Category: Sports

Multiple reports indicate the Cincinnati Bengals generated $10 million in salary cap room for the upcoming season by restructuring their Pro Bowl quarterback Joe Burrow’s contract, according to Tuesday reports.

The restructuring moved the Bengals from having just $7.1 million in effective cap room—among the lowest in the league—to a middle-of-the-pack position, reports stated. The team had the option to free up as much as $19.2 million by converting Burrow’s full base salary into a bonus, according to the same reports.

On Tuesday, the organization announced that second-round draft selection Cashius Howell, a defensive end from Texas A&M, has signed his rookie deal, completing contracts for all seven of the Bengals’ draft picks.

In September 2023, Burrow inked a five-year, $275 million contract extension that included $219 million in guaranteed money, according to reports from that time.

The 29-year-old quarterback has expressed approval of the Bengals’ unusual activity in free agency and major trades following their 6-11 record and third consecutive season without a playoff appearance in 2025.

“We’re going to go win a lot of games this year and play great and win a Super Bowl,” Burrow stated to reporters following a voluntary workout last month.

Cincinnati brought in former Kansas City Chiefs safety Bryan Cook on a three-year, $40.25 million contract and acquired former Seattle Seahawks edge rusher Boye Mafe with a three-year, $60 million agreement. The organization also secured former Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Jonathan Allen on a two-year, $25 million contract.

The defensive unit received another significant upgrade when the Bengals traded their 10th overall selection in April’s NFL draft to the New York Giants for three-time All-Pro defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, who then signed a one-year, $28 million extension covering the 2028 season after the trade.

The Bengals selected Burrow as the first overall choice in the 2020 NFL Draft from LSU.

Burrow has earned three Pro Bowl honors, including in 2025 when he completed 66.8% of his throws for 1,809 yards, 17 touchdowns and five interceptions across just eight games (all starts) due to a turf toe injury.

Throughout his career, he has started all 77 regular-season contests he has appeared in, posting an NFL-record 68.5% completion rate for 20,810 yards, 157 touchdowns and 51 interceptions. In postseason play, Burrow has accumulated 1,826 passing yards, nine touchdowns and four interceptions over seven playoff appearances.

He earned NFL Comeback Player of the Year honors in both 2021 and 2024.

A Long Island man’s audacious basketball prediction from his high school days is capturing national attention as the New York Knicks battle for an NBA championship.

Six years ago, while his fellow graduates filled their yearbook entries with academic honors and club memberships, Evan Pfeufer chose a different path for his 2020 Smithtown High School West yearbook quote.

Next to his senior portrait, Pfeufer boldly declared: “Knicks in 6. 2026 NBA Finals.”

That forecast is now drawing massive social media buzz after Pfeufer posted images of his yearbook page online. His Instagram share has attracted over 130,000 viewers as his prediction edges closer to reality.

Currently, New York holds a 2-1 advantage over the San Antonio Spurs in their championship showdown. The Knicks suffered a setback in Monday’s Game 3, which featured President Donald Trump as the first sitting president to attend an NBA Finals contest. Game 4 is scheduled for Wednesday at Madison Square Garden.

The 23-year-old sales professional admits his team was struggling when he made his championship call. He acknowledged the Knicks were “terrible” during that period, despite their 41-31 record in the 2020-21 campaign.

“I was at my good buddy’s house and I said, ‘Knicks, six, 2026’,” Pfeufer recalled. “It rhymed so well that I just figured, all right, I’m gonna put that there.”

“I could have said Knicks in 5, 2025, or Knicks in 7, 2027,” he continued. “I guess I got the right year.”

His unconventional yearbook choice initially drew criticism, especially from his family, who questioned why he didn’t highlight his academic accomplishments, including his honor society membership.

“I kept it just as the quote because I thought that if it happened, it would look way better than if I had a bunch of awards underneath,” he explained.

His parents have since changed their tune about his decision.

“Now that it’s happening the way it is, they said for the first time in their lives, alright, you were right,” he shared.

The devoted fan revealed he stopped watching games during the early playoff rounds, believing his viewership jinxed the team’s performance. However, with the Finals underway and his prophecy within reach, he’s returned to watching alongside his family at home.

Pfeufer remains confident this current roster can deliver the franchise’s first championship since 1973, regardless of whether it happens in six games.

“I absolutely love that they play ethical basketball,” he said. “It’s team basketball. Everyone knows their role and cares so deeply, and you can see it whenever they play. They have heart.”

RALEIGH, N.C. — A North Carolina judge has thrown out a legal case brought by 31 former NC State male athletes who accused the university’s former sports medicine director of sexual abuse and misconduct.

Wake County Superior Court Judge Bryan Collins issued orders Tuesday dismissing the claims against Robert M. Murphy Jr. and several NC State athletics administrators involved in oversight responsibilities, based on procedural grounds.

The legal action was brought to state court in February, stemming from an initial federal case filed by one athlete in 2022. The original complaint detailed years of improper conduct by Murphy, including inappropriate genital contact during massage sessions and invasive monitoring while athletes provided urine samples for drug screenings.

Collins approved Murphy’s legal team’s request for dismissal, determining that the time limit for filing such claims had run out for incidents going back to 2013.

The judge also threw out allegations against several athletics administrators, including former athletic director Debbie Yow and current AD Boo Corrigan, on jurisdictional issues. His decision stated that such complaints should be handled by the North Carolina Industrial Commission — a state body that addresses workplace issues involving NC State as a public institution — instead of civil court.

Jared Hammett, a Raleigh-based lawyer representing Murphy, released a statement to The Associated Press calling his client “someone who dedicated his life to working with athletes” while mentioning a “rush to judgment” that can affect “real people’s lives.”

“The truth is nothing happened but a man’s career being ruined for money,” Hammett said. “As a lawyer I am just glad that we have been able to help another person who needed support and found himself needing that defense.”

Durham-based lawyer Kerry Sutton, who has represented athletes since the original case began, said the former players intend to appeal.

“This dismissal has nothing at all to do with Mr. Murphy’s sexual abuse of these 31 former student-athletes,” Sutton said in a statement to the AP. “It was decided based only on questions of legal procedure. We plan to appeal this outcome and in coming days will be adding new claims against NCSU for men who have recently come forward.”

Twenty-nine of the 31 athletes are listed as “John Doe” plaintiffs to maintain their privacy, while two former men’s soccer players are identified by name.

One is Benjamin Locke, who brought the initial complaint in August 2022. The other is one of two athletes who filed separate federal lawsuits in February 2023 and April 2023. The AP typically doesn’t identify those who say they have been sexually assaulted or abused unless the person has spoken publicly about it, which Locke has done.

Sutton, who has represented plaintiffs in each lawsuit, filed to dismiss those pending Title IX lawsuits before moving the case to state-level jurisdiction in September 2025.

Murphy, who worked at NC State from 2012-22, was among nine defendants initially named individually. Others were university officials accused of negligence in oversight roles, saying concerns about Murphy’s conduct reached senior levels of the athletic department but the school’s response was insufficient.

Sutton and co-counsel Robert O. Jenkins filed in April to dismiss former NC State chancellor Randy Woodson as a defendant.

“N.C. State does not condone sexual misconduct of any kind,” the school said in a statement Tuesday evening. “The health and safety of our students and student-athletes is paramount to the university and our athletic programs.

“We agree with the court’s analysis and the decision that the law supports dismissal of the plaintiffs’ claims in this case. We recognize the immense courage it takes for someone to come forward, and our hearts go out to any student or student-athlete who has been impacted by distressing experiences.”

Food service employees at SoFi Stadium have secured a preliminary labor deal with their employer just days ahead of World Cup competition beginning at the Inglewood venue.

Unite Here Local 11, which represents roughly 2,000 food and beverage staff members, announced the tentative agreement with Legends Hospitality includes substantial pay raises, restrictions on subcontracting work, limitations on implementing new automated systems, and safeguards for worker privacy during credential processes for large events.

The labor organization highlighted an unusual clause allowing employees to walk off their jobs if the union determines federal immigration enforcement activities at the stadium pose safety risks to workers during World Cup games. Union officials called this provision groundbreaking.

Stadium workers will cast ballots Wednesday to decide whether to approve the proposed contract. Complete terms of the agreement will be made public following the ratification vote.

The labor deal would remain in effect until April 30, 2028, matching the timeline of over 100 other contracts covering stadium, hotel and airport food service workers that are set to end before the Los Angeles Olympics begin in two years, according to the union.

“These workers are heroes,” Kurt Petersen, co-president of Unite Here Local 11, said in a statement. “If federal immigration agencies threaten workers’ safety, our members have the right to walk off the job. That is now in their contract.”

The United States is set to face Paraguay on Friday at SoFi Stadium, which will operate under the name Los Angeles Stadium throughout the tournament. The venue will host eight total matches during the competition.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The San Francisco 49ers organization appears united in wanting to dial back All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey’s heavy usage from last season, with one notable exception: McCaffrey himself.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan and his coaching staff have stated their intention to limit McCaffrey’s touches following his demanding 450-touch performance during the 2025 regular season and postseason. However, McCaffrey remains skeptical about the need for such restrictions.

“I’ve been dealing with those questions for nine years it feels like,” McCaffrey said. “I think the workload in our sport is really monitored in practice, not in games. We play 17 regular-season games a year and everybody’s livelihoods are on the line. I would say on Sunday you’ve got to do whatever it takes to win and that’s not a coach’s job. You don’t tell a 3-point shooter you only get six 3s today. So much of it is rhythmic and it’s my job to put my body in the best position I can to go out there and play. I think everything else can be monitored during the week. … But when it comes to game days, I like to think, prepare yourself for playing every snap.”

Last season, McCaffrey came close to achieving that goal, leading all running backs with participation in 83% of the team’s offensive plays. The star back rarely requested time off the field, and running backs coach Bobby Turner continued to rely on him heavily.

“It’s challenging,” Turner said. “But I should have personally done a better job of managing that last year, because I do keep a tally on every play and aware when he’s in, when he isn’t. But this year, the coaching staff, they will all be involved in making sure that doesn’t happen.”

Following an injury-shortened 2024 campaign that limited him to just four appearances, McCaffrey demonstrated remarkable durability last season. He accumulated 1,010 offensive snaps across regular season and playoff games — becoming only the ninth running back in two decades to surpass 1,000 snaps — and joined an exclusive group as just the second player in the past ten years to record at least 450 combined rushes and receptions.

With key offensive weapons including quarterback Brock Purdy, tight end George Kittle, and receiver Ricky Pearsall missing significant time due to injuries, San Francisco found it difficult to remove McCaffrey from games as he served as both their primary rusher and one of their most dependable pass-catching options.

“We went into the year wanting to take care of him a little bit more,” Shanahan said. “But the way the offense went, I think more with the receivers and the injuries that we had, it was hard to get him off (the field). And it was cool to have him out there because he did help our offense so much.”

McCaffrey, who celebrated his 30th birthday on Sunday, has historically struggled in seasons following his highest-usage campaigns. Both previous times he exceeded 400 touches — during 2019 with Carolina and 2023 with the 49ers — he suffered significant injury setbacks the next year, missing 13 contests in both 2020 and 2024.

San Francisco hopes to break this pattern by placing greater confidence in their younger backfield options.

Fifth-round 2025 selection Jordan James suffered a training camp injury that prevented him from establishing a meaningful role. His regular season contribution consisted of just three offensive snaps during garbage time of a dominant victory over Indianapolis in Week 16. He saw additional action only during a lopsided 41-6 playoff defeat to Seattle, where he managed six carries for 28 yards and one catch.

The organization then invested a third-round pick in Indiana’s Kaelon Black during this year’s draft, hoping either he or James can contribute meaningfully this season.

“I’m positive they’re going to get more opportunities,” Turner said. “They both are competitors, they both were drafted for a reason. They’re mentally tough people, they can be explosive. … They definitely will get more opportunity, which means Christian is going to be fresher.”

San Francisco believes a less-fatigued McCaffrey could regain his explosive playmaking ability. Despite accumulating 2,126 total yards and nearly achieving his second season with 1,000 yards both rushing and receiving, McCaffrey managed only three runs of 20-plus yards, a significant decline from nine such plays during his healthy 2023 campaign when he earned AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year honors.

The team recorded just four explosive running plays all season after averaging nearly 14 annually over the previous four years.

“When you look around the league and you study great backs and study guys who affect the game like he does, those guys do come out of the game,” offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak said. “Those guys do get a blow sometimes and whether it’s a drive or a couple plays in a series, it helps those players. Christian knows that, and we’ve got to do a better job as coaches, we’ve got to do a better job at times of getting a better rotation.”

NEW YORK (AP) — The last time the New York Knicks suffered a defeat, they went on to avoid another loss for six weeks straight.

After falling behind in their opening playoff series against Atlanta, the Knicks transformed desperation into complete control. New York captured 13 consecutive victories, with many being decisive wins, creating one of the most remarkable playoff runs in league history.

The situation doesn’t call for such heroics this time around. Holding a 2-1 advantage over the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals, New York only needs to go .500 in their remaining games to claim their first title since 1973.

Following their Game 3 defeat, the Knicks don’t require a complete transformation. However, improvement is essential.

“We have a veteran group. Nobody is quote-unquote panicking or anything like that,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said Tuesday. “Everybody is disappointed that we didn’t go out and execute and play to what we feel our standard is. That’s not taking anything away from San Antonio, but we feel like we can play a lot better than what we did.

“We’re looking forward to going out on the floor and showing it.”

Wednesday’s Game 4 continues a series where visiting teams have claimed every contest, marking just the second occurrence of this pattern in Finals history.

San Antonio seized early momentum and dominated crucial late moments in their 115-111 triumph Monday. Victor Wembanyama dominated on both ends of the court, recording 32 points, eight rebounds, six assists and three blocked shots.

Displaying no intimidation from the hostile road atmosphere in Madison Square Garden’s first Finals game since 1999, similar to their Game 7 road victory over defending champion Oklahoma City in the Western Conference finals, Wembanyama and San Antonio again appeared capable of capturing a championship without the typical growing pains experienced by other young squads.

“We will see. But my bet would be yes, it’s possible,” Wembanyama said.

San Antonio maintained this confidence even after losing both home games, meaning they must become the first team to win a championship after starting 0-2 at home. This belief stems from having one of the world’s elite players surrounded by exceptional talent, a group so assured that Monday’s achievement didn’t faze them.

“I didn’t want us to get too happy about one win and get satisfied and take our foot off the gas a little bit for the next game,” said guard Stephen Castle, who scored 23 points. “But I think since the end of Game 2 we’ve still been confident that we’re going to win this series, and that’s what we plan to do.”

New York’s first defeat since April 23 didn’t trigger panic, as they continuously sought improvements even during their winning streak.

“Each game, no matter what the situation is, we’re growing as a team. I think we’re learning and we’re getting better — obviously before last night,” Jalen Brunson said. “No matter what the situation is, we’re going to stick together. We’re going to execute, we’re going to be better. That’s just how our mindset has to be going forward.”

Several issues require attention. Karl-Anthony Towns isn’t producing in final quarters. Wembanyama has discovered methods to exploit New York over the past game and a half after earlier struggles. The Knicks must reduce turnovers and improve defense without committing fouls — regardless of Brown’s opinions about Game 3 officiating.

New York executed these elements effectively during the second-longest postseason winning streak in history. Now they must bounce back swiftly from defeat, or face returning to San Antonio for Game 5 with an even series.

“We have, what, 13 games in a row, 50 days of film to show what it looks like when we’re at our best. So we’ve got good film,” Towns said. “We’ll get back to our fundamentals, what makes us great, what made us great, and get back to work” in Game 4.

When President Donald Trump shows up to watch a game, smart money might be on the away team.

Recent patterns suggest home teams struggle when Trump is in attendance. The New York Knicks, who had won their previous two games against the San Antonio Spurs in the finals, fell 115-111 on Monday night with Trump watching from a luxury box at Madison Square Garden. The president, a long-time supporter of New York’s NBA franchise, may have brought similar misfortune to MLB’s Washington Nationals during his previous presidency, when they dropped Game 5 of the World Series 7-1 to the Houston Astros.

Last November, Trump witnessed the NFL’s Washington Commanders get crushed 44-22 by the Detroit Lions at home. He also attended the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black last fall, where Europe defeated the U.S. golf team.

The pattern creates an ironic situation for a president who obsesses over winning and competitive sports.

Trump regularly references his electoral successes, including falsely claiming victory over Joe Biden in 2020, and highlights his track record of backing successful Republican primary contenders. His sports enthusiasm sometimes takes him into unfriendly venues, like heavily Democratic Manhattan, where crowds booed loudly before Monday’s game began.

However, Trump’s presence doesn’t always doom the home squad.

The New York Yankees defeated the visiting Detroit Tigers 9-3 last September with the president attending to commemorate the 23rd anniversary of the September 11th attacks. Trump also watched Navy defeat Army 17-16 in Baltimore last fall, though the Midshipmen were technically hosting despite playing away from their Annapolis, Maryland home venue.

Trump has attended numerous sporting events where home field advantage doesn’t apply.

This includes his appearances at the U.S. Open in September, the 2025 Super Bowl in New Orleans where the Philadelphia Eagles topped the Kansas City Chiefs, and that year’s Daytona 500. He also attended the 2024 NCAA wrestling championships in Philadelphia and the FIFA Club World Cup final in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

The home team factor won’t matter Sunday when the White House’s South Lawn hosts a UFC event celebrating Trump’s 80th birthday.

White House officials didn’t respond to Monday inquiries about Trump potentially bringing bad fortune to home teams at sporting events.

If this trend continues, it could spell trouble for the U.S. national soccer team in the World Cup beginning Thursday. The Americans have never reached the tournament’s final in its current format, and they’ll face the added challenge of Trump playing a major role in organizing the competition. He has promised to attend the championship match and present the trophy to the winners.

Some Knicks supporters are blaming the president for Monday’s Game 3 loss, despite their team maintaining the series lead. Game 4 takes place Wednesday in New York, but Trump isn’t planning to attend.

California Governor Gavin Newsom, a potential 2028 Democratic presidential contender and frequent Trump critic, jokingly embraced the jinx narrative by resharing a previous White House social media post that declared “Call it the Trump effect” alongside discussion of the Knicks’ defeat.

ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith, who has been mentioned as a possible future presidential candidate, predicted before Game 3 that Trump would be responsible if the Knicks lost. Following the game, he stated, “What I feared would happen ended up happening.”

“The president disrupted our mojo,” Smith, a devoted Knicks supporter, explained. “The man messed things up.”

When asked about Smith potentially holding him responsible for the Knicks’ loss, Trump criticized the analyst’s political ambitions and questioned his mental capacity.

“I think he’s a nice guy. But you need a certain aptitude to run for president,” Trump told reporters while boarding Air Force One for his return flight to Washington early Tuesday.

“You need a high IQ. I’m not sure that Stephen has that,” he continued. “I don’t think he does, actually.”

Prior to his political career, Trump, who grew up in Queens, regularly attended Knicks games and often sat in courtside seats. His Monday return to the Garden generated sustained booing when his image appeared on the arena’s big screen during the national anthem, even before the team’s loss.

Trump has faced hostile crowd reactions repeatedly, though this stems more from his political positions than any perceived role in cursing home teams. He was booed at the Nationals’ World Series game, during the Commanders contest, and at the U.S. Open. While some events bring cheers and reactions can be mixed, Trump tends to characterize crowd responses more favorably than they actually were.

Following the Knicks game, Trump claimed the boos were “I think, mostly cheers.” The White House attempted to frame the appearance as a political victory, sharing a photo of Trump at the game with the text “King of New York.”

New York’s Daily News tabloid offered a contrasting perspective, publishing a cartoon showing an oversized Trump in a No. 38 Knicks uniform with a speech bubble reading “approval rating.”

NEW YORK (AP) — What began as a peaceful basketball viewing event in Manhattan Monday evening spiraled into chaos, according to New York City police, when disappointed Knicks supporters climbed lighting fixtures, hurled debris at law enforcement, and tore down street signage after their team fell to the San Antonio Spurs.

The disruptive incidents occurred several blocks away from Madison Square Garden, the usual gathering spot for enthusiastic fans throughout the team’s remarkable playoff journey. However, the vicinity around the venue was mostly restricted to public access Monday due to President Donald Trump’s presence at the game.

As an alternative, approximately 7,000 people assembled at nearby Bryant Park for a city-sponsored viewing event.

Although the gathering remained mostly peaceful, certain fans obstructed vehicle traffic and declined to leave when asked, while others hurled glass items or engaged in street fights, police and video evidence showed.

Authorities made eight arrests in total — including two individuals charged with attacking a police officer — and issued criminal court summons to 13 additional people. Law enforcement reported that five officers sustained injuries. The New York Police Department did not immediately release details regarding the officers’ injuries or information about those taken into custody.

According to a department statement, “the crowd became increasingly rowdy, violent, and destructive, and there were many incidents of disorderly and dangerous behavior.”

Crowd members “engaged in incredibly reckless behavior — there were large physical and violent fights that resulted in multiple injuries,” the statement continued.

A spokesperson for Mayor Zohran Mamdani stressed that the “overwhelming majority” of fans had watched the game peacefully.

“But the fights and other disruptive incidents — including assaults on police officers — in various parts of the city are unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” the spokesperson, Sam Raskin, added.

Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama had not heard about fans getting attacked.

“My thoughts, of course, is that we can’t forget it’s a game,” Wembanyama said. “We’re just playing a game out there. I am all for passion, but to the respect of each other. It’s unacceptable.”

Neither City Hall nor the NYPD would confirm whether a planned watch party outside Madison Square Garden would resume when the Knicks host the Spurs on Wednesday for the fourth game of the series.

During the conference finals last month, the NYPD announced it would not support watch parties outside the arena, citing “very rough” crowds as a public safety threat.

But that decision — which ultimately rests with the mayor’s office — was later reversed after the Knicks reached the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999.

NEW YORK (AP) — Victor Wembanyama compares playing at home to having a six-on-five advantage on the basketball court. Playing away from home, he says, feels like five against six.

The young star embraces that challenge.

Wembanyama and his San Antonio teammates excelled in their Game 3 NBA Finals matchup at Madison Square Garden, showing no intimidation from the hostile crowd or the series disadvantage they’re battling against the New York Knicks.

“I like lively crowds, active crowds,” Wembanyama commented Tuesday, about 13 hours following his impressive 32-point performance that included eight rebounds and six assists in his first finals victory. “At home, it’s an extra motivation because you want to give the people who support you a good show. On the road, you want to do the opposite.”

After quieting a packed house of almost 20,000 fans, San Antonio has an opportunity to tie the series in Wednesday evening’s Game 4 at the Garden, where the atmosphere could be even more electric as supporters attempt to push their squad toward its first title since 1973.

“We find a comfort playing on the road, knowing when you’re in this environment, it’s us versus them, and obviously everybody in the crowd,” Guard De’Aaron Fox explained. “When you know that — everybody behind you has your back — it allows you to settle into these games.”

Teammate Stephon Castle acknowledged that he and the Spurs understood their season hung in the balance after dropping the first two games of the series, and he praised their unity for achieving a 7-3 road record during these playoffs. While Monday represented a crucial victory, Wednesday carries similar weight since just one team out of 38 that fell behind 3-1 in the finals has managed to claim the championship.

“It’s something you can’t shy away from, especially with the goals and aspirations that we have,” Castle explained. “Just focus on the things that matter throughout the game and not really paying too close attention to the crowd. They’re going to be there regardless, especially cheering on their team. You should want to play in those environments. I feel like that’s when we play at our best.”

Wembanyama delivered exactly that level of play, bouncing back from his failed buzzer-beater attempt to deliver a stellar showing worthy of the intense spotlight at the venue dubbed the world’s most famous arena. However, the 22-year-old French center didn’t carry the load alone.

Castle, age 21, contributed 23 points and appeared unaffected by the ankle injury he sustained during Friday’s Game 2. Devin Vassell, 25, and Julian Champagnie, approaching his 25th birthday, both connected on crucial shots and reached double-digit scoring. Rookie Dylan Harper, just 20 years old, added 13 points coming off the bench.

Fox, at 28 one of the team’s veterans, credits those younger players’ temperament for explaining their ability to perform under pressure.

“They just don’t have the personalities that you would think that are just going to be overwhelmed by something,” Fox observed. “I don’t know what they’re feeling on the inside, obviously. What you see out there on the court with them, just when you see it on their faces when New York is going on a run, you don’t see them panic.”

The Spurs appear free of panic, regardless of how little experience some of their key contributors possess. Coach Mitch Johnson recognizes why there’s considerable discussion about youth and experience, but similar to Fox, he believes it comes down to the character of players like Wembanyama, Castle and Harper rather than their years of life and basketball experience.

Their inexperience might actually benefit them. Harper mentioned this marks his first experience being jeered on New York streets while leaving his hotel, though the hostility only motivated him and his teammates — and may continue doing so.

“We just stay together in environments like this,” Harper said. “When we come to away games in the playoffs, for us at least, it’s been just staying together and holding each other accountable. I feel like with the level of desperation and desire that we played with (in Game 3), I feel like we’re pretty hard to beat when we do that.”

BEREA, Ohio — After contemplating his future since January, veteran offensive lineman Joel Bitonio made his retirement from professional football official this week following a dozen seasons with the Cleveland Browns.

The 34-year-old player formalized his decision during a Tuesday press conference, having earlier shared the news through the team’s official website.

“This place is so special that it was hard to truly say goodbye. I’m so glad I got to learn and be a Cleveland Brown my entire career,” Bitonio stated during the announcement, with his wife Courtney and their three children present.

The retirement announcement coincided with the Browns beginning their mandatory three-day minicamp session.

Selected as the 35th overall pick in the second round of the 2014 draft, Bitonio spent his complete professional career in Cleveland. He became a cornerstone at left guard and took on leadership responsibilities for the offensive line following Hall of Fame left tackle Joe Thomas’s retirement in 2017.

With 178 career starts, Bitonio ranks ninth in franchise history for games played. Since the Browns returned to Cleveland in 1999, no player has started more games wearing the team colors.

“He was a model of consistency. I hardly ever remember Joel having a bad game,” owner Jimmy Haslam commented. “He did what I think you ask everybody to do in any organization, and that is come to work, work hard, do your job, be a good team player, go home, spend time with your family, and come back and do it again, and he did that for 12 years.”

While Bitonio continued visiting the training facility for rehabilitation following elbow surgery during the offseason, he took his time making the retirement decision until it felt appropriate.

“We signed like three interior linemen on the first day of free agency, so that was kind of like me and AB (general manager Andrew Berry) had already discussed that I was going to retire and I was finishing up my career,” explained Bitonio, who earned two All-Pro selections and seven Pro Bowl honors. “I know my agent talked to a bunch of teams during the combine, and people asked if I was interested in continuing to play, but there never got anything where I was telling people I wanted to play for another team.”

Among Bitonio’s career highlights were participating in playoff runs during the 2020 and 2023 seasons. However, he was forced to miss the AFC wild-card matchup against Pittsburgh in January 2021 due to COVID-19. Cleveland’s 48-37 triumph over the Steelers marked their first postseason victory since 1994.

Watching that historic game from home became a unique experience for Bitonio.

“My neighborhood knew I was at home, and they started lighting off fireworks after the game, and they threw a little parade down the street. So it was an unbelievable experience because we got the win. I think it would have been heart-wrenching if you’re sitting there and the team loses,” he recalled.

During his tenure, Bitonio witnessed the Browns’ ongoing search for a franchise quarterback, protecting 23 different signal-callers, with 22 of them making at least one start.

Last season, he was the sole Browns offensive lineman to start and participate in all 17 games. The team utilized 10 different line combinations throughout the season due to various injuries.

Cleveland has been rebuilding their offensive line, selecting left tackle Spencer Fano with the ninth overall draft pick. They also added left guard Zion Johnson and center/guard Elgton Jenkins through free agency, while trading for right tackle Tytus Howard from Houston.

Teven Jenkins, who appeared in all 17 games with four starts at right guard, may be the only returning starter from last season’s line.

“I think I was telling my wife the other day, it still kind of feels like an offseason right now. I’ve still been working out. I’m obviously not training as much, not at minicamp right now, but I think when training camp starts is going to be the real moment like, ‘OK, I’m retired from this,’ because that’s when everything really cranks up,” Bitonio reflected.

Los Angeles Rams offensive lineman Alaric Jackson found himself in police custody Monday evening following allegations of felony domestic violence at his San Fernando Valley home.

Officers with the Los Angeles Police Department responded to Jackson’s residence in the West Hills area after receiving a call. According to NBC4’s reporting, Jackson allegedly tried to grab a phone from a woman who he believed was recording him, leaving the woman with visible scratches on her arm.

The 27-year-old athlete has served as the team’s primary left tackle over the last three seasons, appearing in 45 regular-season contests and six postseason matchups. Jackson, who entered the league as an undrafted player, secured a lucrative three-year contract worth $57 million with the organization this past February.

Team officials released a statement addressing the situation: “We are aware of the incident regarding Alaric Jackson, and we take these matters very seriously. Due to this being an ongoing legal situation, we cannot comment further at this time.”

Jail records show Jackson was freed on a $50,000 bond during the early morning hours Tuesday. The district attorney’s office will now review the case to determine whether formal charges will be filed.

This marks another legal issue for Jackson during his five-year tenure with the franchise. The Canadian-American player initially served as a reserve player on the team’s championship squad during the 2021-22 campaign.

Jackson faced a civil lawsuit in the previous year from a woman claiming he secretly recorded intimate encounters without her permission. This matter resulted in a two-game suspension at the start of the 2024 season for violating the league’s personal conduct standards, though the specific reason remained confidential until the woman’s legal filing brought it to light.

The civil case was ultimately thrown out in April.

PHOENIX (AP) — During a productive May, Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Nolan Arenado experienced something familiar to anyone who felt unstoppable in their twenties but has reached their mid-to-late thirties.

He woke up with back pain.

Nothing severe. Not enough to sideline him. But it represented one of those unexplained moments that accompany aging in Major League Baseball — potentially disrupting a strong performance streak for an eight-time All-Star who recently celebrated his 35th birthday.

“There’s more aches and pains,” Arenado said. “There’s just a little more work in the gym, getting prepared for the game, than there used to be. That’s a learning curve.

“I’ve always been in the gym, always did that stuff, but there’s definitely more maintenance.”

Arenado overcame the minor back problem and continues his recovery season in Arizona, hitting .256 with eight home runs and 30 RBIs through Monday’s contests. He’s part of a group of players 35 and older achieving decent offensive numbers, alongside Los Angeles Dodgers veterans Freddie Freeman and Max Muncy, plus Houston’s Christian Walker.

However, this is a limited group that has shrunk considerably during the last ten years.

Major League Baseball batters aged 35 or above have collectively contributed only 5.6 WAR (Wins Above Replacement, according to FanGraphs) through approximately the first third of the season, extending a pattern that has intensified over the past decade.

During the early 2000s, veteran stars dominated the major leagues. This reached its peak in 2003 when older batters accumulated 71.3 WAR combined, featuring a roster that included Barry Bonds, Frank Thomas, Kenny Lofton, Luis Gonzalez and Jeff Bagwell.

What has transformed?

Here are some explanations for why MLB is trending younger these days:

Baseball’s data-driven approach can be traced to Bill James’ work during the 1970s and 1980s, but statistics like WAR, wOBA, BABIP, and OPS+ didn’t gain widespread adoption in the major leagues until the late 2000s at the earliest.

All at once, visual assessment became insufficient for MLB general managers. Statistical evidence took precedence.

And — conclusively — those statistics demonstrated that peak performance years for major league batters typically occur from their mid-twenties through early thirties.

This directly connects to MLB franchises securing young talent with extended contracts. Arizona’s Corbin Carroll, Detroit’s Kevin McGonigle, Pittsburgh’s Konnor Griffin, Kansas City’s Bobby Witt Jr. and Seattle’s Julio Rodriguez represent dozens of talented players who received substantial deals long before reaching free agency.

Investment in veteran players has fallen out of favor. Walker — a three-time Gold Glove first baseman with nearly 200 career home runs — joined the Astros for a comparatively reasonable $60 million, three-year contract following the 2024 season at age 33.

“I think it has a lot to do with the ability to measure guys’ value on the field,” Walker said. “For a long time, WAR didn’t exist, wRC+ wasn’t a stat, right? So, you went off of the optics or this guy’s a good clubhouse guy or he’s got experience, he’s been to a World Series.”

Current young stars have developed in an environment where velocity dominates, but this wasn’t the case when Freeman and others emerged. The average MLB fastball in 2026 exceeds 94 mph, with 18 qualified pitchers averaging at least 96. When Freeman made his debut 17 years ago, the league-wide average stayed below 92 and no qualified pitchers averaged at least 96.

Arenado explained that among the first challenges for MLB veterans is handling elite fastballs — especially inside pitches. This creates difficult encounters against pitchers like Milwaukee’s Jacob Misiorowski, who consistently throws 100 mph.

“I feel like just the general age of the levels and the development is trending younger and younger,” Walker said. “And there might be something to that — like your best bullets might be when you’re 27 years old.”

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts features Freeman and Muncy in his starting lineup almost every day. He also competed in the major leagues until age 36, retiring in 2008, providing him with personal insight into the aging experience.

“The hardest part is to expect and want the same output you’ve always had, but not be willing to change the equation,” Roberts said.

Roberts noted the process varies for each player. Some require additional workouts. Others need less. Many need extra sleep. Nutrition becomes increasingly crucial. The challenging aspect is that the routines that brought success to the major leagues might differ from those needed to remain there during your mid-to-late thirties.

Walker, who didn’t establish himself as a regular starter in the majors until age 28, said he’s accepted getting older and enjoys examining his blood work that might reveal vitamin deficiencies or inflammation causes. The testing also demonstrates how alcohol consumption might impact his body or the value of quality rest.

“For myself, no real magic recipe, just chalk it up to being a late bloomer,” Walker said. “My age is older than most guys, but service time isn’t. I haven’t been in the big leagues for 20 years or anything like that. Just fortunate that I still can help the team.”

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo identified two primary reasons for Arenado’s continued success in his 14th major league season. Initially, he credited the D-backs’ hitting coaches.

But perhaps most significantly, Arenado has heeded those coaches, welcomed change and discovered new methods for achievement.

“There’s an adjustment to work habits and mindset once you get to that level where things aren’t as easy as they used to be,” Lovullo said. “Some say ‘I’ve had my career, it’s not as easy as it once was, and I want to shut it down.’”

He later added: “It’s fun to watch Nolan Arenado have all this success, but he’s worked his butt off. He’s working as hard as any 22 or 23 year old we have on this team.”

LAS VEGAS — What a way to make a first impression. The Oakland Athletics’ debut game in Las Vegas turned into an absolute offensive spectacle, with Milwaukee edging out a wild 15-14 victory in 12 innings that had fans witnessing baseball history.

The fireworks started immediately when Shea Langeliers launched the first pitch he saw a staggering 483 feet, setting the tone for what would become an unforgettable introduction between the city and its future Major League Baseball team.

While Milwaukee claimed the victory, the real winners were the spectators who witnessed one of the most chaotic games in recent memory.

“It’s the most bizarre game I’ve ever had in Major League Baseball in 11 years,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “I never saw anything like it. So many things happened. There were 16 challenges in the game. Sixteen challenges in the game. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Those replay reviews weren’t just frequent — they were necessary. Home plate umpire Clint Vondrak struggled mightily, having 11 of his 16 challenged ball-and-strike calls reversed. According to Umpire Scorecards, he also missed three additional calls that potentially influenced the outcome.

The contest took place at Las Vegas Ballpark, which serves as home to the Athletics’ Triple-A affiliate. Oakland will face Milwaukee again Tuesday and Wednesday before welcoming the Colorado Rockies for a three-game weekend series, all part of their effort to connect with Las Vegas supporters. The franchise plans to relocate to Las Vegas in 2028, where they’ll play in a $2 billion domed facility on the Strip with 33,000 seats.

Fans received commemorative jerseys featuring VEGAS on the back along with the number 28.

The minor league venue proved to be a launching pad during Monday’s offensive explosion, which lasted four hours and 14 minutes. Both clubs combined for 34 hits and 11 home runs — numbers unlikely to be replicated regularly in their future major league stadium.

“Just an all-around crazy game,” Langeliers said. “Both teams battled all night. It was a great baseball game.”

The victory marked just Milwaukee’s second win ever when surrendering 14 or more runs. Their previous such triumph came against Washington by an identical 15-14 score on Aug. 17, 2019. The Brewers’ record in games allowing at least 14 runs now stands at 2-88.

For Oakland, this marked their first participation in a game where both teams reached 14 runs since falling 17-16 to Texas on May 5, 2000.

Beyond the offensive onslaught, the game delivered plenty of late-inning theatrics.

Oakland carried a two-run advantage into the ninth inning, but Andrew Vaughn’s two-run double with nobody out forced extra innings.

Milwaukee grabbed a four-run lead in the 10th inning, only to watch Oakland respond with four runs of their own, highlighted by clutch two-out home runs from Nick Kurtz and Jonah Heim.

The marathon finally ended in the 12th when Brice Turang’s fielder’s choice groundout with one out brought home Christian Yelich with what proved to be the decisive run, concluding what may have been the season’s most entertaining contest.

Food service employees at a major California stadium have secured a preliminary contract agreement, preventing a potential work stoppage just days before the World Cup kicks off.

Labor representatives announced the preliminary agreement during a Tuesday press conference, with employees scheduled to cast their votes on the contract Wednesday. The labor organization representing 2,000 food service staff including bartenders, servers, kitchen workers and dishwashers at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, had approved strike authorization the previous week after negotiations with Legends Global, the venue’s food service contractor, reached an impasse.

Employees represented by UNITE HERE Local 11 had been pushing for wage improvements, job security protections against subcontracting, and workplace safety measures given increased immigration enforcement activities under President Donald Trump’s administration.

“This is a very proud moment for all of us,” said Yolanda Fierro, a suite runner at the stadium. “We really want to secure the safety of all our employees.”

Kurt Petersen, co-president of UNITE HERE Local 11, explained that workers maintained strike rights in the event of immigration enforcement actions at their workplace under the new agreement. He noted this was the final outstanding issue during company negotiations.

“No other collective bargaining agreement in the country preserves the right to strike in response to ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) raids and attacks,” he said. “We hope we never need to use that right.”

The international soccer tournament is anticipated to bring millions of spectators to venues throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico during the 39-day competition this summer.

SoFi Stadium will host eight tournament games, beginning with Friday’s matchup between the U.S. and Paraguay.

Olympic champion and Team USA captain Hilary Knight will be moving to Detroit’s PWHL franchise in a sign-and-trade arrangement with Las Vegas, according to multiple media reports.

The Las Vegas team announced Tuesday that they had signed the 36-year-old forward to a one-year deal.

According to the reports, Detroit will give up its first-round selection in next week’s draft to obtain Knight from Las Vegas. The transaction cannot be finalized until the PWHL’s trade moratorium ends on June 16, one day prior to the draft.

Knight, who has competed in five Olympics and captured her second gold medal at this year’s Milano Cortina Winter Games, ranks among women’s hockey’s most accomplished athletes. The world champion has claimed 10 world titles, including gold in South Korea in 2018, along with three silver medals.

During the previous season, Knight served as the first captain of the Seattle Torrent, recording 14 points on five goals and nine assists across 22 contests. Her initial two PWHL campaigns were spent leading Boston as captain, and she has accumulated 54 points through 26 goals and 28 assists over 76 league appearances.

As the World Cup prepares to begin throughout North America, several host cities are using the 39-day soccer tournament as motivation to tackle homelessness issues.

Atlanta stands out among these cities, having unveiled an ambitious initiative last summer to eliminate encampments and street sleeping in the downtown area before the tournament begins. The program, known as Downtown Rising, reports providing housing for close to 500 individuals. Despite this progress, people still waiting outside downtown shelters demonstrate that these efforts haven’t reached all those in need.

Both Dallas and Seattle have implemented focused programs, with Dallas broadening efforts to provide housing for homeless individuals in the downtown area, while Seattle announced plans to secure housing for hundreds of people.

An Associated Press survey revealed that the majority of the 16 host cities, including New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Miami, Houston, Toronto, and Vancouver, British Columbia, are depending on current programs to tackle homelessness — most without additional World Cup-related funding.

Historically, numerous cities have viewed homeless populations as unsightly problems to eliminate before major sporting and political gatherings.

“These events provide a choice for communities,” said Ann Oliva, CEO of the National Alliance to End Homelessness. “They can do the easy thing and sweep people out of encampments and into jails or other neighborhoods, or they can do the harder work that will benefit everyone in the community — housed or unhoused.”

Key findings from the AP’s investigation include:

Atlanta has secured $185 million through state and city funding, corporate grants and other contributions toward their $235 million target, planning to house 3,900 people throughout the city by next year. Though the program has assisted hundreds in obtaining housing, some remain doubtful about its meaningful impact on downtown homelessness.

Dallas implemented a $30 million initiative starting in 2024 that decreased downtown street sleeping by 87% and moved approximately 2,000 people into permanent housing. However, advocates have condemned police methods that involved zip-tying and removing individuals who refused to leave after encampment clearances.

Seattle workers are completing 75 tiny homes equipped with beds, space heaters and air conditioners, set to open just before the World Cup. This housing significantly falls short of Mayor Katie Wilson’s ambitious goal to provide 500 new shelter units by the tournament’s start. A homeless individual camping near the stadium told reporters he was unaware of the city’s housing initiatives and worried that he and his wife would be forced to relocate.

In Inglewood, California, home to the city’s stadium near Los Angeles, Mayor James Butts told the AP, “There’s no homeless in Inglewood,” citing low local numbers. Yet, less than 2 miles from the stadium and beyond Inglewood’s boundaries, nonprofit organizations continue providing assistance, and LA County’s Homeless Services and Housing Department has arranged motel accommodations before the matches.

In Canada, Toronto and Vancouver indicated they would utilize their existing comprehensive services offering thousands of shelter beds and temporary housing units, plus outreach for street residents. Vancouver has also established centers for match viewing. Both cities stated no intentions to relocate homeless individuals before the games.

Nevertheless, advocates reported scattered incidents of crackdowns on homeless people, including transit police at Toronto’s main train station forcibly removing people from restrooms and verbally mistreating them last month. The city’s statement to the AP didn’t directly address these allegations but emphasized it doesn’t “tolerate, ignore, or condone discrimination or harassment.”

In Vancouver, hundreds of activists protested increased security measures ahead of the World Cup. One woman reported that the van she shared with her pet rabbits was towed last month.

This city is “sweeping the homeless people under the carpet for FIFA to make it look like a clean city,” she said.

New England Revolution announced Tuesday they have secured defender Will Sands with a contract extension that will keep him with the team through the 2030 season.

The club did not reveal the financial details of the deal for Sands, who became part of the Revolution roster during the 2024 summer transfer window.

“We are thrilled to extend Will Sands and keep him in New England for several more seasons,” sporting director Curt Onalfo said. “Will has grown tremendously as a player and teammate since joining us two years ago. He is in excellent form right now, and we believe his best years are still ahead.”

The 25-year-old defender has recorded one goal and one assist across 14 appearances this season with New England, starting in every match.

Sands previously won the 2023 MLS Cup with Columbus and has accumulated one goal and six assists over 63 career appearances (41 as a starter) between his time with the Crew from 2022-24 and the Revolution.

“I am happy for Will because he is incredibly deserving of this contract extension, and equally happy for our club that we can keep a talented player and exceptional person like Will in New England for years to come,” head coach Marko Mitrovic said. “Coaching Will is a pleasure, and we are looking forward to helping him progress even more on the field in the years ahead.”

The Minnesota Wild announced Tuesday they have locked up forward Michael McCarron with a six-year deal valued at $20 million, securing the pending unrestricted free agent’s services.

McCarron’s new contract will take effect starting with the 2026-27 season and run through the 2031-32 campaign.

According to The Athletic, the agreement includes significant trade protections for McCarron. He will have complete no-move protection during the contract’s first three years, while the final three seasons feature a 15-team no-trade clause plus no-move protections that shield him from being placed on waivers.

The 31-year-old McCarron joined Minnesota at this season’s trade deadline when the Wild acquired him from the Nashville Predators in exchange for a 2028 second-round NHL Draft selection. Standing 6-foot-6 and weighing 232 pounds, McCarron contributed 17 points last season with eight goals and nine assists, while accumulating 93 penalty minutes and setting a personal best with 205 hits across 79 games divided between the two Central Division clubs.

Originally selected 25th overall by Montreal in the 2013 NHL Draft, McCarron has compiled 79 career points through 381 NHL games, including 36 goals and 43 assists during his time with the Canadiens from 2015-18, the Predators from 2020-26, and now the Wild.

NEW YORK (AP) — Following a controversial 115-111 defeat to the San Antonio Spurs in Game 3 of the NBA Finals, Knicks head coach Mike Brown voiced sharp criticism about the referees’ performance Monday night.

The coaching staff’s frustration centered on a stark difference in free throw opportunities during the second half, where San Antonio received 24 attempts from the charity stripe while New York managed only eight.

“I never thought I’d see that in an NBA Finals game, and I saw it tonight,” Brown said.

Monday’s defeat marked New York’s first setback in 46 days, bringing an end to their impressive 13-game postseason victory run. The loss narrowed the Knicks’ series advantage to 2-1.

While Brown acknowledged San Antonio’s strong play and identified areas where his team fell short, he maintained that the officiating significantly influenced the outcome.

“San Antonio is a great team. They are a great team, OK. It’s going to lower our odds big time, big time, if we play Game 4 and in the second half, they get 24 free-throw attempts to our eight. Maybe we were fouling. Maybe we were fouling. But they fouled, too,” Brown explained.

“There were a lot of things that we didn’t do that we did in Game 1 and Game 2,” Brown added. “But to go 24 free-throw attempts in the second half, that’s 48 for the game, if you think about the way they called that second half, compared to eight. All the shots we took, we got fouled four times, roughly, for eight free-throw attempts.”

The foul trouble affected key players throughout the contest. Mikal Bridges found himself on the bench after accumulating two early fouls, while Jalen Brunson faced similar issues in the third quarter after picking up his fourth personal foul. During that third period alone, San Antonio shot 14 free throws compared to three for New York.

“There are a lot of things we can do better and we are going to have to do better, but the same breath, like I said, hopefully they will see some more fouls called against them, so it’s not 24-8,” Brown said. “This is a four-point ballgame. Four-point ballgame. One-possession ballgame going down the stretch. It’s tough to overcome.”

The final statistics showed San Antonio converting 25 of 32 free throw attempts for the entire game, while New York made 18 of 22. When informed about his coach’s remarks regarding the officiating, Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns disagreed with the assessment.

“That didn’t cost us the game,” he said. “Turned the ball over. Didn’t execute. Didn’t do what got us 13 straight wins in a row. That’s how you lose a game.”

Former United States soccer captain Landon Donovan believes the American national team must capitalize on the rare opportunity of hosting a World Cup on home soil, emphasizing that success should be measured by both performance and creating memorable moments that could boost soccer’s popularity nationwide.

The 44-year-old, famous for his dramatic last-minute goal against Algeria in 2010 that advanced the U.S. to the knockout rounds, stressed that expectations should be elevated for the co-hosting nation.

“For our team, the expectations are you have to get out of the group,” Donovan told Reuters during an interview while promoting his partnership with Nestle.

“I think in this case, a home World Cup with a very favorable group, the expectation should be that we win the group,” he said.

“When you win the group you allow yourself a much easier path to get a deep run into the tournament.”

Beyond tournament results, Donovan emphasized the importance of creating spectacular moments that could captivate American audiences, referencing his own 2010 goal and goalkeeper Tim Howard’s remarkable 16-save performance against Belgium in 2014 as examples of plays that helped expand soccer’s reach in America.

“One big moment in a big game literally creates millions of new fans,” Donovan said. “In this country, we’re not just players, we’re ambassadors and we’re trying to grow the sport.”

Donovan noted that the tournament’s impact could extend far beyond viewership numbers or attendance figures, potentially creating new supporters who might remain devoted to the sport for years to come.

While recognizing concerns about expensive ticket prices, Donovan encouraged fans to find ways to participate in the tournament experience, whether through stadium attendance or community viewing events.

“This is going to be the biggest sporting event in the history of the planet,” he said. “It is truly once in a lifetime.”

The former captain acknowledged that U.S. players will face significant pressure while also having an unprecedented opportunity, noting that getting off to a strong start will be essential.

“If we score early in the first game, the momentum will start to build positively,” he said. “Our team is absolutely good enough to be really special and make a good run through this tournament.”

When discussing which American players might become breakout stars, Donovan highlighted Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie.

He suggested that midfielder Pulisic, who played four seasons at Chelsea before moving to AC Milan, could reach an even broader audience despite his existing recognition. Donovan also believes McKennie’s playing style and character could make him a prominent figure with strong performances.

The United States will kick off their World Cup campaign on Friday in Inglewood against Paraguay in Group D.

ATLANTA (AP) — Less than a mile from the venue that will host thousands of World Cup spectators this month, numerous individuals had set up camp on a city sidewalk, waiting for a homeless facility to begin operations.

Several people rested in sleeping bags with face coverings to shield themselves from the bright afternoon light. Others sat on the pavement consuming food from cereal containers. Footwear was spread around next to discarded small alcohol containers. Music equipment played a Jay-Z track with the lyrics: “This can’t be right, there’s gotta be more.”

During the previous summer, the city unveiled a comprehensive initiative to eliminate street camping and encampments in the downtown area before the 39-day international soccer competition starting June 11. The program, known as Downtown Rising, reports successfully providing homes for close to 500 individuals. However, the situation observed recently outside the facility on Pryor Street demonstrated that the city’s efforts haven’t reached all those in need.

The city joins other municipalities across the United States, Canada and Mexico that are leveraging the spotlight from hosting the globe’s most prestigious soccer event to tackle homelessness issues. A northwestern city announced a housing initiative and indicated it would use the World Cup as a benchmark for measuring success. A Texas metropolitan area said it was expanding an effective program to provide homes for people living on downtown streets.

Research conducted by The Associated Press revealed that the majority of the 16 host locations, including New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Miami, Houston, Toronto, and Vancouver, British Columbia, are depending on current programs — mostly without additional World Cup-specific funding — to handle homelessness.

Expanding tent communities have troubled city officials for years. Government statistics revealed a double-digit percentage rise in homelessness across the nation from 2023 to 2024, when 770,000 individuals were documented as homeless — a figure recognized as incomplete. This was followed by a minor decline the following year to 745,652.

Historically, numerous municipalities have viewed homeless populations as unsightly problems to eliminate before major sporting and political gatherings.

During the previous year’s Super Bowl, New Orleans invested millions removing tent communities near the Superdome and relocating homeless individuals to a temporary warehouse facility. Before the 2024 Paris Olympics, migrants were transported out of the city until the Games concluded. Chicago eliminated one of its largest encampments before the 2024 Democratic National Convention.

“These events provide a choice for communities,” said Ann Oliva, CEO of the National Alliance to End Homelessness. “They can do the easy thing and sweep people out of encampments and into jails or other neighborhoods, or they can do the harder work that will benefit everyone in the community — housed or unhoused.”

When hosting the 1996 Olympics, the city relocated approximately 9,000 homeless individuals to a recently constructed detention facility. It provided others with one-way transportation out of the area and initiated “Operation Olympus,” detaining hundreds to reduce criminal activity.

However, for this occasion, city officials were committed to implementing different strategies.

The city has collected $185 million through state and municipal funding, along with corporate contributions and other donations, working toward a target of $235 million, aiming to house 3,900 individuals citywide by the following year. The most recent municipal count showed approximately 2,900 homeless people throughout the city, with roughly one-third living in encampments or on streets.

“There will always be homeless people on our streets, more than likely, unfortunately,” said Cathryn Vassell, the CEO of Partners for HOME, the organization tasked with creating and executing Atlanta’s homelessness strategy. The goal is “to be able to identify them and quickly exit them into shelter, resources, services, and then ultimately housing.”

Downtown Rising has assisted Michael Sutton in transforming his circumstances. Having been in foster care since infancy, he moved between different families. Throughout most of the previous decade, the 31-year-old slept in transit stations, parks, vacant structures and homeless facilities.

Since September, Sutton has occupied a one-bedroom unit in a suburban area and works with a case worker.

“Everyone has rough days, and being able to go home or vent to yourself about it, relaxing in your own home … is priceless,” Sutton said.

However, assistance isn’t possible for everyone.

Some homeless individuals resist shelter regulations, lack necessary documentation to quickly transition to permanent housing, or face complex substance abuse and mental health issues, or transient lifestyles that make them difficult to locate.

Tommy Elam said he’s been on numerous housing lists, but nothing has happened — though he’s hard to find. His phone was stolen countless times and he doesn’t currently have one.

“They don’t know where I’m at,” said Elam, who’s been homeless since early 2020 and spent the last three months sleeping on the sidewalk near the Pryor Street homeless shelter, his latest spot since a crackdown on the encampment where he lived near the Georgia State Capitol building.

Standing outside the downtown supportive housing center where he now lives, Willie Jackson, who spent years on the streets, said he knows people who’ve been helped by the Downtown Rising initiative. But he’s skeptical it will lead to lasting change after the World Cup — or that it’s made a significant impact on downtown’s homelessness problem.

“Just look around,” he said.

Two years ago, it was hard to miss the hundreds of tents around Dallas City Hall.

But ahead of the World Cup, there were no tent encampments downtown, where FIFA’s broadcast center is set up, or at the nearby fan zone. The matches will be played at Dallas’ stadium in suburban Arlington.

Sarah Kahn, president and CEO of Housing Forward, which leads the homelessness response for Dallas and nearby Collin counties, said a $30 million campaign since 2024 reduced the number of people sleeping on downtown streets by 87% and placed some 2,000 into permanent housing.

In March, an additional $28 million was allocated to expand countywide, with a goal of providing 1,100 people housing, the agency said. Outreach workers deploy daily within a quarter-mile of transit hubs, the fan zone and the FIFA broadcast center to find anyone sleeping outside and offer services, it said.

Elisabeth Jordan, founder of The Human Impact, which helps the chronically homeless, praised the initiative as “the single greatest change … in homeless response in Dallas.”

But she criticized Dallas police tactics that included zip-tying and removing people who remained after their encampments were cleared. Dozens of people from one encampment were housed in May, but about 20 who remained were detained, she said. In a statement, the Dallas police department called such detentions “standard practice” for people “violating the prohibited camping law” and who refuse housing.

Kacey Coker, who spent years on the streets or in jail, described a dramatic improvement in how the homeless are treated. Authorities used to “come through with a bulldozer and take our stuff and throw it away,” said the 51-year-old, who lost her birth certificate and social security card in those sweeps.

In May, she was offered a subsidized one-bedroom apartment for a few hundred dollars a month. For the first time, Coker feels safe.

“I can actually build something,” she said.

At a vacant lot several miles from Seattle’s stadium, workers were putting the final touches last week on 75 tiny homes.

The 70-square-foot units with a bed, space heater and air conditioner are part of Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson’s ambitious plan to open 500 units of new shelter by the start of the World Cup.

It’s a goal she acknowledges she has missed — by 425 units.

“The World Cup …. provided just kind of a good goal post,” Wilson told the AP in an interview, saying the city will open an additional 228 beds by the end of the summer.

“When you put a number out there, that has the advantage of galvanizing people,” but it can also be framed as a failure if you miss it, Wilson said. “So, I really hope that the message … is look, we are making progress.”

Homelessness advocates said they weren’t surprised Wilson didn’t meet such a lofty goal within six months of election. The World Cup isn’t what’s important; getting people housed is, they added.

“I’m just happy that anything has happened so far,” said Bruce Drager of Ballard Community Task Force on Homeless and Hunger near where the tiny homes were built.

Camped out with his wife between a sidewalk and train tracks just blocks from the stadium, Chris Moore said he hasn’t heard about the city’s housing plans.

A large encampment nearby has been cleared twice in the five months since he’s been there, said Moore, who’s been homeless for eight years. But dozens of tents were back again a week before the first game.

“I guess because the World Cup’s coming, you don’t want homeless people around,” he said.

In Inglewood, California, site of the Los Angeles area stadium, roads were squeaky clean and paved with fresh asphalt. Bright flowers filled planters downtown and near the stadium.

“There’s no homeless in Inglewood,” Mayor James Butts told the AP when asked about the city’s plans for housing people living on the streets ahead of the World Cup. “Just look at the numbers.”

Indeed, Inglewood’s homeless count last year was small — just under 400, about a third of whom were living on the street in the city of 100,000 people — compared to LA, where 43,695 homeless were counted in the city of 3.8 million-plus.

But less than 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) from the stadium and just outside Inglewood city limits, the nonprofit St. Margaret’s Center was handing out dozens of sack lunches for the homeless on a recent morning.

Carter Hewgley, who oversees strategic partnerships at LA County’s Homeless Services and Housing Department, said it has secured three motel sites ahead of the World Cup — “not because there’s games, but because there’s homeless.” The sites, including in Inglewood, range from 54 to 104 rooms. The agency also maintains tens of thousands of shelter beds, he said.

In Canada, Toronto and Vancouver said they were relying on their already extensive services to provide thousands of shelter beds and temporary housing rooms, as well as outreach to those living on the streets. Vancouver has also set up centers where matches will be shown. Both said there were no plans to relocate homeless people ahead of the games.

Still, there were sporadic reports by advocates of crackdowns targeting homeless people.

In Toronto, where Canada’s largest shelter system supports more than 8,500 people each night, advocates held a rally last month denouncing what they said were transit police tactics aggressively targeting the homeless at the city’s main train station.

Toronto Underhoused and Homeless Union said its survey of dozens of homeless people found some forcibly removed from lavatories and elsewhere, and subjected to verbal abuse by transit police. In a statement to the AP, the city did not directly address the complaints but said it doesn’t “tolerate, ignore, or condone discrimination or harassment.”

In Vancouver, hundreds of activists held a protest in April over increased security ahead of the World Cup. A 2025 count showed 2,715 homeless people, some in Vancouver’s Downtown East Side area near the stadium.

Last month, at a downtown park where homeless people are allowed to stay overnight, Harley Ransom was resting in his tent and said he’s seen aggressive tactics.

Nearby, Francesca Crane, who said the van she lived in with her pet rabbits had been towed away, accused the city of “sweeping the homeless people under the carpet for FIFA to make it look like a clean city, no homelessness.”

“They are catering to people from other countries but stepping on the people of their own city and province,” she said. “What they’re doing is wrong.”

In a marathon battle that lasted over four hours, Christian Yelich crossed home plate on an infield ground ball during the 12th inning, securing a thrilling 15-14 comeback win for the Milwaukee Brewers against the Athletics on Monday. The game opened a three-game series in Las Vegas, which will become the A’s future home.

Both clubs put up four runs apiece in the 10th inning alone. William Contreras launched a three-run blast to complete the top half, pushing Milwaukee ahead 14-10. The A’s answered back in their half with a clutch two-out RBI hit from Shea Langeliers, followed by Nick Kurtz’s second home run of the contest, and a pinch-hit solo homer from Jonah Heim to even the score at 14-14.

The Athletics connected for seven round-trippers at the offense-friendly ballpark that houses their Triple-A team, with Tyler Soderstrom contributing two and Zack Gelof plus Langeliers adding one each. Milwaukee responded with four homers of their own from Brice Turang, Andrew Vaughn, and Jake Bauers.

Abner Uribe (4-2) earned the victory after throwing 1 1/3 shutout innings in relief during the 4-hour, 14-minute marathon, while Chad Patrick recorded his third save of the season. Athletics reliever Jose Suarez (0-2) was tagged with the loss after surrendering the game-winning run.

Mariners 6, Orioles 3

Josh Naylor connected on a fifth-inning grand slam as Seattle withstood late rally attempts to defeat host Baltimore.

Randy Arozarena collected three hits and one RBI while Mariners starter Emerson Hancock (5-2) dominated through five frames, surrendering just one run on three hits. Andres Munoz closed out the ninth inning for his 10th save, bouncing back from a blown opportunity in Detroit the previous day.

Taylor Ward and Blaze Alexander each recorded two hits for Baltimore, which made a last-minute rotation adjustment when expected starter Chris Bassitt was placed on the injured list due to lower back issues. The injury forced rookie Trey Gibson’s promotion from Triple-A Norfolk. Gibson (1-1) was saddled with three runs over 4 2/3 innings.

Yankees 7, Guardians 5 (10 innings)

Cody Bellinger delivered a go-ahead two-run hit in the 10th frame as visiting New York topped Cleveland.

Yankees closer David Bednar (2-3) tossed 1 2/3 clean innings for the win. Paul Goldschmidt smacked a two-run homer while Ryan McMahon contributed a solo blast for New York, which deployed seven relief pitchers and captured its ninth victory in 13 recent contests.

Angel Martinez homered twice for Cleveland, which has fallen in four of its last five outings. The Guardians went hitless in 11 at-bats with runners in scoring position and left 11 men on base. Shawn Armstrong (1-1) suffered the defeat.

Astros 5, Angels 4 (10 innings)

Jose Altuve tagged up and raced home on a shallow center field popup in the 10th inning as Houston mounted a comeback to beat Los Angeles in Anaheim, California. Catcher Logan O’Hoppe was assessed an error on the decisive play.

Christian Walker finished 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs for Houston, which secured its third win in four contests. Josh Hader (1-0) fanned three straight batters in the ninth, while Bryan Abreu worked a clean 10th for his fourth save.

Zach Neto homered for his third consecutive game and Trey Mancini, promoted from Triple-A Salt Lake earlier Monday, went 3-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored for Los Angeles. Sam Aldegheri (1-1) surrendered the go-ahead run.

Rays 3, Red Sox 1

Yandy Diaz launched a solo homer and drove in two runs as Tampa Bay snapped a two-game skid by defeating Boston in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Diaz took the Red Sox’s opening pitch of the contest deep to left field for his 12th homer this season. He later plated Taylor Walls with a sacrifice fly in the eighth that pushed Tampa Bay’s advantage to 3-1. The Rays got five shutout innings from their bullpen after starter Ian Seymour departed with the game knotted at 1-1.

Boston starter Connelly Early (5-4) surrendered two runs on five hits across 4 2/3 innings, walking four and fanning six. Marcelo Mayer went deep for Boston, which managed just four hits. The Red Sox sit last in the majors with only 49 home runs.

Phillies 5, Blue Jays 2

Adolis Garcia belted a two-run homer, Cristopher Sanchez fanned 10 batters over seven innings, and visiting Philadelphia knocked off Toronto.

Sanchez (8-2) surrendered two runs, four hits, and one walk in the series opener. Jhoan Duran worked around a double in the ninth to collect his 16th save in 16 chances this season. Alec Bohm and J.T. Realmuto each added RBI singles.

Ernie Clement homered for Toronto, which stands 2-2 to begin a nine-game homestand. Patrick Corbin (2-3) was roughed up for five runs, four hits, four walks, and one hit batter while striking out three across three innings.

Nationals 4, Giants 3

CJ Abrams ripped a two-run, game-tying hit and Daylen Lile delivered a two-out, two-strike RBI single two batters later as Washington stormed back in the ninth inning to overtake San Francisco.

Following the Giants’ two-run eighth that broke a 1-1 deadlock, San Francisco starter Logan Webb was removed for Keaton Winn (2-2). The reliever allowed a one-out double to Luis Garcia Jr. and then plunked Curtis Mead, setting the stage for clutch hits from Abrams and Lile.

Gus Varland recorded his fifth save despite a shaky ninth inning, striking out Bryce Eldridge with runners on the corners to seal Washington’s third victory in four games. Clayton Beeter (2-1), who gave up two runs in the eighth, was credited with the win.

Padres 6, Reds 2

Samad Taylor recorded a career-best three RBIs while Freddy Fermin homered as San Diego rallied from behind to defeat visiting Cincinnati. Prior to Monday, Taylor hadn’t recorded an RBI in the major leagues since 2023.

Adrian Morejon (5-1) worked 1 2/3 shutout innings as the Padres won just their third game in 14 outings. Taylor, Fermin, Xander Bogaerts, and Jase Bowen all had two hits apiece.

Andrew Abbott (4-4) allowed four hits and three runs across six-plus innings as Cincinnati dropped its fifth straight contest. The Reds finished 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine baserunners.

The New York Yankees kicked off their three-game road series against Cleveland with a thrilling 7-5 extra-inning victory Monday, thanks to Cody Bellinger’s clutch two-run single in the 10th frame.

With the bases loaded and one out in the extra inning, Bellinger came through against Cleveland reliever Shawn Armstrong (1-1) to break the deadlock and put the Yankees in front.

Yankees reliever David Bednar (2-3) was dominant in the final two innings, fanning both batters he faced in the ninth before working out of trouble in the 10th. Cleveland had put two runners on base with nobody out, but Bednar retired the next three hitters in order.

Paul Goldschmidt launched a two-run homer while Ryan McMahon contributed a solo blast for New York, which relied on seven different relief pitchers. The victory marked the Yankees’ ninth win over their last 13 contests.

Cleveland got a two-run homer from Angel Martinez but struggled mightily with runners in scoring position, going 0-for-11 in those situations and leaving 11 men on base. The Guardians have now dropped four of their previous five games.

New York jumped out to an early 2-0 advantage in the opening inning when Ben Rice worked a one-out walk, setting up Goldschmidt’s eighth home run of the season off Cleveland starter Gavin Williams.

The Yankees extended their lead to 3-0 in the third when Guardians shortstop Brayan Rocchio made a throwing error on a potential double-play ball, allowing Trent Grisham to cross the plate from second base.

Cleveland answered with three runs in the bottom of the third against Yankees starter Will Warren, who walked Steven Kwan to start the inning. Patrick Bailey followed with a double, and Kwan came home on a wild pitch before Bailey scored on Rocchio’s groundout.

The Guardians completed their comeback when Jose Ramirez scored on an error by Yankees shortstop Jose Caballero, who couldn’t handle Kyle Manzardo’s grounder up the middle with two outs and runners on the corners.

Warren’s outing lasted 4 1/3 innings, surrendering three runs with only two earned on three hits. He issued two walks and recorded five strikeouts.

McMahon restored New York’s lead in the fifth inning with his seventh homer of the campaign, a leadoff shot to left-center field against Williams.

Williams completed five innings for Cleveland, allowing four runs with three earned on four hits. He walked three batters and struck out five.

The Guardians grabbed their first lead of the game in the sixth when Martinez connected for his two-run homer off Yankees reliever Paul Blackburn.

New York forced extra innings with a tying run in the eighth against Hunter Gaddis. Grisham and Rice delivered consecutive singles before Grisham came home on Goldschmidt’s fielder’s choice.

San Antonio’s head coach Mitch Johnson described his squad’s aggressive approach during Monday night’s crucial NBA Finals matchup at Madison Square Garden, where the Spurs defeated New York 115-111 to cut the series deficit to 2-1.

The matchup carried enormous significance for San Antonio, who had fallen in both opening contests on their home court and now faced a raucous New York crowd that had paid premium prices to witness the Knicks’ first NBA Finals home game in nearly three decades.

San Antonio answered the challenge decisively, led by towering star Victor Wembanyama, who stands 7-foot-4 and poured in 32 points to halt New York’s impressive 13-game postseason winning streak.

“We showed better poise at times. I thought we finished the game still with some things that need improvement, but stronger than we did the last (two) games,” Johnson told reporters. “We were in attack mode.”

Following a crucial mistake by Wembanyama that contributed to New York’s 105-104 victory in the previous contest, the French center drew some social media mockery after he stepped away from the intense media spotlight in Midtown to sketch statues at a nearby park with his drawing pad.

However, the creative outlet appeared to benefit the 22-year-old, who maintained his composure and helped rally his team despite New York’s explosive 42-point second quarter performance.

“(I) really tried to relax,” he told reporters. “It’s hard to put your head out of the water. Sometimes I don’t even got to watch the game back right away. I need some time off, let my brain cool down, recover. Recover as much for the body as for the mind.”

New York will host the fourth game of the series on Wednesday.

Victor Wembanyama responded to his crucial miss at the end of Game 2 by dominating Monday night’s Game 3 action, leading the San Antonio Spurs to a vital 115-111 win over the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals.

The towering center started strong at Madison Square Garden, connecting on his opening two attempts and finishing the night with 32 points. Wembanyama exploded out of the gate with nine points in the opening five minutes, beginning with an alley-oop slam followed by another dunk on the subsequent play. His impact extended across both sides of the floor, particularly during crucial late-game moments.

The young star helped San Antonio establish an early advantage, but proved even more valuable during a third-quarter comeback after the team squandered another significant lead.

Following his assist to Keldon Johnson for a basket that evened the score at 76 with 5:38 remaining in the third period, Wembanyama connected on a long-range three-pointer from 29 feet to give the Spurs the lead. He opened the fourth quarter with another score and later converted two free throws after drawing a foul to reach the team’s 99th and 100th points.

When the Knicks threatened another rally with four minutes left on the clock, Wembanyama came up with a crucial defensive play, rejecting what appeared to be an easy scoring opportunity for Landry Shamet.

The 7-foot-4 center completed his stat line with eight rebounds, six assists and three blocks in what amounted to a must-win scenario for his team. No squad has ever recovered from a 3-0 deficit in the finals to capture the championship.

His teammates expressed complete confidence in Wembanyama despite the 22-year-old missing a potential Game 2 winner that hit the rim. Johnson encouraged him to keep shooting and emphasized that the team wants the ball in Wembanyama’s possession during critical situations.

During the weekend, coach Mitch Johnson discussed the situation with Wembanyama, though it appeared to be similar to their regular exchanges throughout the season and postseason.

“I think he’s looking for what my job is, which is to help him, support him, give him clarity, give him solutions or possible solutions to continue to give him opportunities and give him advantages,” Johnson said before the game. “That’s our job, and my job specifically, to put these guys in position to be successful, and then they have got to go and help themselves and help their teammates when they get out there on the floor.”

Knicks counterpart Mike Brown recognized the difficulty of measuring success against Wembanyama due to the massive impact of the towering big man.

“It’s a pretty simple formula: You’re not blocking his shots, you’re not getting him off his spots — you’re not doing these things to him,” Brown said. “You hope you can make him work at the end of the day, and you hope he misses some shots.”

Wembanyama converted 11 of 18 field goal attempts while quieting a hostile crowd that directed inappropriate chants in his direction at one point. He’ll have another opportunity to help the Spurs tie the series when Game 4 tips off Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden.

NEW YORK — Victor Wembanyama delivered a stellar performance with 32 points, eight rebounds, six assists and three blocks Monday evening, leading the San Antonio Spurs to a crucial 115-111 victory over the New York Knicks in Game 3 of the NBA Finals.

The win reduces New York’s advantage in the best-of-seven championship series to 2-1. The teams will meet again Wednesday evening in New York for Game 4.

Monday’s loss ended the Knicks’ remarkable 13-game winning streak, which stands as the second-longest postseason run in league history. The 2017 Golden State Warriors hold the record with 15 consecutive playoff victories during their championship campaign.

New York’s last defeat came on April 23 in a 109-108 loss to the Atlanta Hawks during Game 3 of their Eastern Conference first-round matchup.

Stephon Castle provided valuable support for San Antonio with 23 points, including 18 in the opening half and five crucial points during the final quarter.

Dylan Harper added 13 points coming off the bench for the Spurs, while starting players Julian Champagnie (12 points), De’Aaron Fox (12 points) and Devin Vassell (11 points) each reached double digits. Fox also dished out eight assists.

For New York, Jalen Brunson led the scoring with 32 points on 11-of-25 shooting. OG Anunoby contributed 28 points while connecting on 9 of 13 field goal attempts, and Josh Hart added 16 points. Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 11 points, while bench player Jordan Clarkson chipped in 10 points.

Hart led New York with nine rebounds as the Knicks outrebounded San Antonio 46-37.

Both teams struggled offensively in the final quarter, combining to shoot just 27.1% (13-for-48). San Antonio maintained a multi-possession advantage for over 10 minutes, but consecutive three-pointers from Brunson and Anunoby in the final 34 seconds brought New York within 113-111 with 9.4 seconds remaining.

The Knicks had missed all 10 of their three-point attempts in the fourth quarter before those two successful shots.

After a timeout, Castle converted two free throws with 6.8 seconds on the clock. Mikal Bridges and Anunoby both missed three-point attempts as time expired.

San Antonio secured the victory despite making only 1 of 9 three-point shots in the fourth quarter. Castle’s three-pointer with 1:53 remaining was the Spurs’ lone successful shot from beyond the arc in the period, extending their lead to seven points.

Wembanyama opened the game with two dunks for the first four points as San Antonio jumped to a 7-0 start. The Spurs built their lead to as many as 12 points before closing the first quarter ahead 33-22.

Castle’s two free throws extended San Antonio’s lead to 38-27 early in the second quarter, but New York responded with a dominant 37-19 run to close the half. Brunson scored 10 points during that stretch, including a three-pointer as part of an 8-0 run in the final 1:15 that gave the Knicks a 64-57 halftime advantage.

Champagnie opened the third quarter with six straight points to ignite a strong period for San Antonio, as the Spurs outscored New York 35-27 to take a 92-91 lead entering the fourth quarter.

Multiple media outlets reported Monday that the Edmonton Oilers are close to finalizing an agreement with Mike Babcock to serve as their new head coach.

The 63-year-old Babcock has been away from the NHL since 2023, when he stepped down just 11 weeks after Columbus Blue Jackets named him head coach. His departure came following an NHL Players’ Association investigation into allegations of inappropriate conduct, specifically claims that he requested players to display personal cellphone images to him. Babcock never coached a single game for Columbus.

According to reports, Edmonton is consulting with the NHLPA to determine whether bringing Babcock aboard would be appropriate.

Prior to his short-lived tenure in Columbus, Babcock compiled a 700-418-19-164 coaching record across three franchises: the then-Mighty Ducks of Anaheim from 2002-03 through 2003-04, the Detroit Red Wings from 2005-06 through 2014-15, and the Toronto Maple Leafs from 2015-16 through 2019-20.

His coaching achievements include guiding Detroit to the Stanley Cup title in 2008 and leading Team Canada to Olympic gold medals in both 2010 and 2014.

Edmonton dismissed coach Kris Knoblauch on May 14 following their first-round playoff elimination by the Anaheim Ducks. The Oilers had reached the Stanley Cup final in the previous two seasons, falling to the Florida Panthers both times.

Reports indicate the Oilers recently sought to interview former Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy about the position, but the Golden Knights prevented those discussions from taking place.

LAS VEGAS — The Milwaukee Brewers have activated right-handed pitcher Joel Kuhnel following his acquisition from the Athletics for cash on Saturday, bringing him onto the roster prior to Monday’s matchup against the A’s as the team works to strengthen their injury-depleted bullpen.

To make room for Kuhnel, Milwaukee sent right-hander Craig Yoho down to Triple-A Nashville.

This season with the A’s, Kuhnel posted a 1-2 record along with a 4.21 ERA while recording four saves across 25 outings. During his final seven games, he surrendered seven runs on 12 hits over eight innings of work. His most recent appearance came Thursday when he gave up four runs in the ninth inning, taking the loss in a 7-6 setback to the Cubs.

Milwaukee has been hit hard by bullpen injuries recently, placing three left-handed relievers on the 15-day injured list within the past week: Rob Zastryzny (left trapezius strain), DL Hall (left pectoral strain) and Brian Fitzpatrick (left UCL strain).

Manager Pat Murphy indicated that Kuhnel will likely be deployed in various situations as needed.

“Obviously with pitching injuries, we need some depth,” Murphy stated prior to Monday’s contest. “So, how he’ll fit in, he’s probably not going to crack that leverage at the end, seven, eight, nine to start with. But depending on the game situation, depending on the health of those guys and how much they’ve pitched, we certainly wouldn’t shy away from using him in big situations.”

Yoho had been promoted on Friday and appeared in two of three games during Milwaukee’s weekend sweep at Colorado, surrendering one run on a home run across three innings of work.

Milwaukee also revealed Monday that veteran right-hander Jake Woodford, who was designated for assignment Friday, turned down an outright assignment to Triple-A Nashville and chose to become a free agent instead. Woodford, who came over from Tampa Bay one week before the regular season began, compiled a 1-0 record with a 6.94 ERA over 16 appearances for Milwaukee.

A teenage golf sensation has earned his way into his first major championship at just 17 years of age.

Miles Russell secured his spot in the U.S. Open after surviving a playoff that determined the final two qualifying positions at one of the USGA’s 10 final qualifying locations Monday in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

Russell and fellow amateur Ryder Cowan defeated Tyler Collet in a 3-for-2 playoff following a three-way tie for third place at BallenIsles Country Club’s East Course. Amateur Giuseppe Puebla shared medalist honors with Canada’s Ben Silverman at 7-under-par 137 after 36 holes, while Russell, Cowan and Collet finished at 6-under 138.

Russell, who holds the No. 1 position in the American Junior Golf Association rankings and ranks No. 10 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, plans to attend Florida State this fall and had a future teammate serving as his caddie Monday — Charlie Woods, the son of Tiger Woods.

“We kept it so light,” Russell said of the partnership, per the PGA Tour. “It is the first time I had a buddy on the bag, and I liked it.”

Russell was performing well in his opening round before recording a triple-bogey 7 on his closing hole for a 71. He recovered in the second round with seven birdies, including four consecutive at holes 4-7, finishing with a 67. He made birdie on the par-3 16th to reach 6 under for the day.

“I don’t think it has quite set in yet,” Russell said of making the U.S. Open. “I am pretty speechless at the moment. It is something you dream of and practice for.”

The Florida location was among 10 sites active on Monday, known as “Golf’s Longest Day” as professionals and amateurs compete in 36-hole qualifiers attempting to earn spots in the U.S. Open field. Earlier qualifiers took place in England, Japan and Dallas. The number of available spots at each location depends on the quality and depth of the competing fields.

Max McGreevy, William Mouw and Englishman John Parry prevailed in an 8-for-3 playoff at Lambton Golf and Country Club in Toronto. England’s Matt Wallace and Canadian Adam Svensson became first and second alternates from that location, which attracts PGA Tour professionals due to its proximity to this week’s RBC Canadian Open.

Two players from Argentina, Emiliano Grillo (9-under 131) and Alejandro Tosti (8-under 132), claimed the top two positions there. Colombia’s Marcelo Rozo earned the third qualifying spot at 7-under 133.

Max Homa participated in Toronto’s 8-for-3 playoff but made bogey on the opening hole — reportedly missing a par putt by inches — ending his qualifying attempt in disappointment.

Kevin Roy, Max Greyserman, Ben James and James Nicholas advanced from Century Country Club & Golf Club in Purchase, New York.

Neal Shipley and Zac Blair shared medalist honors at Springfield (Ohio) Country Club, while Dylan Wu, Billy Horschel and Nick Hardy finished one stroke back to claim the remaining three positions. Hardy successfully qualified at Springfield for the sixth time in 12 years. Shipley earned low amateur honors at the 2024 U.S. Open.

Davis Thompson, J.B. Holmes and amateurs Vaughn Harber and Arni Sveinsson of Iceland captured the four available spots from Lakes Golf & Country Club in Westerville, Ohio. Holmes, Harber and Sveinsson advanced through a 4-for-3 playoff while amateur Sam Udovich became first alternate.

Jackson Suber, Ben Kohles, amateur Logan Reilly and Jake Sollon qualified from Woodmont Country Club’s North Course in Rockville, Maryland. Sollon prevailed in a 2-for-1 playoff against amateur Bryan Lee.

Amateur Jackson Ormond and China’s Carl Yuan led the field at Gaston Country Club in Gastonia, North Carolina. Jackson Van Paris, Brandon Wu and Cole Hammer also qualified from that location.

PGA Tour veteran Chris Kirk, who tied for 12th at last year’s U.S. Open, topped the leaderboard with a 15-under 129 at Hawks Ridge Golf Club in Ball Ground, Georgia. Jake Peacock, Keith Mitchell, Robbie Higgins and amateur Chase Kyes also earned spots from that site.

Qualifying continued at two additional locations in Sacramento, California, and Creswell, Oregon.

Several notable professionals failed to qualify alongside Homa, including Tony Finau, Brandt Snedeker, Matt Jones of Australia, Webb Simpson, Harry Higgs, Aaron Wise, Japan’s Ryo Ishikawa, Venezuela’s Jhonattan Vegas, Denny McCarthy, South Africa’s Erik van Rooyen and Lucas Glover.

The 126th U.S. Open is set for June 18-21 at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, New York.

A soccer referee from Somalia who was poised to make history as the first official from his nation to work a World Cup match has been blocked from entering the United States, according to a FIFA spokesperson who spoke Monday.

Omar Abdulkadir Artan was turned away at Miami International Airport over the weekend and will now miss the opportunity to train and officiate at the World Cup, which begins Thursday.

“FIFA is not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications, and has been informed by authorities that Mr Artan’s status will not be changed at present,” the spokesperson said.

Despite missing this historic opportunity, Artan expressed optimism about his future in an official statement.

“I would like to thank FIFA and CAF for all their support and I promise to keep my refereeing levels up as I concentrate on the future,” he said.

“I want to thank the football family for their messages and wish my colleagues all the best success during the World Cup and I look forward to joining them again in future competitions.”

U.S. Customs and Border Protection confirmed that a Somali citizen flying from Istanbul landed at Miami International Airport on Saturday but was turned away due to what the agency described as vetting concerns, though officials did not specify the nature of those issues.

The individual went through standard additional screening procedures before being refused admission, according to the agency.

“Admissibility determinations are made on a case-by-case basis using law enforcement, national security, and immigration information available at the time of inspection,” the CBP said.

Immigration restrictions under the Trump administration have raised questions leading up to the World Cup. The previous year, Washington implemented an extensive travel prohibition affecting citizens from 12 nations, with Somalia among them.

According to news reports, Artan possessed a valid visa for entry. Artan had received recognition as the Confederation of African Football’s Best Male Referee for 2025. Somalia’s embassy in Washington had not provided a response to requests for comment.

A seasoned cornerback who captured two Super Bowl championships with the Kansas City Chiefs is returning to pursue a third title.

L’Jarius Sneed has agreed to a one-year agreement with Kansas City valued at up to $5 million, according to Monday reports from ESPN.

The defensive back began his professional football journey with the Chiefs, playing his initial four NFL seasons in Kansas City before getting dealt to the Tennessee Titans during spring 2024. However, his tenure in Tennessee proved disappointing, as he appeared in only 12 contests across two seasons without recording a single interception.

Tennessee cut ties with Sneed on March 13, creating approximately $11.4 million in salary cap relief.

During his original stint with Kansas City, Sneed compiled 10 interceptions, 6.5 sacks and 40 pass breakups across 57 appearances, including 54 as a starter. He participated in 13 postseason contests during that four-year period, recorded two sacks in three rookie-year games, and was a starter for the Chiefs squads that captured consecutive Super Bowl titles in the 2022 and 2023 campaigns.

The cornerbacks room Sneed returns to features mostly new faces. Following the free agent signings of Kade Kohou and Kaiir Elam this offseason, Kansas City selected Mansoor Delane as the sixth overall draft choice in April. Delane inked a four-year, $41.9 million deal on Monday.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Kings have chosen Peter Laviolette as their new head coach, according to a source with knowledge of the negotiations who spoke to The Associated Press on Monday.

The source requested anonymity since the Kings have not yet officially announced the conclusion of their extensive search for a permanent replacement for interim coach D.J. Smith, who took over from Jim Hiller in March.

The 61-year-old Laviolette is anticipated to receive a three-year deal to lead his seventh NHL franchise. While the Kings have qualified for the playoffs in five straight seasons, they have also suffered five consecutive first-round eliminations under three different head coaches and two general managers.

Laviolette is making his return to the NHL following his dismissal by the New York Rangers in April 2025. Throughout his 23-year coaching career, he has guided the New York Islanders, Carolina, Philadelphia, Nashville and Washington, with his career highlight being a Stanley Cup title with the Hurricanes in 2006.

Teams under Laviolette’s leadership have qualified for the postseason in 11 of the last 14 seasons he completed behind the bench, and he also guided the Flyers (2010) and the Predators (2017) to Stanley Cup Final appearances. His 1,594 career games coached rank ninth most in NHL history.

In his first NHL position on the West Coast, Laviolette inherits a talented team that remains trapped in a significant slump, unable to emerge as a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.

General manager Ken Holland dismissed Hiller shortly following the Olympic break during the coach’s second complete season leading the team, and the Kings posted an 11-6-6 record after Smith was promoted from his assistant coaching position. Smith, who was considered for the permanent role, helped the Kings secure the final Western Conference playoff berth — but Los Angeles was eliminated in a four-game sweep by the Colorado Avalanche.

The Kings’ four prior first-round eliminations all came against the Edmonton Oilers, resulting in the exit of general manager Rob Blake one year ago.

Los Angeles has not advanced past the first round since capturing the Stanley Cup in 2014, though the roster maintains a strong core of talent despite the retirement of longtime captain Anze Kopitar.

Holland brought in high-scoring forward Artemi Panarin from the New York Rangers last winter, and productive forwards Adrian Kempe, Quinton Byfield and Kevin Fiala are all set to return this fall.

The passionate Laviolette has built a reputation for developing aggressive offensive systems and achieving rapid franchise transformations at his previous destinations. He may represent an organizational philosophy change for the Kings, who have operated as a defense-focused organization for two decades — often at the expense of their offensive production.

Los Angeles ranked 29th in the NHL in scoring last season with only 220 goals, by far the lowest total among playoff-qualifying teams. The Kings have ranked in the bottom half of NHL scoring over the past five seasons despite reaching the playoffs annually.

Holland publicly questioned whether the Kings rely too heavily on defensive play after they managed just five goals during their four-game elimination by the Avs, though he stopped short of promising a philosophical overhaul.

The first day of women’s tennis at the Netherlands tournament in ‘s-Hertogenbosch delivered major surprises as both the top two seeded players were eliminated in straight-set defeats Monday.

Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova, holding the tournament’s No. 1 seed and winner of back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023, was defeated 6-4, 7-6 (5) by Hungary’s Panna Udvardy. The upset was particularly notable given the ranking gap, with Udvardy sitting nearly 50 positions below Alexandrova at 65th compared to 17th. Despite closely matched statistics throughout the contest, Udvardy’s slight edge in break point conversions (3 of 6 opportunities) proved decisive in the evenly contested match.

Denmark’s Clara Tauson, seeded second, also suffered an early exit with a 6-4, 6-4 loss to 17-year-old Mia Pohankova from Slovakia. The teenager secured victory by winning the match’s final five games, earning her first career victory against a top-30 ranked player. Belgium’s Elise Mertens, the third seed, managed to avoid a similar upset by dominating Canada’s Bianca Andreescu 6-1, 6-2.

Additional first-round results saw Poland’s Magda Linette mount a comeback victory over Australia’s Kimberly Birrell 2-6, 6-1, 6-2. Robin Montgomery also staged a rally to defeat Australia’s Daria Kasatkina 5-7, 6-0, 6-4, while Ukraine’s Daria Snigur handled Spain’s Paula Badosa 6-1, 7-6 (2).

At the HSBC Championships in London, Czech Republic’s Karolina Pliskova overcame a first-set loss to defeat McCartney Kessler 6-7 (1), 6-3, 6-3 in opening round play.

Despite serving struggles that included 11 double faults against just three aces, Pliskova compensated by winning 51% of return points and capitalizing on 8 of 11 break point chances.

Rain disrupted the London schedule, with only two other matches reaching completion Monday. Great Britain’s Harriet Dart prevailed over Russia’s Liudmila Samsonova 5-7, 6-4, 6-3, and Romania’s Jaqueline Cristian defeated Qinwen Zheng 6-4, 7-6 (4).

The day’s final scheduled match between Canada’s eighth-seeded Leylah Fernandez and Great Britain’s Katie Boulter was halted by darkness. Play was suspended with Fernandez leading one set to none and the second set tied 3-3.

According to reports from Sportsnet and ESPN on Monday, the Los Angeles Kings are finalizing a three-year contract with Peter Laviolette to become their new head coach.

The veteran coach had been in discussions with the Toronto Maple Leafs about their coaching position as recently as last week, multiple sources indicated, while the Edmonton Oilers had also considered him for their open head coaching role.

At 61 years old, Laviolette brings 23 seasons of NHL head coaching experience to the Kings organization.

His coaching resume includes a Stanley Cup championship with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006. Laviolette also guided teams to the Stanley Cup Final on two other occasions – with the Philadelphia Flyers in 2010 and the Nashville Predators in 2017.

His most recent position was with the New York Rangers, where he served from 2023-25. During his initial season with the Rangers, Laviolette’s team posted a 55-23-4 record for 114 points and made it to the Eastern Conference finals before falling to the Florida Panthers in six games. However, the following season saw New York struggle to a 39-36-7 record with 85 points, missing the playoffs by six points and resulting in Laviolette’s firing in April 2025.

Throughout his coaching career with the New York Islanders (2001-03), Hurricanes (2003-09), Flyers (2009-14), Predators (2014-20), Washington Capitals (2020-23) and Rangers, Laviolette has compiled an 846-562-161 record with 25 ties.

Among coaches born in the United States, his 846 regular-season victories represent the most in NHL history and rank seventh overall.

As a player, Laviolette appeared in 12 NHL contests as a defenseman, all coming during the 1988-89 campaign with the Rangers.

Making his return to the tournament for the first time in seven years, Croatia’s Marin Cilic began his grass-court campaign with a stunning three-set victory over seventh-seeded Denis Shapovalov of Canada during first-round play at the Libema Open on Monday in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands. The final score was 6-7 (5), 6-4, 7-5.

The Croatian player found himself down 4-2 in the second set but managed to win four consecutive games to even the match at one set apiece. In the deciding third set, Cilic once again fell behind by a break but successfully broke Shapovalov’s serve in each of his last three service games, capitalizing on 7 of 10 break-point opportunities.

Cilic’s next opponent will be Portugal’s Nuno Borges, who defeated France’s Terence Atmane in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4. While Borges managed only two aces compared to Atmane’s 13, he committed significantly fewer unforced errors (12 versus 23) and successfully defended all his service games without facing a single break point.

The fifth-seeded Frenchman Ugo Humbert cruised through his opening match in just over an hour, defeating Swedish qualifier Elias Ymer 6-4, 6-3 in the day’s final contest. Humbert will meet fellow Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi in the next round, after Bonzi dispatched 18-year-old Dutch player Mees Rottgering 6-4, 6-4.

At the BOSS Open in Stuttgart, Germany, Italy’s Mattia Bellucci scored an upset victory over seventh-seeded Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, winning 6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-1 in their first-round encounter.

Following a narrow loss in the second-set tiebreak that prevented a straight-set victory, Bellucci took control of the final set with a commanding 5-0 advantage. Though he connected on only 48% of his first serves in the third set, Bellucci won an impressive 74% of his service points and successfully converted five break-point opportunities compared to just one for Davidovich Fokina.

Spanish player Martin Landaluce achieved his maiden tour-level victory on grass courts Monday, overcoming France’s Pierre-Hugues Herbert 5-7, 6-3, 6-4. Landaluce faces a challenging second-round matchup against second-seeded defending champion Taylor Fritz, who received a first-round bye as one of the tournament’s top four seeds.

Belgian qualifier Gauthier Onclin defeated Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan 7-6 (6), 6-3, and now waits to learn his next opponent from the suspended match between France’s Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard and Russian lucky loser Roman Safiullin. Play was halted due to rain with Safiullin holding a 4-1 lead in the third set.

The Southeastern Conference has achieved an unprecedented milestone by securing five spots in the eight-team College World Series lineup that kicks off Friday in Omaha, Nebraska.

After top-seeded UCLA and second-ranked Georgia Tech were eliminated during Regional play, third-ranked Georgia emerged as the tournament’s highest-seeded survivor advancing to Super Regionals. The Bulldogs completed a sweep of Mississippi State to earn their first College World Series berth since 2008.

Georgia will face fellow SEC competitors in Omaha, including sixth-ranked Texas, seventh-ranked Alabama, along with unranked Ole Miss and Oklahoma. Each team secured their spots by completing Super Regional sweeps, with Ole Miss defeating fourth-seeded Auburn and Oklahoma pulling off a road upset against 15th-ranked Kansas.

This year’s tournament will crown a new champion following LSU’s elimination. Among the remaining teams, Ole Miss holds the most recent championship title from 2022, when the Rebels defeated Oklahoma in the finals. Prior to that victory, Texas claimed the crown in 2005, and the Longhorns now make their record-setting 39th College World Series appearance.

Four programs – Alabama, Troy, fifth-ranked North Carolina, and 16th-ranked West Virginia – are pursuing their inaugural CWS championships. West Virginia became the first team to secure their Omaha spot this season by sweeping Cal Poly at home.

Troy stands as the sole representative from outside the Power 4 conferences. The Trojans required an at-large selection to reach Regional competition, then traveled to Gainesville where they defeated Florida twice to advance. They subsequently dominated Little Rock in Super Regional play, outscoring their opponents 19-4 across two games.

Just five of the tournament’s top 16 national seeds successfully reached Omaha, matching last year’s total. Notably, none of the 2025 College World Series participants managed to advance beyond Regional competition this season.

COLLEGE WORLD SERIES SCHEDULE

All Times ET

June 12
Game 1: No. 16 West Virginia vs. Troy | 2 p.m.
Game 2: No. 5 North Carolina vs. Ole Miss | 7 p.m.

June 13
Game 3: No. 7 Alabama vs. Oklahoma | 3 p.m.
Game 4: No. 3 Georgia vs. No. 6 Texas | TBD

June 14
Game 5: Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2 | 2 p.m.
Game 6: Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2 | 7 p.m.

June 15
Game 7: Loser of Game 3 vs. Loser of Game 4 | 2 p.m.
Game 8: Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 4 | 7 p.m.

June 16
Game 9: TBD vs. TBD | 2 p.m.
Game 10: TBD vs. TBD | 8 p.m.

June 17
Game 11: TBD vs. TBD | 2 p.m.
Game 12: TBD vs. TBD | 7 p.m.

June 18
Bracket 1: TBD vs. TBD | TBD (if necessary)
Bracket 2: TBD vs. TBD | TBD (if necessary)

Championship Series

June 20
Game 1: TBD vs. TBD | TBD

June 21
Game 2: TBD vs. TBD | TBD

June 22
Game 3: TBD vs. TBD | TBD (if necessary)

A soccer referee from Somalia was refused admission to the United States when he landed at Miami International Airport over the weekend, despite holding valid documentation to work FIFA World Cup matches, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials.

The official arrived Saturday on a flight from Istanbul International Airport but was turned away due to unspecified vetting issues, CBP announced Monday. Authorities did not elaborate on the nature of their concerns that led to the denial of entry.

While CBP officials declined to identify the individual, news outlets reported the referee was Omar Artan, an accomplished official who was poised to become the first person from Somalia to work World Cup games.

The Somali embassy in Washington has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the incident.

The situation highlights ongoing concerns about the Trump administration’s restrictive immigration approach affecting World Cup participants. Last year, the administration implemented broad travel restrictions affecting citizens from 12 nations, with Somalia among the countries included in the ban.

Florida law enforcement officials have officially concluded their investigation into the death of wrestling superstar Hulk Hogan, determining that the WWE icon passed away from natural causes.

The Clearwater Police Department issued a comprehensive 72-page investigative summary on Friday, marking the end of their thorough examination into Hogan’s death. The legendary performer, born Terry Bollea, passed away on July 24 last year at the age of 71.

“There has been no evidence to indicate the death of Terry Bollea was anything other than natural,” the report said. “Through the course of the investigation, there has been no evidence to indicate any criminal wrongdoing related to his death. This case will be closed, and will be considered solved, non-criminal.”

The investigation included extensive analysis of witness testimonies, medical documentation, video surveillance, and physical examination of the deceased. According to investigators, Hogan was at his residence with his spouse Sky Daily Hogan, along with a home health aide and occupational therapist, when he ceased breathing. His wife immediately contacted emergency services while the three individuals administered CPR until emergency responders took over.

Family members informed detectives that the wrestling icon had been battling numerous serious health conditions in the weeks leading up to his death, including leukemia, an irregular hearth rhythm, pneumonia and kidney failure. He had also undergone many hospitalizations and surgeries in the years before his death.

Initial comments from the occupational therapist to investigators sparked theories that Hogan’s passing might have been connected to phrenic nerve damage from recent surgical procedures. However, the therapist subsequently clarified that stress from performing life-saving measures had affected his initial statements and that he had spoken inappropriately.

The county medical examiner determined that cardiac arrest caused Hogan’s death and opted against conducting a complete autopsy. An independent autopsy commissioned by the family supported this conclusion, discovering “no reasonable traumatic or terminal toxicologic contributions.”

The wrestling superstar stands as arguably the most recognizable performer in WWE history, celebrated for his charismatic presence and athletic achievements. He headlined the inaugural WrestleMania event in 1985 and remained a central figure for years, competing against legendary opponents including Andre The Giant and Randy Savage to The Rock and even WWE co-founder Vince McMahon.

Throughout his career, Hogan captured no fewer than six WWE championship titles and received Hall of Fame induction in 2005, with reinstatement occurring in 2018. His Hall of Fame status was temporarily revoked in 2015 following the emergence of recordings containing racist remarks directed at Black individuals, for which he issued public apologies.

Several weeks following Hogan’s passing, family and friends gathered for a well-attended private memorial service at a Largo, Florida church.

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — While the Carolina Hurricanes celebrated their advancement to their first Stanley Cup Final in twenty years, defenseman Jalen Chatfield faced an urgent situation requiring his immediate departure.

Chatfield discovered his wife Drew had entered labor just before the team’s Eastern Conference Final victory. Following a quick shower and clothing change, he jumped into an unmarked police vehicle for an emergency rush to the medical facility with lights flashing.

“Everything was good, yeah, I made it on time with a couple of hours to spare,” Chatfield said of son Rhodes. “He was born at like 2 a.m., so, perfect.”

The pressure of pursuing hockey’s ultimate prize creates enough stress for both the Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights in this unpredictable series featuring nightly comeback victories and two overtime conclusions. Adding life-altering events at home while managing diaper duties or sleepless nights with crying infants creates an overwhelming situation.

Since early May, three Hurricanes players have become fathers during these playoffs. Several Golden Knights members are anticipating their own arrivals this month, potentially expanding the postseason birth surge during hockey’s premier event that could extend until June 17 with a potential Game 7. Vegas holds a 2-1 series advantage entering Tuesday night’s Game 3.

“It’s going to be a lot of great stories to talk about,” said Vegas center Nic Dowd, whose wife, Paige, is due for their third child this month. “Having a new baby and trying to win a Stanley Cup, I’m going to compartmentalize those things. They’re different than each other, but definitely exciting and stressful. The biggest challenges in life are going to have the best rewards.”

This became evident watching Hurricanes defenseman K’Andre Miller following their Montreal series victory in the Eastern Conference Final on May 29.

Nearly four weeks prior, Miller and girlfriend Addison Clark welcomed son Kashton just hours before Miller played almost 21 minutes in their 3-0 victory opening Round 2 against Philadelphia. On the evening Chatfield rushed to the hospital, viral footage showed an emotional Miller on the bench afterward, cradling Kashton while shaking his head and taking deep breaths during a touching moment.

Teammate Sean Walker experienced a hectic 36-hour period that will become family legend for years to come.

Following the Hurricanes’ road victory over the Flyers in Game 3, Walker received a 1 a.m. phone call from wife Taylor in North Carolina. Labor had begun. Her water broke, and their first child was arriving. Walker immediately contacted team services manager Mike Brown for emergency flight arrangements — maintaining FaceTime contact with his wife during travel — and arrived in time for daughter Quinn’s birth.

“The baby gods were on my side for that one,” Walker said.

The following day, he consumed his pregame meal in the hospital cafeteria before flying back to Philadelphia, arriving approximately four hours before the sweep-completing victory on May 9. Fortunately, the Hurricanes enjoyed an 11-day break between series, the longest playoff gap in over a century, allowing the Walker-Miller defensive partnership to adjust as new fathers.

Walker treasures those weeks as a meaningful period in an ongoing journey. When the Cup final commenced, his mother-in-law was visiting in an “all hands on deck” home support effort. Teammates contributed by delivering regular meal deliveries and simple gestures like coffee throughout the process.

“There was so much food, I kind of lost who all brought over everything,” Walker chuckled. “The support’s been amazing. It’s a family and everyone’s really showed that for us.”

Teammate Eric Robinson relates completely. He and forward Sebastian Aho became fathers during last year’s Eastern final run.

“The coolest part is you get to experience two of the best moments of your life kind of happening at the same time,” Robinson said.

Multiple Vegas players shared this experience during their 2023 Stanley Cup campaign. History could repeat itself.

Along with Dowd, captain Mark Stone, Jack Eichel, Noah Hanifin and Shea Theodore — who scored the Game 3 double-overtime winner Saturday — are competing for the Cup while preparing for baby arrivals.

Theodore’s wife, Mariana, expects their second child this month “very shortly” after the series concludes; the gender remains unknown.

“My wife is handling it amazing,” Theodore said. “I think especially when you’re in a playoff grind, there’s just some days where I’m not available. So she’s been handling everything so good, she’s been really good with it.”

Hanifin’s wife, Monique, is expecting a daughter.

“It’s probably more stressful for my wife, to be honest,” Hanifin said before Game 1. “She’s at home going through it all, but we have a lot of family in town right now, just kind of with her, which is huge. … Hopefully everything goes smoothly and we can win and celebrate a new baby at the end of June.”

Stone’s wife, Hayley, gave birth to a daughter just before their 2023 championship run. She’s expecting again with a delivery that could occur during this series.

“I guess my wife will be the telling tale of that one,” Stone said.

Chatfield’s wife contacted Brown’s assistant announcing her labor with the couple’s second child shortly before Game 5 of the Eastern final against the Canadiens. However, she requested they wait until afterward to inform him.

Brown delivered the news to Chatfield following the traditional post-series handshake ceremony. Chatfield participated in the team photograph with the Prince of Wales trophy, then departed immediately.

“It was a special night for me, to be able to win the Eastern Conference Final and then shoot to the hospital,” Chatfield said. “My adrenaline was still going. It was a very confusing moment: I just went from celebrating with the guys to rushing out and being in a quiet hospital room, getting ready to have a baby. But there was no other way I’d rather have it. It was special and one of the best nights of my life.”

Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour has witnessed everything from a unique viewpoint. He has coached his son Skyler in several Hurricanes games over the past two seasons and observed players in the dressing room evolve from emerging prospects to veterans with expanding families, learning to navigate life with newborns.

“It’s supposed to be a little crazy,” Brind’Amour said last month.

This proves especially accurate in this Cup final, both during games and away from the rink.

“To be able to get these moments already with our new children is so special,” Walker said. “Obviously, they won’t really remember it at all. But we will.”

Donald Trump will make history as the first sitting U.S. president to watch an NBA Finals game in person, creating massive security challenges that will force New York Knicks supporters to deal with extensive safety zones surrounding Madison Square Garden and potentially long waits to enter the venue.

The protective measures for Game 3 featuring the Knicks versus San Antonio Spurs created an atmosphere similar to Times Square during New Year’s celebrations, with fans experiencing airport-like procedures. Attendees were told to arrive two hours before tipoff and must present tickets at multiple security stations while passing through metal detectors similar to those used by TSA.

The presidential attendance prompted the New York Police Department and Secret Service to create a security zone spanning several blocks around the venue, shut down an outdoor viewing event, and ban bags for those with tickets. Supporters had been congregating outside the Garden to watch games throughout this postseason run, during which the Knicks have secured 13 consecutive victories to reach the championship series for the first time since 1999 and stand just two wins away from their first NBA championship since 1973.

“The NYPD in coordination with the Secret Service made the decision for Game 3, where we have a presidential visit, that we could not support watch parties right outside of the Garden,” Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a news conference Monday. “We are looking forward to bringing back watch parties for Game 4. But I think New Yorkers are used to presidents coming to town, and they understand that that generally means lockdowns of areas and that’s what you’re going to see tonight at the Garden.”

Trump has been present at numerous high-profile sporting events during his presidency, with the security protocols causing significant inconvenience for spectators.

Thousands of attendees missed the opening of last year’s U.S. Open men’s singles championship match between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner due to extended security delays. Despite the U.S. Tennis Association delaying the match start by 30 minutes, many spectators still couldn’t enter because enhanced protocols required screening both upon arrival at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center and again before entering Arthur Ashe Stadium, where Trump observed from a private box.

When asked about Trump’s attendance, Knicks center Mitchell Robinson said: “Cool, I guess. We can still get out there and play (no matter) who’s here and who’s not.”

Mayor Zohran Mamdani and other dignitaries are also expected to be at the game Monday night.

Access to Madison Square Garden was already challenging for Knicks supporters due to sky-high ticket costs. The cheapest available ticket exceeds the typical monthly rent payment in New York, climbing above $6,000. Premium seating options cost tens of thousands of dollars. Mamdani said he bought his ticket for about $1,000 directly from Madison Square Garden.

The challenges of attending the game in person have led supporters to pack bars, streets and viewing events throughout the city. The outdoor viewing event near the Garden has become a significant attraction during the entire playoff run, but with Trump’s presence, that gathering will relocate several blocks away outside the security zone, to Bryant Park.

“We improvise,” said Knicks guard Jose Alvarado, who is a New York native. “We’re New Yorkers. We’re going to find a way to watch a game, and that’s what we’re doing.”

Seattle tight end AJ Barner anticipates being cleared for training camp this summer after undergoing two surgical procedures during the offseason.

The 24-year-old player started in all games during the previous season and scored a touchdown in Seattle’s Super Bowl LX championship win over the New England Patriots.

The former fourth-round draft selection battled through multiple injuries throughout the season — including issues with his hip, elbow, shoulder, knee, ankle and calf — though he did not reveal which specific problems required surgical intervention.

“I’m going to feel much better, and I’m already feeling much better, and I think that’s where I’ll see strides,” Barner said, per the team’s website. “I’m feeling good, and I’m chomping at the bit trying to get back out there.”

During the regular season, Barner hauled in 52 receptions for 519 yards and six touchdowns across 17 games, while contributing an additional six catches for 67 yards and one touchdown during three playoff victories.

Since Seattle selected him from Michigan in the 2024 draft, he has accumulated 82 catches for 764 yards and 10 touchdowns across 34 games, with 23 starts.

Tennis superstar Roger Federer is set to make his comeback to the US Open this August for a special exhibition match, tournament officials announced Monday. This will mark the legendary player’s first time back at the major championship since his last competitive appearance there in 2019.

The 44-year-old tennis icon will be the main attraction at a special event called “Roger Federer: An Icon Returns to New York” scheduled for August 25. Federer holds the unique distinction of being the sole player to capture five straight US Open championships.

The Swiss tennis great accumulated 20 major championship victories during his career, becoming the first male player to achieve that landmark. He collected 103 total tournament wins before stepping away from professional tennis in 2022, ending his remarkable 24-year career at the Laver Cup in London.

Joining Federer for the exhibition will be 2003 US Open winner Andy Roddick, along with tennis Hall of Famers Andre Agassi and John McEnroe.

“The US Open has always been one of the most special tournaments for me,” Federer stated. “So many unforgettable moments of my career happened in New York, and Arthur Ashe Stadium is a place that means a great deal to me. I’ve missed being part of that atmosphere and feeling the incredible energy that the fans bring every year.”

Additionally, Federer is scheduled to receive induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame during ceremonies planned for August in Newport, Rhode Island.

A Texas district judge has granted quarterback Brendan Sorsby’s petition for a temporary injunction against the NCAA on Monday, clearing the way for him to compete for Texas Tech this season.

The NCAA had declared Sorsby ineligible after he acknowledged placing bets on college football games, including wagers on his own team during his time at Indiana.

District judge Ken Curry issued his decision Monday in Lubbock County, Texas, reinstating Sorsby’s playing status and ruling that the NCAA cannot stop him from “practicing, playing or otherwise participating on Texas Tech’s football team for the 2026 season.”

The court found that Sorsby “will suffer a probable, imminent, and irreparable injury if this Court does not issue this temporary injunction because he will be unable to participate as a member of Texas Tech University’s 2026 Football season.”

Under the injunction’s conditions, as recommended by his legal representatives, Sorsby will sit out two games. This suspension will apply to Texas Tech’s matchups against visiting Abilene Christian on Sept. 5 and at Oregon State on Sept. 12.

Sorsby ranked among the most sought-after quarterbacks in this year’s transfer portal class following his departure from Cincinnati. He began a treatment program for gambling addiction on April 27.

He acknowledged betting on college football games along with other sports. NCAA regulations forbid college athletes from wagering on any sports for which the organization conducts competitions, both professional and collegiate levels.

Sorsby’s lawyer, Jeffrey Kessler, had sought a decision by June 15. The quarterback faces a June 22 deadline to enter the NFL’s supplemental draft if his collegiate eligibility remains in jeopardy.

Legal filings from Sorsby’s attorneys revealed he made no fewer than 40 bets on the Indiana football team during his tenure with the Hoosiers in 2022 and 2023. Overall, he placed approximately $90,000 in wagers using multiple sportsbook accounts registered under friends’ and a family member’s names across a four-year span.

Sorsby compiled 5,613 passing yards, 45 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions during his two seasons at Cincinnati. He added 1,027 rushing yards and 18 rushing touchdowns across 24 games.

Texas Tech captured its inaugural Big 12 championship last season and earned a College Football Playoff berth as the No. 4 seed, losing its quarterfinal game to No. 5 Oregon 23-0.

Atlanta Hawks head coach Quin Snyder has secured a multi-year contract extension with the franchise, the organization revealed Monday.

Team officials did not disclose financial details or the length of the new agreement.

Atlanta completed the regular season with a 46-36 record, capturing the Southeast Division title for the first time since the 2020-21 campaign. The Hawks’ playoff run ended with a six-game series loss to the New York Knicks in the opening round.

The team demonstrated remarkable resilience after sending four-time All-Star guard Trae Young to the Washington Wizards in a January trade, posting a 19-5 record over their final 24 regular season contests.

“Quin has been a phenomenal leader for our team, and extending his contract reflects our commitment to stability and sustained growth as we build toward high-level success,” said Onsi Saleh, Atlanta’s president of basketball operations. “Over the past three seasons and amid an evolving roster, we’ve seen clear, measurable progress, which is a testament to the culture he’s established and the leadership he brings every day. He has created an environment where our players are challenged, supported, and empowered to grow, and that focus on player development has elevated our entire program.”

The 59-year-old Snyder holds a 132-135 record during his three seasons leading the Hawks. His overall NBA coaching record stands at 504-399, including eight seasons with the Utah Jazz from 2014-22. He took over as Atlanta’s head coach in 2023.

Snyder achieved a unique distinction as the first NBA head coach to develop consecutive Most Improved Player award winners, coaching Nickel Alexander-Walker (2025-26) and Dyson Daniels (2024-25) to the honor.

A private aircraft that burst into flames during a fatal crash on Sunday was traveling to collect retired St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina and his family from Texas, the former baseball star confirmed through social media.

The accident happened Sunday at La Romana airport in the Dominican Republic, just minutes following takeoff of the U.S.-registered Gulfstream G200 aircraft. The flight crew had radioed about a mechanical problem and was trying to circle back to the airfield for an emergency landing.

According to USA Today’s reporting, the aircraft overshot the landing strip, slid off course, struck an obstacle and ignited.

Both the pilot and co-pilot were the sole occupants of the aircraft and died in the crash, Molina stated in his Instagram story.

“My condolences to the pilots and their families,” he wrote. “This plane was on its way to pick up me, my family, and friends in Texas to return to Puerto Rico. This is all so heartbreaking.”

Molina currently lives in Texas and was spotted Friday in the bleachers supporting his son, Yanu, also a catcher, during the UIL Texas 6A D1 state championship game. His son is a player for Lake Travis High School in Austin.

The former catcher, age 43, played his entire 19-season career with the Cardinals, capturing two World Series titles, earning 10 All-Star selections and claiming nine Gold Glove honors. He concluded his playing career following the 2022 season and will appear on the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot for the first time with the 2028 class.

Tennis superstar Roger Federer will make his return to the U.S. Open this summer as part of a special tribute event celebrating his remarkable career.

The exhibition match, titled “Roger Federer: An Icon Returns to New York,” is scheduled for August 25 at 7 p.m. ET inside Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York.

The 44-year-old tennis legend, who captured five U.S. Open championships, will soon be enshrined in the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, R.I., just days following the exhibition.

The retired Swiss champion, who claimed 20 Grand Slam titles and made his final U.S. Open appearance in 2019, will take the court alongside former rival Andy Roddick and tennis legends Andre Agassi and John McEnroe.

“The U.S. Open has always been one of the most special tournaments for me,” Federer stated. He remains the sole player of any gender to capture five consecutive U.S. Open singles championships, accomplishing the feat from 2004 through 2008.

“So many unforgettable moments of my career happened in New York, and Arthur Ashe Stadium is a place that means a great deal to me. I’ve missed being part of that atmosphere and feeling the incredible energy that the fans bring every year. To return to Arthur Ashe and share the evening with Andy, Andre and John makes it even more meaningful. I’m looking forward to celebrating those memories, seeing the fans again, and enjoying a very special night together,” he added.

The tennis icon stepped away from professional competition in September 2022, concluding a career that included 103 ATP Tour singles championships, 310 weeks ranked as the world’s top player, and prize earnings exceeding $130 million.

“It goes without saying that Roger Federer is one of the greatest champions to ever step onto a tennis court, and his legacy at the U.S. Open will carry on for generations,” commented Brian Vahaly, the USTA’s chairman of the board, president and interim co-CEO. “We’re thrilled to welcome him back for this unique and special event, giving fans an opportunity to celebrate Roger’s legacy and thank him for all he has meant to our sport.”

Public ticket sales for the exhibition begin June 11.

Two prime courtside seats at an NBA Finals game have commanded a seven-figure price tag in what organizers call a record-breaking charity auction.

The New York Knicks revealed that bidders paid $1 million for a pair of celebrity row tickets to Monday night’s Game 3, marking the venue’s first NBA Finals contest since 1999.

Two organizations shared the record-setting bid: law firm Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher LLP and private equity firm Veritas Capital. All proceeds went to the Garden of Dreams Foundation, with the Knicks confirming this represents the foundation’s biggest single contribution ever. The foundation partners with MSG’s companies to help disadvantaged children throughout the tristate region.

The premium spots are positioned in section VIP 10, row AA, seats 25 and 26, directly adjacent to center court. These particular seats normally aren’t available for purchase, as the team reserves them for well-known fans including Tracy Morgan and Timothée Chalamet who regularly appear courtside.

Ticket prices throughout the arena reached astronomical levels. The most affordable upper-level seats were listed at over $6,000 on resale platforms including StubHub, SeatGeek and VividSeats as of Sunday evening. Meanwhile, other courtside experiences commanded prices exceeding $75,000.

Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin would reportedly consider joining three specific NHL franchises if traded, according to Monday reporting from the Detroit Free Press.

The veteran forward would reportedly agree to waive his complete no-trade clause for potential deals with the Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild, or Vegas Golden Knights, the report indicates.

The 29-year-old Michigan native has played his complete 11-season NHL tenure with Detroit. The Red Wings organization, though, has struggled through a decade-long absence from postseason play. Larkin’s playoff experience includes just five games after the 2015-16 campaign, where he netted a single goal.

Representatives for Larkin and Red Wings management have not issued public statements regarding continuing speculation about the captain’s potential departure.

This season, Larkin achieved personal bests with 34 goals and added 33 assists across 74 contests.

His current eight-year deal worth $69.6 million has two seasons left, running until the conclusion of the 2030-31 campaign.

The gold medal winner from the 2026 United States Olympic squad in Italy has accumulated 643 career points through 276 goals and 367 assists over 808 NHL games since Detroit selected him 15th overall in the 2014 NHL Draft.

NEW YORK (AP) — The excitement surrounding the Knicks has transformed Game 3 of the NBA Finals matchup with San Antonio into a can’t-miss spectacle — both within Madison Square Garden and throughout the streets and establishments of New York City.

The Knicks haven’t reached the finals since 1999, and with their current 2-0 series advantage, their initial home contest of this championship round has become an extremely coveted ticket. Entry-level pricing now surpasses what most people pay monthly for housing in America’s largest city.

By Sunday night, the most affordable upper-level tickets were selling for more than $6,000 through resale platforms including StubHub, SeatGeek and VividSeats. Those seeking courtside access faced prices exceeding $75,000.

“I don’t care who you are, that’s a lot of money for a ticket,” said guard Jose Alvarado, a New York native who was planning a viewing party in Brooklyn and pointed out his Queens high school also is hosting one. “People that could afford it, we’re grateful with them coming out, and it just shows you our team is really special and we’re doing something here that hasn’t been done in a long time.”

The team stands just two wins from capturing their first title since 1973, and the excitement surrounding Game 3 features expected visits from President Donald Trump and Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Trump’s attendance resulted in the cancellation of a planned outdoor viewing event near the venue, where supporters have congregated during this remarkable playoff journey that featured a 13-game victory streak.

“Hope has been brought back to the city,” center Karl-Anthony Towns said. Teammate Josh Hart expects “it’s going to be rocking” but lamented the high cost just to get into the Garden.

“I kind of wish the ticket prices weren’t as crazy as they are,” Hart said. “I feel like a lot of people who have been waiting for this moment for a very long time unfortunately aren’t able to get into the building.”

No NBA squad has ever taken a 2-0 finals lead away from home and failed to claim the championship. The prospect of a four-game sweep pushed individual ticket costs above $10,000, with a potential Game 6 carrying similar pricing.

Fewer than 20,000 individuals will have the chance to attend each contest. Alvarado understands many more will be tuning in via television throughout the region.

“The people that can’t afford it, we improvise,” he said. “We’re New Yorkers. We’re going to find a way to watch a game, and that’s what we’re doing.”

Both last season’s Most Valuable Player and Cy Young Award recipients from the American League find themselves sidelined with injuries.

While one pitcher appears ready to return to action, the other player just landed on the injured list within recent days.

A stress fracture in his rib will sideline slugging outfielder Aaron Judge from the New York Yankees lineup for an extended period. Meanwhile, the Detroit Tigers have played without their star pitcher Tarik Skubal for more than a month, though he completed five innings during a rehabilitation outing with Class A West Michigan on Sunday.

Despite Skubal’s potential return, the Yankees currently hold a better position than the Tigers. New York has capitalized on Tampa Bay’s recent struggles and now sits just percentage points behind the Rays for the AL East lead. In contrast, Detroit sits 12 games below .500. While the American League’s overall mediocrity keeps the Tigers within reach of playoff contention, they remain tied for last place in the AL Central despite winning five of their past six contests.

Skubal last took the mound on April 29. Detroit has gone 12-23 in his absence.

Judge has appeared in no fewer than 148 games during four of his previous five seasons. The exception came in 2023, when the Yankees failed to reach the playoffs. Without him this month, they have dropped three of their last five games.

As supporters of both the Yankees and Tigers eagerly anticipate seeing Judge and Skubal back in action, several other notable injuries could impact playoff races:

— Cal Raleigh, Mariners. Following his 60-home run campaign last season, Raleigh is hitting only .161 with seven homers in 2026, and has been unavailable since May 13 due to a right oblique strain. While Raleigh has participated in pregame activities, he will likely require a rehabilitation assignment before rejoining the team. Seattle maintains its lead in a competitive AL West division despite his absence.

— Elly De La Cruz, Reds. The standout shortstop joined the injured list last Monday with a right hamstring strain. His expected return timeline spans 2-4 weeks. Cincinnati occupies last place in the NL Central but trails a wild card spot by just 2 1/2 games.

— Francisco Lindor, Mets. New York’s shortstop remains out with a left calf strain and hasn’t appeared in a game since April 22. The Mets have shown improvement recently but still sit five games behind a wild card position.

Philadelphia’s Cristopher Sánchez extended his consecutive scoreless innings streak to 50 2/3 before it ended against San Diego on Wednesday night. Orel Hershiser holds the record with a 59-inning streak in 1988.

Hershiser also faced the Padres when he surpassed Don Drysdale’s record. How many scoreless innings did he pitch in that game to reach 59?

Detroit’s Dillon Dingler recorded two home runs, a double and a single Monday night during a 10-9 victory over Tampa Bay.

Houston rallied with six runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to defeat Pittsburgh 11-9 on Wednesday night. The Astros had trailed 8-3 in the seventh.

Isaac Paredes connected on a two-run homer for Houston in the seventh, but with the score 9-5 in the eighth, Pittsburgh’s win probability reached 98.1% — according to Baseball Savant — after Houston’s first two batters struck out.

The game-changing rally then unfolded: Nick Allen and Christian Vázquez delivered consecutive doubles. Following Jeremy Peña’s walk, Yordan Alvarez and Christian Walker produced back-to-back RBI singles. The tying run scored on a wild pitch before Cam Smith launched a two-run triple to give Houston the lead.

Hershiser broke Drysdale’s record because his final 1988 start extended into extra innings. He pitched 10 scoreless innings in that game against the Padres on Sept. 28, 1988.

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett plans to show up for the team’s mandatory three-day minicamp that kicks off Monday, despite his ongoing contract standoff with the organization.

The 33-year-old signal-caller, who is projected to be the team’s starting quarterback, has been in a contract dispute with Arizona and chose not to attend voluntary spring training sessions. His decision to report for minicamp will help him avoid potential fines totaling $107,911 that the Cardinals could have imposed for missing the three-day requirement.

However, showing up to minicamp doesn’t necessarily mean Brissett will take full part in activities. ESPN reports that he continues to seek contract modifications that would better reflect his role as the Cardinals’ presumed starting quarterback and provide guaranteed compensation extending beyond the current season.

Brissett’s existing deal runs through the 2026 season, paying him $4.88 million that year, with the possibility of earning up to $5.39 million through performance bonuses. Only $1.5 million of that money is guaranteed.

Meanwhile, veteran quarterback Gardner Minshew, who Arizona brought in during the spring, has $5.14 million guaranteed for this season.

ESPN’s reporting indicates that a new contract agreement for Brissett is not expected in the immediate future.

While Brissett may not rank among the league’s elite quarterbacks, he delivered strong performance in 2025, particularly after stepping in when starter Kyler Murray was benched. During 14 games with 12 starts, he accumulated 3,366 passing yards, 23 touchdown passes, and eight interceptions – all career-best statistics for the veteran quarterback.

Throughout his decade-long career spanning six different franchises, Brissett has maintained a 61.9% completion percentage while throwing for 14,766 yards, 76 touchdowns, and 32 interceptions.

The Cardinals have since moved on from Murray, cutting ties with the former first overall draft pick from 2019 and two-time Pro Bowl quarterback on March 3. The Minnesota Vikings signed the 28-year-old Murray nine days after his release.

Fox announced Monday it has secured a multi-year broadcasting agreement to televise National Football League games across Mexico beginning with the 2026 season.

The partnership represents another example of media companies investing heavily in live sports programming to attract viewers and grow their subscriber base as competition intensifies in the streaming market.

Key elements of the agreement include:

• Mexican audiences will receive access to an extensive lineup of games annually, featuring Thursday Night Football, Sunday regular-season contests, and Thanksgiving Day games.

• The broadcasting rights encompass all NFC playoff games, the Pro Bowl Games, and the Super Bowl championship.

• Fox plans to distribute programming through multiple platforms including its traditional FOX and FOX+ television channels, the FOX One streaming platform, and selected content via FOX on Tubi’s free streaming service.

• In addition to live game coverage, Fox will produce four weekly original NFL programming shows tailored for Mexican viewers, featuring two weekly fantasy football-focused programs.

Professional basketball’s championship series has returned to Madison Square Garden, creating excitement throughout New York City – though notably not involving the home team many expected.

NEW YORK (AP) — The legendary Madison Square Garden venue has hosted countless memorable sporting and entertainment events, from Muhammad Ali’s initial bout against Joe Frazier to the inaugural Wrestlemania. However, NBA championship games have been notably absent. The New York Knicks have successfully brought the finals back to their home arena for the first time in 25 years. Supporters are paying extraordinary amounts for tickets and the opportunity to witness a celebration that has been over 50 years in development. Holding a 2-0 advantage against Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs, the Knicks are positioned midway toward their first title since 1973. Monday’s Game 3 will feature President Donald Trump among the spectators.

Security concerns have eliminated plans for a public viewing event near Madison Square Garden as President Donald Trump attends Monday’s NBA Finals Game 3.

NEW YORK (AP) — Law enforcement officials canceled an NBA Finals viewing gathering near Madison Square Garden, while the New York Knicks advised supporters to arrive at Monday’s contest at least two hours ahead of schedule due to heightened security protocols surrounding President Donald Trump’s attendance. Trump, a devoted Knicks supporter, announced Friday his intention to attend New York’s first NBA Finals contest since 1999. Among the consequences of Trump’s presence was the elimination of a Game 3 viewing event outside MSG. The NYPD stated this decision was coordinated with the Secret Service. Additionally, the Knicks are advising supporters to minimize their belongings for Game 3 and encouraging early arrival as part of enhanced security protocols related to Trump’s attendance.

Carolina finds itself behind Vegas in the Stanley Cup Final and faces an important goaltending decision for Game 4.

The Carolina Hurricanes have reached a crucial juncture in the Stanley Cup Final. They fell behind by four goals during Game 3 against the Vegas Golden Knights, switched goaltenders, yet still suffered a double-overtime defeat to fall behind 2-1 in the best-of-seven series. Following numerous squandered leads by both teams and momentum shifts in both directions, the question of who will start in goal for Carolina between Frederik Andersen and Brandon Bussi remains unresolved, as does which team can seize control of this matchup between NHL powerhouses that has become unpredictable through three contests.

FIFA leadership faces bipartisan criticism as the World Cup approaches.

WASHINGTON (AP) — FIFA President Gianni Infantino recently spoke to U.S. municipal leaders, making light-hearted comments about soccer “conquering” America with the approaching World Cup. While Infantino maintains a solid relationship with President Donald Trump, FIFA faces criticism across party lines. Numerous leaders condemn FIFA for corruption and elitism. The World Cup, co-hosted by the U.S., Mexico and Canada, begins this week. The tournament aligns with the Republican president’s efforts to boost his image through sporting events. The 48-team tournament also underscores America’s political divisions, with varying perspectives on immigration and national pride. Despite these tensions, some Americans anticipate the event will bring people together across political and cultural boundaries. FIFA has not responded to requests for comment.

Eriksen is ‘doing well’ and anticipated to be discharged from the hospital following his on-field medical emergency, according to Denmark’s team officials.

ODENSE, Denmark (AP) — Denmark’s national team physician reports that Christian Eriksen is “in good spirits” and anticipated to be released from the hospital shortly after his latest on-field collapse. The 34-year-old Eriksen grabbed his chest with both hands before falling to the ground during the 65th minute of Denmark’s international friendly match against Ukraine in Odense, Denmark, on Sunday. The Danish soccer federation reported that the midfielder departed the field independently after receiving medical attention and underwent additional testing at a hospital. In a statement from the federation, team physician Morten Boesen stated: “I spoke with Christian this morning, and he is doing well.” Boesen added that Eriksen “is with his family and is in good spirits. The expectation is that he will be discharged soon and can return home.”

Nelly Korda captures U.S. Women’s Open championship with dramatic final putt, securing her second consecutive major title.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Nelly Korda captured the 81st U.S. Women’s Open for her second straight major championship. She edged out Charley Hull and Gaby Lopez by a single stroke when her closing 2 1/2-foot par putt rolled dangerously around the cup before finally falling in. Korda’s inaugural U.S. Open victory marks the fourth major championship of her career, achieved with a consistent 2-under 69 in the final round. However, only after her final putt caught the left rim and traveled halfway around the hole’s circumference before dropping. Korda sank a 9-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole.

J.T. Poston surrenders a 4-shot advantage and delivers under pressure to capture Memorial in playoff action.

DUBLIN, Ohio (AP) — J.T. Poston has claimed victory at the Memorial, though not in the manner anyone anticipated. Poston returned Sunday morning to finish the third round and established a four-stroke advantage. However, that lead evaporated at the turn and transformed into a chaotic battle. Poston sank a 7-foot birdie putt on the closing hole for a 72 to force a playoff with Ryan Gerard. He prevailed on the second playoff hole when Gerard three-putted from approximately 55 feet. Gerard played error-free golf most of the day until missing a 6-foot par putt. The victory secures Poston a position in the next three major championships.

Denny Hamlin honors Kyle Busch with NASCAR triumph at Michigan after matching him on career victories list.

BROOKLYN, Mich. (AP) — Denny Hamlin advanced from last to first once again Sunday, claiming victory at Michigan International Speedway to secure his second straight NASCAR Cup Series win from the pole position. Similar to last week’s triumph at Nashville Superspeedway when the Joe Gibbs Racing vehicle was penalized for an early start, Hamlin earned pole position at Michigan but dropped to the rear at the green flag due to a penalty for unauthorized modifications to his No. 11 Toyota. He secured the lead permanently on a three-wide maneuver during a restart with 38 laps left, sweeping into first position around Daniel Suarez and Carson Hocevar.

From Ben Stiller to Fat Joe, the Knicks’ famous supporters engage during NBA Finals practice session.

NEW YORK (AP) — Mike Brown believed he had completed his press conference Sunday when a voice shouted from the rear of the media room. Fat Joe requested the microphone. The rapper playfully criticized the New York Knicks coach about his shoe selection, then requested an autographed pair if they capture the championship, as the team’s celebrity supporters joined the excitement during a practice day at the NBA Finals. Actor Ben Stiller also attended Madison Square Garden, recording video and meeting the coach for the first time. Fat Joe stated that the Knicks’ first NBA Finals appearance since 1999 has brought the city together.

Stacey King, veteran Bulls broadcaster who competed on three NBA championship squads, passes away at 59.

CHICAGO (AP) — Stacey King, who competed on three straight NBA championship teams with the Chicago Bulls from 1991-93 before rejoining the organization as an Emmy-winning broadcaster, has passed away. He was 59. The Bulls announced King’s death on Sunday and indicated a family member had informed them. No additional details were immediately provided. King competed from 1989-97 during an NBA career that also featured stints in Minnesota, Miami, Boston and Dallas. He subsequently spent more than two decades as a commentator for Bulls games and entertained fans with his unforgettable calls and nicknames.

Chicago Cubs officials are still determining how serious starting pitcher Jameson Taillon’s hamstring injury is, but they’re confident the veteran right-hander will land on the injured list.

The 34-year-old pitcher exited Sunday night’s matchup against the San Francisco Giants in the second inning with a runner on base and no outs. Following a six-pitch walk to Matt Chapman that opened the second frame, Taillon called for medical staff to come to the mound.

Taillon was removed from the contest, limping noticeably as he made his way to the dugout and down into the clubhouse. Javier Assad took over pitching duties, throwing 6 1/3 innings without allowing a run in what became a 2-1, 10-inning victory for San Francisco.

“It’s a left hamstring strain,” manager Craig Counsell said following the game. “Imaging tomorrow … it’s an IL. We’ll get more information tomorrow (regarding) severity and maybe an idea of a timeline.”

Taillon expressed cautious optimism about his long-term outlook while accepting that he’ll be sidelined for some period.

“I don’t think it’s crazy,” Taillon said to media members postgame. “Like, I’m walking around and moving around. Obviously, it will be an IL stint but, hopefully, we can keep the arm conditioned and moving around. … But I don’t it’s surgical or anything like that. I’m getting an MRI tomorrow and we’ll know more.”

Going into Sunday’s contest, Taillon held a 2-5 record with a 5.19 ERA through 67 2/3 innings over 13 starts this season.

During his fourth campaign with Chicago, Taillon has compiled a 33-30 record with an ERA slightly over four across 94 appearances (93 starts) for the Cubs.

Throughout his 10-year major league career, he has posted an 84-65 record with a 3.94 ERA while playing for the Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates (2016-19) and New York Yankees (2021-22).

One of the NFL’s most uncertain quarterback situations may be moving toward clarity as training camps approach in just over a month.

ESPN reported late Sunday that Jacoby Brissett plans to attend the Arizona Cardinals’ mandatory minicamp this week, temporarily ending a holdout that kept the quarterback away from all team activities during the offseason.

Brissett, who is seeking a new contract, would face $107,911 in fines for missing minicamp when it starts Tuesday, according to ESPN’s report referencing the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement.

Despite Brissett’s expected attendance at minicamp, two significant questions persist:

1) How much field time will the 33-year-old participate in, and 2) when will negotiations between him and the organization result in a new contract agreement.

His existing deal ends following this season and would pay him $4.88 million in 2026, potentially increasing to $5.39 million. Only $1.5 million of that amount is guaranteed.

Arizona signed veteran Gardner Minshew during the spring, securing him $5.14 million guaranteed for this season.

ESPN’s report indicates no contract resolution is anticipated before minicamp begins.

While not considered among the league’s elite quarterbacks, Brissett performed well in 2025, particularly after stepping in when starter Kyler Murray was benched. He recorded 3,366 passing yards with 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions across 14 games (12 starts). These statistics represent career-best numbers for Brissett.

Throughout 10 NFL seasons with six different franchises, Brissett has achieved a 61.9% completion rate for 14,766 yards, 76 touchdowns and 32 interceptions.

The Cardinals subsequently released Murray, cutting ties with the 2019 first overall draft pick and two-time Pro Bowl quarterback on March 3. The Minnesota Vikings signed the 28-year-old nine days afterward.

NEW YORK — Authorities canceled an NBA Finals viewing event near Madison Square Garden and advised New York Knicks supporters to arrive at Monday’s game at least two hours ahead of schedule due to heightened security protocols surrounding President Donald Trump’s attendance.

The president, who has long supported the Knicks, announced Friday his plans to attend New York’s first NBA Finals contest since 1999. During his current term, Trump has been present at several major athletic competitions, including the 2025 Super Bowl, Daytona 500 and Ryder Cup.

Among the consequences of the presidential appearance was the elimination of a Game 3 viewing event outside MSG. The New York Police Department announced Sunday that this choice was coordinated with the Secret Service.

“There will be no watch parties outside of Madison Square Garden for Game 3 only,” the statement said. “This was done fully in coordination with the Secret Service because of the presidential visit. We expect watch parties at Madison Square Garden to resume for Game 4.”

These gatherings, where thousands of supporters congregate to view games on large screens, have created challenges for the city’s law enforcement, even without presidential security complications.

Over two dozen individuals faced arrest when Friday’s viewing event extended into surrounding streets after the Knicks defeated the Spurs in San Antonio. Authorities said one woman was charged with striking a police officer in the face.

Prior to the NBA Finals, city officials had initially planned to eliminate outdoor viewing events at the arena entirely due to disruptive conduct at unauthorized gatherings, but later changed course and issued a permit for Game 1 last Wednesday.

Matt McCool, special agent in charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s New York field office, acknowledged that fans might feel disappointed given the Knicks’ remarkable playoff performance.

“At the same time, our responsibility is to ensure the highest level of public safety,” he said. “After careful coordination and assessment, the Secret Service and the NYPD jointly determined that outdoor watch parties could not be accommodated in the immediate vicinity of Madison Square Garden due to the security requirements associated with an event of this scale and the need to maintain a secure environment for protective operations.”

Official team viewing events will continue at Wollman Rink in Central Park and Brooklyn Bowl, according to the Knicks website. Both locations required advance registration and had reached capacity by Sunday afternoon.

Stringent guidelines were established for game attendees. The Knicks advised supporters to bring minimal items to Game 3 and urged arrival at least two hours before the opening tip as part of increased security protocols.

The team announced Saturday that a complete bag prohibition would be enforced and “TSA-style screening procedures” would be implemented for fans entering Madison Square Garden for the contest scheduled to start shortly after 8:40 p.m. EDT.

The Knicks stated that MSG would not provide storage for forbidden items brought to the venue. A complete list of prohibited materials is available at https://www.secretservice.gov/prohibiteditems.

The Arizona Diamondbacks announced Sunday they have acquired outfielder Max Kepler, despite the fact that he remains under an 80-game suspension for a positive performance-enhancing drug test.

Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed by the organization.

Kepler cannot join the team until his suspension concludes on June 25. Until that date, he will stay on the restricted list and won’t occupy a spot on Arizona’s 40-man roster.

In January, Kepler tested positive for Epitrenbolone, which is a metabolite of Trenbolone found in certain bodybuilding supplements and previously used in cattle growth products. Kepler became the first major league player to receive a suspension for this particular substance since MLB began publicly announcing penalty specifics in 2005.

The 33-year-old player posted a .216 batting average last season with Philadelphia, recording 18 home runs and 52 RBIs after signing a one-year, $10 million deal. His 2024 performance was hampered by left patellar tendinitis, and he underwent core surgery following the season to address a sports hernia.

Originally from Germany, Kepler joined the Twins organization in 2009 when he was just 16 years old. Throughout his 11-season major league career, he has maintained a .235 batting average while hitting 179 home runs and driving in 560 runs.

BARCELONA, Spain — Florentino Pérez will continue leading Real Madrid for another four years after claiming victory in the club’s presidential election held Sunday.

Speaking to his supporters during a late-night celebration, Pérez declared his commitment to continued success. “We are going to keep working so that Real Madrid keeps winning more titles,” he stated after the club’s television network announced his triumph over opponent Enrique Riquelme.

The soccer club has not yet released official voting tallies to the public.

With his electoral success secured, Pérez can now move forward with plans to bring back Portuguese coach José Mourinho for another coaching period at Madrid. Mourinho previously led the team from 2010 through 2013 and appeared in campaign materials supporting Pérez during the election cycle.

Expressing his enthusiasm about the coaching change, Pérez stated he was “proud that José Mourinho, one of the best coaches in the world, is set to return.”

Beyond coaching changes, Pérez has outlined ambitious player acquisition goals, including pursuing Liverpool center back Ibrahima Konaté and Inter Milan right back Denzel Dumfries. He has also committed to announcing a major signing worth over 150 million euros ($173 million) within the coming week.

The 79-year-old executive previously served as Madrid’s leader from 2000-2006 and again starting in 2009. During his tenure, the club has captured seven of its record-setting 15 European Cup championships.

According to Forbes rankings, Madrid has maintained its position as the world’s most valuable soccer club for five consecutive years.

Pérez, who operates an international construction business, had not faced electoral opposition for Madrid’s top position in more than two decades. Previous elections in 2009, 2013, 2017, 2021 and 2025 saw him run without challengers.

However, recent years have brought setbacks for the longtime president. His proposed Super League alternative to UEFA’s Champions League failed to launch, and Madrid has endured two seasons without capturing any titles despite adding star striker Kylian Mbappé to the roster.

Additional criticism emerged last year when Pérez suggested potentially selling a 10% stake in the club to private investors, which would end the organization’s 124-year tradition of member ownership.

Following the election results, Riquelme offered congratulations to Pérez while hinting at future political ambitions. Pérez’s new term extends through 2030.

“For us, this is not the end, this is the beginning,” Riquelme declared. “Real Madrid won’t spend another 20 years without holding elections.”

The 37-year-old renewable energy executive entered the race after Pérez announced the election during a heated news conference last month, where he challenged potential opponents and criticized what he characterized as media efforts to remove him from power.

Though largely unknown to the general public, Riquelme built significant support by securing endorsements from former Madrid stars including Raúl González, Fernando Hierro and Iker Casillas. His campaign also featured promises to acquire Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, though both City and Haaland’s representative have ruled out a summer transfer to Madrid.

The election drew from a pool of 98,000 eligible club members. Voting took place at Madrid’s basketball facility since the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium was occupied by an event featuring Pope Leo XIV during his week-long Spanish visit.

NEW YORK — For New York Knicks supporters who weren’t alive during their last championship run in 1973, seeing their team on the brink of an NBA title feels like uncharted territory.

However, what the San Antonio Spurs are attempting to accomplish — capturing a championship after dropping their first two home games — has truly never been done before.

New York will attempt to move one step closer to a long-awaited title while San Antonio looks to get back into contention when the Knicks host the Spurs for Game 3 on Monday evening.

New York secured a 2-0 series advantage in the best-of-seven matchup on Friday evening. The visiting Knicks weathered a 14-point fourth-quarter comeback by the home team before Victor Wembanyama’s shot attempt fell short at the final buzzer, allowing New York to escape with a 105-104 victory.

The victory extended New York’s winning streak to 13 games, with the team showcasing their trademark defensive intensity along with the mental toughness they last displayed on May 19, when they erased a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit to shock the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-104 in the opening game of the Eastern Conference finals.

“It’s an amazing feeling as a coach to know how mentally tough your team is, no matter what the situation is in front of them,” Knicks head coach Mike Brown said. “To see them continue to fight and fight and fight and fight, no matter what the score is, no matter how much time is on the clock, it’s just a fantastic feeling.”

Victories in Games 3 and 4 would not only tie the longest postseason winning streak in NBA history — the Golden State Warriors began the 2017 playoffs with 15 consecutive victories — but would also enable the Knicks to secure their highly anticipated NBA championship on home court, something that has energized the city for weeks.

“The NBA is tough,” Brown said. “You don’t get to experience what I’m experiencing with this group a ton. And it is a freaking joy to be around.”

Monday’s contest will mark the first NBA Finals game played in New York since June 25, 1999, when the Spurs secured the championship with a 78-77 victory in Game 5.

“Fans have earned the right and deserve the right to see Finals basketball be played here at Madison Square Garden,” said Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns, who grew up in New Jersey. “For this to be the first game in a long time that they have seen Finals basketball, it’s up to us to bring it, give them something to cheer for, give them something to get loud for and also give them something to believe in.”

The Spurs must engineer a historic turnaround of their own to claim their first championship since 2014.

San Antonio, which also surrendered a double-digit advantage in Wednesday’s 105-95 Game 1 defeat, becomes only the third franchise to lose their opening two NBA Finals games on home court. The 1993 Phoenix Suns lost to the Chicago Bulls in six games while the 1995 Orlando Magic were eliminated by the Houston Rockets in four.

“We need to capitalize — actually use all the efforts we (used),” Wembanyama said. “It felt like we did a lot, we did a lot of things wrong. But we also were relentless and kept pushing, but kind of wasted that effort.”

New York has created challenges for Wembanyama — and consequently the Spurs, whose 199 total points through two games represent their lowest scoring output in any two-game stretch during these playoffs.

Wembanyama is posting 27.5 points per game through the Finals’ first two contests, but he’s converting just 40.5% of his 21 field goal attempts per game. The 7-foot-4 star averaged 23.2 points while shooting 51% and taking only 15.2 shots per game during his initial 17 playoff appearances.

The increased shot volume in the Finals has occurred inconsistently for Wembanyama, who took eight of his 21 attempts during Game 1’s first half but managed only four shots in Friday’s opening half.

“I have to make sure there’s environments that the ball finds him,” Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson said. “There are times I think when he was open on rolls or around the paint and his teammates (have) got to give him the ball.

“But yeah, four shots in a half on this stage is not acceptable.”

NEW YORK — Jazz Chisholm Jr. discovered a creative solution to maintain Aaron Judge’s impact on the New York Yankees’ offense despite the captain’s absence from the field.

Following a sluggish start through the opening frames, Chisholm utilized equipment from the sidelined Yankees leader. His decisive three-run blast using Judge’s bat model highlighted a dominant five-run eighth inning during Sunday’s 6-1 victory against the Boston Red Sox.

“When I pick up his bat I know I can’t swing as hard as I can or else I’ll tear an oblique like last year,” Chisholm said. “It just helps me to just go out there and just control the barrel and just try to touch the ball.”

Chisholm regularly borrows equipment from teammates. He currently wears Giancarlo Stanton’s loose-fitting pants and previously used José Caballero’s 34-inch, 31-ounce Victus bat on May 18 for a game-deciding, two-run homer during the seventh inning of a 7-6 victory against Toronto.

“I probably use almost everybody’s bat in here, except probably Goldy and Stanton,” Chisholm said, referencing Paul Goldschmidt. “They’re a little bit extra big.”

Chisholm typically swings a 34-ounce, 31-inch model, while Judge’s equipment measures 35/33, also manufactured by Chandler.

“It’s a heavy bat but doesn’t feel that heavy,” said Cody Bellinger, whose solo homer off Justin Slaten snapped a 1-all deadlock in the eighth. “I didn’t even know he used Judge’s bat. It’s hilarious.”

Judge suffers from a fractured rib and faces restricted activity for an extended period. He will undergo follow-up imaging in approximately four-to-six weeks.

Stanton has remained out of action since April 24 due to a strained right calf, while catcher Austin Wells was added to the injured list Saturday because of cervical headaches.

New York maintains confidence in winning without Judge, their three-time AL MVP.

“I’m already a little tired of answering the question and we’re only a couple of days into this,” manager Aaron Boone said. “We got grownups in the room, for sure.”

New York holds a 2-3 record without Judge, posting a .226 batting average with 19 runs scored.

“Everybody just, it feels like they’ve got to find a way to contribute as best they could in his absence,” Chisholm said.

Chisholm failed to connect while leading off the third, fifth and seventh against Ranger Suarez, then launched his eighth homer of the season on an opening-pitch cutter from Joe La Sorsa, who had recently entered for Slaten.

“I was swinging and missing when I thought I was hitting the ball,” Chisholm said. “Sometimes you need a little bit more weight and a little less on your swing.”

Chisholm suffered a right oblique strain on April 28 last year while using Judge’s bat at Baltimore. The injury kept him out until June 3 but didn’t stop him from earning his second All-Star selection.

He began this season slowly but has posted a .306 average with four homers and 11 RBIs over his previous 19 contests, improving his overall average to .234.

Judge also started poorly by his standards and currently bats .248 with 17 homers and 38 RBIs.

“Just having his name in that lineup is a presence,” Bellinger said. “Aaron being out is just such a huge loss.”

Stanton may return shortly. He has been taking batting practice on the field and running.

Wells, batting .166 with seven RBIs across 47 games, reported feeling pressure at the top of his head and experiencing headaches. He will have scans Monday and plans to use a hockey-style catcher’s mask upon returning behind the plate.

“Hopefully rule out anything serious,” he said. “In my mind it’s just the cumulative buildup over the last couple weeks.”

New York (38-26) secured a split of the weather-shortened, two-game series and moved within percentage points of first-place Tampa Bay (37-25), which has topped the AL East since May 10.

Chisholm will likely continue borrowing teammates’ equipment during the pennant chase. He remains uncertain about his next target.

“Maybe an undershirt,” he said. “You never know.”

New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells spoke with the media Sunday following his placement on the 10-day injured list due to cervical headaches, a move the team made on Saturday.

“I feel better already today, so I think it just needs a couple of days, let the brain catch up a little bit and get back to work,” Wells said. “I think in my mind, it’s just a cumulative buildup over the last couple of weeks, a month, whatever it is and just need to give it a couple of extra days to let it catch up.”

On Saturday, Manager Aaron Boone dismissed the possibility that Wells suffered a concussion when the team transferred him to the injured list and brought up J.C. Escarra as his replacement on the roster.

Wells suggested the problem has persisted for an extended period, although he was unable to identify a specific timeline for when it began.

“There’s not a certain time that it kind of started, but a lot of pressure in the top of my head, some headaches,” he said. “So, I’ve been feeling it for a bit. I felt like it got to the point where I should say something.”

The 26-year-old has struggled offensively this season, posting a career-low .166 batting average across 47 games, while his slugging percentage of .255 falls well short of his career mark of .398. His seven RBIs this year pale in comparison to the 71 he drove in during the previous season.

Nevertheless, Wells has continued as New York’s starting catcher due to his strong defensive play, with Statcast ranking him in the 91st percentile for pitch framing.

Escarra is expected to share catching duties with Ali Sanchez, who joined the team from Triple-A earlier this week. Sanchez started Saturday’s contest that was postponed due to rain and was behind the plate Sunday during a 6-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox.

Sanchez, 29, went hitless in two at-bats during Sunday’s game and carries a .180 batting average in 122 career plate appearances.

Escarra, 31, is hitting .177 in 62 at-bats this season.

HARRISON, NJ – Norway’s captain Martin Odegaard found the back of the net with 15 minutes left on the clock to secure a 1-1 tie against Morocco during their World Cup preparation match on Sunday.

The North African squad had seized control early when Brahim Diaz blasted home a strike from just outside the penalty box in the seventh minute, but Norway mounted a determined comeback and nearly claimed victory against the team that reached the semifinals in Qatar’s World Cup four years ago.

Despite challenging hot weather conditions, Norway maintained relentless pressure in the closing stages, with Kristian Thorstvedt nearly securing the winning goal nine minutes from the final whistle when his header off Julian Ryerson’s free kick sailed just past the post.

Odegaard had brought his team level with a clever left-footed strike after Oscar Bobb weaved his way into the penalty box and delivered a short pass.

Morocco dominated the early proceedings, with Diaz receiving ample time and room following a wide pass to hammer home his shot. The goal marked his first for Morocco since the Africa Cup of Nations tournament earlier this year, where he claimed the top scorer honor but also missed a crucial penalty in the championship match.

His teammate Abdessamad Ezzalzouli nearly extended Morocco’s advantage at the 30-minute mark, spinning to connect with a full volley from Diaz’s cross but sending the attempt off target.

Morocco created another scoring chance when Norway goalkeeper Orjan Nyland deflected Diaz’s 57th-minute effort, with the loose ball headed over the crossbar by Neil El Aynaoui.

However, the Moroccan side found themselves under increasing pressure as the match wore on and had to mount a strong defensive effort to preserve the draw.

Morocco will begin their World Cup journey in Group C facing Brazil in New York on Saturday, while Norway opens Group I play against Iraq in Boston on June 16.

NEW YORK (AP) — Coach Mike Brown was wrapping up his Sunday press conference when someone from the rear of the media room spoke up.

It was Fat Joe requesting the microphone.

The hip-hop artist playfully teased the New York Knicks coach about his choice of footwear, then requested a signed pair of shoes should the team capture the title, as the franchise’s famous supporters joined the festivities during an NBA Finals practice session.

Ben Stiller was also present at Madison Square Garden, filming and having his first encounter with the coach.

“A great day for me today,” Brown stated at the beginning of his comments. “For the first time I got a chance to meet Ben Stiller. I don’t know if he’s in here or not. I actually gave him a handshake and a hug. I got my man Fat Joe sitting in the back. This is a great day for Mike Brown.”

Stiller was there, capturing footage from a spot along the side of the room.

Brown, who is in his inaugural season with New York, previously mentioned that Fat Joe was the celebrity he had developed the closest relationship with. His spouse spotted Stiller on the court when the Knicks secured the Eastern Conference title in Cleveland, though she was too hesitant to request a photo.

The Knicks’ star-studded fanbase, featuring personalities like filmmaker Spike Lee and performers Tracy Morgan and Timothée Chalamet, has been supporting the squad both at home games and away contests throughout the playoffs. Fat Joe described how the journey to the NBA Finals, the team’s first appearance since 1999, has united the city.

“I’ve seen Hasidic Jews breakdancing with Black kids outside the stadium. This is the greatest unification you’ve ever seen of this New York City in your life since 9/11,” he said. “If you want to know what we felt like in 9/11 after the tragedy, it’s what you’re seeing around New York City, is everybody together. This is insane.

“I’ve got a friend, he puts a screen in his backyard. He said the whole neighborhood, people he’s never talked to in his life are walking through his house, opening the refrigerator. This is like, unbelievable.”

The Carolina Hurricanes find themselves at a critical juncture in what has become an increasingly dramatic Stanley Cup Final.

After squandering a two-goal advantage in their opening game loss, the Hurricanes bounced back from a two-goal hole to capture Game 2, then mounted an incredible comeback from four goals down in Game 3, only to fall in double overtime on an unlucky ricochet.

The team has experienced the emotional rollercoaster of an intensely competitive series with the Vegas Golden Knights and enters Tuesday night’s Game 4 with virtually no room for mistakes. Despite all three opening contests being settled by one goal, moral victories mean nothing when facing a 2-1 series hole that must be erased.

“It’s part of the gig, and it’s never easy,” captain Jordan Staal said. “It’s never going to be easy, and we know that and we understand that. We’ve got a bigger hill to climb now, but we’re excited for the challenge and excited to keep playing hard and keep moving forward.”

The Hurricanes confront multiple unresolved issues, particularly the goaltending choice between Frederik Andersen and Brandon Bussi. Andersen handled all duties through the first 15 playoff contests before being pulled during Saturday’s second intermission while trailing 4-0, and Bussi performed flawlessly in relief until a Shea Theodore shot caromed off the boards and deflected into the net off the goalie’s left skate 5:38 into the second overtime.

Coach Rod Brind’Amour postponed the decision until after Monday’s practice, possibly longer.

“I don’t anticipate a lot of changes to our lineup,” Brind’Amour said on a video call with reporters Sunday. “We’ll see how (Andersen is) feeling. I haven’t made any decisions on the lineup, so I can’t tell you.”

Whether Andersen sustained any injury remained unclear. The 36-year-old Danish netminder wasn’t primarily responsible for surrendering four goals on 16 shots in Game 3.

“You obviously don’t want to give up some of the chances we’ve given up, but overall I thought he’s been fine,” Brind’Amour said. “You ask him to make the saves that he’s got to make, and I think he’s done that. A couple bad bounces, they are what they are. He’s been solid for us, Buss came in and was solid for us, so that’s got to continue.”

A too many men penalty shifted Saturday’s momentum in Vegas, following Brind’Amour’s successful challenges that nullified two Golden Knights goals. Dependable defenseman Sean Walker’s own-goal came at a costly moment, as did fourth-liner William Carrier’s failure to clear their zone.

Mitch Marner capitalized on both mistakes and completed his hat trick plus four-point second period with a breakaway score. Moving forward, preventing Marner from generating premium scoring opportunities will be crucial.

“We have to know when he’s on the ice because that’s kind of how he loves to play,” Brind’Amour said. “If we can eliminate some of those, I call ’em freebies … that’ll definitely help.”

Getting Carrier back would also provide a boost after he sat out the third period and overtime due to an upper-body injury. Brind’Amour offered no update beyond hoping Carrier would be available for Game 4.

Regardless of his status, the Hurricanes face essentially a must-win scenario at the arena on The Strip known as the “Fortress.” Just one team among 39 that has trailed 3-1 in the final has rallied to claim the championship: Toronto in 1942.

Noting his squad is merely a couple of shots from potentially holding a 3-0 series advantage, Brind’Amour isn’t concerned about players fixating on this deficit since they understand how narrow the margins have been.

“I think we can tighten some things up and be a lot better, and I think we’re right there,” veteran winger Jordan Martinook said. “We’ll look at some things and see where we can improve and come back Tuesday ready to try and even this up.”

NEW YORK — Victor Wembanyama is embracing the intense spotlight of the NBA Finals, and his San Antonio teammates wouldn’t have it any other way.

Just under two days after the 22-year-old French sensation missed a crucial final shot in Game 2 that could have defeated the New York Knicks and tied the series, the emerging face of professional basketball says the mounting pressure doesn’t faze him as San Antonio prepares for Game 3 while trailing 2-0.

“There’s really no reason to overthink it,” Wembanyama stated Sunday. “This is what I’m built for.”

The towering center hasn’t been San Antonio’s weakness in the Finals. He paced the team with 26 points in their first contest and topped all scorers with 29 points in Game 2.

After Wembanyama’s potential series-tying jumper bounced off the rim, teammate Keldon Johnson delivered a simple message: “Shoot it again.”

“He’s our guy,” Johnson explained. “From day one, he’s been our guy. He’s the engine offensively and defensively. You can’t make every game-winner, but you can’t make a shot you don’t take. And we’re living with that shot. Every day of the week, twice on Sundays, we’re living with Vic taking our game-winning shot because that’s our guy and that’s the belief that we have in Victor.”

Players expressed unwavering confidence during practice at Madison Square Garden, knowing they’ll face a hostile crowd Monday evening. Guard Stephon Castle described both opening games at home as winnable contests, but the consecutive defeats have intensified their focus.

“Our sense of urgency is probably the highest it’s been all playoffs,” Castle remarked, adding that his ankle feels better than anticipated after Friday’s injury. “I think it’s just human nature to come out with a certain sense of urgency, especially after a loss.”

San Antonio dropped consecutive contests to Oklahoma City during the Western Conference finals, though that occurred after capturing the series opener. The Spurs haven’t suffered three straight defeats all season.

“If they’re not desperate now, I don’t know,” Knicks guard Deuce McBride observed. “They know their backs are against the wall, and they’re going to have to come out and they’re going to have to fight. We’re going to be ready, we’re going to exceed that and we’re going to do everything we can do to bring home a win.”

In preparation for the turnaround effort, Spurs coach Mitch Johnson hadn’t yet explored New York City before Sunday’s practice session. He and his coaching staff stuck to their established playoff routine.

“You dig into the film, you argue, beat yourself up,” Johnson explained. “You give each other feedback, figure out how to help the guys for the next game.”

Johnson believes his squad hasn’t performed to its capabilities like New York, which has captured 13 consecutive victories. A change of venue might provide the spark they need.

San Antonio holds a 6-3 road record this postseason, including a Game 7 victory over the defending champion Thunder in the West finals. Keldon Johnson expressed confidence that he and his teammates can succeed “regardless of where we’re playing at, whether it’s here, on Mars, away, home.”

Center Luke Kornet finds excitement in the challenging environment.

“All the adversity, noise and all that stuff just honestly helps you sharpen up and kind of focus even more on the basketball,” said Kornet, who spent his initial two NBA seasons with the Knicks from 2017-19. “That kind of you-against-everybody-else-in-the-building atmosphere, the pressure kind of brings you together.”

The stakes have reached their peak, considering no franchise in NBA history has overcome a 2-0 home Finals deficit to claim the championship. Veteran leaders encourage the Spurs to move past their heartbreaking loss and avoid dwelling on what happened.

“The only thing that matters is what’s in front of us right now,” forward Harrison Barnes stated. “We can’t take last game and bring it into this game. You can learn from it, but I think the biggest thing for us how do we focus on making the plays, focus in on just how to begin as a team and just going out there and just playing free.”

The Los Angeles Angels have sidelined right-handed pitcher Jack Kochanowicz with right elbow inflammation on Sunday, placing him on the injured list just one day following a difficult performance where he allowed seven runs during the opening inning versus the Los Angeles Dodgers.

To fill the roster spot, the team brought back left-handed pitcher Sam Aldegheri from their Triple-A Salt Lake affiliate.

The 25-year-old Kochanowicz saw his record fall to 2-5 with a 6.05 ERA for the current season following Saturday’s rough outing. While he began the year strong at 2-0 with a 3.09 ERA across his first six starts, his performance has declined significantly with a 9.62 ERA over seven starts beginning in May.

Throughout his three-year tenure with the Angels, Kochanowicz holds a 7-22 record with a 5.84 ERA spanning 47 starts.

The 24-year-old Aldegheri brings a 1-0 record and 2.45 ERA from three appearances this season, including one start, with the Angels. Across parts of three major league seasons, the first player born and raised in Italy to pitch in the majors carries a 2-4 record with a 5.26 ERA over 10 appearances, six of which were starts.

Aldegheri represented Italy during this spring’s World Baseball Classic, posting a 1-0 record with a 3.00 ERA across two tournament starts.

NEW YORK (AP) — The world’s most famous arena has witnessed legendary moments from the first heavyweight clash between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier to the inaugural Wrestlemania spectacle.

However, NBA Finals action has been notably absent from Madison Square Garden.

The New York Knicks have returned championship basketball to their home venue for the first time in 25 years and hold the power to ensure it stays there this season. Supporters are paying extraordinary amounts for seats and the opportunity to witness a celebration that has been building for more than 50 years.

Leading Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs 2-0, the Knicks stand two victories away from their first title since 1973. They’ve become the city’s biggest attraction, yet the team itself remains focused while everyone else gets swept up in the excitement.

“I know the fan base is really excited, as they should be,” captain Jalen Brunson said. “But as a team, us inside the locker room, we have more work to do.”

Monday’s Game 3 will feature President Donald Trump among the attendees. Whether they’ve competed on this floor or watched from the upper levels — though affordable seating doesn’t exist this time with resale prices exceeding $10,000 — everyone understands this evening will be extraordinary.

“I think it’s going to be through the roof,” Spurs guard Dylan Harper said. “I think it’s going to be everything that I’ve kind of seen or dreamed of times 10.”

This marks the first NBA Finals contest at Madison Square Garden since June 25, 1999, when the Knicks watched the Spurs claim their inaugural championship with a Game 5 victory.

That series and the 1994 finals represent the only championship games held at MSG since the Knicks captured the 1973 crown. They rarely came close again until this remarkable 13-game winning streak, the second-longest by any franchise in a single postseason, with the city’s energy intensifying after each triumph.

“Fans have earned the right and deserve the right to see finals basketball be played here at Madison Square Garden,” Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns said. “For this to be the first game in a long time that they have seen finals basketball, it’s up to us to bring it, give them something to cheer for, give them something to get loud for and also give them something to believe in.”

Wembanyama, Brunson and their teammates will share Monday’s spotlight with the first sitting president to attend an NBA Finals game and the celebrity supporters who fill courtside seats. Some were already present Sunday for practice sessions, with Knicks coach Mike Brown finally meeting actor Ben Stiller before having his press conference extended when rapper Fat Joe demanded speaking time from the back of the room.

Wembanyama previously showcased his talents at MSG during his sophomore campaign when the Spurs received the featured Christmas Day matchup and he recorded 42 points. Such high-profile experiences, which the Spurs have increasingly enjoyed since selecting the 7-foot-4 French sensation, could prove valuable for Monday’s challenge.

“This arena’s like no other. The added circumstances will be on top of that,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. “We’ve been fortunate to play some games in this arena recently that have been, again, not finals, but a Christmas game. Again, I just think added attention around Victor and being in this arena a few times, we’ve experienced that. I would expect tomorrow will be more than that.”

The Knicks’ dominance during this playoff run has limited their home appearances. They’ve hosted just four games since May 4, when they began the second round. Even the home squad finds it difficult to describe what Monday’s atmosphere will deliver.

“I’ve seen a lot of crazy atmospheres,” guard Deuce McBride said. “I don’t think I’m going to know what to expect, but I’m just proud to be here, I’m so blessed to play here and I know the fans are going to bring it and we’re going to do everything we can.”

The venue that erupted when Willis Reed entered for Game 7 in 1970 will thunder again Monday. The current MSG had opened just years before, while the previous Garden never hosted NBA Finals games. The Knicks reached three consecutive finals from 1951-53, but those contests occurred at the 69th Regiment Armory on Lexington Avenue because the Garden was occupied by the circus.

Game 3 launches a massive sports week in the New York area, with a World Cup match set for Saturday in nearby East Rutherford, New Jersey, which will host the tournament final. Knicks forward Josh Hart had accepted an ambassador position for the local World Cup organizing committee but acknowledges the Knicks have overshadowed even soccer’s premier global event.

“I love football, man, so obviously a little bummed I can’t go to some of those matches, but I have something a little more interesting right now going on in my life,” Hart said. “It also adds to the energy of the city.”

Brazil’s national soccer team encountered another setback in their search for defensive stability when Wesley was removed from their World Cup roster on Sunday following a left thigh muscle injury, prompting officials to bring in Atalanta midfielder Ederson as his replacement.

The AS Roma defender, who served as the sole dedicated right back on Carlo Ancelotti’s 26-player roster, sustained the injury during Saturday’s 2-1 exhibition victory against Egypt in Cleveland, according to the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF).

With Wesley sidelined, Ancelotti will need to rely on adaptable center-backs Danilo and Ibanez to cover the right flank position as Brazil gears up for their Group C tournament debut against Morocco on Saturday.

“The MRI scan revealed a muscle injury to the adductor muscle in his left thigh,” the CBF said in a statement.

“The CBF regrets the injury. Wesley is a player much loved by the squad and will always be considered part of this team as it seeks to win its sixth World Cup title.”

Officials confirmed that Ederson will arrive to join the team in the United States on Monday.

The five-time World Cup champions are scheduled to compete against Morocco, Haiti and Scotland in Group C play.

Brazil’s national soccer team announced Sunday that Atalanta midfielder Ederson will join the World Cup roster as a replacement for injured defender Wesley.

The midfielder, who has earned three international appearances for Brazil, is scheduled to meet up with the squad on Monday.

Wesley sustained an adductor muscle injury in his left thigh and will be unable to participate in the World Cup, according to Sunday’s announcement from the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF). The AS Roma defender suffered the injury during Saturday’s 2-1 exhibition victory against Egypt in Cleveland.

In an official statement, the CBF expressed disappointment over the setback. “The CBF regrets the injury,” the organization stated. “Wesley is a player much loved by the squad and will always be considered part of this team as it seeks to win its sixth World Cup title.”

Brazil is set to begin Group C competition with a match against Morocco on Saturday in East Rutherford, N.J. The team’s remaining group stage games include a June 19 contest versus Haiti in Philadelphia and a June 24 matchup with Scotland in Miami.

Stacey King, a three-time NBA champion with the Chicago Bulls who later became a beloved voice for the franchise, passed away Sunday at the age of 59.

ESPN 1000 in Chicago reported that King experienced “a fall at his home,” though officials have not released an official cause of death.

The Bulls selected King as the sixth overall pick in the 1989 NBA Draft following his standout career at Oklahoma. He captured his first championship ring in 1991 as part of the Michael Jordan-led Bulls dynasty that claimed three straight titles.

“Stacey King was a cherished member of the Bulls family and one of the truly unique personalities in our organization’s history,” Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said in a statement. “His connection to Chicago, the Bulls and our fans spanned more than three decades, first as a player and later as the unmistakable voice that helped bring Bulls basketball into the homes of generations of fans.”

During his eight-year NBA career spanning 1989-97, King posted averages of 6.4 points and 3.3 rebounds across 438 games with 63 starts. Following his initial four-and-a-half seasons in Chicago, King went on to play for the Minnesota Timberwolves, Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics.

King transitioned to broadcasting in 2006, initially serving as a studio analyst for Bulls telecasts before moving into the color commentator role in 2008.

During his college career at Oklahoma, King put up impressive numbers in the 1987-88 season with averages of 22.3 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.6 blocked shots as the Sooners fell to then-Big 8 conference rival Kansas in the national title game. His senior campaign saw him earn Big 12 Player of the Year honors and consensus first-team All-American recognition while posting 26.0 points, 10.1 rebounds and 2.3 blocked shots per game.

Oklahoma honored King by retiring his No. 33 jersey in 2008.

CHICAGO — Stacey King, a former NBA player who earned three consecutive championship rings with the Chicago Bulls between 1991 and 1993 and later became an Emmy-winning voice for the franchise, has passed away at the age of 59.

The Bulls organization revealed King’s death occurred on Sunday, with the team learning of his passing through notification from a family member. Additional details surrounding his death were not immediately provided.

“Stacey King was a cherished member of the Bulls family and one of the truly unique personalities in our organization’s history,” Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said in a statement. “His connection to Chicago, the Bulls and our fans spanned more than three decades — first as a player and later as the unmistakable voice that helped bring Bulls basketball into the homes of generations of fans. We will miss him deeply and remember the joy, energy, humor, candor and passion he brought to our organization, our broadcasts and our fans every day. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones.”

King launched his professional basketball career with Chicago after the Bulls drafted the 6-foot-11 forward/center from Oklahoma as the sixth overall selection in 1989. During his five-year tenure with the Bulls, he recorded averages of 6.6 points and 3.3 rebounds per game.

His NBA career spanned eight seasons total, featuring additional stints with teams in Minnesota, Miami, Boston and Dallas. King concluded his playing days with career statistics of 6.4 points and 3.3 rebounds per game.

In his broadcasting role, King won over a fresh generation of Bulls fans during more than twenty years as a game commentator for the franchise.

“Stacey loved being a Bull,” Bulls president and CEO Michael Reinsdorf said in a statement. “You could feel it in everything he did — the way he played, the way he called games and the way he connected with our fans. He had a unique gift for bringing people together and making every game feel personal. He brought an energy and love for the game that came through in every broadcast, helping fans feel connected to our team. Whether it was through a broadcast, a conversation or a photo with a fan, Stacey made people feel seen and valued.”

“We were fortunate to know him not only as a player and broadcaster, but as a friend. Stacey genuinely cared about people, and he made our organization better. We will miss him dearly, and his impact, memory and legacy will remain a part of the Chicago Bulls forever.”

Fans cherished King for his distinctive commentary style and creative player nicknames. His excitement was evident whenever Chicago made significant plays during games.

“We enjoy what we do,” King said last month on his “Gimme the Hot Sauce” podcast, a reference to a comment he’d frequently make after big plays. “It’s a fun job. It never seems like work for me. Every night, I go to work, win, lose or draw, I’m having fun.”

Alexander Zverev broke through for his first major championship on Sunday, defeating Flavio Cobolli 6-1 4-6 6-4 6-7(5) 6-1 in the French Open final at Roland Garros in Paris.

The German tennis star overcame years of near-misses, having previously lost three major finals, including one in Paris two years earlier. His victory marks the first time a German man has captured a Grand Slam title since Boris Becker won the Australian Open thirty years ago.

Playing under sunny skies on Court Philippe Chatrier, Zverev dominated early by breaking Cobolli’s serve with a backhand that deflected off the Italian player’s orange-framed racket. He sealed the first set with a forehand winner straight down the court.

The Italian fighter rallied in the second set, energizing himself with spectacular shots to break serve in the seventh game before leveling the match. The center court crowd created an electric, soccer-style atmosphere supporting Cobolli, a former AS Roma academy player.

The enthusiastic crowd quieted during the third set when 10th-seeded Cobolli netted a forehand, handing Zverev a set point opportunity. The German capitalized immediately when another unforced error gave him back the lead.

Zverev’s play became more tentative in the fourth set, allowing Cobolli to break his serve twice. Though the German fought back to tie at 5-5, he faltered during the tiebreak when Cobolli unleashed a powerful forehand winner to force a fifth set.

The final stages lacked the spectacular tennis seen in last year’s championship match between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, but Zverev pulled ahead and drew on his veteran experience to finally capture his elusive first major title.

Philadelphia Phillies manager Don Mattingly will join the National League coaching staff for this year’s All-Star Game, according to a USA Today report released Sunday. This appointment comes just five weeks after Mattingly returned to managing duties.

Mattingly will work under Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who will lead the NL squad. St. Louis Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol has also been named to Roberts’ coaching staff, the report indicated. On the American League side, Minnesota Twins manager Derek Shelton will assist Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider.

Mattingly took over Philadelphia’s managerial duties on April 28 following the dismissal of Rob Thomson due to the team’s sluggish season opening. Under Mattingly’s leadership through Sunday’s games, the Phillies have compiled a 25-11 record.

Throughout his 13-year managerial career in Major League Baseball, Mattingly has accumulated a 446-363 record while leading the Dodgers from 2011-15, the Miami Marlins from 2016-22, and now Philadelphia.

Marmol has led St. Louis to a 34-28 mark entering Sunday’s action. During his five-year tenure with the Cardinals, his overall record stands at 359-351.

This marks Roberts’ fifth time serving as NL All-Star Game manager, earning the role after leading Los Angeles to back-to-back World Series championships last season. Roberts previously managed All-Star teams following the Dodgers’ World Series appearances in 2017, 2018, 2020 and 2024.

Shelton, in his inaugural season with Minnesota, has guided the team to a 30-36 record. His managerial experience includes six seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates, giving him a career 336-476 record.

Schneider will make his debut as an American League All-Star Game manager.

The midsummer classic is scheduled for July 14 at Philadelphia.

The University of Kentucky landed a major basketball recruit on Sunday when Ryan Hampton, a five-star prospect from DME Academy in Florida, announced his commitment to the program.

Hampton, who stands 6-foot-6 and plays the wing position, holds the No. 6 ranking nationally in the Class of 2027 according to 247Sports.

The talented player is the younger sibling of RJ Hampton, a former NBA first-round draft selection. Before making his decision, Hampton took visits to Nebraska and NC State as well.

Speaking to 247Sports about his choice, Hampton explained his reasoning: “I chose Kentucky because of Coach (Mark) Pope and coach (Mo) Williams. They showed me a vision and play for me to reach my ultimate dreams and goals. They will challenge me to be the best I can be on and off the court.”

This commitment marks Kentucky’s initial pledge for their 2027 recruiting class.

Hampton expressed his enthusiasm for the opportunity, stating: “I’m ready for the challenge. It feels like home so why not. I’m a top prospect and I truly believe I will thrive at a top school. It’s been a long journey to get to this point, I thank my family and I thank God. The best is yet to come.”

The Texas-born athlete made the move to DME Academy in Daytona Beach, Florida, before his upcoming junior year in 2025-26. He previously attended Dynamic Prep in Irving, Texas.

MONACO, June 7 – George Russell’s pursuit of the Formula 1 Championship took another devastating hit at the Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday, as the Mercedes driver found himself completely shut out of scoring any points following a series of costly penalties.

The British racer initially received a five-second time penalty for exceeding the speed limit in the pit lane, joining four other drivers who committed the same violation during a race ultimately won by his Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli.

Russell’s troubles compounded when race officials issued him an additional drive-through penalty for failing to properly serve his original five-second punishment during his pit stop.

With the race restarting after a red flag period, Russell was forced to serve his drive-through penalty in the closing laps, causing him to drop dramatically through the field and cross the finish line in 13th position.

Following his retirement from last week’s Canadian Grand Prix and this weekend’s disappointing result in Monaco, Russell has now fallen to third place in the championship standings, sitting behind Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton and trailing Antonelli by a substantial 68-point margin.

“Firstly, I’m not too sure why we got a penalty because I was on the pit limiter before the line,” Russell explained regarding his initial violation. “I released it after the line. But clearly there’s a problem in the software and many drivers got penalties.

“Then in the pit stop, just major confusion, and getting a drive-through (penalty) — the punishment doesn’t fit the crime.

“I don’t know what to say. It’s two races in a row — could have won the race last week, could have maybe been P3-P4 today, it’s 40 points down the drain for things outside of my control.”

The pit lane speeding violations affected multiple competitors throughout the field. Hamilton, who finished second, also received a five-second penalty but was able to serve it during his regular pit stop without damaging his race position.

Alpine’s Pierre Gasly faced even harsher consequences, receiving two separate pit lane speeding penalties. Despite crossing the finish line in third place following the late restart, his combined 10-second penalty relegated him to seventh in the final results.

The Edmonton captain has etched his name alongside hockey legend Wayne Gretzky by capturing his fifth Ted Lindsay Award on Sunday, making McDavid just the second player ever to reach this milestone.

The annual honor recognizes “the most outstanding player in the NHL” through voting by fellow players in the NHLPA, putting McDavid in elite company with the Hall of Fame great.

“This award, coming from the guys that you play against every single night and battle against every single night, to have them recognize me with an award like this, means so much,” McDavid said.

The 29-year-old superstar previously claimed the trophy in 2016-17, 2017-18, 2020-21 and 2022-23, and dominated the league’s scoring race this season with 138 total points from 48 goals and 90 assists across all 82 games.

McDavid’s standout season included an impressive 20-game scoring streak that ran from Dec. 4 through Jan. 13, during which he accumulated 46 points with 19 goals and 27 assists. His leadership helped guide the Oilers to second place in the Pacific Division with a 41-30-11 record for 93 points.

The Edmonton star edged out Tampa Bay’s two-time winner Nikita Kucherov and San Jose’s emerging talent Macklin Celebrini for this year’s recognition.

McDavid remains in contention for additional hardware this season as a Hart Trophy finalist for NHL MVP honors, an award he has previously won three times.

According to a Sunday report from Sportsnet, the Toronto Maple Leafs are planning to interview recently retired NHL veteran Joe Pavelski as a potential candidate for their head coaching position.

The 41-year-old former center concluded his playing career following the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, finishing with impressive career statistics of 1,068 points, including 476 goals and 592 assists across 1,332 regular season games. His professional tenure spanned time with the San Jose Sharks from 2006 to 2019, followed by five seasons with the Dallas Stars through 2024.

The report characterized Pavelski as a “Martin St. Louis-style candidate,” drawing parallels to St. Louis’ smooth transition from playing professional hockey to successfully coaching the Montreal Canadiens.

Since retiring, the former Sharks captain has been working with youth hockey, specifically coaching his son Nate’s team in Madison, Wisconsin, according to the reporting.

Toronto’s search for a new bench boss has been extensive, with the organization reportedly conducting virtual interviews with no fewer than 15 potential candidates. The list of interviewees includes Patrick Roy, Peter Laviolette, and David Carle.

The coaching vacancy opened after the Maple Leafs dismissed Craig Berube following a disappointing 2025-26 campaign that saw the team post a 32-36-14 record for 78 points, placing them at the bottom of the Atlantic Division and second-to-last in the Eastern Conference standings.

Formula One championship frontrunner Kimi Antonelli demonstrated remarkable composure under pressure to capture Sunday’s turbulent Monaco Grand Prix, securing his fifth straight victory of the current season.

The 19-year-old Italian driver from Mercedes had established a substantial advantage after launching from the top grid position, but that margin disappeared when officials threw a red flag to address deteriorating track conditions at the circuit’s final turn following an incident involving Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc.

Following approximately 40 minutes of track maintenance work, racing action continued with drivers lined up for another standing start, yet Antonelli maintained his focus to become the youngest driver in history to triumph at the legendary street circuit.

Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton claimed second place for back-to-back runner-up finishes, while Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar sat in provisional third position, though he joined several other competitors facing scrutiny from race officials for various rule violations.

Hamilton’s podium performance matched the eight Monaco podium appearances achieved by the legendary Ayrton Senna, while also elevating him past Antonelli’s Mercedes teammate George Russell into second position in the championship standings, trailing Antonelli by 66 points.

“It’s been an incredible weekend and an incredible race,” Antonelli commented, noting that he wasn’t yet alive during the last Italian victory at Monaco when Jarno Trulli won in 2004.

“We had incredible pace and it all came so natural and that gave me the confidence to push.”

Just one year removed from a last-place finish in his Formula One Monaco debut, Antonelli displayed exceptional maturity in handling the red flag interruption that essentially required him to secure victory twice in one afternoon.

“I wasn’t super keen on re-starting but once the notification came out I just gathered my emotions and re-focused again. Once I got away and was P1 into the first corner I could enjoy the last few laps.”

Professional golfer Louis Oosthuizen was forced to pull out of the final round at LIV Golf Andalucia on Sunday due to a back injury he suffered during the tournament.

The team captain for Southern Guards GC made the announcement through his social media accounts. The 43-year-old golfer from South Africa named Australia’s Wade Ormsby as his substitute for the competition taking place at Valderrama, Spain.

At the time of his withdrawal, Oosthuizen was sitting at 6-over-par going into Sunday’s final round at the demanding Real Club Valderrama golf course.

The veteran golfer captured the 2010 Open Championship title and holds the distinction of placing second at least once in each of the four major golf championships throughout his career.

Former NHL forward Milan Lucic has officially called an end to his hockey career, making the announcement on his 38th birthday Sunday after 17 seasons in professional hockey.

The hard-hitting player was instrumental in Boston’s 2011 Stanley Cup championship run, which concluded with a seventh-game triumph against Vancouver, the city where Lucic grew up. His last NHL appearance came during a brief four-game return to Boston in October 2023.

“Looking back on my career, I feel truly grateful to have fulfilled my dream of playing professional hockey, culminating with a Stanley Cup win in 2011 with the Boston Bruins,” Lucic stated through the National Hockey League Players Association.

“I want to especially thank the Bruins for giving me my start in professional hockey and for instilling the confidence to reach new heights as a player. Later in my career, I had the privilege of playing with some exceptional organizations in Los Angeles, Edmonton and Calgary. I look back with fondness at the time I spent with each organization and for the remarkable teammates I had the pleasure of playing alongside.”

Throughout his NHL career, Lucic accumulated 586 points, including 233 goals and 353 assists, while serving 1,301 penalty minutes across 1,177 regular-season contests. His career spanned time with Boston (2007-15, 2023), Los Angeles (2015-16), Edmonton (2016-19), and Calgary (2019-23).

Lucic had made an effort to return for the upcoming 2025-26 season after inking a professional tryout deal with St. Louis. However, he was cut loose in November after appearing in five American Hockey League contests.

MONACO, June 7 – Red Bull driver Max Verstappen’s participation in Sunday’s Monaco Grand Prix came to an abrupt end after completing just one lap due to engine troubles that left the four-time world champion stranded.

Following an impressive Saturday qualifying performance that earned him a front-row starting position next to Mercedes’ pole-sitter Kimi Antonelli, Verstappen’s race day took a dramatic turn when his vehicle failed to move as the starting lights went out.

Though the Dutch driver eventually managed to get his car moving, he was forced to crawl around the track at reduced speed before his crew instructed him to return to the pit area.

Speaking to Sky Sports after the disappointing exit, Verstappen explained the mechanical issues: “The formation lap wasn’t going very well, after that the pre-start was terrible, there was no consistency and then the engine just dropped dead.”

“I only got a little bit of power back after the first corner. Engine sounded really awful, couldn’t go full throttle so we brought it back,” he added.

The early retirement adds to what has been a challenging campaign for Verstappen, who has been critical of the sport’s current hybrid power unit rules and has previously suggested he might consider leaving Formula One.

NEW YORK — Donald Trump once blended in among other famous faces watching courtside action at New York Knicks games. Back then, he was well-known but didn’t travel with Secret Service protection or carry the political baggage that has made him unpopular in the city where he built his reputation.

Following more than ten years away from Madison Square Garden, Trump plans to return to New York City as president to support the Knicks during Game 3 of the NBA Finals versus the San Antonio Spurs on Monday evening. Team owner James Dolan extended the invitation, and Trump will become the first commander-in-chief to witness an NBA Finals matchup in person.

The franchise hasn’t captured a title since 1973, when Trump was 26 years old and just beginning his career in the family property development company that brought him fortune and recognition. Following that victory two years later, the team’s ownership brought him on as an advisor while they considered selling the venue.

Trump has attended more high-profile athletic competitions than previous presidents, from the Super Bowl to the Daytona 500, the Ryder Cup golf tournament in the New York area where crowds welcomed him warmly, and the previous year’s U.S. Open tennis tournament in Queens, where spectators jeered him and criticized lengthy security delays.

This June 14, as he celebrates his 80th birthday amid numerous challenges including the conflict with Iran, financial concerns, and judicial decisions hampering his policies, he plans to host a UFC event at the White House. Trump has also shown interest in attending the World Cup soccer tournament beginning this week throughout the United States, Mexico and Canada.

While Trump enjoys various sports, his connection to the Knicks runs deeper.

This relationship reflects the Republican leader’s New York roots and recalls an earlier time when premium courtside seats offered him and other celebrities opportunities for mutual recognition.

In a metropolis where affluent power brokers typically rejected Trump’s bold demeanor and lifestyle during the 1990s and 2000s, Madison Square Garden’s Celebrity Row provided a welcoming environment.

“I’ve been a Knick fan for a long time,” Trump said to journalists in the Oval Office recently, one day following New York’s comeback victory in Game 1. “I watched that end of the game and they were dominant — really amazing.”

Following Friday’s victory in San Antonio, the Knicks return home leading 2-0 in the best-of-seven championship series. Their impressive 13-game playoff winning streak continues, with their last defeat occurring April 23, bringing the city together in ways not witnessed since the team reached the NBA Finals twice during the 1990s.

Now Trump re-enters the Knicks narrative not as the media sensation who once sat beside the late John F. Kennedy Jr. during a 1999 contest, but as a president whom most of the city’s Democratic residents oppose.

Trump, who changed his permanent residence from New York to Florida in 2019, makes his first New York City visit since addressing the United Nations in September.

However, Knicks supporters appear less worried about his political positions and more concerned that his presence and accompanying spectacle might disrupt the team’s winning streak.

“Why does Donald Trump always have to ruin a good thing?” U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York, a devoted Knicks supporter and House Democratic leader, said to CNN. “Like, literally, the Knicks haven’t been in the NBA finals for 27 years. The city is trying to celebrate this. We’ve embraced this team, and this guy has to inject himself.”

Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a Democrat who developed a friendly working relationship with Trump following their November meeting, offered a warmer welcome.

“We’re excited to welcome anyone and everyone who’s rooting for the Knicks in this moment,” Mamdani stated, noting he will also attend the game but separately from Trump.

Recently, as Trump considered attending a game, New York magazine released an article titled “Is Trump Really a Knicks Fan? An Investigation.” The piece, featuring photographs of Trump at Knicks contests from 1991 through 2014, characterized him as a “textbook example of a celebrity bandwagon fan.”

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver disputes this characterization.

“Before he ever ran for office, he was a big Knicks fan,” Silver informed reporters recently. “I’ve been with the league for a long time. I was there at many Knicks games with him in the old days.”

Both Trump and the Knicks began in 1946.

His documented association with the franchise started in 1975 when he served as a property consultant for the former owners of the Knicks and Madison Square Garden during their efforts to sell the facility marketed as “The World’s Most Famous Arena.”

Trump told media outlets then that two “Arab oil interests” groups were considering offers between $50 million and $75 million. However, arena management rejected the proposal, declaring such a transaction “not conceivable” during the ongoing Middle East oil crisis.

Trump remained relatively unknown during the Knicks’ only championship years in 1970 and 1973.

When the team resurged in the 1990s, Trump occupied prominent seats, bringing then-wife Marla Maples to Game 3 of the 1994 NBA Finals and his current spouse, first lady Melania Trump, to Game 2 of the 1999 Eastern Conference Finals. He also strengthened his Knicks credentials with an appearance in the basketball-themed Whoopi Goldberg movie “Eddie” in 1996.

During that era, Trump represented more of a cultural icon than an influential figure, gaining recognition equally for his romantic relationships and construction projects.

Yet as those Knicks teams fell short in NBA Finals against Hakeem Olajuwon’s Houston Rockets and David Robinson’s Spurs, Trump faced his own difficulties. His business operations struggled after casino financial problems and the failure of Trump Shuttle airline.

Similar to the Knicks, Trump entered reconstruction phase and pursued different directions: television programming with NBC’s “The Apprentice” and “Celebrity Apprentice,” followed by political involvement. During a 2010 Knicks broadcast, he suggested a potential presidential campaign.

That year, while the Knicks worked to reclaim their 1990s success, Trump created a video attempting to convince LeBron James to join the organization.

“The real winners of the world want to be here,” Trump said to him.

The top-seeded duo of Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend captured their first French Open women’s doubles championship together on Sunday in Paris, defeating Anna Danilina and Aleksandra Krunic in straight sets 6-2, 7-5.

Siniakova, representing the Czech Republic, brings extensive experience to doubles competition with 11 Grand Slam women’s doubles championships under her belt. This latest victory marks the third major tournament title she has claimed alongside her American partner Townsend.

The championship match saw the top seeds overcome the second-seeded team of Danilina and Krunic to claim the title on June 7.

A Milwaukee Brewers rookie made baseball history Saturday night in Denver, delivering the hardest fastball ever recorded by a starting pitcher in the modern tracking era during his team’s commanding 7-1 win over the Colorado Rockies.

The record-breaking moment came when 24-year-old right-hander Jacob Misiorowski fired a 103.7 mph fastball low and away to Kyle Karros during the third inning. This surpassed any velocity recorded by a starter since pitch monitoring technology was implemented in 2008. The overall speed record remains with former reliever Aroldis Chapman, who reached 105.8 mph while playing for the Cincinnati Reds in 2010.

Misiorowski’s blazing performance included an incredible 52 pitches at 100 mph or higher, marking his second-best total after throwing 57 such pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals on May 25, when he previously peaked at 103.5 mph. The young hurler also established a new benchmark with 45 pitches clocked at 101 mph or faster during the pitch-tracking period.

On the mound, Misiorowski delivered seven strong innings, allowing one unearned run on four hits while walking three and striking out eight batters. The performance boosted his record to 7-2 and dropped his ERA to 1.50, trailing only the Phillies’ Cristopher Sanchez at 1.46.

The All-Star rookie currently leads major league baseball in multiple categories, including strikeouts with 116, WHIP at 0.789, fewest hits allowed per nine innings at 4.7, and strikeouts per nine innings at 13.7.

“Thanks to God he’s on our side,” Brewers catcher William Contreras told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “I think we know what kind of pitcher Miz is. I don’t think there’s anybody in the league that wants to face him.”

The evening included some concerning moments for Milwaukee. Misiorowski took a line drive off his calf from Troy Johnston’s comebacker in the second inning, which resulted in Colorado’s first hit. Medical staff examined the pitcher, but he remained in the contest after taking some practice throws.

Another scary incident occurred in the sixth inning when Misiorowski’s 98.2 mph cutter struck Tyler Freeman in the helmet. Freeman was replaced by pinch runner Sterlin Thompson. Despite these challenges and working through some difficult situations, Misiorowski guided Milwaukee to victory.

“That’s been No. 1 this year: The maturity has been tremendous,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy commented to the Journal Sentinel. “We got to take note of what this guy has done. Pitching isn’t this easy in the big leagues. To be as consistent as this guy has been over the last how many outings is remarkable. I don’t know how many guys are doing that.”

The Los Angeles Dodgers delivered a devastating opening frame Saturday, plating nine runs in the first inning to cruise past the visiting Angels 9-2 and maintain their perfect record against their crosstown rivals this season.

Andy Pages and Shohei Ohtani both launched two-run homers during the explosive first inning, while Ryan Ward contributed a two-run double. Alex Freeland added a base-clearing single, and a fielding mistake by Angels shortstop Zach Neto helped clear the bases. The nine-run outburst marked the Dodgers’ biggest scoring inning since they put up nine runs against Washington in July 2021.

Starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (6-4) dominated after the early offensive explosion, retiring 22 consecutive batters to close his outing. The right-hander surrendered just one run on two hits across eight innings of work. The victory improved the Dodgers to 5-0 against the Angels this season and 18-5 overall since May 13.

For the Angels, Oswald Peraza delivered an RBI triple and Neto connected for a home run. Starting pitcher Jack Kochanowicz (2-5) endured a nightmare outing, lasting just one out while allowing seven runs, six of them earned. The Angels must win Sunday’s finale to prevent a season series sweep after they went 6-0 against the Dodgers last year.

Cubs 3, Giants 2 (10 innings)

Pete Crow-Armstrong delivered the heroics for Chicago, tying the game with a ninth-inning homer before Michael Busch won it in the 10th with a walk-off single that was mishandled in right field, helping the Cubs bounce back from an 18-3 drubbing the previous day against visiting San Francisco.

Crow-Armstrong finished 4-for-5 with two home runs, including a solo shot in the sixth. Busch collected two hits. Ryan Rolison (5-1) stranded the automatic runner in the top of the 10th after Ben Brown held the Giants to one run on one hit over 5 1/3 innings.

Rafael Devers homered and Matt Chapman added a sacrifice fly in the ninth to give San Francisco a 2-1 advantage. Sam Hentges (1-1) suffered the loss after facing one batter and allowing an unearned run. Landen Roupp gave up one run on three hits in 5 2/3 innings.

Braves 6, Pirates 3

Dominic Smith’s opposite-field home run that barely stayed fair down the left-field line capped a three-run rally that powered Atlanta past visiting Pittsburgh.

Trailing 3-3, the Braves scored three times in the fifth inning. Ronald Acuna Jr. and Matt Olson executed a double steal, setting up Ozzie Albies’ go-ahead sacrifice fly. Smith, who went 2-for-3, followed with his two-run blast.

Spencer Strider (4-1) earned the victory despite posting a season-low three strikeouts, working five innings while allowing three runs on five hits and two walks. Pittsburgh starter Braxton Ashcraft (5-3) matched his season high by surrendering six runs, giving up nine hits while striking out five over five innings.

Padres 3, Mets 2

Freddy Fermin’s two-run homer in the seventh inning lifted San Diego over visiting New York, snapping the Padres’ six-game skid.

After Sung-Mun Song reached on a two-out infield hit, Fermin attacked a first-pitch sinker from Austin Warren (1-2) for his first homer of 2026. Bradgley Rodriguez (1-2) picked up the win despite surrendering the lead in the seventh on Marcus Semien’s home run. New York’s Nolan McLean allowed three hits and one run over six innings.

Jason Adam worked around two hits in the eighth for San Diego, and Mason Miller navigated a two-out walk to A.J. Ewing in the ninth for his 18th save in 18 opportunities. Fernando Tatis Jr. drove in San Diego’s first run with a third-inning single.

Mariners 4, Tigers 0

Dominic Canzone homered and knocked in two runs while Bryce Miller threw six dominant innings as Seattle shut out host Detroit.

Randy Arozarena contributed two hits, scoring once and driving in two as the Mariners recovered from back-to-back defeats. Miller allowed just one hit while walking two and fanning nine. Jose Ferrer, Matt Brash and Gabe Speier each tossed scoreless innings to complete the two-hit shutout.

Colt Keith’s triple and Kevin McGonigle’s double represented Detroit’s only offensive highlights. The Tigers had scored 32 runs during a four-game winning streak before being blanked.

Royals 3, Twins 2

Bobby Witt Jr. delivered a go-ahead single with two outs in the ninth inning, rallying Kansas City past Minnesota in Minneapolis.

Carter Jensen homered and drove in two runs for Kansas City, which captured its second victory in the four-game series. The Royals can clinch the series with a win Sunday.

Orlando Arcia went deep for the Twins, while Tristan Gray also recorded an RBI.

Cardinals 6, Reds 5

Lars Nootbaar’s two-run homer in the eighth inning erased a one-run deficit and lifted St. Louis over visiting Cincinnati.

Nootbaar, who missed the season’s first two months following double heel surgery before returning Friday, connected off Sam Moll (1-4) after Jose Fermin singled. George Soriano (3-0) threw a scoreless eighth, then Riley O’Brien loaded the bases in the ninth but retired Sal Stewart for his 16th save in 20 chances. Jordan Walker also homered.

For Cincinnati, Matt McLain hit a two-run shot, Blake Dunn collected three hits and scored once, and Spencer Steer walked in the fifth to extend his on-base streak to a career-best 24 games, currently the longest in the majors.

Blue Jays 6, Orioles 4

Ernie Clement’s three-run homer and triple led Toronto past visiting Baltimore.

Clement also provided solid defense at second base while Brandon Valenzuela added three hits and a sacrifice fly as the Blue Jays split the first two games of the three-game set. Spencer Miles (3-1) followed the opener and limited the Orioles to two runs over 4 1/3 innings.

Pete Alonso hit a two-run homer, Colton Cowser and Blaze Alexander connected for solo shots, and Gunnar Henderson had three hits and scored once for Baltimore. Starter Kyle Bradish (3-7) struggled, allowing five runs in four innings.

Nationals 6, Diamondbacks 1

Curtis Mead and Dylan Crews homered, Zack Littell won his fifth consecutive start, and Washington defeated Arizona in Phoenix.

Mead launched a two-run homer, his ninth, on the eighth pitch of the game for the Nationals. Crews had two hits and scored twice, while Nasim Nunez singled and drove in two. Littell (6-4) surrendered one run and two hits in five innings before three Washington relievers combined for four hitless innings.

LuJames Groover drove in Arizona’s lone run with his first career hit, a single that scored Pavin Smith. Eduardo Rodriguez (5-2) was denied his 100th career victory, allowing four runs and six hits over 6 1/3 innings.

White Sox 6, Phillies 3

Colson Montgomery and Jacob Gonzalez homered, and Tristan Peters collected three hits to guide Chicago past host Philadelphia.

Right-hander Sean Burke (3-3) entered in the second inning and carried the White Sox into the sixth, surrendering three runs, three hits and five walks while striking out seven in 4 1/3 innings. Reliever Sean Newcomb recorded the final out in the sixth, then worked a clean seventh. Grant Taylor entered for the ninth and earned his second save.

Alec Bohm and Brandon Marsh homered for the Phillies, who had won eight of their previous 10 games. Adolis Garcia knocked in the other run for Philadelphia, but it wasn’t enough to overcome starter Andrew Painter’s (1-7) rough outing, as he allowed six runs and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings.

Astros 13, Athletics 2

Yordan Alvarez clubbed his fifth career grand slam as Houston demolished the visiting Athletics to secure the three-game series between American League West division rivals.

The Astros launched three home runs off right-hander Kade Morris (0-1), who endured a forgettable major league debut. LaMonte Wade Jr. and Jose Altuve also took Morris deep, as he surrendered nine runs on nine hits over four-plus innings.

Astros right-hander Tatsuya Imai (3-3) allowed two runs on five hits over five innings. He gave up an RBI single to Tyler Soderstrom that plated Nick Kurtz and walked Zack Gelof with the bases loaded during the A’s two-run third.

Marlins 4, Rays 3

Javier Sanoja went 3-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs as host Miami evened its three-game series with AL East-leading Tampa Bay.

Otto Lopez notched two hits, and Esteury Ruiz scored a run, walked three times, stole a base and was hit by a pitch. The Marlins managed a bullpen game with seven pitchers combining to allow just five hits. Tyler Zuber struck out Junior Caminero with the bases loaded in the ninth to record his first career save.

Yandy Diaz went 3-for-5 with two RBIs and a double for the Rays. Over five-plus innings, starter Shane McClanahan (6-3) gave up four runs on eight hits, suffering his first loss since April 19.

Guardians 6, Rangers 0

Tanner Bibee threw eight innings to earn his first victory of the season, and Jose Ramirez and Brayan Rocchio hit solo homers to power Cleveland to a shutout of Texas in Arlington, Texas.

Bibee (1-7) allowed three hits as the Guardians tied the three-game series at one win each. Chase DeLauter, Daniel Schneemann and Rocchio each had two hits for Cleveland, which broke the game open with a four-run fifth inning.

Corey Seager, Josh Jung and Kyle Higashioka each singled for the Rangers’ only hits. Jack Leiter (3-5) surrendered five runs on six hits in 4 2/3 innings.

Brewers 7, Rockies 1

Brice Turang hit two of Milwaukee’s five solo homers, Jacob Misiorowski struck out eight in seven solid innings and the Brewers defeated Colorado in Denver.

David Hamilton homered and tied a career high with four hits, while William Contreras and Jake Bauers (four walks) also went deep. Misiorowski allowed one unearned run on four hits over seven innings, lowering his ERA to 1.50, second-best in the majors.

Kyle Karros had two doubles and an RBI for the Rockies, who have lost three straight. Zach Agnos (0-1) got the start and allowed two runs on three hits over three innings.

The championship series between the Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes has already established multiple NHL records during the opening three contests.

The Golden Knights currently hold a 2-1 advantage following a dramatic Game 3 victory Saturday evening that required double overtime, despite surrendering a four-goal advantage earlier in the match.

A statistical breakdown of the Vegas-Carolina championship series:

This marks just one Stanley Cup Final series within the last 45 years where the opening three contests were each determined by a single goal.

Mitch Marner found the net three times within a 6:10 timeframe during Game 3, establishing the quickest hat trick in championship series history. The previous mark belonged to Montreal’s Maurice Richard, who accomplished the feat in 6:21 during 1957.

Carolina managed to score three times in just 39 seconds, setting the record for fastest three-goal sequence by any team in a final. The Canadiens previously held this distinction with three goals in 56 seconds back in 1954.

Marner has now tallied 19 goals across 19 games during this Vegas playoff campaign, a stark contrast to his 13 goals in 70 previous postseason appearances with Toronto.

Vegas defenseman Brayden McNabb completed 35 shifts totaling 35:47 of ice time in Game 3, just two days following a facial injury from an 87.3 mph shot delivered by Carolina’s Nikolaj Ehlers.

It has been 42 years since more total goals were recorded through the first three championship games. The combined 28 goals between Vegas and Carolina represent the highest total since the New York Islanders and Minnesota North Stars produced 30 goals in their opening three games during 1981.

Marner accumulated five points during the second period of Game 3, matching the highest single-game total in a final since Frank Foyston of the Seattle Metropolitans achieved this mark in 1919. That particular series remained incomplete with no Stanley Cup awarded due to the Spanish flu pandemic.

The year 2025 marked the most recent occurrence of a championship game extending to double overtime, when Florida defeated Edmonton in Game 2 on Brad Marchand’s decisive goal during their successful title defense.

This represents Carolina’s first overtime defeat of the current playoffs after winning their previous six such contests. The Hurricanes’ road record now stands at 6-1.

Washington Mystics head coach Sydney Johnson found himself removed from Saturday night’s game by police officers following a confrontational exchange with game officials during a lopsided 109-77 defeat against the Atlanta Dream.

The dramatic scene unfolded in the third quarter when officials called a foul on Washington’s Alicia Florez Getino for contact with Angel Reese during the Dream star’s drive toward the basket. At the time of the call, Atlanta held a commanding 64-43 advantage with 3:52 remaining in the period.

Johnson engaged in disputes with multiple officials while his assistant coaching staff and forward Kiki Iriafen attempted to calm him down. The situation escalated quickly, resulting in two consecutive technical fouls against Johnson and his subsequent removal from the game. Three police officers then accompanied him from the court area without any further complications.

“I lost my cool,” the 52-year-old Johnson acknowledged to media members following the contest.

“There’s nothing more than that,” he continued. “That’s it. Officials did what was appropriate, and that’s all I can say.”

When pressed about what sparked his outburst, Johnson declined to elaborate, stating, “I’d rather not get into that.”

The defeat marked Washington’s most lopsided loss this season, dropping their record to 4-5. Meanwhile, Atlanta strengthened their position atop the Eastern Conference standings, improving to 7-3.

“I don’t want to take away from Atlanta playing really hard and from us having a learning moment for our team,” Johnson reflected. “Not a great moment for our team or me … but that certainly doesn’t define the togetherness, the toughness, the joy we have. My ejection is not a great thing. That’s certainly not going to be a consistent thing.”

Assistant coach Emre Vatansever, who is in his second year with the Mystics coaching staff, assumed head coaching duties for the remainder of the game.

Johnson completed his inaugural season leading the Mystics in 2025 with a 16-28 record after previously working as an assistant with the Chicago Sky during the 2024 campaign.

The United States men’s soccer team suffered a 2-1 setback against Germany in their last preparation match before World Cup competition, though head coach Mauricio Pochettino praised his squad’s fighting spirit in the loss.

Germany, winners of four World Cup titles, took an early advantage when Kai Havertz converted Joshua Kimmich’s free kick with a header just two minutes into the match. The United States, serving as World Cup co-hosts, responded with a spectacular tying goal from Antonee Robinson.

Leroy Sane found the net in the 57th minute to secure Germany’s win at Chicago’s Soldier Field.

“Overall, I think it was a good performance. I am happy with the performance of everyone. We play one of the most important teams in the world,” Pochettino shared with media members.

“I think we need to be happy with that. We compete, (we were) unlucky, I think it was as an even game… It was an amazing challenge for us to see how we react, how we show character, how we show togetherness, how we start to play under pressure.”

The United States will begin their Group D matches against Paraguay on June 12 at SoFi Stadium near Los Angeles.

“We were demanding a lot to the player(s) in the last two weeks. I’ve seen (us) overload the player(s) and the team,” the Argentine manager explained.

“Now (we have) to assess the load and be intelligent in the way that we are going to arrive to the Paraguay (game), in the best condition, fresh with energy.”

Vegas defenseman Brayden McNabb took the ice Saturday night for Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Carolina Hurricanes, despite uncertainty about his availability following a hospital visit.

During the previous game, McNabb suffered a facial injury when struck by an 87-mph puck fired by Hurricanes forward Nik Ehlers, requiring him to be taken to a medical facility for treatment.

Playing with protective facial equipment attached to his helmet, McNabb contributed an assist on Mitch Marner’s second goal during a hat trick performance in the second period. The Golden Knights built a commanding 4-0 advantage after a goalless opening frame in Las Vegas. Carolina mounted a comeback with three goals in just 39 seconds during the third period as the contest continued with the series deadlocked at one game apiece.

The Golden Knights provided no official medical report regarding the 35-year-old defender prior to game time, though teammate Shea Theodore confirmed McNabb’s presence at Saturday’s team practice session.

Throughout the regular season, McNabb participated in 63 contests for Vegas, tallying five goals and seven assists while maintaining a plus/minus rating of +2.

The Texas Rangers have sidelined veteran backstop Danny Jansen for a minimum of 10 days due to a right forearm strain, the team announced Saturday.

The injury designation was made effective Wednesday. To fill the roster spot, the Rangers have brought in experienced catcher Elias Diaz on a major league deal.

The 31-year-old Jansen reported feeling the injury during Monday’s contest when Texas narrowly defeated St. Louis 2-1 on the road. His final appearance came Tuesday when he entered as a defensive substitute in the ninth inning of the Rangers’ 7-4 victory against the Cardinals.

“Anytime you’re dealing with an arm, it’s always tricky,” Texas manager Skip Schumaker said Saturday. “Hopefully, we got it caught in time and can manage it where it’s not that long of an IL stint.”

This season, Jansen has struggled offensively, posting a .171 average (21-for-123) with three homers and 12 RBIs across 41 contests. Throughout his major league tenure, Jansen carries a .216 batting average with 91 home runs and 268 RBIs over 640 regular-season appearances with the Toronto Blue Jays (2018-24), Boston Red Sox (2024), Tampa Bay Rays (2025), Milwaukee Brewers (2025) and Rangers.

Kyle Higashioka got the starting nod behind the plate Saturday evening as the Rangers fell 6-0 to the visiting Cleveland Guardians.

The 35-year-old Diaz was most recently with the Kansas City Royals, making his final appearance on May 20 before being designated for assignment two days later. He subsequently chose free agency.

During his brief stint with Kansas City, Diaz managed a .227 batting average (5-for-22) with two home runs and five RBIs in 10 appearances. The 2023 National League All-Star selection with Colorado owns a career .246 average with 73 homers and 331 RBIs across 840 regular-season games with the Pittsburgh Pirates (2015-19), the Rockies (2020-24), San Diego Padres (2024-25) and Royals.

“Again, (Jansen) is gonna be down for a few days, not playing,” Schumaker said. “Diaz is here for a reason. He’s a veteran catcher, just in case Danny can’t play today, so we’ll go with that. Again, Diaz is a veteran catcher that has been around a long time, has kept in shape, ready to go. I anticipate him, if active, playing at some point in this series.”

Olympic champion Gabby Thomas delivered a blazing performance in the women’s 200 meters Saturday at the Lone Star Grand Prix in College Station, Texas, posting the fastest time globally this year.

Thomas, who captured three gold medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics including the 200m, 4x100m relay, and 4x400m relay, crossed the finish line in 21.70 seconds. Fellow American Kayla White took second place with a time of 22.07, while Nigeria’s Favour Ofili rounded out the top three at 22.15.

The impressive performance surpassed Thomas’s Olympic-winning time of 21.83 and came within just one-tenth of a second of her personal record of 21.60 established in 2023.

“I’m a little surprised by the time, but I’ve been training hard,” the 29-year-old said.

“I had a great little tour in Africa and now the hard work is paying off. I’m enjoying having an ‘off’ year where there’s not the pressure of an Olympics or World Championships, so I’m just having fun this season.”

Thomas was sidelined from last year’s world championships in Tokyo after suffering an Achilles injury and made her competitive comeback in April.

Golden Tempo demonstrated that his Kentucky Derby victory was legitimate by capturing Saturday’s Belmont Stakes at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

The victory established Cherie DeVaux as only the second female trainer to guide a horse to success in horse racing’s Triple Crown third leg. DeVaux, a Saratoga Springs native, followed in the footsteps of Jena Antonucci, who achieved the feat in 2023 with Arcangelo.

Commandment claimed second place, while Renegade, who had finished runner-up to Golden Tempo by a neck at Churchill Downs last month, came in third.

All three top finishers had competed in the Derby but chose to bypass the May 16 Preakness, the Triple Crown’s middle race, due to the two-week gap between competitions.

Mirroring his Derby performance, jockey Jose Ortiz guided Golden Tempo from the back of the pack to victory with another powerful finishing kick. However, Ortiz accomplished this without the fast early pace that Derby frontrunners had established.

Even after his Derby success, Golden Tempo wasn’t favored to win. Renegade held that distinction at 8-5 odds.

Starting from the outside post at 6-1 odds in the nine-horse race, Golden Tempo returned $14 for a win bet, $7.32 to place, and $3.88 to show. Commandment, who started at 5-1, delivered $7.02 and $4.08 payouts. Renegade paid $2.52.