.
Marcus Rashford – 6.5
Alongside Lamine Yamal, he was by far Barcelona’s biggest threat. Had a couple of shots saved by Atleti goalkeeper Juan Musso, and when he did find the back of the net, it was ruled offside.
Robert Lewandowski – 6
Very quiet evening for the veteran striker, whose lack of form and consistency continues to worry Barcelona.
Substitutes
Fermin Lopez – 6
Brought on to add more incisiveness in attack, but he could not make a difference.
Gavi – 6.5
His performance was one of the rare highlights of the evening for Barcelona. His first significant minutes since returning after almost six months out, and he did not look out of place at all.
Ronald Araujo – 6
Brought on at right-back, but didn’t do much.
Ferran Torres – 6
Claimed for a penalty late on, but again, he looked devoid of confidence.
Alejandro Balde – N/A
Back after a month out, he was not involved much during his short time on the pitch.
Slot opted not to bring Mo Salah off the bench despite his side trailing in Paris and explaining the decision, he said: “I think in the last part of the game, it was more about surviving for us than the chance of us scoring.
“You never know, because last season we scored five minutes before the end, Harvey Elliott when I took Mo off.
“But I think this was 20/25 minutes where we were only defending.
“Mo has so many qualities but for Mo to be 20 or 25 minutes defending inside his own box, I think it’s better for him to save his energy for the games that are coming up in the upcoming weeks.”
Slot’s side failed to manage a shot on target in the game and the Dutchman admits his team were in “survival mode” for much of the 90 minutes.
“Of course that’s not the plan,” he said. “Of course you think you can do better and when you press them high you can force them into mistakes but I think the way you describe it is maybe the perfect way.
“We were in survival mode for large parts of the game. But maybe also in the period of the season we are in, we are in survival mode.
“We can try to make sure that their qualities are not seen that much but that’s really hard against this team because last season over here we were also in survival mode as well.
“But as I said, PSG were the better team. But we didn’t give up and that’s why we have a chance, we’re still in this tie.
“They kept us alive by not scoring a few open chances and now we can bring the tie back to Anfield.”
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Arsenal face signicant competition in race to sign Sporting star
Ousmane Diomande delivered a decent performance for Sporting in their Champions League match against Arsenal last night, showcasing the qualities he could bring if the Gunners succeed in signing him. However, his display has also intensified interest from Newcastle, who are now more determined to win the race for his signature.
Arsenal have been tracking Diomande for a considerable period and remain keen to bring him to the club in the future. The defender has consistently impressed with his composure and defensive awareness, making him a strong candidate for a move to a top side.
Strong Showing Against Arsenal
If an opportunity arises for him to leave Sporting, Arsenal are expected to step up their pursuit, and they were closely monitoring his performance during this fixture. Diomande stood out as one of the best players on the pitch, helping his side resist Arsenal’s attacking efforts for much of the match.
Sporting managed to hold firm until added time, demonstrating organisation and resilience before eventually conceding. Arsenal, however, once again showed their ability to secure results even under pressure, underlining their determination in crucial moments.
Transfer Battle Intensifies
Despite Arsenal’s long-standing interest, they now face increased competition for the defender’s signature. His impressive display in this match has further enhanced his reputation and attracted additional attention from rival clubs.
Newcastle, in particular, have strengthened its interest following the game and is eager to move ahead of Arsenal in the race to sign him, as reported by Football Insider. They believe Diomande would be an excellent addition to their squad and are determined to secure his services by the end of the season, setting up a potentially intense transfer battle in the coming months.
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With the Florida Panthers out of the playoffs — and the Detroit Red Wings close to joining them for the summer — TNT has dropped its planned coverage of next Wednesday’s season finale.
According to various sources, and the official NHL schedule, the Panthers’ home game against the Red Wings on April 15 will be returned to local broadcasters.
So, Monday’s game against the Rangers will not be the final time we get to hear Steve Goldstein and Randy Moller calling a hockey game until next season.
For fans of the Red Wings, their local broadcast on FanDuel Sports Detroit may be the end of an era as that outlet closes.
The Wings and Tigers will be together on the new Detroit SportsNet next season.
TNT has replaced the Panthers and Wings with a game in Buffalo between the Dallas Stars and Sabres — two teams that could go deep in the playoffs, or get knocked out in a brutal first-round series.
Dallas is already locked in to play the Minnesota Wild in Round 1; the Sabres could open with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Montreal Canadiens, or the top wild-card out of the Eastern Conference if they win the division.
The Panthers have four games remaining in the regular season starting tonight against the host Ottawa Senators.
Florida will play two more games in Sunrise on Monday and Wednesday.
And, all four games will be carried on the Panthers’ Scripps Network and can now be streamed on Panthers+ and ESPN+ nationally.
The Panthers have been off Comcast Xfinity cable due to a national carriage dispute between the E.G. Scripps company and the media behemoth.
The lights will be on, and Linz are coming! This Friday 10 April we welcome LASK at 19:30 CEST for Matchday 26 of the ADMIRAL Bundesliga. All the important information for your visit to the stadium can be found here in our matchday information, as always.
There are still places available for the arena tour with the team bus arrival!
Get up to 30% off at the Season Sale in the Bullshop (open from 10:00 AM)!
Has something come up at the last minute? You have the opportunity, as always, to share tickets with friends, family or acquaintances, with the details on that below.
Ticket Info Points on the West and East sides of the Red Bull Arena are to open for you from 16:30 to help with any problems or issues with digital tickets. Please note that the Ticket Info Point East is now located in Tower L near the Bullshop.
The Ticketing & Service Center team will also be there from 10:00 to 16:30 as well as 30 minutes after the final whistle.
Travel
As always, we recommend making the most of the (free) public transport offering!
BY CAR/SHUTTLE
The stadium car park opens from 07:00 but tends to fill up well ahead of kick-off time.
From 17:30 our FREE SHUTTLE SERVICE will operate from the free car park at the Designer Outlet Center (P1 only) as well as Hanuschplatz in the city centre.
The P Messe car park is NOT available!
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
With your match ticket, you can travel for free on local public transport from six hours before kick-off until the last service of the day. That applies to all Salzburger Verkehrsverbund bus and train lines (in the federal state of Salzburg including the 260 corridor line as well as the entire Salzburg local train network to Ostermiething station) as well as the S-Bahn line to Freilassing train station.
Match tickets are also valid in the same time period on the 150 line from Salzburg to Bad Ischl, the 140 line from Salzburg to Mondsee, the 156 line from St. Gilgen to Mondsee and the Straßwalchen line to Friedburg.
The ÖBB/SVV special schedule can be found HERE.
WITH A BICYCLE
Get to the Red Bull Arena affordably and sustainably. Plenty of bike parking is available on the south, west, and north sides of the stadium for all cycling enthusiasts.
Around the stadium
Our fan park on the west side of the stadium is the perfect place to meet up before the match - and has a shiny new look!
There are now more covered seats there!
Two food trucks provide a wide range of culinary offerings. Our event tools also ensure for fun and entertainment.
As usual, the fan park will open three hours before kick-off.
An hour before the match there will be an autograph session here with Damir Redzic and Bullidibumm.
At the Bullidikidz Info Point you can get your Bulli's Stamp Pass for the Championship Group!
The Bullshop at the East Side of the Red Bull Arena opens from 10:00 until kick-off, and again for 45 minutes after the final whistle. As part of our Season Sale, there's a whopping 30 percent discount on numerous items at the moment, including our jerseys!
The stadium is to open 90 minutes before kick-off.
Kiosk offering at the stadium
Please note that payment can only be made cashlessly at the Red Bull Arena's kiosks! All the usual credit and debit cards can be used. All the information on Cashless Payment can be found HERE.
There is a €2 deposit on cups. If you want to donate the deposit, cups can be left by exits and the proceeds donated to the Wings for Life foundation.
Other
Experience our Red Bulls up close! We still have tickets available for our arena tour on Friday, including the team's arrival by bus – easily bookable online in our ticket shop!
Planning on taking an umbrella, handbag or camera? Everything you are allowed and not allowed at the Red Bull Arena can be read here in our stadium rules:
As a family-friendly sports ground with a significant children's and youngsters' area, smoking is absolutely forbidden at the Red Bull Arena. The only exceptions are the designated smoker zones around the stadium exterior.
Scheyer’s total pay came to $2,383,769, ranking him No. 64 among all college basketball coaches and No. 11 in the ACC. However, the number only reflects Scheyer's pay directly from the school, per its IRS Form 990 for the 2023 fiscal year, as Duke is a private school and not required to publicly release his contract. It does not include pay received from outside sources.
Kansas' Bill Self is the sport’s highest-paid coach with a salary of $8.8 million, followed by UConn’s Dan Hurley, Arkansas’ John Calipari, Michigan State’s Tom Izzo and Tennessee's Rick Barnes to round out the top five salaries.
Scheyer has a 124-25 record in four seasons with Duke, taking over for legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski following the 2021-22 season. He has led Duke to back-to-back 35-win seasons and back-to-back ACC regular season and tournament titles. He was named as the 2026 ACC Coach of the Year and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division I Coach of the Year.
Scheyer signed a six-year contraction extension in October 2025 through the 2030-31 season.
Anna Snyder covers Duke for The Fayetteville Observer as part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at asnyder@usatodayco.com or follow her @annaesnydr on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Stepping onto the big stage, Tyler Schweitzer made his first MLB appearance. | (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
The base runners were there. The result? Same old story.
White Sox lose 5-3 to the Orioles, swept again, because of course they are. That’s 0-for-6 in games decided by three runs or less. Close games? Not even suspenseful anymore. Just pencil in the L and move on.
Sean Burke did his best Houdini act, chewing through 23 pitches in a clean first. More traffic in the second — plunked a guy, walked another, but somehow left them both standing. It was ugly, but it kept the Sox in it.
For a hot second, the bats woke up in the second. Colson Montgomery whiffed, but Andrew Benintendi smoked a triple, Dustin Harris knocked him in, swiped a bag, and scored on Luisangel Acuña’s single. With the bases loaded and one out, a double play killed the rally. They scored two runs, but you could already feel the missed chance hanging in the air.
Naturally, the lead vanished. Burke handed out a free pass to Gunnar Henderson; Tyler Ward doubled him home; wild pitch; groundout; tie game. Blink, and the lead’s gone.
The South Siders snatched the lead back in the fifth, and it was pure White Sox. Walk, walk, another walk, bases loaded. Then Rutschman lobs one back to the mound, Bradish boots it, and Meidroth sneaks home. Free run, thank you very much. Didn’t matter. The lead was gone before you could even enjoy it.
Lucas Sims took a winnable spot and set it on fire with a double, single, walk, and bases loaded. Will Venable yanked him for Bryan Hudson, but it was already unraveling. Passed ball, tie game. Sac fly, Orioles up for good.
The Sox had their chances, but don’t they always? Traffic in the sixth and seventh, Vargas bunts his way on, Montgomery takes one for the team, but the bats go silent. Eighth inning? Three up, three down. Just enough left for one last cruel tease in the ninth.
Tyler Schweitzer made his debut and looked a little jittery, but he flashed something. Then, back-to-back doubles in the ninth for an insurance run that nobody needed but everyone expected.
Down two in the ninth, the Sox tease us with a pulse. Tristan Peters walks, Miguel Vargas walks, tying run up in Montgomery. You already know: soft roller, game over. Going 3-for-11 with RISP and striking out 12 times usually isn’t going to go well. And it didn’t.
The White Sox are now 4-8, and honestly, that feels generous. The problems aren’t rocket science as the bullpen coughs up leads, the lineup leaves runners everywhere, and close games are just a formality. Remember when they were 4-5? Feels like ancient history.
No day off tomorrow as the team heads to Kansas City for a four-game trip. The boys haven’t won on the Royals’ home turf in I don’t know, 100 years? It will be Anthony Kay against Seth Lugo to kick off the series at 6:40 p.m. CST. See you then!
Underdog NBA: Shams: NBA Board of Governors will meet on May 28 to vote on anti-tanking draft lottery reform. Option 1 has gained the most momentum: - 18 teams in lottery: Bottom 10 that miss Play-In and 8 that qualify - Bottom 10 teams each have 8% chance of moving up in lottery - Other 8 teams split 20% odds of moving up - All 18 spots drawn as part of lottery
Butch Harmon is synonymous with Augusta National and he knows the place better than most. So who better to ask who this year’s champion will be?
Butch Harmon predicts who will win The Masters
Legendary golf coach Harmon was a guest in the Sky Sports studio on Wednesday night ahead of the first day of The Masters on Thursday.
And Harmon responded when asked who he believes will win The Masters this year.
“I think you just said it, I think it’s the most open Masters we’ve had in a long time,“ Harmon said.
“All the guys we talked about, you could say are the favourites.
“I’m going to go with DeChambeau. I think he’s ready to get it done.
“I’m not sure he’d be the most popular winner around here, or with the patrons or whatever, but I think he’s played so well on LIV, we know he’s won two majors.
“He knows how to win it. That’s the one I’m gonna pick.“
Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images for The Showdown
DeChambeau is definitely one of the favorites to win The Masters this year.
Thanks to his prodigious power and incredible touch around the greens, the 32-year-old has all of the skills required to succeed at Augusta National.
However, he will have to tighten up his spin control with his wedges, if he is to get over the line and win his first green jacket this week.
Bryson DeChambeau’s wedge game crucial to his Masters chances
DeChambeau actually opened up on the work he has been putting in with his new wedges ahead of The Masters this year.
“South Africa, I was trying wedges,“ DeChambeau said
“So I was going quite a bit down a rabbit hole there and figured a couple cool things out. Hopefully it helps this week. Then I am working on irons, building irons, building a driver. So we’ll see where it goes, we’ll see where it takes me. All I could say now is, if I don’t put them in the bag, it’s my fault.
“Around the greens, the 60 degree is pretty much the same.
“Hopefully it stays the same this year. I would say from a 50 degree and 55 degree perspective, there’s a little more bounce on the wedge.
“So hopefully it glides through the turf a bit better. We’ll see how that works. They’re working well as of now. I played well in my last few events with them in soft conditions.
“So I hope that’s an attribute that will help me get to a better place with my wedging because everyone knows about my wedges.“
😡 Flick erupts over Pubill challenge: clear second yellow and penalty
FC Barcelona’s defeat to Atlético de Madrid has left a deep wound, not only because of the result, but also because of the refereeing controversy. At the end of the match, Hansi Flick did not hide his frustration over a Marc Pubill handball in the box that was not punished. “It’s a penalty and a red card for a second yellow,” the German coach said, visibly upset by the video assistant referee’s inaction.
Criticism of the refereeing
Flick harshly questioned the usefulness of the technology in plays he considers obvious. “What’s the point of VAR if it already exists?” he asked, stressing that he cannot understand how an action of that magnitude went unnoticed. He even made an ironic comment about the nationality of the person in charge of VAR: “He was German, thanks to Germany.”
Focus on the comeback
Despite the “uproar,” the coach urged his squad to turn the page quickly. Although he described the mistake as decisive, Flick said the team must focus on the return leg. “We have quality and we have to fight,” he concluded, appealing to Barça’s mystique in an attempt to turn the tie around next Tuesday.
The Los Angeles Dodgers lost their five-game win streak to the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday, falling to a late-inning comeback.
LA won the first two games of the series against the Blue Jays convincingly, outscoring their opponents 18-3, but couldn’t keep them off the board in the third game of the series.
Shohei Ohtani took the mound for the Dodgers, pitching six innings of one-run baseball and recording two strikeouts. The Blue Jays’ sole run crossed while he was on the mound, though, putting an end to a 24.2-inning scoreless run.
Ohtani did extend his on-base streak, though, reaching base with a walk as well as a hit by pitch during the game. His 43-game on-base streak ties Ichiro Suzuki’s 43-game streak in 2009—the longest streak in MLB by a Japanese-born player.
Neither team got on the boar until the third inning, when a one-run double from Jesús Sánchez scored Daulton Varsho, who advanced to second after Will Smith failed to corral a sinker from Ohtani.
Apr 8, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani (17) pitches to the Toronto Blue Jays during the first inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
The Dodgers replied quickly, though, tying the game in the top of the fourth through Freddie Freeman’s one-run single. Teoscar Hernandez was the next player to drive in a run, scoring Smith with a sacrifice fly, but the Dodgers failed to further capitalize after having the bases loaded with no outs in the sixth.
Another run crossed in the seventh, when Smith singled to center to score Miguel Rojas—who led off the inning with a walk.
The Blue Jays’ bats woke up in the bottom of the seventh, as a leadoff walk followed by three singles tied the game at three. Blake Treinen entered the game with the game tied, and managed to get out of a jam after walking Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
The Blue Jays scored next, though, as a dropped throw to second base on a steal attempt allowed Davis Schneider to score from third.
LA had a decent chance to tie the game in the top of the ninth, though the top of the lineup couldn’t get the job done and they lost their third game of the season.
The Dodgers get a well-deserved rest day Friday after their six-game road trip, and will travel back to LA to face the Texas Rangers on Friday. First pitch for Friday’s game comes at 7:10 p.m. PT.
How do you feel about the Dodgers’ early-season hot streak?
Florida State has added another blue-chip prospect to its target list in the 2028 recruiting cycle. Four-star athlete Cayden Lancelin announced on social media that the Seminoles have made him a scholarship offer.
"#AGTG!! After a great conversation with @Coach_Norvell , I am blessed and honored to receive an offer from Florida State University🍢," Lancelin wrote.
His offer list has taken off since the beginning of this year. Tennessee, LSU, TCU, Ole Miss, Kentucky, and Syracuse have all offered in 2026. He also has offers from Miami, Auburn, Texas A&M, Mississippi State, Baylor, Houston, and more.
The 6-foot, 180-pounder plays wide receiver at Westgate High School in New Iberia, Louisiana, but he also plays some free safety. He's also a multi-sport athlete, as he competes in basketball as well as track and field.
Lancelin is the nation's No. 83 player nationally and the No. 8 athlete per the 247Sports composite rankings. He's also the No. 1 prospect in the state of Louisiana.
Contact/Follow us @FSUWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida State news, notes and opinions. You can also follow Matthew on X @StarConscience
AUGUSTA, Ga. – I didn't fully appreciate how much Jeff Babineau meant to me until he was gone.
Babs, as many of us called him, died Dec. 9, 2024, at his home in Oviedo, Florida. He was 62 and left behind a loving wife, three children and countless friends and admirers of his work. It was only after I no longer could call or text him that I realized how much I relied on him as a sounding board, as a mentor, as someone who had showed me the ropes at Golfweek when I first made the crew that attended majors. [Reading back through our text string brings a wave of smiles, chuckles and eventually tears whenever I do so.]
Babineau, longtime editor of Golfweek and a senior writer before that, was one of the industry's most recognizable and revered figures. He covered hundreds of tournaments on the PGA Tour and LPGA, as well as more than 100 major championships and 12 Ryder Cups. He was named the 35th recipient of the PGA Lifetime Achievement Award in Journalism, and his career will be celebrated Wednesday at the 52nd annual ISPS Handa GWAA Awards Dinner at Augusta Country Club.
Being at the Masters this week brings back memories of accompanying him one year to an Under Armour party, where I watched a master work a room of agents and player managers before hanging with Jordan Spieth's father. He knew everyone in golf. He took me under the famed Oak Tree, where he was a Jedi at getting sources to share some of the nuggets that became future Forecaddies. We – the Golfweek team – shut down media centers at majors together working into the wee hours of the morning.
I remember being on the phone with him at the Valero Texas Open, and he scrolled through the field list and suggested I find a little-known golfer making his PGA Tour debut named Martin Piller. I still remember how this wide-eyed newcomer marveled at the free food and dry cleaning available. Babs sent a note on my story that said simply, "Well done." Those two words meant the world to me.
So did the first time he accepted a Forecaddie contribution from me. It wasn't always kudos. He'd call me out whenever I used first person – he'd probably be saying didn't I teach you anything if he knew I was using it now! He'd ride me for using the same source too many times. Both qualified as lazy by his high standards. He also wrote me the most meaningful review of my career, tough love that still helps me to this day. He set an example of what he expected from everyone at Golfweek while simultaneously showing us all how to be a loving parent and spouse at home, too.
He assumed the role grudgingly of being our fearless leader. It wasn't something he aspired to, only because in his mind he already had the best job in the world. What he loved most of all was writing and he did so with humor and heart, compassion and kindness – whatever the story demanded. Friend. Mentor. Boss. Golf partner. He fit many roles. But he hardly did all this just for me. Here are more memories of Babs from those who worked in the trenches with him at Golfweek during his 19 years with the magazine.
Jeff Rude
Jeff Babineau had a playful, quick wit. It showed up not only in print, but also throughout the day of his normal life. Creativity was one of his gifts.
We met at the 1995 U.S. Open. Three years later I recommended him for a Golfweek job, and he took it from there. We covered and traveled the golf world together from 1998-2015, hitting Australia twice and South Africa and every major and cup and playing famous golf courses home and abroad. I had more golf adventures with him than anyone else in my life. He called me Rudy; I called him Baboo.
Constant quips and laughs and all-night writes dotted our time together. The laughs were particularly plentiful on a trip to Ireland for a week and about 1,200 van miles after the 2002 Ryder Cup. The coastal trip ended with a round at Royal County Down after visiting Portrush the day before.
Because of a tardy member in our group, we got there late and missed our tee time. When we rolled into the parking lot all sad-faced and told the starter we missed our tee time, the man said, “Don’t worry, we’ll get you off.” Baboo’s happy comment to me right after was, “He already did.”
Hours later, walking up a hilly fairway, I mentioned to him that County Down has so many blind tee shots over aiming rocks. He replied, “It has so many blind shots, the yardage book should be done in braille.”
Beth Ann Nichols
It was June 2007. Michelle Wie was once again embroiled in controversy and I was on the ground in South Carolina, following the unfolding 88-gate, not quite a year into the role as senior writer.
I filed a column on Sunday night and Babs sent it back. I can’t remember what he said, but I began again and recall something unlocking. I found a voice that night in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.
I filed again.
Babs sent back a short note and, once again, I can’t remember what he said. But I remember the confidence that I gained that night like it was yesterday.
Most people will remember Babs as one of the best storytellers in the game. Both in print and in person. And he was that, every day.
But he was also a teacher – in the ways he went about his business, with high standards and a soft heart. If Babs sent a two-word note that said, “terrific read,” it meant the world.
He made us all better. Still does.
Jason Lusk
Jeff Babineau was my boss at Golfweek for nearly a decade, and we shared an office space at the magazine for even longer than that. We built hundreds and hundreds of issues of Golfweek, and he loved his job most days, especially writing. But Babs, as he was known by everyone, was so much more than just his work.
He was the ultimate fun guy, the life of every party with the best stories from the world of golf and beyond. At his core, he loved people and they loved him, whether it be a PGA Tour star or a club pro or a college dreamer or somebody he grew up with out on the Cape or just somebody he met in an airport. Babs always took the time to listen, and he made sure that we learned that kind of listening skill as well.
The love of humanity showed through in his work, for which has been honored and memorialized in many ways now that he's been gone for just over a year. He loved meeting people, laughing and listening. He loved to tell their stories, whether that be on his laptop or in a bar late at night. I miss Babs every day, and I think I always will.
Jim McCabe
Nothing invigorated me more than talking storylines with Babs. He had such compassion and such depth. You found yourself changing your path and re-thinking your lead, and while it meant more work, you loved how he made your story better.
Brentley Romine
Jeff Babineau was known to the golf world as Babs, but to me, a scrawny only child with a single mom and very little baseball talent, he was Coach Babineau. I played many seasons for Babs’ Red Sox in elementary and middle school, and I always appreciated him drafting me despite me contributing almost nothing to his teams and knowing that he often had to swing by my house to shuttle me to practice. Little did I know then that that probably meant less time crafting some feature about Tiger Woods or more likely Ernie Els.
Fast forward to 2011, I was 20 years old and had received an internship at Golfweek. When I was brought into the editor’s office for an introduction, a familiar voice goes, “I know Brentley. He was my second baseman.” It was Coach Babineau, who had to have been relieved that I wasn’t wearing a glove, as it meant he finally had some sliver of talent to work with.
Sure, there was the time I went trick-or-treating that next year while still in college and accidentally ended up on his cul-de-sac. Babs, I believe, offered my friends and I beers that evening. But after that initial embarrassment, I spent the next dozen or so years doing everything I could to not only learn from one of the best to ever cover the game but also just be around him as much as possible. There was no better storyteller, whether you were reading him in the magazine or listening to some crazy tale over dinner and drinks. And I’m even more certain that no one in this business could deliver a better punchline.
Of the many lessons I learned from Babs, a few stand out. He’d get on you if you went to a tournament and didn’t touch grass – aka watch the actual golf – and again if you did that but didn’t bring a notebook. To this day, I always strive to get as many voices as possible in my stories, even if it means more work. The most important voices are often players’ family members, and Babs never missed a chance to walk a few holes with a mom or dad or sibling. He developed so many relationships that way.
And above all, I always appreciated the tough love, especially on the golf course, where my bad attitude would often get the best of me in my 20s. One time he basically put me in timeout after a company retreat. Many years later, I’d like to think I’ve become a better, more patient man – on and off the golf course – because of Coach Babineau. As for writing, I’ll never be as good as he was, but I can sure swing for the fences.
Dan Mirocha
A project that I helped lead in 2009 won first place in the Golf Writers Association of America’s annual writing contest, and the Golfweek team who wrote the story was set to be recognized at the association’s awards dinner in Augusta, Ga., the night before the first round of the 2010 Masters.
At 28 years old, I was by far the youngest and greenest member of our team who contributed to the project. Sure, I had come up with the idea for the story and managed the project, but it was the words of so many talented writers, including Babs, that made the story sing.
Still, Babs insisted that I be the one to accept the award on stage and give a brief speech.
Babs also went a few steps further. He pulled some levers and got a ticket to the awards dinner as well as a Masters Wednesday practice round ticket for my dad, who flew in from Minneapolis for the day.
It was my dad’s first time at Augusta National, and he and I spent the afternoon walking the course. In the late afternoon, Babs invited him to hang at the rental house with our Golfweek team before we left for the awards ceremony. It was really cool to be able to give my dad a small peek into my work life and let him experience the Golfweek camaraderie as one of the guys.
Babs made it all happen, and it’s a memory I’m still thankful for 16 years later.
Scott Hamilton
Only the best of us get short, concise nicknames. Arnie. Jack. Tiger.
Babs.
And what an ideal nickname for Jeff Babineau the golf writer and Jeff Babineau the beloved man.
Indeed, Babs' writing was economical; with compact sentences painting pictures that drove home larger messages. His interview skills were also tight. Brief questions, or a quick – and sometimes mundane – observation released rivers of responses from folks who were either reluctant to open up, simply didn't know how to share or both.
Everyone and anyone could talk with Babs. Mainly because he knew how to listen. For as quick as he was with a witty barb or a perfectly timed anecdote, Babs was first and foremost always coiled to lend an empathetic ear. Even the most downtrodden golfer or despondent friend so often felt that Babs “got it.”
That’s because he didn’t label folks, or at least not until he considered their position or simply imagined walking 72 holes in their spikes. Still, his conclusions remained sprinkled with understanding. After all, completely condemning a person wasn’t in his bones.
Babs grasped humanity’s frailty and imperfections because he embraced his own. His endless string of timely one-liners were rooted in the willingness to laugh at himself even when the joke wasn’t on him. Funny enough, such humbleness only further elevated him amongst his peers and friends. Babs proved that greatness can be projected in different ways.
And consistently performing acts that elevate and never denigrate helps you become a profession’s version of an Arnie, a Jack, a Tiger. Or, in the case of those of us blessed enough to know him in and out of media centers, a Babs.
Eric Soderstrom
Over 20 years later, I realize how little time he must’ve had to spare. Babs still responded to my e-mail, though. He kept responding, too. He kept opening the Word docs. Kept reading through my drafts. Kept sending his edits. His insight. His encouragement.
The last thing Jeff Babineau needed was more words in the queue. More words from a 21-year-old wannabe scribe who could certainly stand to learn a few more words.
I was just out of college when I sent my first note to jbabineau@golfweek.com. I told him I wanted to be a golf writer. I attached a story I’d been working on for a regional golf magazine. I asked for his thoughts. He didn’t know me from any other e-mailer on the planet. But he still responded. With many words. All of them the right words. Words I may have forgotten but will always remember. Words this kid needed to hear, I can tell you that.
Thanks Babs.
Kevin Casey
Jeff Babineau was really a pure writer. His prose was some of the best I’ve ever encountered. He also had an eye for a good detail.
One of the first times I met Babs was at the 2015 U.S. Amateur, and he was writing about Bryson DeChambeau floating his golf balls in Epsom salt. It was that wild type of color he seemed to uncover with ease.
But Babs was also more than his abilities. He was a great teammate. He was supportive and constructive. If he saw you were invested, he would very much invest in you. He wanted to see you grow and succeed, and he would show you how. And overall, he was just a fun presence to be around.
Always incredibly quick with a line – as his strong prose would imply, he could turn a phrase – and had a great open-mouth laugh that makes me chuckle even thinking about it as I write this sentence. Babs was gone too soon, but he left a legacy that will live on.
The UFC is preparing to go through with the upcoming event on the White House lawn no matter what the weather throws at it – with one exception.
UFC Freedom 250 is set to take place June 14 on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington. It will be an extremely rare outdoor event, just the second in promotion history, taking place on president Donald Trump's birthday. It was the president who randomly came up with the idea for the event, and the promotion decided to make it a reality, even if it meant deviating from typical business practices by hosting an outdoor event with no ticket sales. The event is expected not to turn a profit.
More details about how the event will actually look will be revealed Saturday during UFC 327, according to UFC CEO Dana White.
"This fight this Saturday will be the first look, people will see what the South Lawn is going to look like on the fight on Paramount this weekend," White said during a live stream with Adin Ross. "We have a spot for it, and it will actually show the setup of the South Lawn."
The event features two title fights: Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje for the lightweight title unification in the main event and Alex Pereira vs. Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title in the co-feature. In total, there are just six fights, another deviation from a typical UFC event, which typically features more than double that number.
One of the biggest concerns about hosting an MMA event outdoors is the weather. White says the promotion is willing to push through no matter what comes their way, unless lightning comes into play.
"(If it rains) we're fighting," White said. "If it f*cking snows, we're fighting. The only thing – nothing will stop this show going that night. It can f*cking rain – (except) lightning. Lighting is the only thing. We'd have to wait it out. We'd have to wait the lightning out and then do the fight.
"This is why I don't like doing things outside. Rain would suck. Heavy winds will suck. If it's muggy and bugs. All this kind of sh*t is the stuff you have to deal with when you do it outside, but we're going through all of it. Any of those things happen, it doesn't matter, we're still going. If it f*cking snows, we're going. Lightning is the only thing that would really screw us."
In a lacklustre game against the Vegas Golden Knights that saw the Vancouver Canucks put up only 11 shots on goal, only one line was able to find the back of the net: that of Max Sasson, Teddy Blueger, and Linus Karlsson.
The trio has presented themselves well in the past few games, having found some offensive chemistry a little while after first being put together on March 4 against the Carolina Hurricanes. They were broken apart for a short period of time at the end of March but were reunited in Vancouver’s 8–6 rout of the Colorado Avalanche on April 1. It was a speedy dash by Sasson and Blueger that helped the Canucks break the ice during this game. Sasson’s Tuesday night goal reflected the same kind of speed and hard forecheck that this line has produced since then.
But what has made this group so noticeable as of late?
“They work together. They play the system, they forecheck as one. Really disciplined, and they’re able to generate a lot of more offensive zone time, and they play in heavy structure. They work well together. They’re a very predictable and dependable line,” Canucks Head Coach Adam Foote said of the Sasson – Blueger – Karlsson line after the team’s 2–1 loss to Vegas on Tuesday.
Sasson’s goal on Tuesday night marked the sixth Canucks goal scored with this line factoring into the play, with five of these goals being scored directly from members of the line themselves. Four of these goals were produced with this trio breaking into the O-zone.
According to Sasson, this has been a point of practice for this group.
“We work on 3-on-2 rushes daily, so I know exactly how Teddy likes to move it and when,” he said, speaking on his goal after Tuesday’s loss to Vegas.
There’s a reason why the recipe has been able to produce as of late, according to the players involved. For Blueger, that comes from his wingers’ abilities to forecheck hard and put some pressure on the opposition.
“I’ve enjoyed playing with them a lot. They work extremely hard, they compete, they battle, so they’re easy to play with. I’ve enjoyed it a lot. They want to do well. They want to succeed. It’s honestly super enjoyable to play with guys like that, and we’re on the same page, as far as what we need to do to be successful, and they’re easy to talk to. Communication is good, so we’re learning from each other.”
Apr 7, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Teddy Blueger (53) and forward Linus Karlsson (94) and forward Max Sasson (63) celebrate Sasson’s goal against the Vegas Golden Knights in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
“He’s solid. He’s so good defensively, he plays a simple game. That’s what I like — where the puck goes and you can read after that, and [he’s] a great leader. I really enjoy playing with him. He’s a great guy, and I just love to play with him for sure,” Karlsson added of having Blueger as a centre.
Pair two no-quit wingers with a defensively responsible centre in Blueger, and just like that, you’ve got a line that has earned not only their coach’s trust, but also the highest minutes as a line on their team. While Tuesday against Vegas was technically a ‘down’ night for them, Sasson, Blueger, and Karlsson still played 8:28 minutes together. This was the first time since their reunion on April 1 that the trio did not lead Vancouver in 5-on-5 minutes played by a line, as they held the team leads in their games against the Utah Mammoth (9:37), Minnesota Wild (10:51), and Avalanche (11:01).
With this trio, like Foote says, you know what you’re going to get. Hard workers, solid defence, and energetic forechecking. The recent push in offence doesn’t hurt, either.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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The Houston Astros are down a key arm early in the season, with Hunter Brown out after being diagnosed with a Grade 2 shoulder strain.
A Grade 2 strain is a partial tear of the muscle, not involving ligaments. It’s still a significant injury for a pitcher, especially this early in the season. The Astros expect Brown to miss several weeks, though the exact timeline will depend on how his shoulder responds once rehab begins. Early indications are that surgery won’t be needed, which is a relief, but the team is taking a cautious approach before clearing him to return.
Brown first noticed discomfort in his right shoulder during a routine throwing session between starts, which led to further evaluation and imaging that revealed the strain.
He was expected to lead the Astros’ rotation this season and be one of their most reliable starters. Brown got off to a strong start, posting a 0.84 ERA with 17 strikeouts over 10.2 innings in his first two starts. So far in 2026, he is 1–0 with a 0.84 ERA, a 1.03 WHIP, and 17 strikeouts, showing why the team counted on him to anchor the rotation, per MLB. That makes the timing of the injury especially unfortunate. It’s also the first time in his major league career that he’s been placed on the injured list. Up to this point, he had been durable and consistently pitched every turn, making this a rare setback.
Brown’s absence leaves a hole in the Astros’ rotation. With one of their top starters out, the team will need other pitchers to take on more innings. That could mean giving another starter a bigger role or turning to a depth option for now. It’s not ideal this early in the year, especially with how well Brown had been pitching, and it means the rest of the rotation will have to pick up the slack.
Brown’s injury is a blow to the rotation, but the Astros are focused on getting him healthy before he returns. While he’s out, other pitchers will need to keep the rotation steady. The timeline for his return depends on how his shoulder responds to rest and rehab, but the team is hopeful he can get back on the mound without further issues.
Apr 7, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; Athletics second baseman Jeff McNeil (22) hits a single in the third inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
New York has come out strong to open the year, jumping to a 7–2 start behind dominant pitching and timely hitting. They’re coming off a 5–3 comeback win in the series opener, powered by a late three-run homer from Amed Rosario and a bullpen that delivered four scoreless innings to seal it. The Yankees’ pitching staff has been a major strength, posting a 1.81 team ERA early in the season, and they’ll turn to Will Warren in this matchup as they look to maintain control of the series at Yankee Stadium.
Oakland, meanwhile, has shown flashes offensively but continues to struggle with consistency, particularly on the mound. The Athletics let Tuesday’s game slip away after holding a lead, with bullpen issues surfacing again in a blown eighth inning. Despite that, hitters like Brent Rooker and Tyler Soderstrom have provided production, and former Yankee Luis Severino is expected to start Wednesday, adding an extra storyline to the matchup. With the Yankees rolling early and the A’s searching for stability, this game sets up as another key test of whether Oakland can slow down one of the American League’s hottest teams.
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Texas State catcher Austin Munguia (42) celebrates a hit for a double during the game against Louisiana at Bobcat Ballpark on Saturday, March. 21, 2026 in San Marcos, Texas. (Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman)
The two offenses went blow for blow, as the Bobcats took a 9-7 lead into the ninth inning. Closing pitcher Wade Cooper struggled with his command, giving up a double to Jorian Wilson and allowing a run after throwing two wild pitches. After walking Boston Kellner, Cooper got first baseman Gavin Grahovac on a groundout to secure the game.
Texas State catcher Rashawn Galloway (7) celebrates a home run during the game against Louisiana at Bobcat Ballpark on Saturday, March. 21, 2026 in San Marcos, Texas. (Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman)
Texas State trails 16-50 in the overall rivalry, although this is its second win over Texas A&M in its past three meetings. This is also the Bobcats' first win over a Power Four team this season.
The Texas State pitching has been wobbly at best against Power Four teams. However, the bats are as hot as any team in the NCAA, and they scortched the Texas A&M bullpen. The Aggies recorded 10 hits and seven earned runs. The Bobcats used four pitchers to get through six innings before handing things off to Cade Smith, who's been one of Texas State's most reliable arms. Although he gave up two runs on four hits in 2 ⅔ innings of work, Texas State's 13-hit day proved to be just enough.
An important note, though, is that there are two Sun Belt teams above Texas A&M in RPI. Coastal Carolina and Southern Miss are 13th and 16th in the rankings, ahead of 38th-ranked Texas State. The Bobcats will visit the Golden Eagles in two weeks for one of their toughest tests of the season.
Jaquae Stewart is making it count
After a strong non-conference slate, Texas State outfielder Jaquae Stewart hit a bit of a bump when the Sun Belt schedule rolled around. His batting average is the second-worst among the starters during conference play at .250, and he has the second-most strikeouts with 13.
However, Stewart is finding his swing timely hitting and RBIs. He went 2-for-4 at the plate against the Aggies, hitting a two-run homer in the third and a critical two-RBI single in the bottom of the seventh. Stewart has three home runs in his past four games and is riding a six-game hitting streak.
Even with Stewart's propensity to strike out, he is tied for second in RBIs (14) in Sun Belt games and has a .973 on-base plus slugging. His power as one of the later hitters in the lineup is part of what makes the Bobcats so dangerous.
Texas State Bobcats infielder Jaquae Stewart (24) reaches to catch the ball in the outfield as the Texas Longhorns and Texas State Bobcats face off in San Marcos Tuesday, March 10, 2026. (Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman)
More Keller Eberly?
It's a small sample, but Texas State pitcher Keller Eberly hasn't given up a run in five innings pitched this year. He struck out the side in his lone inning of work Tuesday, reinforcing the idea that he should get more run.
The Bobcats' bullpen has been a roller coaster. Aside from Smith and Cooper, there are only two pitchers who have pitched more than 15 innings with an earned run average below 10. In Eberly's last three outings against Texas, Georgia Southern and Texas A&M, he's given up three hits and struck out eight in four innings.
MADRID, SPAIN - APRIL 7: Manuel Neuer of FC Bayern Munchen celebrates after his team scored a goal during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Quarter-Final First Leg match between Real Madrid CF and FC Bayern Munchen at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on April 7, 2026 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Alberto Gardin/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Bayern Munich made a positive first step in the Champions League quarterfinals by beating arch-nemesis Real Madrid 2-1 in the first leg at the Bernabeu. Luis Díaz and Harry Kane scored Bayern’s goals, but it was Manuel Neuer who made the difference with a record-breaking performance that helped the Bavarians bring all three points back to Munich:
9 – Manuel Neuer is the first goalkeeper since detailed data collection to record 9 saves against Real Madrid in a knockout-match at the Bernabeu. Wall. pic.twitter.com/cdCoi1Jx84
Other sources state that the 40-year-old nearly matched the benchmark he set in the 2016/17 meeting between the two teams, registering 10 saves at that time.
Neuer produced a staggering nine saves to deny the many efforts of Vinicius Jr., Kylian Mbappé, and co from scoring, only getting beaten by a well-placed strike by the latter that just bounced over the line. This was a statement win for Bayern and a statement performance from Manu, who proved that he hasn’t lost a step. His outing was so good that Serge Gnabry said that he sleeps better knowing he has the GOATkeeper between the sticks:
• Do you sleep better when you know Manuel Neuer is going to be your goalkeeper
Liverpool are 90 minutes from going out of their final cup competition and finishing the 2025-26 season without a trophy after Arne Slot's side was beaten 2-0 by defending European champions PSG in the Champions League quarterfinals on Wednesday.
Below is the latest Arne Slot reaction, speaking after that disappointing display in Paris where the Reds were dominated and made to look second-best in every facet of the game.
Arne Slot reaction — What did Liverpool boss say after losing 2-0 to PSG?
We'll have Slot's post-match interviews and press conference as soon as they start, here.
When FC Bayern take on FC St. Pauli this Saturday (18:30 CEST) on Bundesliga Matchday 29, they’ll be on the verge of a very special record. With 100 goals scored, Vincent Kompany’s side boast by far the best attack in the German top flight this season. One more goal would equal the all-time season record of 101 goals set by Bayern themselves in the 1971/72 campaign.
The chances of the Munich men cracking that record already on Matchday 29 against St. Pauli are pretty good. The last time FCB failed to score in a Bundesliga game was over a year ago, in the 0-0 draw at Bayer 04 Leverkusen in February 2025. A new record is also well within the realms of possibility in Hamburg, as Bayern have scored at least two goals in 26 of 28 league games this season – and three or more on 22 occassions, in fact. That’s another joint Bundesliga record, only matched by the Bavarians last season.
In general, the stats from the season so far are enough to put a smile on the face of every Bayern supporter. With 73 points after 28 matches, the Reds are enjoying their third-best Bundesliga campaign – only in 2013/14 (78 points) and 2012/13 (75) were there more points on the board at this stage. What’s more, Kompany’s men are unbeaten in 23 away league outings stretching back to last season (W17, D6). Only between 1985 and 1987 (26 games) and from 2012 to 2014 (33) have the record champions been on longer unbeaten runs on the road.
Strong record against St. Pauli
The head-to-head record gives cause for confidence that this streak will continue at the Millerntor. Having only won five of their first 10 competitive meetings with the Kiezkicker (D4, L1), Bayern have won 10 of the last 11. St. Pauli, for their part, are enduring their third-worst Bundesliga season in the club’s history with 25 points from 28 matches, and have the weakest attack in the league with 25 goals.
Caution at set pieces
Bayern will certainly have to pay attention to dead balls, however. The hosts have scored 52 percent of their goals in this Bundesliga campaign from set pieces (13 of 25), the highest proportion in the league. Meanwhile, 48 percent of the goals FCB have conceded have come from set plays (13 of 27), which is also the highest proportion.
In Bayern’s record-breaking attack, Michael Olise is chasing a best of his own. The French winger provided his 18th assist of this Bundesliga season in the 3-2 victory at Freiburg last weekend – not since detailed data collection began in 2004 has any player posted so many assists after 28 matchdays. Olise is closing in on the assist record since 2004/05 set by Thomas Müller, who set up 21 goals in the 2019/20 campaign. In total the 24-year-old has been directly involved in 29 league goals this term, a figure only surpassed by teammate Harry Kane (36). One more goal involvement would take Olise to the 30 mark, which would be the first time since detailed data collection that two Bayern players reach 30 goal involvements in one season. Only once before have two players for the same club achieved this: Wolfsburg’s Edin Dzeko (32) and Grafite (33) in 2008/09.
The kickoff even will take place at the Tampa Marriott Water Street and JW Marriott on July 20-23 in Tampa, Florida. This is the first time SEC Media Days has been in Florida. Surprisingly, Texas hosted the event before Florida. Dallas, Nashville and Atlanta have served as hosts the previous three years.
There will be presentations by the coaches on four days, Monday, July 20 through Thursday, July 23. There will be four coaches on each day. Sarkisian is slated to be the final speaker on Thursday, though the SEC says the final order could change.
Texas will take the podium at SEC Media Days in Tampa on Thursday, July 23 -- the final of the four days. pic.twitter.com/yDxhyQSnUi
Sark will follow New Arkansas coach Ryan Silverfield, LSU coach Lane Kiffin and Jeff Lebby of Mississippi State. Other notables, Mike Elko of Texas A&M will be the final speaker on Wednesday and Oklahoma's Brent Venables will be the second to last speaker on Monday, the first day of the event.
SEC appearance schedule for 2026 Football Media Days
As news around disgruntled New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence's trade request circles the league, hypothetical trades for the three-time Pro Bowler will continue to pop up. Many teams should be interested in the 30.5-sack artist, but it could take a pretty penny to trade for him. Lawrence also reportedly wants $30 million a year in a new contract, per SNY.
Bleacher Report's Moe Moton broke down a few theoretical trades for Lawrence, including one that involved the 49ers. Despite the 49ers trading a third-round pick for Osa Odighizuwa, Moton had San Francisco sending a second-round pick in 2025 (No. 58), a fourth-round pick in 2025 and receiver Brandon Aiyuk to New York for Lawrence.
Perhaps San Francisco isn't done trying to revamp the unit under new defensive coordinator Raheem Morris. Keep in mind that Alfred Collins had a quiet rookie campaign, logging 17 tackles (one for loss) and a sack.With a healthy Nick Bosa and 2025 first-rounder Mykel Williams on the edge, Lawrence and Odighizuwa would round out what could be an above-average defensive line.
San Francisco could also find an opportunity to move on from Brandon Aiyuk in a trade instead of outright releasing him.
49ers owner Jed York and head coach Kyle Shanahan gave the impression that the team could keep Aiyuk, but it's difficult to envision the receiver repairing his relationship with the club amid a lack of communication.
The Giants signed wide receiver Darnell Mooney and pass-catching tight end Isaiah Likely in free agency, but they could help second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart tremendously by bringing in a talented receiver who racked up over 1,300 yards in 2023.
If Aiyuk and Malik Nabers are both healthy after suffering serious knee injuries, they could be a premier receiver tandem.
Apart from the price tag, this is a win-win trade for both sides. The 49ers get a premier interior defensive lineman to shore up their front-four and get past the Aiyuk saga, while the Giants get solid draft capital back and the possibility of another alpha receiver to pair with Nabers.
Is this a likely scenario? Probably not. The 49ers would still need to pay Lawrence a hefty extension, and there's no telling if they have the money or interest in doing so. The Giants also may not want a potential headache in Aiyuk, even if they still get two solid draft picks in the process.
It's a fun idea, and one that would result in positive momentum for the 2026 season. But it takes two to tango and we have no idea if either side is even interested in this option.
Leeds United Doing Everything To Retain This €20M Player: Is He Too Important Regardless Of Division?
Leeds United climbed back into the Premier League for the 2025-26 season after clinching the Championship title, sealed by that 2-1 win over Plymouth Argyle in May 2025. Now back with England’s elite, the Whites are finding their feet again.
Daniel Farke’s squad started the year with real ambition and a few new faces, but they have been in a scrap for survival since the opening weeks. Currently, Leeds are 15th in the table, four points above the relegation zone, as the season moves into the final few weeks. Staying up is huge for the club, not just for their pride, but for their chances of keeping their best players.
Struijk Attracts Premier League Interest Ahead of Summer Window
According to Pete O’Rourke, Leeds United are doing everything in their power to keep centre-back Pascal Struijk this summer. Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa, and Newcastle United are all reportedly keeping tabs on the 26-year-old. The word is that while Leeds feel confident they can keep him if they stay in the Premier League, they’ll be susceptible to big offers if they end up back in the Championship.
It makes sense why clubs are looking for him when you look at Struijk’s 2025-26 numbers. He has featured in 28 Premier League games this season, racking up 2,431 minutes on the pitch. Along with one assist, he’s maintained a 6.9 average FotMob rating and picked up just three yellow cards.
His defensive stats are solid too, averaging 6.32 clearances, 1.11 tackles, and 1.03 interceptions per 90 minutes. Beyond the numbers, his value comes from his versatility, as he’s a left-footed centre-back who can fill in at left-back or defensive midfield. With a contract running until 2027 and a €20 million price tag on Transfermarkt, it’s clear why top-flight rivals are watching Struijk so closely.
Is Struijk Too Important for Leeds United to Lose, Regardless of Division?
LEEDS, ENGLAND – MARCH 21: Pascal Struijk of Leeds United looks on during the Premier League match between Leeds United and Brentford at Elland Road on March 21, 2026 in Leeds, England. (Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images)
The short answer is yes, and it’s about more than just stats. Struijk is the kind of player Leeds United really can’t afford to lose. He knows the level, reads the game well, and stays calm under pressure. These qualities are hard to find and expensive to replace in a single window. The teams chasing him, Villa and Newcastle, can offer at least a more stable future. That makes for a very tough conversation between Leeds and the player.
Timing is also a huge factor here. If Leeds United go down and lose Struijk, winning promotion back to the Premier League becomes a much harder task. It’s a cycle that has swallowed up plenty of ambitious clubs before. Farke has done well to keep this team competitive in 15th, but the squad is thin, and there’s very little room for error. Keeping Struijk needs to be the board’s top priority, no matter what league they are in come August.
BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Todd Monken has five months before his first game as head coach of the Cleveland Browns.
However, two traits have been apparent since he was introduced on Feb. 3.
Monken tries to keep his message and goals simple.
When asked what his message was as the Browns began their offseason workout program, Monken said on Wednesday, “We’re in the development business and the winning business. Point blank, period.”
Reigning AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett was among the players not in attendance. However, he typically doesn’t show up until late in OTAs or the mandatory minicamp.
Monken and his staff have plenty to accomplish over the next two months. Most notably, they must determine who has the edge at quarterback heading into training camp.
Shedeur Sanders, Deshaun Watson and Dillon Gabriel are in attendance for the first week of the voluntary workouts.
Sanders started last season’s final seven games, going 3-4 with seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
Watson has gone 9-10 as Cleveland’s starter with 19 touchdowns, 12 interceptions and an 80.7 passer rating. He has not played since Week 7 of the 2024 season after tearing his Achilles tendon twice.
Gabriel started six games, going 1-5 with seven touchdowns and two interceptions.
“There’s enough there to really like Deshaun and the way he plays. There’s enough there to really like the way Shedeur played at the back end of the year. And there’s enough early in the year from Dillon that is playing the position at a very high level,” Monken said.
“Someone’s going to have to start off first, and someone’s going to go second, and someone’s going to go third. Then we’ll be willing to switch that. That’s easily, on a daily basis, what we see, just like any position, that’s not set in stone.”
In addition to getting up to speed on the playbook, Monken said the important thing in the first two weeks is for players to work on their individual techniques before honing in on the scheme.
Monken also has to deal with the perception that the Browns are a dysfunctional organization that cannot get simple things right. This flared up again at last week’s league meetings when Monken missed the coach’s photo because he was getting a haircut during it.
Monken is the seventh coach hired by Dee and Jimmy Haslam since they bought the franchise in 2012. The Browns have a 73-139-1 regular-season record since 2013, the second-worst mark in the NFL.
Cleveland has just four winning seasons since returning to the NFL in 1999.
Monken said he did not care about the criticism and claimed the meeting was moved up.
“Was it disappointing? You bet your (butt) it was disappointing. Waited my whole life to be a head coach, and I’m not in the head coaches’ picture? You think with AI, they could have done that quickly and got me in there? But no, it’s the way it is,” he said. “What changes everything? Winning changes everything. I told the coaches that the other day, right? That’s what we have to do. It’s real simple.”
📸 Kvaratskhelia sets new PSG UCL record as he punishes another PL side 😲
PSG have extended their lead over Liverpool in their Champions League quarter-final tie, courtesy of a strike from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
Désiré Doué had already given the competition holders a deserved lead in the first half, and Luis Enrique's side have not eased up as they continue to pile the pressure on the Merseyside outfit.
In the 65th minute, Kvaratskhelia rounded his Georgian compatriot Giorgi Mamardashvili to put the hosts two goals ahead.
He continues his outstanding goalscoring form this season, having scored three times against Chelsea over two legs in the round of 16.
That's now 12 goal contributions for the winger in this season's competition, while he's also become the first PSG player to score in four consecutive knockout matches in the Champions League.
Moments later, PSG were denied a penalty following VAR intervention, as matters very nearly went from bad to worse for Liverpool.
Is it tie over, or can Liverpool find a way back into this ahead of the return leg at Anfield?
Sky Germany reports that since his move to BVB was announced on 19 February, Prates hasn't played a single minute for the Brazilian side.
While Prates wasn't a regular starter even before the transfer was announced, he had previously featured in four out of five matches, starting three of them.
This is a development that Dortmund's bosses are unlikely to be pleased with considering the 17-year-old will move to the Bundesliga after he turns 18 in August.
Dortmund's officials even raved about their new signing, with sporting director Lars Ricken expressing his enthusiasm for the Brazilian whom they paid €12million for:
“With Kaua, we have been able to acquire an extremely exciting player. He is one of the most talented players in South America and, with his skills, ambition, and potential, is an excellent fit for Borussia Dortmund".
In contrast, Prates played a central role for the Brazilian U-20 national team. In the two friendlies against Paraguay's U-20 squad at the end of March.
TEMPE, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 18: Jordyn Tyson #0 of the Arizona State Sun Devils during the NCAAF game at Mountain America Stadium on October 18, 2025 in Tempe, Arizona. The Sun Devils defeated the Red Raiders 26-22. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s NFL Draft Season! Before you read, some important context…
I’ve ranked these players based on the Eagles’ needs and scheme fit. So while I may rate player ‘X’ higher than player ‘Y’ on pure talent, ‘Y’ could rank higher here due to fit or need. Focus more on tiers than exact order. Players in the same tier have similar grades, with minimal separation. I may note injury or off-field concerns, but they aren’t factored into rankings that often due to limited information. If a player isn’t listed, I haven’t evaluated them yet. I’ll try to get to as many prospects as possible.
You can find more on my podcast, and I’ll be releasing some videos on these prospects over on Patreon.
Wide Receiver
Tier 1: Early 1st Round
1. Carnell Tate, Ohio State
Overall: A polished boundary receiver with strong body control and natural ball skills. Tate projects as a high-volume possession target whose game is built on reliability, precise route-running, and winning in contested catch situations. A genuine WR1 talent at the next level.
Eagles Thoughts: Well, obviously. No realistic chance he makes it to pick 23, though.
Tier 2: 1st Round
2. Makai Lemon, USC
Overall: A versatile offensive weapon whose alignment flexibility, suddenness, physicality, and sure hands make him a reliable option at the next level. Lemon won the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s top receiver and can line up inside or out, creating genuine schematic headaches for defenses.
Eagles Thoughts: I doubt he makes it to 23, but obviously, yes. Regardless of the AJ Brown situation. His versatility fits this offense perfectly, and he’d be a steal if somehow still available on Day 2.
3. Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
Overall: A refined, smooth route-runner whose separation ability and dependable hands make him one of the safer bets in the class when healthy. His medical record is the major question mark that could cause him to slip on draft boards despite first-round talent.
Eagles Thoughts: Unless the medicals don’t come back clean, I can’t imagine he makes it to pick 23. But if he’s on the board, he’s absolutely in play. A potential value pick if concerns push him down.
4. KC Concepcion, Texas A&M
Overall: A dynamic option whose route craft, quick transitions, and open-field instincts make him one of the most polished route-runners in the class. His explosiveness after the catch is arguably unmatched in this draft. The drop issues are real and frustrating, and will need to be cleaned up at the next level.
Eagles Thoughts: The Eagles have needed a player with this skill set for years. Is 23 a little rich? Maybe. Would it be exciting to watch him run routes in this offense next year? Absolutely. Hard to talk yourself out of this one.
Tier 3: Rounds 1-2
5. Omar Cooper Jr, Indiana
Overall: A dependable inside receiver whose clean hands, controlled movement, and run-after-catch ability make him a very interesting WR2 prospect. Cooper’s hands are among the most reliable in this class, and his short-area quickness in the slot is consistent and polished.
Eagles Thoughts: Cooper is a perfect complementary piece who would fit this system very well as an inside receiver. Pick 23 is probably too early, but there’s real interest at the top of the second round.
6. Denzel Boston, Washington
Overall: A physical outside target whose size, play strength, and willingness in the run game give him a classic boundary-receiver profile. Boston is a legitimate blocker at the position, a trait that carries real value in run-heavy schemes.
Eagles Thoughts: Pick 23 feels a touch rich based on the film alone, but the profile is compelling, especially if AJ Brown isn’t here next year. Boston’s willingness to block and physical style fits this offense well. More of an early second-round player, but his profile grows more attractive depending on how the Brown situation resolves.
Tier 4: Round 2
7. Germie Bernard, Alabama
Overall: A dependable complementary receiver whose toughness, effort level, and reliability consistently show up across all phases. He just looks like a good football player, maybe not a special one, but someone you want on your roster. His run-blocking effort stands out for the position.
Eagles Thoughts: If the Eagles need a high-floor receiver (especially if AJ Brown departs), Bernard makes a lot of sense. His run-blocking and overall profile feel tailor-made for this team. The ceiling may be limited, but the floor is reliably high.
8. Chris Bell, Louisville
Overall: A long-framed outside receiver whose size, catch radius, and yards-after-catch ability make him a fascinating prospect. Bell has rare size/speed for the position, though injury concerns (ACL in December) and some inconsistency are genuine flags to monitor.
Eagles Thoughts: Bell has some traits that remind me of a bust profile at the position, but I can’t help being drawn in watching him play. His physicality as a blocker helps the case. If the medicals are clear, he’s an intriguing second-round option with upside that’s hard to ignore.
9. Chris Brazzell II, Tennessee
Overall: A vertical outside receiver whose size-speed combination and downfield stride create clear field-stretching value. Brazzell’s athletic profile is difficult to ignore, though the film does not always match his testing numbers.
Eagles Thoughts: Thoughts on Brazzell are genuinely split. He feels boom/bust. Some Christian Watson comparisons feel fair. The film reads more like a third-round player right now, but I could see the Eagles having interest in the second round and wouldn’t hate it.
10. Ted Hurst, Georgia State
Overall: A big-bodied boundary receiver with strong ball skills, reliable hands, and a lot of upside. The level of competition is the major concern, but the talent is real.
Eagles Thoughts: Watching someone dominate lower-level competition is always tricky to evaluate, but the film was genuinely outstanding, outside of some concentration drops. The second round would be a risk based on competition alone, but the tape might be good enough to justify it.
11. Elijah Sarratt, Indiana
Overall: A productive possession-style receiver who lacks a single blue-chip trait but does a lot of things well. He uses his size effectively, and his body control is a genuine calling card. The more film you watch, the more he grows on you.
Eagles Thoughts: Separation is a concern given the lack of elite speed, and he could end up as a big slot if he struggles to win on the outside at the next level. But the more I watched him, the more I liked him.
Tier 5: Round 3
12. Zachariah Branch, Georgia
Overall
An electric movement athlete whose speed, return ability, and open-field dynamism give him rare playmaking value in manufactured touches. He’s an extremely limited receiver overall, and there’s significant projection involved. This is the classic gadget player that’s easy to fall for.
Eagles Thoughts: I’ve been drawn to this kind of profile for the Eagles for years. I’m a touch less sold on Branch specifically because of the limited vertical element; he may start out as more of a gadget player than a full-time WR. I could be convinced in Round 3, especially if the Eagles retain AJ Brown.
13. Brenen Thompson, Mississippi State
Overall: A pure vertical speed threat whose profile is entirely built around stretching coverage and forcing defensive respect downfield. Thompson is one of the fastest players in this class and his role at the next level is clear, if narrow.
Eagles Thoughts: The Eagles have lacked a genuine pure speedster (though the Hollywood Brown signing may have changed that). I have interest in Thompson despite his limitations. The real-life value of a true vertical threat pushes him into the back end of Day 2 for me. I bet a team will fall in love and take him earlier than expected.
14. Antonio Williams, Clemson
Overall: A smart, dependable receiver whose detail, toughness, and consistency give him a high floor. The concern is that he’s a slot-only player who doesn’t break many tackles in the open field, which limits his overall impact and deployment options.
Eagles Thoughts: Slot-only receivers without elite vertical explosiveness are a difficult sell. You’d need a specific plan for Williams, and I’m not sure there’s enough juice to justify a Day 2 pick. I could live with it in Round 3, but I wouldn’t love it.
Tier 6: Round 4+
15. Malachi Fields, Notre Dame
Overall: A long-framed possession target whose size, red-zone utility, and blocking consistency make him attractive for certain offenses. This is a classic ball skills versus separation debate. Fields wins in contested situations but doesn’t consistently create clean separation against tight coverage.
Eagles Thoughts: I’ve grown wary of this profile in recent years, but Fields fits this Eagles offense specifically as Jalen Hurts likes throwing to contested-catch receivers, and his blocking is outstanding, which the coaching staff will value.
16. Bryce Lance, NDSU
Overall: Arguably the most fascinating prospect in this class. Lance completely dominated weaker competition at NDSU and brings an incredible frame with genuine vertical ability. The raw athleticism is undeniable, but he’s a limited receiver, and the projection risk is very real given the level of competition he faced.
Eagles Thoughts: I genuinely don’t know where he ends up going, but I’d be comfortable taking a shot at the end of Day 2 if I had to. He’s raw, and the risk is real. He’s probably a Day 3 player in reality, that I’d love in the fourth round.
17. Skyler Bell, TCU
Overall: A versatile inside-out receiver whose quickness, reliable hands, and ability to contribute from multiple alignments make him a useful all-around offensive piece. Bell has a safer floor than most players in this range and some decent upside if deployed correctly.
Eagles Thoughts: Bell feels a little safer than some of those around him, and he has just enough upside to be considered in Round 3. But the fourth round is probably where he realistically belongs.
18. Deion Burks, Oklahoma
Overall: An explosive slot target whose acceleration and space-game ability make him dangerous whenever touches are manufactured. Burks posted elite combine numbers that have significantly boosted his stock heading into the draft.
Eagles Thoughts: Burks lit up the combine and is rising fast on draft boards. I had interest in the fourth round, but I can see him going much earlier after those numbers. Day 2 feels a little early given the film, but the athleticism is hard to dismiss.
19. Ja’Kobi Lane, USC
Overall: A big-bodied jump-ball receiver with red-zone utility, whose production was naturally limited playing behind Makai Lemon at USC. His contested-catch ability and size project well at the next level, but questions around his separation need answering.
Eagles Thoughts: Lane’s raw production understates what he offers. If the Eagles want a late-round red-zone body with upside, his contested-catch skill set fits what Jalen Hurts likes to throw. A Day 3 flier worth keeping an eye on.
Thank you for reading! I’d love to hear your thoughts, so feel free to comment below and ask any questions. If you enjoyed this piece, you can find more of my work and podcast here.If you would like to support me further, please check out my Patreon here!
Baseball fans were treated to a special 2025 season from Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh. He was the AL MVP runner-up after finishing with 60 home runs, shattering the single-season record for home runs by a catcher and most by a switch-hitter.
He was an All-Star, won the Home Run Derby, and earned his first Silver Slugger Award. However, things are a bit different this season.
At this point last year, he already had six home runs under his belt, but going into Wednesday's matchup, he only has one long ball, and the fans are starting to worry.
Cal Raleigh is proving to be more human than his 2025 stats suggested
There was some bad luck on Raleigh's part, and he should have had two home runs at this point, but he made the mistake of hitting a ball Jo Adell's way on Saturday when he miraculously robbed three home runs in a single game.
Raleigh's first home run would come on Monday, and it was not against a scrub. The Mariners faced off against the Texas Rangers, and he took Jacob deGrom deep, blasting a 99 mph fastball.
"Shades of his 2025 self have started to appear recently, as he homered off 99 mph Jacob deGrom on Monday and was notably robbed of what should have been his first homer by Jo Adell on Saturday. Even so, expectations for Raleigh should be adjusted downward."
To be fair, Raleigh had an exceptional season last year, and it's hard to ask him to do the same. But, fans can understandably start to worry with just one home run through nearly four series.
But they should be more concerned with Josh Naylor and Julio Rodriguez. Neither slugger has a home run to their name yet, while hitting well below .150.
Gary Woodland and family Credit: ESPN/X; Andrew Redington/Getty
NEED TO KNOW
Gary Woodland got choked up in his return to Augusta
The golfer spoke to ESPN about coming back to the iconic Masters tournament, where he played the Par 3 Contest with his family on Wednesday
Woodland, 41, underwent brain surgery in September 2023
Gary Woodland is savoring the special moments at the Masters!
The golfer, 41, who played the tournament’s Par 3 Contest on Wednesday, April 8 alongside his three children and wife Gabby, shared his perspective on being at Augusta National just two and a half years after he underwent brain surgery.
“This is what the fight’s for, today, right now,” Woodland told ESPN’s Marty Smith. “Yeah, it’s hard, the fight, it’s real every day but this is it right here.”
Woodland and his family — he and Gabby are parents to son Jaxon, 8, and identical twin girls Maddox and Lennox, 5 — were full of smiles during the event, but the golfer got emotional when he tried to describe his feelings about how far he’s come.
“To share this moment with my kids is everything,” he said as his voice broke, speaking about his three young children.
Woodland earned an invitation to the Masters less than two weeks ago after he nabbed his fifth career win on the tour at the Texas Children’s Houston Open on March 29.
"This is what the fight's for. ... Share this moment with my kids, this is everything."
Gary Woodland, who underwent brain surgery in 2023 to remove a lesion and has been diagnosed with PTSD, describes to @MartySmithESPN what the Masters Par 3 Contest means to him ❤️ pic.twitter.com/s8vk6nJrT9
The win came weeks after he revealed in an interview with the Golf Channel that he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following his 2023 surgery to remove a lesion on his brain.
"Every week, I come out and everyone is so excited and happy that I'm back,” Woodland told the outlet. “I hear that every week: 'It's so nice to see you passed this. It's so nice to see you 100%,' And I appreciate that love and support, but inside, I feel like I'm dying.”
He continued, “I feel like I'm living a lie. And I don't want to waste energy on that anymore. I want to focus my energy on me and my recovery, my dreams out here, my family. I don't want to waste energy hiding this."
Woodland recalled a recent experience in which he was triggered when a scorer in his group got too close for his comfort.
As he works through his recovery, the Kansas native told reporters after his win in Houston that it was “just another day.”
“Today was a good day,” he said. “But I've got a big fight ahead of me, and I'm going to keep going. But I'm proud of myself right now."
Yankees manager Aaron Boone clarified that Civale has reverse splits, and the move ended up paying dividends. Rosario clobbered two home runs, including a go-ahead three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth to propel the Yankees to a 5-3 win in the series opener.
“Not necessarily. There are certain matchups I like him in,” Boone told MLB.com's Bill Ladson about the possibility of Rosario facing more right-handed pitching. “There are a number of lefties coming up, so competition is always a good thing.”
Usually, Rosario only starts or makes pinch-hit appearances against lefties. Today, Boone is trying something new. Rosario is in the lineup again, but so is McMahon.
For the first time in his 10-year career, McMahon will play shortstop. The left-handed hitter will bat ninth, one place down in the order from Rosario. At the plate, McMahon has just two hits in his last 23 at-bats.
McMahon is a Gold Glove-caliber third baseman, but even shifting over 20 feet to his left is a new dynamic he's never experienced in a Major League game.
If Rosario continues to show an improved approach against right-handers, this is a lineup Boone may consider using more until Anthony Volpe returns from the injured list. Jose Caballero will start tonight's game on the bench.
Nov 1, 2024; East Hartford, Connecticut, USA; Georgia State Panthers wide receiver Ted Hurst (16) makes a touchdown catch against the Connecticut Huskies in the second quarter at Rentschler Field at Pratt & Whitney Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images
There’s no better hallmark of draft season than pre-draft visits. These meetings are a crucial part of the Packers’ pre-draft process, and it’s worthwhile to pay attention to who the Packers are bringing in for visits every year. There’s a good chance they’ll end up on the roster at some point.
However, the way the Packers have handled their pre-draft visits has changed over the years, especially recently. Under Ted Thompson, the Packers used their pre-draft visits more or less as recruiting trips for undrafted free agents. That is to say, most of the time, the Packers were spending their visits on guys who were not likely to be drafted.
That’s been increasingly not the case under Brian Gutekunst, especially last year, when the Packers spent by far the highest percentage of their visits that we’ve ever seen on top-100 players.
Obviously, we can’t know how that will play out this year until the picks come in, but it’s easy to guess that we’ll see another shift in the way the Packers use their visits this year and next for one big reason: the Packers have no first-round pick in 2026 or 2027. They’re probably not going to be spending many, if any, visits on players near the top of the draft board.
Nevertheless, we’ll be keeping a close eye on what the Packers do with their pre-draft visits. No matter who they’re bringing in, there’s a good chance they’ll end up in Green Bay. Stay up to date with the full list of reported visitors below.
Reported Official Draft Visits (13 of 30 reported)
AUGUSTA, Ga. — The Masters merchandise demand is very real, and I just experienced it first-hand. This is my third time at Augusta National and outside of the Open Championship it’s the tournament I look forward to working the most, for obvious reasons. Growing up in the England, the Masters was my favorite tournament, but Augusta National always felt like a place I’d never get to, so each time I’m asked to cover the tournament, it's a “pinch me moment.”
It’s funny, the more I come back, the more merch requests I get, and this year was no different. I like to get my shopping done and out the way as early as possible, so I can focus on what I'm there to do, cover the Masters. Monday morning at 7:30, I took a stroll from the media center, across the first hole, behind two green, past the famous 16th green all the way up to the South store. It’s about a 20-minute walk, but I figured it might be the quicker option to the larger, but often crowded, North store. But when I made it up the hill, I met what’s best described as a cordial stampede of patrons along with a sign that read “Merchandise store line temporarily paused” with lines exceeding an hour in wait time. News quickly spread and almost simultaneously another queue started to form. It was a line waiting for the real line, crazy scenes for any time of the day, let alone 8 a.m.
I decided to head back towards the clubhouse, enjoying the walk once again, but this time with less intent, taking in my surroundings and feeling like I was one of few people walking the hallowed grounds as a noticeable crowd started brewing from the main scoreboard area back by the opening hole.
Cut to later in the day and I decided to try my luck with a colleague at the North store. It’s just a short walk from the media center and we weren't walking for long before we reached the end of the queue and a different sign this time “Wait time 45 minutes from here.” We committed and decided to join the line. Just like waiting for a rollercoaster, the longer the line, the more the anticipation builds, overhearing people ask if there will be a gnome’s left (there weren’t) or “how much do you think they’re making this week?” ($69 - $80 million)
Now before I tell you what happened next, I'd like to note that I’m not usually one to spend a lot of money when it comes to clothes, merchandise etc. But It’s hard to explain to buzz you feel inside that shop and the urge to drop $1,000 within minutes, or in my case $1,077. I queued for 45, spent 20 inside and dropped four figures without even thinking about it. The average spend of patrons at The Masters is exactly that, and I guess I am no different. You might be thinking “what else could you possibly want to buy your third year in?!” and that’s a fair question, but until you’ve experienced it yourself, I'd like you to hold any judgements, please and thank you. Here’s to another unforgettable week for all golf fans.
The team had another miserable season in 2025, and as a result, moved on from quarterback Kyler Murray and head coach Jonathan Gannon. Now, the team is preparing for the 2026 NFL Draft and desperately trying to find some direction going forward.
Finding a new quarterback should be the team's priority, but that won't be easy. The team has the No. 3 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, but this draft class is historically thin at quarterback. As a result, there likely won't be a quarterback worth taking at No. 3.
Of course, the Cardinals could just roll with Jacoby Brissett in 2026 or draft a rookie in a later round. But, what if they decide to make a bold move instead? Ralph Vacchiano of FOX Sports recently identified a logical trade target for the Cardinals- quarterback Anthony Richardson.
NFL insider suggests Cardinals trade for Anthony Richardson
Richardson was a first-round pick of the Indianapolis Colts back in 2023. The hope was that the passer would be the future in Indy, but due to injuries and inconsistency, things haven't gone that way.
The Colts now have Daniel Jones, so Richardson seems to be expendable. Regarding Richardson and the Cardinals, Vacchiano offered the following:
Why not take a low-risk flier on the former first-round pick with a big body (6-4, 244), huge arm and untapped potential? The Cards have veterans Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew as place-holders at quarterback until the 2027 draft, but Richardson would give new coach Mike LaFleur, a Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan disciple, a young player to try and develop.
Vacchiano suggested the Cardinals send a 2026 seventh-round pick and a 2027 sixth-round pick. If that's truly all it would take to land Richardson, then there's no reason why the Cardinals shouldn't do this.
Richardson is still just 23 and could potentially thrive in a new setting. The quarterback only appeared in two games in 2025, but he received 11 starts in 2024 and showed some flashes.
In 2024, Richardson threw for 1,814 yards with eight touchdowns and 12 interceptions. The Florida product also rushed for 499 yards and six touchdowns, showing off the dual-threat ability that made teams like him in the first place.
At this point, the Cardinals don't have much to lose. Richardson may never live up to expectations, but 2026 will likely be a lost season anyways. Best-case scenario, you get a starting quarterback for cheap for the next few seasons.
For the Clippers, they enter Wednesday's game with a 41-38 record after defeating the Dallas Mavericks at home on Tuesday night.
Now Los Angeles will try to grab another victory on Wednesday as they face off against the Western Conference-leading Thunder in a tough home matchup.
While the Clippers are looking to pick up a key victory in Wednesday night's matchup, they may be without multiple key players, including one of their stars, due to injuries.
With Garland sidelined against the Thunder, Kris Dunn, Kobe Sanders and Jordan Miller could all be in line for increased roles while the Clippers will likely rely on Kawhi Leonard to carry the load for them offensively.
The Clippers have also ruled out Isaiah Jackson as he will miss his sixth straight game due to a right ankle sprain.
With Jackson still sidelined, John Collins could continue to have an increased role off the bench behind Brook Lopez.
Bradley Beal and Yanic Konan Niederhauser have also been ruled out as they are both set to miss the remainder of the season.
Fans can catch Wednesday night's matchup between the Thunder and Clippers from Los Angeles at 10:00 p.m. ET.
The Hauppauge, New York, native, now 19, spent two years with the BC Eagles, playing in 71-total games, scoring 34 goals and tallying 50 assists for 84-points from 2024 to 2026.
Following the end of the Eagles’ season, Hagens joined the Providence Bruins on March 24, the B’s AHL team, where he played in six games, scoring 1 goal and 3 assists.
Before playing for BC, Hagens skated two seasons with the United States National Team Development Program (USNTDP), scoring 72 goals, 115 assists for 187 points, the fifth‑most in program history.
The Bruins are set to host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday, April 11, as they fight to stay in the NHL playoff race.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
This offseason has seen the New Orleans Saints turn into a serious NFC South contender. That's despite losing a few key players to free agency.
And while Cameron Jordan is still unsigned, it's looking increasingly likely that Jordan won't be back in New Orleans in 2026. If he's gone, the Saints will need to add a replacement, likely in the 2026 NFL Draft.
If they wanted someone to fill in for Jordan, then Aaron Schatz of ESPN has the perfect option for the Saints in the form of an Auburn edge rusher who is 6-foot-6, 276-pounds, that's NFL comparison is, fittingly, Jordan.
Keldrick Faulk's NFL comparison is Cameron Jordan
"Most of the edge rusher prospects are 265 pounds (T.J. Parker and Ruben Bain Jr.) or less, but Faulk is 6-foot-6 and 276 pounds," Schatz writes. "The Auburn product's ability to play both inside and outside makes him similar to the 287-pound Jordan, who has played defensive end in both 3-4 and 4-3 schemes."
Faulk being compared to Jordan is an incredible honor. While this is a comparison based on how they could fit onto an NFL team, regarding Faulk's versatility off the edge or from inside, it's still an intriguing comparison.
Jordan, the Saints legend, would be an incredible goal for Faulk in his NFL career. If he even did half of what Jordan has done, it'd be more than worth a first-round pick, even as high as eighth overall for the Saints.
In his 15-year NFL career, Jordan is an eight-time Pro Bowler, one-time All-Pro, and part of the HOF's 2010's team.
He's played in 243 games, recording one interception, 67 passes defended, 17 forced fumbles, 132 sacks, 763 tackles, 175 tackles for loss, and 248 quarterback hits.
Faulk being compared to such a player is a big honor, and would be a great goal to go after for the Auburn edge rusher.
If the Saints want to take a Jordan replacement, Faulk would be a good option. The eighth pick might be a bit too early, but if they decide to trade down and pick up a ton of value, Faulk would be an intriguing option down the board.
WATCH: Alexander Sorloth doubles Atletico Madrid lead over Barcelona
Atletico Madrid already have one foot in the Champions League semi-finals, as they are now 2-0 up on Barcelona in the first leg of their quarter-final tie at the Spotify Camp Nou.
Barcelona have dominated throughout, despite going down to 10 men in the closing stages of the first half when Pau Cubarsi saw red for a professional foul. Julian Alvarez scored from the resulting free-kick, but until now, Atleti have struggled to gain much more control in Catalonia.
Sorloth volleys Atleti into two-goal lead
That is until Alexander Sorloth doubled their lead. Matteo Ruggeri’s cross from the left was right on to the Norwegian’s foot, and he made no mistake to give Diego Simeone’s side a two-goal cushion.
That could be the first nail in Barcelona’s coffin. They have struggled to break Atleti down in the second half with the man disadvantage, and this will only become more difficult in the remaining minutes – and next week at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano.
‘There is no need…’ – Paul Robinson didn’t like what he saw from one Liverpool player v PSG
Paul Robinson wasn’t happy with what he saw from one Liverpool player in the early minutes of the second half against Paris Saint-Germain tonight.
The Reds fell behind to a deflected Desire Doue shot in the 11th minute at the Parc des Princes, and although they were profoundly unlucky in that instance, they were indebted to Giorgi Mamardashvili for a couple of strong saves in the first half.
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It took until the 49th minute for the visitors to record their first shot of the game, a Hugo Ekitike effort which curled harmlessly wide, and it was around that time in the match when Virgil van Dijk was seen screaming at Joe Gomez for not providing him with an overlap.
Robinson unhappy with Van Dijk berating Gomez
Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, Robinson expressed his irritation at seeing the Liverpool captain openly berating his teammate, saying: “Virgil van Dijk once again criticising his teammates. There is no need for Van Dijk to criticise Joe Gomez when he didn’t overlap him.”
The Dutchman’s anger wasn’t lost on Sky Sports reporter Pete Gill either as he observed:“Not for the first time in recent weeks, Van Dijk is attracting attention as he berates a team-mate. He was imperious as a title-winning captain last season. A question: is he a good captain in a struggling team?”
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Was Van Dijk right or wrong in that instance?
It happens in every single game that players will shout at teammates whenever an error occurs or whenever they’re trying to transmit an important message, so we don’t see any great issue with Van Dijk giving out to Gomez in that instance.
However, with the captain openly admitting that he and Liverpool effectively threw in the towel against Manchester City on Saturday, there appears to be a growing tendency for him to lead by word rather than deed, which hasn’t been the case throughout his time with the Reds.
With LFC enduring such a chastening season – and looking set to go down to another defeat against PSG, at the time of writing – they could do with their skipper leading by example rather than calling out teammates.
That said, Van Dijk was also seen trying to encourage the rest of the Liverpool players after they went 2-0 behind to Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s goal in the 65th minute, and it’ll take a collective effort from the Reds to keep the tie alive going to Anfield next week.
La Liga giants Atlético Madrid will be forced to make do without the contributions of an important member of the club’s backline in their Champions League 2nd leg meeting with Barcelona.
The player in question? Marc Pubill.
Atlético are of course currently locked in action on the continent.
Locking horns with Spanish top-flight rivals Barcelona for the 2nd time in the space of mere days, Diego Simeone’s troops have made the trip to the Spotify Camp Nou.
As things stand, the Rojiblancos find themselves in control of proceedings, leading by a goal to nil in Catalunya’s capital.
As alluded to above, though, along the way, Atléti have also seen their personnel options for next week’s return leg take a hit.
After flooring Robert Lewandowski inside his own half on the stroke of half-time, Marc Pubill was shown a yellow card.
Owing to an accumulation of bookings in the Champions League, the full-back has in turn been ruled out of next week’s quarter-final 2nd leg showdown at the Metropolitano.
New Florida football coach Jon Sumrall will have a captive audience when he takes part in his first SEC Football Media Days.
The event will be held on Sumrall's new home state, at the at Tampa Marriott Water Street and JW Marriott, July 20-23, in Tampa.
It will mark the first time the city of Tampa and the state of Florida have hosted the SEC’s preseason media extravaganza. Dallas, Nashville and Atlanta have served as hosts the previous three years. The event should draw plenty of support from Gator Nation, given UF's alumni presence in the greater Tampa Bay area and the curiosity surrounding the Florida Gators program under a first-year coach.
Sumrall is set to speak on Wednesday, July 22, on the same day as Alabama's Kalen DeBoer, Ole Miss's Pete Golding and Texas A&M's Mike Elko.
A full rundown of times in which coaches will speak at the event will be announced at a later date. The SEC Network will once again bring the four-day event to a national audience.
Teachers and supporters of UTLA attended a massive, multiple-union rally last month. A teachers strike has been announced for Tuesday if a settlement isn't reached in their contract dispute. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
The Los Angeles Unified School District spring sports programs will shut down on Tuesday if three unions go through with their threat to go out on strike unless a settlement is reached.
Besides United Teachers Los Angeles walking out, bus drivers also will join them, making transportation unavailable for sports activities.
"We're still trying to work out some of the details," LAUSD sports director Trent Cornelius said. No decision has been announced about holding practices if there's a walkout.
City Section commissioner Vicky Lagos has been through a teachers' strike before, and if it lasts more than a week, it will be up to individual leagues to determine how to make up games or whether scheduled games missed might become no contests.
Lagos is already prepared to delay the City Section Cheer championships scheduled for April 18. Seeding meetings for playoffs also could be delayed depending on how long a strike lasts.
The schools not affected by a walkout would be the charter schools, such as Birmingham, Granada Hills, El Camino Real and Palisades.
"The charters can sill play," Lagos said.
Athletes will be reminded if there's a strike, they can't play on outside teams because if the strike ends, they would be declared ineligible. Also baseball players are not allowed to participate in a professional tryout during their season.
"We don't panic. We have contingency plans," Lagos said.
Florida prosecutors have filed notice that they will issue a subpoena for Tiger Woods’ prescription medications after the famed golfer was arrested on suspicion of driving while impaired in Jupiter Island, Florida on March 27.
Prosecutors said in a state court filing April 7 they will seek copies of “any and all prescription medication on file” for Woods to include type of prescription, number of pills, dosage amount and “all special instructions on how to take the medication,” including warnings about operating a motor vehicle while taking the prescriptions.
Woods, 50, previously has acknowledged having a sleep disorder and issues with pain medications. He has pleaded not guilty and said he is “stepping away” to “seek treatment and focus on my health.” He refused a urine test after his Land Rover flipped on its side in a residential neighborhood, leading Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek to say afterward that “we will never get definitive results as to what he was impaired on at the time of the crash."
This subpoena could provide the evidence prosecutors need to bolster their case against Woods in that regard. But Woods’ attorney can fight it by objecting to it within 10 days. Otherwise the subpoena will be issued April 22, according to filing in court.
Authorities suspected Woods was impaired on drugs, not alcohol, after appearing lethargic after the accident. The sheriff said his alcohol breath test registered at 0.00.
Then there's Woods' driving history. In 2017, Woods was charged with driving under the influence in Jupiter, Florida, with five medications found in his blood, according to records obtained by USA TODAY Sports. Those medications included the sleep drug Ambien and the painkiller Vicodin.
In 2021, his Genesis SUV careened through a median and opposing traffic lanes in Los Angeles County before hitting a tree and rolling over. Woods was not even ticketed or suspected of impairment by law enforcement there despite evidence to the contrary.
In 2009, Woods was ticketed for careless driving after hitting a row of hedges and a fire hydrant outside his mansion in Florida. A witness described him as snoring at the scene afterward.
From the sounds of it, Mendoza's visit to Las Vegas on Tuesday was quite useful. Both for him and the Raiders.
The Heisman Trophy and National Championship winning QB took his one and only pre-draft visit to the team who is expected to select him at number one overall in this month's NFL Draft. And when he arrived, he was greeted by the GOAT Tom Brady and newly signed Raiders QB Kirk Cousins. The latter speaking with the media Wednesday for his introductory press conference where he was asked for his thoughts on Mendoza.
"I've watched him from a distance. He had an incredible college career. Got to run into him yesterday at his draft visit. He seems like a high-caliber person and if we're fortunate enough to get him here, then it will be a privilege to work together," said Cousins, adding that he sees Mendoza as having a "natural feel for the position."
The thing is, though, Cousins didn't just "run into" Mendoza during his visit. The two actually sat down and watched film together, as Cousins told Good Morning Football. He also spoke more definitively about Mendoza being drafted by the Raiders.
"He was here yesterday on his draft visit and we were able to watch film with together. He'll be a great addition to the room," Cousins said of Mendoza.
"It will be noisy quarterback room, we'll all be helping each other and we'll all be pulling in the same direction."
Sounds basically like that visit was scheduled on the first day of Raiders offseason program by design. And in a way, Mendoza just joined his (soon-to-be) new teammates on day one as well, giving him a bit of a head start on his preparations for when he can take the field with them in OTA's.
The NFL has taken a major step as uncertainty grows around its labor talks with the NFL Referees Association. With the current deal set to expire on May 31, the league has warned teams to prepare for the possibility of replacement officials.
According to Tom Pelissero, the NFL informed clubs that it will begin training replacement referees next month. The plan includes assigning those officials to team activities starting June 1 if no agreement is reached. Teams must also submit their offseason schedules by April 22 to help the league prepare.
“All clubs are required to submit their OTA and mandatory minicamp schedules to the NFL by April 22 so that the league can assign replacement officials to those practices starting June 1, the day after the labor deal is scheduled to expire.” Pelissero posted on X.
The directive signals growing concern within the league. Negotiations between the NFL and the officials’ union have not progressed smoothly, with reports suggesting frustration on both sides. Analysts have indicated that talks are currently in a difficult phase, raising doubts about a timely resolution.
At the center of the dispute are key structural differences. The NFL wants a system that rewards performance and allows flexibility in assigning top officials to major games. The union, however, prefers to maintain existing structures and limit changes to evaluation and assignment processes.
This standoff has created real uncertainty ahead of offseason programs. Organized team activities and mandatory minicamps could be impacted if replacement officials are needed. While these sessions do not carry the same weight as regular-season games, they are critical for preparation and evaluation.
A similar situation occurred during the NFL referee lockout in 2012
NFL referee Jeff Triplette (left) and his crew during a game at Cleveland Browns Stadium in 2012. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images
The situation also brings back memories of the 2012 NFL referee lockout, when replacement officials handled games early in the season. That period drew heavy criticism and placed pressure on the league to resolve the dispute quickly.
League executives, including Troy Vincent, have stressed the need for higher accountability and improved officiating standards.
“Our priority is to have the best officials on the field, a performance-based model,” Vincent said.
The union, meanwhile, remains cautious about sweeping changes.
With the deadline approaching, both sides continue negotiations. The NFL is preparing for all outcomes for now, including a scenario that could disrupt the start of offseason activities.
AUGUSTA, Ga. — Kevin Hart stood on the eighth tee at Augusta National’s par 3 course with a club in his hand and declared, “I was built for this.”
Why, you might wonder, was Kevin Hart, a comedian, swinging a golf club at Augusta National on Wednesday? Well …
Augusta’s Par 3 Contest, played annually on Wednesday ahead of the Masters, is hardly a serious affair. Kids use the course as a playground, while players take the day as a final bit of relaxation before getting down to business on Thursday.
That’s how Hart ended up becoming a caddie for Bryson DeChambeau.
The unlikely duo spent some time on the driving range prior to the round, where DeChambeau appeared to give Hart some pointers.
🚨⛳️🤣 #LOOK — Kevin Hart is caddying for Bryson DeChambeau in today’s Par 3 Contest. He warmed on the range before heading to the first tee. pic.twitter.com/AF0MhyvEYl
The two then made their way to the course, where Hart declared he was not the “global superstar,” he was there “to be the best caddie who ever caddied.”
The duo we didn't know we needed: Bryson DeChambeau and his caddie Kevin Hart 😂 pic.twitter.com/Rgtu9oYujE
But Hart would do more than caddie. At No. 8, he grabbed one of DeChambeau’s irons, stepped up to the ball and — telling DeChambeau he only needed one shot — did this:
In his lone season in Tempe, the 7’1″ Senegal native averaged 13.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks for a Sun Devil team that compiled a 17-16 record and missed the NCAA Tournament. Prior to heading to the States to play college basketball, Diop played in Span from 2022-2025.
Diop was Arizona State‘s second-leading scorer this season behind senior guard Maurice Odum. He was also the second-leading rebounder behind sophomore forward Santiago Trouet, and led the team in blocks. He, however, was not selected as a member of the Big 12 All-Freshman Team.
He scored 20-plus points in three games this season, and recorded 21 games with two or more blocks. He immediately becomes one of the best shot blockers in the Portal.
The prized center hits the Portal as Arizona State basketball heads into a new era. After 11 seasons at the helm, head coach Bobby Hurley and the program parted ways following the Sun Devils’ embarrassing 91-42 loss to No. 7 Iowa State in the 2026 Big 12 Tournament. Across 11 seasons, Hurley led the program to a 185-167 (90-115) record with three NCAA Tournament appearances.
Arizona State‘s last appearance in the Big Dance, however, came back in 2023. In those three Tournament appearances, the program failed to advance past the First Round.
Arizona State is heading into new era under head coach Randy Bennett
To replace Hurley, Arizona State quickly agreed to terms on a five-year deal with longtime Saint Mary’s head coach Randy Bennett. Bennett had been at Saint Mary’s since the 2001-02 season. In that span, he led the Gaels to a stellar 589-228 (304-99) record with 12 NCAA Tournament appearances. That includes a run to the Sweet Sixteen in 2010, and appearances in the last five Tournaments. This season, the No. 7 seeded Gaels fell to No. 10 seed Texas A&M 63-50 in the First Round.
“It was going to take a special situation for us to leave Saint Mary’s, and I am energized, driven, and focused on taking over Sun Devil Basketball, a program I am very familiar with and grew up watching,” Bennett said in a statement. “We are in the best basketball conference in the nation and I look forward to the opportunity and am excited to meet everyone who wants to help this program reach our goals in the new landscape. My staff and I will be ready for the challenge.”
Diop likely won’t be the only Arizona State player to enter the Portal with the coaching change.
KANSAS CITY, MO - OCTOBER 12: Jawaan Taylor #74 of the Kansas City Chiefs runs out of the tunnel prior to an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Atlanta Falcons didn’t wait around long to sign a potential replacement for retiring right tackle Kaleb McGary. Per Adam Schefter, they’ve agreed to a one-year, $5 million contract with veteran Jawaan Taylor with up to $1 million in incentives available. Taylor will likely compete to start with a rookie—2026 NFL Draft pending—and will likely be considered the favorite in that competition.
Falcons and former Chiefs free-agent offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor reached agreement today on a one-year deal with a base value of $5 million and an additional $1 million in incentives, per his agents Drew Rosenhaus and Robert Bailey. pic.twitter.com/NhoXjoYMVj
Taylor, 28, comes to Atlanta fresh off a three-year stint with the Kansas City Chiefs. The former Jacksonville Jaguars second round pick, who was selected after McGary back in 2019, has been a full-time starter since he arrived in the league, appearing in 111 games and starting all of them. He had been pretty durable, too, missing just one contest in his NFL career before 2025, when an elbow injury cost him the final five games of the season. I should note that he did battle a knee injury throughout 2024, as well, even if he played through it.
The durability will matter a great deal for a team that had to start its third-string tackle for the entire 2025 season, and Taylor’s always offered competent pass protection at right tackle, where he’s played all but 34 of his NFL snaps. That’s the good news, and in that regard he’ll be an upgrade over Elijah Wilkinson. The bad news is that Taylor is a significant downgrade from McGary and probably a small one from Wilkinson in terms of his run blocking, which is unfortunate for a team that loves to run as much as Atlanta does. Taylor is also penalized absurdly frequently, often for lining up improperly, with a league-leading 49 penalties during his Chiefs tenure. It’s worth noting that this problem got significantly worse in Kansas City, as he was penalized fairly frequently but not at an outlandish clip in Jacksonville. It would not be stunning to see those numbers go down a bit in Atlanta working with Bill Callahan and away from the much-scrutinized Chiefs offense.
Regardless, Taylor was making close to $30 million in Kansas City, so this is a bargain price for a capable starting tackle who will be an upgrade in pass protection over what the Falcons had to work with in 2025. We’ll need to know he’s healthy and won’t be penalized at the same clip he was when he was a Chief, and we’ll have to hope his run blocking is good enough to keep this ground game humming. With the Falcons desperately needing an experienced, starting-caliber player after McGary’s retirement and not knowing when they’ll be able to grab a tackle in the NFL Draft, this signing was a must. Give Taylor a warm welcome!
CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 08: Joey Cantillo #54 of the Cleveland Guardians throws a pitch during the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at Progressive Field on April 08, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Cantillo was great today. He unfortunately didn’t finish the 6th, but went 5.2 solid innings walking only 2 Royals hitters. He struck out 9, and did a fantastic job of limiting hard contact. He had some trouble locating his fastball, but all of his other pitches were consistently in the zone. Entering today’s game, Guardians starters averaged a tick over 5 innings a start (5th in MLB), and posted a 2.77 ERA (2nd in MLB). The rotation has been fantastic so far. They’re striking out over 10.5 hitters per 9 innings, although they are walking roughly 4.5 hitters/9. Both their walk rate and HR rate are bottom 10 in MLB, but they’ve managed to limit damage otherwise. It helps that, so far, they’ve induced the 11th most groundballs in MLB. The pitching staff, today, notched their 10th game with 10+ strikeouts, the most in MLB (2nd most has 7). To the offense!
The Guardians had 16 hits today which, per MLB.com’s Tim Stebbins, tied their season-high from 2025. They only had 15+ hits 3 times last season. Definitely an encouraging sign that they’re having outbursts like today’s so early in the season.
Cole Ragans did not get out of the first inning today. He was first hit in the hand by a Jose comebacker, but stayed in the game.
Cole Ragans got hit with a comebacker and left the game with injury.
Brito has been fantastic so far. 2 MLB games, 2 multi-hit games, 2 XBH. So far, he’s chasing a little more than you’d like, but it’s early. But, he’s barely whiffing, and putting up really good exit velocity numbers for someone this new to MLB. He’s averaging 98+ mph on his batted balls and has been really aggressive in the zone (97th percentile zone-swing%).
Cantillo’s only earned run of the day came on a Bobby Witt double to left. The other run came on a fielding error by Kwan (although it could’ve just as easily been charged to Martinez).
It was pretty quiet until the 8th, when Brito and Hedges singled back-to-back (Hedges, by the way, has a 174 wRC+ on a .933 OPS). Rocchio worked a 3-1 count and, after an iffy 3-1 strike call, singled to right. Kwan walked to load the bases, and then Martinez smoked an oopsie slider into the seats in right-center. The Royals brought in a position player to pitch, which is always a welcome sight. For reference, the last position player to pitch against the Guardians was Luke Maile on September 8 of 2025… also for the Royals. That game also ended 10-2.
In other news, the Guardians announced today that Gabriel Arias will miss 4-8 weeks with a hamstring strain.
Guardians provided an update on Gabriel Arias after he got further evaluated. Expected to miss 4-8 weeks.
The Guardians have won 3 straight series against playoff contenders. They head south this weekend for a 3-game set with the Braves. It’ll be Cecconi vs. Elder on Friday night.
On Wednesday, Toyota Center and Clutch City Sports & Entertainment announced “Toyota Center Reimagined.” The arena upgrade project will cost $180 million, according to the Houston Chronicle, with close to half paid for by Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta.
Described as a transformation of the Rockets’ home arena, the project is designed to elevate the fan experience and further position downtown Houston as a premier destination for sports, entertainment, and major events, according to the team’s announcement.
The comprehensive project, approved Wednesday by the Harris County–Houston Sports Authority, represents a transformational investment in the future of downtown Houston and coincides with the George R. Brown Convention Center expansion project, which is already underway. Construction will begin following the 2025-26 Rockets season, with completion expected by the fall of 2027.
“Today’s announcement reflects our commitment to continually invest in Houston and deliver a world-class experience for the millions of guests who visit Toyota Center and downtown Houston each year,” said Rockets owner Tilman J. Fertitta, the owner of Clutch City Sports & Entertainment.
“Toyota Center Reimagined will elevate the guest experience, introduce dynamic new gathering spaces, and ensure that Toyota Center remains one of the premier sports and entertainment destinations in the country.”
Mayor John Whitmore said the improvement project reflects Houston’s commitment to meeting modern needs while preparing for the future.
“It ensures we can continue to cheer on the Rockets (NBA) and Comets (WNBA) and support a strong convention business for years to come,” Whitmire said. “I thank the Harris County–Houston Sports Authority (HCHSA) for its leadership and partnership with my administration, as well as county and state officials.”
"This is a significant milestone for both the Rockets and the City of Houston,” added Ryan Walsh, CEO of HCHSA.
“As the steward of Houston’s sports venues, including Toyota Center, the Harris County–Houston Sports Authority is proud to partner in this important investment,” Walsh added. “The modernization of the arena is a critical step in maintaining Houston’s competitive edge as the premier destination for major events. These upgrades will not only elevate the fan experience, but also strengthen our ability to attract high-profile events, drive tourism, and generate economic impact across the region.”
The centerpiece of Toyota Center Reimagined is the addition of a nearly 20,000-square-foot atrium at the corner of Polk and La Branch streets. The new atrium will feature a striking glass façade, which will create a covered outdoor gathering space of more than 3,000 square feet. That space will serve as a vibrant front door to Toyota Center and downtown Houston, according to the team.
Equipped with state-of-the-art digital displays, the atrium will provide increased flexibility for events and pre-event activations. A members lounge for season-ticket holders will add nearly 5,000 square feet of premium hospitality and meeting space, all while featuring an open design that keeps guests connected to the energy of the atrium while maintaining a more private setting.
The new Rockets and Comets team store will more than double the current retail footprint and support merchandise needs for all Toyota Center events, with additional point-of-sale and self-checkout kiosks created to improve speed of service.
The south entry along Bell Street will be reconfigured to enhance the arrival experience. Guests will have a direct view of the arena bowl upon entry and access to a new hospitality space for all fans.
As part of the project, all existing suites will be fully renovated and modernized, creating a significantly enhanced premium experience across multiple arena levels. Upgrades will include refreshed interiors, improved sightlines, upgraded furnishings and finishes, and enhanced hospitality functionality, which is being designed to better support corporate entertainment, client engagement, and networking
The popular Skybridge entrance, connecting Toyota Center to the Toyota Tundra Garage, will receive an overhaul aimed at improving the premium arrival experience.
Toyota Center, home to the Houston Rockets, will be getting a $180 million upgrade “at no cost to Houston taxpayers,” Mayor John Whitmire said Wednesday.
The Harris County Houston Sports Authority is expected to make the announcement official Wednesday afternoon, but Whitmire… pic.twitter.com/21KnCg9Rxq
Toyota Center Reimagined is introducing several new hospitality and premium experiences, as well. The new Summit Club on the suite level will feature more than 6,000 square feet of premium hospitality space with multiple dining and lounge areas designed to accommodate a variety of uses and deliver a differentiated all-inclusive experience. The Sky Bar and HOU Market will add approximately 5,000 square feet on the upper concourse, offering views of downtown and elevated hospitality.
Finally, several infrastructure improvements will also be implemented. New and upgraded vertical transportation systems will provide easy access across all five levels, whiule enhanced fiber cabling and broadcast capabilities will better support large-scale productions. Technological improvements, including upgraded data systems and a higher-capacity Wi-Fi network, will position Toyota Center to meet future demands. An updated, modernized command center is expected to provide a safer and more welcoming environment.
According to the team, Toyota Center Reimagined continues a multi-year venue investment courtesy of Fertitta and Clutch City Sports & Entertainment.
Over the past two years, Toyota Center introduced a cutting-edge 6,200-square-foot center-hung scoreboard as part of a venue-wide lighting and video upgrade, all while also beginning the replacement of the arena’s original seating. Additional improvements included a full roof replacement and modernized media workspace and dining facilities.
Together, the team says these improvements represent a continued commitment to downtown, all while ensuring that its arena remains one of the premier U.S. sports and entertainment destinations.
The Harris County-Houston Sports Authority approved the $180M Toyota Center renovation, featuring a massive new glass atrium, upgraded suites, new clubs and improved fan flow — all ahead of the Comets’ return in 2027.
The 2026 NFL Draft will take place in Pittsburgh this month, a city that could be where the Vikings select the next star they add to their roster in hopes of righting the proverbial ship. Before then, though, there will be plenty of speculation and buildup for the team and who they may add to the roster through the draft. Thankfully, we now have some added context for players now that the scouting combine has come and gone.
Schrager explains the McNeil-Warren pick, writing, "McNeil-Warren is a tall, rangy safety who plays with high energy and is vocal in the defensive backfield. We're still not sure if Harrison Smith will be back at 37 years old, but McNeil-Warren can be the torchbearer once Smith does choose to call it a career. He had five picks over the past three seasons."
McNeil-Warren is a fun prospect to think about being a Vikings. His skill set would complement the likes of Josh Metellus and Theo Jackson, so it is a pick that makes sense. However, if both he and Dillon Thieneman are on the board, they may have a tough decision to make.
MIAMI GARDENS, FL - JANUARY 01: Behren Morton #2 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders drops back to pass during the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl against the Oregon Ducks on January 01, 2026 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
According to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Green Bay Packers had in Texas Tech quarterback Behren Morton for a pre-draft visit on Tuesday. The Packers are limited to just 30 of these pre-draft visits and usually end up targeting the players who come in, either as draft choices, undrafted free agents or down the line.
Unlike the majority of the stars on Texas Tech’s team, particularly on defense, Morton wasn’t a transfer. While David Bailey (#3 on the consensus draft board), Jacob Rodriguez (#45), Lee Hunter (#47) and Romello Height (#75) made offenses’ lives hell, Morton was in charge of putting up points when the Red Raiders had the ball.
Morton is the son of a high school football coach who sat behind Tyler Shough, who eventually transferred to Louisville and is now the starting quarterback of the New Orleans Saints, early on in his college career. In 2024, he became the full-time starter for the first time and has posted a 26-10 record as a quarterback while at Texas Tech.
Morton only played in 12 of Tech’s 14 games last season because of a fractured leg and a hit to the head that knocked him out of the game against Utah.
At the combine, Morton measured in at 6’2” and 211 pounds with 9.5” hands, which checks the boxes at the NFL. At his pro day, he ran a 4.89-second 40-yard dash according to Dane Brugler’s The Beast.
Per the consensus draft board, Morton is considered to be a borderline draftable prospect at the moment, ranked 264th in the class.
At age 19, Konnor Griffin not only won the Pittsburgh shortstop job but a nine-year, $140 million pact, the team's largest and longest. (Photo by Mike Carlson/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates aren’t pinching pennies anymore.
They agreed this week to pay 19-year-old shortstop Konnor Griffin a reported $140 million over nine years. It is the largest and longest deal in club history, topping the $106.75 million Bryan Reynolds received three years ago.
Widely viewed as the top prospect in baseball, Griffin started the year in the minors but was quickly promoted to Pittsburgh. Written into the starting lineup for the first time on April 3, he collected an RBI double in his first at-bat.
Drafted ninth overall but first by the Pirates in the 2024 amateur draft, Griffin tore through the minors like an F-5 tornado in a Kansas wheat field. Never mind that he was just a high school player at the time of the draft.
Playing on three levels of the minors last summer, he hit a combined .333 with 21 home runs, 94 runs batted in, and 65 stolen bases.
Those numbers excited the Pirates, who haven’t had a winning record since 2018 or a playoff appearance since 2015. Any hopes they had last season collapsed when the club finished last in the majors in home runs, runs scored, and on-base plus slugging (OPS).
The team finished 71-91, costing manager Derek Shelton his job and finishing 26th in attendance, drawing just 1,525,025 to PNC Park, arguably the most photogenic in the majors.
Anxious to add to a faltering attack, the Pittsburgh Pirates signed Marcell Ozuna to serve as their designated hitter. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
Winter moves to bolster the offense brought veterans Marcell Ozuna, Brandon Lowe, and Ryan O’Hearn but the team believes the untested Griffin can mean much more. That’s why his new contract will carry him through 2034.
At an annual average of $15,555,555, according to Roster Resource, he’ll make more than any other Pirate, just ahead of pitcher Mitch Keller, who is earning $15,400,000.
“This is an unusual and dramatic step for the Pittsburgh Pirates,” chairman Bob Nutting told the local media. “I’m excited. I hope our fans are excited. And I hope the city is excited.”
The consensus Minor League Player of the Year for 2025, Griffin is considered a five-tool player.
“Speed, power, arm strength, he’s got it all,” gushed manager Don Kelly. “He’s got the personality. He’s humble. He’s the best.”
After starting consecutive All-Star Games, Pittsburgh pitcher Paul Skenes took him his first Cy Young Award. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)
Getty Images
Griffin is basking in the same spotlight that shined on teammate Paul Skenes the last two years. He not only started consecutive All-Star Games for the National League but also won the NL’s Cy Young Award for 2025.
“The Pirates have believed in me for a long time,” Griffin said. “For two years, they allowed me to progress through the minor leagues, let me become the player that I am. I’m thankful to be here for another nine years. The stability is really important to me and my family. It’s a great opportunity.”
Griffin is the latest of nearly a dozen blue-chip prospects signed to massive contract extensions with virtually no major-league experience.
Among the others are Colt Emerson (Mariners), who got eight years at $95 million; Cooper Pratt (Brewers), recipient of $50.75 million over eight years; and Jackson Chourio (Brewers), given $82 million in an eight-year deal.
Also on that elite list are Colt Keith (Tigers), Luis Robert, Jr. (White Sox), Julio Rodriguez and Evan White (Mariners), Eloy Jimenez (White Sox); Scott Kingery (Phillies), Jon Singleton (Astros), Samuel Basallo (Orioles); Roman Anthony and Kristian Campbell (Red Sox); and Brandon Lowe (Rays).
The flurry of lucrative long-term contracts for talented but inexperienced rookies reflects management’s concern over changes to the Basic Agreement between players and owners. After the current contract expires in December – probably preceded and accompanied by acrimonious negotiations – changes to free agency and service time are probable. Contracts signed now, however, would not be affected.
No matter how good a player is, however, long-term signings are gambles – especially for rookies. While players are giving up years of free agency, they are getting guaranteed dollars.
After signing an 11-year contract with Tampa Bay, Wander Franco was a rising young star when sidelined by legal troubles. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
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Not all such signings are wise investments. Wander Franco, signed to an 11-year, $182 million pact guaranteed through 2032, ran into legal problems that led to his suspension. Jimenez, Kingery, Lowe, and Robert Jr. were all traded when they failed to live up to their initial promise.
The Pirates anticipate no such problems with Griffin.
“We’re going to do a lot of great things with the players we have,” Griffin beamed after his signing became official. “I want to be part of it. I want to continue to be part of the building of winning playoff baseball.
“This is a great place for me and a great place for my family. I couldn’t be more proud.”
He needed only a week in Triple-A to merit a promotion to Pittsburgh.
“Since the day Konnor signed,” said general manager Ben Cherington, “he has met every challenge from a baseball perspective. He’s always put the team first, representing himself, his family, and the organization in the most first-class manner. He has earned our trust.”
He has also earned a place in the lineup, where he’s arguably the best teenaged shortstop since future Hall of Famer Robin Yount broke in with the 1974 Milwaukee Brewers.
Konnor Griffin will celebrate his 20th birthday on April 24.
This article was originally published on Forbes.com
Michele Di Gregorio’s recent penalty save against Aaron Martin during Juventus’ clash with Genoa may not be enough to secure his long-term future in Turin.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, despite the goalkeeper’s heroics at the Allianz Stadium, the club’s hierarchy is increasingly leaning toward a summer departure for the former Monza man.
Notably, the Italian international has attracted significant interest from several Premier League clubs, who are drawn to his proficiency with his feet and shot-stopping abilities. Juventus, who invested approximately €18 million to bring him to the club in 2024, are now keen to capitalize on this external market interest. The goal is to secure a substantial capital gain that would benefit the club’s balance sheet, especially as they have already begun identifying more experienced targets, such as Liverpool’s Alisson, to take over the starting role.
Indeed, the feeling within Continassa is that Di Gregorio has been unfairly hampered by the extreme technical instability surrounding the club. Since his arrival, the goalkeeper has navigated a crumbling project that saw three different sporting directors and three coaching changes, moving from Thiago Motta to Igor Tudor and finally to Luciano Spalletti. While he was originally handpicked by Cristiano Giuntoli to fit Motta’s specific tactical demands, the subsequent shifts in the dugout have completely altered the profile Juventus is now looking for in a number one.
Consequently, the move from Monza to a top-tier club appears destined to be a short chapter for the 28-year-old. With Juventus eager to cut ties and reset their technical project, a move to England represents a fresh start for Di Gregorio and a strategic financial opportunity for the Bianconeri as they look to overhaul their squad once again.
With the odds all the way down to -20000 for quarterback Fernando Mendoza to be the first pick in the draft, there seems to be no way the Raiders won't be taking him.
The move was treated like a given during quarterback Kirk Cousins's introductory press conference on Wednesday, when he was asked about the fact that the Raiders will have an all-Big Ten depth chart with quarterbacks from Michigan State, Purdue, and Indiana. (Cousins played for Michigan State, Aidan O'Connell played for Purdue, and Mendoza played for Indiana.)
Cousins didn't say in response something like, "Well, they haven't drafted Mendoza yet" or "I don't know what they're going to do with the first pick." He answered the question as it was asked, with no caveat or disclaimer.
On one hand, nothing is done until it's done. We were reminded of that last month when the trade that would have sent Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby to the Ravens fell through. On the other hand, it seems highly unlikely the Raiders won't take Mendoza.
Yes, there have been surprises before. Twenty-five years ago, everyone expected the Chargers to select Michael Vick. In those days, there were many more terms to negotiate with first-round picks, and the talks between the Chargers and Vick collapsed at the eleventh hour. Enter the Falcons, and Atlanta ended up trading for the top pick.
Nowadays, there's little over which to haggle. Barring a Reggie Bush-style surprise (which, given the current landscape of college sports, now seems ludicrous), it will be Mendoza to the Raiders.
What would it take? Some other team would have to make the Raiders an offer they couldn't refuse, one that would entail sufficient draft picks to get them to put a pin in the pursuit of a rookie quarterback until 2027 (when the class is believed to be stronger) while also addressing multiple holes in the roster.
The Bears did that in 2023, trading out of the top spot with the Panthers and acquiring the 2024 first-round pick that became the No. 1 overall selection. In 2023, the Bears remained committed to Justin Fields. By 2024, they were ready to pounce on Caleb Williams.
If the Raiders are currently evaluating an offer like that, everyone has kept it very quiet. And evaluating it and taking it are two different things.
Regardless, there's no smoke. Which means that, if there's even a flicker of a flame, it's being incredibly well concealed.
The Detroit Pistons and franchise superstar Cade Cunningham had quite the scare in the middle of March.
In a St. Patrick's Day win over the Washington Wizards, Cunningham suffered a collapsed left lung. The situation was already scary enough in itself for Cunningham's health and well-being. But for it to happen this close to the NBA playoffs for the Eastern Conference's top seed? Losing your top player indefinitely with just a month left in the season has to sting. What about, thanks to the NBA's 65-game rule, the effect on Cunningham's All-NBA, All-Defense, and general award eligibility? (Note: Cunningham is no longer eligible.)
The best news is that Cunningham now appears to be OK. According to ESPN's Vincent Goodwill, the Pistons talisman will likely make his return to Detroit's lineup on Wednesday night at home against the Milwaukee Bucks. Cunningham had missed Detroit's last 11 games. You can officially exhale, Pistons fans.
Cade Cunningham is expected to make his return this evening for the Detroit Pistons after missing time with an injured lung, sources tell ESPN
Even while presuming that the contender Pistons will be cautious with Cunningham, his return now should leave him with about three games to knock some rust off. Plus, he'll have the ensuing week or so of rest and tune-up that every locked-in playoff team gets before the start of the postseason. That's not bad!
With all things considered, after Cunningham suffered such a scary injury, this was probably the most ideal outcome for himself and the Pistons.
The Masters Par-3 Contest is a more laid-back event for competitors in the Masters Tournament.
The golfers get a chance to work on their short game, but, unlike their usual caddies, they often enlist the help of their partners or children. With how family-friendly the event is, many of the "caddies" get the chance to hit shots, whether it be from the tee box or trying to nail important putts on the green.
Last year, Tommy Fleetwood's son Frankie was given the tough task of hitting a tee shot on No. 9 to end his dad's round. He had been practicing the shot, but had been unable to carry the water and land a ball on the green. The young Fleetwood's interview went viral for its heartwarming nature and his well-spoken words.
Here is more on Fleetwood's son Frankie going viral for his interviews.
While the excitement of the Masters is plenty to look forward to already, the Par-3 Contest has become a fan favorite event. Frankie went viral in 2025 from his interviews and was back in 2026. He will once again attempt to clear the water on hole No. 9, but when he was asked about his upcoming attempt this year, he said he was "not so confident." In another interview with Laura Rutledge, Frankie said that if he were able to hit the green or even a hole in one, he would expect that he would walk the Augusta National course all weekend with his dad.
Fleetwood got two attempts on the ninth. He got a piece of his first attempt, but missed the green. Fleetwood then got a raucous applause from the crowd, and was allowed to attempt a second shot. His second was much closer to the green, but feel just short. Now all eyes will be on Fleetwood to land the green in 2027.
Fleetwood's 2025 interview went viral. When talking about his shot, he talked about his practice leading up to it and repeatedly said he was trying his hardest. It was extremely heart-warming, and viewers likely became more fans of Frankie than they were already of his father, Tommy.
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Prosecutors are seeking Tiger Woods' prescription drug records from a pharmacy, a week after his vehicle crashed in Florida and he was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.
Prosecutors in Florida on Tuesday said they planned to issue a subpoena seeking copies of all prescription medication records for the legendary golfer on file at Lewis Pharmacy in Palm Beach, Florida.
Prosecutors in Martin County, Florida, want the times the prescriptions were filled, the number of pills, the dosage amounts and any instructions that accompanied the pills, such as warnings about driving while taking them, according to documents in an online court docket.
Neither Lewis Pharmacy nor Woods' attorney, Doug Duncan, immediately responded to an emails seeking comment.
Woods pleaded not guilty in his driving under the influence case in Florida last week, hours after a sheriff’s report said deputies found two pain pills in his pocket and he showed signs of impairment after his SUV clipped a trailer and rolled over on its side.
Woods said last week that he is stepping away to seek treatment.
It’s the second time Woods has taken a leave following a car crash. In 2009, after his SUV plowed into a fire hydrant and tree outside his home near Orlando, he took a leave of absence to work on being a better person. That lasted four months and he returned at the Masters.
He also was in a 2021 car crash in Los Angeles that damaged his right leg so badly he said doctors considered amputation.
Wiffen finished inside the consideration time for a place at this summer's Commonwealth Games and European Aquatics Championships [Getty Images]
Daniel Wiffen claimed the 1500m freestyle title at the at the Irish Open Swimming Championships in Bangor's Aurora.
The Olympic 800m champion powered home in a time of 14:51.38 - the second fastest time in the world this year - which is well inside the Commonwealth Games consideration time of 15:15.42 and also the European Aquatics Championships' consideration time.
Wiffen's twin brother Nathan finished second but his time of 15:20.88 is outside the consideration time, with Daragh Horgan third in 16:09.03.
The Magheralin was not entirely satisfied with his race but secured his first title of the week regardless.
"I'd say it's 50-50 as to whether I'm happy or not with the swim," he said.
"I need to look at the splits, I felt really good up to like 1000m, and then I felt like I kind of faded away a little bit and was seizing up.
"That's good for an 800m, that's good for all other events, whereas with the 1500 sometimes you go unbelievable and then sometimes it's not good at all, and that was kind of middle ground, so I'm pretty pleased, but also kind of disappointed."
Davison wins 100m freestyle after breaking championship record in heats
Earlier on Wednesday, Grace Davison set a new Irish Senior and Championship record of 54.45 in the 100m freestyle heats to reach Commonwealth Games and European consideration and while slightly slower in the final with a time of 54.88, it was enough to claim gold
The 18-year-old Ards swimmer finished ahead of Larne's Danielle Hill whose 55.92 is also enough for Commonwealth Games consideration, while National Centre Ulster's Victoria Catterson finished third in 56.12.
"I'm really happy with that (day), but if I'm honest I'm probably a little bit disappointed with tonight, I wanted to go a bit quicker, I was 54.4 this morning and 54.8 there," Davison reflected.
"But it's all learning for me and I think a big thing for me is learning to be quicker in the morning, so when I do go to the international stage I can progress through the rounds, so if anything, it's interesting to see that I can go quicker in the morning than in the final.
"I'm really happy to get all those times out of the way on the first day of the competition, it's pretty cool."
In the Open 100m freestyle final, Limerick swimmer Evan Bailey took gold in 48.98 with Bangor's James Ward second and Lisburn City's Matthew Hamilton third.
Jack Cassin claimed the 200m butterfly title with a personal best and championship record of 1:57.05, finishing ahead of team-mate Paddy Johnston and UCD's Sean Donnellan.
Templeogue's Ellen Walshe won the 200m butterfly title in 2:09.74 - under the consideration time for the European Aquatics Champinships - with National Centre Ulster's Alana Burns Atkin second and Eve Leleux third.
Clare Custer won the 800m freestyle title in 8:52.63, finishing ahead of Bangor team-mates Chloe Stewart and Eva Hand with visitor Fleur Lewis of Loughborough University first home in the race with a time of 8:48.33.
Competition continues tomorrow (Thursday) through to Sunday.
The Chicago White Sox aren't letting the fact that the pope is a fan of their team go by without making the most of it.
That includes a fantastic promotion on August 11.
That night, the White Sox will give away themed pope hats in honor of Pope Leo XIV. Fans will have to buy a special ticket for that game against the Reds to get this:
The White Sox just announced a bunch of theme nights and giveaways, including: pic.twitter.com/CMSdWFVdDT
This is all about Pope Leo XIV's origin. He was born Robert Prevost, and he's from Chicago.
When he was elected the new pope to lead the Catholic church, much was made of what sports fandom he might have. And after some controversy, it was determined that Pope Leo XIV is a White Sox fan.
There's even footage of him attending a White Sox World Series game two decades ago.
Now, he resides in the Vatican, and he just celebrated his first Easter in the papacy.
It seems unlikely that Pope Leo XIV would have room in his schedule for a visit to Chicago for an Aug. 11 baseball game, but maybe the White Sox will send him one of the special hats.
The ceremonial hat worn by the pope is called the mitre. It wouldn't be practical on a ball field, but for fans attending a ballgame, it's quite the promotion.
NEW DELHI: The BCCI has introduced a new rule in IPL 2026 to limit the movement of substitute and benched players during matches, according to a report from Cricbuzz.
Under this update, only the 16 players named in the match squad are allowed on the field, while others must stay in the dugout. The move is seen as an effort to tighten on-field discipline, though no official reason has been given.
New rules for substitutes
The report understands that the teams have been told that players who are not part of the playing 16 cannot step onto the field, even for routine tasks like carrying drinks or messages. Only a maximum of five players, wearing bibs, are allowed to move near the boundary at any time.
"Instructions have been passed to us only recently that all substitutes cannot move around during the match. They are also not allowed to carry drinks onto the field. Only the 16 named in the team for the match can do so. In addition to that, only five outside the playing XI can move around. The others can sit in the dugout, but cannot move between the boundary line and LED advertising boards," team sources said.
What this means
Earlier, larger squads often had several players assisting on the field during matches. Now, the BCCI has tightened existing rules to reduce unnecessary movement and maintain better control.
The change applies to all IPL teams this season, where squads can have up to 25 players but only 16 are officially part of a match.
While the exact reason remains unclear, the decision is being seen as a stricter enforcement of playing conditions to streamline match operations and avoid overcrowding around the field.
The Oklahoma State softball team's game at Wichita State on Wednesday night has been postponed after the Cowgirls' team bus was involved in an accident on the way to Wichita, OSU announced on social media.
"No one from the OSU travel party was injured," the post read.
A new game day and time will be set, OSU said.
The Cowgirls and Shockers were scheduled to play at 6 p.m. Wednesday in Wichita, a two-hour drive from Stillwater. OSU is set to open a weekend series against Iowa State on Friday in Ames.
In addition to Wednesday's regularly scheduled game, OSU and Wichita State were also set to resume a postponed game from March 10 that was halted by rain at Cowgirl Stadium. Wichita State led 8-3 with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning when the storm hit.
The Oklahoma State softball team's game at Wichita State on Wednesday night has been postponed after the Cowgirls' team bus was involved in an accident on the way to Wichita, OSU announced on social media.
"No one from the OSU travel party was injured," the post read.
A new game day and time will be set, OSU said.
The Cowgirls and Shockers were scheduled to play at 6 p.m. Wednesday in Wichita, a two-hour drive from Stillwater. OSU is set to open a weekend series against Iowa State on Friday in Ames.
On Wednesday, the Atlanta Falcons sprang a sudden need when their starting right tackle, Kaleb McGary, announced his retirement. He had been the team’s first-round selection in 2019 and had started all six seasons of his career. Yet, after missing the entire 2025 season due to a serious leg injury, McGary felt like it was time to head into retirement at the age of 31.
Even though he didn’t play last season, his sudden departure left the Falcons with a significant hole at right tackle. While the news of McGary’s retirement came as a surprise to outsiders, it’s clearly something the Falcons had been aware of for some time.
On Wednesday, less than an hour after McGary’s retirement went public, the Falcons already lined up his replacement.
According to ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter, the Falcons have signed right tackle Jawaan Taylor to a one-year contract with a base value of $5 million. He can also earn an additional million via contract incentives.
While Taylor is projected to replace McGary’s place in the Falcons’ starting lineup, he signed for a fraction of his previous four-year, $80 million contract with the Kansas City Chiefs. Still just 28 years old, the Falcons are adding a player who’s started all 111 of his appearances in the NFL, including the Chiefs’ Super Bowl win in 2023. More importantly, Atlanta no longer has an urgent need to fill in the 2026 NFL Draft, where they have just five selections and none in the first round.
The NCAA is weighing a significant overhaul to its eligibility rules. Under the proposal, athletes would receive five full years of eligibility beginning on their 19th birthday or high school graduation, whichever comes first. Only a narrow set of exceptions would remain: maternity leave, military service, and religious missions.
The proposal would gut the waiver system that caused legal chaos
The NCAA Division I Cabinet is scheduled to review the concept in coming week. Sources told Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger the proposal is urgent, with implementation potentially starting as early as fall this year.
Currently, athletes get four playing seasons across five calendar years, with redshirts and waivers serving as the primary tools for extending that window. The new framework would eliminate both.
The legal pressure has been building for years. Last academic year alone, the NCAA processed about 1,450 waiver requests, and still ended up in court over the denials.
Athletes who were rejected filed suit, some chasing a ninth year of college eligibility. Judges in different courts reached different conclusions, leaving programs without a consistent standard to plan around.
Families making prep decisions will feel this too. Athletes who reclassify to arrive at college later could begin their freshman year with only four eligible years left, not five.
The NCAA has been on the losing side of eligibility lawsuits for years. An age-based rule is harder to litigate around, but whether athletes stop suing is another question entirely.
Gi Fernandes relishes chance with the senior women's national team
In February of this year, Gi Fernandes was called up to the Senior Women’s National Team for the first time, but she was unable to join the squad after suffering an injury to her right thigh. Two months later, she finally joined the Canarinha. In an interview with CBF TV, the full-back revealed what it was like to hear her name for the first time in Arthur Elias’ squad announcement.
“I was hopeful, but I was on a plane with no internet while the squad announcement was happening. When we landed and I turned airplane mode off on my phone, I saw a lot of messages and thought: 'My God, I’ve been called up'. I cried and was very happy. My whole family was waiting for it too, so it was a really special moment,” she said.
A few days after this moment of happiness, the player suffered an injury and was unable to join the Brazil squad for the friendlies against Costa Rica, Venezuela and Mexico. She spoke about how difficult that moment was, but emphasized that she is happy about the opportunity in the FIFA Series, especially because the matches will be in Brazil.
“At the moment of the match, when I felt it was a different kind of pain, it was really bad. When I went to the hospital for the tests, I was hoping it wasn’t anything serious. I was very sad, it was a difficult day for me, but it happens. I think this call-up is even more special because it’s here in Brazil and my family will be able to watch the matches,” she said.
Gi Fernandes during her first training session with the Senior Women’s National TeamCredits: Lívia Villas Boas/CBF
YOUTH-LEVEL HISTORY
Although this is her first time with the senior national team, Gi Fernandes already knows a little about what it feels like to wear the Canarinha. A two-time South American champion with Brazil’s Women’s U-20 National Team, the full-back had a long spell in Brazil’s youth setup and highlighted how important that experience was for her growth as an athlete.
"They were good steps for me, so I wouldn’t skip stages. Sometimes when you skip a stage, you end up missing out a little on game tactics and experience. I had the opportunity to play in two U-20 World Cups and that was very important so I could be better prepared to get here. If I had skipped that stage, maybe I wouldn’t be ready to be here today," she explained.
Gi Fernandes is a two-time South American championCredits: Fabio Souza/CBF
WHERE IT ALL BEGAN
During the interview, the full-back spoke about the beginning of her journey in football and revealed that it all started with her father’s support.
"My father was the one who encouraged me. He used to take my brother to training, and I would stay with him and start playing with other kids. That’s how he realized I had potential," she said.
“I played in several places in Praia Grande (in Santos). I started at a football school, went to Santos at 13, moved up to the professional team there, and today I’m at Corinthians,” she added.
Gi Fernandes gave an exclusive interview to CBF TVCredits: Samara Moumei/CBF
CORINTHIANS
In 2024, Gi Fernandes signed for Corinthians after a long spell at Santos. The player highlighted how important joining the ‘Brabas’ squad was in helping her reach the Brazilian National Team.
“Corinthians is the best team in the Americas and I’m very happy because there are many people in the club I can look up to. I believe being there helped me a lot to reach the national team today. The demands at Corinthians, both inside the club and from the fans, are very high and that helped me develop as an athlete.”
Gi Fernandes arriving for her first training session with the Senior Women’s National TeamCredits: Lívia Villas Boas/CBF
BRAZIL’S FIFA SERIES SCHEDULE
The Brazilian National Team is in camp to compete in the FIFA Series, a set of friendlies organized by world football’s governing body with the aim of creating more opportunities for matches between national teams for competitive balance, technical development and intercontinental exchange.
Brazil faces South Korea on Saturday (11), Zambia on April 14 and Canada on the 18th. All matches will kick off at 9:30 p.m. (local time - 10:30 p.m. in Brasília), at Arena Pantanal, in Cuiabá (MT).
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JANUARY 05: Kaleb McGary #76 of the Atlanta Falcons runs out of the tunnel prior to an NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 5, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Atlanta Falcons received shocking news on Wednesday, as longtime starting right tackle Kaleb McGary announced his retirement through his agent, Collin Roberts. McGary, 31, started nearly every game for the Falcons since being drafted in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He suffered a significant season-ending injury prior the 2025 NFL season, shortly after signing an extension through 2027.
McGary was a stalwart on what had been a very good offensive line in Atlanta over the previous two seasons. His presence on the right side was dearly missed in 2025, with the Falcons forced to turn to reserve guard Elijah Wilkinson for the entirety of the season. Swing tackle Storm Norton also wound up missing the entirety of the season with an injury sustained in the summer.
The Falcons were expecting Kaleb McGary back for training camp to once again bolster the right side of the offensive line. In McGary’s absence, the Falcons now have a desperate need for a starting right tackle. With Wilkinson departing in free agency for the Arizona Cardinals, the job now rests in the hands of Storm Norton once again. Norton has filled in admirably when called upon, but stepping in as a full-time starter has gone poorly for him throughout his career.
Offensive tackle immediately rockets to the top of Atlanta’s offseason needs. With free agency behind us and no first round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Falcons options for replacing McGary are extremely limited. It’s likely a temporary solution will be needed for the season, and I’d expect the team to look closely at available free agents and veterans on the trade market.
Join us in wishing McGary well in the next stage of his career.
Time for Part 2 of this brief series on early season data points, I was hoping there might be more positives to take away from yesterdays game but alas the beat or baseball season goes on.
Today I will be taking a look at a group of lefty hitters where half of them are off to pretty good starts!! The other two however have been major letdowns.
Andres Gimenez 268/318/463 – 127 WRC+
Gimenez much like the start of last season has started this season hot and he currently leads the Jays in slugging which is good for him but anytime Gimenez leads the team in slugging is likely to bad for the Jays.
For Gimenez the big data point over this small sample is him absolutely crushing right handed pitching, against RHP he is hitting 346/393/654!!!!
Yes unfortunately there is some over performance based on balls in play and quality of contact and he is highly unlikely to maintain this kind of batting line against RHP for the whole season but if you break his splits against RHP by all months where he has seen at least 150 pitches so far this month would rank 2nd in expected batting average, 3rd in expected slugging, 2nd in xWOBA and 2nd in barrel rate.
This month still has lots of time left so not really a fair comparison but so far the first 11 games of the season has been one of the better 11 game hitting stretches against RHP of his career.
Daulton Varsho 171/275/229 47 WRC+
Varsho is clearly off to a rough start especially after being so hot during Spring Training, during the Spring Varsho was doing a great job pairing his new found hard contact from last season with much more contact.
Since the start of the regular season he has so far done a good job maintaining the contact and has raised his contact% all the way up to 82.7% from last seasons 71.7% which has cut his K rate from 28.4% to 15% and he has paired this with a much higher line drive rate of 31% compared to last seasons 16.9%.
Way less Ks and more line drives you would expect this to be a good thing but unfortunately the quality of contact has really fallen off with his hard hit rate dropping from 40.3% to 24.12% and his average exit velocity currently down 7.8 MPH.
It is early but if Varsho can find a happy medium between the all power high K hitter he was last season and the low K line drive guy he has been this season he should be able to help this Jays roster score some runs.
Jesus Sanchez 286/375/429 141 WRC+
I will keep this one pretty short because the Jays have to be happy with what they have received from Sanchez in the batting lineup this season and based on quality of contact he has actually underperformed his expected batted ball stats!!!
A 47.6% hard hit rate, 9.5% barrel rate to go with a 21.9% K rate is a pretty great start to his Blue Jays career.
Addison Barger 053/174/105 – Minus 11 WRC+
Ahhh yeah not a great start to the season for Barger and he is of course now on the IL with an injury.
Even Barger’s 1 hit on the season was a ball that should have been a HR but the RF brought it back and dropped the ball so he was able to get a double but Barger is one dropped HR robbery from still having a 000 batting average.
Digging thru Barger’s data and honestly I don’t have much positives to take away, he is making more contact on both in zone and out of zone pitches so if he gets back to last season’s chase rate he could make some real progress on his K rate
He has still been hitting the ball hard with a 50% hard hit rate so hopefully the IL stint allows him to reset and come back with a better approach and he can combine the new contact rates with his regular quality of contact and get on a roll.
A pair of former Boston Red Sox players took another step toward a possible return to MLB action on Wednesday.
"Today, in Florida State League transactions: The St. Lucie Mets have added RHP Craig Kimbrel and OF Tommy Pham to their roster from the Syracuse development list," MLB Pipeline reporter Sam Dykstra posted on Bluesky.
Longtime All-Star closer Craig Kimbrel signed with the New York Mets in January, and it was reported in March that the 37-year-old right-hander wouldn't be making the team's Opening Day roster.
Kimbrel spent three seasons in Boston from 2016 to 2018, making All-Star teams each year and helping the Red Sox win their most recent World Series title during his final campaign with the club.
The 2011 NL Rookie of the Year ranks second on MLB's saves list (440) among active players, trailing only fellow former Boston closer Kenley Jansen (477).
Cameron Boozer isn't the only five-star Duke freshman who will likely be moving on this offseason.
On Wednesday, forward Nik Khamenia revealed that he will enter the transfer portal after one season with the Blue Devils, as was first reported by DraftExpress' Jonathan Givony. Khamenia, a top-20 prospect in the 2025 class from Studio City, California, made 38 appearances with five starts this season.
He averaged 19.8 minutes per game, but the 6-foot-8 small forward averaged just 5.7 points and 3.3 rebounds. He shot 34% from three-point range on 103 total attempts.
Khamenia scored in double figures six times, notching his season high of 14 points on three different occasions, most recently against Clemson in the ACC tournament semifinal. However, he averaged just five points per game for Duke in the NCAA tournament.
NEWS: Duke's Nik Khamenia will enter the transfer portal, his agency, Excel Sports, told DraftExpress.
The 6'8 wing was a top-15 recruit in the class of 2025 and a key rotation player this season, averaging 5.7 points in 20 minutes. Will have a huge line of P5 suitors. pic.twitter.com/ZgNfJkni0o
A versatile player with a high-level recruiting pedigree, Khamenia will certainly draw quite a bit of attention in the transfer portal market.
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Atlanta Falcons right tackle Kaleb McGary will reportedly retire at age 31, according to his agent Collin Roberts. McGary missed the entire 2025-2026 season after suffering a significant leg injury last August.
While Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski did not give an update about his current status, he was reportedly expecting to get McGary back before training camp.
We know who the Indianapolis Colts are playing during the 2026 NFL season and whether or not those games will be home or away. However, what we do not yet know is what the Colts' exact schedule looks like.
So, when will we know the full extent of the Colts' 2026 schedule?
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the schedule will be released about a month from now.
When will 2026 NFL schedule be released?
“Circle your calendars for the week of May 11th, which usually is the time that the NFL schedule comes out,” said Schefter on Wednesday, via Sports Illustrated. “... I would think that we’ll get a schedule release announcement sometime around May 12th, May 13th, May 14th. Somewhere between Tuesday the 12th and Thursday the 14th.”
This year’s NFL schedule release could be coming sometime between Tuesday May 12 and Thursday May 14.
The difficulty of the Colts' schedule will primarily be impacted by who they play. By 2025 win percentage figures, the Colts have one of the easier schedules in football this upcoming season.
But given how the schedule shakes out, that too can affect how a season unfolds. Beyond who the Colts are playing on the field, some other elements to be on the lookout for when it comes to the schedule include any extended home or road stretches, any cross-country trips that are close together, any stretches of games against top-tier opponents, and when the bye week is.
Apr 2, 2026; Phoenix, AZ, USA; A Wilson Evo NXT basketball with the 2026 NCAA Women's Final Four logo passes through the net at the Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The NCAA committee is expected to meet next week to discuss major changes to new college sports eligibility rules that have been discussed over the past couple of weeks.
The committee will explore a new age standard for athlete eligibility that has been discussed at the high-level conferences and by their administrators.
Under the new concept, NCAA athletes will be given five full years of eligibility from the time of their 19th birthday or their high school graduation, whichever comes first. There will be hardly any exceptions to waiver requests or redshirts. A small amount may be permitted for purposes such as maternity leave, military service, or religious missions.
The NCAA cabinet will review this proposal early next week. The timeline is very unclear about whether approval could take weeks or months, but it’s an urgent matter to fix college sports before the Fall 2026 academic year.
This new policy would hopefully bring stability to college athletics, something that has been needed for quite some time. This isn’t the exact plan President Donald Trump had in mind, but it does align with some of his ideas. Trump was very prominent in a five-year window for all college athletes.
All of this talk has come as the NCAA fights dozens of lawsuits from players seeking more eligibility. This new-age rule will be a big leap forward, avoiding costly legal challenges.
Something to note in this proposal is that it will eliminate athletes’ ability to regain seasons of eligibility through redshirts and waivers. These have specifically complicated the eligibility system and led to numerous legal battles.
This would be a game-changer for college sports. However, a big lingering question is whether it would affect current seniors who’ve run out of eligibility, or if it won’t start until next season. A lot of players like Denzel Aberdeen are hoping it’s the former and allows them to play one more season of college basketball.
Cardinal Newman graduate Shane Drohan made his Major League Baseball debut on Wednesday, April 8 against the Boston Red Sox at historic Fenway Park.
Drohan, 27, drew the start for the Milwaukee Brewers and lasted 2.2 innings, allowing three earned runs on three hits and four walks.
A member of Cardinal Newman's class of 2017, Drohan was called up by the Brewers' Triple-A affiliate, the Nashville Sounds, after Jared Koenig was sent to the 15-day IL after suffering from a sprained UCL, as reported by MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy.
The lefty hurler was drafted in the fifth round of the 2020 MLB amateur draft by the Boston Red Sox ― the very same team he took the mount against on Wednesday after spending five years in the farm system.
Drohan settled in quickly in Wednesday's matinee, working through a scoreless first inning (allowing a walk to Andruw Monasterio), before striking out back-to-back hitters in the back-half of the second inning.
Drohan's first strikeout came when he induced a swing by Caleb Durbin on a cutter, and though he followed that up by painting the corner on a would-be strike three changeup against Carlos Narváez, Drogan would tally the 'K' anyway on a fastball the Red sox catcher couldn't lock onto.
Trouble struck in the third inning when Drohan allowed back-to-back baserunners, setting up a bases-loaded, one-out situation. Some control issues led to a few near-misses around the strike zone and Drohan ultimately walked in a run and allowed an RBI single on a tough-luck ground ball.
Damage was amplified by a few calls around the zone not falling Drohan's way, with home plate umpire Brennan Miller tightening up the zone. Brewers catcher Gary Sánchez lost his lone challenge initiated with Drohan on the mound.
Trevor Story would add a sacrifice fly before a fourth walk would chase Drohan from the game. He threw 63 pitches, but just 28 went for strikes. His final stat line would reflect three hits, three runs allowed, and four walks in 2 2/3 innings.
Brewers, Red Sox game pitted Palm Beach products against each other
Shane Drohan wasn't the only Palm Beach County product to take the field tonight, as fellow Cardinal Newman prospect Roman Anthony hit leadoff for the Red Sox in today's game.
Anthony, who also starred for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic grounded out in the Red Sox's first at-bat of the game.
Though Drohan would struggles with control against the Red Sox's heart of the lineup he induced another groundout from Anthony in the bottom half of the third inning.
Anthony would then walk and tally his first steal of the season in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Alex Peterman is a high school sports reporter for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at apeterman@usatodayco.com.
Cardinal Newman graduate Shane Drohan made his Major League Baseball debut on Wednesday, April 8 against the Boston Red Sox at historic Fenway Park.
Drohan, 27, drew the start for the Milwaukee Brewers and lasted 2.2 innings, allowing three earned runs on three hits and four walks.
A member of Cardinal Newman's class of 2017, Drohan was called up by the Brewers' Triple-A affiliate, the Nashville Sounds, after Jared Koenig was sent to the 15-day IL after suffering from a sprained UCL, as reported by MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy.
The lefty hurler was drafted in the fifth round of the 2020 MLB amateur draft by the Boston Red Sox ― the very same team he took the mount against on Wednesday after spending five years in the farm system.
Drohan settled in quickly in Wednesday's matinee, working through a scoreless first inning (allowing a walk to Andruw Monasterio), before striking out back-to-back hitters in the back-half of the second inning.
Drohan's first strikeout came when he induced a swing by Caleb Durbin on a cutter, and though he followed that up by painting the corner on a would-be strike three changeup against Carlos Narváez, Drogan would tally the 'K' anyway on a fastball the Red sox catcher couldn't lock onto.
Trouble struck in the third inning when Drohan allowed back-to-back baserunners, setting up a bases-loaded, one-out situation. Some control issues led to a few near-misses around the strike zone and Drohan ultimately walked in a run and allowed an RBI single on a tough-luck ground ball.
Damage was amplified by a few calls around the zone not falling Drohan's way, with home plate umpire Brennan Miller tightening up the zone. Brewers catcher Gary Sánchez lost his lone challenge initiated with Drohan on the mound.
Trevor Story would add a sacrifice fly before a fourth walk would chase Drohan from the game. He threw 63 pitches, but just 28 went for strikes. His final stat line would reflect three hits, three runs allowed, and four walks in 2 2/3 innings.
Brewers, Red Sox game pitted Palm Beach products against each other
Shane Drohan wasn't the only Palm Beach County product to take the field tonight, as fellow Cardinal Newman prospect Roman Anthony hit leadoff for the Red Sox in today's game.
Anthony, who also starred for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic grounded out in the Red Sox's first at-bat of the game.
Though Drohan would struggles with control against the Red Sox's heart of the lineup he induced another groundout from Anthony in the bottom half of the third inning.
Anthony would then walk and tally his first steal of the season in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Alex Peterman is a high school sports reporter for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at apeterman@usatodayco.com.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 03: Tyler Mahle #54 of the San Francisco Giants pitches against the New York Mets in the top of the first inning of a major league baseball game at Oracle Park on April 03, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants wrap up this series against the Philadelphia Phillies this afternoon from Oracle Park.
Taking the mound for the Giants will be right-hander Tyler Mahle, who enters today’s game with a 7.00 ERA, 5.04 FIP, with nine strikeouts to three walks in nine innings pitched. His last start was in the Giants’ 10-3 loss to the New York Mets on Friday, in which he allowed five runs on eight hits with four strikeouts and two walks in five innings.
He’ll be facing off against Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola, who enters today’s game with a 3.18 ERA, 3.42 FIP, with 16 strikeouts to three walks in 11.1 innings pitched. His last start was in the Phillies’ 10-1 win over the Colorado Rockies on Friday, in which he allowed one run on five hits with nine strikeouts and a walk in six and a third innings. One run allowed at Coors Field is practically a no-hitter, so that’s pretty impressive.
Dominguez, Netz And Ndoye To Start | 4-2-3-1 Nottingham Forest Predicted Lineup Vs Porto
Nottingham Forest will lock horns with Porto at the Estadio do Drago this Thursday night as they look to secure a good result in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League quarterfinal clash. The Midlands club managed to earn an impressive 3-0 win away at Tottenham Hotspur before the international break, so they would be full of confidence going into this game.
Nuno Espirito Santo will opt for the 4-2-3-1 formation and is expected to make some tweaks to his first XI for this clash. Nicolas Dominguez, Luca Netz and Dan Ndoye could all play from the start of this game.
4-2-3-1 Nottingham Forest Predicted Lineup To Face Porto
Defence
Matz Sels will feature in between the sticks for Nottingham after keeping a clean sheet in his last outing. Nikola Milenkovic will function alongside Murillo at the heart of Nuno Espirito Santo’s backline as they look to keep things solid at the back during the 90 minutes.
Nico Williams will fill in as the right-back, while Luca Netz hopes to prove his worth on the other flank as the left-back. Both of them will have to pick and choose their moments to join in on the attack.
Morato will offer cover for the centre-back positions on the bench.
LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 22: Morgan Gibbs-White of Nottingham Forest celebrates scoring his team’s second goal with teammates during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on March 22, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
Midfield
Ibrahim Sangare and Nicolas Dominguez will anchor the midfield for the Midlands club as they try to make life tough for the opposition at the centre of the park.
The talented trio of Callum Hudson-Odoi, Morgan Gibbs-White and Dan Ndoye will play just ahead of them as part of the Nottingham attack. All three of them need to be at their best if Nottingham are to secure a positive result in midweek.
Ryan Yates will have to settle for a spot on the bench as he waits for his chance to shine in the second 45 minutes if needed. However, Elliot Anderson is suspended for this game.
Attack
Igor Jesus will lead the line for Nottingham up top. He has to find a way to be a real menace on the offensive end of the pitch.
Taiwo Awoniyi will be named on the bench and might come on to influence the game in the latter stages if Nottingham are in need of a goal by then.
💣 La U de Chile settle on marquee signing and tie down Rivero
Under the technical leadership of Fernando Gago, Universidad de Chile has already mapped out its roadmap for the June transfer window. Azul Azul’s absolute priority is to sign a foreign forward (striker or winger) who can bring freshness to the attack, given Eduardo Vargas’ veteran status and the constant injury problems in the offensive line.
The foreign-player slot and Salomoni’s departure
To complete this signing, the club will make a key move: Felipe Salomoni will leave at the end of the semester. His departure will free up the spot needed for the new foreign reinforcement, while maintaining balance in a squad that includes players such as Franco Calderón and Lucas Romero.
Full backing for Octavio Rivero
Despite his lengthy recovery following knee surgery, the club’s leadership decided to keep Octavio Rivero registered. The Uruguayan will remain in the squad, and his return to action is expected in August, ruling out any contract termination. With this plan, Gago aims to protect his current structure while strengthening the team in the title race.
The Aaron Rodgers waiting game has polarized the Pittsburgh Steelers fan base, as some argue the team should move on while others believe he’s more than worth the wait. Well, Steelers legend Jerome Bettis has made his stance clear.
Speaking with Fox News Digital, Bettis addressed the Rodgers-sized elephant in Pittsburgh — the Steelers have very little choice but to wait on the veteran quarterback.
“When you have no alternative, then you have no choice,” Jerome Bettis said. “And I think there's some players that are afforded a little bit more latitude than others, and Aaron Rodgers is one of them, especially when you are limited from a quarterback perspective in terms of depth and experience, right?”
Bettis hit the nail right on the head, as the Steelers’ quarterback room is currently down to 2025 sixth-rounder Will Howard and veteran backup Mason Rudolph. While the team could opt to give Howard a starting opportunity, allowing him to develop under Rodgers for another year in 2026 seems like the far better move to make.
For up-to-date Steelers coverage, including any offseason moves, follow us on X @TheSteelersWire and give our Facebook page a like.
Our NBA player prop projections have been hard at work crunching the numbers for tonight's key Western Conference clash between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Los Angeles Clippers.
Before you finalize your Thunder vs. Clippers predictions and NBA picks for Wednesday, April 8, see what our computer has to say about Jalen Williams, Derrick Jones Jr, and more.
Thunder vs Clippers computer picks for April 8
Thunder
Clippers
Williams o15.5 points -120
Jones Jr. o7.5 points -112
Holmgren o14.5 points -130
Dunn o5.5 points -111
SGA o3.5 rebounds -150
Leonard u27.5 points -120
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Thunder computer picks
Jalen Williams Over 15.5 points (-120)
Projection: 17.4 points
This is our computer's top-rated Oklahoma City Thunder player prop for tonight, clocking in with a 17.9% EV edge.
Jalen Williams has hit 16+ points in five of his last eight overall, and his ability to get to the foul line can help him here.
"This year, opposing starting PFs have attempted 4.1 free throws per game (9th-highest in the NBA) vs. the LA Clippers, succeeding in their efforts to get to the free-throw line."
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Chet Holmgren Over 14.5 points (-130)
Projection: 15.4 points
Chet Holmgren has reached the 15-point plateau in six of his last 10 and 13 of his last 20 overall. He's cleared this line in five of his last six on the road, including a 15-piece vs. the Lakers last night.
The system sees Holmgren hitting the Over once more tonight, with projections at an 11.4% EV edge.
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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Over 3.5 rebounds (-150)
Projection: 4.3 rebounds
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is known more for his scoring than his rebounding, but our computer sees SGA pulling in at least four boards tonight, making this a three-star play.
Gilgeous-Alexander takes on a Los Angeles Clippers defense that's allowed the sixth-most rebounds to opposing point guards this season.
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Clippers computer picks
Derrick Jones Jr. Over 7.5 points (-112)
Projection: 9.3 points
Our computer's top pick for tonight with a 22.6% EV edge is Derrick Jones Jr. Over 7.5 points. His scoring projection is 9.3 points, well above his posted line, due to his projected foul shot total.
"This year when [the Clippers] are at home, the opposing team's starting PFs have attempted 4.9 foul shots per game (7th-most in the league) vs. the Thunder, easily managing to get to the foul line."
span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet Jones Jr. Now at bet365!/span
Kris Dunn Over 5.5 points (-111)
Projection: 7.0 points
Our system sees Kris Dunn clearing a very low scoring bar tonight, and doing so rather easily. There's a 21% EV edge associated with this prop.
The Clippers are the sixth-highest scoring offense in the league over the last 25 games, and opportunities should be there vs. a traveling Thunder team that just played last night.
span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet Dunn Now at bet365!/span
Kawhi Leonard Under 27.5 points (-120)
Projection: 25.5 points
Kawhi Leonard's production is decreasing slightly as the season wears on. He's fallen below 27.5 points in six of his last 10 overall, and our computer believes he'll come up two full points shy tonight, making this a four-star wager.
"Opposing team's starting SFs have averaged 25.5% on threes (2nd-weakest in the NBA) vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder, branding this as a tough matchup. The LA Clippers have played at the 3rd-slowest pace-of-play in the league this year."
span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet Leonard Now at bet365!/span
How to watch Thunder vs Clippers tonight
Location
Intuit Dome, Inglewood, CA
Date
Wednesday, April 8, 2026
Tip-off
10:00 p.m. ET
TV
FDSN Oklahoma, FDSN Southern California
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AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Comedian Kevin Hart captured the mood of the Par 3 Contest at Augusta National when he showed up as Bryson DeChambeau's caddie — and sounded ready to take over the rest of the operation if need be.
“We'll see how the day goes. I think it depends on how he's putting," Hart said. “Naturally if he's not doing what I ask or require, then I step in and I do the job myself.”
While Hart was on the bag for DeChambeau on Wednesday, ex-NFL lineman Jason Kelce was guiding Akshay Bhatia around the short course in this low-key event the day before the start of the Masters. Other players had family members alongside them, including young children.
“This is about having fun and showing what this great game can do for the world of golf," DeChambeau said while mic'd up on the broadcast. "I'm super excited to have Kevin out here. He's only been playing for about seven months, so to get him out here and experiencing what Augusta National has to offer and the Masters has to offer, it's pretty special for the Par 3 Contest.”
At first, Kelce's main contribution seemed to be cleaning Bhatia's clubs as they walked toward one hole. But eventually he started lying on his stomach in a dramatic attempt to help read a putt.
“Just give it a little tush push and it'll be on, I promise you," Kelce said.
Los Angeles Dodgers great Davey Lopes has died at the age of 80.
“The Dodgers mourn the loss of Davey Lopes, who passed away today at age 80,” the team announced Wednesday morning. “Lopes was a member of the team’s record-setting infield of the 1970s and 1980s and one of the finest basestealers in MLB history. Our condolences go out to his family and friends.”
The Dodgers mourn the loss of Davey Lopes, who passed away today at age 80. Lopes was a member of the team’s record-setting infield of the 1970s and 1980s and one of the finest basestealers in MLB history. Our condolences go out to his family and friends. pic.twitter.com/dJkOk0CWbP
Lopes played for the Dodgers from 1972 to 1981, and he served as a coach for the team from 2011 to 2015.
He also played for the Oakland Athletics, Chicago Cubs and Houston Astros.
Furthermore, he managed the Milwaukee Brewers for three seasons and coached for six other teams, including the Dodgers.
With the Boys in Blue, he was a four-time All-Star, two-time National League steals winner and one-time Gold Glove winner. He also won the 1981 World Series.
He won another World Series as a coach for the Philadelphia Phillies.
Feb 23, 2011; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers first base coach Davey Lopes (12) during spring training at Camelback Ranch. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports
What Was Davey Lopes Like as a Player?
Over his 16-year career, Lopes hit .263/.349/.388 with 155 home runs and 614 RBIs.
Perhaps his best skill, though, was stealing bases. He led the National League twice in that category with 77 in 1975 and 63 in 1976, but that was just part of a seven-year streak in which he finished in the top six of the NL in steals each season, per Baseball Savant.
Over the course of his career, he stole 557 bases, the bulk of them for the Dodgers.
“Lopes established himself as one of the most prolific base stealers to wear a Dodger uniform,” the team said in a news release. “He stole 418 bases as a Dodger, the second-highest career total in franchise history behind Maury Wills (490). Lopes holds the franchise record with an 83.1 percent career success rate (minimum 100 steals).”
Lopes also tied the NL record for most steals in a single game with give against the St. Louis Cardinals on Aug. 245, 1974.
He also scored more than 100 runs in a season twice and more than 90 in two other years.
The team added that Lopes was “known as one of the best baserunning coaches in the game.”
He is survived by two brothers, Patrick and John, and four sisters, Jean, Judith, Mary and Nina.
Fans are asked to line up for the parade on South University between the President’s House and the Student Union. They are also asked to line State Street, down to Yost Ice Arena.
Fans are asked to line up for the parade on South University between the President’s House and the Student Union. They are also asked to line State Street, down to Yost Ice Arena.
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 1981: Davey Lopes of the Los Angeles Dodgers slides into third base during the 1981 NLCS playoffs1981 at Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Davey Lopes, the best second baseman in Los Angeles Dodgers history, died on Wednesday at age 80, the team announced.
Lopes was the oldest member of the Dodgers’ famed infield — the quartet of Lopes, Steve Garvey, Ron Cey, and Bill Russell were regulars for 8 1/2 years, the longest-running infield in major league history — and the latest of the four to debut, but Lopes remained a force atop the Dodgers lineup and one of the best leadoff men in the sport during the 1970s.
“If we weren’t the best infield of all time, we were the most successful,” Cey wrote in his autobiography ‘Penguin Power,’ written with Ken Gurnick. “Every member was a multi-year All-Star, we appeared in more World Series than any infield, and we won a world championship.”
In Lopes’ first seven seasons, from 1973-79, he ranked sixth in the majors in runs scored (639, averaging 91 per season) and was second in stolen bases (371, only two behind Lou Brock; averaging 53 steals per year). He led the majors with 77 steals in 1975, and paced the National League with 63 steals in 1976.
Lopes even stole 47 bases in 1985 with the Astros in the year he turned 40, still the record for any major league player that old in one season, 10 more than Rickey Henderson. Lopes and Henderson are the only players to steal more than 26 bases in a season at age 40 or older. And when Lopes stole 47 bases in 1985, he was only caught four times.
Efficiency was the name of the game for Lopes, too, stealing bases at an 83-percent clip throughout his career, the 12th-best in MLB history for anyone with at least 200 attempts. His 418 stolen bases with the Dodgers are second only to Maury Wills, and Lopes’ 83.1-percent success rate in tops in franchise history.
“A guy that’s a base stealer, he disrupts the crowd, he disrupts the team that he’s playing against, and he can set the tone for the game,” Lopes said in an interview with MASN Sports in 2017 when he coached for the Nationals. “I studied it, from the standpoint of picking up on idiosyncrasies that the pitcher had when he threw to first compared to when he threw to home. The sooner you can pick that up, the quicker you can get out of the box.
“I always talk about quickness, and as soon as I say that most people think of a body movement, but it’s not. It’s what you can recognize with your eyes. The quicker you can recognize a key, the first key that a pitcher is telling you he’s coming over to first or going home, the bigger the jump you’re going to get.”
That wisdom served Lopes well in his three decades of coaching after his playing career ended in 1987. He managed the Brewers from 2000-02, but was otherwise a first base coach from 1988 through 2017 for the Rangers, Orioles, Padres, Nationals, Phillies, and Dodgers, including multiple stints in San Diego and Washington.
In addition to coaching first base, Lopes would often be in charge of coaching baserunning, as he did with the Dodgers from 2011-15, including tutoring a young Dee Gordon. In his first year back in Los Angeles in 2011, the Dodgers stole bases at a 75.9-percent clip, at the time the second-highest clip in franchise history. Three of Lopes’ five years on the Dodgers coaching staff (2011, 2013-14) produced top-14 stolen base success rates in club history.
Lopes was never shy about speaking his mind, both as a player and coach, sometimes in blunt fashion, and suffered no fools. He is the last Dodger to hold official captain status, doing so in 1978 and into 1979, when he resigned from the position midseason as the two-time-defending pennant winners were mired under .500.
“I felt [resigning as captain] was the best thing for myself and the team,” Lopes told Associated Press in June 1979. “This way, we’re all equal. I have no title. Nothing more will be expected of me than anyone else.”
Lopes in 1979 had his best season at the plate, hitting .265/.372/.464, setting career highs in runs scored (109), runs batted in (73), slugging percentage, OPS (.836), and wRC+ (133). His 28 home runs that season were 11 more than he hit in any other year, and coupled with his 44 stolen bases Lopes delivered the first season in Dodgers history with at least 22 home runs and 22 steals.
In 10 seasons with the Dodgers, Lopes was a part of four pennant-winning teams, and started at second base and batted leadoff in all 45 postseason games for Los Angeles during that stretch. He hit .242/.332/.393 and scored 28 runs in those 45 games, a 101-run pace over a full year. Lopes’ 19 stolen bases still stand as the Dodgers postseason record.
Lopes made four All-Star teams, the last coming in 1981, when the team finally broke through to beat the Yankees in the World Series. But that was his age-36 season, and with second baseman Steve Sax the most ready among the next crop of Dodgers prospects, Lopes was the first member of The Infield to depart. The Dodgers traded Lopes for 20-year-old minor league infielder Lance Hudson in February 1982.
“I think a lot of individuals would like to get through their whole career and stay with one team,” Lopes said after the trade, per the Los Angeles Times. “But there’ll be a time in their careers when everyone is rejected.”
Three quarters of The Infield started their careers at different positions, including Lopes and Russell in the outfield to start their professional careers. Lopes was part of the Dodgers’ legendary 1968 draft hall, long considered the best draft year by a team in major league history. Lopes was taken in the second round of the January draft, and spent the first three-plus seasons in the minors in the outfield before switching to second base.
Lopes after leaving the Dodgers found new life as a utility man, mixing in time at all three outfield positions in a addition to third base aside from his duties at second. That allowed him to play through his age-42 season for the A’s, Cubs, and Astros. He posted above-average years offensively in each of his last five seasons, and overall hit .265/.348/.410 with a 112 wRC+ after leaving Los Angeles.
In addition to his 30 years of coaching, Lopes played 16 years in the majors, the first 10 of which were with the Dodgers. He hit .263/.349/.388 with 155 home runs, a 111 wRC+, 557 stolen bases, and scored 1,023 runs.
The Dodgers say Lopes is survived by two brothers, Patrick and John, and four sisters, Jean, Judith, Mary and Nina.
👀 Unexpected twist: Tatay Torres' return to Nacional in doubt
What seemed like Juan Pablo “Tatay” Torres’ guaranteed return to Atlético Nacional has taken an uncertain turn. Although the green club is planning a deep overhaul for the second half of the year, the spectacular form of the 21-year-old midfielder at Deportes Tolima has changed the rules of the game.
Success in Ibagué and sporting priority
Under Lucas González’s management, Torres has fully unleashed his potential: he has recorded seven goals and four assists this season. People close to him have stated that the player’s intention is to remain at Tolima, where he enjoys a leading role and regular playing time that would not be guaranteed in Medellín. In addition, the “Vinotinto y Oro” side’s participation in international tournaments offers a showcase that Nacional lost after its early elimination.
Nacional’s plan
Despite the player’s wishes, the club’s board sees him as a key piece to replace leaders such as Edwin Cardona. The club wants to increase his value for a future move abroad, but the final decision remains open and will depend on intense negotiations in the coming weeks.
BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA - OCTOBER 25: Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier #18 of the LSU Tigers looks to pass during the first half of a game against the Texas A&M Aggies at Tiger Stadium on October 25, 2025 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the NFL Draft just two weeks away, everyone and their mother is putting out (too many) mock drafts. Fear not – we are almost done hearing those two words for the better part of nine months. Except, of course, those who put out a “Way too early 2027 mock’ the second after Night One concludes because nothing in our world is sacred.
Since every mock draft is practically the same, I decided to put a twist on this one and take a look at what the worst possible outcome would be for the Steelers in the first three rounds. Enjoy.
Round 1, Pick 21: EDGE T.J. Parker, Clemson
Not to throw any sort of shade at Peter Schrager, but he had the Steelers selecting Parker in his mock draft, and, frankly, that would be the worst possible outcome. The Steelers already have four quality edge rushers. That position is last on their list of needs. Taking one in the first round, or first three rounds, for that matter, would make zero sense.
Round 2, Pick 53: OT Caleb Tiernan, Northwestern
I can hear the arguments about Pittsburgh taking a tackle early on. Broderick Jones is coming off a neck injury, and general manager Omar Khan wasn’t exactly committal about him being ready for training camp. Additionally, the Steelers are almost certainly not picking up his fifth-year option. That said, picking Tiernan in this spot instead of a wide receiver or safety would be a bad choice.
Round 3, Pick 76: QB Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
Nussmeier had a bad year in 2025, throwing just 12 touchdowns in nine starts before being benched against Alabama. However, it wouldn’t surprise me to hear his name called by the Steelers, considering that his father, Doug, worked under McCarthy as the Cowboys’ quarterbacks coach from 2020-22. The Steelers should draft a quarterback, but not this one.
Round 3, Pick 85: TE Max Klare, Ohio State
With Jonnu Smith being released and Connor Heyward not being re-signed, the Steelers have two tight ends on their roster. Sure, they should draft one… in the sixth or seventh round. Not on Day Two.
Round 3, Pick 99: WR Kevin Coleman, Missouri
If the Steelers waited this long to take a receiver, it would be a disaster. Coleman isn’t very fast (4.49 40-time) and isn’t a physical guy who profiles as a potential No. 1 target in an offense.
Let us know what you think in the comments. Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more!
The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp are adding a new collaborative beer to VyStar Ballpark. The Jumbo Shrimp teamed up with Aardwolf Brewing Company to unveil the new “Big Shrimpin’” lager. The new lager will be available during their game against the Charlotte Knights on Wednesday, April 15 at 7:05 p.m.
The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp describe the new collaborative beer as “Bursting with bright orange zest, a smooth touch of honey sweetness,” and packed with bold flavor for an easy finish.
“Crustacean Nation, this pint’s for you,” said Aardwolf Brewing Company owner Preben Olsen. “We’re proud to partner with the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp to bring Big Shrimpin’ Lager to the ballpark. This beer celebrates the fun, flavor, and community that make every game day unforgettable. Looking forward to raising a toast with all of you!”
As part of the celebration, the team is announcing a special “Big Shrimpin’ ticket package.” The package includes four dugout reserved tickets, a replica 2025 Triple-A National Championship ring, and a Big Shrimpin’ beer or soda/water per person for just $40. The ticket package is only valid for the game on April 15.
The Dodgers are currently playing a series against the Toronto Blue Jays, the team they beat in last year's World Series. Rojas played a starring role in the decisive Game 7 by hitting a game-tying home run in the ninth inning.
After missing Tuesday's game, Rojas is back in the lineup for Wednesday's series finale in Toronto, playing shortstop and batting ninth.
“To feel like he can go out there and play in a big league ball game, whether it's a distraction, doing it in honor of his father, whatever reason, I heard that,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters before the game.
Roberts said Rojas would likely take a leave of absence, but he wanted to play today.
Rojas, 37, broke into the majors with the Dodgers in 2014, was traded to the Miami Marlins at the end of the season before returning to L.A. in another trade in 2023. He re-signed with the Dodgers as a free agent this offseason.
Rojas has a career slash line of .260/.313/.362 with 57 home runs and 67 stolen bases in 13 major league seasons.
Ilia Malinin at the Olympics in Milan on Feb. 13 Credit: Shunik Denisovich/Anadolu via Getty
NEED TO KNOW
Ilia Malinin tells PEOPLE exclusively about the new "therapy" he introduced this figure skating season, which included the 2026 Winter Olympics and wrapped with the World Figure Skating Championships in March
The gold medalist opens up about the "ups and downs" he faced and how he bounced back
Malinin also tells PEOPLE what he's looking forward to most in the offseason
The professional figure skater, 21, opens up to PEOPLE exclusively about what keeps his spirits high through the "ups and downs" of the competition season, which, this year, included his Olympic debut and third-consecutive world title win.
Malinin, who's famously known as the "Quad God," reflected on his whirlwind year shortly after topping the podium at the 2026 World Figure Skating Championships in March. The victory came just six weeks after a disappointing eighth-place individual finish at the Milan Cortina Winter Games following the Team USA gold-medal win.
Ilia Malinin of Team USA at the Milan Olympics on Feb. 7 Credit: Joosep Martinson/Getty
"It's been a few days to really process it all now that everything has kind of come to an end for the season," he tells PEOPLE exclusively. "It's been a long, stressful season, with a lot of ups and downs. So just the fact that being able to be done, I'm really proud of that."
"And, honestly, I feel like this is one of the best seasons I've had just because I got cats," Malinin shares of his pets, Mysti and Miu Miu. "Like, they really turned my life around. Genuinely, I feel like they're my therapy now."
He explains, "When I don't feel good or need to just relax and feel comfortable, I'll always find them and hang out with them, so it's really a game changer."
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Ilia Malinin of Team USA competes in Men's Single Skating on day two of the Winter Olympics on Feb. 8 Credit: Jamie Squire/Getty
"Honestly, it didn't feel the same," he shares with PEOPLE. "For me, the World Championships really felt like more of, 'This is the last competition season. Let's just skate it over with.' It wasn't so much high stake, high pressure."
He adds, "It was really the fact that I had to come in with a different mindset, as well, after the Olympics happened — and then also just trying to enjoy why I love the sport so much."
Ilia Malinin of United States performs during Gala Exhibition during ISU World Figure Skating Championships on March 29 Credit: Jurij Kodrun/getty
Malinin took a new mental approach to worlds, which is why he believes he performed so well.
"Honestly, just not worrying about people's expectations or the pressure that people put on you," he says, adding, "Really just doing it for yourself."
Being back on the podium "felt good," says the decorated medalist. "It felt really relieving — but at the same time, it taught me that sometimes medals aren't everything."
Although the figure skating season is over, Malinin has a few more shows to perform. Then, it's downtime with his favorite roommates.
"Right now, I have shows for a few months," he shares. "So after that, I will definitely be going home and really spending time with my cats, because that's my favorite, favorite, favorite thing to do."
The Philadelphia Phillies are trying to win it all this season, and yet, they're currently struggling in one area that might be their downfall.
Through the opening two weeks of the MLB season, the Phillies are 6-5 and have a decent chance to win the division. But there's one major issue still plaguing the team right now.
As Matt Gelb of The Athletic notes, the Phillies have some major issues facing left-handed pitching. With a .138 batting average against lefties so far, the Phillies' offense is a massive liability against lefties.
Phillies have major lefty pitching problem
"Two weeks into this season, the club's most evident weakness appears whenever they face a lefty," Gelb writes. "It's not just Kemp or Sosa, who are platoon players deployed only when a lefty pitches. The Phillies, as a team, have hit .138/.242/.213 against left-handed starters."
This is a massive issue for the Phillies. They're hitting just .138 against left-handed starting pitchers. There are some reasons for this, but the platoon isn't the only reason.
Otto Kemp and Edmundo Sosa have struggled at times this season, even though Sosa had a clutch game-tying hit in the ninth inning this season.
But it's not just those platoon players. Bryce Harper (1-11), Trea Turner (2-11), Alec Bohm (0-7), and Adolis Garcia (1-8) are all struggling against lefty pitching.
To put these struggles into perspective, last season, the Phillies had a .723 OPS against left-handed starting pitchers (12th in MLB). This season, they're ranked 29th with a brutal .455 OPS.
It's not just their lefty hitters, either; the right-handed hitters who are supposed to have the advantage over these lefty starters are also struggling.
These are struggles that will keep the Phillies from making any headway in the regular season, let alone the postseason.
Philadelphia hitters need to figure this out ASAP; otherwise, they're not going to have much success this season with some of the best pitchers in MLB being lefties.
This issue needs to be resolved, and fast. Hopefully, these struggles will be looked back on as an early-season blip on the radar and not a warning sign for the disaster looming for the season.
Apr 2, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher David Peterson (23) throws a pitch against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images | Robert Edwards-Imagn Images
Mets lineup
Francisco Lindor – SS
Bo Bichette – 3B
Jorge Polanco – DH
Luis Robert – CF
Brett Baty – RF
Mark Vientos – 1B
Marcus Semien – 2B
Carson Benge – LF
Francisco Alvarez – C
SP: David Peterson – LHP
Diamondbacks lineup
Ketel Marte – DH
Corbin Carroll – RF
Geraldo Perdomo – SS
Gabriel Moreno – C
Nolan Arenado – 3B
Ildemaro Vargas – 2B
Jose Fernandez – 1B
Tim Tawa – LF
Jorge Barrosa – CF
SP: Ryne Nelson – RHP
Broadcast info
First pitch: 4:10 PM ET TV: SNY Radio: Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM, Audacy App, 92.3 HD2
J.D. Martinez wrapped up his 14-year playing career in 2024 with the Mets.
The two sides have kept in close contact since then, though, and New York’s higher-ups began pitching the idea of him joining reuniting with them in a front office role as early as this winter.
Martinez had other offers, but after evaluating his options he decided that this was where he wanted to be.
The slugger signed on as a special advisor to baseball operations last week.
“I’ve always built a good relationship with everybody here,” he said Wednesday afternoon at Citi Field. “It was just one of those things where I was like you know what, this could be fun.
“I like what they are doing here. I like the team they’ve built here. I had a great experience here with the front office, the ownership, the clubhouse, everything -- it was just a really fun place to come so I said why not, let’s do it.”
Martinez is only planning on attending home games here and there as he eases back into baseball, but plans on being in contact with players and the front office consistently.
With all of his knowledge and experience, he’s just looking to be a resource for this group.
“I had quite a roller coaster throughout my career," Martinez said. "From getting released, to being a top prospect, to my rise, then going and retiring -- I think there’s a lot of things I’ve experienced where I can relate to a lot of the guys.
“So it's just my knowledge and just helping in anyway I can -- anything I see whether it’s the offense, whether it’s the strategy, whether it’s the mentorship, I’m just here to help them out in anyway that I can.”
As far as this year’s Mets team, Martinez sees a really talented group.
He even went as far as saying this team is by far more talented than the 2024 squad that went on a miraculous run before falling to the Dodgers in six games in the NLCS.
“It’s a really good group,” Martinez said. “I’ve played with and against a lot of these guys, I have a ton of respect from them -- Bo [Bichette], Marcus [Semien], and Juan [Soto], bringing those guys over, those are big bats and difference-makers.
“At the beginning of the year they weren’t really scoring, they are starting to score more now. Adding Freddy [Peralta] too is huge with the pitching staff they’ve added -- they’re a threat, this is a really good baseball team.”
AUGUSTA, Ga. | The Masters Tournament is almost here for the 91-player field and the hay should be in the barn in terms of getting their games ready for the annual Augusta National test beginning on April 9.
First Coast and South Georgia players in the field shared thoughts on their week of preparation, their view of how a dry, firm, and fast course will play, and even a little speculation about how they’d spend a day at the Masters if they were a fan.
Cameron Smith, Ponte Vedra Beach
On the condition of the golf course
“It’s in great shape ... it seems like the grass is really full. It’s always in good condition but it seems like there’s just a little bit more grass. There’s no rain in the forecast and they can really do whatever they want. I feel like it will be firm and fast.”
On what he’s learned by playing the Masters nine times
“Just be smart. You’ve obviously got to play good golf. I think it’s a place where if you’re playing really good, you can be super-aggressive. If you’re not playing so good, you have to play really smart and kind of get to the positions where you can get up and down.”
“It’s world class, just like we’ve come to expect of Augusta National. We wouldn’t have thought it would be anything different. It’s pretty spectacular. The locker room is great. The dining room is great. The gym is great. There’s no flaws.”
Brian Harman, St. Simons Island, Ga.
On his game entering his eighth Masters
“Feeling pretty good. Good Players Championship [he tied for 11th], swing feels all right. Just been working hard, waiting for it all to round into form. The game has been there. Just hadn’t been shooting a lot of low scores. Trying to free it up and play golf the way I know I can.”
On navigating trouble at Augusta National
“Around the greens, knowing where to miss it. It’s missing it in the right spots. Just got to be really disciplined. This place really punishes you if you get out of position.”
On Augusta National and the Masters
“Look at this place. It’s beautiful. The crowning achievements of mankind. It’s hard not to sit around and look at this place with some awe. But at the same time, we’re here to work, trying to win the Masters.”
Ludvig Åberg, Nocatee
On how he would spend a day at the Masters as a fan
“I would get here early, as soon as the gates open. Walk around, get some sanwiches, get some breakfast ... just try to soak it in.”
On the holes he would watch as a fan
“Obviously you want to see 11, 12, 13. I would want to see 16, especially when they put the pins down left.”
On the players he would follow
“I would watch Jordan Spieth or Hideki Matsuyama. I love watching them play. You never know what’s going to happen.”
On playing in front of patrons with no cell phones
“It’s very different because at a normal tournament it seems like there’s a lot of phones up. It feels like the [Masters patrons] are a little bit more engaged in the golf. They're a little bit more attuned to what’s going on.”
Michael Brennan, Jacksonville
On his first Masters experience
“It’s been incredible ... it’s so much fun having so many people here on practice-round days. I think that’s really cool.”
How much has he played in the run-up?
“I didn’t play last week. Went back home to Jacksonville, Easter weekend ... I actually got confirmed last weekend at the Easter vigil Saturday night, so I had some family and friends in town.”
How he felt playing Amen Corner (Nos. 11, 12 and 13) for the first time
“It’s cool ... it wasn’t a religious experience or anything like that. They’re great golf holes ... a really cool stretch of golf.”
Harris English, St. Simons Island, Ga.
On playing Amen Corner
“You can play it in 3- or 4-under or you can play it 3- or 4-over pretty quick. It’s just a massive swing right there at the start of the back nine that can really set the table for the tournament.”
On how much to practice at Augusta
“It’s managing yourself a little bit, not getting too tired. It’s easy to stay out here all day. It’s like a playground for us. So you’ve got to have a plan, stick to it and manage your time as much as possible.”
What part of a player’s game is most important in the Masters?
“For sure, I think short game is a big key out here. Bunker play, striking your chips ... there’s a big difference between chipping it to 7 or 8 feet and chipping it to 3 feet.”
On the large number of former Georgia Bulldogs in the field
“It’s huge ... we get a lot of support out here. We hear ‘Go Dawgs’ all week. Awesome to have that support. We need to have another Georgia guy put that green jacket on. I think everybody would love that.”
When do First Coast, South Georgia players tee off in the Masters?
Vijay Singh: 8:26 a.m. first round, 11:51 a.m. second round (with Matt McCarty and Rasmus Hojgaard).
Cameron Smith: 9:19 a.m. first round, 12:32 p.m. second round (with Sam Burns and Jake Knapp).
Andrew Novak: 11:15 a.m. first round, 8:02 a.m. second round (with Tom McKibbin and Mateo Pulcini).
Zach Johnson: 11:30 a.m. first round, 8:14 a.m. second round (with Michael Kim and Nicolai Hojgaard).
Brian Harman: 12:03 p.m. first round, 8:38 a.m. second round (with Adam Scott and Daniel Berger).
Michael Brennan: 12:44 p.m. first round, 9:19 a.m. second round (with Harry Hall and Corey Conners).
Ludvig Aberg: 1:08 p.m. first round, 9:43 a.m. second round (with Jon Rahm and Chris Gotterup).
Harris English: 1:56 p.m. first round, 10:31 a.m. second round (with Marco Penge and Si Woo Kim).
Delhi Capitals won the toss and chose to bowl first, sticking to a strategy that has brought them success early in the season. Captain Axar Patel pointed to recent chasing performances and the possibility of moisture in the pitch after rain as key reasons behind the decision. Delhi have gone in unchanged once again, backing the same combination that delivered two wins.
For Gujarat Titans, the big headline is the return of skipper Shubman Gill. The opener, who missed the previous game against Rajasthan Royals due to neck spasms and was seen wearing straps around his shoulder and neck area, is now fit and back at the top of the order. Gill replaces Kumar Kushagra in the only change for Gujarat.
Speaking at the toss, Axar emphasised the plan to assess conditions early and then chase. He noted that the surface is fresh and could assist bowlers upfront, making the decision to field first a logical one.
Gill, meanwhile, confirmed that his neck is “much better” and revealed that Gujarat would have preferred to bat first regardless of the toss outcome. He expressed confidence in the opening partnership with Sai Sudharsan and highlighted the need for one batter from the middle order to bat deep.
Gujarat Titans (Playing XI): Shubman Gill(c), Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler(w), Washington Sundar, Glenn Phillips, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Ashok Sharma
With Delhi chasing again and Gill back to lead Gujarat, the stage is set for an intriguing contest shaped by conditions and batting depth.
Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton told reporters on Wednesday that he was shocked to learn of John Harbaugh's firing in January, but the start of the team's offseason program under new head coach Jesse Minter has him "excited for a new era" in Baltimore.
Hamilton is particularly excited about the impact that Minter and new defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver can have on the team's defense. The team fell to 18th in points allowed while going 8-9 last season and Hamilton said there's been clear messaging from the new staff that the work on that side of the ball has been unacceptable.
"I don’t think we’re reinventing the wheel or anything," Hamilton said. "We just got to get back to or just re-establish dominance, especially defense. Offense, they got their own thing going on and I’m sure they’ll be alright. I think defensively it’s been pretty disappointing, just some results that we’ve had. We’ve had some good seasons, but we’ve also had some bad seasons and those are inexcusable. Especially here. I think confronting that, him along with coach Weaver, they’ve both done a great job so far laying out what’s been in the past and where we want to go in the future. The standard has not been met and upheld and we need to kind of fix that."
Minter coached under Harbaugh earlier in his career and the expectation in Baltimore is that he'll be able to get the team moving in the right direction quickly. The defense will have a lot to do with his chances of success and Hamilton's early review is an encouraging one for the unit's mindset.
NEW YORK — Every once in a while you run into a story that reminds you baseball isn’t just about money or looming labor disputes or a commissioner who auctions off Opening Day to Netflix. There’s still a flip side to the sport that isn’t quite so cynical.
All you had to do was glimpse into the Yankees’ dugout in the eighth inning Tuesday night, moments after Amed Rosario launched what became the game-winning three-run home run. Teammates went full Animal House because a) the blast led to a come-from-behind 5-3 win over the Athletics and b) the narrative belongs to the Yankees’ most likeable guy behind the scenes.
The Yankees love him precisely because he’s no longer that rising star who was the Mets’ top prospect in 2017. Rosario, who has never quite lived up to the hype, has played for seven teams in 10 years.
But Rosario doesn’t complain. He doesn’t blame his managers. He’s not jealous of younger players. As Jose Caballero said, “(Rosario) never has a bad day. He’s always with high energy. It’s good for the club, good for him, and good for everyone.”
Wouldn’t you know, Rosario can still flash the raging talent of his past. All he needs is an opening. And that’s the second half of this story. Popularity wasn’t the reason he was in the lineup against A’s right-handed pitcher Aaron Civale. It’s because Ryan McMahon, who started the season as the full-time third baseman, has been awful.
With 11 strikeouts in his first 23 at-bats, not to mention an .087 average, McMahon forced Aaron Boone’s hand. It would’ve been malpractice for the manager to not make a switch. Rosario responded by hitting not one but two home runs, including the decisive blow against former Yankees reliever Mark Leiter Jr.
Boone looked like a genius for this one night. Now, the obvious question is whether McMahon will be phased out and turned into a late-inning defensive replacement. Boone played it safe by saying, “It depends on the matchups.” But we all see what’s coming down the road.
In almost any other scenario, the Yankees would be looking to move on from McMahon. He’s always profiled at the bottom of the batting order, thanks to a career .238 average and 33 percent strikeout rate. But McMahon is at least a solid defender. And only 31, he shouldn’t be regressing yet.
Shouldn’t is the operative word. Truth is, McMahon is currently no better than DJ LeMahieu at the time of his release last season. At this rate, McMahon, who’s earning $16 million a year through 2027, will enter the top-5 of general manager Brian Cashman’s worst acquisitions.
Fortunately for the Yankees that Rosario was physically and mentally ready to step in. As he said in Spanish after the game, “I’ve said I can do damage when they need me. I was glad for the opportunity.”
Rosario didn’t wait long to introduce himself to the Athletics. He blasted Civale’s first pitch over the left field wall in the second inning, giving the Yankees a brief 1-0 lead. With starting pitcher Cam Schlittler retiring his first six batters and temperatures dropping steadily into the low 40s, the A’s would’ve been forgiven for thinking it was just too cold to deal with Schlittler’s near triple-digit fastball.
But the Arctic blast bothered him, too. Schlittler lasted only five innings, leaving a 3-1 deficit in his wake. The A’s were hanging onto that two-run advantage as late as the eighth inning. That’s when Rosario and Leiter crossed paths.
Their story lines couldn’t be more dissimilar. While Rosario has found his Zen in the Bronx, Leiter grew increasingly unhappy with the way the Yankees used him last summer. Relegated to low-leverage situations, the right-hander told friends he couldn’t understand why the Yankees bothered to acquire him from the Cubs in 2024.
Leiter’s mood darkened. He stopped speaking to Boone and his staff by late summer. The Yankees left him off the playoff roster in both the Wild Card and Division Series, effectively severing their ties. Leiter moved on and signed with the A’s over the winter. He had a chance for a take that on Tuesday. All he had to do was preserve that 3-1 lead.
But Bellinger, Ben Rice and Giancarlo Stanton singled in succession, narrowing the A’s lead to 3-2. One out later, Rosario invited everyone into his personal time portal. Suddenly, it was 2019, Rosario’s best year with the Mets, when he slugged 15 home runs with 72 RBIs and 19 stolen bases.
Leiter’s hanging splitter was a chance for Rosario to deliver on that promise to do damage. He stood at the plate just long enough to see the ball disappear over the wall, pounding his chest with both fists and staring triumphantly into the Yankees’ dugout.
You bet the Yankees were going berserk, not just because they’re already the American League’s best team, but because Rosario’s no-drama, no-baggage lifestyle had just paid its first dividend of the year.
Yankees -1.5 run line is listed at +105 on BetMGM for Wednesday night’s contest versus the Athletics. Our comprehensive BetMGM Sportsbook review shows you how to register and navigate their site.
As Boone would later say, “(Rosario) isn’t just a really good player, but he’s a tremendous teammate who sets an amazing example for everyone.”
What Boone didn’t have to say is whether Rosario is about to become The Man at third base.
Les Snead and Sean McVay both confirmed that the Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles discussed a potential trade involving A.J. Brown. The Rams explored trading for him – and subsequently, trading away Davante Adams – but a deal never came to fruition.
It was previously reported by Dianna Russini of The Athletic that the Rams and Patriots both made “strong pushes” for Brown, but on Wednesday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter went a step further.
He reported that the Rams and Eagles were “further along at one point than people realized,” an indication of just how close Los Angeles came to striking a deal for Brown. Schefter was even waiting to report it because he thought it was going to get done.
“The way I do my job is I weigh in when there are things that matter and when there’s news,” Schefter said on 97.5 The Fanatic. “There have been plenty of trade talks that have gone on that I’ve known about. Let’s put it this way, how about this? The Eagles and Rams were further along at one point than people realized. Was that out there? Was that out there? Was Dianna on that? Were other people on that? I don’t know, but it was and at one point, I remember thinking, ‘Boy, there’s a chance it’s gonna get done with the Rams.’ And I was waiting to report it, and it didn’t get done.”
Dianni Russini Has Continuously Reported On AJ Brown, But ESPN's Adam Schefter States That Brown Was Close To Being An LA Ram 👀 #FlyEaglesFly@ConnorThomas975 & @JohnKincade 🎙️
Had the Rams acquired Brown from the Eagles, they would’ve moved on from Adams. It would’ve been a shocking sequence of moves, to say the least, but the Rams are always looking for ways to improve.
After considering it, they decided against swapping out Adams for Brown, believing they’re a better team with Adams on the roster than without him. After his $6 million bonus became guaranteed last month, the Rams are bound to keep Adams through 2026 rather than trading him away after just one season. And thus, they've moved on from the Brown sweepstakes, too.
Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani made a classy nod to Miguel Rojas’ father, who recently passed away.
Miguel “Mickey Rojas” Rojas Sr. died of a heart attack on Tuesday, April 7, according to the Dodgers’ veteran. It happened while on his way to the hospital, prompting a call to the player that his father had passed away.
According to Rojas, his father was looking forward to watching the Dodgers game on Tuesday against the Toronto Blue Jays.
The shortstop got the call 40 minutes before the game, prompting the team to give him the day off despite being in the lineup.
Apr 5, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) celebrates with Dodgers second baseman Miguel Rojas (72) after hitting a solo home run against the Washington Nationals during the third inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Hyeseong Kim slotted in at shortstop in his absence, though Rojas did want to play despite hearing the news, but he was overruled by the team’s leaders.
“I wanted to play yesterday, but Freddie and Doc took it out of my hands, ’cause they knew it was gonna be difficult to stay in the game and have my head there,” Rojas said.
“… I always say, they raised me up and they give up everything in their life for me to be a baseball player.”
Ohtani is regarded as one of the best teammates in baseball for his kind heart and support for his teammates, especially during tough times.
It is no surprise that Ohtani would do the gesture in honor of Rojas’ father, who meant a lot to the shortstop. In fact, the entire Dodgers team was donning the letters in support of Rojas.
Rojas’ father’s funeral is taking place on the same day as the game, and while the Dodgers expect Rojas to go on bereavement, there is no exact timeline that has been issued before the game.
Marchesano comes to Butler after five seasons at Purdue Fort Wayne, where she had 168-92 record with the Mastodons.
"We are excited to bring Maria home to Butler," Butler athletic director Grant Leiendecker said in a news release. "She is a proven program-builder, a coach who has achieved success at every university she has been. Maria will bring her immense talent, energy and commitment to Butler, a place that is incredibly special to her as someone who wore our jersey. Maria has a great vision for what our program can achieve and a solid plan on how to get there. The future is incredibly bright for Butler women's basketball.”
Marchesano is a Fort Wayne native and Elmhurt High School graduate. She played four years of basketball and one season of softball at Butler, graduating in 2005. She finished her Butler career as the second-best 3-point shooter in program history (41.8 percent). She earned Horizon League all-newcomer team honors and was named Butler freshman female athlete of the year during the 2001-02 season.
Marchesano has amassed 234 wins across stops at Purdue Fort Wayne (five seasons), Mount St. Mary's (four seasons), Walsh (three seasons) and Urbana (two seasons). She led the Mastodons to three straight 20-win seasons and three WNIT berths. She led Mount St. Mary's to an NCAA Tournament berth in 2021.
She also was an associate head coach in 2016-17 at IUPUI for Austin Parkinson, who Butler said Monday it mutually parted ways with.
"Today is such a bittersweet day for me as I am both ecstatic to get rolling as the next head coach at Butler but also very sad and eternally grateful for my time in Fort Wayne," Marchesano said. "I am extremely blessed to call both Fort Wayne and Butler home. I want to extend a huge thank you to Grant, President (James) Danko and the entire search committee for their belief in me and the opportunity to come back to Indy and wear that Butler name with pride."
Parkinson came to Butler ahead of the 2022-23 season. He amassed a 54-73 record in four years with two WNIT appearances and no NCAA Tournament berths. The Dawgs were 23-53 in Big East playing during that time and finished no better than eighth, which was in his second season.
Parkinson came to Butler after a successful 12-season run at IUPUI. Parkinson is the all-time winningest coach at IUPUI (now IU Indy), with a 224-141 record, including a NCAA Tournament appearance in 2022. Prior to his arrival, the Dawgs had gone 1-27 and lost all 18 Big East games.
The Kentucky Wildcats have made a lot of news since the transfer portal window opened as they try and build their roster in a key year for coach Mark Pope. Adding a guard who can consistently shoot and score is a focus, and Terrence Hill Jr. could be exactly what they're looking for.
Most fans will remember Hill for what he did during this year's March Madness. Playing for VCU, he scored 34 points in their upset win over North Carolina. The Tarheels knew he was getting the ball, and still could do nothing to stop him.
Hill was a lightly recruited guard out of Oregon who ended up at VCU. As a freshman, he didn't log many minutes, but in year two, he took off. Last season, he averaged 15 points per game and made 37% of his three-point attempts. He also, as everyone witnessed, had no trouble performing under the brightest lights.
Kentucky has made contact with Hill via a Zoom meeting, and are definitely interested. They can use a scoring two-guard, but so can a lot of other high profile schools. The list of teams to contact him is long and full of top names. We will continue to update this story.
The Kitsap Sun's weekly online poll for readers to vote for the top high school athletes is looking for your vote on noteworthy recent performances. Athletes are nominated by their respective coaches based on their performances from the previous week's events.
The poll will appear online each Wednesday and votes will be tallied through Friday at 10 a.m. The top boys sport and girls sport vote-getters will be declared spring athletes of the week.
This week's nominees, based on their performances during the week of March 30-April 3 are Central Kitsap's Leo Bosh, Addie Hasty and Mana Voss, Olympic's Sophia Brown and Toby Moore, North Kitsap's Sebastian Moran and Malia Wendt, and South Kitsap's Isaac Benjamin and Brody Gadberry.
We'll announce the winners this week after the poll closes Friday.
Chelsea Are In The Running To Land This Newcastle United Left-Back: Should Rosenior Move In For Him?
In a recent report, Fichajes mentioned that Chelsea are in the running to land Newcastle United left-back Lewis Hall. It has been claimed that the Blues would have to rival Manchester City and Arsenal in the race to land the English defender this summer.
Hall’s Impressive Form In English Football
Hall is having a decent campaign at the Tyneside club after he put in a run of impressive displays on the left side of their backline. The 21-year-old has found the back of the net once and earned two assists in 41 matches for Newcastle this season across multiple competitions.
The English talent is currently among the best full-backs in the Premier League. Therefore, the Blues would do well to get a deal done for him this off-season.
His current contract at St. James’ Park will run out in the summer of 2029, which could make it tough for Chelsea to sign him on the cheap this summer.
LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 31: Lewis Hall of England during the international friendly match between England and Japan at Wembley Stadium on March 31, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Should Chelsea Boss Liam Rosenior Move In For Hall?
Hall is a solid tackler of the ball and can time his challenges well to secure the ball back for his team inside his half. He doesn’t mind putting his foot through the ball when required and can create the odd chance for his teammates from the left flank.
The English sensation is primarily a left-back but can also function as a left-sided wide player or as a box-to-box midfielder if told to do so. He is already quite familiar with the Premier League and won’t take much time to settle into life at the West London club.
We can expect Hall to add more quality and depth to Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior’s defence. He has what it takes to nail down a regular first-team spot at Stamford Bridge in the coming years.
At 21, Hall has got the potential to be a world-class player in his position someday. Hence, it makes sense for the Blues to move in for him in the upcoming transfer window as long as they can get him for a reasonable fee. Hall will also help the Blues challenge across all competitions in the future. Therefore, Rosenior should focus on going all out to lure him to Stamford Bridge later this year.
Manuel Ugarte: Juventus make big transfer call on Man United star
Juventus have reportedly reached a major decision regarding Manchester United midfielder Manuel Ugarte amidst the ongoing speculation surrounding his future.
Possible exit
Ugarte is looking increasingly likely to leave United this summer, amidst his struggle to make an impact at the club.
Since joining the Red Devils in the summer of 2024, he has failed to nail down a regular starting berth under all three managers he has played under.
His limited minutes have persisted under Michael Carrick, who has demonstrated a clear preference for a midfield pivot of Casemiro and Kobbie Mainoo. Ugarte is also understood to be unhappy with his situation and would consider an exit, in an effort to get his career back on track.
A number of potential transfer destinations have emerged for the Uruguayan. He continues to be linked to the likes of Juventus, while a recent report covered by The Peoples Person relayed that Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle, Aston Villa and Sunderland are also admirers of him.
It was previously stated that Juventus are only prepared to pursue an initial loan agreement for Ugarte, with an option to make the move permanent at the end of next season. Furthermore, they are unwilling to assume his entire wage bill, leaving two alternatives: Ugarte accepts a reduction in salary, or United contribute to the cost of the loan.
However, Tuttomercatoweb have now made a completely different claim, writing that Juventus are prepared to offer around €40m (£35m) for Ugarte.
Ugarte transfer update
TMW say that Juventus’s €40 m (£35m) proposal would allow United to recoup most of what they paid to secure Ugarte’s services two years ago.
However, Juventus sanctioning a swoop for the combative midfielder is dependent on securing Champions League football. The Bianconeri currently sit in fifth place in the standings, one point below Como in fourth.
If they don’t get into the Champions League, Juventus are unlikely to afford Ugarte. The Serie A giants’ transfer is also complicated by Monaco’s interest in the player.
Fabrizio Romano notes that “movements have started” around Ugarte and talks about the fee and deal structure are set to follow.
United return to action on April 13 when they face Leeds United at Old Trafford.
Cucho Hernandez levelled from the spot for Real Betis at Braga (Miguel RIOPA)
Real Betis fought back to earn a 1-1 draw in their Europa League quarter-final first leg at Braga on Wednesday.
Florian Grillitsch gave the hosts an early lead with a deft near-post backheel before Cucho Hernandez levelled from the spot for Betis in the second half to leave the tie delicately poised ahead of next Thursday's return leg in Seville.
In the round of 16, both sides produced four-goal performances in the second legs of their respective ties to come from behind and qualify.
Braga seized the advantage at their picturesque Estadio Municipal home in the fifth minute as Austrian Grillitsch darted to the front post from a low corner and turned a slick backheel past Pau Lopez in the Betis net.
At the other end, Braga goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek was in excellent form as he produced fine saves to deny Marc Bartra, Abde Ezzalzouli and Hernandez in the first period.
The Czech's resistance was broken on 61 minutes, however, as Colombian Hernandez sent him the wrong way from the spot after Jean-Baptiste Gorby had scythed down Ezzalzouli in the box.
The other quarter-final first legs take place on Thursday with Premier League strugglers Nottingham Forest making the trip to Portugal to take on Porto.
Aston Villa visit Coppa Italia winners Bologna and Freiburg welcome Celta Vigo.
Last May, Boston Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum suffered a ruptured right Achilles tendon against the New York Knicks during the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Less than 10 months later, he was miraculously back on the court and playing at a high level, way ahead of schedule.
The Celtics could have played it safe with Tatum and shut him down for the season. He worked hard to come back early, however, and the front office supported him every step of the way, ultimately activating him on March 6.
In a press conference on Tuesday, Boston's president of basketball operations, Brad Stevens, explained the organization's bold and somewhat risky decision to bring Tatum back early.
"I just think what we said was always the case. Until he was 110 percent and met every threshold, had fully reconditioned and he felt good, we weren't even gonna entertain the thought of him coming back," Stevens told CLNS reporter Bobby Manning.
Asked Brad about the process of bringing Tatum back: “It became clear probably around the trade deadline, that early February time that he was in a pretty good spot physically … then it’s a matter of re-conditioning and getting your confidence back.” pic.twitter.com/e6j2AiBZtg
"It became clear probably around the trade deadline, that early February time, that he was in a pretty good spot physically from the standpoint of the strength, then it’s just a matter of re-conditioning and getting your confidence back in a lot of ways and playing and being back on the court," Stevens continued.
"You could see that not only was he gonna come along pretty quickly, but you could also see that he was getting more eager to play," Stevens added. "It was a really well-thought-out process...and followed to strictly by Jayson. And everybody involved with that gets a lot of credit... It was pretty incredible to watch up close."
While he was understandably a bit rusty at first, Tatum is already starting to look like himself again just one month after coming back. With six straight 20-point games under his belt, he's looking more comfortable and confident with the playoffs approaching next week.
If Tatum and the Celtics make a deep run or end up winning the title, it will be because they refused to throw in the towel this season and did everything they could to get him back on the court.
Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas revealed first baseman Freddie Freeman played a role in his removal from Tuesday’s lineup.
The Dodgers originally had Rojas playing shortstop and batting eighth, but scratched him just before first pitch and replaced him with Hyeseong Kim. Wednesday morning, Rojas revealed the reason was his father’s death.
“With immense pain on the part of the whole Rojas family, today I have to let you know everyone who had the opportunity to meet and share with my father Miguel Rojas ‘Micky’ who yesterday April 7 died suddenly in the afternoon hours,” Rojas wrote in Spanish. “I want to sincerely thank everyone who has reached out to me and my entire family to show their love and let us know how loved my dad was throughout his life. May God receive him in his glory and rest in peace ?”
What Did Freddie Freeman Do To Remove Rojas From of the Lineup?
Ahead of Wednesday’s series finale against the Toronto Blue Jays, Rojas said Freeman, as well as manager Dave Roberts, were the ones who pushed for his exclusion from the game.
Plunkett also reported Rojas didn’t know whether he’d step away from the Dodgers periodically to be with his family.
“I always say, they raised me up and they give up everything in their life for me to be a baseball player,” Rojas said. “This is what they want me to do. They know how much pride I take in showing up every day, and not letting my teammates down.”
Aug 7, 2023; San Diego, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) and shortstop Miguel Rojas (11) celebrate after scoring against the San Diego Padres during the sixth inning at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
Is Rojas Playing Against the Blue Jays on Wednesday?
Despite the unfortunate circumstances surrounding Rojas, he will start for the Dodgers in their series finale against the Blue Jays. He will bat ninth and play shortstop as the Dodgers look for a second consecutive series sweep on the road.
Rojas is receiving more playing time at shortstop—his natural position—due to Mookie Betts’ placement on the injured list.
Betts left Saturday’s game against the Washington Nationals in the first inning, and an MRI revealed he had strained his right oblique. His exact timetable isn’t yet known, but the average recovery time for this kind of injury is 4-6 weeks.
Rojas and Freeland will play in the middle infield for the series finale, but if Rojas needs to step away the Dodgers will still have Kim to make up for his absence.
Tyson Fury admits there are concerns about whether time away from the ring might catch up with him this weekend.
The Gypsy King will return to action at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, facing Russian knockout specialist Arslanbek Makhmudov on Saturday night.
Now 37, Fury hasn’t fought since back-to-back defeats to Oleksandr Usyk, with his last appearance coming in December 2024.
Tyson Fury reflects on Deontay Wilder vs Derek Chisora
Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images
Deontay Wilder and Derek Chisora shared the ring again, giving fans an entertaining 12-round contest.
But for all the action, it was clear both men had lost a step, with the fight lacking the sharpness of their earlier years.
Fury has a history with both men, having fought Wilder three times and Chisora twice. Watching them struggle served as a reminder of how time eventually catches up to every fighter.
Now preparing for his return against Arslanbek Makhmudov, Fury is thinking about what he might look like after more than a year out of action.
“By the time the fight comes around on Saturday, I’ll have been out of the ring 16 months,” he told the Inside Ring Show. “At 37 years old, 16 months is a long time. So I have a little bit of stuff to do and to think about in my own mind, and see how I am.”
“After watching Deontay and Chisora the other night fight, it was hard to watch for me. It was sad, it was heartbreaking. And I’d never seen two men slide as much as them two in my life.”
“I’m thinking ‘Am I f—ng next? Is this me?’ So I said to the boys if I’m even ten percent as bad as those guys in my fight take me out to field and shoot me.”
Tyson Fury’s future in boxing: What’s still out there?
Throughout his time in the ring, Tyson Fury has managed to collect every major title available in the heavyweight division.
There isn’t much left for him to accomplish in a sport that’s been part of his life since he was a kid.
Still, one unfinished piece remains: a long-standing rivalry with fellow Brit Anthony Joshua.
The two have spent years circling each other, yet despite plenty of talk, they’ve never actually shared the ring.
Rumours are swirling that the fight could finally happen this September at Croke Park in Dublin.
Eddie Hearn recently pushed back on those claims. Joshua’s promoter says no deal has been signed and that they’re still considering their options. He also mentioned ongoing discussions with Turki Alalshikh about a potential summer matchup with Fury.
If Fury comes through his return fight without any hiccups, talks around the Joshua bout could start moving quickly.
Earning consistent playing time under Joe Mazzulla is not easy. In his first few seasons as head coach of the Boston Celtics, he maintained strict rotations. Especially for playoff rotations, he largely stuck with eight-man groups.
However, following several departures from the 2024 championship core, opportunities for minutes have become more plentiful. But even when a player earns those chances, it does not guarantee a permanent spot in the rotation. Mazzulla remains unforgiving toward prominent mental errors and lapses in effort. On the other hand, he is more willing to give players opportunities to prove themselves.
This tactic remains prevalent even in the final week of the regular season. The latest player to benefit from this is Jordan Walsh.
After logging zero minutes across six straight games in March, Walsh is back in the mix. He is averaging 20.0 minutes per game over Boston’s last seven contests. Against the red-hot Charlotte Hornets on April 7, he made his biggest impact of that stretch yet.
Walsh’s never-ending motor and defensive intensity embody Boston’s hyper-competitive team culture. He and the rest of the ‘stay ready squad’ are why the Celtics are as dangerous as ever.
Impact Against Charlotte
The Hornets, a surging team since January, arrived at TD Garden under the bright lights of national television. LaMelo Ball rose to the occasion early, hitting circus shot after circus shot on his way to 34 points in the game’s first 28.5 minutes.
LaMelo goes WAY back and drills his 4th triple of the half
Despite looking unguardable for much of the night, Ball’s showcase came to a screeching halt in the third quarter — when Walsh checked in.
“Some big minutes right here from Jordan Walsh,” said NBC Sports Boston analyst Brian Scalabrine, as Walsh entered at the 7:31 mark. “He’s in there with one assignment: stop LaMelo Ball.”
And that he did. Ball did not make another field goal for the remainder of the game.
On his second defensive possession after checking back in, Walsh fought through two screens, stripped Ball, and ignited a fastbreak that resulted in a Jaylen Brown layup.
Walsh’s defense, along with timely scoring — including a go-ahead basket for Boston’s first lead of the second half — was key in turning the tide. His efforts contributed to a 13-3 Boston run, giving the Celtics the lead entering the fourth quarter
Although Walsh didn’t play in the fourth, Mazzulla still credited him with shifting the energy to spark the comeback.
“I thought he started that for us,” Mazzulla said. “He understands that when he’s at his best defensively is impacting the other team’s best players — creating turnovers, making things difficult. I thought he did a good job of that.”
The Value of Staying Ready
Later in his postgame press conference, Mazzulla explained how Walsh is an example of the team’s overarching mindset when navigating playing-time fluctuation.
Joe Mazzulla on Jordan Walsh's readiness:
"I think the story of our season is we got 14-15 guys who can impact winning… When it's not your turn, what's your mindset, and what's your consistency?
“I think the story of our season is we got 14, 15 guys who can impact winning,” Mazzulla said. “When it’s not your turn, what’s your mindset, and what’s your consistency? Are you still chipping away at the workouts? How serious are you taking film?… It starts with Jordan’s mindset. If you’re not playing, how are you getting better? He continues to do that and I think that’s why he can pick up where he left off.”
Jaylen Brown echoed Mazzulla’s urge for players to stay locked in and believe in the process.
“I think he’s still continuing to get better,” Brown said. “He’s got to continue to have the right mindset and right approach, and have faith that everything will work itself out.”
The buy-in across the roster has allowed several Celtics — many of whom have minimal NBA experience in prominent roles — to contribute meaningfully to another 54-plus win season. Boston has 14 different players who’ve logged over 250 minutes this season — the most of any season under Mazzulla.
Ready for the Playoffs?
Boston’s newfound depth gives them lineup versatility unlike any recent iteration of the Celtics.
Walsh is having a career season and should have the necessary experience to be ready for a postseason test. Brown, who Walsh referred to as his top mentor, believes in him to make an impact if needed.
“Jordan has the ability to change games,” Brown added in his post-Charlotte presser. “His athleticism has the ability to change games. That’s something that in the playoffs or in the future, certain matchups we’ll definitely need. Just continuing to urge him to have discipline, make the right plays out there, and bring energy to our group.”
Predicting the postseason rotation is a tough task given how the regular season played out. But whether it’s Jordan Walsh, Luka Garza, or anyone else from the bench unit who has given good minutes this season, Joe Mazzulla is equipped with more tools at his disposal than ever before.
Understanding the relationship between Tom Brady, the quarterback who won six Super Bowls for the New England Patriots, and the Las Vegas Raiders, the team in which he owns a five percent stake, has been the white whale of the NFL media.
Analysts and fans alike are obsessed with understanding how much influence the future Hall of Famer has over the football operations in Las Vegas. Sometimes it seems even the Raiders themselves are not positive.
Tuesday evening, fans were offered a little insight when multiple insiders reported that the seven-time Super Bowl champion would not only be in the building for pre-draft interviews, but would also be conducting them himself. Albert Breer broke the news to draft expert Todd McShay on “The Todd McShay Show.”
“What I would really be interested to hear about – which I don’t know – in that face-to-face interview with Brady yesterday,” Breer said.
“That was yesterday?” McShay interrupted, shocked.
“Yeah, that was yesterday,” Breer said. “How do the personalities mesh with Brady and (Fernando) Mendoza.
“I think for Tom, he’s acutely aware of how important the locker room is – and the makeup of the locker room and how the quarterback fits in the locker room. Nobody knows more about that than Tom Brady… I think that would be the final box to check.”
This is an interesting insight because it insinuates that the Raiders front office feels more than capable in their ability to scout talent and know what kind of football players they want to bring in. But when it comes to getting the right guys in the locker room, they pull out their ace in the hole.
Could Tom Brady be serving as the pseudo “Expert on Player Personnel”? It is important to note that he is not technically employed by the Raiders.
Several questions have been raised about the conflict of interest his relationship with the team may carry in relation to his current profession. So does his appearance at the first week of Raiders camp provide clarity or just more questions?
Dodgers vs. Reds, 1980. Pictured Davey Lopes and Dave Concepcion. (Joe Kennedy / Los Angeles Times)
Davey Lopes, the no-nonsense, base-swiping second baseman on a historic Dodgers infield that played together for a record 8½ seasons, died Wednesday at age 80, the Dodgers announced.
The first 10 years of Lopes' 16-year major league career were spent with the Dodgers, and he returned to the organization in 2011 to serve as first-base coach for five years. Lopes was a four-time All-Star who won two stolen base titles, one Gold Glove and helped the Dodgers to four World Series, including the championship in 1981.
Taken in the second round of a 1968 Dodgers draft haul considered the most talented in baseball history, the 5-foot-9, 170-pound Lopes rose from a rough-and-tumble Rhode Island upbringing to become the team's everyday second baseman and leadoff batter by 1973.
Lopes played outfield in the minor leagues but became part of a bold move by Dodgers manager Walter Alston before the 1973 season: Lopes would move to second base, Bill Russell from center field to shortstop and Steve Garvey from third to first base. Ron Cey would be installed at third. The Dodgers moved longtime coach and scout Monty Basgall — known as an exceptional infield instructor — from the front office to the field to help the players adjust to their new roles.
Lopes continued to play well, not retiring until 1987 at age 42. He stole 557 bases and was successful in 83% of his attempts, one of the best rates in major league history. He also displayed power for a leadoff batter, hitting 155 home runs, including a career high of 28 for the Dodgers in 1979.
Although Lopes' lifetime batting average was .263, he had an excellent eye, walking nearly as many times as he struck out and logging an excellent .349 on-base percentage. He scored 1,023 runs in 1,812 career games.
As games progressed, Lopes typically batted after the pitcher, who was at the bottom of the order. He became adept at stalling tactics that gave pitchers ample rest if they'd just returned to the dugout after running the bases.
Times assistant sports editor Houston Mitchell, a lifelong Dodgers follower, described what happened next: "Lopes was a magician at wasting time to give the pitcher a chance to towel off and cool down a bit. Especially if there were two out. Lopes would spend an extra moment or two in the on-deck circle. He'd take his time getting the round weight off his bat. Then he would slowly walk to the batter’s box."
David Earl Lopes was born May 3, 1945, and raised in East Providence, R.I., a town of Irish, Portuguese and Cape Verdean immigrants seeking jobs in factories and along the waterfront. One of 12 children, Lopes was a toddler when his father died. Lopes’ mother, Mary Rose, worked as a domestic.
Lopes often described his upbringing as difficult, referring to his neighborhood as a "ghetto" and describing it to Times columnist Jim Murray as “roaches, rats, poor living conditions, drugs as prevalent as candy."
“If it hadn’t been for sports, there’s no telling what I’d be or where I’d be,” Lopes told The Times' Ross Newhan in 1973. “All I had to do is step off the porch to a choice of all the things you associate with a ghetto."
Long before he became an accomplished base stealer, Lopes said he became an expert at shoplifting. “I never stole anything major, just clothes and baseballs and bats,” he told Murray.
Lopes needed an adult role model and one came along in the coach at an opposing high school, Mike Sarkesian, who grew up in a Providence tenement but became the basketball coach and athletic director at Iowa Wesleyan College the year Lopes graduated from high school.
“Whatever I missed by having not really had a father, Sarkesian provided,” Lopes told Newhan. “He could relate to my problems, my environment. The drive, the determination, not to give in to the ghetto, to make something of my life, stems from my relations with him.”
Sarkesian recruited Lopes to play baseball at Iowa Wesleyan. Two years later, Sarkesian became athletic director at Washburn University in Topeka, Kan., Lopes went with him. Lopes was taken by the San Francisco Giants in the eighth round of the 1967 MLB draft but opted to return to Washburn, where he played baseball and basketball well enough to be inducted into the school's Hall of Fame in 1987.
The Dodgers drafted him in the second round a year later and Lopes signed for $10,000. He skipped spring training his first two minor league seasons to complete his classes at Washburn and graduated in 1969 with a degree in elementary education.
Lopes spent the 1968 and 1969 seasons at Class-A Daytona Beach, and married Linda Lee Vandover during his first season. The night before the wedding he broke up no-hitters in both games of a doubleheader with late-inning hits.
A promotion to triple-A Spokane came in 1970. His manager was Tommy Lasorda and the team was exceptional, posting a record of 94-52. Among his teammates were Garvey and Russell as well as other future major leaguers Bill Buckner, Bobby Valentine and Tom Paciorek.
Lasorda recalled Lopes as so shy he wouldn't speak to anyone. “It took two years, but he finally came around,” Lasorda said. “[He] finally got to the point where he felt he belonged.”
Lopes showed improvement at the plate his second year at Spokane, batting .306 with Cey as a teammate. The Dodgers moved their triple-A affiliate to Albuquerque in 1972 and in his third season at that level Lopes exhibited the blend of power and speed that would be his calling card, posting a slugging percentage of .476 while stealing 48 bases.
Five years in the minor leagues after having attended college meant Lopes was 27 when he made his major league debut that September. He was the opening day second baseman the following year and turned 28 a month into the season.
Lopes quickly made up for lost time, his stolen base totals increasing in each of his first three full seasons from 36 to 59 to 77. On Aug. 24, 1974, he stole five bases in a game against the St. Louis Cardinals, becoming the first NL player to do so since 1904.
It wasn't long before the best catcher in baseball, the Reds' Johnny Bench, lauded Lopes, saying, "He’s the best there is at stealing. Lopes not only has the knowledge and speed, but also the quick acceleration. He has everything.”
The once reticent Lopes also showed leadership qualities as early as 1976, when a throw by new Dodgers outfielder Dusty Baker had missed the cutoff man.
“We don’t play that way,” Lopes told Baker.
"Hey, I almost threw him out.” the Dodgers newcomer replied.
“We don’t play that way,” Lopes emphasized.
"I’d never had a player get in my face like that, and I didn’t like it too much,” Baker recalled of the incident. “I looked up and the whole team was coming over to back up Davey.”
Lopes was popular with fans as well. In 1980, he received 3,862,403 votes to lead all MLB players and start at second base in the All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium. That was his third of four consecutive All-Star appearances.
The Dodgers were consistent winners with Lopes, Garvey, Russell and Cey anchoring the infield, but lost the World Series in 1974 to the Athletics and in 1977 and '78 to the Yankees. In 1981, however, they broke through, winning the Fall Classic for the first time since 1966 by defeating the Yankees in six games.
“They can do anything they want with us now," said Lopes, who set a record by stealing 10 bases in 10 attempts that postseason. "I've got the ring. They can't take that away from me."
Youngster Steve Sax, however, did take his job. Lopes, 36, was traded to the A's during the offseason. He was hardly through, playing another six seasons and even stealing 47 bases in 99 games in 1985 for the Chicago Cubs to become the first 40-year-old player to steal more bases than his age.
Lopes retired after the 1987 season and spent the next four years as a coach under Valentine with the Texas Rangers. Next he coached for three years under another former teammate, Baltimore Orioles manager Johnny Oates, and for four years with the San Diego Padres under Bruce Bochy.
In 2000, Lopes got his shot at managing, signing a three-year deal with the Milwaukee Brewers, who posted losing records in his first two seasons. When the Brewers won only three of their first 15 games in 2002, Lopes was fired.
“A lot of people discouraged me from taking [the Brewers job] because they thought I was just setting myself up for failure,” Lopes told The Times' Ross Newhan, sensing the odds were catching up to him, “but I was determined to show them I could do it.”
Lopes returned to the Padres as a first-base coach from 2003-2005. He spent one season as the Washington Nationals’ first-base coach and baserunning adviser, and he served in the same capacity for the Phillies from 2007 to 2010.
The Phillies led the major leagues in stolen base percentage three times during his tenure and won the 2008 World Series championship, but that season began with a serious health issue for Lopes. Days before spring training, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. It was in remission by opening day.
In 2011, Times columnist Bill Plaschke lobbied for the Dodgers to add Lopes to the coaching staff. General manager Ned Colletti did just that. Lopes displayed an empathy for young players, saying, "I’ve been there, I know what it’s like when you’re young and you need to know somebody is covering your back. Sometimes you feel lost, and you need a coach or manager to alleviate that.”
Lopes served as Dodgers first-base coach for five years — immediately improving the team's base-stealing prowess — before closing out his five-decade baseball career in 2017 as a coach for the Nationals under his old teammate Baker.
“I’m not doing much. I’m retired, taking it easy,” Lopes said about retirement on a podcast. “It was not a difficult decision to make, but one I was kind of hesitant to make. But it all works out.
"I got the opportunity to play, manage or coach for a long, long time. I’m extremely thankful. I was one of the lucky ones in the big leagues for 45 straight years. That’s a long time. I have no complaints.”
Lopes is survived by two brothers, Patrick and John, and four sisters, Jean, Judith, Mary and Nina.
OXFORD – Former Tennessee guard Talaysia Cooper – the Lady Volunteers’ leading scorer each of the last two seasons – has committed to Ole Miss, she announced on social media Wednesday.
Cooper averaged 16.3 points per game in her two seasons at Tennessee and was a second-team All-SEC pick in 2025-26. She began her career at South Carolina and was a five-star recruit in the 2022 class. Cooper is rated as the third-best player in the transfer portal by CBS Sports. She will be a redshirt senior.
Cooper scored 20 or more points in seven games last season, including a season-high 30 in a loss at Ole Miss. She scored 10 points or more in all but four games last season.
The Rebels are coming off their fifth straight NCAA Tournament appearance under head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin but will lose several key pieces in the offseason, including first-team All-SEC forward Cotie McMahon, forward Christeen Iwuala, forward Latasha Lattimore and guard/forward Debreasha Powe. Ole Miss defeated Gonzaga in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament before falling to Minnesota in the Round of 32.
WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 07: Bryce Harper #34 of the Washington Nationals and Davey Lopes #15 of the Washington Nationals stand in the dugout prior to game two of the National League Division Series against the Chicago Cubs at Nationals Park on October 7, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Win McNamee via Getty Images
The Los Angeles Dodgers announced that franchise icon and longtime MLB coach Davey Lopes died on Wednesday. He was 80 years old.
Lopes is one of the greatest second basemen in Dodgers history. He was a four-time All-Star from 1978-81, an impressive run that started with a Gold Glove Award and culminated in a World Series ring.
He won another World Series as a coach for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2008. Altogether, between playing and then coaching, Lopes spent 45 years in the majors.
The Dodgers mourn the loss of Davey Lopes, who passed away today at age 80. Lopes was a member of the team’s record-setting infield of the 1970s and 1980s and one of the finest basestealers in MLB history. Our condolences go out to his family and friends. pic.twitter.com/dJkOk0CWbP
Despite standing only 5-foot-9, 170 pounds, Lopes brought oomph to the plate, where he set a Dodgers record for homers by a second baseman. He was also swift on the base path, twice finishing as the NL's stolen base leader in the '70s.
After helping the Dodgers come back from a 0-2 deficit and beat the New York Yankees in six games during the 1981 World Series, Lopes was traded to the Athletics. He spent 1982-84 with the A's, 1984-86 with the Chicago Cubs and 1986-87 with the Houston Astros to round out his playing career.
The East Providence, Rhode Island, native was hired by the Texas Rangers to join manager Bobby Valentine's staff the next year. That jumpstarted Lopes' coaching career, which touched four different decades.
He got his shot as a manager with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2000. The Brewers didn't record better than a third-place NL Central finish during his two-plus seasons running the clubhouse. But it wasn't long before Lopes was back coaching, returning to the show as the San Diego Padres' first-base coach in 2003.
Lopes' stay with the Phillies, spanning 2007-10, saw him give the club a boost on the base path as a baserunning advisor. Philadelphia claimed the NL East crown all four years, including in 2008 when it won the World Series.
He wrapped up his coaching career with the Dodgers (2011-15) and Washington Nationals (2016-17).
HOUSTON, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 20: C.J. Stroud #7 of the Houston Texans celebrates with his teammate Will Anderson Jr. #51 of the Houston Texans following an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills at NRG Stadium on November 20, 2025 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Texans are continuing to have an active offseason: KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson has just reported that Houston is exercising the fifth-year option on QB CJ Stroud and DE Will Anderson:
#Texans are exercising fifth-year club options for All-Pro defensive end Will Anderson Jr. and former NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year quarterback C.J. Stroud, per a league source. They had until May 1 to do so. Anderson is expected to land a blockbuster extension this offseason…
Under these options, CJ Stroud will be due $25.904 million and Will Anderson will be due $21.512 million in 2027. As of the 2026 league year, these contracts would make Stroud the 17th highest-paid QB (right above Malik Willis, right below Baker Mayfield) and Will Anderson the 17th highest-paid edge rusher (right above John Franklin-Myers, right below George Karlaftis).
These come as expected moves since both Stroud and Anderson will demand extremely large, lucrative contracts that will require plenty of time to successfully negotiate between parties. Both players won offensive rookie and defensive rookie-of-the-year honors, respectively, in 2023, and Will Anderson just nabbed a First Team All-Pro selection in 2025. This fifth-year option, only offered to first-round selections, gives the Texans front office and the players time to work out a second contract while also guaranteeing both players a solid salary in the event a contract is not finalized by the 2027 league year.
PHOENIX — #Texans Cal McNair and Hannah McNair on potential long-term deals for Will Anderson Jr., C.J. Stroud: 'Exciting, really good players, we'll hope to have them around a long, long time. .. It's a good problem to have when you have so many guys you want to keep under… pic.twitter.com/WunQinzX0g
While this provides some needed security to all parties involved, it certainly doesn’t pour cold water on the prospect of either player receiving a record-breaking contract soon. Aaron Wilson seems to expect an extension for Anderson in the coming months, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he becomes the NFL highest-paid edge rusher after it’s all said and done. CJ Stroud, on the other hand, has seen his stock fall as of late and may welcome this fifth-year option as a way of punting on extension details until later on. There’s no doubt that he’ll be betting on himself in 2026, and if he’s able to get back to his rookie form, then he’ll be next in line for a monster extension.
What do you think of these moves, though? Was Houston right to get these options taken care of, or should they have pushed the issue with CJ Stroud or Will Anderson this offseason? Will general manager Nick Caserio end up getting caught between two gigantic contracts in 2026/2027, or will his front office succeed in paying the stars while keeping cap space open in the future? Heck, how big do you think these contracts will be once they’re finalized? Let us know your thoughts down in the comments below!
It doesn't always take perfection to be crowned a national champion.
Sometimes, "merely" a season for the ages will do it.
Led by Kaleena Smith, the nation's top junior, Ontario Christian finished what it started in previous seasons, following up the first CIF-Southern Section Open Division title in program history a year ago with its first Open Division state championship and national title in 2025-26. All in Aundre Cummings' first two seasons at the helm.
The Knights went 34-2 against arguably the nation's toughest schedule and finished in style with a nail-biting 56-49 victory over No. 3 Archbishop Mitty in California's state finals. Cementing their historic season with a state championship proved to be the sole determining factor for Ontario Christian, which eliminated Mitty itself and benefitted from No. 11 Bullis' 62-50 upset over No. 2 Bishop McNamara in Maryland's private school championship game.
Throughout the course of the regular season, Ontario Christian was never ranked lower than second and took down eight teams that finished ranked in either SN's or MaxPreps' season-end top 50. They were No. 3 Archbishop Mitty (2OT), No. 5 St. John Vianney, No. 6 Incarnate Word Academy, No. 9 Long Island Lutheran, No. 29 Lancaster, No. 42 Ryan, Summer Creek, and O'Connor. Five of those games were blowouts.
However, it appeared for nearly two months that Ontario Christian was going to have to wait another season or more for its first national title. The Knights led for most of their Jan. 16 matchup with Bishop McNamara, which was fresh off a Nike TOC championship, but the Mustangs rallied late for a 57-55 that ejected California's top contenders from the driver's seat of the national title race for the first time since the 2021-22 season.
Suddenly deflated, Ontario Christian had no time to worry about the ramifications. Its next two games were against another two of the premier programs on the East Coast, St. John Vianney and Long Island Lutheran. And Ontario Christian pulled out single-digit wins over both to stay in the national title hunt.
Bishop McNamara continued its tour de force, winning 28 straight after a 1-2 start and going undefeated in Washington Catholic play for the second year in a row. And time almost ran out on the Knights, despite their renewed dominance after returning from their cross-country trip.
The situation got even more tenuous for Ontario Christian as its only other loss of the season came at an inopportune time – the CIF-SS Open Division championship.
Nancy Ziebell/Ontario Christian
They opened the playoffs by demolishing some highly-ranked Southern California competition – Rancho Christian, JSerra, Fairmont Prep, and No. 15 Sage Hill – to enter the title game against No. 7 Sierra Canyon with a full head of steam. Like in the Bishop McNamara loss, the Knights maintained a small lead all game but went cold on offense in the final moments. Sierra Canyon stormed ahead in the middle of the fourth quarter and didn't look back, denying the Knights' repeat bid as Southern Section champion with a 69-62 upset. All while Bishop McNamara was three more wins away from running away with what would've most likely been a unanimous national title.
When Bishop McNamara fell to Bullis in the state championship, Ontario Christian's national championship pursuit still had a long way to go. The Knights were once again tasked with immediately bouncing back a pair of top-15 opponents, No. 13 Etiwanda and, for the second time in two weeks, a Sage Hill foe that had just pulled off a shocker itself by stunning Sierra Canyon in the teams' state playoff openers. Ontario Christian seized the moment with wins of 80-66 and 73-51 to punch its ticket to Sacramento for a date with five-time reigning NorCal champion Mitty. California's Open Division state championship was once again a true national title bout.
The Knights found themselves with their backs against the wall as Archbishop Mitty took a 23-15 lead in the second quarter while Ontario Christian – a team that lacks only for depth – grappled with the absence of star freshman Chloe Jenkins. She was in the concussion protocol and the Knights were down about 15 points, 11 rebounds, and three assists per game plus a formidable and versatile defensive presence.
For all of Ontario Christian's otherworldly offensive firepower – Smith (31.5 points, 6.9 assists per game), top-ranked sophomore Tati Griffin (21.3 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists), and 4-star junior Dani Robinson (15.9 points, 3.9 assists per game) – the Knights also managed to have one of the nation's premier defenses with a rotation that went between five and seven players deep. Even missing a crucial personnel, that defense held up against a dynamic and remarkably efficient Mitty offense, holding the Monarchs to a season-low 49 points. And the Knights clinched a state and national title even while scoring a season-low in points themselves with 56 of them.
While the stat line in fact lowered her gaudy season averages, Smith delivered a state finals performance that holds up against the best in recent memory with 24 points and five assists on 8-17 shooting. And junior forward Skylah Archer, usually the team's sixth man, stepped up when the lights were at their brightest with season-highs of 14 points and eight rebounds shooting 5-7 from the field.
Despite playing a national schedule, Ontario Christian finished with lofty team averages that blow almost all college teams out of the water. The Knights scored an average of 89.6 points per game and shot 49.3% from the field, 56.5% from inside the arc, 37% from three on 916 attempts (339 makes), and 79.9% from the charity stripe.
Before factoring in transfers and injuries, Ontario Christian will be a heavy favorite in 2026-27 to repeat as national champion. The Knights would also be the second Inland Empire team in a row to win back-to-back national titles after Etiwanda was named a national champion in 2023-24 and 2024-25. Despite graduating multiple rotation members, Ontario Christian projects to return the nation's top nucleus if Smith, Griffin, Robinson, Jenkins, and Archer stay together.
Ontario Christian's schedule and path to SN's 2026 national title
Here's a full look at Ontario Christian's run to SN's national title along with how the Knights progressed week by week in our national rankings.
NEW YORK (AP) — Hall of Famer Sue Bird watched the W NBA on NBC growing up and now she'll be part of the network's broadcasts of the league.
The four-time WNBA champion will be a studio analyst and also host a series of feature stories on NBC and Peacock throughout the league's 30th season which begins on May 8.
“I’ve been circling broadcasting for a long time now,” Bird told The Associated Press in a phone interview Wednesday. “Given NBC’s history and legacy and where the WNBA is now, I am excited to be part of it.
"It needed to be the right fit, the right people, the right network."
The NBC broadcasts will also feature a version of “Roundball Rock” — John Tesh’s iconic theme song that was the soundtrack of the network’s coverage of the WNBA from 1997 until 2002. It had been used on NBA broadcasts on the network from 1990-2002 before being brought back this year when NBC took over broadcasting games again.
NBC Sports has more than 20 games across the regular season, playoffs and WNBA Finals this year.
“Anytime anyone hears it, whether you're a basketball fan or not, it's really recognizable,” Bird said. “Turn the TV on as a spectator or fan on the couch, if that’s the first thing you hear there’s an excitement that comes with it.”
Bird’s rookie season in Seattle in 2002 was NBC’s last with the WNBA until now.
“There is no more accomplished player in the history of the WNBA and arguably in all of women’s sports than Sue Bird,” said Betsy Riley, Senior Vice President and WNBA Coordinating Producer of NBC Sports. “Sue’s knowledge of the game is unmatched and will bring fans closer to the sport they love, both through analysis and storytelling.”
Portions of Bird's features, which will be a behind-the-scenes- look at the league that is celebrating its 30th anniversary this season, will air on TV with the extended versions available digitally.
Bird has hosted podcasts for the past few years and also was on ESPN for six years providing an alt-cast with Diana Taurasi for the women's Final Four and championship games.
“I really enjoy telling stories as it’s something that comes naturally to me,” Bird said. “I cut my teeth on the podcasts I’m involved in — ‘Bird’s Eye View.’ My goal was to tell the stories of these players. Those are the features I’m doing with NBC as well.”
Bird won four WNBA championships in Seattle, where she played her entire 19-year career. She earned 13 All-Star selections and was the league's all-time leader in assists (3,234), starts (580) and minutes played (18,080). Bird was the No. 1 pick by Seattle in 2002 after leading UConn to two national championships in her time at the school.
She was enshrined in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2025. Bird also had a decorated international career, winning five Olympic gold medals.
Bruno Fernandes: Man United talisman is the Premier League’s best player
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes is a frontrunner to be crowned the Premier League’s Player of the Year – and this incredible statistic proves exactly why he deserves the award.
The Heartbeat of the Team
The Red Devils look set to emerge from a chaotic season with a pivotal return to Europe’s elite competition next year, despite that prospect having seemed remote over a brutal winter period at Old Trafford.
Ruben Amorim‘s tumultuous tenure came to an abrupt end at the start of January after a complete breakdown in his relationship with the INEOS executive structure, though murmurings of discontent had been bubbling beneath the surface for weeks before.
A explosive meeting with sporting director Jason Wilcox after being held to a draw by an abject Wolverhampton Wanderers side on 30 December signalled the beginning of the end for the Portuguese tactician’s time in England.
Less than a week later, Amorim took aim at the club’s hierarchy in a bombastic interview at Elland Road, levelling veiled accusations at Wilcox and recruitment director Christopher Vivell after another disappointing stalemate with Leeds United. It proved his death knell.
Within 24 hours, the former Sporting manager had been sacked, replaced by under-18s coach Darren Fletcher on a temporary basis before Michael Carrick was handed the reins as caretaker until the end of the season. The transformation Carrick has overseen over the last three months has exposed Amorim, however, with United having climbed to third in the table, picking up seven wins, two draws and just one loss in 10 games – the best form amongst any side in the league.
At the heart of this remarkable upturn has been Fernandes, restored to his rightful throne as the team’s No.10. The Portugal international has returned three goals and eight assists in this more familiar role. There is a strong chance of breaking the Premier League’s record for the latter, which stands at 20 – he is currently on 16 with seven games to go.
Bruno Fernandes Stats: 2025/26 Season
However, truth be told, Fernandes’ form across the entire turbulent campaign has been imperious, ranking highly across both offensive and defensive metrics, given Amorim’s baffling decision to permanently redeploy him as a box-to-box midfielder, playing as close to his own box as the opposition’s.
In an interview last summer, Casemiro – another player to be reborn under Carrick’s tutelage, alongside his partner in crime, Kobbie Mainoo – described Fernandes as the “heartbeat” of the team. It’s little exaggeration to say United would have flatlined without their talismanic leader this season.
A League of His Own
While it’s unusual for a footballer to be awarded Player of the Season when their team fails to win, or at least meaningfully compete, for major honours, Fernandes has made as convincing an argument as possible to be the exception which proves the rule.
The 31-year-old’s stellar leadership and unrelenting work-rate off the ball are as good as anyone else in the Premier League. But his creativity in possession puts him in a world of his own – as a statistic by Statman Dave proves.
Tweet: “If you exclude set-pieces for Bruno Fernandes but include them for everybody else, he still has the most chances created in the Premier League this season (66).”
Set-pieces have dominated England’s top division this season, with Arsenal on course to win their first title in 23 years largely down to their prowess from corners and free-kicks. The fact that Fernandes is still the most productive creator in the country while ignoring his contributions from dead ball situations almost beggars belief – and is the best piece of evidence available to confirm he is the Premier League’s best player.
When the other contenders for the award are considered, such as Arsenal’s defensive lynchpins Gabriel Magalhães or Declan Rice, there can be only be one winner.
Final Thoughts
United are blessed to have a prodigious talent like Fernandes as their leader, with every member of the Old Trafford faithful praying he remains in Manchester past the summer as rumours swirl over a bombshell exit.
And while success for the Red Devils this season will simply constitute securing Champions League football, the Portuguese deserves more. He must be recognised as England’s finest footballer, with the cherry on top of that well-deserved cake being to break the Premier League’s assist record. He just needs his teammates to assist him over the line for the latter, while his peers elsewhere in the country vote en masse for the former.
Given the ongoing assault against the NFL's broadcast antitrust exemption, the league may want to ask Amazon to stop talking about streaming a Super Bowl.
In comments to Andrew Marchand of The Athletic, Prime Video executive Jay Marine reiterated the company’s interest in televising the biggest game of the year.
“For us, our ambition has always been to broadcast the absolute best, the pinnacle of live sports,” Marine told Marchand. “We never thought we wouldn’t do that in the fullness of time."
What about a Super Bowl on Prime Video?
“In the fullness of time, I absolutely expect that will happen,” Marine told Marchand. “Our desire is for that to happen in the fullness of time.”
It's not the first time Marine has used the phrase "in the fullness of time." In September, Marine said Amazon would like to stream a Super Bowl "in the fullness of time." So what does that term mean?
“I think it’s pretty self-explanatory,” Marine told Marchand. “How about: I’m still walking on this earth. How about that?"
It's clearly not the best time for Amazon to be talking about taking a Super Bowl away from free TV. Even if it's years away from happening, putting it on the table at a time when the NFL's antitrust exemption is on the federal government's radar screen won't do anything to turn down the temperature of the current antitrust talk.
College basketball hasn't been the same without Dick Vitale regularly working games on TV. But after being declared cancer free last year, the 86-year-old legendary announcer made his return to broadcasting last season — and even worked the First Four with Charles Barkley.
His latest health update, though, might put his broadcasting return on pause once again.
In a statement through ESPN PR exec Josh Krulewitz, Vitale revealed that doctors identified areas of concern in his latest scans and ordered a biopsy for additional testing. Vitale had battled multiple cancer diagnoses over the past few years and was declared cancer free in 2025.
You've been through it all @DickieV and you've always come out a winner. I know you'll get through this and host your Gala on May 1. You got this! 🙏 https://t.co/OXUv88n0r6
The Philadelphia Eagles have never shied away from investing in the secondary. If recent draft evaluations are any indication, they may have another intriguing option on their radar. Chris Johnson, the 2025 Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year and a First-Team All-Mountain West selection, is quickly gaining traction as one of the more versatile cornerback prospects in this year's class. His rise has been fueled not just by production but also by the kind of evaluation that tends to turn heads in NFL front offices.
Per the report, Philadelphia hosted Johnson for a virtual meeting ahead of the NFL Draft.
The #Eagles had a virtual meeting with San Diego State CB Chris Johnson, per @JustinM_NFL.
The projected 2nd round pick would be an elite option as an outside corner for Philly. pic.twitter.com/c4FeUw6htv
“Scheme-versatile cornerback prospect with average size and the ability to play inside or outside.. Johnson is consistent in mirroring the release from his pedal and rarely labors when transitioning with route breaks… He attacks the catch point with run-through force and is a tenacious wrap-up tackler who can quickly end plays.”
That type of versatility is exactly what Philadelphia has prioritized in recent years. Defensive schemes continue to evolve, and corners who can move between boundary and slot responsibilities without sacrificing effectiveness carry added value. Johnson checks those boxes. While he may not possess elite size, his discipline, technique, and willingness to play physically give him a strong foundation to contribute early at the next level.
For a team like the Eagles, which has shown a willingness to develop young defensive backs while competing, that profile fits. The comparison to Murphy doesn't guarantee anything, but it does set a tone, and if Johnson's trajectory continues upward, he could find himself firmly in the Eagles' conversation when draft weekend arrives.
Between the excitement of the 2026 Winter Olympics, a thrilling NHL wild-card race, and the meteoric rise of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), the sport of hockey is experiencing an undeniable cultural surge.
As interest in the sport peaks, Upper Deck is looking to welcome a new generation of fans into the sports card hobby. On Saturday, April 11, the manufacturer will host its 17th annual National Hockey Card Day. The premise is simple: visit a participating local hobby shop, and you will receive a free pack of Upper Deck hockey trading cards, while supplies last.
It’s an initiative designed to lower the barrier of entry for beginners and return collecting to its grassroots origins.
“We’re committed to the hobby channel, we’re committed to making our products accessible to them,” Paul Zickler, Director of Sports Brands at The Upper Deck Company, noted during a recent interview. “And I think that that’s another avenue that we’re starting to see some interest now from collectors typically collecting other sports.”
The PWHL Effect
One of the most significant evolutions in this year’s National Hockey Card Day is the official debut of the PWHL.
Following an incredibly entertaining Olympic tournament that featured physical play, overtime thrillers, and massive impacts from college-aged rookies, the women’s game is capturing a brand new demographic of fans. To honor this, Upper Deck has included the “PWHL Powerhouses” insert in this year’s free packs, marking the league’s debut in the NHCD set.
For shop owners like Ryan Holland, who operates three Real Sports Cards locations across Minnesota and Wisconsin, the impact of the PWHL on the local community is highly visible.
“PWHL is another one that is absolutely on fire,” Ryan said. “Anecdotally we had in our suburb, 64 eight-and-under girls come out for hockey… that just tells you how much excitement there is to get out there and play hockey.” Ryan also pointed out that the accessibility of PWHL athletes, such as Minnesota Frost players who graduated from high schools in the area and remain active in the local community, is driving unique excitement.
The Chase: What’s in the Packs?
While the core goal of National Hockey Card Day is accessibility, Upper Deck hasn’t skimped on the chase elements that veteran collectors love. The 2026 base set spans the entire history of the game, featuring prominent rookies, current superstars like Connor McDavid, and historic legends like Wayne Gretzky.
Upper Deck is keeping the product fresh by introducing a “Mascot Mannerisms” insert set, which includes the debut card of Tusky.
For collectors looking for premium hits, there are also unannounced autographs hidden inside the free packs. Upper Deck confirmed that Trevor Zegras and Jack Hughes are on the autograph checklist, alongside a teased Montreal Canadiens player.
Furthermore, collectors who spend $10 on Upper Deck products at participating shops will receive a special Ivan Demidov “Rookie Moments” card (#31), which highlights his first NHL goal from the end of last season.
Championing the Brick-and-Mortar Community
In an era where sports cards are largely consumed via online live-streaming, Upper Deck is using National Hockey Card Day to intentionally push fans back into physical stores.
“The growth and where the hobby all started was connecting like-minded sports fans and collectors in the community to share in the hobby,” Paul stated. “Whether you’re just wanting to buy your first hockey pack and get into collecting, or whether you’re a seasoned collector that wants to connect and have a fun day… that’s really what it’s at.”
Local shops serve as an educational hub for new fans trying to navigate the complex world of modern trading cards. “There’s a lot to learn in this industry,” Ryan explained. “Sometimes being able to go into a card shop that knows what they’re talking about that can help you navigate the many choices that there are… is really important.”
Beyond hobby shops, Canadian fans can pick up commemorative 9-card sheets at retailers like the Hockey Hall of Fame, London Drugs, and EB Games, while U.S. fans can find them at Pure Hockey locations. Several NHL teams are also joining the fun, with the Islanders handing out promo packs to the first 10,000 fans on April 11, and the Senators and Sharks offering sheets at their pop-up shops.
To cap it all off, Upper Deck is encouraging collectors to post their pack pulls on social media on April 11, using the #NHCD hashtag, tagging the brand and their local shop to win unique prizes —including a hand-drawn card of Mark Comb, sketched by top prospect Matthew Schaefer, and signed by Comb himself.
“The one testament that never grows old is opening up a pack of physical cards and finding your favorite player or your favorite team,” Paul concluded. “When you’re able to do that with other people in your local community… it just makes the experience that much more special.”
Texas women's basketball coach Vic Schaefer is going to have to reload his roster.
After making their second consecutive run to the Final Four, Texas is losing a handful of key players to the transfer portal. Three people with direct access to the transfer portal confirmed to USA TODAY Sports on Wednesday that Jordan Lee, Aaliyah Crump, Justice Carlton and Aaliyah Moore are in the transfer portal.
Lee and Carlton were regular starters for the Longhorns, which won the SEC Tournament title this season for the first time in program history. Crump was sixth on the team in minutes played this season, while Moore — who missed this season with a knee injury — is a former All-Big 12 selection who averaged 8.9 points and 4.7 rebounds per game in 90 games for the Longhorns.
Coupled with the fact that Rori Harmon, Kyla Oldacre and Teya Sidberry have exhausted their eligibility and are set to graduate, Texas is losing six of its top eight players from its Final Four squad.
Three-time All-American Madison Booker and junior starting forward Breya Cunningham are still expected to return, but Schaefer has holes to fill around them.
Lee is perhaps the loss that stings the most for the Longhorns. Widely viewed as the glue of the team, she was named to the All-Region team in Fort Worth 3 in this year’s NCAA Tournament for her performances in the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight, where she piled up 22 points, six assists, three rebounds and four steals while also providing strong defense. A sophomore, Lee averaged 13.2 points, 2.5 assists and 2.5 rebounds per game while shooting 42% from the floor, 34% from 3-point land and 75% from the free throw line.
Carlton — a sophomore who was selected to the All-SEC Tournament Team — averaged 8.5 points and 4.1 rebounds per game while shooting 47.4% from 3-point range. A freshman, Crump averaged 7.9 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game.
Texas is bringing a strong recruiting class, headlined by Addison Bjorn and Brihanna Crittendon, who are both ranked inside ESPN’s top 10 for the 2026 class. Bjorn was the Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year and helped Team USA win the U19 World Cup last summer.
NEW DELHI: Former Australia cricketer David Warner has landed in trouble after being charged with drink driving in Sydney. The 39-year-old, who now captains Sydney Thunder and Karachi Kings, was allegedly caught during a routine breath test with a blood alcohol level of 0.104, more than double the legal limit.
He is due to appear in court on May 7, though reports say the case will not affect his participation in the Pakistan Super League.
Cricket NSW responds, future impact
Cricket New South Wales (NSW) has acknowledged the seriousness of the situation and said it will support Warner while the legal process unfolds.
"Cricket NSW is a strong advocate of safe driving, including avoiding drink-driving, and takes incidents of this nature very seriously," chief executive Lee Germon said, as quoted by AFP.
"David is aware of the seriousness of these allegations. We will support him through the upcoming process."
What happened and what Warner said
According to police, the incident took place during a random check in Maroubra. Officers noticed a vehicle stopping short of the testing site before approaching the driver.
A roadside test returned a positive result, and Warner was taken to the police station where a second test confirmed the reading.
“About 5:30pm today (Sunday 5 April 2026), police were conducting stationary random breath testing on Malabar Road, Maroubra,” the police statement read.
“A van was seen to allegedly stop short of the testing site and park. Officers attached to Traffic and Highway Patrol Command approached the vehicle and subjected the driver – a 39-year-old man – to roadside testing which returned a positive result.
"He was arrested and taken to Maroubra Police Station where a second test allegedly returned a reading of 0.104.
“The man was issued with a Field Court Attendance Notice for drive with middle-range PCA to appear before the Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday 7 May 2026.”
Reports claim Warner told police he had consumed three glasses of wine before driving home. While Warner continues to play in the PSL, the case could affect his reputation and commercial ties if he is found guilty.
On Tuesday, tight end and defensive lineman Troy Walson announced on X that he will continue his football career at UConn this fall. Alongside Connecticut, the Fordham Rams and Virginia Military Institute scouted the versatile player.
In Walson’s final year with Bruton High School in Williamsburg, Virginia, he participated in 10 games, hauling in seven receptions for 121 yards, just over 17 yards per catch. As a junior, he registered 13 catches for 200 receiving yards in 12 games and notched an 18-yard touchdown. As of now, Walson’s primary position is at tight end, but he is not new to taking snaps defensively.
In 10 appearances, Walson racked up 23 total tackles (9 solo, 12 assisted) and recovered a fumble as a defensive lineman. Heading into this fall, he’ll be focused on developing with the Huskies.
Watson also played basketball for the Panthers. In 19 games his senior year, the future Husky contributed 4.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 0.3 assists per outing.
The Georgia Bulldogs basketball team is losing a seventh player to the NCAA transfer portal. Georgia forward Jaden Newell announced his plans to transfer the day the portal opened on Tuesday, April 7.
Newell is a former walk-on and is the older brother of former Georgia star Asa Newell, who was a first-round pick in the 2025 NBA draft and helped Georgia make the 2025 NCAA Tournament. Asa Newell was an elite recruit and having his brother on Georgia's team helped the Bulldogs land him. The older Newell will graduate from Georgia with a degree in biology.
Jaden Newell's decision to enter the transfer portal makes sense. He is getting his degree from Georgia, but has not earned much playing time. He likely wants a larger role at his transfer destination.
Newell played just 12 minutes across nine games during the 2025-2026 college basketball season. He scored two points in his limited time on the floor, but was a glue-guy for the Georgia team. Newell helped Georgia make back-to-back NCAA Tournaments during his final two seasons at Georgia. He grew from a walk-on player to a scholarship player.
During the 2025-2026 season, Georgia had 14 players played at least one minute. Half of those players now are expected to leave via the transfer portal. Two of the 14 players are out of eligibility (Justin Bailey and Justin Abson). Three players have announced their returns for next season while two players have not announced their plans.
"After much prayer and careful consideration, I have made the decision to continue that growth by entering the transfer portal," Newell said in a thoughtful message via social media. "Thank you, Georgia. I will always bleed red and black. Go Dawgs!"
The Atlanta Falcons are still dealing with the aftermath of James Pearce Jr.'s offseason arrest. The former first-round pick is facing three felony charges due to a stalking incident involving his ex-girlfriend. As expected, Pearce did not appear at the team's voluntary workouts.
"I will tell you guys that James Pearce is not here," said Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski. "We've been in constant communication with his representation."
Stefanski failed to provide much context and the team has said very little regarding Pearce's arrest and potential future in Atlanta. The expectation is that the NFL will suspend Pearce once his legal troubles are sorted out.
Falcons running back Bijan Robinson was asked about Pearce during his Wednesday press conference. Robinson said he hasn't spoken to Pearce since the incident, but that he's praying for his teammate.
"I'm praying for my brother," Robinson said of Pearce. "He's my teammate, I know the coaches have a plan and everything. If he's here in the building, I'm gonna make sure he's all the way focused, all the way ready to go."
Robinson was practically oozing excitement for the upcoming season and sounds like he's itching to get to work.
"I really feel like this is the best I've felt in my whole time being here," said Robinson. "Last year was a cool year, but this year I want to be even better."
The dual-threat back topped 2,000 all-purpose yards in 2025, and he's only just getting started. Over his first three NFL seasons, Robinson has rushed for 3,910 yards and 25 touchdowns, while adding 198 receptions for 1,738 receiving yards.
The Falcons let Robinson's backup, Tyler Allgeier, walk in free agency, but they signed veteran Brian Robinson Jr. as a replacement. Bijan praised both his former and current backfield mates.
"I'm very happy for him and what he's about to do in Arizona," Robinson said of Allgeier's new contact with the Cardinals.
The Philadelphia Eagles are showing interest in one of the most versatile defensive backs in the 2026 NFL draft.
The Eagles hosted Arizona defensive back Treydan Stukes on a top-30 visit on Tuesday, according to a report from The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane.
Teams can bring up to 30 players in for a formal visit as a way to get to know the player better. Local prospects do not count toward that top-30 total.
Stukes is listed as both a cornerback and a safety by NFL draft evaluators and has been described as a chess piece in the secondary.
Stukes is the No. 6 safety and the No. 70 overall prospect in the draft, per ESPN. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler ranked Stukes as the No. 11 corner and No. 77 overall prospect.
“A former walk-on and late bloomer, Stukes got better each season in college, while playing mostly in a nickel role,” Brugler wrote. “He has outstanding instincts and toughness — and put some ‘wow’ interceptions on film.”
“Stukes is an older prospect and has an ACL tear in his background (2024), but the football has a magnetic pull for him,” NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein wrote. “Coaches will love his football character and versatility as a big nickelback or split safety.”
Stukes was a third-team All-American and first-team All-Big 12 honoree at Arizona in 2025. The 6-foot-1, 190-pounder recorded 52 tackles and four interceptions in 10 games.
The Eagles have a need at safety after Reed Blankenship left in free agency. Stukes could link up with Andrew Mukuba and Marcus Epps at safety and fill out a secondary that features star cornerbacks Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell.
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If the Eagles drafted Stukes and used him as a slot corner, that could free up DeJean to play elsewhere on Vic Fangio’s unit, too.
Stukes projects as a likely third-round pick. The Eagles own two third-rounders at Nos. 68 and 98 overall.
AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Part of the beauty of Augusta National is how a familiar course can play slightly different year to year. Greens will be reworked, tee boxes moved slightly, trees added or removed—to present a new challenge.
The 90th edition of the Masters will offer a dynamic we rarely see to this degree: A completely firm-and-fast test without any rain in the forecast.
One of the biggest storylines of the week is the weather, but for good reason. Patrons, volunteers, players … everybody’s excited to see Augusta National in those conditions. Two-time Masters champion Scottie Scheffler said it’s the best weather conditions he’s seen for a Masters Tournament in his career.
Jordan Spieth, the 2015 Masters champion, talked about the difference in how a firm-and-fast Augusta will challenge players.
“It's going to be probably a more challenging green-in-regulation year,” Spieth said. “So it's going to be important to be coming out of the fairway just because it's going to be hard to get it to stay on some of the greens if you're not. And then it's going to probably get brown and crusty. Just with the weather coming, it's going to be so nice that I think they're going to let it go a little bit.”
Of course, most golf fans are probably aware of Augusta National’s Sub-Air system and how it can control its turf. Most of the time, the club will use its control mechanisms to reduce the moisture after rainfall to reduce how soft the course will play. This year, the club might deploy it to add some moisture if the putting surfaces are too firm. That’d be the best situation to have.
Sure, firmness in the fairways means more distance on tee shots, potentially benefitting shorter hitters. But most important is the premium it will put on controlling your ball—particularly into and around the greens when they’re so bouncy.
“The chipping is going to be really tough,” said Akshay Bhatia. “You’ll just have to have some more creativity … It just makes your landing zones a lot smaller. You have to be very precise and miss in the right spot. Definitely makes it trickier.”
The most recent best parallel to this year’s expected conditions would be the 2021 Masters, when the course dried out and got crispy even early in the week. Walking around on Wednesday, it was quite windy and crisp—adding to how dried out the turf should be, making it an ideal challenge.
Adding the need to be more precise around these greens will likely make this year’s Masters even more of a complete examination than it normally is. That’s what has people so excited. The best player will be identified by the extra challenge Augusta National presents.
“I'm excited to see how it plays this week,” Scheffler said. “We might get a little bit of wind and that increases the challenge. When it gets firm and fast, you're going to have some shorter clubs in, but it's going to be firmer, so you've got to kind of manage your way around.”
The two-time Masters champ has done a pretty good job of that.
Despite flashes of electric stuff, Shane Smith struggled with command in Wednesday’s start, prompting a move to Triple-A. | (Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images)
Shane Smith, the South Siders’ 2026 Opening Day starter, was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte on Wednesday. Smith’s demotion comes after his start on Wednesday, where he flashed some of that nasty swing-and-miss stuff we saw for stretches last season.
Smith was still erratic, however. He walked five Orioles, plunked a sixth, and burned through 99 pitches in 3 2/3 innings. Despite failing to end the fourth inning, Wednesday was still Smith’s longest outing of the year. That kinda says everything you need to know right there.
The issues are easy to diagnose. Smith has completely lost the ability to spot his fastball. Compare his 2025 heat map to 2026:
At his best, Smith features one of the liveliest four-seam fastballs in baseball. The pitch can overpower hitters even when they are sitting on it. Smith also added 1.3 inches of rise to his four-seamer early in 2026, which could help generate more swings and misses in the strike zone. None of this does a pitcher any good, however, when he’s constantly missing wide of the zone.
James Fegan got Smith and some of the White Sox development staff to talk about the fastball issues on Monday, and I was struck by this quote by Brian Bannister:
“He lost some of the qualities that made him unique,” Bannister said. “He had this unique little step forward that threw hitters off on their timing, and then he would speed up right after that to go slow, fast. You get some visual deception in a way that Tarik Skubal does.”
This isn’t the first time Bannister has talked about “visual deception” this season. Bannister is one of those guys who is always looking for the next big thing; in 2024 and 2025, he bet on the kick changeup and was correct. He’s now wagering on “funky,” a concept that has long been a staple of Japanese baseball culture but has grown more en vogue recently in MLB, from the more obvious (Nestor Cortes’s double leg kick) to the more subtle, like Shane Smith’s herky-jerky tempo from last year. The organization even has a term for them: “residuals.”
Smith took it upon himself over the offseason to regulate his windup tempo — we’re left to infer that Bannister hadn’t communicated his philosophy of funk to his pitchers before the offseason — and in doing so, he took away a piece of what made him a budding star last year. It’s like taking the loud parts out of “Smells Like Teen Spirit”—now the song is just some mumbly guy playing two notes over and over.
While an early-season demotion does not seem so bleak after last year’s extended Spring Training, where Colson Montgomery got his groove back, it also doesn’t instill much confidence in a ballclub when the Opening Day starter can’t make it to Tax Day. It’ll be up to the White Sox brain trust to get Smith back to the funk.
Wisconsin's recent NCAA Tournament foe, High Point, is one of the programs interested in former Badger guard Daniel Freitag, according to a report.
Dylan Lutey took to X on Wednesday to share that Freitag, who spent the 2024-25 season at Wisconsin before transferring to Buffalo, has heard from Ole Miss, Creighton, Cal, Grand Canyon, Washington, Penn State, Portland, Oregon State and High Point since entering the portal. Freitag later reposted the news.
The Minneapolis, Minnesota, native appeared in 14 games as a true freshman with the Badgers in 2024-25, totaling 29 minutes, two points, four rebounds and three assists. He later blossomed as a sophomore at Buffalo in 2025-26, averaging 33.2 minutes, 19.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.8 assists in 23 appearances.
247Sports currently ranks Freitag as the No. 123 overall player and No. 26 point guard in the transfer portal.
Buffalo guard Daniel Freitag (@DanielFreitag_) has heard from the following he tells me:
Ole Miss Creighton Cal GCU Washington Penn State High Point Portland Oregon St
After transferring from Wisconsin the 6-2 guard had a monster year averaging 19.8 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 3.8 APG, 1.3… pic.twitter.com/PpazFsAB6k
— Rising Ballers Network (@dylan_lutey) April 8, 2026
Freitag's Big Ten interest is notable, as he may soon be back competing in the Badgers' conference. It's also a minor note that High Point, which recently eliminated the Badgers from the NCAA Tournament, was among the programs listed.
Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
Are the Boston Celtics interested in trading for Milwaukee Bucks star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo? Or is Giannis trying to find his way to a better situation with a dash of what the Athletic's Sam Amick calls "reverse tampering"?
Recently, the Bucks star had high praise for the Celtics and Boston head coach Joe Mazzulla, pointing out how the Celtics made a contender this season despite the loss of several key players from their 2024 title core to injury, free agency, or trades. The subtext, of course, is a shot at the team he's been playing for since he was drafted in 2013 for not doing the same. Now, Amick reports that Boston "who have the ‘Two Jays’ back now and look fully capable of winning it all, are known to be interested and discussed in league circles as potential suitors."
At first, a Celtics fan would have their hackles raised by such a statement, given that any move to bring on Giannis would require shipping out one of Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, or Derrick White and a large chunk of Boston's rotation players. And given the recent health and age (31) of the Greek forward, that does not sound like the boon it might have been as recently as a season or two ago.
Asked about the conversation Antetokounmpo cited regarding Boston's success this season and his role in it, Mazzulla replied (via Boston Dot Com reporter Khari A. Thompson), "He’s a great player, but I think my reaction is that you can’t do anything unless you have the players to be able to do it."
"It’s just that simple. I think the greatest gift you can have as a coach, especially in the NBA, is to have a group of players that have a high competitive character, care about winning and want to get better," noted the Celtics coach, reiterating his position in said conversation that it is less about him and more about the collective of people that have been assembled by the team's front office, and what they each bring to the table.
Dustin Johnson returns to The Masters this year with his stunning 20-under record still intact.
Johnson carded the lowest winning score at The Masters back in 2020, carding a 20-under 268 at Augusta National.
The superb score – 65-70-65-68 – helped secure a five-shot victory over Im Sung-jae and Cameron Smith.
Johnson has now returned to Georgia for his 16th start at The Masters, with his only other major championship win having arrived at the US Open in 2016.
The American, who missed the cut last year, has now predicted whether his record could be broken this time around.
Dustin Johnson thinks his 20-under record at The Masters is safe
Johnson was asked if he thinks his 20-under record at The Masters is safe, to which he replied simply: “I think it is.”
And when questioned why, the two-time major winner responded: “Because the course keeps getting harder every year.”
He was then asked if the time of year played a part, with Johnson saying: “I mean, the year before was what, 19?
“You know, Tiger [Woods], and I think and I finished at 18. So it’s all conditions.
“I mean, both those years it played fairly soft and it’s a completely different course this year. “Starting to bounce a little bit. Makes it a little bit more difficult.”
His 268 is two clear of the previous record, with Woods and Jordan Spieth both finishing on 270 in 1997 and 2015 respectively.
Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
Dustin Johnson highlights ‘fantastic’ Augusta National condition for The Masters
Johnson delved further into the course itself and the conditions in Georgia, where he’s made 11 cuts from 15 starts.
Sharing if his approach to Amen Corner, which comprises holes 11-13, has changed over the years, he said: “It would be the same.
“I mean, obviously 13 is a little bit different. That would be the only hole that’s really… I mean 11 is a little bit longer but it’s always been a tough hole.
“12 is just exact same hole.
“But yeah, 13 is the only one that’s really a big change I would say. Just longer and a little bit tougher tee ball.”
And when asked how they are going to play this week amid the current conditions, he noted: “However they want it.
“I mean, the weather is perfect, so I think whatever they want to do with the golf course they’ll be able to.
“Course is in fantastic condition, and yeah, I think the weather is going to cooperate. However they want it to play that’s how it’ll play.”
It’s an important week for the LIV Golf star, who followed his missed cut at The Masters in 2025 by suffering the same fate at the PGA Championship and the US Open.
The 41-year-old can, however, take some form of confidence from finishing that major season with a T23 at The Open Championship.
It will be intriguing to see how the American deals with the greens this week, having struggled in that area of late, particularly compared to his solid efforts off the tee.
(Video): What Chelsea’s training video tells you about their big plan for Man City
Chelsea have been outrun in every game they’ve played in the league this season, and clearly want to do something about it.
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Chelsea’s last Premier League game was a disaster. The Blues needed a win over Everton, and instead they got beaten handily 3-0.
It put them into the international break on a real negative, and even a big win against Port Vale last weekend hasn’t fully erased that. One of the notable stats from the game was how Chelsea had been outrun in the game – and in fact had been outrun in every game this season. There was a big debate about how bad this actually was, and Liam Rosenior addressed it in his press conference after the game.
Chelsea get stuck into physical preparation for Man City
Cole Palmer runs in Chelsea training.
Maybe it’s no coincidence, then, that the social media accounts at the club are very focused on the physical preparation for Man City this weekend. There’s been a slew of videos and photos on the club’s Twitter page pointing out how much running they’re doing.
Of course, it takes more than hard running to win in the Premier League, especially against a top team like City. But you’re not going to win without it either, so it’s nice to see the criticism has been taken on board.
In other news…
Jacobo Ramon is another player we’ve seen get linked to Chelsea a lot – but it seems like we might have a major rival for his signature.
Enzo Fernandez got in trouble for his comments during the international break, and Ben Jacobs was asked what he thought Chelsea’s position on them was.
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Caleb Williams has opened up about the figures who shaped his business mindset, highlighting a mix of personal influence and some of the biggest names in sports.
The Chicago Bears quarterback has consistently spoken about thinking beyond football, and that approach is rooted in both his upbringing and the examples set by elite athletes who built successful ventures off the field.
That combination of personal and professional influence defines how he sees his future. It also explains why his role models span different areas.
Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Caleb Williams says his father was his first business role model
Williams discussed his influences in a conversation with Front Office Sports News, where he was asked about the people who shaped his business thinking.
He made it clear that his earliest inspiration came from close to home rather than from sport.
Williams said, “Yeah, I think first and he’s not an athlete, is my father. He’s been a businessman my whole life. He showed me hard work and what it takes.
“So, I would definitely say, it started with him at a young age, going to his meetings.”
The answer highlights how his entrepreneurial mindset developed long before his rise in football.
Caleb Williams names Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and more as business role models from the sports world
Williams then pointed to several iconic athletes who have successfully transitioned into business.
He said, “I mean, MJ [Michael Jordan] has been the model. Magic Johnson has been the model. Kobe [Bryant], has been a model for all their foundation and all their businesses.
“How’s that been, for them and then, Steph Curry, the new age. I know, he’s on the latter part of his career.”
The list reflects a clear pattern: players who built lasting impact beyond their playing days.
For Williams, those examples serve as a blueprint for what his own post-NFL journey could look like.
The Central Division and Metropolitan Division title races have been settled but the other two NHL division races are tight.
After games on Tuesday, April 7, the Tampa Bay Lightning, Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens are tied atop the Atlantic Division with 102 points each. In the Pacific Division race, the Edmonton Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights are tied with 88 points and the Anaheim Ducks are one point back at 87.
So which team has the edge for the division title and which would finish second and have home-ice advantage in the second round?
That comes down to tiebreakers.
Here's an explanation of NHL tiebreakers and how they will affect the 2026 playoff races:
NHL tiebreakers: What is the first tiebreaker in NHL standings?
If two teams are tied in points at the end of the regular season, here are the tiebreakers:
Regulation wins
Regulation and overtime wins (ROW)
Total wins
Most points earned in head-to-head competition: If teams had an uneven number of meetings, the first game played in the city that has the extra game is excluded. When more than two clubs are tied, the percentage of available points earned in games among each other (and not including any odd games) shall be used to determine standings.
Goal differential
Total goals
How NHL tiebreakers affect the Atlantic Division race
The Lightning and Sabres entered Wednesday's game tied with 39 regulation wins, so that would go to the second tiebreaker. Tampa Bay leads 44 to 42 in ROW, giving it the division lead. The Canadiens have only 32 regulation wins and can't catch the other two teams in that category, so they'd have to finish ahead of the Lightning and Sabres in points to finish first or second in the division.
Buffalo plays on Wednesday and Thursday, April 9, while Tampa Bay visits Montreal on Thursday.
How NHL tiebreakers affect the Pacific Division race
Edmonton leads Vegas 30-28 in regulation wins and in ROW 39-35, so the Golden Knights will have to finish with more points or regulation wins than the Oilers to win the division. Anaheim has only 24 regulation wins.
How NHL tiebreakers affect the race for the Eastern Conference top seed
The Carolina Hurricanes have 106 points, but if the Lightning or Sabres can catch them, they have three more regulation wins than the Hurricanes.
How NHL tiebreakers affect the Eastern Conference wild-card race
The Boston Bruins (96 points) and Ottawa Senators (92) hold the two spots, with four other teams within five points of Ottawa. The Senators have the most regulation wins in that group (35) with only the Washington Capitals (33) able to catch them in that category, but they're five points back. Ottawa would take the first wild-card slot if they and Boston are tied in points at season's end.
How NHL tiebreakers affect the Western Conference wild-card race
The Utah Mammoth (88 points) are trending toward finishing with the first wild-card spot. The Nashville Predators (84) are sitting in the second wild-card spot, but they have played one or two more games than their closest pursuers: the Los Angeles Kings (83), San Jose Sharks (81), Winnipeg Jets (80) and St. Louis Blues (78).
The Kings currently have only 19 regulation wins, so they'd lose out in the event of a tie. The Predators have 27, the Sharks have 25, the Jets have 27 and the Blues have 29. The Sharks have the most ROW at 35 if it comes down to a second tiebreaker.
Nashville and Winnipeg are currently tied in regulation wins and ROW, but the Predators have three more total wins. If it comes down to a fourth tiebreaker between those teams. the Jets have the edge in the season series.
How NHL tiebreakers affect the second seed in the Central Division
The Dallas Stars vs. Minnesota Wild first-round series is the only one that is set, but home-ice advantage hasn't been determined. The Stars lead by two points and by an insurmountable five regulation wins, so the Wild can't win a tiebreaker. They would get home ice only if they finish with more points.
MADRID, SPAIN - APRIL 7: Harry Kane of FC Bayern Munchen (L) is seen with Joshua Kimmich of FC Bayern Munchen (R) at the end of the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Quarter-Final First Leg match between Real Madrid CF and FC Bayern Munchen at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on April 7, 2026 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Alberto Gardin/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Bayern Munich midfielder Joshua Kimmich is often in the crosshairs of fans.
Some argue that Kimmich does not handle an aggressive press well enough to be a top flight midfielder, while others think that he might hold too much political power within the club.
However, there is one thing that you cannot argue — Kimmich is incredibly important to what Bayern Munich does with its attack. During the team’s 2-1 win in the Champions League on Tuesday, Kimmich had 19 successful final third entries to help push the attack forward:
Joshua Kimmich made 19 successful final third entries vs Real Madrid last night, the most by any player in a #UCL match this season ⏩ pic.twitter.com/JzSb8dfp1o
Kimmich’s role at Bayern Munich has evolved over the years, but no matter what position he plays, the 31-year-old has always been a vital part of the team and what it wants to do offensively. Kimmich’s connection with the attacking group is a large reason why the squad has been so effective this season in scoring goals.
Can Kimmich have the same impact next week in leg two vs. Real Madrid?
If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast, Spotify, Apple, or any leading podcast distributor…
CTA: Atletico Madrid vindicated over Barcelona red card outrage
The Referee’s Committee (CTA) have acknowledged that Atletico Madrid’s outrage on Saturday night was justified, as they protested the decision to remove Gerard Martin’s red card at the Metropolitano. The incident occurred just minutes into the second half, and shaped the game.
Los Colchoneros were already down to 10 themselves after Nicolas Gonzalez had been dismissed in first-half stoppage time for taking down Lamine Yamal as he went into the box. Yet just two minutes into the second half, Martin cleared the ball, but his follow through caught Thiago Almada in a nasty manner. Initially, the referee brought out a red card. However after a VAR review, it was downgraded to a yellow card.
CTA: Martin should have been sent off
In their weekly review program, the CTA have concluded that the VAR was incorrect in intervening in the referee’s initial decision. The following is the explanation given.
“A dispute ensues over a 50/50 ball, clearly within reach of both players. The visiting player gets there first and strikes the ball. However, in the continuation of the play, his studs make contact with the side of the opponent’s leg, just above the ankle, causing a twisting of the joint. The referee, in real time, assesses the intensity, the area of impact, and the consequences of the tackle and issues a red card for serious foul play.”
“The fact he touches the ball first does not negate subsequent reckless, dangerous, or rough play. The incidents in the Atletico Madrid-Barcelona match, as well as the Betis-Rayo Vallecano match already analysed during the review period of matchday 22 on February 24th, fall into this category.”
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - AUGUST 07: Dylan Parham #66 of the Las Vegas Raiders looks on during the NFL Preseason 2025 game between Las Vegas Raiders and Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field on August 07, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In the run-up to the draft, we’ve been breaking down all of the players added by the Jets during free agency and in the legal tampering window. We continue today with offensive lineman Dylan Parham.
The 26-year old Parham is listed at 6’3” and 311 pounds and was a third round pick out of Memphis in 2022. Parham started 63 games during his first four seasons with the Raiders.
Background
Parham was only a two-star recruit out of high school and was originally listed as a defensive end prospect, although he started off as a tight end at Memphis, where he redshirted his first season in 2017.
Ahead of his redshirt freshman season, Parham switched onto the offensive line and became a four-year starter and then entered the 2022 draft, whereupon he was selected by the Raiders in the third round.
During his Tigers career, he was an all-AAC honorable mention in 2019 and first-teamer in 2021.
He’s been a four-year starter with the Raiders too, starting every game in his first two years and 29 of 34 games in the past two seasons.
2024 was his most consistent season but he struggled badly at the start of last year and there were calls for him to be benched, although he did settle down over the course of the season.
Parham was signed by the Jets in free agency on a two-year deal with a reported maximum value of $20 million.
Let’s move onto some more in-depth analysis of what Parham brings to the table, based on in-depth research and film study.
Measurables/Athleticism
Parham’s listed weight corresponds to what he weighed during the pre-draft process, but he was actually listed at 332 with the Raiders last season.
To add to the confusion, the Raiders had listed him at just 285 in the previous season, but that was apparently his weight back in his junior year in 2020. He bulked up to 304 that offseason and has obviously bulked up further from the 310 range to around 330 since entering the league.
Parham has average length but his athletic numbers are solid. He ran a 4.93 in the 40-yard dash at the combine and posted 25 bench press reps at his pro day. His explosiveness and agility numbers at the combine were also solid.
Usage
Parham has displayed excellent versatility during his career so far. At the NFL level, he has mostly played left guard, but he started at right guard in 2024 – his most consistent pro season – and has filled in as the starting center three times.
In college, he played both guard positions and was going to be the starting center in 2020 but ended up starting every game at right tackle instead.
In high school, he also played linebacker, defensive end and tight end.
Pass Blocking
Parham looked to have made good progress in 2024 as he only allowed one sack, having previously given up a total of 11 in his first two NFL seasons. However, he was part of a badly overmatched starting unit last season and ended up getting beaten for six sacks even though his rate of pressure allowed was quite low.
In college, he gave up eight sacks in his first two seasons, but then gave up just one in his last two seasons.
Parham can be moved off his spot or struggle to stay in front of his man at times.
Run Blocking
Parham’s run blocking grades from analytical sites such as Pro Football Focus were excellent in college and have typically been above average to good at the NFL level.
He displays good strength and power at the point of attack and can use his size to drive his man back.
However, he can be beaten by quickness at the snap, enabling opposing players to shoot gaps.
He has shown an ability to move from one assignment to another and has an understanding of angles.
While his skill-set is more suited to zone blocking assignments, he has enough athletic ability to get out on the move and can find a man to block in space.
Short Yardage
The Raiders were not very successful in short yardage situations last season. In fact, they didn’t have a one or two-yard touchdown run all season.
In previous years, they have fared better in such situations and Parham is a big body that can play his part in that.
Screen Blocking
Parham has displayed the athleticism and agility to get out in front of screen passes, which were a big part of the Raiders offense last year.
Footwork/Technique
Parham has struggled against the bull rush in the past, with his base too narrow and his pad level too high at times. However, this is an area where he has been seeing improved technique and results.
He moves his feet well and, despite only having average length, uses his hands and upper body strength well to buy himself time.
Penalties
Parham’s on-field discipline has generally been very good. He hasn’t had more than five penalties in any season at the college or pro level since he was a redshirt freshman at Memphis.
Where he has been penalized at the NFL level, the majority have been for offensive holding.
Special Teams
Parham’s only role on special teams at the NFL level has been blocking on the placekicking unit and he has no mistakes or penalties within that role.
This was also the case in college, although he did have a few snaps rushing kicks or blocking in punt protection.
Instincts/Intelligence
It’s difficult to judge who is at fault when there are as many breakdowns as there were on the Raiders’ line last year but it did seem clear that Parham’s awareness was lacking at times.
You would like to think that this, along with his occasional inability to diagnose stunts and games, would be an area where he improves with experience and on a unit that doesn’t keep losing key personnel.
There was also a game in 2024 when the Raiders could have beaten the Chiefs but Parham signalled for the ball to be snapped too early, leading to a costly fumbled snap.
He has had three pre-snap penalties at the NFL level, all of them on false starts.
In college, he was a three-time selection for the AAC’s all-academic team and was also on the Dean’s List in the 2018 fall semester.
Attitude
Parham is regarded as quiet, although he noted that he needed to become more vocal towards the end of his Memphis career as one of the few elder statesmen on offense.
As noted, his on-field discipline has been solid with just one personal foul for unnecessary roughness.
He does show a nasty streak at times, regularly displaying aggression in situations where he can go “looking for work”.
Injuries
Parham didn’t miss any time during his college career, or in his first two seasons with the Raiders, but he missed two games with a foot injury in 2024 and the last two games of 2025 due to illness.
He has also been listed on the injury report with injuries to his back, Achilles, calf and knee during his career but without missing any games due to these issues.
Scheme Fit
Parham looks set to slot into the starting lineup for the Jets at left guard and hopefully has similar traits to the outgoing John Simpson.
The Jets might draft a potential starter for the offensive interior as well, but this doesn’t necessarily mean that Parham would go to the bench. Joe Tippmann or even Parham himself could end up as the starting center, as some Raiders analysts felt that could be Parham’s best position and he didn’t give up a sack in his three starts there. There had been speculation that other teams were looking at Parham as a center option too.
He has been a teammate of current Jets players Geno Smith, Chris Smith and Mykal Walker while he with the Raiders.
Conclusions
After allowing both Simpson and Alijah Vera-Tucker to walk, the Jets had to fill one of their starting spots in a group that otherwise has good continuity.
Parham being a couple of years younger than Simpson makes him an attractive option and, while it may be a concern that the Raiders’ offensive line looked so bad last season, the hope would be that this had more to do with the players around Parham than anything he himself had control over. That being the case, slotting into a more stable unit could be the best case scenario for him.
You can expect the Jets to add some youth in the draft and perhaps look to extend Tippmann soon. Either way, the addition of Parham seems to consolidate the group nicely.
The men’s NCAA Basketball Tournament is set to return on March 16, 2027 when the First Four tips off.
Our college basketball experts will guide you through the March Madness bracket with March Madness expert picks, matchup breakdowns, and betting analysis for every game, right through to the National Championship.
Single elimination changes everything. One cold shooting night or foul trouble can end a season, so aim for good prices and smart risk, not “can’t-miss” takes.
Start with the basics
Spread: In point spread betting, you’re wagering on how close the game stays. In the tournament, late-game fouling can turn a tight cover into a bad beat (or vice versa).
Moneyline:Moneyline betting is often the cleanest way to play a true March Madness upset, but you risk losing more frequently if you wager just on underdogs.
Total: Pace and shot quality matter in Over/Under betting, but so do tournament quirks like neutral rims, tight legs, and whistle changes.
Neutral-site mindset
Games aren’t played in familiar gyms, and crowds can be split. Travel, time zones, and quick turnarounds can matter, especially for teams that rely heavily on energy, depth, or shooting rhythm. When in doubt, lean on repeatable traits: defense, rebounding, and turnover control.
Why single elimination matters
Underdogs can be live because favorites feel pressure and have less room to “play through” a bad stretch. But favorites can also separate late when depth and free throws matter. Think in game scripts:
Take the underdog + points if they can control tempo, defend without fouling, and protect the ball.
Sprinkle a unit on the moneyline if they have a clear matchup advantage (e.g., elite 3-point volume vs weak perimeter D).
Bet on the favorite if they can force turnovers, dominate the glass, or punish inside.
First half vs full game betting
Early nerves and unfamiliar sightlines can create slow starts. If you expect a tactical feel-out period, 1H Unders or 1H underdog spreads can be sharper than full game.
Overtime and endgame chaos
OT is usually included in spreads/totals, and late fouling can add 10–20 “free” points. Totals can swing wildly in the final minute, but don’t panic if you’re on the right side of pace and shot quality.
Still need help? Our Covers hoops analysts are here to provide you with March Madness expert picks from the First Four to the National Championship Game.
Popular March Madness betting markets
March Madness is a betting buffet - the key is picking the right market for your edge.
Futures: Futures are best when you’re early or disagree with the bracket. Conference tourney week and Selection Sunday can create mispriced numbers on title, Final Four odds, March Madness MVP odds, and region winner odds. Shop prices, and remember: a “good team” isn’t always a good futures bet if the path is brutal.
Game lines: The spread, moneyline, and total are the bread and butter once the bracket starts. Neutral courts, quick turnarounds, and unfamiliar sightlines can impact shooting (and totals) especially early. If you have a strong pace or matchup read, consider team totals or 1st half bets to isolate the edge.
Props:March Madness props shine when roles are stable and matchups are clear: usage, minutes, foul risk, and opponent style (rim protection, pace, rebounding). Ladders and alt lines can be powerful, but keep stakes smaller.
Same-game parlays: SGPs can be fun, but value varies. Compare the parlay payout to betting legs individually, and prioritize lines you’d play on their own.
And be sure to check out our expert NCAA bracket picks before the action begins!
Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The St. Louis Cardinals have had a rather weird start to 2026, as they were planning on starting their rebuild, yet they find themselves with an above .500 record of 6-5. This success is mostly in part to Jordan Walker, who is finally having his breakout season.
However, just because they are seeing short-term success with Walker, doesn’t mean they should try to continue on with it. FanSided’s Christopher Kline believes so as well, and urges the Cards to put Walker on the trade block while his stock is at an all-time high.
“Jordan Walker was 20 years old when he made his debut for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2023. After a strong rookie season, he put together back-to-back negative fWAR campaigns and started to feel like a lost cause. And yet, he's still 23 years old, younger than a lot of top prospects puttering around the Minor Leagues. It would appear that St. Louis' patience — their reluctance to trade or abandon ship — has paid off…Walker always had the tools for stardom. He's a preposterous athlete, with a body builder's physique and a track star's speed. If he's suddenly using those tools to their full capacity, St. Louis might have its franchise cornerstone. And yet, there's so much baked-in distrust with Walker at this point, which means this could be the last time his trade value peaks in a meaningful way. Walker was basically a toxic asset a year ago. If the swing flattens and his home run power vanishes, St. Louis will regret not taking advantage of this brief (if not necessarily sustainable) renaissance,” Kline wrote.
So far this season, Walker is slashing .300/364/.650/1.014 with two doubles, four home runs, and 11 RBI in 11 games. Combine that with the fact he still has multiple years of team control, and he could fetch a pretty penny for the Cardinals.
If the Cardinals are truly committed to rebuilding, then it might really be time to shop Walker. If they can land multiple top prospects for a guy that has been shaky for years, it would be a major win.
The transfer portal is officially open for college basketball, and the Oregon Ducks have lost another important piece of their rotation. Ducks guard Wei Lin announced his entrance into the transfer portal on Wednesday, according to multiple reports.
A Chinese national, Lin joined the Ducks as a sophomore for the 2025-26 season after playing three seasons with the Nanjing Monkey Kings in the Chinese Basketball Association. Before coming to Eugene, Lin averaged 21 points, five assists and 1.4 steals per game with the Monkey Kings in the 2024-25 season.
Unfortunately, that level of success didn't translate to the college game, where Lin primarily came off the bench. Lin played in 30 games for the Ducks last season and made nine starts, averaging 6.6 points and 1.7 assists per game. He shot 34.4% from the field, but only connected on 29.5% of his shots from 3-point range. He has two seasons of eligibility remaining at the collegiate level.
NEWS: Oregon’s Wei Lin has entered the transfer portal, the portal told @TheFieldOf68.
The 6-4 sophomore guard made nine starts and averaged 6.6 ppg for the Ducks in his first collegiate season. He was a standout for the Nanjing Monkey Kings in the Chinese Basketball… pic.twitter.com/MPNgslupwG
Lin is the sixth Duck to enter the portal since Oregon's season came to an end with a 12-20 record, marking the worst campaign under Dana Altman. Jackson Shelstad and Kwame Evans Jr. headline the Ducks' early entrants into the portal, while Dezdrick Lindsay, Devon Pryor and JJ Frakes are also preparing to leave the program.
That leaves just four players under scholarship remaining on the Ducks' current roster: Sean Stewart, Efe Vatan, Ege Demir and Jamari Phillips. The Ducks will add talented freshmen Tajh Ariza and Kendre Harrison before next season, but Altman has his work cut out for him, needing to add plenty of talent in the transfer portal, especially in the backcourt.
Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
No one knows for sure what Howie Roseman and the Philadelphia Eagles are going to do in the 2026 NFL draft.
So when you read the following, know that this reporter isn’t a fortune-teller.
But throughout the pre-draft process, it’s been no secret we’ve had a hunch about the Eagles landing former Penn State star edge rusher Dani Dennis-Sutton.
In our last two Eagles-specific mock drafts — one after the early wave free agency and one earlier this week — we had the Nittany Lion being selected by the Eagles.
Why does that pairing make so much sense? Let’s break it down.
Interest from the jump
Let’s start here because it’s the most obvious connecting point. The Eagles have shown interest in Dennis-Sutton from the very beginning of the pre-draft process.
They met with him in February at the Senior Bowl, where Eagles defensive line coach Clint Hurtt was Dennis-Sutton’s head coach. They met with him at the NFL Combine in early March. And they had him in for a top-30 pre-draft visit after Penn State’s pro day.
The last bit of that is important. The Eagles didn’t draft anybody they hosted for a top-30 last year. But in the past, it’s been a clear indicator. In 2024, five of nine draftees visited.
National Team defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton (33), of Penn State, runs through drills during practice for the Senior Bowl NCAA college football game Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026, in Mobile, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)AP
An obvious need and fit
Jaelan Phillips got a massive payday from the Panthers and left in free agency. The Eagles responded by adding Arnold Ebiketie and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka on one-year deals to bolster the rotation. But that’s not enough to support Jalyx Hunt and Nolan Smith.
The Eagles need a young, hungry and gifted edge rusher to help mitigate the loss of Phillips.
The Eagles are currently sitting at +130 on FanDuel to win the NFC East division for the 2026-27 season. Our in-depth FanDuel Sportsbook review provides a complete guide on how to use their platform. Also, make sure to visit our NFL futures betting guide if you’re interested in learning more about how to bet on NFL futures.
Turns out, Phillips (6-foot-5, 263 pounds, 33 1/4 arms) and Dennis-Sutton (6-foot-6, 256 pounds, 33 1/2 arms) profile similarly in body type. They’re both known for pressuring the quarterback, creating opportunities for others and setting the edge in the run game.
And when the Eagles acquired Phillips, Roseman highlighted his “freak ability.” Dennis-Sutton has that, too.
Dennis-Sutton’s Relative Athletic Score, which takes into account everything from the 40-yard dash to the vertical jump at the Combine, was off the charts. Dennis-Sutton’s RAS was a 9.93 out of 10, which ranked 15th-best among 2,046 defensive ends since 1987.
Edge rusher Dani Dennis-Sutton at Penn State football Pro Day in Holuba Hall on March 18, 2026.
March 18, 2026.
Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.comDan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com
Philosophical switchup
In the last four drafts, the Eagles have used seven of eight picks in the first and second rounds on defensive players. With so many of those players coming up on contract extensions — Jalen Carter, Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, etc. — the expectation is that the Eagles will focus on the offensive side of the ball in the first two rounds.
The Eagles need a successor for right tackle Lane Johnson. Offensive guard Landon Dickerson also contemplated retirement. They could take a big swing on Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq or Vanderbilt’s Eli Stowers with Dallas Goedert and the rest of the tight ends on one-year deals. And there’s a potential need at wide receiver with A.J. Brown’s status up in the air.
All of that is to say that edge rusher, a position Roseman typically covets, doesn’t project as a first or second-round priority this year — which makes Dennis-Sutton even more likely.
Value, value, value
Dennis-Sutton is a damn good player. He entered the 2025 season as a projected first-round pick; that stock fell a bit with an uneven final season at Penn State. But Dennis-Sutton, who finished sixth on the program’s all-time list in sacks, proved over four years that he’s a game-wrecker. Anyone who watched his CFP semifinal performance vs. Notre Dame knows that.
But there’s a lot of damn good edge rushers in this class. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler ranked 16 edge rushers among his top 100 prospects in the draft. Dennis-Sutton ranked No. 13 out of those 16 — and No. 68 overall in the class.
Funny enough, the Eagles own the No. 68 pick in the draft. They also own another third rounder at No. 98. That’s right around the range many expect Dennis-Sutton to land.
Sep 23, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe (11) runs the bases after hitting a single against the Chicago White Sox during the ninth inning at Yankee Stadium. | John Jones-Imagn Images
Anthony Volpe has quickly emerged as one of the most intriguing young shortstops in MLB, blending elite defensive skills, speed on the bases, and budding power into a package that immediately upgrades any middle infield.
While his batting average and on-base skills leave room for growth, Volpe's controllable years, durability, and multi-category contributions make him a valuable asset for both real-life teams and fantasy managers looking for stolen bases, home runs, and runs from a shortstop.
Whether a team is rebuilding or in contention, Volpe offers a floor of reliable defense with upside that could translate to fantasy production down the line, making him an attractive trade chip.
With interest building, here's what it would take for the Brewers to acquire him.
Milwaukee Brewers- New York Yankees MLB Mock Trade Details & Fantasy Baseball Impact
Brewers Acquire:
SS Anthony Volpe
Yankees Acquire:
LHP Robert Gasser
3B Andrew Fischer
Fantasy Impact
Anthony Volpe to the Brewers
Volpe becomes the Brewers' everyday shortstop, providing immediate MLB-ready production. His 2025 stat line (.212 AVG, 19 HR, 72 RBI, 18 SB, .663 OPS) suggests he will contribute power, speed, and counting stats in fantasy, but his low batting average and OBP cap his overall ceiling.
In fantasy leagues, he is valuable for stolen bases, home runs, and RBI totals, especially in points leagues or AL/NL hybrid formats. The Brewers gain certainty at a thin SS position, making Volpe a moderate-to-high fantasy asset in 2026, though not a top-tier shortstop.
Robert Gasser to the Yankees
Sep 21, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Robert Gasser (54) pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning at Busch Stadium. | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Gasser, recovering from Tommy John in 2025, only appeared in 2 MLB games (5.2 IP, 3.18 ERA, 5 K, 1.59 WHIP). His immediate fantasy impact in 2026 is limited, as he is unlikely to be in a full-time rotation role right away.
However, in keeper or dynasty leagues, Gasser is a high-upside arm, offering potential strikeouts and ERA/WHIP stability if he develops into a mid-rotation starter. For redraft leagues, he is more of a sleeper or stash option, but for dynasty managers, he's a long-term fantasy asset with controllable years.
Andrew Fischer to the Yankees
Fischer's 2025 minor-league line (.311 AVG, .402 OBP, .446 SLG, 1 HR, 8 SB in 19 games) demonstrates excellent plate discipline, speed, and contact skills. Once he reaches MLB, he could contribute in runs, OBP, and stolen bases, making him a valuable fantasy asset in dynasty or keeper formats.
In redraft leagues, he is not immediately impactful, but as a prospect, Fischer is one of the Yankees' most intriguing future contributors, especially if he earns playing time in the next 2-3 seasons.
Why The Yankees Make The Trade
Brewers third base prospect Andrew Fischer fields a ground ball during spring training workouts Sunday, February 15, 2026, at American Family Fields of Phoenix in Phoenix, Arizona. | Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Yankees could realistically move Anthony Volpe to the Brewers because of roster depth and positional flexibility. In 2026, the Yankees will already have Jos Caballero, Amed Rosario, and Ryan McMahon capable of playing shortstop or third base, giving the team multiple internal options to cover Volpe's position.
With the team off to a strong 82 start, they have the luxury of being strategic rather than desperate, meaning they can trade from depth to improve long-term upside rather than reacting to an immediate hole.
By sending Volpe to Milwaukee, the Yankees would acquire Robert Gasser, a promising pitching prospect, and Andrew Fischer, a high-upside infield bat, bolstering both their farm system and future roster flexibility.
Essentially, this trade allows the Yankees to convert a high-floor but capped player into controllable talent with higher ceilings, while confidently relying on their current depth to maintain shortstop and third base production.
Why The Brewers Make The Trade
Sep 30, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe (11) reaches for the ball hit by Boston Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story (10) during the fifth inning during game one of the Wildcard round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Yankee Stadium. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images
The Brewers would have a strong motivation to acquire Anthony Volpe because of their need for a long-term, elite defensive shortstop.
Even though Milwaukee is off to a hot 83 start in 2026, the team's infield production, particularly from shortstop and third base, has been inconsistent.
Adding Volpe provides an MLB-ready solution with elite defense, speed, and moderate power, immediately shoring up their middle infield while complementing their already strong rotation and offense.
By sending Robert Gasser and Andrew Fischer to the Yankees, the Brewers trade prospects for certainty at a premium position, prioritizing short-term wins and roster stability while maintaining flexibility to add offensive depth around Volpe.
Essentially, this move allows Milwaukee to upgrade a key position without sacrificing MLB-ready contributors, pairing their strong start with a foundational piece for the future.
Looking to end the home portion of their schedule on a high note, the New York Rangers play their final game at Madison Square Garden this season when they host the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday.
The Rangers (33-36-9) seek their third straight win and are 5-1-0 over the first six of this season-long seven-game homestand. They’ll finish up the 2025-26 season with road games at the Dallas Stars (Saturday), Florida Panthers (Monday), and Tampa Bay Lightning (next Wednesday).
It wasn’t pretty much of the season on home ice for the Rangers, who lost their first six contests at MSG (0-5-1), and were shut out a stunning five times in that stretch. The opposite is taking place right now, since the Rangers appear nearly unbeatable at The Garden.
They’re coming off impressive consecutive victories this past weekend over a pair of teams in the thick of the playoff race. The Rangers smoked the Washington Capitals 8-1 on Sunday, after skating past the Detroit Red Wings 4-1 on Saturday. The Rangers outscored the opposition 27-8 on this homestand, so far.
“I think it’s important,” forward Tye Kartye said Tuesday following practice. “Obviously, we want home ice to be an advantage for us. Playing at Madison Square Garden as a road team, I know it can not be very fun. So, to have that energy in there and have a good finish here is important for us.”
The Rangers are 14-19-7 at MSG, and their 14 home wins are fewest in the Eastern Conference and fourth fewest in the entire League.
They’ll face a stiff test Wednesday, when the red-hot Sabres (47-23-8) pay a visit. Buffalo qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs already, ending an NHL-record 14-season drought not making the playoffs. With four games remaining, the Sabres are in a three-way tie with the Tampa Bay Lightning and Montreal Canadiens for first place in the Atlantic Division, each with 102 points.
Buffalo’s lost two of three after winning two in a row.
The season series is tied at one win apiece. The Rangers blanked the Sabres 4-0 up in Buffalo in their first road contest back on Oct. 9. Three months later, the Sabres skated out of The Garden with a 5-2 win over the Rangers.
3 storylines when Rangers host Sabres
Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
1. Don’t get Buffaloed
Since the Olympic break, the Rangers are playing well. With a victory Wednesday, the Rangers would have three winning streaks of three games or more since returning to action Feb. 26, They are 11-7-3 in 21 games since the break, and 9-6-1 since March 9.
However, that pales in comparison to the Sabres, who shot out of a cannon, so to speak, after a rough first two months of the season. Coinciding with the firing of general manager Kevyn Adams, the Sabres are 36-9-4 since Dec. 9. Winning streaks of 10, 8, 5, and 4 games are included in that run.
“They’ve jumped to the top of the Atlantic this year, and really had a lot of younger players grow into their own,” Rangers forward Conor Sheary explained. “They’re a tough team to play against. They have high skill. They can score tons of goals, and you just have to be aware of them all over the ice. Obviously, it’s a team playing with confidence right now, so we’ve got to be ready for them.”
The Sabres are seventh in the NHL, averaging 3.40 goals scored per game. They have two 30-goal scorers leading the way — U.S. Olympic gold medalist Tage Thompson (38) and pending UFA forward Alex Tuch (30). Defenseman Rasmus Dahlin is sixth among NHL defensemen with 70 points (18 goals, 52 assists) in 71 games.
2. Fan Appreciation Night
Danny Wild-Imagn Images
The Rangers will give the shirts off their backs — literally — as part of an annual tradition following their final home game of the regular season. Though it’s been a thoroughly disappointing year, and the Blueshirts Faithful aired displeasure repeatedly as the Rangers plummeted to the bottom of the Eastern Conference, there’s an unbreakable bond between this team and its fans.
So, this is a bittersweet night, the end of another season — and another one without winning the Stanley Cup, or even a postseason appearance. Make it 12 years since their latest run to the Stanley Cup Final, 22 since the most recent Stanley Cup championship, one title in 86 years, and four in their 100 years as an Original Six franchise.
“Every game at The Garden, we want to make the fans happy,” Will Cuylle said. “Their passionate and they care a lot about the team, so to give them something to cheer about is good, especially at this point of the season.”
3. Speaking of Cools
Danny Wild-Imagn Images
Cuylle’s come alive down the stretch, with four goals in his past three games following a season-long 13-game goal scoring drought. That includes his first NHL hat trick Sunday against the Capitals, which brough his season total to 20 goals, equaling his output from 2024-25.
“I’m happy for Will, he hadn’t scored in a while, and to get a trick, it’s hard to score in this league … so a guy scores three goals in a game, that’s something to be celebrated,” coach Mike Sullivan stated after the morning skate. “He should feel good about that. He had a great game for us.”
Along with Gabe Perreault’s first career hatty on Saturday, the Rangers recorded hat tricks in consecutive games for the first time since 2016, and on consecutive days for the first time since 1982.
New York Rangers projected lineup
Alexis Lafreniere — Mika Zibanejad — Gabe Perreault
Will Cuylle — Vincent Trocheck — Jonny Brodzinski
Tye Kartye — J.T. Miller — Conor Sheary
Jaroslav Chmelar — Noah Laba — Adam Sykota
Vladislav Gavrikov — Adam Fox
Matthew Robertson — Will Borgen
Drew Fortescue — Braden Schneider
Igor Shesterkin
Jonathan Quick
Rangers vs. Sabres: When, where, what time, how to watch
Feb 24, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas against the Cleveland Guardians during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Veteran Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas announced Wednesday on Instagram that his father Miguel Rojas Sr. died.
“With immense sorrow on behalf of the entire Rojas family, I must inform everyone who had the opportunity to know and share time with my father, Miguel Rojas—known as “Micky”—that he passed away suddenly yesterday afternoon, April 7th,“ Rojas said in Spanish, translated roughly here to English. ”I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has reached out to me and my family to offer their love and let us know just how deeply cherished my father was throughout his life. May God welcome him into His glory, and may he rest in peace.“
Rojas was originally slated to start at shortstop on Tuesday night against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre, but was a late scratch, replaced in the lineup by Hyeseong Kim. At the time, the Dodgers announced Rojas was scratched “to tend to a family matter.”
Dave Roberts said he does expect Miguel Rojas to go on leave at some point following the passing of his father, but said Rojas approached him and said he wanted to be in the lineup today.
Should the Dodgers decide to place Rojas on bereavement leave and call up a replacement on the roster once the team returns home on Friday, the minimum stay on the bereavement list is three days, with a maximum of seven days.
As the 2026 college football season approaches, talking season is starting to pick up, and the most anticipated preseason tradition is set to make its debut in a brand-new location.
The Southeastern Conference has officially announced the full appearance schedule of coaches for its 2026 SEC Football Kickoff Media Days, and Tampa is rolling out the welcome mat. The four-day event runs from July 20-23 at the Tampa Marriott Water Street and JW Marriott, and it is the first time in the event's history that Florida has hosted the SEC's annual summer showcase.
Previous host locations include Nashville, Dallas, and Atlanta. Before the locations rotated, it was the Hyatt Regency Birmingham-Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover that held the event for two full decades, from 2001 to 2021.
The SEC Network will once again bring full national coverage across all four media days. A more detailed schedule including full television information, rotational breakdowns, and confirmed student-athlete attendees will be released in early July. However, here is the full appearance schedule as announced by the conference on Wednesday Names are listed alphabetically by school and are not indicative of actual order of appearance each day:
Monday, July 20 Will Stein (Kentucky) Eliah Drinkwitz (Missouri) Brent Venables (Oklahoma) Josh Heupel (Tennessee)
Tuesday, July 21 Alex Golesh (Auburn) Kirby Smart (Georgia) Shane Beamer (South Carolina) Clark Lea (Vanderbilt)
Wednesday, July 22 Kalen DeBoer (Alabama)Jon Sumrall (Florida) Pete Golding (Ole Miss) Mike Elko (Texas A&M)
Thursday, July 23 Ryan Silverfield (Arkansas) Lane Kiffin (LSU) Jeff Lebby (Mississippi State) Steve Sarkisian (Texas)
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That's the key reason, according to Steve Drabyn, on why he is leaving Bethel University as its men's basketball coach.
Drabyn has resigned from the position after seven seasons. He will remain there until April 19 and then will take over as the new men's basketball coach at Marian University in Indianapolis on April 20. The news was first reported by Adam Nelson of Hoopdirt.com.
"First and foremost, this is about my family," said Drabyn in a phone interview Wednesday morning. "I'm super grateful to Bethel for the last seven years. Tony Natali (former Bethel Athletic Director) gave me an opportunity there to be a head coach for the first time.
"It's bittersweet because it's tough to leave the people at Bethel. Bethel president Dee McDonald and AD Jason Lewkowicz are just first class. It's tough to leave those two. But this is a professional opportunity for me at a great institution that has everything in place to be successful at a high level. I'm completely at peace with my decision."
Drabyn and his wife Brittany have four children ages six, eight, 10 and 12. Drabyn's parents live in Avon near Indianapolis. He also has a brother and two sisters in the Indianapolis area, including sister Kristin Wodrich, who is an assistant coach for the Butler women's basketball program. His wife's parents live in Madison, which is about 100 miles south of Indianapolis.
Drabyn went 118-61 in his seven seasons after being hired in 2019 to replace Ryne Lightfoot. He made it to the NAIA National Tournament in 2021, 2024, 2025 and 2026, and the Pilots were the NCCAA national champions in 2023.
Drabyn is a former star guard at LaPorte High School. He was an Indiana All-Star in 2000 and set the national career high school free throw record as a Slicer at 92.1% from the line. He played at Belmont University in Tennessee from 2000-2004, where he scored 1,237 career points. He was a co-captain at Belmont and in 2003 led the NCAA nationally in free throw percentage at 95.1%.
"On behalf of everyone at Bethel, I would like to thank Steve for all he has done leading our men's basketball program the last seven years," said Bethel Director of Athletics Jason Lewkowicz in a release posted on the Bethel athletics website. "We wish him well in his future endeavors and I look forward to identifying the next leader of the Bethel men's basketball team."
Lewkowicz added in the release that a nationwide search has commenced for Drabyn's replacement.
Drabyn, who will turn 45 in July, guided Bethel to a 26-9 mark this past season. The Pilots went 12-6 in the Crossroads League, which Marian is a member of. Bethel, which was ranked as high as No. 3 nationally during the season, lost in the second round of the NAIA National Tournament, then saw its season end on March 20 with a victory and a fifth-place finish in the NCCAA National Tournament.
Marian finished 5-23 overall and 2-16 in league play during the 2025-26 season. The Knights finished the season under the direction of interim coach Todd Howard. Marian head coach Pat Knight resigned in February due to a conflict with Marian Director of Athletics Steve Downing, according to Knight. Pat Knight, the son of former Indiana University coach Bob Knight, was 16-34 overall and 7-23 in conference play at Marian after being hired in 2024 after 10 years as a scout for the Indiana Pacers.
Downing played for Bob Knight at Indiana, where he was the Big 10 MVP in 1973 after averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds per game and leading the Hoosiers to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament, Downing, a 6-9 center and native of Indianapolis, was also a member of the 1974 Boston Celtics team that won the NBA title. Downing teamed with George McGinnis in 1969 to lead Indianapolis Washington to a 31-0 mark and a state championship.
"I look at this as just a great coaching opportunity for me in the best league in the country," Drabyn said. "The Crossroads League is an absolutely phenomenal league. I chose to come coach in this league for a reason, and that's to go against the best.
"In my seven years at Bethel, I've gotten better as a coach. I've had to because of the conference we play in and the coaches and players in our league. I look at this new job and I get excited about it. I look at the resources that Marian has and I'm fully confident that myself and my staff can institute a culture there and have a team that the Marian community will be proud of."
Drabyn was an assistant coach at Lipscomb University from 2013-19 before coming to Bethel. His final team at Bethel is slated to return all but one player next season. The Pilots averaged 87.7 ppg this past season and had five players average in double figures, led by Austin Cripe at 16.5 ppg. Cripe is a junior guard who played at West Noble High School in Ligonier.
The Marian roster this past season had no seniors among the 16 players listed on its roster. The Knights had 14 players from Indiana, including former Penn High School guard Dominic Bonner. The 6-3 redshirt freshman did not play this season due to an injury sustained during football season. The Knights had three players average double figures, led by junior forward Aaron Humphrey Jr. at 15 ppg.
"I was focused on my team at Bethel until our season ended," remarked Drabyn. "Then, when it was over, I put my efforts into the Marian job.
"Leaving the people at Bethel is hard, especially with such great experiences that our teams here have had the last four years. But it's what is best for my family."
The 2025-26 NBA regular season is winding down, which means that the postseason is right around the corner.
Will the Oklahoma City Thunder win another NBA championship? How far can the surprise Detroit Pistons make it? What about Boston Celtics with superstar Jayson Tatum’s shockingly fast return from an Achilles injury?
We’ll find out the answers to those questions in the coming weeks, but the end of the regular season also means we get to see how those preseason over/unders ended up.
Which teams outperformed expectations and which underperformed?
Here’s a list of the NBA teams have clinched their preseason over or under at BetMGM sportsbooks, along with the six teams still undecided with a few games remaining.
“Celtic is not like managing any other club out there,” Chris Coleman
Chris Coleman has cast doubt over whether Craig Bellamy is prepared to step into a role as demanding as the Celtic job…
The current Wales boss has been heavily linked with a potential move to Celtic this summer as a successor to Martin O’Neill, with a number of pundits such as Joe Ledley voicing their support for his appointment.
Despite that backing, the position would mark Bellamy’s first experience as a club manager, having previously served as an assistant to Vincent Kompany at Burnley before taking charge of the national side.
Chris Coleman – who worked with Bellamy during his time in the Wales setup, has expressed reservations – suggesting that a role of such magnitude may not be the right starting point for his managerial career.
Speaking via Glasgow Times, Coleman said: “I don’t know what’s next for Craig. His first job away from being Vincent Kompany’s assistant at Burnley was the Welsh national job… international football management and club football management are completely different things.
Craig Bellamy of Celtic rides a tackle from Neil McFarlane of Hearts during the Tennents Scottish Cup Semi Final between Hearts and Celtic at Hampden Park on April 10 2005. (Photo by Tom Shaw/Getty Images)
“I know there are rumours around Celtic, but managing Wales and managing Celtic are two completely different jobs. Completely different. Managing Celtic is not like managing any other club out there, because that is an institution up there. If that was your first club job… I’m not sure.”
Coleman has indicated he would prefer the 46-year-old to remain in charge of Wales and focus on guiding the national team to a major tournament, following their recent World Cup play-off disappointment after a penalty shootout defeat to Bosnia.
Craig Bellamy, Head Coach of Wales speaks to the media during a press conference at Wembley Stadium on October 08, 2025. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
He added: “For Craig, I’d like to see him stay with Wales and qualify for a tournament. That should be his ambition… I hope he stays on in that role, and if he does qualify for a tournament with Wales, that’s another two years under his belt as a manager.”
“Maybe then you can talk about clubs like Celtic. But it’s not an easy job up there, I promise you that… certainly for someone who hasn’t experienced managing at club level.”
“To put him in the conversation for a club like Celtic, I’d first like to see him qualify with Wales and have a good campaign.”
Craig Bellamy of Celtic during the Tennents Scottish Cup Semi Final between Hearts and Celtic at Hampden Park on April 10 2005. (Photo by Tom Shaw/Getty Images)
“Then he might be ready… right now he’s 18 months to two years in – for Wales’ sake, and also for Craig’s sake, I’d like to see him stay for just one more campaign.”
Conor Spence
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Premier League injury news is always so important and with the margins so slim up and down the league, player availability is crucial.
We've seen in recent seasons how a sudden slew of injuries can derail a season, or even an entire managerial project, and quite simply players and managers are just hoping to get lucky and avoid injuries that will impact their season.
Below we keep you up to date on all of the latest Premier League injury news, with details on who is out, unavailable due to suspension and who is struggling for fitness at all 20 clubs.
Latest Premier League injury news - Week 32
Arsenal injury news, updates
OUT: Piero Hincapie (unspecified), Mikel Merino (ankle), Eberechi Eze (lower leg) | QUESTIONABLE: Bukayo Saka (unspecified), Jurrien Timber (ankle)
OUT: Josko Gvardiol (ankle) | QUESTIONABLE: Ruben Dias (unspecified), John Stones (lower leg)
Manchester United injury news, updates
OUT: Harry Maguire (suspension), Lisandro Martinez (calf), Patrick Dorgu (thigh), Matthijs de Ligt (unspecified - MORE) | QUESTIONABLE: Benjamin Sesko (unspecified), Bryan Mbeumo (unspecified)
Newcastle United injury news, updates
OUT: Sven Botman (head), Lewis Miley (knee), Bruno Guimaraes (ankle), Emil Krafth (thigh) | QUESTIONABLE: Fabian Schar (ankle)
Nottingham Forest injury news, updates
OUT: Jair Cunha (ankle), Willy Boly (knee), Nicola Savona (knee), John Victor (knee) | QUESTIONABLE: Chris Wood (knee)
Sunderland injury news, updates
OUT: Jocelin Ta Bi (ankle), Romaine Mundle (thigh), Bertrand Traore (knee), Nilson Angulo (unspecified) | QUESTIONABLE: Robin Roefs (thigh), Daniel Ballard (thigh)
Tottenham Hotspur injury news, updates
OUT: Guglielmo Vicario (groin), Yves Bissouma (unspecified), Wilson Odobert (knee), Dejan Kulusevski (knee), James Maddison (torn ACL - MORE), Ben Davies (ankle) | QUESTIONABLE: Rodrigo Bentancur (thigh), Mohammed Kudus (groin), Pape Matar Sarr (shoulder), Mathys Tel (groin), Joao Palhinha (head), Dominic Solanke (hip)
Mississippi State power forward Brandon Walker plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal, per On3’s Jamie Shaw. He spent one year with the program.
In 19 games last year, Walker averaged 4.7 points per game, 2.1 rebounds per game and 0.5 assists per game. He shot 50.7% from the floor and 28.6% from three-point range.
Walker also played college basketball at the University of Texas-Arlington in 2022-23 and then transferred. He played two seasons at Montana State before going to Mississippi State.
The portal window opens April 7 and runs through April 21 as part of the NCAA’s new 15-day transfer period. As is standard, Macura will not be required to commit to a new school within that timeframe, allowing him to explore his options fully.
Macura appeared in a rotational role during the 2025-26 season, averaging 5.0 points, 4.8 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game. The forward provided size and effort in the frontcourt, contributing on the glass and offering interior presence, but like several players on the roster, he struggled to find any consistent footing in a challenging season.
The Pirates entered play on March 31 just 6-for-45 with runners in scoring position.
In other words, Jake Magnum explained it like this:
“We’ve had a lot of traffic on the bases recently,” Mangum said. “We just haven’t directed ‘em home. We needed a traffic cone to make sure they got home... You have to direct traffic home sometimes, man."
The Pirates also have T-shirts on sale on Fanatics that say Hoist The Cone, and no one is quite sure why.
Well, at least now there's some cross-promotion happening.
The Pirates kept the traffic cone going on Wednesday, and they kept scoring runs.
Given the superstitions of baseball players, the traffic cone isn't going anywhere as long as the Pirates keep hitting and getting runners home.
And now, people are stealing traffic cones in Pittsburgh:
Companies in Pittsburgh are reportedly chasing down Pirates fans who are stealing traffic cones. Pirates players are "Hoisting the Cone" to celebrate home runs this season
Feb 26, 2026; Peoria, Arizona, USA; Seattle Mariners right fielder Connor Joe (9) hits a single against the Cleveland Guardians in the second inning at Peoria Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images
The Seattle Mariners announced today that they have placed OF Victor Robles on the 10-day IL with a right pectoral strain. To take Robles’s place on the roster, the Mariners have selected INF/OF Connor Joe. Joe will wear #9, last worn by INF Ben Williamson.
Joe, 33, is a journeyman player who’s been with several organizations, most known as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates, the team that drafted him, and the Rockies, where he played two seasons. The Mariners brought him in this spring on a minor-league deal and invited him to camp as an NRI, where he saw significant playing time while many Mariners regulars were away at the WBC.
Joe impressed in camp, knocking in six doubles, a triple and a homer over 20 games, showing some surprising thump and recording consistently loud exit velocities for a player who’s never been known as a power threat. Joe credited that this spring to the Mariners’ up-the-middle philosophy, saying it suits him well as a hitter. He told me this spring how quickly he took to the Mariners’ offensive philosophy, and coaching specifically:
“From [Kevin] Seitzer to Mags [Bobby Magallanes] to Pap [Ed Papprella], we had such productive talks, and Mags even pulled up some video from when I was going really well with the Pirates and compared it to some of the moves I was making when I first got to camp, and talked about how I could add some more rhythm in there, get a little bit more separation, just be more athletic in the box, and it’s really helped me. The work with them and the communication with them has been very, very consistent.”
What the Mariners were really excited about when acquiring Joe, however, is his plus makeup and leadership abilities. Joe, whose father ran Chinese restaurants in the San Diego area and often worked 15-hour days, is a testicular cancer survivor who speaks often about the importance of early detection and his difficult journey to fatherhood. (I strongly recommend you read the linked article, written by now-Mariners AP beat reporter Andrew Destin, who covered Joe back when he was in Pittsburgh.)
In addition to these moves, the Mariners also moved RHP Carlos Vargas to the 60-day IL with a lat strain. Vargas was placed on the 15-day IL on March 27th after feeling discomfort during his regular throwing routine. RHP Cole Wilcox was selected from Tacoma to replace Vargas and has since appeared in three games, punching out six of the sixteen hitters he’s faced so far.
CLEVELAND (AP) — Cleveland Guardians shortstop Gabriel Arias is expected to miss four to eight weeks with a moderate left hamstring strain that occurred during Monday night's game against Kansas City.
The 26-year-old was hurt while running out a double in the fifth inning and left the game. He was placed on the 10-day injured list Tuesday after undergoing medical tests, the results of which were announced Wednesday.
“He’s in some pain,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said before the three-game series finale against the Royals.
Arias, who is batting .200 with two homers and four RBIs in 10 games, will be re-examined weekly throughout his rehabilitation. This is his third full season as a starter for Cleveland.
The Guardians recalled second baseman Juan Brito from Triple-A Columbus to take his place in the lineup, while moving Brayan Rocchio from second to shortstop. They started the final two contests against Kansas City.
The Louisville Cardinals took a second-round exit in the 2026 NCAA Tournament to the Michigan State Spartans. What's clear for Pat Kelsey's team is there will be some newcomers to the program next season.
Louisville finished the season at 24-11 with seven losses in ACC play. One of the biggest unknowns at this point is who will replace Mikel Brown Jr., who is projected as a top-ten NBA prospect. He was the biggest contributor to Louisville's success, but missed the postseason due to injury.
Here's where things stand with the Cardinals in the transfer portal.
According to On3, Louisville was one of the most active teams with several outbound players in the first day of the transfer portal.
Louisville Cardinals transfer portal live updates
Louisville transfers
Status
Name
Pos
Rating
Last Team
New Team
Entered
Mouhamed Camara
PF
85.50
Louisville
Expected
Khani Rooths
SF
92.39
Louisville
Expected
Sananda Fru
PF
95.87
Louisville
Louisville Transfer news:
April 6, 2025
Mouhamed Camara has entered the transfer portal
Khani Rooths expected to enter the transfer portal
March 31, 2025
Sananda Fru expected to enter the transfer portal
Louisville transfer portal rumors:
April 8: San Diego State's Miles Byrd has Louisville on a short list. The Mountain West DPOY is expected to announce his decision tomorrow (April 9), according to Field of 68's Jeff Goodman.
April 8: San Francisco guard Tyrone Riley IV will visit Louisville on Sunday, per multiple reports. The 6-foot-6 transfer averaged 12.2 points and 4.8 rebounds per game this season, shooting nearly 37% from beyond the arc.
April 7: Kansas center Flory Bidunga is one of the top players in the transfer portal. The Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year will be visiting Louisville with Oregon's Jackson Shelstad, according to On3.
The Boston Red Sox surprised everyone by trading Rafael Devers last season, but most of the return is no longer with the Red Sox.
The Red Sox received left-handed pitcher Kyle Harrison, right-handed pitcher Jordan Hicks, right-handed pitcher Jose Bello and right fielder James Tibbs III. Hicks, Harrison and Tibbs are no longer with the Red Sox, and Bello is in Single-A. Harrison was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in the Caleb Durbin deal and Tibbs was shipped to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Dustin May deal.
Hicks was traded to the Chicago White Sox and continues to struggle at times. However, Harrison and Tibbs are thriving in their new organizations. Meanwhile, Durbin is off to a slow start, and May is no longer even with the team.
Harrison earned a job in the Brewers' rotation and has looked great so far. He has 14 strikeouts in 10 1/3 innings of work through two starts. His walk numbers are down, and his strikeout rate is as high as it has ever been at the big league level. The Red Sox brought in three new starting pitchers this offseason, when they could have just held on to Harrison.
Harrison turning into a better pitcher with the Brewers may have been expected. The organization has a track record of getting the best out of pitchers. However, what Tibbs is doing for the Doegers has to sting the Red Sox.
In 30 games with the Red Sox in Double-A, Tibbs hit .207 with a .586 OPS. He has started this season in Triple-A for the Dodgers and has been dominating at the plate. He has seven home runs in 10 games and is slashing .439/.511/1.098. He has been playing some first base with the Dodgers as well, and is their No. 10 prospect.
Tibbs started producing as soon as he was traded. In 36 Double-A games with the Dodgers last season, he hit .269 with a .900 OPS. He has played better for the Dodgers than he did for both the Red Sox and the San Francisco Giants. The Dodgers were clearly able to unlock something in his swing that the Red Sox could not.
The true winner of the Rafael Devers trade won't be known for a few more years. However, right now, it looks like the Red Sox could have had two very good players that they traded away for little return. If Durbin turns into a star at third base, that could change.
The Philadelphia Eagles have built a reputation for identifying and developing offensive line talent better than almost anyone in the NFL. Their business model is about building an offensive unit from the inside out. That's why their latest reported draft visit feels worth a closer look. Jude Bowry may not be a household name, but the former Boston College standout brings the kind of profile that has quietly worked in Philadelphia's favor for years. At 6-foot-5 and 314 pounds, he has the size and physical traits teams covet, along with positional flexibility that could make him even more valuable at the next level.
According to Mike Reiss, Bowry has a predraft visit scheduled with the Eagles this week.
Local pro day: The Patriots host prospects from New England schools today, and those who grew up locally. Often a meaningful day for those attending, many of whom grew up as Patriots fans.
In a related note, BC OL Jude Bowry is on top-30 visits with Bengals, Eagles this week.
He may be a hidden gem of sorts. In Lance Zierlein's draft profile written for NFL.com, Bowryearns a predraft grade of 6.14, labeling him as a "good backup with the potential to develop into a starter.”
A lesser-known name could address a growing concern along the Eagles’ offensive front.
For some teams, predraft profiles and Top 30 visits might not move the needle. For the Eagles, it's exactly the type of evaluation that conveys interest and can often turn into a long-term success story.
Philadelphia's situation along the interior offensive line adds another layer of intrigue. There are lingering questions about long-term durability and depth, particularly when considering the physical toll the position takes over a full season. With veteran departures reshaping the depth chart, adding a developmental piece now could prove a forward-thinking move. Bowry primarily played tackle in college, but his future may lie inside. A transition to guard could maximize his skill set, allowing him to utilize his strength and size in tighter spaces while refining his technique against interior defenders. That kind of versatility is something the Eagles have consistently valued.
He may not generate the buzz of a first-round pick, but that doesn't mean the opportunity isn't there. If history is any indication, Philadelphia can find good linemen in later rounds. They also don't need headlines to find impact players up front. Sometimes, the prospects no one is talking about end up becoming the ones everyone remembers.
“Sandy Alcantara threw the first complete game of the MLB season in a 93-pitch shutout to lead the Miami Marlins over the Chicago White Sox 10-0 on Wednesday,” ESPN wrote.
On Tuesday night, Alcantara nearly accomplished the same feat against the Cincinnati Reds but was pulled by his manager with two outs remaining.
“Sandy Alcantara took the mound in the top of the ninth inning with a 2–0 lead, aiming to become the fourth pitcher in Marlins franchise history to record back-to-back complete-game shutouts. After surrendering a double and a walk, manager Clayton McCullough made his most controversial move of the young season, removing his ace in favor of Anthony Bender,” Fish on First’s Kevin Barral wrote.
Alcantara’s dominance early in the season has also caused his trade value to skyrocket. One team to watch as a potential suitor is the Los Angeles Dodgers.
“Alcántara has been at the subject of trade rumors for years. Miami held onto him rather than flipping him for pennies on the dollar. It looks like the right call. Alcántara missed the 2024 season and then was a bit rusty in 2025. Now, he's fully back. Alcántara has made three starts and has a 0.74 ERA in a league-leading 24 1/3 innings pitched to go along with an 18-to-4 strikeout-to-walk ratio. In three starts this season, he has pitched seven innings, nine innings and 8 1/3 innings. He's on a bit of an insane run and looks like the guy who won the Cy Young Award in 2022,” SI’s Patrick McAvoy wrote.
The Dodgers already boast one of the best rotations in baseball, but there have still been some inconsistencies. Alcantara, who is on a $56 million deal, would give Los Angeles another elite arm and potentially elevate an already dangerous pitching staff.
Alcantara won the Cy Young Award in 2022 and appears to be returning to that form early this season. While there is still a long way to go, he is exactly the type of frontline starter the Dodgers could target.
“We’re Dude Perfect. I’m Bryson DeChambeau. And believe it or not, welcome to All Sports Golf Battle at Augusta National.” [And then a lot of yelling for some reason.]
That’s how the 11-minute Dude Perfect's Masters video from 2022 begins, and to be honest, many couldn’t believe it. Augusta National, the home of secrecy, phone bans and a constantly expanding list of rules and restrictions, had just allowed several YouTubers to use croquet mallets as putters and toss frisbees around its sacred course. And now, four years later, Masters Chairman Fred Ridley is also a bit bewildered by the decision.
“I've referred to the tension in the past between respecting tradition and innovating, or in our nomenclature, continuous improvement,” Ridley explained in a Masters presser on Wednesday. “So I do think we need to be looking at nontraditional ways of promoting the tournament, but more so promoting golf.
“A few years ago, we had Dude Perfect playing frisbee at Amen Corner. In retrospect, I like those guys, but that may not have been the best idea. But it does point out that we try things every once in a while that are a little bit nontraditional.”
To be fair, the video has racked up nearly 20 million views and went viral the second it dropped. Is that what Augusta National and its intelligentsia want? It sounds like they’re still figuring that out. Perhaps that is why Pat McAfee was shut out from hosting his show at the Masters ... and also why Jason Kelce is romping around the Par-3 Contest this year. Clearly, things are still up in the air.
“My first reaction was, who are these guys?” Ridley said back in 2022 regarding Dude Perfect. “I’ve never heard of them.
“It was something that I got comfortable with very quickly. No. 1, these are very upstanding young men who, it was obvious to me in some discussions, some third-party discussions of people who had been dealing with them and things they actually said on video. They had the utmost respect and reverence for Augusta National.”
We get it. Things change. Since that Dude Perfect video, Rory McIlroy cemented a career Grand Slam and Scottie Scheffler won all of his majors, but we can say with relative confidence that Dude Perfect won’t be back to flip water bottles in Butler Cabin anytime soon.
100: Aislynn Weller, Selinsgrove … Sophomore finished second in District 4 and sixth at regionals in first season with the program … Won 28 matches.
106: Juliet Steckley, Danville … Sophomore took third at districts and qualified for regionals … Recorded 33 wins.
112: Kyleigh Ficks, Milton … Freshman became first girl in program history to medal at a PIAA state meet after finishing eighth … District 4 champion and regional runner-up … Ended the year with a 39-10 record.
118: Skyler Wiest, Shikellamy … Junior finished fifth at districts and qualified for regionals … Posted 28 wins.
124: Rylee Campbell, Shikellamy … Junior is a repeat selection … Took second at districts and fifth at regionals … Won 29 matches.
130: Aubrey Rebuck, Shikellamy … Sophomore is a repeat pick … Qualified for state meet for second time … Finished fourth at districts and regionals … 32-10 record.
136: Ryleigh Ziants, Shikellamy … Sophomore is a repeat selection … Finished third at districts and qualified for regionals … Won 25 matches.
142: Shu Hyra Ali, Milton … Junior made first trip to states … Runner-up at districts and regionals … Compiled a 28-10 record.
148: Roslyn Snyder, Shikellamy … Junior is a repeat selection … Ended the season as a first-time state qualifier … Finished as a district champion and took third at regionals … Collected 31 wins.
155: Tatianna Myers, Selinsgrove … Junior took third at districts and qualified for regionals … Won 17 matches.
170: Daphney Bingaman, Southern Columbia … Sophomore finished fifth at districts and competed at regionals … 17-9 record.
190: Taylor Stewart, Mifflinburg … Senior is a repeat pick … Qualified for states for first time … Posted 25 wins in second season with varsity.
235: Aryonna McGinley, Mount Carmel … Senior took fourth at districts and qualified for regionals … Won 13 matches.
Honorable mention
Danville: Kiera Johns (124), Jadelyn Sarviss (148), Brightness Che (170)
Line Mountain: Reese Kieffer (112), Alessia Horning (124), Paiton Burgess (130), Anastasia Phillips (136), Layla Dunn (148), Kayleann Gonzalez (170)
Mifflinburg: Autumn Dersham (106), Camryn Roman (118), Avery Edison (148), Skyanne Little (155), Lydia Miller (170)
Milton: Cage Farr (118), Adelyn Bush (136)
Selinsgrove: Abbey Carr (106), Mikayla Martin (118), Elizabeth Varner (142)
There was plenty of young talent across the Valley girls wrestling scene during the 2025-26 season. However, one newcomer stood out among the crowd.
Shikellamy freshman Finley Boetsch had high expectations even before she competed in a high school varsity match. She put on a dominant first season that culminated with a fifth-place finish at the PIAA tournament.
After becoming the first girl in program history to win a state medal, Boetsch is this season’s Daily Item Girls Wrestler of the Year.
Wrestling at 170 pounds, Boetsch opened the state tournament with an 11-0 major decision loss. She then pinned four of her next five opponents to ascend to fifth place on the podium.
Boetsch ended the season 38-5 with 36 of her wins coming by fall. Three of her losses came to Brockway’s Elysabeth Myers, who took third in the state.
“It really shows me what my competition will be,” Boetsch said in March. “A lot of them are actually graduating, so I probably won’t see a lot of them, but next year I’ll be able to know their tactics and know what they are best at, and I can work off that.”
Boetsch started the season 17-0 before she was pinned by Myers for her first loss of the season on Jan. 17. Boetsch also won a District 4 title and finished fourth at the Central Regional tournament.
Even before her varsity career started, Boetsch had been in the spotlight. She took second at 150 in the U14 girls tournament at the Keystone State Championships last year. Boetsch, who has been wrestling for five years, also made the U14 Junior All-Tournament team during the Women’s National Duals in June.
In order to achieve more success at the state level, Boetsch wants to focus on her shots ahead of next season, especially against girls who are bigger than her.
“I used to wrestle with the boys, and so it kind of just shows all my hard work paid off,” Boetsch said. “I’m gonna keep working and try to get first place. And it just shows to our school that there is a great program, and that if you even think about it, you should come and try it. It’s just amazing.
“I just think next year I’ll come in much stronger. I’m gonna try to get bigger in the weight room, and come back and actually try to be a solid 170.”
Before New Jersey's game against the Flyers, Devils captain Nico Hischier spoke to the media, and his reaction to the Fitzgerald news has caught the attention of the fans.
Hischier was asked about his future with the Devils following the team's direction and the aftermath of letting go of Fitzgerald. His answer raised questions and concerns.
"I’m focusing on playing hockey here," Hischier told reporters. "I still have one more year. So I’m with the Devils right now, and then we’ll see what happens."
The 27-year-old is in the sixth year of a seven-year contract that he signed in October 2019. He earns $7.25 million per season and is eligible to sign a contract extension with New Jersey as early as July 1.
His contract also includes a modified no-trade clause, rather than the full no-move clause that several stars in the NHL have attached to their deals. For this season and next season, the Swiss center has a 10-team no-trade list.
This is Hischier's ninth NHL season since being selected first overall in the 2017 draft. However, if the Devils put up another disappointing campaign and hang around the bottom of the Eastern Conference once again, there could be some more changes coming to the organization.
Hischier's comments provide flexibility for his future, as he didn't take a firm stance on whether he would be part of the Devils in the long run. Should New Jersey be another selling team, whoever their new GM is, may consider moving the captain in exchange for a healthy return of assets.
However, with the talent up front, including Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, Timo Meier, and others, there's a world in which this season is just a one-off for the Devils, and they return to the competitive playoff team everyone expected them to be this year.
The Final Four marks the final step before a national champion is crowned, drawing massive betting interest every April.
With 2027 March Madness odds not yet available, this page will be updated as sportsbooks release lines and the market begins to take shape.
NCAA men's Final Four odds
NCAA men’s Final Four odds for 2027 are not yet available, but will be added here as sportsbooks release their markets.
Check back for updates as the tournament field takes shape and betting action begins.
What impacts NCAA Final Four odds?
Final Four odds are shaped by a mix of team strength, matchup paths, and late-tournament performance, all of which become more defined as March Madness unfolds.
Team quality and seeding: Higher seeds and top-ranked teams typically enter the tournament with shorter odds, but those numbers can shift quickly based on performance.
Path to the Final Four: A favorable bracket or key upsets can dramatically improve a team’s outlook, while difficult matchups can lengthen odds.
Star power and form: Teams led by elite players — especially those producing in high-pressure moments — often see their odds shorten as betting action increases.
Most March Madness appearances without a championship
30 (Purdue Boilermakers)
Odds of a No. 16 seed pulling off an upset
1 in 150
Odds of a perfect March Madness bracket
1 in 9.2 quintillion
Most Final Four appearances
21 (North Carolina)
Most March Madness championships by a coach
10 (John Wooden)
Most March Madness career wins by a coach
97 (Mike Krzyzewski)
Most career points scored during March Madness
407 (Christian Laettner, Duke)
Most points scored in a March Madness game
61 (Austin Carr, Notre Dame)
Placing your Final Four bets shouldn't feel harder than breaking a full-court press. Check out our listing of the best March Madness betting sites to discover the most reliable and trustworthy sportsbooks available.
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Seattle Mariners placed outfielder Victor Robles on the 10-day injured list with a right pec strain on Wednesday and recalled Connor Joe from Triple-A Tacoma.
The move with Robles was made retroactive to Tuesday and announced before Wednesday's game at Texas.
The Mariners also transferred right-hander Carlos Vargas from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day injured list with a right lat strain.
Robles is batting .231 in five games with Seattle.
Joe has played first base, right field and left field for Tacoma. He played in a combined 42 games for Cincinnati and San Diego in 2025 and hit .186.
Max Dowman etched his name into the record books during Arsenal's 1-0 win over Sporting CP in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final.
The 16-year-old midfielder was introduced late on, replacing Noni Madueke in the second half, where his brief involvement once again etched his name into the history books.
Dowman, aged just 16 years and 97 days, became the youngest player ever to feature in a Champions League knockout match.
The England youth international is enjoying a breakthrough campaign, already racking up nine senior appearances in all competitions as he continues to earn the trust of his manager.
After making his senior bow in a pre-season clash with AC Milan at 15, Dowman went on to make Premier League history with his debut against Leeds United during the 2024/25 season.
At 15 years and 235 days, he became the second-youngest player to appear in the competition, behind teammate Ethan Nwaneri.
He has also set another landmark, becoming the youngest goalscorer in Premier League history after a late solo strike sealed a 2-0 win over Everton at the Emirates Stadium last month.
Meanwhile, the Gunners Arsenal boosted ahead of second leg Arteta's side head into the return leg in north London with another key advantage.
Kai Havertz proved decisive in Lisbon, firing home a 91st-minute winner from Gabriel Martinelli's assist to hand Arsenal a narrow lead.
Sporting did threaten, particularly in the final third, but David Raya stood firm producing five saves, including a superb fingertip stop to deny Araujo.
Crucially, Sporting will be without striker Luis Suarez for the second leg at the Emirates after his suspension.
The forward, signed last summer to replace Viktor Gyokeres, has been a standout performer with 33 goals and seven assists in 43 appearances.
He has also impressed in Europe, contributing five goals and two assists, including a brace in a shock 2-1 victory over holders Paris Saint-Germain.
His absence is a blow for the Portuguese side, with Fotis Ioannidis also sidelined through injury, responsibility is likely to fall on academy graduate Rafael Nel.
The 21-year-old, who has cited Gyokeres as a major influence, has limited top-level experience, making just five appearances this season and scoring twice.
Arsenal fixture schedule: Next five games
Arsenal vs. Bournemouth | Premier League | Saturday, April 11
Arsenal vs. Sporting CP | Champions League quarterfinal, second leg | Wednesday, April 15
Man City vs. Arsenal | Premier League | Sunday, April 19
Arsenal vs. Newcastle | Premier League | Saturday, April 25
Arsenal vs. Fulham | Premier League | Saturday, May 02
There is no time to rest in this era of college basketball, as the transfer portal officially opened following the National Championship on Monday night. Coaches used to have two months in April and May to recover from the long season and even take a vacation, but not anymore.
The Illini are already looking for ways to improve their roster for next season, just two days removed from their Final Four loss to UConn. With the departures of seniors Ben Humrichous, Kylan Boswell and A.J. Redd, Illinois will need to replace its production.
Over 1,500 players have already entered the portal in less than 24 hours, so there will be no shortage of options. Finding the right fit and the right price is a challenge for any coaching staff and front office in this new era of college hoops.
But in recent years, Illinois has done a great job evaluating talent without overpaying for big-name players. Director of Personnel Neel Ganta and Brad Underwood have even implemented a test for potential recruits to evaluate their basketball IQ and better understand how they process the game on the floor.
That evaluation process has proven successful, with numerous home-run portal additions like Terrence Shannon Jr., Marcus Domask and key contributors from this year’s Final Four team such as Jake Davis, Zvonimir Ivisic and Andrej Stojakovic.
How can Illinois improve its roster for next season?
Illinois has a strong chance to begin next season ranked in the preseason top 10 nationally if the offseason goes as planned. While the Illini will lose pieces to graduation and likely the transfer portal, they also have a great opportunity to bring back their core for another run.
Andrej Stojakovic, Tomislav Ivisic, Zvonimir Ivisic and Jake Davis could all return to Champaign for one final season, while David Mirkovic could be back for his sophomore year after a breakout freshman campaign. Bringing back those five players alone would put the Illini in prime position to compete for a conference title.
Illinois also has four talented freshmen coming in to help fill the gaps left by departing seniors and projected NBA lottery pick Keaton Wagler. MaxPreps All-American Quentin Coleman committed to Illinois on Friday and could step into a starting role immediately. The guard is ranked No. 34 in the class of 2026 by 247 Sports and has the potential to become the next Illinois freshman selected in the first round of the NBA Draft.
This returning core, combined with the incoming freshman class, gives Illinois a strong foundation.
But the Illini still have the opportunity to make a major splash in the portal to elevate the roster even further.
Expect Illinois to be aggressive, likely making at least one major addition and investing significant resources into acquiring a guard to replace Big Ten All-Defensive First Team selection Kylan Boswell. Wisconsin guard John Blackwell and Providence guard Stefan Vaaks are early names to keep an eye on in the portal, though Illinois will face stiff competition from other top programs pursuing those same high-level targets.
The Illini will likely prioritize improving their guard play while also adding a versatile wing to replace Ben Humrichous. There is every reason to trust the Illinois staff to build another high-level roster for the 2026–27 season, especially with an increased budget and national exposure following a Final Four run.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - SEPTEMBER 13: Undefeated super middleweight boxer Edgar Berlanga works the crowd as he arrives for a ceremonial weigh-in in Toshiba Plaza at T-Mobile Arena on September 13, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Berlanga is scheduled to challenge WBC/WBA/WBO super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez for the titles at the arena September 14. (Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Edgar Berlanga washed his hands of Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing after a “disrespectful” booking against Jonathan Gonzalez-Ortiz last year in Orlando. To be fair, Hearn also got Berlanga three consecutive main events, including a 2024 showdown against Canelo Alvarez that made “The Chosen One” filthy rich in defeat.
But like they say, what have you done for me lately?
The former WBO NABO Super Middleweight champion will take his talents to Zuffa Boxing after signing with Dana White and Co. earlier this week. Joining him is undefeated IBF junior welterweight champion Richardson Hitchins, who was last seen stopping George Kambosos Jr. last summer in New York City.
“Zuffa Boxing is changing the game,” Berlanga said in today’s release. “I’m here for the biggest fights on boxing’s best platform, here to put the super middleweight division on notice.”
“This is a major step forward in my career,” Hitchins added. “I’m very grateful for this opportunity and with Zuffa Boxing in my corner, I’m going to show the world that I am a pound-for-pound, generational fighter.”
Gyokeres reacts to Sporting reception after 1st game vs old club
Viktor Gyokeres says it was a “great feeling” to play back at Sporting CP’s home ground on Tuesday night, his first game against his former club.
Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres joined the club after a protracted transfer saga last summer, with Sporting CP dragging the deal out to secure every last penny they felt they were owed.
Given the story dominated the headlines for much of last summer, it could have ended up turning the Sporting fans against their former hero.
Yet Gyokeres clearly didn’t feel negatively targeted by the home support during Tuesday night’s match back at his old ground, playing for Arsenal in the Champions League quarter-final first leg.
Instead, the striker thanked the Sporting fans for their welcome, admitting it was good to be back.
Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images
“Great feeling being back to this special place with a lot of memories,” Gyokeres wrote on Instagram. “Thanks for the reception, on to the next one.”
There was no goal for the ex-Sporting striker on the night, and in fact he got one goal ruled out for an offside in the build-up to Martin Zubimendi’s finish.
But the 27-year-old kept working, as he always does, and Kai Havertz was ultimately grateful for the Sweden international’s role in his winning goal.
“All in all, top goal,” Havertz told Arsenal. “Thanks to Gabi Martinelli and to Viktor [Gyokeres], who created the space.”
Photo by Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images
Gyokeres will have another opportunity to bag a goal against his old club when Sporting visit the Emirates Stadium next Wednesday, but perhaps it’s for the best that someone else got the winner in Lisbon.
Given Gyokeres’ 97 goals and two league titles in two seasons with Sporting, it would be a shame if his relationship with his old fanbase broke down.
While they've stumbled a bit and are now 6-5, the Marlins still have the makings of an intriguing team this season, especially with how good Sandy Alcantara has looked.
However, a recent prediction from ESPN analyst AJ Mass is a wild one that would ignore the Marlins' recent struggles and would have the Marlins winning the NL East and Alcantara winning the NL Cy Young Award for the second time in his career.
Marlins and Alcantara receive wild predictions for 2026
"The Miami Marlins will win the NL East and Sandy Alcantara wins NL Cy Young," Mass predicts. This would be a wild outcome for the Marlins this season.
Of the two predictions, Alcantara winning the NL Cy Young might not be that bold a prediction after his start to the season.
The Marlins righty has a 0.74 ERA with 18 strikeouts and a 2-0 record with a complete-game shutout already this season. His 24.1 innings pitched this season are the most in the league, and the most of any pitcher three starts into the year since 2013.
But the 30-year-old former Cy Young winner earning his second Cy Young award is far from the most bold part of this prediction. Miami winning the NL East is a wild prediction.
Miami has Alcantara and Eury Perez, along with a few interesting options in Janson Junk, Chris Paddack, and Max Meyer. But, there are some major question marks with the roster as a whole.
Even making the postseason seems like a bold prediction for the Marlins. To predict they'd win the NL East over the Phillies, Mets, and Braves would be a wildly bold prediction.
This roster is a fun, young team that might be working towards being a contender in the near future. But for them to win the division in 2026 would be a stunning outcome.
It's a very bold prediction, and it already looks like a lost cause after a 1-4 skid. But, while the Marlins winning the NL East might be out of reach, Alcantara winning the Cy Young might not be too bold a prediction at all after his hot start to the year.
The Atlanta Hawks can secure a playoff berth and no worse than the Eastern Conference’s No. 6 seed with a win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavs have already secured home-court advantage for the first round of the playoffs, but still have a chance to catch the New York Knicks for the No. 3 seed.
How to watch Atlanta Hawks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
After Konnor Griffin made his MLB debut with the Pirates on April 3, the 19-year-old shortstop is keeping his talents in Pittsburgh for the foreseeable future.
Griffin signed a nine-year, $140 million contract with the Pirates on April 8, according to the organization. The contract ensured that Griffin would remain with the team through 2034.
The Mississippi native made his MLB debut during the Pirates' home opener at PNC Park against the Baltimore Orioles. Griffin went 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI as the Pirates won 5-4.
Griffin was the No. 9 overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft and was the first high school player selected in the draft that year. Griffin is the No. 1 prospect in the league. He will be the first teenage position player to make an MLB start since Juan Soto in 2018 with the Washington Nationals.
Cincinnati guard Jizzle James has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal, On3 has learned. He has one season of eligibility remaining.
James made 23 appearances and 21 starts for the Bearcats this past season. The 6-foot-3 standout averaged 10.9 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 29.9 minutes per game. James shot 44.0% from the field and 44.2% from beyond the arc.
As a sophomore in the 2024-25 season, James averaged a career-high 12.7 points per game. For his efforts, he was named an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention selection. Over the course of three seasons at Cincinnati, James amassed 95 appearances and 58 starts.
Jizzle James played high school basketball at Olympia (FL), where he was a four-star recruit. He was the No. 72 overall player and No. 16 point guard in the 2023 recruiting cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Rankings.
After firing Wes Miller in March, Cincinnati hired Jerrod Calhoun to be its next head coach. Calhoun was Utah State‘s head coach for the past two seasons. He led the Aggies to a combined 55-15 overall record and back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances.
Utah State advanced to the Round of 32 this past season after defeating Villanova in the first round of the tournament. Now, Calhoun hopes to bring his winning tradition to Cincinnati.
“The University of Cincinnati deserves a winner in men’s basketball,” Calhoun said at his introductory press conference. “This city deserves to be rocking and rolling again. People need to fear us in the state of Ohio.
“It’s the best basketball job in the state of Ohio. I think it truly is. Our players will understand what it means to put the Bearcat uniform on. One thing is going to be certain: when they put the Bearcat uniform on, they’re going to make this city proud.”
The NCAA Transfer Portal officially opens on April 7 and closes on April 21. The new 15-day window was enacted following a recommendation by the men’s basketball oversight committee. Athletes don’t have to commit to a new school by the April 21 deadline.
It’s hard for me to think of three sports that differ more from each other than boxing, golf, and soccer. They intersected in my mind recently because of the concept of unretirement.
People get out of the proverbial rocking chair all the time for all kinds of reasons, and not just in sports.
The star athlete most famous for it — and why it is most associated with boxing — is Sugar Ray Leonard. He retired and came back so many times in the 1980s and ’90s it’s hard to remember exactly how many. Three, I think. Anyway, so many times that it became a punchline (sorry, couldn’t resist).
More recently, Mike Tyson unretired at age 58 to lose to Jake Paul, 27, in 2024. More than 100 million people watched live on Netflix, which started its online streaming services two years after Iron Mike’s last previous pro fight in 2005 (not counting his 2020 exhibition match against Roy Jones Jr.).
Plus, didn’t Rocky unretire, too?
Like real- or reel-life boxers, it seems golfers and surfers never really retire, at least in their hearts.
That’s partly why nobody’s really very surprised that Michelle Wie West and Carissa Moore are back, right?
“Never say never, but probably not,” Wie West told TMZ in late 2023.
The timing last week was a slight red flag, since there was news about both superstar former child prodigies’ returns around April 1.
But neither is joking around; both had previously announced plans to return. Plus, when they stepped back from their sports, neither shut the door on returning.
Depending on whether you consider hitting tee shots into a screen “real,” or not, Wie West already announced she is partly back. In February, she announced she would play in the WTGL — the women’s version of the indoor, partly virtual Tomorrow Golf League.
“As an investor in Los Angeles Golf Club and a fan of TGL, I’m excited for the chance to compete again through WTGL, which will be a powerful platform for women’s golf,” Wie West said in a statement in February.
On March 31, she made her return to the LPGA official for at least one event. Wie West will play in the U.S. Women’s Open, June 4-7 at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif.
Both are wives and moms — which seems crazy considering all they’ve already achieved — at ages where they may have not reached their athletic peaks.
Wie West, 36, has two children, ages 4 and 1.
Moore, 33, has a daughter who turned 1 in February.
“We’re going to do it as a family the whole season,” Moore said in a Surfer magazine article posted Tuesday. “But she is my priority. If we need to pivot, we’ll pivot.”
So far, so good for the five-time world champion and Olympic gold medalist.
Moore announced in November that she would come back. It’s been two years since she last competed at the Paris Olympics, but it was as if she’d never left last week at Bells Beach in Australia, where she emerged victorious, advancing past the elimination round.
Brentford have teamed up with Fantasy Football Scout to help bring you hints, tips and advice during the 2025/26 Fantasy Premier League (FPL) season.
Scout will be using their expertise to provide info, advice and Gameweek tips which may prove useful in ensuring you sit on top of your mini-leagues.
Best of the Bees
A second successive 0-0 on the road means Brentford have kept three clean sheets in five away games and remain seventh in the league table.
Dango Ouattara (£6.0m) owners will have been disappointed that the midfielder was not fit enough to start the match against Leeds, but his 13-minute appearance off the bench is a sure sign to hold ahead of Gameweek 33’s clash with Everton.
Caoimhín Kelleher (£4.8m) made several saves and reached nine points, bettered only by Ethan Pinnock (£4.2m), who was rewarded for his number of defensive contributions. In fact, three other Bees were also given extra points for this, including Igor Thiago (£7.3m) - just the third FPL forward to achieve this all season.
On Saturday, Keith Andrews’ side gets to host Everton. A big match in the chase for European qualification for the 2026/27 season. Thiago’s owners will be hoping for a hat-trick, like in January’s reverse meeting.
The Spotlight
In defence, Sepp van den Berg (£4.6m), Nathan Collins (£4.9m) and Kristoffer Ajer (£4.4m) have usually been competing for two centre-back spots, making FPL investment tricky. But van den Berg has started Brentford’s last eight.
Though still without a goal this season, he’s assisted twice in this recent run. Over the latest six Gameweeks, the only defender to accumulate a higher number of shots inside the box is Manchester City’s Nico O’Reilly (£5.0m), while none have had more headed attempts (seven).
In 2024/25, just five defenders did better in this category, and they all played at least 500 more minutes than van den Berg.
Best of the Rest
Blank Gameweek 31 feels like a long time ago, taking place before all these international, FA Cup and continental encounters.
For those with good memories, there were only eight matches, due to the EFL Cup final.
Beto’s (£5.0m) brace and assist delivered 16 points and a win over Chelsea, with Neco Williams (£4.7m) one behind after setting up two goals and securing a clean sheet.
The Nottingham Forest full-back is the leading 2025/26 defender for attempts (35) and shots on target (15), also ranking fourth for chances created (30).
Meanwhile, both Bruno Fernandes (£10.3m) and Josh King (£4.4m) registered both a goal and an assist to secure 13 points.
In Demand
The first fortnight of this three-week break saw very little transfer movement, as millions waited patiently for FA Cup results to finalise these upcoming Blank and Double Gameweeks.
Now we know that six teams will play twice in Gameweek 33, but those six teams will also blank in Gameweek 34 as it clashes with the FA Cup semi-finals. Those teams are Bournemouth, Brighton, Burnley, Chelsea, Leeds and Manchester City, and all six are likely to pique the interest of FPL managers for their double.
This knowledge also means that FPL managers are now able to settle on a chip strategy for this exciting final stretch.
As of now, the most-bought individuals are Danny Welbeck (£6.2m) and Fernandes, but expect bursts in popularity for Jarrod Bowen (£7.6m) and Anthony Gordon (£7.4m) for those managers without a Wildcard and several Man City players.
Captaincy
Erling Haaland’s (£14.4m) poor league form has led to many recent sales and price drops, but last Saturday’s FA Cup hat-trick suggests that he’s fully rested and ready to go.
Trusting a Liverpool asset at home to in-form Fulham is tough because it’s surrounded by Champions League quarter-finals versus Paris Saint-Germain, so the best armband contender is probably Manchester United’s Fernandes.
Not only did the midfielder haul away at Bournemouth, but his last six home outings have all ended on double digits. It’s an absurd run that owners hope will continue against Leeds on Monday.
PARIS, FRANCE - MARCH 05: (THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Harvey Elliott of Liverpool celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Round of 16 first leg match between Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool FC at Parc des Princes on March 05, 2025 in Paris, France. (Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images) | Liverpool FC via Getty Images
PSG VS. LIVERPOOL
| Wednesday, April 8th | Champions League | Parc des Princes 8PM BST/3PM EST
I’m not sure I’ve ever been less enthusiastic about a Champions League quarterfinal.
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Team sheets posted approximately one hour before kickoff.
LIVERPOOL
Team sheets posted approximately one hour before kickoff.
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Former Oklahoma Sooners star linebacker Owen Heinecke has been fighting back hard against the NCAA for an additional year of eligibility in 2026. After his initial petition and appeal were both denied, Heinecke has taken legal action against the NCAA, filing a preliminary injunction request in Cleveland County Court.
Heinecke's case will be heard on the morning of April 16th, one week before the 2026 NFL Draft, by judge Thad Balkman, an OU alum. Heinekce's legal counsel includes former OU chief of staff Woody Glass, Tyler Ames, Mary Cooper, OU law aum Michael Lauderdale, and Andrew Richardson. The linebacker is hoping for a similar result to the one that Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss got, where he was granted the right to play in court, and then the court denied the NCAA's appeal of their decision.
According to Sulley, "The NCAA argues Heinecke chose to attend Ohio State on a lacrosse scholarship despite numerous DI scholarship opportunities to play football for institutions outside the Power Four conferences. Heinecke received scholarship offers from Army and Navy along with Division II programs Northeastern State and UCO ... Heinecke chose to attend Ohio State on a lacrosse scholarship without any guarantee he could try out for the football team, let alone obtain a roster spot, which was a circumstance expressly within his control."
Sulley also reported that the NCAA is arguing that "Heinecke was not offered a spot on the Buckeyes’ football roster and following limited participation in lacrosse, he decided he would prefer to play football and transferred to OU."
“Plaintiff did not lose the opportunity to play football due to circumstances beyond control because he decided to reject multiple scholarships to play football,” the NCAA said.
Conveniently, the NCAA's opposition does not include anything about the 2022 season, which Heinecke missed all of, due to injury. The NCAA has regularly rewarded a sixth year of eligibility to players who miss the vast majority of a season because of an injury via medical hardship waivers, but it seems they are not willing to do the same for Heinecke.
On the other hand, Heinecke's argument is simple. He has only played three years of college football, and wants to play his fourth at Oklahoma. After 15 total minutes over three games of lacrosse at Ohio State in 2021, he missed all of 2022. He's played in 2023, 2024, and 2025, and wants to return to the Sooners to improve his draft stock for next spring.
After a breakout season last year at inside linebacker, Heinecke participated in the NFL combine and OU's pro day to get ready for the NFL draft. With a little over two weeks until the draft kicks off, Heinecke should know his collegiate fate in a little over a week. He's pretty much a lock to be selected, but he clearly wants to stay at OU for one more year.
Even if Heinecke is granted the opportunity to play, the NCAA will likely appeal Balkman's decision, just like they did with Chambliss. However, the NCAA's appeal was denied in Chambliss' case, which would be the result that Heinecke and OU would be hoping for as well.
Heinceke has told the media that he knows he can't afford to be playing football somewhere next season, and his situation has been complicated for months now. However, Oklahoma has stood behind Heinecke the whole way, and perhaps a favorable resolution is heading their way later this month. If not, Heinecke will head off to the pros, where he'll look to continue his meteoric rise at the next level.
Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions.You can also follow Aaron on X@Aaron_Gelvin.
Former India captain and ex-BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has thrown his weight behind Mohammed Shami, urging selectors to bring the experienced pacer back into India’s national setup. Speaking at an event in Kolkata ahead of Kolkata Knight Riders’ clash with Lucknow Super Giants, Ganguly made a strong case for Shami’s return, stating that the veteran should be sharing the new ball with Jasprit Bumrah.
Currently representing Lucknow Super Giants after a Rs 10 crore move from Sunrisers Hyderabad, Shami has made an immediate impact in IPL 2026 with standout performances.
Against Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 5, he delivered a remarkable spell of 2/9 in four overs, including 18 dot balls, dismissing dangerous openers Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head early in the innings. Earlier, against Delhi Capitals, he struck on the very first ball, removing KL Rahul for a golden duck and finishing with figures of 1/28.
Ganguly was particularly impressed with Shami’s spell against SRH, calling it “phenomenal” given the quality of opposition.
“He should be bowling at the other end of Jasprit Bumrah, nowhere else. That's how good he is. We all saw that spell the other night against Sunrisers Hyderabad four overs, nine runs against two of the best T20 players, Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma. That was phenomenal,” Ganguly said.
Domestic Form and Fitness in Focus
The former India captain also highlighted Shami’s strong domestic performances, recalling his eight-wicket haul in the Ranji Trophy semi-final for Bengal.
“He had a strong Ranji Trophy season for Bengal. I still remember that semi-final, even though Bengal lost, he picked up eight wickets. He was instrumental in taking the team that far, I’m very happy he wants to keep playing in the Ranji Trophy. It’s tough for a fast bowler, but there’s nothing better than watching Mohammed Shami run in with the new ball,” he said.
Despite his consistent performances in domestic cricket and the IPL, Shami remains out of India’s setup under chief selector Ajit Agarkar. Ganguly, however, believes the pacer still has plenty to offer at the highest level.
“He looks fit and sharp. After bowling consistently, you reach peak condition. I still believe he should play for India. Hopefully, his time will come again because he’s that good,” Ganguly added.
On another hectic day, University of Hawaii basketball coach Eran Ganot was in fast-break mode.
“Every day is recruiting calls, fundraising … that’s all I’m focused on,” Ganot said in a telephone interview.
That left UH athletic director Matt Elliott to announce an agreement in principle was reached with Ganot on a contract extension. Ganot’s contract was set to expire at the end of this month.
Citing an ability to navigate the transfer portal and name-image-likeness landscape while leading the Rainbow Warriors to a berth in the 2026 NCAA Tournament, Elliott said, “Coach Ganot has proven to be the right leader for our future as we transition to the Mountain West Conference. He has cultivated a ‘student-first’ philosophy and ensured our student-athletes excel in the classroom and the community in alignment with our department’s vision for excellence.”
UH did not disclose details, but people familiar with the situation said the extension will be at least three years. Ganot also is expected to receive a bump from his estimated annual base salary of $350,000.
Ganot’s salary this year ranked in the bottom half among 11 Big West head coaches. The Rainbow Warriors are seceding from the Big West and joining the Mountain West on July 1. This past season, according to Extra Points Library, the annual base salaries of Mountain West head coaches ranged from $500,000 to $2.5 million. UNLV’s Josh Pastner’s $500,000 base doubles to $1 million this coming academic year.
In 11 UH seasons, Ganot (195-127 career record) is second in wins behind to Riley Wallace (334-265). Ganot’s .606 winning percentage is the highest for a UH coach since the program went to an all-collegiate schedule in 1968-69.
“I think it’s been one of the great honors of my life, and it should be one of the great honors of anybody’s life, to do what you love where you love with people you love,” Ganot said. “My family and I have been very immersed in the state and the community and the culture and the ways. We’ve raised our family here. Anybody who’s been around us knows how much Hawaii means to us; how much the community, the school, the program mean to us. You have to match your joys with purpose. It’s pretty obvious how much this means to us. If you’re around us, you can tell.”
Ganot entered his 11th season as UH head coach with a year remaining on his contract. Ganot said he focused on leading the ’Bows instead of worrying about his contract.
“We get a limited time every day and in this world,” Ganot said. “It’s easy to say but hard to do: control what you can control, talk about what you have and not what you don’t. … If you think about those other things, you won’t have great perspective. It was really important to pour everything into our program and our staff and our kids, and let the rest take care of itself. …If you’re thinking of too many things at once, you’re not going to enjoy the journey. And if you’re not enjoying the journey, you’re not going to be very good. In a leadership position, your group will see that. If you want your team to focus on the task at hand, you’d better be focused on the task at hand.”
With nine newcomers, the ’Bows finished second in the Big West’s regular season. After two byes, the ’Bows defeated Cal State Fullerton and then UC Irvine to win the Big West Tournament and accompanying berth in the NCAA Tournament.
“He absolutely deserved (a new contract),” guard Hunter Erickson said of Ganot. “With the changing landscape of college basketball, having a lot of transfers and things of that nature, with last year and all the guys they brought in, including me, he’s proven he’s able to put together great teams in a short amount of time.”
UH assistant coach Gibson Johnson, who played two UH seasons under Ganot, said: “Coach Ganot is proof you can do things the right way and still be successful at the highest level. He had his fair share of national interest after the amazing job he has done here for more than a decade but remains loyal to Hawaii. His leadership since arriving here has had great influence on my life and his continued leadership moving forward will greatly impact the countless lives of players and coaches that have the honor to wear the ‘H’ on their chest.”
The New York Giants knew they had a special player when they selected Purdue offensive lineman Marcus Mbow in the fifth round of last year's NFL draft.
Mbow can play anywhere along the offensive line and proved it during his rookie season. He had no preference. Many who covered the team saw him as an eventual starter, mainly at guard, but thus far, he has played mostly tackle.
In 2025, Mbow appeared in 13 games, starting three and seeing snaps in five others. The bulk of his work has been as a swing tackle, filling in for both left tackle Andrew Thomas and Jermaine Eluemunor on the right side. He handled himself fairly well in those games, and many felt he would get a shot as a starter this season.
With a new coaching staff coming in the door, Mbow is still not seen as a starter. Head coach John Harbaugh's staff is considering Mbow as their third tackle, behind Thomas and the recently re-signed Eluemunor.
ESPN Giants beat reporter Jordan Raanan recently told Bobby Skinner on the Breaking Big Blue podcast that Mbow is likely going to be the third tackle again this year. He will not be tried at guard.
"I do not think -- now it doesn't mean they might not look in or look at it -- but or like try it at some point," Raanan said of moving Mbow to guard. "But his role right now seems to be, or the intention for his role right now is to be the swing tackle."
This offseason, the Giants surprisingly continued their relationship with two former high-round picks, Evan Neal and Joshua Ezeudu. These are two players who have had injury and performance issues in their four years with Big Blue, and many felt the team would simply let them go on their way.
Not so. Both are back on one-year "prove-it" deals and are blocking the way for a possible Mbow move to guard.
"Josh Ezeudu, they're going to try at guard and tackle, you know, he's going to play both. Evan Neal is going to be a guard," said Raanan. "And Marcus Mbow, for better or worse, they think he's a pretty good tackle. He was at least serviceable when he was in there for Jermaine Eluemunor when he was injured."
The decision to keep Mbow at tackle actually gives the Giants peace of mind and depth at tackle. The guard spots are in flux, although it appears the team is ready to run it back at left guard with Jon Runyan Jr.
The right side is up for grabs. The Giants signed veteran Lucas Patrick this week and have a glut of players besides Ezeudu and Neal vying for the role. Veteran Aaron Stinnie is back, as well as Jake Kubas. The team is also exploring bringing in a rookie or two this spring.
On Monday night, Michigan defeated UConn 69-63 to win the national championship. It marks the first title in men’s basketball by a Big Ten school in 26 years.
In addition, the Wolverines became the first team to ever win a national championship with a starting lineup consisting entirely of transfers. While USC also rolled out a lineup heavy on transfers, however, the Trojans did not experience anywhere close to the same level of success, missing the NCAA Tournament altogether.
Michigan’s national championship can serve as an important lesson for Eric Musselman and USC. The Wolverines taught us that the transfer portal can be an incredible tool—but only if you hit on your evaluations.
This past offseason, Michigan went out and landed Yaxel Lendeborg, Elliot Cadeau, and Aday Mara in the portal. All three players wound up playing massive roles on the team’s national championship run.
USC, on the other hand, did not have its portal acquisitions pan out at that level. The Trojans had some brutal luck with Rodney Rice being lost for the season during nonconference play, but other additions such as Chad Baker-Mazara and Jordan Marsh all failed to produce on the level that Musselman was presumably hoping when he brought them in.
Michigan and USC’s 2025-2026 seasons were a great case study on how much player evaluation matters in the transfer portal. If the Trojans can do a better job with such this upcoming cycle, they could return to the NCAA Tournament in 2026-2027. If not, however, it could be another frustrating season in Los Angeles.
Through the 2024-25 season, the Los Angeles Lakers have had a total of 506 players suit up for them, going back to their days in Minneapolis. Some were forgettable, some were serviceable, some were good and a select few were flat-out legendary.
During the Lakers' 80th season of existence (they were founded back in 1946 as the Detroit Gems in the National Basketball League), LeBron Wire is taking a look at each player who has worn their jersey, whether it has been a purple and gold one or the ones they donned back in the Midwest during their early years.
Bill Bridges, a 6-foot-6, 228-pound center, was undersized for his position, but he was a ferocious rebounder who could also help out in the scoring column. During three seasons on the varsity squad at the University of Kansas, he averaged 13.2 points and 13.9 rebounds a game before the Chicago Packers took him in the third round of the 1961 NBA Draft.
He spent his first nine and a half seasons with the St. Louis/Atlanta Hawks, and during that time, he was named to the All-Star team three times. Early in the 1972-73 season, the Philadelphia 76ers traded him to the Los Angeles Lakers, a team that was looking to successfully defend its NBA championship from the prior season.
Bridges gave the Lakers some added frontcourt depth and averaged 9.8 points and 10.9 rebounds a game with them that season. They reached the NBA Finals again, but they lost there to the New York Knicks in five games.
He stayed with L.A. until the 1974-75 season, when he was traded midway through the campaign to the Golden State Warriors. He finally won the world title that year with the Warriors and retired afterward. Bridges ended up with career averages of 11.9 points and 11.9 rebounds a game, and he posted 8.5 points and 8.9 boards as a member of the Lakers.
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