Category: Sports

Major League Baseball is setting its sights on worldwide growth, with Commissioner Rob Manfred announcing ambitious plans for international expansion during this weekend’s games in Mexico City.

Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Manfred outlined the league’s strategy following the successful two-game series between the San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helu. The Padres claimed victory in Saturday’s opener with a 6-4 win, while both games drew capacity crowds.

The commissioner emphasized Mexico’s significance in MLB’s worldwide vision, citing the country’s deep-rooted baseball traditions and competitive leagues.

“We love being in Mexico City, it’s been a great success for us,” Manfred stated. “It’s a really important market for us … a market that has a baseball culture, important participants in the World Baseball Classic and great professional leagues.”

MLB’s international efforts continue despite recent setbacks, including canceled regular-season contests in Paris next year and London this season due to broadcasting conflicts and logistical issues.

“We are interested in expansion … if distributors (broadcasters) add up around the world for us, there are other markets for baseball,” the commissioner explained.

Manfred revealed that additional games in Mexico are part of MLB’s long-term international schedule, which will be developed under the current collective bargaining agreement set for renegotiation with players in December.

“We are going to do an international play plan with the MLB Players Association as part of the collective bargaining agreement … Mexico is going to be a big part of that plan going forward,” he confirmed.

Boston Bruins forward Viktor Arvidsson has been ruled out for the remainder of Sunday’s Eastern Conference playoff matchup against the Buffalo Sabres due to an upper body injury, team officials announced.

The injury occurred when Arvidsson took a forceful hit to his left arm from Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson during the opening period of Game 4 in their first-round playoff series.

The 33-year-old forward enjoyed a productive debut season with Boston, recording 54 points through 25 goals and 29 assists across 69 regular season contests. In the current playoff series, Arvidsson has been among Boston’s top performers, sharing the team lead with two goals, both scored during the Bruins’ Game 2 win.

Boston entered Sunday’s contest facing elimination, down 2-1 in the series. The situation deteriorated quickly as the team gave up a commanding 4-0 advantage after the first period, with Buffalo extending their lead to 5-0 early in the third period.

Veteran offensive lineman Donovan Smith has officially called time on his NFL career, making the announcement this past Sunday after nine seasons in the league.

Throughout his professional football journey, Smith appeared in 136 regular season contests. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected him in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft, and he quickly earned a spot in their starting lineup as a rookie, receiving recognition as a PFWA All-Rookie team member.

Smith spent the majority of his career with Tampa Bay, suiting up for eight seasons with the franchise. His most memorable achievement came as a key contributor to the Buccaneers’ championship run that culminated in their Super Bowl LV victory.

After Tampa Bay parted ways with Smith in March 2023, the veteran lineman found a new home with the Kansas City Chiefs. His final season in Kansas City proved fruitful, as he captured his second championship ring with the team’s Super Bowl triumph.

Smith remained a free agent throughout the entire 2025 season before ultimately deciding to retire from professional football.

BALTIMORE — Following the unexpected dismissal of Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora and five coaching staff members, veteran infielder Trevor Story expressed uncertainty about the organization’s future direction less than a day after the shocking decision.

“I mean obviously, it’s kind of up in the air what the true direction is,” the two-time All-Star commented Sunday morning prior to the series finale against the Baltimore Orioles. “Those are conversations that need to be had. They’ll be had today and onward going forward, too.”

Boston officially terminated Cora on Saturday night following a disappointing 10-17 beginning to his eighth campaign leading the team, which included a humiliating three-game home sweep by the New York Yankees this past week.

Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow justified the first mid-season managerial change in Boston since 2001 by stating it demonstrated dedication to salvaging the current campaign.

“It really comes down to the belief we have in the players, and the belief we have in the group to accomplish what we set out to accomplish,” Breslow stated Sunday. “By acting today, it gives us 135 games ahead of us, almost a full season’s worth of run, to take advantage of this fresh start.”

However, Story, currently in year five of his six-year, $140-million contract, stands as a veteran presence on a youthful roster that has seen stars like Mookie Betts, Chris Sale, Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers traded away following Cora’s successful 2018 World Series championship in his inaugural season.

Boston has qualified for the playoffs just twice since then, with only one postseason appearance since Story joined the team when they secured a wild-card spot in 2025.

“I came here to win and I came here to be successful,” stated the 33-year-old Story, who is among Boston hitters struggling with a .198 batting average, two home runs and 17 RBIs. “And we had a flash of that last year. We’re looking to build on that. Obviously not off to a great start. But yeah, some of the direction needs to be cleared up, in my opinion.”

According to reliever Garrett Whitlock, Breslow and interim manager Chad Tracy addressed the team for approximately eight minutes during a Sunday morning meeting that also featured owner John Henry and team president Sam Kennedy. Players remained silent throughout the gathering.

“They spoke. Yeah, they spoke,” Story said. “There just has to be more conversations had. I wouldn’t say it was satisfactory.”

Speaking to media members, Breslow and Kennedy emphasized this decision originated from baseball operations after the team struggled significantly on offense.

Despite Saturday’s 17-1 victory over Baltimore that ended a four-game losing streak, Red Sox hitters entered Sunday with a collective .233/.312/.354 slash line and ranked among the bottom quarter of Major League Baseball in most important offensive categories.

“Ultimately, responsibility for the performance on the field, it falls on me as the leader of baseball operations,” Breslow explained. “But so, too, does the responsibility for doing everything I can and the organization can to find solutions. And right now we feel like this change, these changes were warranted.”

Kennedy praised Breslow for making “several bold decisions and recommendations.”

“And this was one of them and we fully support it,” he said.

Henry stayed in Baltimore Sunday but declined to speak with reporters.

“I think it’s evident by his presence here that this was a collaborative decision (with Henry),” Kennedy noted.

Tracy begins his Major League managerial career after spending six seasons leading Triple-A Worcester. The son of veteran manager Jim Tracy, he acknowledged the sensitive nature of his opportunity.

“I’m toeing that line of sitting here with all of you in this moment, but also acknowledge the relationship with some of the people that are no longer here was strong,” Tracy explained. “And you also know that that’s, in a lot of ways, that’s how some of the players feel as well. So, excited, right? But also honoring the people that were before me that were mentors to me.”

Story complimented Tracy’s “baseball mind,” but remained visibly emotional regarding Cora’s departure.

“He had our backs every single day,” Story reflected. “He was very truthful with players and took bullets for us and did everything you can ask for and more as a manager. I just can’t express how thankful I am to have played for him. Yeah, I’ve got a love for that guy.”

The Oakland Athletics welcomed back two-time All-Star Brent Rooker from the 10-day injured list Sunday, while simultaneously releasing utility player Andy Ibanez to create roster space.

Rooker had been recovering from an oblique strain he sustained during Oakland’s matchup with the New York Yankees on April 9.

The slugger returned to action Sunday, batting cleanup as the designated hitter against the Texas Rangers.

Prior to his injury, Rooker was struggling at the plate with a .146 batting average (6-for-41), though he had managed two home runs and eight RBIs.

The 31-year-old power hitter launched 30 home runs last season, marking his third consecutive year reaching that milestone. Rooker enjoyed his best campaign in 2024, setting personal records with 39 homers and 112 RBIs.

To accommodate Rooker’s activation, the Athletics parted ways with Ibanez through the roster move.

During the 2024 season with Detroit, Ibanez contributed four homers, 21 RBIs, four stolen bases and posted a .239/.301/.352 slash line over 91 contests.

The veteran signed a one-year deal worth $1.2 million with Los Angeles in January, but the Dodgers released him just one month later when they picked up Michael Siani from waivers.

Oakland subsequently claimed Ibanez, though he struggled in limited action with an .118/.167/.118 line across 11 appearances.

The 33-year-old utility man will enter waivers again, potentially attracting interest due to his ability to play multiple positions including first base, second base, shortstop, third base, and both corner outfield spots.

Throughout his six-year major league career, Ibanez has accumulated 28 home runs, 131 RBIs and maintains a .252 batting average.

The National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety has scheduled a disciplinary hearing for Ottawa Senators forward Ridly Greig following an altercation with Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Sean Walker.

League officials have not yet announced when the hearing will take place.

According to reports from the Ottawa Citizen, the disciplinary review will be conducted via telephone, which limits any potential suspension to a maximum of five games.

The controversial play happened during a break in action halfway through the second period of Saturday’s fourth game in the Eastern Conference opening round matchup.

Walker had been engaged in a physical confrontation with Warren Foegele when Greig joined the altercation and seemingly delivered a high punch that sent Walker falling to the ice.

Carolina eliminated Ottawa from the playoffs by completing a four-game sweep with their 4-2 win.

PORTLAND, Ore. — Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs has received medical clearance to participate in Sunday’s fourth game of their opening playoff round matchup with the Portland Trail Blazers, having successfully completed the NBA’s required concussion evaluation process.

The towering center, who made history as the league’s first unanimous selection for Defensive Player of the Year, was sidelined for Friday’s third game in Portland due to concussion protocol requirements. Despite his absence, San Antonio secured a decisive 120-108 victory, taking a 2-1 advantage in the series.

The French basketball sensation suffered his head injury during the opening half of Tuesday’s narrow 106-103 defeat against Portland.

While continuing his recovery process, Wembanyama made the trip to Portland and had been designated as questionable for Sunday’s contest until receiving final clearance.

In Wembanyama’s place during Game 2, Luke Kornet stepped into the starting lineup and contributed 14 points along with 10 rebounds. The Spurs received exceptional performances from Stephon Castle, who scored 33 points, and first-year player Dylan Harper, who recorded 27 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.

The league’s concussion evaluation requires athletes to successfully complete multiple assessment stages before returning to competition. These test results are measured against neurological baseline measurements taken by players during preseason evaluations.

Behind the exceptional play of the versatile 7-foot-4 French center, San Antonio compiled the NBA’s second-highest win total this season. The team maintained a strong 12-6 record during regular season games played without their star player.

During the current campaign, Wembanyama posted averages of 25 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and led the league with 3.1 blocks per contest.

Forward Jalen Shelley has announced his decision to join the Texas A&M basketball program after transferring from Loyola Marymount, according to his statement to On3 on Sunday.

The Little Elm, Texas native made his commitment following a campus visit to College Station over the weekend.

During his time at Loyola Marymount last season, Shelley posted impressive numbers with 13.7 points per game, 6.6 rebounds per contest, and 2.7 assists while maintaining a 45.7% shooting percentage from the floor across 25 games, starting in every appearance.

Prior to his stint at Loyola Marymount, Shelley spent his freshman year at USC during the 2024-25 season, where he contributed 2.0 points and 1.4 rebounds per game over 22 contests with one starting assignment.

Boston Red Sox leadership addressed the media Sunday morning in Baltimore to explain their decision to dismiss manager Alex Cora and multiple coaching staff members the previous day.

Baseball operations head Craig Breslow emphasized the organization’s confidence in their roster during the announcement alongside CEO Sam Kennedy.

“It really comes down to the belief that we have in the players,” Breslow stated. “And the belief that we have in the group to accomplish what we set out to accomplish. By acting today, it gives us 135 games ahead of us.”

“We’ve got almost a full season’s worth of run to take advantage of this fresh start and ultimately to compete for a division and a deep postseason run in the way that we talked about it and envisioned and believed heading into spring training,” he continued.

Boston hasn’t advanced far in the playoffs since their 2021 ALCS loss to Houston in six games. Their most recent championship came in 2018, which marked Cora’s inaugural season as skipper.

During his time leading the team, Cora compiled a 620-541 record (.534) across seven-plus seasons. Saturday morning’s decision by Breslow, backed by Kennedy and owner John Henry, also resulted in the termination of hitting coach Peter Fatse, assistant hitting coach Dillon Lawson, major league hitting strategy coach Joe Cronin, bench coach Ramon Vazquez and third-base coach Kyle Hudson. Game planning and run prevention coach Jason Varitek will receive a new role within the organization.

“Ultimately, responsibility for the performance on the field, it falls on me as the leader of the baseball operation,” Breslow acknowledged. “But so, too, does the responsibility for doing everything that I can – and everything that the organization can – to find solutions. And right now, we feel like this change, these changes, were warranted. And we’re really excited about the chance for Chad (Tracy) to come in and be a consistent, stabilizing voice – and one that the majority of our player group is familiar with.”

Kennedy expressed full organizational support for the baseball operations chief’s decision-making.

“Craig leads our baseball operation and he has made several bold decisions and recommendations,” Kennedy remarked. “This was one of them and we fully support it. That’s why we took the action that we took yesterday.”

Chad Tracy, who has managed the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox since early 2022, will step into the interim manager role. He takes over a struggling team that sits tied for 20th in scoring average (4.15 runs per game), tied for last in home runs (18), tied for 27th in OPS (.665), 20th in ERA (4.43) and 26th in defensive efficiency.

More significantly, Boston enters Sunday’s matchup with Baltimore carrying a 10-17 record. This places them last in the AL East – trailing the first-place New York Yankees by eight games – and tied for the fourth-worst mark in Major League Baseball.

Andrew Bailey remains as pitching coach despite struggles from the rotation’s top arms. Garrett Crochet holds a 3-3 record with a 6.30 ERA, while Ranger Suarez, who inked a five-year, $140 million contract during the offseason, stands at 1-2 with a 4.00 ERA.

“It is true that we have fallen short in terms of the performance across, you know, hitting, pitching, defense, baserunning,” Breslow admitted. “But as it relates to the staff and trying to tease out exactly what’s driving that, I have confidence in the pitching group’s ability to turn that around. I think we’ve seen evidence of that with Ranger (Suarez) and with Garrett (Crochet). Have the full confidence in that group to be able to get us on track.”

Kennedy emphasized the importance of on-field results moving forward.

“Ultimately what matters is the performance on the field at the major league level,” Kennedy concluded. “And a new beginning starts today.”

Veteran leadership and playoff savvy helped the Carolina Hurricanes complete a first-round sweep of the Ottawa Senators, finishing the series with a 4-2 victory in Saturday’s Game 4.

The Eastern Conference’s top-seeded team navigated through a physically demanding series marked by tight checking and limited scoring opportunities. While Carolina’s primary offensive line struggled to produce and the team accumulated excessive penalty minutes, they compensated with outstanding secondary scoring, exceptional penalty killing, and stellar goaltending from Frederik Andersen.

“Like we’ve kind of talked about all year, whatever way the game goes, our group can handle it,” Carolina head coach Rod Brind’Amour explained. The coach, who has captured at least one playoff series victory in each of his eight seasons, added: “I didn’t love all the penalties. There’s a fine line you’ve got to try to balance. I don’t know that we did a great job there. But I loved just the compete level of our group from Game 1 all the way through. Pretty impressive.”

Carolina’s playoff success under Brind’Amour began with a surprising Eastern Conference Final appearance in 2019, ending a nine-year postseason absence. Since then, the Hurricanes have become consistent playoff contenders, reaching the Eastern final twice in the last three campaigns, falling to Florida both times.

In 2023, they suffered four single-goal defeats to the Panthers in a series featuring a quadruple-overtime marathon. Brind’Amour noted he didn’t view that as a typical sweep due to how competitive each game remained.

Three years later, Carolina found themselves on the favorable end of a similar situation. They never held more than a two-goal advantage and survived double overtime in Game 2, but became the first team since Detroit’s 2009 victory over Columbus to complete a first-round series without ever trailing, according to ESPN Insights.

“For it to be this tight of a series and not go our way, every game, it’s really tough,” Ottawa captain Brady Tkachuk said following the series-clinching loss.

The Hurricanes’ playoff experience manifested in multiple ways as they improved to 11-5 in series-ending games under Brind’Amour, capturing six of their previous seven such contests.

Brind’Amour selected the 36-year-old Andersen over waiver claim Brandon Bussi for the veteran’s playoff presence. Andersen delivered with a Game 1 shutout and finished by stopping 105 of 110 shots for a .955 save percentage and 1.10 goals-against average, crucial numbers given Ottawa’s Linus Ullmark posted impressive statistics (.932 save percentage, 2.03 GAA) at the other end.

Carolina’s top trio of Sebastian Aho, Seth Jarvis and Andrei Svechnikov produced what Brind’Amour described as “diddly squat” offensively. Regular season goal leaders Jarvis (32) and Svechnikov (31) failed to score, Svechnikov recorded no points, and Aho’s three goals included two empty-netters in the finale.

However, the second line of Logan Stankoven, Taylor Hall and Jackson Blake more than compensated, showcasing Carolina’s offensive depth. Stankoven found the net in each game, including the decisive third-period power-play goal in Game 4. Blake contributed the Game 3 winner plus three assists, while Hall led all players with seven points.

“I couldn’t imagine being in a better spot teamwise,” said Hall, a former Hart Trophy recipient. “Just the mix of guys that we have and having Rod as a coach has been awesome for me personally, the way he pushes buttons — it’s not really pushing buttons, but he gets the most out of his players.”

Carolina’s penalty kill unit received extensive work throughout the increasingly physical series, converting 20 of 21 opportunities (95.2%). The chippy play escalated during Game 4’s second period, which featured multiple altercations.

Captain Jordan Staal acknowledged the Hurricanes “probably went a little cuckoo” responding to hard contact and getting swept up in the period’s intensity. Carolina accumulated eight of their 11 penalties during that middle frame, yet their penalty killers surrendered only Drake Batherson’s tying deflection. The team regained composure in the final period, focusing on controlling even-strength play and committing just one too-many-men penalty.

“It was a very mature third period from us,” Aho observed.

Regarding injuries, winger Nikolaj Ehlers was scratched from Game 4 due to a lower-body ailment, while defenseman Alexander Nikishin left the contest in the second period with a concussion following a heavy hit from Ottawa’s Tyler Kleven. As the first playoff team to advance, Carolina will have several days to prepare before meeting the Philadelphia-Pittsburgh series winner in the second round.

DENVER (AP) — A heated rivalry between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets has produced three playoff matchups over the past four seasons, with both teams trading dramatic victories.

Denver eliminated Minnesota 4-1 during their 2023 championship run, but the Timberwolves got revenge the following year with a stunning 20-point comeback victory in Game 7 at Denver.

The current series began with Denver riding a 12-game winning streak into the playoffs and dominating the opening game. However, the Nuggets surrendered a 19-point advantage in Game 2 and then suffered consecutive blowout losses in Minneapolis.

Despite losing key players Donte DiVincenzo (Achilles) and Anthony Edwards (knee) to injuries Saturday, Minnesota crushed Denver 112-96. Reserve guard Ayo Dosunmu delivered a spectacular 43-point performance, marking the highest scoring output by a bench player in a playoff game in 50 years.

Monday’s Game 5 returns to Denver, where another poor showing could eliminate the Nuggets in a shocking early upset. The loss would trigger an offseason of major changes following an injury-plagued first complete season under head coach David Adelman, who has struggled to find solutions for his team’s sudden collapse.

The Minnesota-Denver showdown caps a three-game Monday schedule that could also witness the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder complete their third straight first-round sweep. Oklahoma City holds a 3-0 advantage over Phoenix heading into Game 4 at the Suns’ home arena.

Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the current MVP, dominated Game 3 with 42 points while shooting an exceptional 15-for-18 from the field.

“He doesn’t need a ton of direction from me,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said of Gilgeous-Alexander. “But I thought he was obviously outstanding. The efficiency was ridiculous. For him to score like that, on 15 of 18, is a really impressive game.”

The evening begins with Game 4 in Orlando, where the eighth-seeded Magic will attempt to build a 3-1 series lead against the top-seeded Detroit Pistons in their Eastern Conference quarterfinal battle.

“Being up 2-1 at home is a good thing, but again, you got to come out and do it again,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said after Saturday’s Game 3 win. “And that’s why I’ll keep saying it’s the one game. … We’ve got to learn from this game and what we could do better.”

Denver’s only display of fight since their series-opening victory occurred when Nikola Jokic became upset over Jaden McDaniels scoring an easy basket with 2.1 seconds remaining after the Nuggets had already given up on their double-digit loss Saturday.

Jokic sprinted across the entire court to push McDaniels, who had criticized all Nuggets players as poor defenders following Game 2. Players from both squads rushed in to escalate the confrontation. Timberwolves forward Julius Randle, who was furious with Jokic, received an ejection alongside Denver’s star center.

“He scored when we’d stopped playing,” Jokic explained. “You guys saw what happened.”

Historical data suggests Denver faces an uphill battle to advance. Throughout NBA history, just 13 of 298 teams trailing 3-1 in a series have managed to complete the comeback. Ironically, the most recent team to accomplish this feat was Denver in 2020, when they overcame 3-1 deficits against both Utah and the Los Angeles Clippers.

DiVincenzo’s campaign has ended due to his Achilles injury, while Edwards faces an extended recovery from a bone bruise and hyperextended knee. Denver led the league in scoring this season and was held below 100 points only twice in January, yet managed just 96 points in both Minneapolis defeats.

Orlando earned Saturday’s victory behind 25-point efforts from both Paolo Banchero and Desmond Bane. This marks the 13th occasion since the NBA adopted its current 16-team playoff format in 1984 that an eighth seed has taken a 2-1 lead over a top seed. Five of the previous 12 teams in this position completed the upset: Miami (2023), Philadelphia (2012), Memphis (2011), Golden State (2007), and New York (1999).

Phoenix star Devin Booker should be available for Game 4 as the Suns attempt to avoid elimination after briefly leaving Game 3 with a left ankle injury sustained when he tripped over Lu Dort’s foot. The five-time All-Star returned minutes later and reported feeling fine. Booker suggested Dort may have intentionally extended his foot during the play, though he wasn’t certain.

The Vancouver Goldeneyes have claimed the top selection in the 2026 Professional Women’s Hockey League Draft, positioning themselves to select Olympic champion defenseman Caroline Harvey.

The PWHL determines its first overall pick through a distinctive system called the Gold Plan, which differs significantly from traditional professional sports leagues. Rather than awarding the selection to the team with the poorest record or using a lottery format, the PWHL grants the top pick to whichever team accumulates the most points after being eliminated from playoff contention.

Vancouver clinched this coveted position following their 4-3 overtime victory against the Minnesota Frost on Saturday evening, combined with Seattle Torrent’s 2-1 shootout defeat to the Montreal Victoire. Saturday marked the conclusion of the regular season for the first-year franchise.

The complete draft selection order remains undetermined, as does the exact draft date, though it is anticipated to occur in June.

Harvey, age 23, is transitioning to professional hockey following an exceptional collegiate career at Wisconsin, where she guided the Badgers to three NCAA championships and one runner-up appearance across four seasons. During her 150 collegiate games, she recorded 201 points through 54 goals and 147 assists, including 15 power-play scores and 12 game-deciding goals.

The NCAA championship concluded an extraordinary hockey year for Harvey. She captured Olympic gold with Team USA at the Milan-Cortina Games, adding to the silver medal she earned in Beijing in 2022 at age 19. Harvey earned Tournament MVP honors with nine points across five Olympic games, establishing a record for American defensemen.

Harvey also received Best Defenseman recognition at the 2003 and 2005 World Championships, both tournaments won by the United States.

She hails from Salem, New Hampshire.

The Edmonton Oilers face a crucial decision as they prepare for Game 4 of their Stanley Cup playoff series against the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday night. With their team trailing 2-1 in the best-of-seven matchup, head coach Kris Knoblauch remains undecided about which goaltender will take the ice.

Connor Ingram has been between the pipes for all three games so far, but his playoff performance has raised questions. During Saturday’s practice, backup netminder Tristan Jarry took position in the crease typically reserved for the upcoming game’s starter, though Knoblauch downplayed any significance to the move.

“We haven’t decided,” Knoblauch explained. “I think going in (to this series), we were pretty sure (about our No. 1). And it was the same thing last year, and maybe the year before. Today in the NHL, very rarely do you have one goalie play all the games in the playoffs.”

The coach elaborated on the modern approach to playoff goaltending: “Twenty years ago and before that, it was unheard-of to be swapping goalies. But we’ve got two good goalies. We feel confident they can both play. And going into the playoffs, we felt there was going to be a time where we’re going to have to make a switch at some time. Whether that’s for Game 4 or Game 5 or whatever it is, we have confidence in both of them.”

Ingram’s struggles have become apparent during the postseason. The 29-year-old goalie, who compiled a 16-10-3 record during the regular season with a 2.60 goals-against average and .899 save percentage across 32 games, has allowed the most goals in the playoffs. Following Friday’s 7-4 defeat to Anaheim, Ingram has given up 14 goals and carries a concerning 4.70 GAA and .849 save percentage into the next contest.

Meanwhile, Jarry brings a different set of credentials to the table. The goaltender, who celebrates his 31st birthday this week, joined Edmonton from the Pittsburgh Penguins in a December 12 trade. During his time with the Oilers, he recorded a 9-6-2 mark with a 3.86 GAA and .858 save percentage over 19 appearances. His last start came on April 7 in a 6-5 overtime defeat against Utah, and he hasn’t seen game action since relieving for the final 20 minutes of a 5-2 victory over San Jose on April 8.

Should Jarry receive the starting assignment for Game 4, it would mark his return to Stanley Cup playoff action for the first time since May 15, 2022, when Pittsburgh fell 4-3 in overtime to the New York Rangers.

Throughout his playoff experience with the Penguins from 2020-22, Jarry appeared in eight postseason contests, compiling a 2-6 record alongside a 3.00 GAA and .891 save percentage.

Soccer’s international governing body FIFA announced Sunday it’s working with national soccer organizations worldwide to boost financial rewards for all 48 teams that will compete in the 2026 World Cup.

The enhanced prize money proposal needs approval during Tuesday’s FIFA Council meeting, which takes place before the 76th FIFA Congress in Vancouver.

Back in December, FIFA announced that this year’s World Cup prize pool would jump 50% compared to the previous tournament, reaching $655 million as part of a record $727 million financial package for the event.

FIFA told Reuters the prize money is expected to grow even more, as the organization anticipates generating over $11 billion in revenue during its current four-year period spanning 2023 to 2026.

A FIFA representative confirmed the organization’s plans, stating: “FIFA can confirm it is in discussions with associations around the world to increase available revenues.”

The spokesperson continued: “This includes a proposed increase of financial contributions to all qualified teams for the FIFA World Cup 2026 and of development funding available to all 211 member associations.”

“The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be groundbreaking in terms of its financial contribution to the global football community and FIFA is proud to be in its strongest ever financial position to benefit the global game through its FIFA Forward programme,” the spokesperson added.

Under FIFA’s original funding plan for the North American tournament, the majority of the $655 million would go toward performance-based payments for the 48 participating countries.

December’s prize money structure outlined that the winning team would receive $50 million, while the second-place finisher would earn $33 million. The 16 teams eliminated during the group stage were scheduled to receive $9 million each.

Each qualifying country would also receive $1.5 million to help with preparation expenses.

FIFA’s 2025 annual report revealed that 93% of its projected revenue had already been secured through contracts by the end of 2025, largely due to the successful launch of the expanded 32-team Club World Cup in the United States last year.

The 2026 World Cup is scheduled to run from June 11 through July 19 across the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Minnesota Timberwolves standout guard Anthony Edwards faces a multi-week absence following a left knee injury he sustained during Saturday evening’s 112-96 playoff victory over the Denver Nuggets.

According to ESPN reports, medical examinations on Sunday revealed Edwards suffered a bone bruise and knee hyperextension. Fortunately, imaging showed no ligament damage, and the star player is set to start rehabilitation right away.

The sixth-seeded Timberwolves currently hold a commanding 3-1 advantage over the third-seeded Nuggets in their best-of-seven playoff matchup, which continues Monday evening in Denver.

However, Minnesota faces significant challenges in finishing off the series.

Edwards’ backcourt partner Donte DiVincenzo also went down with a non-contact right leg injury just 79 seconds into Saturday’s contest. ESPN confirmed that DiVincenzo, who departed the arena in a wheelchair at halftime, suffered a torn right Achilles tendon that will sideline him for months.

With both starting guards unavailable, reserve player Ayo Dosunmu delivered an extraordinary performance off the bench Saturday, tallying 43 points on remarkable shooting: 13-of-17 from the floor, a perfect 5-for-5 beyond the arc, and 12-for-12 at the free-throw line.

OptaSTATS noted that Dosunmu made NBA history as the first player ever to score 40-plus points while shooting at least 75% from the field, making five or more three-pointers without a miss, and converting 10 or more free throws perfectly.

“This is for Ant. This is for Donte,” Dosunmu said in a post-game interview with Timberwolves social media. “I hope for a speedy recovery for them.”

Since joining Minnesota via trade deadline acquisition from Chicago, Dosunmu played 24 regular-season games and posted 14.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per contest. Throughout this playoff series, he’s leading the team with 22.8 points per game on 64% shooting.

Edwards paced the Timberwolves during the regular season with 28.8 points per game and connected on 39.9% of his three-point attempts across 61 games.

DiVincenzo started every game this season, contributing 12.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per outing.

Forward Julius Randle expressed confidence in his team’s ability to overcome the loss of both starting guards.

“We’ve got more than enough talent in here to win,” Randle stated after the game. “We lost two guys who are big pieces to our team but we talked about it all year, you need depth in the playoffs to win.”

Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards will be sidelined for several weeks after suffering a knee injury during Saturday night’s playoff game, according to a source familiar with the situation.

Medical evaluations revealed that Edwards sustained a bone bruise and hyperextended his left knee during the first half of Minnesota’s 112-96 victory against the Denver Nuggets. The source spoke to The Associated Press anonymously since the team has not publicly released injury details or recovery timeline.

The injury occurred while Edwards was defending a layup attempt by Denver’s Cam Johnson. Edwards jumped to contest the shot, but landed awkwardly with his left leg at an unusual angle. His knee gave way, and he limped off the court unable to bear weight on the injured leg.

ESPN and The Athletic were first to report Edwards’ diagnosis.

The timing couldn’t be worse for Minnesota, which now holds a 3-1 series advantage over the Nuggets heading into Monday night’s Game 5 in Denver. The Timberwolves also lost starting guard Donte DiVincenzo in the same contest to a torn Achilles tendon, ending his season and potentially threatening his availability for 2026-27.

Edwards ranks among the NBA’s elite performers and would have earned All-NBA honors for the third straight year if he had met the league’s minimum games requirement. During the regular season, he posted 28.8 points per game, ranking third in the league behind Dallas’ Luka Doncic and reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of Oklahoma City. Edwards also contributed 5.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists nightly.

The dynamic guard served as the fourth-leading scorer for Team USA’s gold medal-winning squad at the 2024 Paris Olympics. This season marked a career-high 21 missed games for Edwards.

Teammate Julius Randle described the somber mood in the locker room following the injuries, particularly his interaction with Edwards after the game.

“I just dapped him up,” Randle explained. “There’s not much to say in those moments. … Somebody who’s going through those situations is processing a lot.”

Randle noted he didn’t have a chance to speak with DiVincenzo before departing the arena.

San Antonio’s rising stars are proving they can handle the spotlight, even when their franchise player Victor Wembanyama remains sidelined.

Without the towering Spurs sensation available for action, sophomore guard Stephon Castle exploded for 33 points while first-year player Dylan Harper contributed a personal-best 27 points plus 10 rebounds during Friday’s 120-108 triumph over Portland, giving San Antonio a 2-1 advantage in their series.

The 7-foot-4 Wembanyama, who earned Defensive Player of the Year honors while averaging 25 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists and a league-leading 3.1 blocks per game, suffered a head injury during the opening half of Game 2 and couldn’t continue. Portland capitalized on his absence to claim a 106-103 home victory in San Antonio.

Although Wembanyama made the trip to Portland with hopes of returning to action, head coach Mitch Johnson declared before tipoff that while his star was making progress, he remained unavailable for competition.

As it happened, San Antonio managed just fine without him. Portland built a commanding 15-point advantage during the third period before Castle and Harper seized control while the Trail Blazers fell apart.

Whether Wembanyama will be cleared for Sunday’s contest remains uncertain.

Harper contributed 22 of his points after halftime. The 20-year-old, selected second overall in last summer’s NBA draft, became just the second-youngest player in league history to record 20-plus points coming off the bench during postseason play. Only 18-year-old Kobe Bryant was younger when he accomplished the feat.

“When I came in the game, my biggest focus was just not trying to get it all at once and just try to be that energy guy that came in and played hard,” Harper explained. “Once I started doing that, I think the game kind of just opened up.”

Game 4 Details: 3:30 p.m. EDT on ESPN
Current Series Standing: Spurs ahead 2-1
Vegas Line: Spurs favored by 5.5 points

Key Information: Luke Kornet stepped into Wembanyama’s role with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Head coach Mitch Johnson would only confirm that Wembanyama continues improving but declined to discuss his availability for Sunday’s matchup.

Celtics vs. 76ers – Game 4: 7 p.m. EDT on Prime Video
Series Status: Boston leads 2-1
Spread: Celtics by 7.5

Storylines: Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown each contributed 25 points as Boston defeated Philadelphia in Game 3 to regain home-court advantage. Tyrese Maxey, earning his first All-Star starting selection this season, continues shouldering the offensive load for the Sixers while Joel Embiid remains recovering from appendix surgery. Embiid, marked as doubtful, participated in solo court work Saturday. Head coach Nick Nurse indicated he expects more clarity on Embiid’s potential return following Sunday’s pregame warmups. VJ Edgecombe recorded his second series double-double but struggled from beyond the arc, missing all seven three-point attempts. Boston has dominated from long range, connecting on 16 threes in Game 1 and hitting 20 of 47 attempts in Game 3.

Lakers vs. Rockets – Game 4: 9:30 p.m. EDT on NBC Peacock
Series Situation: Los Angeles leads 3-0
Betting Line: Houston favored by 8.5

Key Notes: Houston’s Kevin Durant was absent from the Rockets’ 112-108 overtime defeat to Los Angeles on Friday, which placed them on the brink of elimination trailing 3-0. Durant also missed the series opener due to knee problems and carries a questionable designation for Sunday’s must-win game. The timeless LeBron James delivered 29 points, including a clutch three-pointer with 13 seconds remaining in regulation for the Lakers, who erased a six-point deficit in the final 30 seconds to force overtime. Los Angeles is playing without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, forcing the 41-year-old James to shoulder additional responsibility and log over 45 minutes Friday evening.

Cavaliers vs. Raptors – Game 4: 1 p.m. EDT on ESPN
Series Update: Cleveland ahead 2-1
Point Spread: Cavaliers by 3.5

What’s Happening: Following consecutive losses to start the series, Toronto returned to Canadian soil and received outstanding performances from Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett in a dominant 126-104 victory that cut their deficit to 2-1. Both Barnes and Barrett scored 33 points, establishing new postseason career highs. The Raptors overwhelmed Cleveland 43-23 in the final quarter. The victory ended the Cavaliers’ 12-game playoff winning streak against Toronto. However, the Raptors received disappointing news Friday when starting guard Immanuel Quickley was declared unavailable for the remainder of the opening round due to complications in his hamstring injury rehabilitation.

LONDON, April 26 – In a historic achievement that rewrites the record books, Kenyan distance runner Sabastian Sawe accomplished what many thought impossible Sunday, crossing the finish line at the London Marathon in 1 hour, 59 minutes and 30 seconds to become the first athlete to officially break the two-hour marathon barrier.

The groundbreaking performance demolished the previous world record of 2:00:35, which had been set by the late Kelvin Kiptum at Chicago’s marathon in October 2023. Kiptum tragically lost his life in a vehicle accident in Kenya last year at age 24.

Ethiopian runner Yomif Kejelcha maintained close contact with Sawe throughout most of the 26.2-mile route before losing ground in the closing miles, finishing second in his first-ever marathon attempt with a time of 1:59:41. Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo claimed third place at 2:00:28, creating what many are calling the most extraordinary men’s marathon conclusion in the sport’s history.

“I am feeling good, I am happy, it’s a day to remember for me,” Sawe shared with BBC reporters while displaying his running shoe marked with “world record” and “sub-2” in black ink.

“We started the race well. Approaching finishing the race, I was feeling strong. Finally reaching the finish line, I saw the time and I was so excited. I think today shows me a lot the first (time) for everyone, and I am so happy for today. Coming to London for the second time was so important to me and that’s why I prepared well for it.”

The women’s competition also produced record-breaking results as Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa improved upon her own world record. The 29-year-old athlete separated herself from Kenya’s Hellen Obiri and Joyciline Jepkosgei in the final stretch, completing the course in 2:15:41 and surpassing her previous mark of 2:15:50 from last year’s London event.

“I’m so happy to win again, I want to thank God for giving me this victory, to repeat my victory from last year means even more. And so the happiness I feel is just welling up inside me,” Assefa shared with BBC.

Obiri secured second place with 2:15:53, while Jepkosgei earned third at 2:15:55.

Weather conditions proved nearly perfect for record attempts, with temperatures in the mid-teens and minimal wind providing an ideal environment for fast times.

Breaking the two-hour marathon threshold has represented one of athletics’ greatest challenges for decades, with previous attempts involving highly controlled scientific experiments designed to push human performance boundaries.

Nike’s Breaking2 project at Monza in 2017 came close but fell short, though Kenyan legend Eliud Kipchoge did run under two hours during INEOS’s 1:59 Challenge in 2019. However, those achievements weren’t recognized in official competition records.

Sawe’s Sunday triumph stands apart because it occurred during legitimate race conditions on one of the sport’s most prominent stages, transforming a goal previously tested only in laboratory-like settings into an officially recognized milestone.

The achievement becomes even more remarkable considering Sawe dealt with injuries throughout the fall and only resumed serious training in January. He realized in February that his fitness had returned sufficiently to defend his London title.

An estimated one million spectators lined the Thames River course route, cheering Sawe toward the finish line on The Mall with Buckingham Palace providing the backdrop. Prior to the race, Sawe had suggested a world record might be necessary to defeat the strong field of competitors.

“Finally, what I had done for four months it has come today to be a good result,” he explained. “I want to thank the crowds for cheering us. I think they help a lot, because if it was not for them you don’t feel like you are so loved.

“I think they help a lot because them calling make you feel so happy and strong and pushing. That is why I can say what comes for me today is not for me alone but all of us in London.”

Training at high altitude in western Kenya, Sawe draws inspiration from his uncle, former Ugandan Olympic 800-meter competitor Abraham Chepkirwod. A teacher once encouraged him by saying: “Running is not just talent, it is your fortune and your future.”

Sawe first gained attention with his spectacular marathon debut victory in Valencia this past December, recording what was then the fifth-fastest time in history. He has remained undefeated in every marathon since beginning his career in the distance.

The runner has been vocal about anti-doping efforts in athletics, advocating for frequent testing and, aware of Kenya’s troubled doping history, requesting the Athletics Integrity Unit test him extensively last year. Officials conducted 25 tests leading up to the 2025 Berlin Marathon.

“The main reason was to show that I am clean, and I am doing it the right way,” he stated.

In wheelchair competition, Switzerland’s Marcel Hug captured his sixth straight men’s title and eighth overall victory, while Catherine Debrunner outsprinted American Tatyana McFadden for her third consecutive London women’s wheelchair championship.

A wave of serious injuries continues to impact the NBA playoffs significantly.

Minnesota’s Donte DiVincenzo suffered a torn Achilles tendon during Saturday night’s game, bringing his season to an abrupt end and potentially affecting his availability for the 2026-27 campaign. DiVincenzo now joins a concerning list of star players who have torn their Achilles during playoff action over the past year, including Boston’s Jayson Tatum, Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton, and Damian Lillard, who was with Milwaukee before moving to Portland.

In an odd twist of fate, all four players wear the number 0 jersey.

Minnesota’s injury troubles deepened as Anthony Edwards also exited Saturday’s contest with a knee problem that requires additional medical evaluation.

The DiVincenzo injury occurred during a game that featured a late-game altercation involving Denver’s Nikola Jokic and other players in the closing moments. The NBA plans to review the incident Sunday and may issue disciplinary action. Denver, currently down 3-1 in the series, faces elimination in Game 5 on Monday evening.

Several key players remain questionable for Sunday’s action depending on their injury status, including Houston’s Kevin Durant, the Los Angeles Lakers’ Austin Reaves, and San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama. Luka Doncic has been ruled out for the Lakers, while Joel Embiid’s status for Philadelphia remains doubtful.

Sunday’s slate includes four matchups: the Lakers travel to Houston seeking a series sweep, San Antonio visits Portland, Cleveland heads to Toronto, and Boston takes on Philadelphia.

Saturday’s results showed Orlando defeating Detroit 113-105 to take a 2-1 series advantage, Oklahoma City dominating Phoenix 120-108 for a commanding 3-0 lead, New York beating Atlanta 114-98 to even their series at 2-2, and Minnesota crushing Denver 112-96 to move within one win of advancing.

Saturday night witnessed basketball history as two players accomplished an extremely rare scoring achievement. Prior to Saturday, only four instances had been recorded since 1963 of a player tallying at least 40 points while missing four or fewer shots in a playoff contest.

That exclusive club doubled in size during Saturday’s games. Minnesota’s Ayo Dosunmu exploded for 43 points while missing just four field goal attempts, and Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander contributed 42 points with only three misses.

These performances place them alongside Anthony Davis (2020), Dirk Nowitzki (2011), Elton Brand (2006), and Terry Porter (1992) as the only known players to achieve this remarkable feat during playoff action. League historians believe no other NBA players have accomplished this, though complete shot attempt records from the league’s earliest seasons are unavailable.

The NBA’s awards season continues with Monday’s Rookie of the Year announcement scheduled for 7 p.m. EDT on Peacock and NBCSN. The three finalists are Philadelphia’s VJ Edgecombe, Dallas’s Cooper Flagg, and Charlotte’s Kon Knueppel.

Additional awards will be revealed throughout the week, including Basketball Executive of the Year on Tuesday, the Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year on Wednesday, and the Hustle Award on Thursday. All announcements will occur at 1 p.m. EDT on NBA social media platforms.

Several awards have already been distributed this season. San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama made history as the youngest Defensive Player of the Year winner and the first to receive a unanimous vote for the honor. Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander nearly achieved unanimous selection for Clutch Player of the Year, earning 96 of 100 possible first-place votes.

San Antonio’s Keldon Johnson captured Sixth Man of the Year honors over Miami’s Jaime Jaquez Jr. with 63 first-place votes. Boston’s Derrick White received the Sportsmanship Award as chosen by league players, narrowly edging Indiana’s TJ McConnell. Atlanta claimed back-to-back Most Improved Player awards, with Nickeil Alexander-Walker following last year’s winner Dyson Daniels.

Major awards still pending include Most Valuable Player, which will go to either Gilgeous-Alexander, Wembanyama, or Denver’s Nikola Jokic. Coach of the Year will be awarded to Detroit’s J.B. Bickerstaff, San Antonio’s Mitch Johnson, or Boston’s Joe Mazzulla.

Sunday’s television schedule features Cleveland at Toronto at 1 p.m. EDT on ESPN, San Antonio at Portland at 3:30 p.m. EDT on ESPN, Boston at Philadelphia at 7 p.m. EDT on NBC and Peacock, and the LA Lakers at Houston at 9:30 p.m. EDT on NBC and Peacock.

Defending champion Oklahoma City leads championship betting odds at -120, followed by San Antonio (+450), Boston (+550), Cleveland (+1300), and the Los Angeles Lakers (+2500). Denver sits at +2800, with New York at +3000 and Detroit at +3500. Despite their 3-1 series lead, Minnesota’s odds have dropped to +12500 following the injuries to DiVincenzo and Edwards.

Key upcoming dates include conference semifinals beginning May 2-4, the NBA draft lottery on May 10, Eastern Conference finals starting May 17 or 19 on ESPN and ABC, Western Conference finals beginning May 18 or 20 on NBC and Peacock, and the NBA Finals opening June 3 on ABC.

Minnesota’s Julius Randle praised teammate Ayo Dosunmu following his historic 43-point performance, saying: “I didn’t know he was that damn good. I ain’t going to lie to you. … But damn, I’m glad we got him.”

Additional notable statistics include Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert extending his career three-point drought to 0-for-24 after missing another attempt Saturday, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s incredible recent fourth-quarter shooting (18-for-19 from the field since March 17), and Karl-Anthony Towns recording just the seventh triple-double in Knicks playoff history with his 20-10-10 performance.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Buffalo linebacker Red Murdock had begun questioning whether any NFL team would select him when the Denver Broncos called his name as the 257th and last selection in Saturday’s draft, earning him the traditional “Mr. Irrelevant” designation.

“The thoughts crept in, but I was trying to keep my mind off of things that I can’t control,” Murdock told reporters during a conference call from the team’s suburban Denver facility. “And when I got that call, I was extremely grateful.”

Utah tight end Dallen Bentley shared similar feelings after being chosen just one selection before Murdock. The Broncos held both final draft spots, marking the first time any franchise has controlled the last two picks since the AFL-NFL merger occurred in 1970.

“I’m just grateful to be part of Broncos Country, man,” Bentley expressed. “I’m just excited. It doesn’t matter when or where you get drafted or (if you go) undrafted, you’ve just got to make the most of every opportunity you get.”

This marks only the second time Denver has selected a “Mr. Irrelevant,” with Ole Miss quarterback Chad Kelly receiving that distinction in 2017.

Head coach Sean Payton and general manager George Paton deliberated over which player should receive the final selection before settling on Murdock, who established an FBS record with 17 forced fumbles during his time at Buffalo.

“Man, he’s a tackling machine, really instinctive, really good against the run,” Paton explained. “Just a nose for the ball, relentless, we think he can be a good special teamer. So, we like him.”

Payton described the draft room atmosphere as electric, noting the rare circumstances of controlling both final selections: “The rest of your career, no one will be a part of this when you have the last two picks of the draft, so, there’s eight minutes where you’re kind of controlling things.”

Despite the late round positioning, interest remained high in the final picks.

“There were a handful of teams, believe it or not, that called about coming to get Mr. Irrelevant,” Payton revealed.

“It was a hot pick,” his general manager agreed.

“We were just trying to decide who would be better to go to Newport Beach” for the annual celebration and charity gathering that has honored the draft’s final selection since 1976.

“I mean, it’s cool. In my career we’ve drafted two and they both made” the roster, Paton noted, adding that Denver plans to send both players to the festivities.

“When we talked to Bentley (we told him) he’s vice president, Mr. Irrelevant,” Payton added with humor. “So, if there’s anything he can’t handle, then the two of them can.”

For Murdock, reaching Denver represents the primary goal.

“I feel extremely grateful and excited to help the Broncos win,” Murdock stated. “I know a little bit about Mr. Irrelevant but the main thing is I’ve got an opportunity and I’m trying to make the most of it and help us win.”

“It was a pretty emotional moment, trying to hold it all in in front of the family and everything but yeah I was just really excited to get the opportunity. That’s the main thing. Man, I’m excited to go play for the Broncos. That’s a great team.”

Murdock represented one of only 16 selections throughout the three-day, seven-round draft who attended schools outside the Power Four conferences. This group includes Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Ura Barnard, a Nigerian prospect who never participated in college football.

Despite opportunities to transfer to larger programs like many of his fellow draftees, Murdock chose to remain committed to Buffalo.

“I’ve had opportunities, but I mentioned earlier being a team-first guy,” he explained. “That’s all that matters to me.”

The combination of name, image and likeness compensation and the increasingly active transfer portal has shifted talent toward power conferences, as major programs recruit stars from smaller leagues.

The trend shows declining representation from non-power conferences: from 70 draftees in 2022, numbers dropped to 38 in 2023, 34 in 2024, 24 in 2025, and just 16 this year.

Murdock hopes to emulate the success of notable “Mr. Irrelevant” alumni, including 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy from 2022 and former Chiefs kicker Ryan Succop from 2009.

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka continued her exceptional 2026 campaign Saturday, defeating Romania’s 29th-ranked Jaqueline Cristian in straight sets, 6-1, 6-4, to reach the Madrid Open’s fourth round. The victory pushes the Belarussian’s season record to an outstanding 25-1.

The top seed has made a smooth transition from hard courts to clay following her spectacular early-season performance. Sabalenka claimed the prestigious “Sunshine Double” in March by capturing consecutive championships at Indian Wells and Miami. Her only defeat this year came in the Australian Open final, where she lost to Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan.

While Cristian managed to create four opportunities to break serve and take a 4-2 lead in the second set, Sabalenka successfully defended all of them before breaking back at 4-4 to seal the match. Next up for the world No. 1 will be Japan’s Naomi Osaka in what promises to be a compelling fourth-round clash.

Osaka earned her spot in the next round with a commanding 6-1, 6-3 victory over Ukraine’s Anhelina Kalinina. The Japanese star dominated on return, converting nearly half of her receiving opportunities and breaking serve six times throughout the match.

These two accomplished players have faced each other just twice previously, with each claiming one victory. Their most recent meeting saw Sabalenka win 6-2, 6-4 in the same round at Indian Wells.

The day’s most significant surprise came when 31st-seeded Ann Li upset fourth-ranked Iga Swiatek of Poland, though the circumstances left both competitors unsatisfied. Li was leading 7-6 (4), 2-6, 3-0 when the Polish star was forced to withdraw due to illness.

“Defintely knew it was going to be a tough match, I’m super sorry for her that she’s had to pull out, it’s never easy to go like that,” Li commented. “I was just super proud of the way that I fought and I pushed through.”

Russia’s ninth-seeded Mirra Andreeva also moved forward with a convincing 6-3, 6-2 triumph over Hungary’s Dalma Galfi. Similar to Osaka’s performance, Andreeva dominated her opponent’s service games, winning 42 of 75 return points for a 56% success rate.

The Russian teenager has now compiled a 9-1 record on clay courts in 2026.

“Clay is such a special surface,” Andreeva noted. “You really have to adjust your game.”

Additional third-round results saw several notable outcomes: 30th-seeded Hayley Baptiste shocked eighth-ranked Italian Jasmine Paolini 7-5, 6-3; Switzerland’s 11th-seeded Belinda Benic narrowly defeated Russia’s 18th-ranked Diana Shnaider 6-2, 7-6 (6); Hungary’s Anna Bondar eliminated Laura Samson of Czechia 7-6 (3), 6-1; and Canada’s 24th-seeded Leylah Fernandez rallied past 15th-ranked Iva Jovic 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 in a marathon two-hour, eight-minute battle.

Fernandez secured her fourth-round berth by breaking Jovic’s serve three times in the deciding set and will now meet Li in the next round.

The Boston Red Sox delivered a crushing blow to the Baltimore Orioles with a 17-1 victory on Saturday afternoon, breaking their four-game losing streak in spectacular fashion behind six scoreless innings from pitcher Garrett Crochet and a late grand slam by Andruw Monasterio.

In a shocking turn of events later that evening, Boston dismissed manager Alex Cora along with five other staff members. The organization has promoted Chad Tracy, who has led the Triple-A Worcester club since 2022, to serve as interim manager.

The Red Sox unleashed a devastating 10-run assault in the ninth inning, highlighted by home runs from Caleb Durbin, Willson Contreras, and Monasterio. Contreras drove in five runs during the contest, while Connor Wong contributed a three-run double in the fifth frame. Both Monasterio and Ceddanne Rafaela collected three hits each in the offensive explosion.

Baltimore, coming off a 20-hit performance Friday evening, managed just one hit through five innings Saturday. Taylor Ward accounted for two of the Orioles’ six total hits in the lopsided defeat.

In other major league action, the Los Angeles Dodgers halted Chicago’s 10-game winning streak with a 12-4 victory, powered by Max Muncy’s two-run homer and Andy Pages’ three RBIs. A six-run fourth inning proved decisive for the Dodgers.

The Philadelphia Phillies ended their 10-game losing streak in dramatic fashion, defeating Atlanta 8-5 in 10 innings on Bryce Harper’s bases-loaded single that drove home two runs. Harper finished 2-for-3 with four RBIs, while Zack Wheeler made his first appearance since August 15 after recovering from thoracic outlet syndrome surgery.

Washington topped Chicago White Sox 6-3 in 10 innings, with Nasim Nunez delivering a pair of two-run singles, including the game-winner in the extra frame. Nunez drove in four of the Nationals’ five runs, nearly doubling his season total.

The New York Yankees continued their road dominance, beating Houston 6-3 behind Austin Wells’ leadoff homer in a three-run seventh inning. The victory improved New York to 5-0 on their current nine-game road trip and extended their overall winning streak to eight games.

Toronto split their series with Cleveland, winning 5-3 as Kevin Gausman pitched effectively for 6⅔ innings and Kazuma Okamoto homered. Andres Gimenez sparked a three-run sixth with a two-run double for the Blue Jays.

Seattle rallied past St. Louis 11-9 on Leo Rivas’ tie-breaking two-run single in the ninth inning. The Mariners overcame a poor start from Bryan Woo, who surrendered seven runs in three innings, with home runs from Julio Rodriguez, Will Wilson, and Cole Young.

San Francisco evened their series with Miami at one game each, winning 6-2 behind Casey Schmitt’s two-run homer and solo shots from Drew Gilbert and Heliot Ramos. The Giants snapped Miami’s six-game winning streak in San Francisco.

Tampa Bay defeated Minnesota 6-1 as Jake Fraley homered and Ben Williamson went 3-for-4 with a triple, double, and two RBIs. The victory extended the Rays’ winning streak to three games while the Twins suffered their fourth consecutive loss.

Texas rallied from a 3-0 deficit to beat Oakland 4-3, with Josh Jung’s go-ahead two-run homer in the sixth inning proving decisive. The Rangers evened the series and set up a rubber match for Sunday.

In Mexico City, San Diego overcame an early 4-0 deficit to defeat Arizona 6-4, with Ty France hitting two solo homers. Mason Miller recorded his major league-leading 10th save while extending his scoreless streak to a franchise-record 34⅔ innings.

Kansas City routed Los Angeles Angels 12-1 behind Salvador Perez’s three hits, including a homer, and Cole Ragans’ six strong innings with 11 strikeouts. Nick Loftin drove in four runs for the Royals.

Pittsburgh defeated Milwaukee 6-3 in 10 innings on Bryan Reynolds’ go-ahead single that triggered a three-run extra frame. The victory handed the Brewers their fourth straight loss.

Cincinnati completed a series victory over Detroit with a 9-2 win, as Sal Stewart homered and drove in five runs. The Reds have won nine of their last 11 games behind strong pitching from Brady Singer.

Following the conclusion of the 2026 NFL Draft, professional football analysts have completed their comprehensive evaluation of how all 32 franchises performed during the selection process.

Teams that invested heavily to secure early draft positions generally maximized their opportunities, according to the assessment.

Football experts examined each organization’s draft strategy and assigned letter grades based on their immediate analysis of every team’s rookie class.

However, analysts caution that these early evaluations are based on projections of developing talent and evolving team systems, with the learning curve often being significant. Typically, it requires a minimum of two complete seasons to understand the reasoning behind these draft choices, and not every prospect will reach their potential.

Arizona Cardinals

Grade: B-

Selecting Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love with the third overall pick raises concerns given teams’ historical success finding quality backs in later rounds. Arizona’s primary need was quarterback, but no signal-caller warranted the third selection after Fernando Mendoza was unavailable. Their secondary need was pass rusher, with Texas Tech’s David Bailey being the only elite edge player available – he was taken one spot before Love. While Love’s big-play ability is undeniable, the wisdom of this selection is questionable given opportunities to trade down and address multiple roster holes.

Atlanta Falcons

Grade: B+

Without a first-round selection due to their 2025 trade for pass rusher James Pearce Jr., Atlanta found excellent value with Clemson cornerback Avieon Terrell at pick 48 and speedy Georgia receiver Zachariah Branch (4.36 40-yard dash) in round three.

Baltimore Ravens

Grade: A-

No pre-draft prediction was simpler than matching the offensive line-needy Ravens with Penn State’s Olaivavega Ioane at 14th overall. Second-round selection Zion Young from Missouri was a player Dallas might have reached for earlier. He possesses all the necessary attributes to contribute immediately alongside Trey Hendrickson.

Buffalo Bills

Grade: B

Buffalo’s strategy of trading backward paid dividends. The most impressive values appear to be fifth-round selections safety Jalon Kilgore from South Carolina and Penn State defensive tackle Zane Durant. However, their first two picks will likely provide the most immediate impact: 35th overall selection T.J. Parker, a Clemson edge rusher, and 62nd pick Davison Igbinosun, an Ohio State cornerback.

Carolina Panthers

Grade: B-

This grade could have approached the top tier if offensive tackle Monroe Freeling had returned to Georgia for his final season. He represents excellent value at 19th overall, while 49th pick Lee Hunter from Texas Tech could be the perfect nose tackle prospect due to his massive frame and surprising mobility. Tennessee’s Chris Brazzell II, selected 83rd overall, offers the most appealing combination of size, skill, and speed among available receivers.

Chicago Bears

Grade: B-

Chicago deserves credit for being positioned to select Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman 25th overall. He can significantly improve their inconsistent secondary. Iowa center Logan Jones at 57th helps restructure the offensive line behind Garrett Bradbury, though if he’s not a starter, addressing pass rush might have been wiser.

Cincinnati Bengals

Grade: B+

The decision to trade their 10th pick to New York for nose tackle Dexter Lawrence would feel better if not for his declining production last season with the Giants. If he arrives motivated and 41st overall pick Cashius Howell develops – he brings tremendous energy but lacks ideal size – this strategy improves significantly.

Cleveland Browns

Grade: A-

According to Field Level Media’s analysis of prospects Andrew Berry contacted to welcome to Cleveland, the Browns executed another outstanding draft. First-round selections of Utah offensive tackle Spencer Fano and Texas A&M receiver KC Concepcion launched an exceptional weekend. 39th pick Denzel Boston from Washington is a borderline number one receiver most expected to go in the top 30, while Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren went 58th, approximately 40 spots below projections based on his talent and versatility.

Dallas Cowboys

Grade: A

Ohio State safety Caleb Downs ranked among the six undisputed elite prospects, making Dallas wise to sacrifice mid-round selections for the versatile playmaker. UCF edge rusher Malachi Lawrence possesses impressive traits, though he’s not immediately ready to rush the passer. He should win consistently. Acquiring linebacker Dee Winters from San Francisco for a fifth-round pick and selecting Michigan edge Jaishawn Barham gives Dallas the foundation for a formidable defense.

Denver Broncos

Grade: C+

Acquiring proven commodity Jaylen Waddle surpasses what Denver could have accomplished with the 30th overall pick traded to Miami.

Detroit Lions

Grade: B

Clemson offensive tackle Blake Miller provides an immediate replacement for Taylor Decker, while Michigan edge Derrick Moore represented typical Detroit value in round two.

Green Bay Packers

Grade: B

This year’s first-round selection and their 2027 first-rounder went to Dallas in the Micah Parsons trade. Parsons showed Defensive Player of the Year potential before suffering a season-ending Denver injury. As he recovers, Green Bay should contend seriously. South Carolina cornerback Brandon Cisse at 52nd overall deserved first-round consideration.

Houston Texans

Grade: C

The first-round selection of Georgia Tech guard Keylan Rutledge raises questions. Not because Rutledge lacks talent, but because no teams were competing for him or any interior lineman at that draft position, making the trade-up an overpayment. GM Nick Caserio redeemed himself in round two with Ohio State nose tackle Kayden McDonald.

Indianapolis Colts

Grade: C

Sauce Gardner himself acknowledged being Indianapolis’s first-round pick for 2026. Acquired at last season’s trade deadline, Gardner’s campaign collapsed due to calf injury. Will he return to his 2022 and 2023 All-Pro form in 2026?

Jacksonville Jaguars

Grade: C-

Jacksonville’s draft lacked excitement, particularly after trading up for Travis Hunter second overall in 2025. Weighing the cost of their 2026 first-rounder against Hunter’s franchise contribution thus far, this appears disappointing.

Kansas City Chiefs

Grade: A

Questioning Andy Reid proves unwise. The trade-up for LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane at sixth overall was brilliant, while 29th pick Peter Woods from Clemson possesses top-15 talent. Edge rusher R Mason Thomas could significantly impact this defense.

Las Vegas Raiders

Grade: A

Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza was the obvious first overall selection, but lesser-known picks could drive the franchise turnaround. Multi-position lineman Trey Zuhn III and cornerback Jermod McCoy – a first-round talent who missed last season with a January 2025 ACL injury – at 101st overall represent foundation-building selections if they succeed.

Los Angeles Chargers

Grade: B-

Miami edge rusher Akheem Mesidor can revitalize the pass rush with Odafe Oweh departed and Khalil Mack nearing retirement. Their strongest work came later, particularly four selections invested in offensive line improvement.

Los Angeles Rams

Grade: D+

The Rams selected Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson when three consensus first-round talents remained available. Simpson’s evaluation suggested 44th overall value, drawing reactions similar to Sean McVay’s visible disappointment. However, viewing this as a bonus pick while considering trade acquisition Trent McDuffie as their first-round success makes GM Les Snead’s reach more understandable.

Miami Dolphins

Grade: C

This draft emphasized quantity for Miami, exiting round one with two potential starters who could equally be first-year projects: 12th pick Alabama tackle Kadyn Proctor and 27th overall San Diego State cornerback Chris Johnson. Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez shows second-round gem potential. Red Raiders receiver Caleb Douglas at 75th overall surprised everyone, as nobody projected him near the top 100.

Minnesota Vikings

Grade: C-

Using the 18th pick on massive Florida defensive lineman Caleb Banks seems questionable when Minnesota could have traded back or found similar talent later. Second-round Cincinnati linebacker Jake Golday and fourth-round Miami pick Jakobe Thomas represent solid selections.

New England Patriots

Grade: C+

Utah tackle Caleb Lomu at 28th overall offers flexibility with guard experience. GM Eliot Wolf traded up for Lomu, then acquired Illinois player Gabe Jacas in round two.

New Orleans Saints

Grade: B

Arizona State receiver Jordyn Tyson at eighth overall feels risky considering durability concerns that mirror current Saints number one Chris Olave. Georgia tight end Oscar Delp appears to be a third-round steal.

New York Giants

Grade: A-

Most expected Ohio State’s Arvell Reese to be gone before fifth overall, where New York secured him, five picks before powerful Miami tackle Francis Mauigoa. Based purely on potential and fit, the Giants excelled in round one. However, they never addressed replacing defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, traded to Cincinnati for the 10th pick.

New York Jets

Grade: A

GM Darren Mougey acquired three potential Pro Bowl players in round one, a haul the franchise can celebrate knowing more premium picks arrive next season. Texas Tech’s David Bailey was the draft’s best pure pass rusher, Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq was the only elite player at his position, and 30th pick Omar Cooper Jr. from Indiana matched or exceeded several receivers selected earlier. Cooper’s teammate D’Angelo Ponds offers speed and ball skills, representing excellent 50th overall value.

Philadelphia Eagles

Grade: B

While respecting Howie Roseman’s roster construction, trading up for slot receiver Makai Lemon in round one was puzzling with multiple talented receivers still available late in the first round.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Grade: C-

Landing Arizona State tackle Max Iheanachor, one of the draft’s best finishers, deserves praise. The Drew Allar quarterback selection shows tools and potential, but the upside remains unclear unless Pittsburgh plans to develop him for two years.

San Francisco 49ers

Grade: B-

After multiple trades back, San Francisco selected Ole Miss receiver De’Zhaun Stribling with the first second-round pick. He’s a big-bodied target to complement free agent Mike Evans and 2025 first-rounder Ricky Pearsall.

Seattle Seahawks

Grade: B

GM John Schneider discussed trading out of round one before surprising everyone by selecting Notre Dame running back Jadarian Price with the final first-round pick. Price can immediately replace Kenneth Walker III if needed.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Grade: A

Selecting falling Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. at 15th overall sparked Warren Sapp comparisons and began a series of successful picks. Missouri linebacker Josiah Trotter (46th) and Bain’s Miami teammate cornerback Keionte Scott (116th) enter the NFL with starter-plus ability.

Tennessee Titans

Grade: A-

Quarterback Cam Ward, the 2025 first overall pick, suddenly has an impressive arsenal. First-round Ohio State receiver Carnell Tate (fourth overall) and 31st pick Auburn edge Keldric Faulk address key positions while setting the tempo.

Washington Commanders

Grade: B

Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles (seventh overall) was considered top-five talent after his NFL Combine performance. Every great Dan Quinn defense features a linebacker with coach-on-the-field qualities. Clemson slot receiver Antonio Williams (71st overall) exceeds expectations.

Minnesota secured a commanding 112-96 victory over Denver in Game 4 of their Western Conference playoff matchup Saturday night, moving within one win of advancing to the next round. However, the triumph came with significant concerns as the Timberwolves lost two key players to injuries during the contest.

Ayo Dosunmu delivered an outstanding performance coming off the bench, establishing a new personal best with 43 points while shooting an impressive 13-of-17 from the field. His exceptional play helped Minnesota take a 3-1 advantage in the best-of-seven series.

The victory was overshadowed by injuries to two Minnesota starters. Four-time All-Star Anthony Edwards, the team’s leading scorer, exited during the second quarter with a left knee injury and was unable to return. Guard Donte DiVincenzo also suffered a concerning right leg injury on a non-contact play in the first half, with initial assessments suggesting a possible Achilles tendon rupture.

Supporting the depleted lineup, Naz Reid contributed 17 points from the bench for Minnesota. Julius Randle recorded 15 points and nine rebounds, while Rudy Gobert dominated the boards with a game-high 15 rebounds along with four points.

Denver was paced by Jamal Murray’s 30 points on 10-of-25 shooting. Nikola Jokic posted 24 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists, though he struggled with his shot, connecting on just 8-of-22 field goal attempts and missing all three 3-point tries.

In other playoff action, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander established a new playoff career-high with 42 points, shooting 15-of-18 from the floor with eight assists to lead Oklahoma City past Phoenix 121-109. The reigning NBA MVP’s performance gave the Thunder a commanding 3-0 series advantage and extended their first-round winning streak to 11 games. Playing without injured Jalen Williams, who strained his hamstring in Game 2, Oklahoma City relied heavily on their star guard.

Dillon Brooks paced Phoenix with 33 points while Jalen Green added 26. Devin Booker managed 16 points but shot just 6-of-16 from the field.

Karl Anthony-Towns achieved his first playoff triple-double with 20 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds as New York defeated Atlanta 114-98, evening their Eastern Conference series at 2-2. Towns recorded the seventh postseason triple-double in franchise history and his fifth career triple-double overall. The performance ensures Game 5 will take place Tuesday in New York rather than serving as an elimination contest for the Knicks. OG Anunoby led New York’s scoring with 22 points and 10 rebounds.

CJ McCollum topped Atlanta with 17 points but managed only three after halftime. Nickell Alexander-Walker contributed 15 points with five 3-pointers, though the Hawks struggled from long range, making just 10-of-41 attempts for 24.4%.

Paolo Banchero and Desmond Bane each scored 25 points as Orlando held off a late Detroit surge for a 113-105 Game 3 victory in their first-round Eastern Conference series. Banchero added 12 rebounds and nine assists for the eighth-seeded Magic, who improved to 7-1 in their last eight home playoff contests. Bane connected on 7-of-9 attempts from beyond the arc.

Cade Cunningham scored 12 of his 27 points in the final quarter for Detroit. Tobias Harris contributed 23 points, Ausar Thompson had 17 and Duncan Robinson chipped in 10.

With just 29 seconds remaining in overtime, Matt Boldy found the back of the net to propel the Minnesota Wild to a 3-2 victory over the Dallas Stars on Saturday night in St. Paul, evening their Western Conference first-round playoff series at two games apiece.

The Wild received contributions from multiple players, with one unnamed player recording a goal and assist, while Marcus Foligno also found the scoresheet. Goaltender Jesper Wallstedt was outstanding between the pipes, turning away 43 shots to keep Minnesota in the contest. The Wild had started the series strong with a commanding 6-1 victory in the opener before dropping back-to-back contests, including a heartbreaking double-overtime loss in Game 3 on home ice.

For Dallas, Jason Robertson and Miro Heiskanen provided the offense, while Matt Duchene and Mikko Rantanen each contributed two helpers. Stars netminder Jake Oettinger was equally impressive, making 40 stops in the losing effort.

Special teams played a crucial role in the outcome, as Minnesota struggled on the man advantage, failing to convert on all four power-play opportunities. Meanwhile, Dallas capitalized on both of their chances with the extra attacker. The series now shifts back to Dallas for Game 5 on Tuesday evening.

In other NHL playoff action, the Carolina Hurricanes completed a sweep of the Ottawa Senators with a 4-2 victory. Logan Stankoven’s power-play marker in the third period proved to be the difference-maker for Carolina, which never surrendered the lead in eliminating Ottawa from postseason contention. Sebastian Aho added two empty-net tallies, while Taylor Hall contributed a goal and assist. Seth Jarvis recorded two assists and Frederik Andersen made 25 saves for the victorious Hurricanes.

Ottawa received offensive production from Drake Batherson, who had a goal and assist, and Dylan Cozens, who also scored. Linus Ullmark made 26 saves in the losing effort.

Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Penguins kept their playoff hopes alive with a 4-2 triumph over the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference first-round matchup. Sidney Crosby led the way with a goal and assist for the visiting Penguins, who had been outscored 11-4 while falling behind 3-0 in the series.

Rickard Rakell also contributed a goal and assist for Pittsburgh. Penguins coach Dan Muse made the decision to start Arturs Silovs in goal instead of Stuart Skinner, and Silovs delivered with 28 saves in a stellar performance.

Philadelphia got goals from Denver Barkey and Travis Konecny, and will have another opportunity to close out the best-of-seven series when the teams meet for Game 5 in Pittsburgh on Monday. Dan Vladar, playing through a right arm injury, stopped 17 shots for the Flyers.

Minnesota Timberwolves star guard Anthony Edwards suffered a left knee injury during Saturday evening’s playoff matchup against the Denver Nuggets at home in Minneapolis, forcing him to leave the game with assistance.

The injury occurred when Edwards jumped to attempt blocking a shot but came down awkwardly on his left leg with 2:43 remaining in the second quarter. He immediately fell to the floor and grabbed his knee in apparent pain.

Shortly after, team personnel assisted Edwards as he limped off the court toward the locker room, putting minimal weight on his injured left leg during his exit.

The Timberwolves officially declared Edwards would not return to the game shortly after halftime began, and he is set to undergo an MRI scan to assess how serious the injury is.

Before getting hurt, Edwards had contributed five points and three rebounds across 18 minutes of play. Minnesota held a 2-1 advantage in the best-of-seven first-round Western Conference playoff series heading into Saturday’s fourth game.

The four-time All-Star paced the Timberwolves with 28.8 points per game throughout the regular season. In the opening three playoff games, he was averaging 23 points per contest.

Edwards became the second Timberwolves player to exit Game 4 due to injury. Earlier in the first quarter, guard Donte DiVincenzo departed with a non-contact right leg injury. According to ESPN reports, DiVincenzo, who left the arena at halftime using a wheelchair, suffered a torn right Achilles tendon.

MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Timberwolves suffered a devastating blow during Saturday night’s playoff matchup against the Denver Nuggets, losing both starting guards to leg injuries in the opening half of Game 4.

Star player Anthony Edwards sustained what appeared to be a left knee injury during the final moments of the second quarter. The injury occurred when Edwards’ knee seemed to give way as he came down from defending a layup attempt. Team personnel assisted him off the court to the locker room, and he was unable to continue playing.

Earlier in the contest, Donte DiVincenzo sustained an injury to his lower right leg during the game’s first few minutes. The incident happened when DiVincenzo lost his footing while pursuing a loose ball on the court. He immediately signaled for medical assistance and was unable to put weight on his injured foot as he was escorted to the locker room. Team officials confirmed DiVincenzo would not return to action.

The injuries represent a significant setback for Minnesota, which had been performing well in the series. Edwards had been leading the team with 23.0 points per game along with 8.0 rebounds as the sixth-seeded Timberwolves held a 2-1 series advantage over Denver. DiVincenzo had also been contributing significantly, averaging 14.3 points per game and connecting on 11 of his 22 three-point attempts through the first three contests.

The 2026 NFL draft concluded with 257 players chosen, ranging from Fernando Mendoza to Red Murdock, as teams completed months of evaluation and preparation.

While some rookies will make immediate impacts, others will require development time, and not every draftee will secure a roster spot. The Associated Press has released preliminary evaluations for each franchise’s draft performance, though definitive assessments won’t be possible for several years.

The Arizona Cardinals selected running back Jeremiyah Love as a special talent and immediate improvement, though choosing him third overall raises questions about positional importance. Offensive lineman Chase Bisontis (34th pick) should create opportunities for Love, while interior defensive lineman Kaleb Proctor (104th) shows promise. In a weak quarterback class, they took an early chance on Carson Beck (65th).

Atlanta secured first-round caliber talent in the second round with cornerback Avieon Terrell (48th), who will play alongside his brother AJ Terrell in the secondary. Wide receiver Zachariah Branch (79th) brings playmaking ability to the slot, and linebacker Kendal Daniels (134th) should contribute on special teams at minimum.

Baltimore addressed immediate needs with guard Olaivavega Ioane (14th) as a day-one starter. Edge rusher Zion Young (45th) was frequently projected for the first round. They added size at receiver with Ja’Kobi Lane (80th) and Elijah Sarratt (115th), while tight end Matthew Hibner (133rd) addresses a position of need.

Buffalo traded their first-round selection, accumulated additional picks, and still landed talented edge rusher T.J. Parker (35th). Cornerback Davison Igbinosun (62nd) provides depth, while offensive tackle Jude Bowry (102nd), wide receiver Skyler Bell (125th), and linebacker Kaleb Elarms-Orr (126th) fill specific requirements.

Carolina found excellent value with offensive tackle Monroe Freeling (19th), who was often considered a top-10 prospect and fits the prototypical left tackle mold. Defensive lineman Lee Hunter (49th) can disrupt plays from the interior. Their day-three selections include wide receiver Chris Brazzell II (83rd), cornerback Will Lee III (129th), offensive lineman Sam Hecht (144th), and safety Zakee Wheatley (151st).

Chicago addressed a critical need with safety Dillon Thieneman (25th) in the first round. Center Logan Jones (57th) was selected earlier than anticipated, while tight end Sam Roush (69th) specializes in run blocking. Wide receiver Zavion Thomas (89th) enhances the return game, and cornerback Malik Muhammad represents solid value.

The New York Giants didn’t possess a first-round pick after trading the 10th overall selection for defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence. They acquired edge rusher Cashius Howell (41st), who received first-round evaluations. Cornerback Tacario Davis (72nd) also strengthens a struggling defense. Center Connor Lew (128th) could start after being found in the fourth round, and 6-foot-5 wide receiver Colbie Young (140th) adds size to a deep receiving corps.

Green Bay traded down, accumulated additional selections, and assembled an impressive overall collection. Offensive tackle Spencer Fano (9th) will start immediately, while wide receiver KC Concepcion (24th) possesses all necessary tools. They selected another receiver in the second round with Denzel Boston (39th). Safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (58th) carried first-round grades. Offensive tackle Austin Barber (86th) provides line depth and flexibility. Center Parker Brailsford (146th) fills a need, and linebacker Justin Jefferson (149th) brings athleticism and talent.

Houston made an excellent defensive move by trading up one spot to secure the draft’s top safety, Caleb Downs, at 11th overall. Moving back three positions to 23rd might have cost them a better option, but they ended up with Malachi Lawrence, who wasn’t universally considered first-round material. Edge rusher Jaishawn Barham (92nd), cornerback Devin Moore (114th), and edge rusher LT Overton (137th) give new defensive coordinator Christian Parker additional talent to develop. Offensive tackle Drew Shelton (112th) has significant upside.

Denver’s first selection came in the third round with defensive tackle Tyler Onyedim (66th). Running back Jonah Coleman (108th) adds depth, offensive lineman Kage Casey (111th) offers versatility, and tight end Justin Joly (152nd) provides a downfield receiving threat. Denver had already acquired wide receiver Jaylen Waddle via trade before the draft.

Detroit filled a major need with offensive tackle Blake Miller (17th). Edge rusher Derrick Moore (44th) remains in Michigan and brings energy to the pass rush. Linebacker Jimmy Rolder (118th) is another Michigan player staying local. Cornerback Keith Abney II (157th) and wide receiver Kenrick Law (168th) represent solid value selections.

Green Bay acquired first-round talent with cornerback Brandon Cisse (52nd). Defensive tackle Chris McClellan (77th) provides needed run-stopping ability. Edge rusher Dani Dennis-Sutton (120th) could prove to be a fourth-round steal, while versatile offensive lineman Jager Burton (153rd) matches the offense’s character.

Houston boosted a problematic area with offensive lineman Keylan Rutledge (26th) after two weak seasons. Defensive tackle Kayden McDonald (36th) is an elite run defender who complements edge rushers Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter. Tight end Martin Klein (59th) was a reach, but Febechi Nwaiwu (106th) is a versatile offensive lineman. Linebacker Wade Woodaz (123rd) has good potential, and safety Kamari Ramsey (141st) offers value.

Indianapolis filled a significant need with linebacker CJ Allen (53rd), who was projected higher, giving the Colts excellent value. Safety A.J. Haulcy could start as a rookie. Offensive lineman Jalen Farmer (113th) is powerful and versatile. Linebacker Bryce Boettcher (135th) and edge rusher George Gumbs Jr. (156th) have development potential in Lou Anarumo’s defense.

Jacksonville selected Texas A&M teammates with their first two picks. Tight end Nate Boerkircher (56th) is physical and will enhance the running game, though the Jaguars needed defensive help. Defensive lineman Albert Regis (81st) primarily defends against the run from the interior. Offensive lineman Emmanuel Pregnon (88th) has strong potential. Safety Jalen Huskey (100th) and edge rusher Wesley Williams (119th) provide depth at positions of need. Tight end Tanner Koziol (164th), wide receiver Josh Cameron (191st), and wide receiver CJ Williams (203rd) give Liam Coen additional offensive options.

Kansas City traded up three spots and surrendered a third-round pick to acquire needed cornerback Mansoor Delane (6th). They found Chris Jones’ potential replacement later in the first round with defensive lineman Peter Woods (29th). Edge rusher R Mason Thomas (40th) is a speedy pass rusher. Cornerback Jadon Canady (109th) strengthens a depleted secondary. Running back Emmett Johnson (161st) and wide receiver Cyrus Allen (176th) provide decent fifth-round value.

Las Vegas quarterback Fernando Mendoza won’t play immediately, but the Raiders don’t need to wait to see this draft class’s impact. Cornerbacks Treydan Stukes (38th) and Keyron Crawford (67th) will contribute right away. Offensive lineman Trey Zuhn III (91st) fits new coach Klint Kubiak’s system. Cornerback Jermod McCoy (101st) is among the draft’s best prospects who fell only due to injury concerns. Running back Mike Washington Jr. (122nd) could form a tandem with Ashton Jeanty. Safety Dalton Johnson (150th), cornerback Hezekiah Masses (175th), and wide receiver Malik Benson (195th) add depth.

Los Angeles Chargers selected edge rusher Akheem Mesidor (22nd), who performed like a top-10 pick at Miami. Offensive lineman Jake Slaughter (63rd) seems questionable since the Chargers signed center Tyler Biadasz. Speedy wide receiver Brenen Thompson (105th) stretches the field. Offensive tackle Travis Burke (117th) and safety Genesis Smith (131st) completed a productive fourth round. They further strengthened the trenches with defensive lineman Nick Barrett (145th) and offensive linemen Logan Taylor (202nd) and Alex Harkey (206th).

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Ty Simpson might become a franchise player, but using the 13th pick on someone who won’t play until Matthew Stafford retires is difficult to justify instead of selecting someone who could help a Super Bowl run. Tight end Max Klare (61st) is talented but doesn’t address an immediate void. Offensive lineman Keagen Trost (93rd) is a 25-year-old prospect providing depth. Wide receiver CJ Daniels (197th) could succeed in Sean McVay’s offense. Defensive tackle Tim Keenan III (232nd) stops the run.

Miami’s offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor (12th) could become dominant. Cornerback Chris Johnson (27th) gives Jeff Hafley’s defense a secondary anchor. Linebacker Jacob Rodriguez (43rd) has high potential. They reached for wide receiver Caleb Douglas (75th), projected for middle day-three, but found great value with wide receiver Chris Bell (94th). Tight end Will Kacmarek (87th), linebacker Kyle Louis, and safety Michael Taaffe (158th) are among a 13-player haul. Wide receiver Kevin Coleman Jr. (177th) could be a fifth-round gem.

Minnesota defensive tackle Caleb Banks is superb but recovering from two foot surgeries. Linebacker Jake Golday (51st) could thrive under defensive coordinator Brian Flores. Defensive lineman Domonique Orange (82nd) adds depth. Offensive tackle Caleb Tiernan (97th) is versatile and ready. Safety Jakobe Thomas (98th) is dynamic. The Vikings traded to acquire speedy running back Demond Claiborne (198th), potentially the highlight among four day-three selections.

New England got offensive tackle Caleb Lomu (28th), considered the draft’s best by some analysts, making this potentially a steal. Edge rusher Gabe Jacas (55th) has immediate contribution talent. Tight end Eli Raridon (95th) and offensive tackle Dametrious Crownover (196th) strengthen both positions. Quarterback Behren Morton (234th) was among five other picks.

New Orleans wide receiver Jordyn Tyson is tremendously talented but needs to stay healthy to justify the eighth overall selection. Defensive lineman Christen Miller (42nd) will help stop the run. Tight end Oscar Delp (73rd) fits Kellen Moore’s scheme. Wide receiver Bryce Lance (136th) highlights the Saints’ day-three picks. Cornerbacks Lorenzo Styles Jr. (172nd) and TJ Hall (219th) are value picks with potential.

The New York Giants selected foundation players with edge rusher Arvell Reese (5th) and offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa (10th). Cornerback Colton Hood (37th) is first-round talent. Wide receiver Malachi Fields (74th) could have gone higher. Defensive lineman Bobby Jamison-Travis (186th), offensive tackle J.C. Davis (192nd), and linebacker Jack Kelly (193rd) complete an impressive group in John Harbaugh’s first draft with the Giants.

The New York Jets chose David Bailey over Reese (2nd) as the first of three first-rounders. Kenyon Sadiq (16th) is the draft’s best tight end. They traded up for wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. (30th) to give the Jets another playmaker with Garrett Wilson. Cornerback D’Angelo Ponds (50th) resembles coach Aaron Glenn. Defensive lineman Darrell Jackson Jr. (103rd) and offensive lineman Anez Cooper (188th) strengthen the trenches. They took a chance on quarterback Cade Klubnik (110th) in the fourth round.

Philadelphia took wide receiver Makai Lemon (20th) from the Steelers but surrendered two fourth-rounders to move up three spots. Tight end Eli Stowers (54th) lacks size but offers offensive versatility. Offensive tackle Markel Bell (68th) is a developmental talent. They finally selected a Georgia player in the sixth round with offensive lineman Micah Morris (207th). Quarterback Cole Payton (178th) is intriguing for a team that values backups.

Pittsburgh will be remembered for the Lemon situation but acquired considerable talent among a 10-player class. Offensive tackle Max Iheanachor (21st) gives Aaron Rodgers or any quarterback more protection if he starts immediately. Wide receiver Germie Bernard (47th) compensates for losing Lemon. Quarterback Drew Allar (76th) seems like a reach, but cornerback Daylen Everette (85th) and guard Gennings Dunker (96th) have high potential. Wide receiver Kaden Wetjen (121st) should be a dynamic returner. Safety Robert Spears-Jennings (224th) could be the best day-three selection.

San Francisco traded out of the first round and selected wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling (33rd) to begin the second. Edge rusher Romello Height (70th) should improve a pass rush that recorded the fewest NFL sacks. Running back Kaelon Black (90th) could give Christian McCaffrey rest. They added offensive tackles Carver Willis (127th) and Enrique Cruz Jr. on day three. Defensive tackle Gracen Halton (107th) provides significant interior help.

Seattle running back Jadarian Price (32nd) replaces Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker. Safety Bud Clark (64th) also fills a void. Cornerback Julian Neal (99th) is tough and physical, ideal for this defense. Cornerback Andre Fuller (236th) might be a discovery among five day-three picks.

Tampa Bay edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. (15th) gives the Buccaneers a desperately needed pass rusher. Linebacker Josiah Trotter (46th) plays Todd Bowles’ defensive style. Wide receiver Ted Hurst (84th) has size but can’t be expected to replace Mike Evans. Safety Keionte Scott (116th) is a physical tackler who can help the secondary. Offensive lineman Billy Schrauth (160th) is talented and represents solid fifth-round value.

Tennessee made Carnell Tate the first wide receiver selected (4th) instead of taking Reese or another impact defender. But they traded back into the first round for edge rusher Keldric Faulk (31st). Linebacker Anthony Hill (60th) is a versatile plug-and-play athlete. Offensive lineman Fernando Carmona (142nd) can play multiple positions. Running back Nicholas Singleton (165th) has potential to be a fifth-round steal. Defensive lineman Jackie Marshall (184th) fits well with Robert Saleh.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo will not return to Saturday’s playoff matchup against the Denver Nuggets after suffering a lower right leg injury during the opening quarter.

The injury happened without any contact from opposing players. DiVincenzo was moving toward a loose ball when he planted his foot and immediately collapsed, clutching the back of his right leg.

Team officials announced DiVincenzo would not return before the first quarter concluded.

Throughout the regular season, DiVincenzo contributed 12.2 points per contest while connecting on 37.9% of his three-point attempts. In the opening three games of this playoff series against Denver, he had elevated his scoring to 14.3 points per game.

Despite an outstanding collegiate career at Buffalo University, Red Murdock watched his impressive statistics and achievements fail to impress NFL scouts throughout draft weekend.

The Denver Broncos finally called Murdock’s name on Sunday, selecting him with pick number 257 – the final selection of the seven-round 2026 NFL Draft held in Pittsburgh. This distinction automatically grants him the well-known “Mr. Irrelevant” designation.

The second-team All-American becomes the 51st athlete to receive the “Mr. Irrelevant” moniker since the custom started in 1976.

During his Buffalo tenure, Murdock – whose given name is Khalil – established a new FBS milestone with 17 forced fumbles throughout his career. His yearly totals included four in 2023, seven in 2024, and six in 2025. In a twist of fate, former Buffalo standout Khalil Mack, now an established NFL veteran, previously owned the record with 16.

In 2025, Murdock finished third nationally with 142 total tackles while recording five quarterback sacks among his 13.5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage. The previous year saw him rank second across the country with 156 tackles. Both seasons earned him first-team All-Mid-American Conference recognition.

Despite these accomplishments, Murdock grew increasingly anxious as the draft’s final day progressed, fearing he might not be selected at all.

“I feel extremely grateful and excited to help the Broncos win, above all else,” Murdock told reporters. “I know a little bit about Mr. Irrelevant, but the main thing is I got an opportunity, and I’m trying to make the most of it to help us win.”

The most successful Mr. Irrelevant remains quarterback Brock Purdy, who San Francisco selected with the 2022 draft’s concluding pick. Despite an impressive collegiate resume at Iowa State, Purdy watched 261 players chosen before him.

Purdy quickly proved his worth, leading the 49ers to the 2023 Super Bowl before falling to the Kansas City Chiefs in the championship game.

Paul Salata, the former NFL wide receiver who created the Mr. Irrelevant tradition, passed away in 2021 at 94 years old.

The final draft selection generates more publicity than any other seventh-round pick, with attention peaking when the player visits Southern California for the annual Irrelevant Week celebration. The festivities culminate with presentation of the “Lowsman Trophy.”

Following a dismal 10-17 beginning to their season, the Boston Red Sox terminated manager Alex Cora along with five members of his coaching staff, the team confirmed Saturday night.

The organization also let go hitting coach Peter Fatse, assistant hitting coach Dillon Lawson, third base coach Kyle Hudson, bench coach Ramon Vasquez, and hitting strategy coach Joe Cronin alongside Cora’s dismissal.

The Red Sox have promoted Chad Tracy, 40, who has managed their Triple-A Worcester affiliate since 2022, to serve as interim manager. Meanwhile, game planning and run-prevention coach Jason Varitek will move into a different position within the franchise.

Red Sox owner John Henry expressed his appreciation for Cora’s contributions in an official team statement, saying: “Alex Cora led this organization to one of the greatest seasons in Red Sox history in 2018, and for that, and the many years that followed, he will always have our deepest gratitude. He has had a lasting impact on this team and on this city. He has led on and off the field in so many important ways. These decisions are never easy, but this one is especially difficult given what Alex has meant to the Red Sox since the day he arrived.”

Henry continued: “I want to thank Alex, our coaches, and their families for everything they have given to this organization. They have been part of this club in a way that goes beyond the field, and they will always have our respect and gratitude.”

The team’s record fell to 9-17 following Friday’s crushing 10-3 defeat against Baltimore, where the Orioles hammered six home runs and recorded 20 hits. Following that loss, Boston found themselves trailing the New York Yankees by eight games in the American League East standings.

The Red Sox managed to bounce back Saturday, overwhelming the Orioles in a 17-1 victory.

Cora joined Boston as manager in 2018 after working as bench coach for Houston’s 2017 championship team. During his first season, he guided the Red Sox to a team-record 108 wins and a World Series championship.

Following the 2019 season, Cora became involved in Major League Baseball’s investigation concerning Houston’s sign-stealing scandal. Although MLB launched a separate inquiry into Boston’s practices, Cora and the organization mutually decided to part ways before the 2020 campaign began.

The 50-year-old manager served a suspension for the entire 2020 season due to his involvement with Houston’s violations, but Boston rehired him as manager in 2021.

Following three consecutive seasons without playoff appearances from 2022-24, the Red Sox made the postseason last year but were eliminated by the New York Yankees in an American League wild-card series.

Throughout his tenure, Cora compiled a regular-season record of 619-541 and went 18-10 in postseason play across eight years.

TALLADEGA, Alabama — Twenty-year-old Corey Day achieved a milestone victory Saturday afternoon, securing his inaugural NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series triumph at Talladega Superspeedway during the Ag-Pro 300. The California native crossed the finish line under caution in his No. 17 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, taking command only during the race’s final circuit in his debut full-time campaign.

The young sprint car racer brought Hendrick Motorsports their inaugural O’Reilly Auto Parts Series victory at the Alabama track, while also delivering a win for an unusual pit crew addition — retired Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce, who donned team colors and assisted with tire duties during Saturday’s competition.

“I sure as heck didn’t think it [first win] would be at a superspeedway,” Day said with a broad smile, noting he had also won a sprint car event in Nebraska earlier in the week. “My 17 guys just built a rocket ship.”

“I feel like we’ve been close, had a good day at Rockingham (North Carolina race) and had a couple other good days and just didn’t finish it off, so this is super cool,” he added.

The race concluded after 1 hour, 58 minutes and 33 seconds of competition.

Rookie driver Brent Crews achieved a personal milestone with a second-place finish in his No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, while Sheldon Creed from Haas Factory Team claimed third position in another characteristic photo-finish conclusion on the 2.66-mile high-banked oval. Creed’s performance earned him the $100,000 Dash 4 Cash bonus for the second consecutive week.

“Hard to be too mad at second here when so much happens and very easily could have been in one of those crashes at the end,” Crews commented. “Getting to take home the Dash 4 Cash is really special, and thank the guys in the shop for that.”

JR Motorsports’ Sammy Smith finished fourth in the No. 8 Chevrolet, helping extend the organization’s remarkable top-10 streak to 68 consecutive races — the second-longest in series history. Owner-operator Jeremy Clements rounded out the top five in his South Carolina-based No. 51 Chevrolet, marking the independent operation’s strongest result since 2022.

The remaining top-10 positions went to Dean Thompson, Jesse Love, Brandon Jones, Parker Retzlaff and Austin Green, with J.J. Yeley earning the sole Ford entry an impressive 11th-place showing among the 38-car field.

Love began the race from pole position in his No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, pacing the field for the most circuits (37) and holding the lead late before falling backward with six laps remaining. The pack divided around his machine, allowing Creed to assume command with five laps left.

Creed’s teammate Sam Mayer, who had shown strength throughout the afternoon, was credited as the leader with two laps remaining in a three-wide formation that also included Creed and Day. However, as frequently occurs at Talladega, contact during the final frantic moments reshuffled the leading group, sending Mayer’s No. 41 Chevrolet and two-time race winner Jeb Burton’s No. 27 Jordan Anderson Chevrolet into the outside barrier.

Mayer finished 25th despite leading three separate times for eight total laps. Burton, who came within inches of winning this event last year, ended up 26th.

JR Motorsports teammates Carson Kvapil and Justin Allgaier captured the stage victories in segments one and two respectively, but both drivers were unable to recover from mid-race penalties for “impeding” other competitors during the final stage.

Officials called only four caution periods — the fewest since 2022. The 38 lead changes represented the most at this facility since 2013.

Despite recording his worst finish of the season in 23rd position, Allgaier maintains his championship advantage by 105 points over Creed in the standings.

Competition continues next Saturday at Texas Motor Speedway for the Andy’s Frozen Custard 340, where reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson will defend his victory from last year.

Day, Crews, Creed and Smith have qualified for next week’s $100,000 Dash 4 Cash opportunity.

LOS ANGELES – Half a century after one of baseball’s most patriotic moments, the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrated the 50th anniversary of Rick Monday’s heroic flag rescue during Saturday’s game against the Chicago Cubs.

Monday and his spouse Barbaralee displayed the same flag he saved to thunderous applause from the crowd at Dodger Stadium.

The memorable incident occurred on April 25, 1976, when Monday was patrolling center field for Chicago during a game at Dodger Stadium. During the fourth inning, a pair of protesters entered the playing field, laid out an American flag on the grass between left and center field, and poured lighter fluid on it in preparation to set it ablaze.

Monday quickly sprinted toward the demonstrators and grabbed the flag with his right hand before racing away from the scene. He then handed the flag to Los Angeles pitcher Doug Rau as fans erupted in appreciation.

The following inning when Monday stepped into the batter’s box, the stadium scoreboard displayed a message reading: “Rick Monday…You made a great play.”

During Saturday’s ceremony, Marine Corps representatives presented Monday, who served six years in the Marine Corps reserves, with a bronze statue depicting his famous flag-saving sprint.

“I had no idea they were going to be here or present me with an honor. Very humbled,” Monday commented during the game’s radio broadcast.

Both teams formed lines along the baselines for the national anthem, performed by Davis Gaines from “Phantom of the Opera.”

Monday became a Dodger the next season when Tommy Lasorda started his legendary tenure as manager. He contributed to the franchise’s 1981 World Series title and has served as a Dodgers radio announcer intermittently since 1985.

Starting Memorial Day weekend, the preserved flag will go on display at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. Monday has maintained the flag’s condition over the decades and is lending it to the museum for the exhibit.

“What’s very nice is that flag they were trying to desecrate still has a life,” Monday reflected.

BOSTON — The Boston Red Sox have terminated manager Alex Cora, the skipper who guided the franchise to its 2018 World Series title and a record-breaking 108 regular-season victories that year.

Triple-A Worcester manager Chad Tracy will step in as interim manager to replace Cora.

“Alex Cora led this organization to one of the greatest seasons in Red Sox history in 2018, and for that, and the many years that followed, he will always have our deepest gratitude,” owner John Henry said in a statement. “He has had a lasting impact on this team and on this city. He has led on and off the field in so many important ways.”

The organization made this announcement on Saturday following a dominant 17-1 win against Baltimore, which ended a four-game skid that included getting swept at home by their longtime rivals, the New York Yankees.

Currently sitting at 10-17 for the season, the Red Sox find themselves at the bottom of the AL East standings.

Along with Cora’s dismissal, the organization is releasing five coaching staff members: hitting coach Peter Fatse, third base coach Kyle Hudson, bench coach Ramón Vázquez, assistant hitting coach Dillon Lawson, and major league hitting strategy coach Joe Cronin.

Jason Varitek, who serves as game planning and run prevention coach and caught for three of the team’s four championship teams this century, will move to a different position within the organization that has not yet been specified.

Cora, who played as an infielder for Boston for more than three seasons and earned a 2007 World Series ring as a player, served as Houston’s bench coach during their 2017 championship run. Boston brought him in to take over for John Farrell, marking his debut as a major league manager.

During his inaugural season as manager, Boston captured 108 regular-season games, eliminated their bitter rivals the Yankees in the playoffs, then beat Houston in the American League Championship Series. The team completed their championship run by defeating Los Angeles in five games for their fourth World Series crown in 15 seasons.

The following year saw Boston finish third in their division, ending a four-year playoff streak. During that offseason, The Athletic published reports indicating Cora had played a central role in Houston’s illegal sign-stealing operation during their title-winning campaign.

After Major League Baseball completed its investigation, both Cora and the Red Sox mutually agreed on his departure. Ron Roenicke took the helm of a team that would subsequently undergo major salary cuts, including trading 2018 AL MVP Mookie Betts and pitcher David Price. Following a basement finish in the shortened 2020 campaign, the team dismissed Roenicke and brought Cora back.

In his return season, Boston made the playoffs once more, defeating New York in the AL wild-card matchup and Tampa Bay in the Division Series before falling to Houston in the ALCS.

Since that playoff run, Boston has failed to win another postseason series, finishing last in consecutive seasons before returning to the playoffs last year only to lose to the Yankees in the wild-card round.

Cora compiled a 620-541 record during his tenure as Red Sox manager.

“These decisions are never easy, but this one is especially difficult given what Alex has meant to the Red Sox since the day he arrived,” Henry’s statement said. “I want to thank Alex, our coaches, and their families for everything they have given to this organization. They have been part of this club in a way that goes beyond the field, and they will always have our respect and gratitude.”

Chad Epperson, previously managing the Double-A Portland team in the Eastern League, will temporarily fill the third base coaching position. Collin Hetzler, who coached hitting for Worcester, will join Boston’s major league hitting staff.

The Cincinnati Reds have moved veteran slugger Eugenio Suarez to the 10-day injured list Saturday after he suffered a left oblique strain.

The roster move dates back to Thursday, with the team bringing up outfielder JJ Bleday from their Triple-A Louisville affiliate to take Suarez’s spot.

Manager Terry Francona anticipates the injury won’t keep Suarez out for an extended period.

“The hope is after possibly five or six days if symptoms are gone, we’ll get him imaged again,” Francona explained to the media. “Then we’ll start to build him back up.”

The 34-year-old designated hitter and third baseman was pulled from Friday’s starting lineup against Detroit approximately one hour before game time when he experienced discomfort in his left side during batting practice. An MRI scan revealed the muscle strain.

This season, Suarez is hitting .231 with three home runs and 11 RBIs across 25 games. He returned to Cincinnati on a one-year, $15 million contract after previously playing for the Reds from 2015 through 2021.

Last year, Suarez tied his personal best with 49 home runs while playing for both Arizona (36 homers) and Seattle (13). He previously reached that same 49-homer mark during his 2019 season with Cincinnati.

Bleday, 28, was performing well at Louisville with a .341 batting average, six home runs and 19 RBIs in 24 games. The outfielder nearly earned a spot on Cincinnati’s opening day roster after hitting .317 with four homers during spring training.

Throughout his four-year major league career with Miami and Oakland, Bleday has accumulated 49 home runs but carries a .215 batting average.

In additional roster moves, Cincinnati brought up right-handed pitcher Jose Franco from Louisville while sending Kyle Nicolas down to the same club.

Franco, 25, posted a 3.18 ERA in three earlier appearances with the Reds this season. Nicolas, 27, struggled with a 1-0 record and 8.59 ERA over seven outings, issuing 13 walks in just 7 1/3 innings pitched.

Polish tennis star Iga Swiatek, a six-time Grand Slam winner, was forced to withdraw from her Madrid Open match on Saturday after falling ill during competition against American player Ann Li.

Swiatek, who held the fourth seed position at the WTA 1000 clay court event, called for medical help before ultimately leaving the court in tears. At the time of her withdrawal, she was behind in the round-of-32 match with scores of 6-7(4) 6-2 0-3.

Speaking about her condition, Swiatek explained her recent struggles with what appears to be a viral infection. “The past two days were pretty terrible, I think I have some virus,” the defending Madrid champion said.

“It’s been some hours fine, some hours pretty bad. I had zero energy, zero stability, and I just felt really bad physically,” she continued.

Despite feeling unwell, the 24-year-old athlete attempted to push through the match, drawing on past experiences when she successfully competed while sick. “I knew that (it was) going to be hard but I still wanted to try because I already have been sick twice in my career and I could still win most of my matches. I guess it depends on how bad it is, and I guess this time it was worse than before,” Swiatek said.

The unexpected withdrawal creates challenges for Swiatek’s preparation schedule leading up to the French Open, where she has established herself as a dominant force. The Polish player has claimed the Roland Garros title four times, including her most recent victory in 2024.

Swiatek plans to resume her French Open preparation at the upcoming Italian Open, scheduled to run from May 5-17. The main draw competition at the French Open is set to begin on May 24.

Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Alek Thomas emphasized the significance of Major League Baseball’s expansion into Mexico as his team prepares for a weekend doubleheader against the San Diego Padres in Mexico City, where enthusiastic fans are expected to pack the stadium.

Thomas, born in the United States but eligible to play for Mexico through his mother’s heritage, expressed that competing in the nation’s capital holds special meaning for him personally.

“It’s definitely important,” Thomas shared with media on Saturday. “Getting the game all across the world is a big part of what MLB is trying to do… so everybody can see some of the best players in the world.”

The outfielder spoke about his strong connection with Mexican supporters leading up to the series, noting that his representation of Mexico in international competition has strengthened that relationship.

“There’s been a lot of people that came up to me,” he explained. “I feel like the Mexican fan base has always been very supportive.”

“It’s an honour to represent Mexico and my mom’s side of the family,” he continued. “After those games, the hugs were a little bit tighter… you could see how proud they were.”

With both of his parents attending the series at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helu, Thomas described the opportunity as “really special” and expressed hope to win over what’s anticipated to be a crowd favoring the Padres.

“I’m looking forward to the crowd reaction,” he said. “Hopefully we can sway them a little bit.”

San Diego star Fernando Tatis Jr. highlighted the impressive growth of Mexican baseball, specifically mentioning the improving standards of the country’s domestic summer league, where his father Fernando Tatis Sr. currently serves as manager for the Algodoneros de Union Laguna.

“It’s very nice to see the quality of baseball being played here,” Tatis Jr. commented. “It’s a league that’s growing… you can see the investment and the work that’s being put in.”

Fellow Padres player and Dominican Republic native Manny Machado emphasized how Latin American supporters transform the atmosphere completely.

“Latinos play the game differently… and a big part of that is the fans,” Machado explained. “They give us energy. You’re going to see that here again.”

For the Padres, who have cultivated substantial Mexican support over the years, this series strengthens a relationship that MLB continues to prioritize as part of its international expansion strategy.

“It’s something the sport has needed for a long time,” noted manager Craig Stammen.

Both teams are currently competing with the Los Angeles Dodgers for National League West supremacy, and focus now shifts to on-field performance, where high-scoring contests are anticipated due to the altitude, with a capacity crowd expected to attend.

Saturday’s concluding day of the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh opened with a surprising selection that caught many analysts off guard.

Tennessee defensive back Jermod McCoy, who numerous experts predicted would be chosen in the opening round, instead became the Las Vegas Raiders’ pick at 101st overall to start the fourth round.

The Raiders executed a minor trade with Buffalo, giving up a 2027 seventh-round selection to move from 102nd to 101st position and land McCoy.

Scouts Inc. had ranked McCoy as the 16th best available talent, but his dramatic slide resulted from medical red flags. The cornerback suffered an ACL tear that sidelined him for the entire 2025 collegiate campaign, and while that injury has recovered, medical evaluations revealed degenerative cartilage damage in his right knee.

“All of my doctors that did my surgery told me (that) I’m good,” McCoy said, per ESPN. “But if there’s something that (the Raiders) want me to do for the longevity of my career, I’m willing to do that because I feel like they have my best interest.”

During his 2024 season with Tennessee, McCoy recorded four interceptions and nine pass deflections following his transfer from Oregon State.

Las Vegas continued making bold moves after selecting Indiana signal-caller Fernando Mendoza with the draft’s opening pick two days earlier. The organization shipped former top-10 selection Tyree Wilson to New Orleans to jump from 219th overall up to 150th in the fifth round.

Wilson, chosen seventh overall in 2023, recorded 12 quarterback sacks across three seasons rushing the passer for Las Vegas. The Raiders had previously attempted to deal star pass rusher Maxx Crosby to Baltimore this offseason, but the Ravens withdrew from negotiations when Crosby failed his physical while rehabilitating from knee surgery.

With their 150th selection, Las Vegas chose Arizona safety Dalton Johnson.

The quarterback position remained sparse throughout the weekend, with only one passer taken in round four and another in round five.

New York’s Jets moved up through a deal with Cincinnati to grab Clemson’s Cade Klubnik at 110th overall. The trade sent Cincinnati the 128th pick while the Jets received the 199th selection in addition to moving up from 140th.

Klubnik, formerly considered elite college quarterback material, failed to meet expectations during his three-plus seasons leading Clemson’s offense. The 6-foot-2 prospect completed passes for 2,943 yards with 16 touchdowns against six interceptions in 2025 for the Tigers.

New York has once again restructured its quarterback position but waited until round four to gamble on an incoming rookie, having selected pass rusher David Bailey second overall. Klubnik will compete alongside Geno Smith, Brady Cook and Bailey Zappe for playing time.

“I woke up this morning hoping the Jets were going to pick me,” Klubnik told reporters after the pick.

Philadelphia utilized the 178th overall selection on North Dakota State’s Cole Payton, a former FCS championship winner who will join a depth chart featuring Jalen Hurts, Tanner McKee and veteran Andy Dalton.

Although only six quarterbacks were selected through five rounds, tight ends experienced tremendous popularity. Seventeen were chosen in rounds one through five, exceeding the 16 total drafted in 2025.

Mississippi State tight end Seydou Traore, a London native, joined the Miami Dolphins at 180th overall as the fifth round’s second-to-last selection. Despite not being announced among the prospect “green room” attendees, Traore appeared on Pittsburgh’s stage and received recognition from commissioner Roger Goodell, creating an uncommon moment for the draft’s third day.

Cleveland opened round six by selecting Arkansas quarterback Talen Green with the opening pick. Green will enter a crowded Browns quarterback room including Shedeur Sanders, Deshaun Watson and Dillon Gabriel.

ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orlando Magic have made a habit of taking the difficult path this season.

Their journey to this playoff moment included a seven-game losing streak in March that nearly derailed their postseason hopes, followed by a must-win play-in tournament game that few expected them to survive. Saturday’s contest against the Detroit Pistons continued that theme as Orlando watched a commanding 17-point advantage evaporate in the fourth quarter, leaving them trailing their opponents.

But the Magic responded in characteristic fashion.

“Fight,” said center Wendell Carter Jr. when asked about his team’s approach.

That fighting spirit proved decisive as Orlando dominated the final stretch, outpacing Detroit 9-0 over the last 2:51 to secure a 113-105 victory. The win puts the eighth-seeded Magic ahead 2-1 in their Eastern Conference quarterfinal matchup against the top-seeded Pistons.

“We did a good job of staying poised … not getting rattled,” commented Magic forward Paolo Banchero, who nearly recorded a triple-double with 25 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists. “Very composed from the team, and we got the job done.”

Banchero delivered the crucial dagger shot as well — a three-pointer that struck the rim, bounced high into the air, then fell through the net with roughly 40 seconds remaining on the clock.

“The basketball gods don’t reward hesitation,” Banchero explained. “That one, I didn’t hesitate and they blessed me with that make. A funny shot, but a big shot.”

The dramatic finish came after Detroit mounted an impressive comeback effort.

The Pistons, who had been behind for most of the evening, unleashed a devastating 26-8 surge over approximately six minutes. This rally transformed a 96-79 Orlando lead into a 105-104 Detroit advantage on a free throw by Cade Cunningham, who topped all players with 27 points. During that explosive stretch, Cunningham and Tobias Harris combined for 22 points while Detroit connected on 9-of-11 field goal attempts.

“For parts of the game, we did some good things,” said Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff. “But down the stretch, they made some tough shots that made it hard for us to finish it out.”

His assessment was partially accurate. The complete picture showed Detroit going scoreless after their impressive run concluded.

Once the Pistons’ 26-8 surge ended, Orlando claimed all nine remaining points in the contest. The Magic, who appear to thrive under intense pressure situations, discovered another path to victory.

Orlando’s reward is a 2-1 series advantage heading into Monday’s home game, positioning the eighth seed just two victories away from completing a major upset.

“There’s a lot to clean up as well,” acknowledged Magic coach Jamahl Mosley.

Philadelphia selected North Dakota State quarterback Cole Payton during the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, making him the 178th overall choice.

Payton was among six quarterbacks chosen within the draft’s opening five rounds.

The signal-caller proved his versatility as both a passer and runner during his time with the Bison. Following four years primarily serving as a backup, Payton stepped into the starting role this past season and completed passes for 2,719 yards while recording 16 passing touchdowns against just four interceptions. He also contributed significantly on the ground, accumulating 777 rushing yards and 13 rushing scores.

During his tenure as a reserve player, Payton earned two FCS championship rings in 2021 and 2024.

The left-handed quarterback measured 6-foot-3 and demonstrated his athleticism at the NFL combine by recording a 4.56-second time in the 40-yard dash while achieving a 40-inch vertical leap.

The 23-year-old will enter a competitive quarterback position group in Philadelphia that features Jalen Hurts, Tanner McKee, and Andy Dalton.

The top contender for this year’s Kentucky Derby faces an uphill battle after being assigned the challenging inside rail position during Saturday’s official post position draw at Churchill Downs.

Renegade, who captured the Arkansas Derby and is owned by American billionaire Mike Repole, enters as the betting favorite at 4-1 odds for the 152nd Run for the Roses scheduled for Saturday, May 2, in Louisville, Kentucky.

Under the guidance of Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, the three-year-old colt has delivered impressive performances in his two starts this season. Renegade staged a dramatic come-from-behind victory in the Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs on February 7, then dominated the field with a commanding four-length triumph in the Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park on March 28.

Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. will guide Renegade in his quest for Derby glory, though the veteran rider is still seeking his first Kentucky Derby victory after nine previous attempts. However, Ortiz Jr. has found success in the Triple Crown series, capturing two Belmont Stakes titles in 2016 and 2022.

The rail assignment places Renegade in a historically difficult position, as no horse has won the Derby from the first gate since Ferdinand accomplished the feat in 1986. While eight horses total have won from Gate No. 1, most of those victories occurred when Derby fields were considerably smaller.

Sharing co-second choice status at 6-1 odds are Commandment, who will break from the sixth gate, and Further Ado, starting from the outside 18th position. Both horses are trained by Brad Cox.

Legendary trainer Bob Baffert, who returned to Derby competition last May following a three-year suspension, will saddle two contenders: Potente and Litmus Test.

The complete 20-horse field with opening odds includes: Renegade (4-1), Albus (30-1), Intrepido (50-1), Litmus Test (30-1), Right To Party (30-1), Commandment (6-1), Danon Bourbon (20-1), So Happy (15-1), The Puma (10-1), Wonder Dean (30-1), Incredibolt (20-1), Chief Wallabee (8-1), Silent Tactic (20-1), Potente (20-1), Emerging Market (15-1), Pavlovian (30-1), Six Speed (50-1), Further Ado (6-1), Golden Tempo (30-1), and Fulleffort (20-1).

The Los Angeles Kings find themselves in familiar territory, facing elimination after falling behind 3-0 in their NHL playoff series against the Colorado Avalanche.

Los Angeles enters Sunday’s Game 4 trailing three games to none in their opening-round matchup. However, the Kings have experience with this exact scenario – they overcame a similar 3-0 deficit against the San Jose Sharks during the 2014 first round before ultimately winning the Stanley Cup that year.

“You’ve got to be loose now,” said Kings interim head coach D.J. Smith. “You know the end result if you don’t win. Sometimes when that happens you grip it a little less and you make a play maybe you wouldn’t have made early on.”

Smith emphasized the importance of maintaining team unity during this challenging moment. “The No. 1 thing you can’t do is get down on yourself, get down on your team, get down on your teammates. I don’t see any of that in the room. … I don’t feel for one second that anyone in that room doesn’t think we can win our next hockey game.”

For Colorado, this marks the eighth time in franchise history they’ve taken a 3-0 series advantage. In their last three instances with such a lead, the Avalanche completed the sweep, including two occasions during their 2022 championship run.

Game 4 is scheduled for Sunday at 2 p.m. ET on TNT.

In other playoff action, the Buffalo Sabres hold a 2-1 series edge over the Boston Bruins. Boston will attempt to prevent falling into a 3-1 hole when they return to TD Garden on Sunday. The Bruins posted a 29-11-1 home record this season, tied for the league’s best home performance, and went more than three months without a home loss.

Buffalo’s road success has been equally impressive, with their 24 away victories tied for the Eastern Conference lead.

“We’ve been a good road team. We’ve put together some really good stretches on the road where we’ve played really well,” Buffalo head coach Lindy Ruff explained. “I said you’re going to get a different type of atmosphere, but just believe in the way we need to play. And I thought we executed that to a ‘T.’”

The teams received an extra day of rest following Game 3, which Buffalo claimed 3-1 to regain home-ice advantage. This playoff appearance marks Buffalo’s first since 2011, ending the longest postseason drought in NHL history.

Despite the series deficit, Boston remains optimistic after scoring the opening goal in all three contests.

“We’re a confident bunch here, and one game doesn’t change that,” Boston forward Mark Kastelic stated. “We’ll have a good two days here to reset and continue to push forward.”

That matchup continues Sunday at 4:30 p.m. ET on TNT.

Back to the Avalanche-Kings series, Colorado has demonstrated versatility beyond their reputation for speed and offensive firepower, winning multiple low-scoring defensive battles.

“You’re comfortable winning a 1-0 game. If it’s a little bit more run-and-gun, you can do that, too,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar noted. “If it’s physical, you’re able to do that. It’s well-rounded players that can play a 200-foot game that give you the best chance to win, and we have a team full of them.”

Los Angeles has additional motivation to extend their season, as team captain Anze Kopitar plans to retire after this campaign. Meanwhile, an unnamed Avalanche defenseman has personal incentive to close out the series quickly – he was part of that 2014 San Jose team that surrendered a 3-0 lead to these same Kings.

The decisive Game 4 takes place Sunday at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.

In Montreal, the Canadiens lead Tampa Bay 2-1 in a series where every game has required overtime. Montreal has captured two of those extra-time contests, improving their season record to 21-6-6 in one-goal games.

The Canadiens’ fourth line contributed a plus-3 rating in Game 3, while Montreal maintains their series advantage despite their top line failing to score at even strength. Juraj Slafkovsky, skating on the first line, netted three power-play goals in the series opener’s 4-3 victory.

Tampa Bay continues to struggle with penalties and defensive breakdowns, including surrendering three breakaway opportunities Friday night. The Lightning face their potential fourth consecutive first-round elimination.

“We’ve held some pretty darn good players to limited chances in this series,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper observed. “We’re just not capitalizing the way we think we can do some things. Our execution has to be (better), we have to elevate now. And it feels like we’ve had bits and pieces of this series where we’ve been pretty darn good, and on the other side of it it’s been a struggle at times.”

That series continues Sunday at 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Finally, the Anaheim Ducks have surprised many by taking a 2-1 series lead over the two-time defending Western Conference champion Edmonton Oilers. Anaheim has found the net 16 times through three games to seize control.

After four straight years of extended playoff runs, Connor McDavid and the Oilers appear fatigued and error-prone. Star defenseman Evan Bouchard has been particularly guilty of costly mistakes during Edmonton’s 7-4 Game 3 defeat.

“Any time you let in seven, it’s not a goalie problem,” Oilers defenseman Zach Hyman acknowledged. “It’s just (about) defending better. We didn’t give ourselves a chance.”

Anaheim thrives in high-scoring affairs, using their offensive talent to overcome defensive shortcomings. The enthusiastic home crowd, experiencing their first playoff hockey in eight years, provides additional energy as the Ducks attempt to push Edmonton toward their first opening-round exit since 2021.

HOUSTON — Rockets head coach Ime Udoka announced Saturday that superstar Kevin Durant’s condition is improving following his ankle injury, though his availability for Sunday evening’s must-win Game 4 against Los Angeles remains uncertain as Houston attempts to stave off elimination.

The veteran forward was sidelined for Friday’s Game 3 due to a sprained left ankle, during which the Rockets surrendered a six-point advantage in the final 30 seconds of regulation before ultimately falling 112-108 in overtime, putting them down 0-3 in the opening round matchup.

“He’s getting treatment still around the clock,” Udoka explained. “I think there’s some soreness and (he’s) pushed a lot of swelling out, but it’ll be a matter of if he can go. We’ll try it out I’m sure tomorrow morning and before the game, and we’ll know his status then.”

When questioned about the probability of Durant suiting up Sunday as Houston fights to prevent a series sweep in the Western Conference playoffs, Udoka remained cautiously optimistic.

“Every day that goes by, the likelihood goes up,” he stated. “But I thought he might be OK (Friday) based on shootaround and that’s different going half speed and then ramping it up right before a game. And so you really can’t tell, but he’s doing everything he can to get back.”

Durant was absent from the series opener due to a bruised right knee before returning for Game 2, where he contributed 23 points across 41 minutes in the 101-94 defeat. He sustained the ankle injury during the closing moments of that contest.

These playoff injury setbacks follow a season where the 37-year-old veteran logged the second-most minutes in the NBA at 2,840 during regular season play.

The NBA’s fifth all-time leading scorer is completing his inaugural campaign with Houston following an offseason trade from Phoenix.

The Toronto Blue Jays placed outfielder Nathan Lukes on the 10-day injured list Saturday following a hamstring strain, marking another addition to the team’s growing list of injured players.

Lukes sustained the left hamstring injury during Friday evening’s 8-6 defeat against the Cleveland Guardians at home. The outfielder started the game’s opening inning with a double off pitcher Gavin Williams but limped into second base with obvious discomfort. Davis Schneider entered as a pinch runner, advanced to third on a fly ball, and crossed home plate on a ground out by Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

After beginning this season with early struggles, going 2-for-31 while dealing with vertigo-related dizziness and vision issues, Lukes had recently found his rhythm with 11 hits over his previous 21 plate appearances. His current season statistics show a .250 batting average with eight RBIs across 52 at-bats.

The 31-year-old spent seven years in minor league baseball before reaching the majors with Toronto in 2023. Following limited appearances in just 51 games during 2023 and 2024, he became a regular starter last season, posting a .255 average along with 12 home runs and 65 RBIs in 135 contests.

Toronto responded to Lukes’ injury by promoting outfielder Yohendrick Pinango from Triple-A Buffalo. The 23-year-old prospect had been performing well in the minors, batting .288 with three homers, 13 RBIs and 10 runs through 92 plate appearances. Pinango is anticipated to serve as depth behind Myles Straw, who will likely handle most outfield duties while Lukes recovers.

The Blue Jays also transferred right-handed pitcher Yimi Garcia from the 10-day to the 60-day injured list due to his elbow condition, creating the necessary roster space.

Lukes joins an extensive group of more than a dozen Toronto players currently on the injured list this season, including designated hitter George Springer with a fractured left big toe, outfielders Addison Barger (sprained left ankle) and Anthony Santander (torn left shoulder labrum), catcher Alejandro Kirk (fractured left thumb), and several pitchers including Bowden Francis (elbow surgery), Jose Berrios (stress fracture in right elbow), Cody Ponce (torn right ACL), Shane Bieber (right elbow inflammation), and Trey Yesavage (shoulder).

However, Toronto received encouraging news regarding Yesavage, who is scheduled to return from the injured list and start Tuesday’s matchup against the Boston Red Sox.

Yesavage’s return comes after completing four rehabilitation outings in the minor leagues, though his performance showed room for improvement with a 7.50 ERA and 1.750 WHIP over 12 innings. His latest appearance lasted only 2.1 innings with two strikeouts, suggesting the 22-year-old right-hander will face pitch count restrictions in his season debut.

Toronto manager John Schneider voiced his frustration with the team’s injury situation Saturday, telling Sportsnet’s Hazel Mae, “Feels like anyone who’s playing good is not allowed to play anymore.”

Currently sitting fourth in the AL East division with a 10-15 record, the Blue Jays continued their three-game series against the Guardians on Saturday afternoon in Toronto.

Chicago White Sox management made a roster move Saturday, promoting catcher Drew Romo from their Triple-A Charlotte affiliate while cutting backup catcher Reese McGuire from the team.

The 24-year-old Romo has been performing strongly in the minor leagues this season, posting a .298 batting average across 17 games with Charlotte, including three doubles, four home runs, 11 RBIs and 11 runs scored. Chicago acquired the switch-hitting catcher through waivers from the New York Mets on January 8th.

Romo brings minimal big league experience to the White Sox, having played just 19 games during the previous two seasons with the Colorado Rockies. His major league statistics show a .167 batting average with nine hits in 54 at-bats, zero home runs and six RBIs, though he demonstrated solid defensive skills by throwing out nearly a quarter of base stealers (five out of 21 attempts).

The departing McGuire, age 31, served as a reserve behind Edgar Quero this season, struggling offensively with a .172 batting average, collecting five hits in 29 at-bats with three RBIs across 11 games.

Typically, Kyle Teel would split catching duties with Quero, but he remains sidelined this season due to a hamstring injury sustained during the World Baseball Classic. During his 2025 rookie campaign, Teel posted a .273 batting average with eight home runs and 35 RBIs over 78 games, starting 61 of those contests behind the plate.

Chicago was scheduled to face the Washington Nationals at home on Saturday.

PITTSBURGH — Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy’s extended wait for draft selection ended quickly on Saturday when the Las Vegas Raiders called his name.

The Raiders chose McCoy as their opening pick in the fourth round, betting on the defensive back’s ability to bounce back after sitting out the entire 2025 season due to a torn ACL injury.

During his collegiate career spanning 25 games between Oregon State and Tennessee, McCoy recorded six interceptions. He started at Oregon State in 2023 before moving to Tennessee. The knee injury occurred during January 2025 offseason training, shortly after Tennessee’s College Football Playoff elimination.

“I was prepared for whatever happened, but, I mean, I would’ve been excited to go higher, for sure, because, I mean, I had a good pro day, ran some good times and just did good things like that,” McCoy said. “But, I mean, I was prepared for whatever happened. Because, I mean, it’s not in my control.”

Las Vegas desperately needs defensive playmakers after struggling to create turnovers during their disappointing 3-14 campaign in 2025. The Raiders managed only eight interceptions across 17 games last season, ranking 25th among the league’s 32 teams.

The selection creates an interesting reunion between McCoy and top overall draft choice Fernando Mendoza. McCoy’s initial collegiate interception came at Mendoza’s expense when McCoy played for Oregon State against Mendoza’s California team.

“It was probably one of the top moments in my life, my first college pick,” McCoy said. “We talked after that game too, just chopped it up a little bit … We got the best quarterback in college football and now going to be the best in the league.”

McCoy stated that watching three rounds pass without selection will motivate him as he works to recapture the performance level that had him projected as a potential first-round choice before his injury.

“I feel like I learned about myself, it’s just like, I feel like I’m super mentally strong,” he said. “I feel I’ve just been through a lot. I got a story that I’m still trying to tell.”

McCoy wasn’t alone in his comeback narrative.

Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik, whose final season with the Tigers began with championship aspirations but ended in disappointment with a 7-6 record, was selected 110th overall by the New York Jets.

The draft’s concluding day commenced with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announcing to rain-drenched spectators outside Acrisure Stadium that Pittsburgh had established new attendance records for Thursday and Friday, with over 600,000 people gathering at the city’s North Shore and Point State Park.

Detroit holds the overall draft attendance record of 775,000 from 2025, though that milestone appeared threatened despite the morning’s persistent rainfall.

Many attendees came equipped with the iconic yellow Terrible Towels synonymous with the local Steelers franchise.

Pittsburgh’s four second-day selections all appeared on the stage positioned in the stadium’s northeast parking area, including former Penn State quarterback Drew Allar, whose third-round selection caught some observers off guard.

“I’m really excited,” Allar said. “Enjoyed my four years at Penn State … But I’m really excited to represent Steeler fans and Steeler nation and really win a lot of games.”

Immediate success may prove challenging for Allar, who enters a quarterback competition featuring veteran Mason Rudolph and former Ohio State standout Will Howard, Pittsburgh’s 2025 sixth-round selection. The situation becomes more complex considering Aaron Rodgers could potentially return to the organization before serious 2026 season preparations begin.

Kentucky native Gabe Dynes, a towering 7-foot-5 basketball center, has announced his decision to return to his home state and play for the University of Louisville during his final collegiate season, as reported by the 247Sports transfer portal database on Saturday.

The massive center attended Simon Kenton High School in Independence, Kentucky, located approximately 90 miles from Louisville’s campus.

This marks the third collegiate program for Dynes during his basketball career. He began playing at Youngstown State in 2023, where he made a significant impact during his sophomore year in the 2024-25 season by recording a nation-leading 104 blocked shots. His defensive prowess earned him recognition on the Horizon League All-Defensive Team.

During his single season with the USC Trojans, Dynes had a more limited role on the court. He participated in 30 games with six starting assignments, posting averages of 2.9 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks while playing 11.9 minutes per contest. Despite his reduced playing time, he demonstrated efficiency by shooting an impressive 78.8% from the field.

Louisville finished the previous season with a 24-11 record before falling to Michigan State in the NCAA Tournament’s second round.

Philadelphia Flyers netminder Dan Vladar has received clearance to play in Saturday’s Game 4 matchup against the Pittsburgh Penguins, according to head coach Rick Tocchet’s announcement.

The 28-year-old goaltender appeared to hurt his right arm during a frantic scramble in front of the goal during the third period of Wednesday night’s 5-2 triumph over the Penguins. Philadelphia currently commands a commanding 3-0 advantage in the seven-game Eastern Conference opening round matchup.

Following the injury concern, Vladar missed Thursday’s practice session and took advantage of Friday’s scheduled team rest day before returning to action during Saturday morning’s pre-game skate.

The goaltender has been between the pipes for the entire series, turning away 70 of 74 shots fired his way. His performance included a perfect 27-save shutout during Philadelphia’s 3-0 Game 2 victory on Monday night.

Weather forecasts calling for rain have forced the postponement of Saturday’s scheduled matchup between the New York Mets and Colorado Rockies at Citi Field.

Officials have rescheduled the contest as part of a Sunday doubleheader beginning at 1:40 p.m. ET, with fans needing only one ticket for both games. The nightcap will start roughly 30 to 45 minutes following the conclusion of the opening contest.

New York has announced its pitching rotation for the twin bill, with right-hander Kodai Senga (0-3, 8.83 ERA) taking the mound for the first matchup. Fellow righty Nolan McLean (1-1, 2.67) will handle duties for the second game.

Colorado had planned to start former Mets southpaw Jose Quintana (0-2, 6.23) in Saturday’s original contest. The Rockies organization has not yet revealed which pitchers will start in Sunday’s doubleheader.

New York City FC has promoted forward Arnau Farnos to a full first-team contract covering the remainder of the current season, the Major League Soccer club revealed on Saturday.

The agreement includes a club option that could extend Farnos’ tenure through the 2027-28 campaign.

The 23-year-old striker had been working under four separate short-term deals with NYCFC before earning this promotion.

“Arnau has taken advantage of his opportunities with both the first team and New York City FC II and has shown that he belongs,” stated NYCFC sporting director Todd Dunivant. “His soccer IQ has earned the trust of his teammates and the staff, and we are looking forward to his continued progression.”

Farnos entered MLS action for the first time on April 11 in a match against Vancouver Whitecaps FC. He also saw playing time versus FC Cincinnati on April 22, coming off the bench in both appearances.

The forward found the back of the net during NYCFC’s 5-2 victory over Westchester SC in Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup competition.

“I’m super thankful for the club and for the staff for giving me the opportunity to be part of this team,” Farnos expressed. “I’m really happy to continue my journey as a professional soccer player and look forward to continuing to develop and help this team achieve its goals this season.”

The Chicago Cubs extended their impressive winning streak to ten games Friday night, mounting a spectacular comeback to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-4 in the series opener.

Dansby Swanson delivered the decisive blow with a clutch two-run homer in the ninth inning, capping off Chicago’s remarkable rally from a 4-0 deficit. The Cubs managed to score all six of their runs during the final three frames of the contest.

Swanson turned in an outstanding performance, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored, a triple, the game-winning home run, and four RBIs. Alex Bregman contributed with a 2-for-5 effort that included a solo blast, while Moises Ballesteros added two hits and crossed home plate once.

The winning rally began when Pete Crow-Armstrong opened the ninth with a base hit and came around to score on Swanson’s decisive long ball off reliever Tanner Scott (0-1).

Los Angeles starter Emmet Sheehan dominated Chicago’s lineup for most of the evening, surrendering just one run on four hits across 6 1/3 innings while recording ten strikeouts.

In other Friday action, the New York Yankees extended their own hot streak to seven games with a commanding 12-4 victory over Houston. Jazz Chisholm Jr. powered the offensive attack with four RBIs and a home run, while the Yankees took control early against the struggling Astros.

New York suffered a setback when Giancarlo Stanton left the game in the sixth inning due to tightness in his lower right leg. Will Warren (3-0) earned the victory by allowing two runs on seven hits over six innings. Chisholm recorded his first three-hit performance of the season, while Ryan McMahon, Ben Rice, and Jose Caballero each contributed solo homers.

Houston’s Yainer Diaz homered and added an RBI single, but the Astros dropped their 14th contest in 18 games.

Baltimore overwhelmed visiting Boston 10-3 behind Adley Rutschman’s explosive performance. Rutschman blasted two two-run homers and finished with six RBIs, helping the Orioles launch six home runs total in the rout.

The offensive fireworks began in the first inning when Gunnar Henderson, Rutschman, and Dylan Beavers all went deep. Samuel Basallo and Coby Mayo added solo shots later in the game. Rutschman now has three homers in just two games since returning from the injury list earlier this week.

Boston’s Wilyer Abreu connected for a homer in the second inning, and he joined Marcelo Mayer and Trevor Story with two hits each in the losing effort. The Red Sox have now dropped four straight games.

Miami opened a six-game West Coast trip with a 9-4 triumph over San Francisco. Liam Hicks and Connor Norby provided the power with home runs, while Kyle Stowers, Xavier Edwards, and Otto Lopez each collected three hits in the victory.

Sandy Alcantara (3-2) broke a three-game personal winless streak with six solid innings, benefiting from a season-high 16 hits from his teammates. The Marlins have now won four of their last five contests.

Cleveland held on for an 8-6 victory over Toronto, with Angel Martinez launching two two-run homers to lead the offensive charge. Daniel Schneemann added a solo shot for the Guardians in the series opener, while Gavin Williams (4-1) allowed six runs and seven hits over six innings to earn the win.

Colorado defeated New York 4-3 in the Mets series opener, with Michael Lorenzen tossing a season-high seven innings for the victory. Jake McCarthy delivered the go-ahead RBI double in the sixth, and Troy Johnston provided what proved to be the winning two-run single in the seventh.

Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes carried a perfect game into the seventh inning before settling for a dominant one-hit shutout in a 6-0 victory over Milwaukee. The reigning National League Cy Young Award winner retired the first 20 batters before Jake Bauers lined a single up the middle with two outs in the seventh for the Brewers’ only hit.

Skenes (4-1) struck out seven without issuing a walk in his 93-pitch masterpiece. Konnor Griffin celebrated his 20th birthday with his first career homer to pace Pittsburgh’s offense.

Tampa Bay defeated visiting Minnesota 6-2 behind Junior Caminero’s pair of tape-measure home runs and three RBIs. Jonathan Aranda also homered twice in the victory, while Drew Rasmussen (2-0) earned the win with six strong innings.

Atlanta rallied for a 5-3 victory over Philadelphia, handing the visiting Phillies their tenth consecutive loss. Michael Harris II delivered a pinch-hit double to drive in two runs and complete the comeback, while Ronald Acuna crushed a two-run homer to tie the game in the fifth.

Seattle snapped an eight-game road losing streak with a 3-2 victory over St. Louis. Josh Naylor’s leadoff homer in the sixth inning proved to be the difference, while George Kirby (4-2) won his third straight start by allowing two runs over six-plus innings.

Chicago defeated Washington 5-4 on Sam Antonacci’s sacrifice fly in the eighth inning and Munetaka Murakami’s home run. Kansas City topped Los Angeles 5-3 despite Mike Trout setting a franchise record with his 1,367th appearance in center field.

Oakland opened their series with Texas by winning 8-1, getting solo homers from Nick Kurtz, Carlos Cortes, and Tyler Soderstrom all in the first inning. Cincinnati completed the night’s action with a thrilling 9-8 walk-off victory over Detroit on Nathaniel Lowe’s two-run homer in the ninth inning.

The Los Angeles Lakers moved within one win of advancing to the next round after defeating the Houston Rockets 112-108 in overtime during Game 3 of their first-round playoff matchup on Friday night.

LeBron James delivered a clutch three-pointer to send the game into overtime, finishing with 29 points and 13 rebounds for his double-double performance. Marcus Smart then took control in the extra period, scoring eight of his 21 total points to help secure the victory and give the Lakers a commanding 3-0 series advantage.

Smart also led all players with 10 assists, while Rui Hachimura contributed 22 points to the Lakers’ cause. Los Angeles now has the opportunity to complete a series sweep when the teams meet again Sunday in Houston.

Houston played without their top scorer Kevin Durant for the second time in the series. Durant, who previously missed the series opener due to a knee injury, was ruled out shortly before tip-off after suffering a left ankle sprain during the fourth quarter of Game 2. Despite the absence of their star player, Alperen Sengun delivered an outstanding performance with 33 points and 16 rebounds, while Amen Thompson added 26 points and 11 assists.

Spurs 120, Trail Blazers 108

Stephon Castle exploded for 33 points and rookie Dylan Harper achieved career-high marks with 27 points and 10 rebounds as the San Antonio Spurs overcame a 15-point third-quarter deficit to defeat Portland in Game 3 of their Western Conference first-round series.

The comeback victory gave San Antonio a 2-1 series lead despite playing without star center Victor Wembanyama, who was sidelined due to concussion protocol. De’Aaron Fox contributed 18 points while Luke Kornet posted a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds.

Portland was led by Jrue Holiday’s 29 points, with Scoot Henderson adding 21 points and Deni Avdija recording 19 points and nine assists in the losing effort.

Celtics 108, 76ers 100

Jayson Tatum scored 11 of his 25 points during the final quarter as the Boston Celtics defeated Philadelphia on the road in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference first-round series.

Jaylen Brown also finished with 25 points for Boston, while Payton Pritchard chipped in 15 points. The victory gave the Celtics a 2-1 advantage in the best-of-seven series.

Philadelphia received a game-high 31 points from Tyrese Maxey, though he struggled with his shooting efficiency, making just 12 of 31 attempts. Paul George scored 18 points and Kelly Oubre Jr. added 17, but VJ Edgecombe had a difficult night, managing only 10 points on 5-of-17 shooting and missing all seven of his three-point attempts.

MONTREAL — Three days can make all the difference in professional hockey, as Kirby Dach discovered this week.

The Montreal Canadiens forward found himself at the center of fan fury following Tuesday’s contest, when his poorly-timed icing call and defensive mistake in overtime set up J.J. Moser’s game-winning score in a 3-2 defeat to Tampa Bay Lightning.

But Friday evening at Bell Centre told a completely different story. With the home crowd roaring their support, Dach transformed his disappointment into triumph, recording one goal and one assist during Montreal’s 3-2 overtime victory that put the Canadiens ahead 2-1 in their best-of-seven series.

“I think you take that night (Tuesday) and you kind of sit on it, dwell on it and understand what you could have done better,” Dach said. “Come Wednesday morning, you’ve got to be able to move on and get ready for tonight’s game.”

The harsh criticism directed at Dach through social media following Tuesday’s defeat became so intense that the 6-foot-4 center was forced to remove his Instagram profile entirely.

Frustrated Canadiens supporters flooded social media platforms and local radio call-in shows, demanding that head coach Martin St. Louis bench Dach in favor of alternatives like Joe Veleno or experienced veteran Brendan Gallagher.

St. Louis rejected those demands completely.

“I’m not going to give up on a player unless he gives up on himself,” St. Louis said. “Kirby Dach is a really good hockey player. Like any good player, they make mistakes sometimes at key moments. It happens to everyone. It happens to a lot of good players. For sure, he was upset but that’s not a reason to give up on a player.”

Montreal supporters in attendance Friday night immediately embraced the 25-year-old player with overwhelming encouragement. During pre-game warm-ups, Dach received enthusiastic applause when featured on the arena’s video board, as spectators began chanting “Kir-by! Kir-by!” both before puck drop and continuously throughout the match.

“I didn’t really expect it, so it was nice,” Dach said. “The fans have been unbelievable for us all year. For me, they’ve stuck by my side through a lot. It definitely meant a lot.”

The supportive chants grew even louder after Dach set up linemate Alexandre Texier’s opening score early in the first period.

Fan enthusiasm reached its peak when officials confirmed Dach’s second-period goal, a shot from within the faceoff circle that deflected off Lightning defender Ryan McDonagh and slipped past netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy to even the score at 2-2.

The recently-assembled forward combination of Dach, Texier and Zachary Bolduc, skating together for their first time this season, contributed to all three Montreal goals, including Lane Hutson’s overtime winner at 2:09 of the extra period. The three players combined for six points and six of the Canadiens’ 29 shots during the evening.

This season has presented significant challenges for the injury-prone Dach, who managed only eight goals and 15 total points through 37 regular-season appearances. Friday’s offensive production represented Dach’s first goal and first point scored at Bell Centre since February 28th. The performance also marked his first multi-point game since January 29th.

“I’ve been through a lot on the injury front,” Dach said. “I’ve gone through the ups and downs of it and the learning lessons of what it takes and maybe what works and what doesn’t work. I’ve kind of found a recipe to be able to stay in game shape and sharp in the mind mentally and physically be ready to go when it’s time to go.”

The series continues Sunday in Montreal for Game 4.

Montreal moved into the driver’s seat of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal matchup Friday night, defeating Tampa Bay 3-2 in overtime at home to claim a 2-1 series advantage in the best-of-seven contest.

Lane Hutson found the back of the net just 2:09 into the extra session to deliver the victory for the Canadiens. Montreal’s depth proved crucial in the win, with their fourth line providing the spark needed to secure the triumph. Kirby Dach and Alexandre Texier each contributed one goal and one assist, while Zack Bolduc recorded two assists in the effort.

Goaltender Jakub Dobes turned away 15 shots for Montreal, marking the third consecutive game in this series that required overtime to determine a winner.

Tampa Bay received scoring from Brandon Hagel and Brayden Point, with Jake Guentzel and Nikita Kucherov each picking up assists. Andrei Vasilevskiy recorded 26 saves in the losing effort.

In other playoff action, Utah claimed a 4-2 victory over Vegas in Salt Lake City, taking a 2-1 series lead in their Western Conference quarterfinal. Lawson Crouse delivered two goals in the second period to power the Mammoth to victory. MacKenzie Weegar contributed a goal and assist, while Dylan Guenther also found the scoresheet. The win marked a historic moment for Utah, becoming the sixth franchise debuting since the 1990s to capture their first home Stanley Cup playoff victory.

Clayton Keller provided two assists for Utah, and Karel Vejmelka made 30 saves. Vegas received goals from Jack Eichel and Nic Dowd, with Carter Hart making eight stops.

Anaheim staged a dramatic comeback to defeat Edmonton 7-4, seizing a 2-1 series advantage in their Western Conference opening round. Beckett Sennecke and Leo Carlsson scored 42 seconds apart early in the third period to ignite the Ducks’ rally. Mikael Granlund recorded four points including one goal, while Mason McTavish, Alex Killorn, Jeffrey Viel and Jackson Lacombe each added goals. Lukas Dostal made 20 saves for the victory.

Edmonton’s Connor McDavid tallied one goal and one assist, with Vasily Podkolzin, Kasperi Kapanen and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins each scoring once. Leon Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard contributed two assists each, while Connor Ingram stopped 32 shots in the loss.

New York Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton left Friday night’s matchup against the Houston Astros early after experiencing tightness in his right calf, though the organization remains hopeful the issue won’t sideline him long-term.

Following the Yankees’ dominant 12-4 victory over Houston, manager Aaron Boone addressed Stanton’s condition with cautious optimism.

“Just some tightness in his calf,” Boone explained. “Hopefully, we got ahead of it. We’ll just see where he’s at (Saturday).”

The injury occurred during the sixth inning when Stanton was running the bases with no outs. After J.C. Escarra delivered a single that bounced off the left field wall, Stanton advanced from second base toward third but visibly slowed his pace and appeared to favor his leg during the run.

The veteran slugger briefly paused between bases before continuing to third base with a noticeable limp. Randal Grichuk immediately entered the game as his replacement and later scored on Jose Caballero’s single, extending New York’s advantage to 7-2.

Before his early departure, Stanton contributed to the offensive explosion by going 1-for-3 with an RBI single. Through 24 games this season, the power hitter is batting .256 while collecting three home runs and 14 RBIs.

The 36-year-old’s injury concerns come as no surprise given his troublesome medical history over recent years. Last season alone, Stanton missed the opening 70 games due to inflammation affecting both elbow tendons.

Between 2019 and 2023, various injuries limited Stanton to just 391 appearances out of a possible 708 games. His ailments during that span included problems with his right biceps, right knee, left hamstring on two occasions, left quadriceps, right ankle, and left Achilles tendon.

The five-time All-Star earned National League MVP honors while playing for the Miami Marlins in 2017 before the Yankees acquired him via trade the following offseason. Throughout his career spanning 1,750 games, Stanton has posted a .258/.345/.527 slash line with 456 home runs and 1,183 RBIs.

ATLANTA — Despite dealing with a nagging injury, Atlanta Braves center fielder Michael Harris II continues his remarkable hot streak at the plate.

The talented outfielder proved that even when sidelined by injury, he can still deliver when his team needs him most.

Originally removed from Friday night’s starting lineup due to left quadriceps tightness, Harris made his impact felt as a substitute batter against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Harris smashed a crucial two-run double off the left-center field wall against pitcher Andrew Painter, propelling the Braves to a 5-3 triumph and extending Philadelphia’s losing skid to 10 consecutive games.

“He’s really feeling it right now,” manager Walt Weiss said. “We’ve seen him like this before, but this might be another level.”

Harris had exited Thursday’s win over Washington during the seventh inning, prompting team officials to exercise caution by keeping him out of the starting nine for the weekend series opener against the slumping Phillies.

However, when Atlanta found themselves down 3-2 with two runners on base and two outs in the sixth inning, Weiss chose to call upon Harris to face the struggling Phillies starter Andrew Painter.

The decision proved wise, considering Harris has been scorching hot for the division-leading Braves, posting a .326 batting average along with six home runs and 18 RBIs.

“If the situation showed itself, I was going to use him,” Weiss said. “That was probably the only time we could guarantee he was gonna face a right-handed pitcher. With a couple of guys on and two outs, we took a shot right there. Mikey was ready. He had been swinging in the cage. He was ready for that moment and got a huge hit for us.”

Harris had previously encountered Painter during last weekend’s series in Philadelphia, where he connected for a home run in a 4-2 victory that capped off a three-game sweep.

“I kind of knew what he had,” Harris said. “I just went up there and tried to put a good swing on it.”

Harris appeared completely healthy as he trotted into second base, showing no signs of discomfort from his quad issue while watching the ball clear the outstretched glove of diving left fielder Brandon Marsh.

“I couldn’t even tell you” if it was hurting, Harris said. “I was worried about the ball getting down.”

Despite his successful at-bat, Harris was quickly substituted by pinch-runner Jorge Mateo, who promptly stole third base and scored an additional insurance run when Painter threw a wild pitch.

This season has been special both professionally and personally for Harris. Two weeks ago, he and his wife Esther celebrated the birth of their first child, a son named Michael Harris III, who goes by the nickname Trip.

“It’s pretty good,” Harris said, flashing a wide grin when questioned about fatherhood.

After earning NL Rookie of the Year honors in 2022, Harris faced significant challenges trying to recapture that initial success. However, he began turning things around during the latter half of 2025, and that positive momentum has continued into the opening month of this season.

When asked about his recent turnaround, Harris responded, “I don’t think I can, and that’s the best thing about it. Just let it happen. I can’t really figure out what’s going right and what’s was going wrong before. I just know what feels good and trying to stay this way.”

The Braves have captured nine of their last 10 contests, giving them the best record in baseball at 19-8. Perhaps most significantly, they’ve already established a commanding 10½-game advantage over the two-time defending NL East champion Phillies, despite the season being less than a month old.

“We can’t take that for granted,” Harris said. “We’ve got to keep our foot on their necks.”

Harris’ availability remains uncertain on a day-to-day basis. While the Braves are optimistic he could return to the lineup Saturday, they’re proceeding with caution.

“We’re gonna be cautious,” Weiss said. “That soft-tissue stuff can be tricky. We want to use good judgment here.”

Regardless, Harris demonstrated he can make a significant impact with just one crucial swing of the bat.

“He’s the GOAT,” said Braves pitcher Grant Holmes, who earned the victory thanks to Harris’ clutch hit. “It’s crazy. It’s like every time he’s up there, he gets a hit. He’s coming through big time for the guys.”

The Philadelphia Eagles made a major splash Friday by acquiring pass rusher Jonathan Greenard from the Minnesota Vikings and immediately securing him with a massive contract extension worth $100 million over four years, according to multiple reports.

Philadelphia sent Minnesota their third-round draft pick this year (98th overall) plus a 2027 third-rounder in return for Greenard and a seventh-round selection in the upcoming draft.

The lucrative new deal reportedly guarantees Greenard $50 million and spans four seasons with the Eagles.

The 28-year-old former University of Florida standout struggled during the most recent campaign, recording only three quarterback takedowns across 12 appearances with 10 starting assignments for Minnesota.

However, Greenard bounced back strongly in 2024, tallying 12 quarterback sacks and forcing four fumbles while starting all 17 contests for the Vikings, earning his first Pro Bowl selection. During his final season with Houston in 2023, he posted a personal-best 12.5 sacks across 15 starts.

The Texans originally drafted Greenard in the third round back in 2020. Throughout his 77-game NFL career spanning 59 starts, he has accumulated 38 sacks, one interception, 14 pass breakups, eight forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.

Philadelphia’s pass rush ranked in the middle tier of NFL teams last season with 42 total sacks, paced by Jalyx Hunt’s 6.5 and Moro Ojomo’s six quarterback takedowns.

Dallas strengthened its defensive lineup Friday by acquiring linebacker Dee Winters from San Francisco in exchange for a fifth-round draft selection.

The 25-year-old defender appeared in every regular season contest as a starter last year, recording a team-leading 101 tackles along with eight stops behind the line of scrimmage, five pass breakups, and one pick-six that went for 74 yards.

The Brenham, Texas product brings 155 total tackles to Dallas across 47 regular season appearances, including 27 as a starter. His career statistics also include eight tackles for loss, three quarterback pressures, 10 pass deflections, and one interception. He has contributed 10 tackles across four postseason contests with one start.

San Francisco drafted Winters from TCU in the sixth round during 2023.

The trade gives the 49ers Dallas’s 152nd overall selection. The Cowboys focused on defense during Thursday’s opening round, adding Ohio State safety Caleb Downs at 11th overall and UCF edge rusher Malachi Lawrence with the 23rd pick. Dallas entered the draft without a second-round selection.

This marks the second trade between these franchises recently, as Dallas sent defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa to San Francisco for a third-round pick (92nd overall) on March 11.

ARLINGTON, Texas — The Oakland Athletics delivered a stunning opening blow to the Texas Rangers Friday evening, launching three consecutive solo home runs during the game’s first inning.

Within just seven pitches of the contest, Nick Kurtz, Carlos Cortes, and Tyler Soderstrom — occupying three of the initial four spots in the batting order — each sent balls over the outfield fence.

Kurtz connected on Nathan Eovaldi’s opening delivery, driving it beyond the right-field barrier. Cortes followed with his own blast to right field, while Soderstrom connected on his initial offering, sending it to straightaway center field.

The Athletics hadn’t achieved three first-inning home runs since their July 8 matchup against the Atlanta Braves, when all three came off pitcher Didier Fuentes.

Eovaldi had previously dominated Oakland’s lineup during their April 13 encounter in California, blanking the A’s across seven innings while allowing just three hits in Texas’s 8-1 triumph. Coming into Friday’s game, the veteran right-hander boasted a 2.54 career earned run average against Oakland — his best mark against any team he had faced at least six times.

During his most recent outing, Eovaldi surrendered four runs, with two being earned, across five innings of work in Seattle.

Former Ohio State defensive tackle Kayden McDonald experienced an emotional rollercoaster during the NFL Draft weekend in Pittsburgh, watching 15 fellow players selected ahead of him Thursday night before finally hearing his name called by the Houston Texans.

McDonald found himself alone in the green room after all 32 first-round picks were announced Thursday evening, but his wait ended quickly Friday when Houston selected him with the 36th overall selection, fourth in the second round.

The former Buckeye, who earned consensus All-American honors this past season, became visibly emotional during his walk to the stage, pausing to touch the Texans logo on the wall before sharing a lengthy embrace with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

“This is emotional,” McDonald said during the ESPN broadcast. “I know I’m supposed to be here. I’m just so blessed and thankful.”

Houston moved up two spots by trading with Las Vegas to secure McDonald, while the Raiders used the 38th pick on Arizona safety Treydan Stukes during Friday’s second and third round proceedings.

Defense dominated the second round, with 22 defensive players chosen among the 33 selections. McDonald joined six other Ohio State teammates drafted in the first two rounds, following receivers and linebackers taken Thursday.

The evening also featured a significant trade as Minnesota sent veteran linebacker Jonathan Greenard to Philadelphia in exchange for third-round picks in 2025 and 2027, plus a seventh-rounder this year.

San Francisco opened Friday’s festivities by selecting Ole Miss receiver De’Zhaun Stribling, who previously played at Washington State and Oklahoma State during his college career.

Two additional wide receivers went in round two: Washington’s Denzel Boston to Cleveland at 39th overall and Alabama’s Germie Bernard to Pittsburgh with the 47th selection.

Tennessee cornerback Colton Hood, another player projected as a possible first-rounder, went 37th to the New York Giants and shared similar sentiments about the wait.

“Of course it was disappointing,” Hood explained. “I know God does everything for a reason. He was probably preventing me from something or he had something better in store for me, and that being the Giants. I’m super excited to go into this next chapter of my life and will just go in there and give my best and give my all and be the best version of myself.”

Hood also spent time at Auburn and Colorado during his collegiate career.

Miami potentially secured one of the round’s top values by selecting Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez with the 43rd pick. Rodriguez, the face of the Red Raiders’ remarkable season, won the Bednarik Award as the nation’s top defender while leading the country with seven forced fumbles and adding four interceptions.

Atlanta created a family reunion at pick 48, selecting Clemson cornerback Avieon Terrell, younger brother of Falcons veteran starter A.J. Terrell, who enters his seventh season with the franchise.

The New York Jets chose Indiana cornerback D’Angelo Ponds 50th overall. The 5-foot-8 defensive back transferred from James Madison to follow coach Curt Cignetti to Indiana, where he became a key contributor to the Hoosiers’ championship run.

Ohio State’s draft success continued beyond McDonald, with tight end Max Klare going 61st to the Los Angeles Rams and cornerback Davison Igbinosun selected 62nd by Buffalo in back-to-back picks near round’s end.

Super Bowl champion Seattle concluded the second round by taking TCU safety Bud Clark with the 64th and final selection.

Arizona addressed their quarterback needs Friday by selecting Miami signal-caller Carson Beck with the opening selection of the third round in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Beck became the third quarterback chosen in this year’s draft and the first selected on the second day of the event. After the Los Angeles Rams picked Ty Simpson 13th overall, no quarterbacks were taken until Arizona’s selection of Beck at pick number 65.

The 23-year-old quarterback spent one season with Miami after transferring from Georgia, where he played portions of five campaigns. Beck led the Hurricanes all the way to the national title game, where they fell to Indiana and quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who was selected first overall Thursday by Las Vegas.

Throughout his collegiate career spanning 55 games, Beck accumulated 11,725 passing yards and 88 touchdown passes against 32 interceptions. His most productive season came in 2025 when he tossed a career-high 30 touchdown passes.

The young quarterback may find himself competing for immediate playing time in Arizona after the organization parted ways with Kyler Murray this past March. Veteran Jacoby Brissett, who managed just one victory in 12 starts for the Cardinals last season, remains in a contract dispute. The team’s current roster also features Gardner Minshew II and backup Kedon Slovis.

Several other quarterbacks remain available as Day 2 continues, including LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, Penn State’s Drew Allar, and Arkansas’ Taylen Green.

San Antonio Spurs officials announced that star center Victor Wembanyama will sit out Friday evening’s playoff matchup in Portland as he continues working through the NBA’s concussion protocol following an injury sustained earlier this week.

The 7-foot-4 French sensation, who became the league’s first unanimous Defensive Player of the Year and earned consideration for MVP honors, suffered the injury during the second quarter of Tuesday evening’s contest and was unable to continue playing.

The Trail Blazers capitalized on Wembanyama’s absence to secure a 106-103 victory in San Antonio, evening the first-round playoff series at one game apiece.

“Victor is not playing tonight. Obviously there’s a lot that goes into that, but he’s doing well and progressing,” Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson told reporters.

Despite being initially listed with questionable status for Friday’s contest, Wembanyama made the trip to Portland with his teammates Thursday afternoon while still completing the required steps outlined in the league’s head injury protocols.

The NBA’s concussion guidelines require players to meet specific criteria before receiving medical clearance to return to action. These assessments are measured against neurological baseline tests administered to all players before each season begins.

Should Wembanyama’s absence extend beyond Friday’s game, it would represent a significant setback for San Antonio, which posted the NBA’s second-best regular season record largely due to the versatile big man’s contributions. The team managed a 12-6 record during regular season games without their franchise cornerstone.

This season, Wembanyama posted impressive numbers across all statistical categories, averaging 25 points and 11.5 rebounds per contest while adding 3.1 assists and leading the league with 3.1 blocked shots per game. The young star was present Wednesday night when the team celebrated teammate Keldon Johnson’s Sixth Man of the Year award, with players sporting cowboy hats during the surprise announcement.

HENDERSON, Nevada — Heisman Trophy recipient Fernando Mendoza expressed his eagerness Friday to demonstrate that he deserved to be chosen as the first overall selection in this year’s NFL draft.

The former Indiana quarterback had been laying the groundwork to make a positive impact well before his arrival in Nevada for his official introduction as a Las Vegas Raider.

Mendoza collaborated with former NFL quarterback Brian Griese — both are graduates of the same Miami high school — to understand how he might function within a West Coast offensive scheme, providing him an advantage in preparing for the similar system that new Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak plans to implement.

“I needed some guidance on how to become the best NFL quarterback,” Mendoza explained. “Not just for a pro day or the combine, for September, October, December. With that, we went over some general under-center concepts and installed basic bread-and-butter concepts that any team would have.”

This commitment and intellectual approach to football, combined with Mendoza’s physical capabilities, convinced Raiders leadership that he represents the signal-caller the organization has been seeking as they attempt to return to their former status as consistent playoff contenders.

Raiders General Manager John Spytek was impressed by Mendoza’s capacity to remember specific plays from throughout his Indiana season. During film sessions, Spytek found that before he could even start the video, Mendoza would identify the play and provide detailed explanations. The quarterback also candidly discussed unsuccessful plays and alternative approaches he could have taken.

“There was an honesty and a self-awareness to it,” Spytek noted. “I’ve been a part of a few other quarterback interviews like that before, but not very many.”

Considerable attention has focused on how swiftly Mendoza can adjust from Indiana’s college system, where he operated primarily from shotgun formation, to a professional offense requiring him to take snaps from under center most of the time.

“His skill-set fits with any offense in professional football,” Kubiak stated. “The No. 1 thing that I love about Fernando is his leadership, the way that he relates to his teammates and his ability to win. We’re looking for a competitor to be our quarterback, and he went 16-0 last year with a heck of a team, and he led that group.”

In Las Vegas, Mendoza’s primary objectives will include studying under veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins, whom the Raiders acquired earlier this month, while working to meet the expectations that come with being drafted first overall. Although Kubiak and Spytek have indicated they prefer not to immediately start a rookie quarterback, they’ve also stated that the most qualified player will earn the position.

Mendoza has also announced another significant initiative. He is establishing the Mendoza Family Fund with a personal contribution of $500,000 to support research for a multiple sclerosis cure. His mother, Elsa, relies on a wheelchair due to MS but traveled across the country with her family to Nevada for her son’s inaugural day with the Raiders.

“I believe one of my pillars and my identities is giving back and helping fight MS, giving to the community,” Mendoza said. “So that was a huge part of my identity, and it’s something that our family really wanted to do.”

He acknowledged his mother’s role in revitalizing his football aspirations.

Mendoza received little attention as a high school prospect and spent three seasons at California, taking a redshirt year in 2022 before starting for most of the subsequent two campaigns. After completing his bachelor’s degree in slightly over three years, he transferred to Indiana and delivered his breakthrough performance while guiding the Hoosiers to a national championship.

“My mom always saw more in me than I saw myself at that time, and she essentially pushed me to take a swing at trying to become a great NFL player,” Mendoza reflected. “That first step was transferring and challenging myself by being in an uncomfortable environment. When you’re uncomfortable, you’re able to grow.

“She said, ‘Hey, if you step to the plate, if you swing and you miss, at least in 20 years you knew you did everything possible to try to accomplish your dream.’ And I stepped to the plate, and luckily enough, I was able to hit a home run last year.”

The Raiders are optimistic that many more successful plays lie ahead.

Kubiak praised watching Mendoza during his Indiana pro day on April 1, where he observed the quarterback directing receivers on their routes before delivering accurate throws.

“Then took him upstairs and talked football with him and just listened to him communicate the game and how quickly he picked things up,” Kubiak said. “We already liked how he played the game on film, but seeing him in person was really helpful, and it allowed us to watch film on a lot of other guys. We knew we had the guy.”

The National Football League revealed Friday that Dallas and Baltimore will clash in the organization’s inaugural game held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

While Dallas had been confirmed for this international matchup back in February, the league waited until now to announce their opponent and the specific timing. The contest is set for Sunday, September 27, with a 4:25 p.m. Eastern kickoff at the famous Maracana Stadium. Fans can watch the action on CBS, Paramount+, and through the NFL+ application.

The historic Maracana venue, which seats 78,000 spectators, previously served as the backdrop for World Cup soccer competitions and both opening and closing ceremonies during the 2016 Olympics. League officials had earlier designated Rio as a key international destination, committing to stage a minimum of three regular-season contests there over the coming five years.

“The international expansion of our great game has been remarkable,” Baltimore owner Steve Bisciotti stated in an official announcement. “South America is home to some of the world’s most passionate sports fans, including our Ravens Flock in Brazil. We look forward to playing in the iconic Maracana Stadium against the Dallas Cowboys, as our league continues to engage with fans across the globe.”

Brazil first welcomed NFL action in 2024, with subsequent Sao Paulo matchups in 2025 and 2026 taking place on Friday during the opening week of the season. Philadelphia defeated Green Bay in Sao Paulo during 2024, while Los Angeles beat Kansas City at Corinthians Arena this past season.

According to Friday’s announcement, Brazil boasts more than 36 million NFL supporters.

“Playing in the legendary Maracana Stadium against the Ravens in front of such a passionate and growing fan base on a global stage will be very special for our team, our entire Cowboys organization and the millions watching back home and around the world,” Dallas owner, president and general manager Jerry Jones commented in the official statement.

The 2026 season will feature a record-breaking nine international contests spanning four continents, seven nations and eight venues. The participating cities include London, Madrid, Melbourne, Mexico City, Munich, Paris and Rio de Janeiro.

San Francisco will meet Los Angeles at Melbourne Cricket Ground for the NFL’s Australian debut, though additional pairings remain unannounced. The 49ers are also scheduled to compete in Mexico City at Estadio Banorte.

This fall will see the league’s Paris premiere when New Orleans takes the field at Stade de France Stadium. Atlanta is slated for action in Madrid at Bernabeu Stadium, while Detroit will compete at FC Bayern Munich Stadium in Germany.

Jacksonville will serve as the designated home team for two London contests this season. These games at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Wembley Stadium will occur during back-to-back October weeks. The Jaguars received a second international game due to ongoing construction work at their home EverBank Stadium.

The league also confirmed that Washington will host a game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Duke University freshman forward Cameron Boozer announced Friday evening that he will enter the 2026 NBA Draft after completing an exceptional first collegiate season.

Boozer shared his decision through social media, posting on Instagram: “Thank you for everything @dukeuniversity. Duke Blue forever.”

The talented forward, whose father Carlos Boozer previously starred for the Blue Devils, earned recognition as the 2025-26 Naismith National Player of the Year following his outstanding freshman campaign. During his 38-game season, Boozer averaged 22.5 points per contest, ranking second in the Atlantic Coast Conference and ninth across the nation. He also dominated the boards with a conference-leading 10.2 rebounds per game while contributing 4.1 assists and 1.4 steals.

Boozer’s impressive performance earned him first-team All American honors and positioned him as an anticipated top-three selection in the upcoming draft. He joins BYU’s AJ Dybantsa and Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, both of whom also announced their draft intentions this week, among the projected early picks.

While Cameron prepares for professional basketball, his twin brother Cayden has chosen to remain at Duke for his sophomore year. Cayden contributed 7.7 points, 3.0 assists, and 2.3 rebounds per game during his freshman season.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Two NFL hopefuls endured an agonizing three-hour wait in the draft’s green room at Acrisure Stadium Thursday evening, watching in their formal attire as opportunity passed them by.

Kayden McDonald and Colton Hood remained behind the scenes as 15 other draft candidates walked across the stage to embrace NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after hearing their names called in the opening round.

Their moment would arrive Friday, and it wouldn’t take long once the second round began.

Houston selected McDonald, the powerful 6-foot-3, 326-pound Ohio State defensive lineman, as the fourth pick in round two. Hood, a defensive back from Tennessee, followed immediately after when the New York Giants made their choice.

McDonald decided to return to the green room Friday, but this time he swapped Thursday’s formal red carpet attire for something more relaxed. Dressed in a black short-sleeve button-down, white undershirt and chain, McDonald appeared overwhelmed as he walked somewhat hesitantly toward Goodell.

The commissioner and the new Texan shared an extended embrace, with McDonald’s tears clearly visible as emotion overcame him.

“It’s emotional man,” McDonald said. “I knew I’m supposed to be here. I’m just so blessed.”

McDonald expressed gratitude for joining Houston, a team that boasted the league’s top-ranked defense last season and dominated the Pittsburgh Steelers in their playoff opener.

When asked about his potential contribution to an already elite defensive unit, McDonald responded without hesitation.

“Disruptive, making it easier for the (defensive) end,” McDonald said. “We all go to work.”

Unlike McDonald, Hood chose not to return for Friday’s proceedings. When Goodell announced Hood’s selection, with former Giants star pass rusher Osi Umenyiora beside him, only Hood’s photograph in Tennessee uniform appeared on the venue’s video screen.

“Way to go Colton,” Goodell announced before stepping away for the following pick.

NEW YORK — The New York Mets released additional details Friday regarding All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor’s injury status following his placement on the disabled list.

While no specific return date has been established, the five-time All-Star will be required to wear a protective boot on his lower left leg for the coming week. Medical imaging will be conducted again in three weeks, followed by another evaluation of his condition.

The team added Lindor to the 10-day injured list Thursday due to a left calf strain. Manager Carlos Mendoza indicated that the switch-hitting infielder would be “going to be down for quite a bit here.”

“We’ve still got a lot of people looking at this,” Mendoza commented prior to Friday evening’s matchup against the Colorado Rockies.

The injury occurred while Lindor was running home from first base on Francisco Alvarez’s double during Wednesday evening’s contest, a 3-2 win over Minnesota that snapped New York’s 12-game losing streak.

The timing proved particularly unfortunate, coming just hours after star outfielder Juan Soto returned from the injured list following a 15-game absence due to his own right calf strain, which was deemed less serious than Lindor’s current injury.

“We’ve got to see where this is in three weeks and see how the healing goes,” stated president of baseball operations David Stearns.

The organization recalled Ronny Mauricio from Triple-A Syracuse on Thursday, and he took over shortstop duties Friday for his second consecutive start.

Soto has been serving as designated hitter for three straight games since his return, despite originally being scheduled to play left field Thursday evening. Mendoza explained that keeping Soto at DH has enabled him to appear in three consecutive games.

“Finding ways to keep his bat in the lineup while we’re not putting him at risk,” Mendoza explained. “If he needs a day, he needs a day. As much as we need his bat in the lineup, he’s going to get days (off).”

In related roster moves, right-handed pitcher Christian Scott was sent back to Syracuse following a difficult Thursday outing against the Twins in his first major league appearance since Tommy John surgery in 2024. The team promoted veteran right-handed reliever Carl Edwards Jr. from their top minor league affiliate.

Scott struggled with control, walking five batters and lasting just 1 1/3 innings. He also hit a batter and was called for a balk, though the Mets managed a 10-8 victory despite late bullpen confusion.

Left-handed pitcher David Peterson is slated to take the mound Wednesday evening against Washington when that rotation spot comes up again, though it may be in a bulk-relief capacity rather than as a traditional starter.

In another injury update, Stearns characterized Jorge Polanco’s situation as week-to-week rather than day-to-day. The first baseman and designated hitter remains on the 10-day injured list with a bruised right wrist, while also dealing with bursitis in his left heel that has troubled him since early in the season.

Mendoza noted that Polanco is showing improvement and is scheduled for additional testing this weekend.

Left-handed reliever A.J. Minter continues on track for an early May return from left lat surgery that ended his 2025 season prematurely.

“Injuries are part of this, and injuries to good players are part of this,” Stearns observed. “We’re certainly not the only team in baseball that deals with this, and we just have to get through it.”

The 12-game losing streak represented New York’s longest since August 2002. The Mets have won two consecutive games since Soto’s return, though historically, no team has reached the playoffs in the same season after losing 12 straight games.

“I still think we’re a good team. I recognize we had a stretch where we did not play good baseball and it cost us, and cost us repeatedly, but I think we’re a good team and I think we will show that,” Stearns said.

“Yes, it’s a frustrating stretch and we didn’t play well. We’re also not going to wholesale-change our evaluation of our team over a two-week stretch. This is a long season. Going through a 12-game losing streak is difficult and it’s not usual. There’s a reason it doesn’t happen very often. Even with that, I don’t think it should change our overall evaluation of the team — especially this early in the season.”

A historic individual milestone couldn’t prevent a team defeat as the Hawks dropped an 11-6 decision to Wagner, despite Jonthan Gonzalez Perez launching his way into the record books.

Gonzalez Perez connected for his 12th home run of the current campaign, establishing a new modern single-season record for the program. The slugger’s latest long ball came during what ultimately became a disappointing loss for his squad.

While Gonzalez Perez celebrated his personal achievement at the plate, the Hawks were unable to generate enough offense to match Wagner’s 11-run output in the high-scoring affair.

The record-setting blast represents a bright spot in what has been an impressive individual season for Gonzalez Perez, even as the team continues to battle through challenging competition.

Atlanta Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker has claimed the NBA’s Most Improved Player award, making the Hawks the first franchise in league history to have players capture the honor in consecutive seasons.

The announcement came Friday, with Alexander-Walker following teammate Dyson Daniels, who earned the distinction last year. This historic back-to-back achievement represents a first since the award was established.

At 27 years old, Alexander-Walker joins an exclusive group as only the third player to earn this recognition during his seventh NBA season or beyond. The previous players to accomplish this feat were Julius Randle in his seventh season during 2020-21 and Hedo Turkoglu in his eighth season in 2007-08.

During his debut campaign with Atlanta, Alexander-Walker posted impressive career numbers across the board. He averaged 20.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.3 steals per contest while appearing in 78 regular-season games. His shooting percentages also reached new heights at 45.9% from the field, 39.9% from beyond the arc, and 90.2% from the charity stripe.

According to Elias Sports, Alexander-Walker’s scoring jump of 11.4 points per game from his 9.4 average with Minnesota last season ranks as the third-largest improvement among eligible players over the past 25 seasons.

Hawks head coach Quin Snyder praised his player’s transformation in a statement. “Nickeil’s dedication, continual work on his craft, and the ensuing results this season make him incredibly deserving of this award,” Snyder said. “He has a tireless work ethic and a focus on improving in every aspect of his game. His game continues to evolve, and his commitment and unselfish attitude as a teammate have also positively impacted the success of the team.”

The voting results showed Alexander-Walker’s dominance in the selection process. A 100-member international panel awarded him 396 total points, with 66 first-place votes, 19 second-place selections, and nine third-place nods. Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren finished as the runner-up with 254 points and 23 first-place votes, while Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija placed third with 135 points and seven first-place votes.

The remaining top vote-getters included Boston’s Neemias Queta in fourth place with 41 points, Milwaukee’s Ryan Rollins fifth with 33 points and three first-place votes, and Hawks teammate Jalen Johnson sixth with 21 points and one first-place vote.

Zach Johnson secured a narrow one-point advantage following Friday’s opening round of the Mitsubishi Electric Classic at TPC Sugarloaf in Duluth, Georgia, after making birdie on the 18th hole.

The tournament marks a significant departure from tradition by implementing a Modified Stableford scoring format designed to promote bold, attacking golf. Instead of counting strokes against par, players earn points for each hole: minus-1 for bogey, zero for par, two points for birdie, five points for eagle, and minus-3 for double bogey.

This represents the first Modified Stableford event on the PGA Tour Champions circuit since 2002, according to tour officials.

Johnson embraced the format change, describing his playing style as that of “a conservatively aggressive guy.” The two-time major winner celebrated his 50th birthday in February and captured his inaugural senior tour victory in March.

“There’s opportunities on certain courses, and this would be one of them, where I’m going to push a little bit more, I’m going to hit the driver instead of what have you,” Johnson explained. “So I think the beauty of this place is the character. You’ve got short, you’ve got long, you’ve got left, you’ve got right, you’ve got up, you’ve got down. You can be aggressive on certain holes, you can hit driver a lot of places, you can lay it back in a lot of places. So you’ve got to be committed, and it gives you options.”

Johnson started strong with six birdies and just one bogey through his opening eight holes. While his scoring pace decreased on the back nine, he climbed from +13 to +15 points by making a two-putt birdie on the final par-5.

His total of 15 points places him one ahead of Ben Crane and Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee, who are tied for second at +14. Three players share fourth place at +12: Paul Stankowski, South Africa’s Retief Goosen, and South Korea’s K.J. Choi. Defending champion Jerry Kelly, who won last year under traditional stroke play rules, sits tied for seventh with +11 points.

Jaidee produced a flawless round featuring seven birdies and no bogeys.

“You have to make more points because … par (is) nothing,” Jaidee noted. “That’s why we gameplan to attack the hole. When you hit in the fairway, you have a short iron, you try to attack the pin. That’s why we do it today. And good thing to me, I had pretty good iron today. Putting working today.”

Crane, who also turned 50 this year alongside Johnson, finished runner-up at last week’s Senior PGA Championship in his first senior major appearance.

Despite encountering two bogeys during Friday’s round, Crane recovered by making birdie on three of his final four holes.

“Just didn’t play as great as I scored, but that’s the way it works in this format,” Crane said. “Actually, Retief and I both shot 66 and I had 14 points and he had 12. Had some bogeys in there that don’t cost you as much. All in all, just thankful. I really putted well coming down the stretch there, gave myself some opportunities, so just a fun day.”

Former New York Giants linebacker and Hall of Fame player Lawrence Taylor was admitted to a New Jersey medical facility Friday after experiencing stomach-related health problems.

Taylor’s attorney and close friend Arthur Aidala spoke with the Daily News Friday, saying “He’s dealing with some abdominal issues, but he’s going to be fine.”

Earlier Friday, TMZ had reported that the 67-year-old former NFL star was receiving hospital treatment following what they described as “a medical emergency.”

According to reports, Taylor was initially brought to the emergency department before medical staff moved him to another area of the hospital.

Following his NFL retirement, Taylor has openly struggled with addiction and substance abuse problems.

Considered among the greatest defensive players in professional football history, Taylor’s career achievements speak for themselves. During his 13 seasons with New York, he earned three Defensive Player of the Year honors, made eight All-Pro teams, and was selected for 10 Pro Bowls.

His standout 1986 campaign remains legendary, when Taylor recorded 20.5 quarterback sacks and became NFL Most Valuable Player.

The Giants selected Taylor as the second pick in the 1981 NFL Draft from the University of North Carolina, and he helped the team capture two Super Bowl titles during his career.

Formula 1 racing will make its comeback to Turkey’s Istanbul Park circuit starting in 2027, with officials announcing a five-year agreement that runs through the 2031 season.

The formal announcement took place Friday at Istanbul’s Dolmabahce Palace, where Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan joined F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali and FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem for the signing ceremony. A Formula 1 promotional vehicle drove through Istanbul’s streets to mark the occasion.

This agreement represents the successful conclusion of Turkey’s extended efforts to bring Formula 1 racing back to the country. Officials from both F1 and the Turkish government confirmed the multi-year partnership during the palace event.

“We are delighted to be returning to the incredible and vibrant city of Istanbul from 2027 to thrill all our fans in Türkiye and around the world on one of the most exciting and challenging circuits in Formula 1,” Domenicali stated.

President Erdogan characterized F1’s comeback as evidence of the “strong confidence” in Turkey’s organizational abilities. He expressed optimism that the partnership between Turkey and Formula 1 would continue expanding as Istanbul presents five “exciting, high-quality races” through 2031.

FIA’s Ben Sulayem described Turkey’s return as a “powerful reflection” of Formula 1’s worldwide expansion and popularity, noting that it ensures the sport’s long-term presence in Turkey and acknowledging the country’s “special place” in F1 history.

The Istanbul circuit, featuring 14 turns and located on the Asian portion of the city, enjoys popularity among both drivers and racing enthusiasts. Its most recent race occurred in 2021 when it served as a replacement venue during the coronavirus pandemic. The track previously hosted Grand Prix events from 2005 through 2011, and again in 2020 when Lewis Hamilton secured his seventh world championship title there, matching Michael Schumacher’s historic record.

Negotiations to return Formula 1 to Turkey had been ongoing since the 2021 race but faced obstacles starting in 2022, primarily due to the substantial financial requirements needed to secure a hosting agreement. Other nations like Qatar were better positioned to meet these multi-million dollar commitments.

The breakthrough came in 2024 when Can Bilim Egitim Kurumlari A.S., which has partial ownership ties to Lale Cander (chairman of Pirelli’s Turkish operations), acquired the rights to manage Istanbul Park for three decades. The company paid approximately $117.8 million for these rights, with a contractual obligation to restore F1 racing by 2026.

Domenicali had indicated in February that Istanbul Park was nearing a calendar return, while confirming that the total number of seasonal races would remain limited to 24.

The 5.3-kilometer track is renowned for its challenging turn 8, a complex multi-apex corner that tests drivers’ skill and courage as they navigate the extended left-hand curve while maintaining speed and control.

Valtteri Bottas, driving for Mercedes, was the most recent race winner at Istanbul Park in 2021. Among current F1 drivers, only Bottas and Hamilton have achieved victory at this Turkish circuit.