Category: Sports

Los Angeles moved left-handed pitcher Jack Dreyer to the 15-day injured list on Sunday due to discomfort in his left shoulder, while bringing up right-handed pitchers Paul Gervase and Chayce McDermott from Triple-A Oklahoma City.

The team also sent left-hander Charlie Barnes down to Triple-A as part of their roster adjustments.

The 27-year-old Dreyer shares the team lead in game appearances with left-hander Tanner Scott, both having pitched in 20 games. During his second year in the majors, he holds a 2-1 record with a 2.08 ERA and has recorded 24 strikeouts across 21 2/3 innings.

Over his career spanning two seasons, Dreyer has compiled a 5-3 record with a 2.76 ERA in 87 game appearances, including five starts. He delivered shutout performances in four postseason games last year, with two of those coming during the World Series matchup against the Toronto Blue Jays.

The 25-year-old Gervase pitched three innings in his single appearance for Los Angeles this year on May 9, giving up one run.

McDermott, 27, will be making his first appearance for the team after being traded from the Baltimore Orioles on April 16 in exchange for minor league right-hander Axel Perez. During his time with Baltimore from 2024-25, he posted a 12.79 ERA across five game appearances.

Barnes, 30, has pitched two scoreless relief outings for the team this season, most recently throwing one inning on Saturday against the Los Angeles Angels.

The Los Angeles Angels have brought right-handed pitcher Grayson Rodriguez back from the injured list, setting him up to make his first appearance for the team in Sunday’s home game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

To make room on the roster, the Angels sent right-handed pitcher Alek Manoah down to Triple-A Salt Lake.

The 26-year-old Rodriguez joined the Angels through an offseason trade with the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for outfielder Taylor Ward. Baltimore originally selected Rodriguez as their first-round pick, 11th overall, in the 2018 draft. He missed the entire previous season following elbow surgery.

Rodriguez has compiled a 20-8 record with a 4.11 ERA across 43 major league starts spanning the 2023 and 2024 seasons. He threw 12 2/3 innings during spring training with the Angels before being placed on the injured list due to shoulder inflammation.

In his two minor league rehabilitation appearances, Rodriguez posted a 2.79 ERA across 9 2/3 innings, striking out 18 batters while issuing just two walks.

The 28-year-old Manoah struggled significantly in Saturday’s game against the Dodgers, allowing nine runs (eight earned) in just 1 1/3 innings. This marked his third appearance for the Angels after being sidelined for over a month at the season’s start with a right middle finger contusion.

Manoah previously played his first four major league seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays and holds a career record of 29-20 with a 3.45 ERA across 78 appearances, including 75 starts.

NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pennsylvania, May 17 – Alex Smalley, considered a longshot before the tournament began, finds himself in unfamiliar territory as he prepares for Sunday’s final round of the PGA Championship with a two-stroke advantage over a crowded field of competitors.

The golfer, who had never been in contention at a major championship prior to this week, will face unprecedented pressure as a record-breaking 22 players sit within four shots of his lead at Aronimink Golf Club. Smalley held co-leader status after both the first and second rounds before securing his first solo 54-hole lead of his professional career with Saturday’s two-under 68, putting him at six-under for the tournament.

Smalley’s previous best performance in a major came at last year’s PGA Championship where he finished tied for 23rd place. He will tee off at 2:35 p.m. ET alongside Germany’s Matti Schmid, creating a final pairing of two golfers who have yet to claim a PGA Tour victory. The last occurrence of such a pairing was during the 2022 U.S. Open featuring Matt Fitzpatrick and Will Zalatoris.

Sitting two strokes behind the leader alongside Schmid are Spain’s Jon Rahm and Canada’s Nick Taylor, who make up the second-to-last group, while Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg and England’s Aaron Rai will play in the group ahead of them.

Masters winner Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele are positioned three shots back from the leader.

Current world number one and defending champion Scottie Scheffler began the day tied for 23rd position, five strokes behind the leader. Through his first six holes, Scheffler remained at even par after canceling out an early birdie with a bogey.

Kurt Kitayama, playing in the day’s fourth group, matched the major championship record for lowest final-round score with a flawless seven-under 63, finishing the tournament at three-under overall.

Kitayama’s performance puts him alongside Brad Faxon from 1995 as the only players to shoot a final-round 63 at a PGA Championship, and marks him as the ninth golfer to achieve this score in any major championship’s final round.

World number one Jannik Sinner made tennis history Sunday by defeating Norway’s Casper Ruud 6-4, 6-4 in the Italian Open championship match, achieving a rare career milestone known as the “Golden Masters.”

The 24-year-old Italian became just the second player following Novak Djokovic to capture all nine ATP Masters 1000 tournament titles. Playing on home court, Sinner finally claimed the championship that had eluded him through six previous attempts, including a loss to Carlos Alcaraz in last year’s final.

The match saw Ruud take an early 2-0 advantage with a service break in the opening set, but Sinner quickly responded by breaking back. At 4-4 in the first set, Sinner executed a brilliant backhand that created a break point opportunity, which he converted when Ruud sent his return long, giving the Italian a crucial 5-4 edge.

Sinner secured an early break in the second set’s opening game, which proved sufficient to close out the victory. This triumph marks his fifth ATP 1000 championship this year and extends his remarkable Masters winning streak to 34 consecutive matches.

The victory made Sinner the first Italian man to capture the Rome singles title since Adriano Panatta accomplished the feat in 1976. His championship came on the same day that Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori claimed the men’s doubles crown, marking the first time an Italian duo had won that title in 66 years.

Sinner’s current Masters dominance includes recent victories in Paris, Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo, Madrid, and now Rome, establishing him as the sport’s premier player on the tour’s most prestigious stage below the Grand Slams.

On Sunday, the Chicago Cubs promoted left-handed pitcher Ty Blach from their Triple-A Iowa affiliate to the major league roster.

Along with this move, the Cubs sent right-hander Javier Assad down to Triple-A and moved right-hander Hunter Harvey to the 60-day injured list.

The 35-year-old Blach will be making his first appearance with the Cubs organization after posting a 2-3 record with a 5.23 ERA across five outings at Iowa, including three starting assignments. Throughout his seven-year major league career, he has compiled a 23-33 record with a 5.42 ERA over 156 games, with 70 of those being starts, playing for the San Francisco Giants from 2016-19, Baltimore Orioles in 2019, and Colorado Rockies from 2022-24.

Chicago plans to utilize Blach as a relief pitcher coming out of the bullpen.

Assad, who is 28 years old, had recorded a 3-1 mark with a 5.88 ERA through eight games this season for the Cubs, making three starts among those appearances. During his five-year tenure with Chicago, he has accumulated a 21-13 record with a 3.61 ERA across 86 total games, including 57 starts.

The 31-year-old Harvey was moved to the injured list last month due to right triceps inflammation. This season, he appeared in four relief outings, going 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA.

Sherman Lewis, a college football standout who captured four Super Bowl championships as an NFL assistant coach, passed away Friday at the age of 83.

Michigan State revealed Lewis’s death on Saturday evening, though the university did not specify what caused his passing.

During his playing career as a halfback for the Spartans, Lewis earned All-American honors and placed third in Heisman Trophy balloting in 1963 following a season in which he accumulated 880 yards and nine touchdowns from scrimmage.

Following brief professional playing stints with the Toronto Argonauts in 1964 and the New York Jets from 1966-67, Lewis returned to Michigan State in 1969 to join Duffy Daugherty’s coaching staff. He continued working for the Spartans through 1982.

Hall of Fame coach Bill Walsh brought Lewis to the San Francisco 49ers’ coaching ranks in 1983. During his nine seasons as the team’s running backs coach, Lewis earned three Super Bowl championships before adding a fourth ring while serving as offensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers from 1992-99.

Lewis later held offensive coordinator positions with the Minnesota Vikings from 2000-01 and the Detroit Lions from 2003-04, and worked as an offensive consultant for the Washington franchise in 2009.

On June 28, 2023, the Pro Football Hall of Fame honored Lewis as part of the Awards of Excellence Class of 2023. This recognition program celebrates important contributors to professional football across five categories, including assistant coaches.

The NBA’s Most Valuable Player award announcement is scheduled for Sunday evening, and the timing bears a striking resemblance to last year’s reveal. In the previous season, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander received the MVP honor just 24 hours before he and the Oklahoma City Thunder took the court for a Western Conference finals home game.

History appears poised to repeat itself this year. The league will unveil this season’s MVP winner on Sunday, exactly one day ahead of another Thunder home game in the West finals, this time against the San Antonio Spurs. The announcement will air on Amazon Prime Video beginning shortly after 7:30 p.m. EDT.

Betting odds have strongly favored Gilgeous-Alexander in recent weeks to capture what would be his second straight MVP award. The league previously named him among the three finalists last month, alongside the Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama and Denver Nuggets’ three-time MVP Nikola Jokic.

Regardless of how the voting concludes, this marks the fifth straight year that international players will claim the top three spots in MVP voting. Gilgeous-Alexander hails from Canada, Wembanyama represents France, and Jokic comes from Serbia.

The previous season saw Gilgeous-Alexander finish first, followed by Jokic and Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was born in Greece to Nigerian parents.

In 2024, Jokic claimed the top spot, with Gilgeous-Alexander second and Luka Doncic of Slovenia third. Doncic previously played for Dallas and now suits up for the Los Angeles Lakers.

The 2023 voting results placed Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid first, followed by Jokic and Antetokounmpo. Embiid was born in Cameroon and has since obtained U.S. citizenship.

In 2022, Jokic topped the balloting ahead of Embiid and Antetokounmpo.

Golden State’s Stephen Curry holds the distinction as the most recent U.S.-born player to crack the MVP top three, finishing third in 2021 behind Jokic and Embiid. Antetokounmpo also claimed MVP honors in 2019 and 2020. The last American-born player to win the award was James Harden in 2018 while playing for Houston. Since that victory, Harden has suited up for four different teams.

Tampa Bay has added outfielder Jake Fraley to the 10-day injured list on Sunday after he was diagnosed with a hernia.

The roster move was made effective Saturday, the same day Fraley was pulled from the starting lineup before Tampa Bay faced Miami. His last appearance came Friday night in the series opener versus the Marlins in St. Petersburg, Florida, where he failed to record a hit in three at-bats.

The 30-year-old Fraley has struggled offensively in his debut campaign with Tampa Bay, posting a .232 batting average along with two home runs and five RBIs across 28 appearances.

In a corresponding roster move Sunday, Tampa Bay promoted infielder Carson Williams from their Triple-A Durham affiliate.

The 22-year-old Williams has compiled a .238 batting average with five home runs and 21 RBIs through 32 games at the Triple-A level this year.

Williams previously spent time with the major league club earlier this season, appearing in seven contests where he managed just three hits in 23 at-bats for a .130 average, though he did drive in three runs.

Former NFL quarterback Tom Brady has expanded his already impressive post-retirement portfolio, which features seven Super Bowl championships, a minority stake in the Las Vegas Raiders, and a role as a leading NFL television commentator.

This past Saturday, the retired athlete ventured into completely new territory by taking to the runway as a fashion model.

The creative director of the Italian luxury brand Gucci, Demna Gvasalia, presented his inaugural “cruise” collection during a Saturday evening event in Times Square, transforming portions of the famous New York location into a fashion runway. According to the New York Post, the Big Apple was selected as the showcase location due to Gucci’s historical connection to the city, where the brand established its first retail location beyond Italy’s borders in 1953.

Modern cruise collections have evolved beyond simple resort clothing. According to Demna, who uses a single name professionally, these fashion lines are designed to capture the essence of their presentation location, embodying the “plurality of styles that intersect like the streets of the city.”

The 48-year-old Brady made his runway debut wearing a sleek black leather jacket paired with coordinating trousers.

The fashion presentation also featured socialite Paris Hilton and renowned supermodel Cindy Crawford, who served as the show’s finale model in an elegant black evening dress.

Notable attendees watching from the audience included recording artists Mariah Carey and Shawn Mendes, actress Lindsay Lohan, and Formula 1 racing champion Lewis Hamilton, who was accompanied by his rumored romantic partner, Kim Kardashian.

The Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has secured his second straight NBA Most Valuable Player award, according to a Sunday morning report from ESPN.

The league’s official announcement regarding the MVP winner is scheduled for Sunday evening at 7:30 p.m.

By claiming this honor, Gilgeous-Alexander joins an exclusive group as the 14th player in NBA history to capture consecutive MVP awards. He marks the first player to achieve back-to-back MVP recognition since Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic accomplished the feat in 2020-21 and 2021-22, and represents the first guard to earn consecutive MVP titles since Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry did so in 2014-15 and 2015-16.

Following his signing of a four-year, $273.3 million super maximum contract extension during the offseason, Gilgeous-Alexander posted impressive numbers this season, recording 31.1 points, 6.6 assists and 4.3 rebounds across 68 games, starting in each contest.

Throughout his career spanning 530 games (521 as a starter) with the Los Angeles Clippers (2018-19) and Thunder, the 27-year-old guard has maintained averages of 25.3 points, 5.3 assists and 4.7 rebounds.

Gilgeous-Alexander guided the Thunder to their first NBA championship during the previous season. As Oklahoma City pursues consecutive titles, they will begin Western Conference final competition on Monday when they face the San Antonio Spurs.

Max Verstappen’s inaugural run at the Nuerburgring 24 Hours endurance race came to a disappointing end on Sunday when a driveshaft malfunction knocked his team out of the running after they had held the lead for multiple hours.

The four-time Formula One world champion from Red Bull was driving alongside teammates Dani Juncadella from Spain, Jules Gounon, a French driver based in Andorra, and Austria’s Lucas Auer in a Mercedes-AMG GT3 at the German track.

The participation of the Dutch racing star in the 54th running of the endurance event generated unprecedented excitement, with weekend passes completely sold out for the first time ever and organizers reporting a record-breaking attendance of 352,000 spectators.

Victory at the ‘Green Hell’ went to another Mercedes team featuring Maro Engel, Luca Stolz, Fabian Schiller and Maxime Martin, who climbed from 25th on the starting grid to claim the win.

This marked Mercedes’ first triumph in the Nuerburgring 24 Hours since 2016, when Engel was also among the winning drivers.

Coincidentally, that same year on May 15, Verstappen secured his inaugural grand prix victory with Red Bull in Spain.

Verstappen’s squad appeared headed for victory on Sunday until mechanical trouble struck with three hours and 20 minutes left in the race, forcing the number three car to slow down and return to the garage for lengthy repairs.

The team managed to get back on track and was still running when the checkered flag fell.

“We had a good start, great stints, the decision for rain tyres at the right moment. We had a two-minute lead over everyone else,” said Juncadella.

“Just a dream race, but unfortunately it was three hours too short and three hours too long for us. But that’s just the way it is in racing.”

Verstappen expressed interest in making another attempt at the race, though it would depend on his other racing obligations.

The Dutch driver will now focus on the upcoming Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal next weekend.

After nearly a decade of anticipation, Ronda Rousey concluded her legendary mixed martial arts career exactly as she intended – with a lightning-fast 17-second victory over Gina Carano using her trademark armbar submission before announcing her permanent departure from the sport.

The 39-year-old Olympic bronze medalist in judo delivered one final demonstration of the abilities that made her famous on Saturday, quickly taking down Carano and forcing her submission while fans watched both in person and via Netflix streaming before declaring her fighting career officially over.

“There’s no way I could have ended it better than this. I want to have some more babies, and I got to get cooking,” the mother of two said with a smile during her post-fight interview inside the cage.

Rousey became the inaugural champion of the women’s bantamweight division when the UFC created it in late 2012, launching an impressive streak where she regularly defeated opponents by throwing them down and securing arm submissions in opening rounds, just as she accomplished against Carano.

But mixed martial arts offers numerous paths to defeat, and Rousey’s shocking head-kick knockout defeat to Holly Holm in November 2015 marked the start of her decline as the sport’s premier female athlete.

Roughly 13 months afterward, she attempted a return to competition, skipping media responsibilities before facing champion Amanda Nunes, but the Brazilian fighter destroyed Rousey with a barrage of powerful strikes in just 48 seconds, knocking her unconscious and essentially concluding her MMA journey.

Saturday’s surprising comeback under Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions served partly as Paul’s effort to challenge the UFC’s long-standing control over the sport, while also providing Rousey a chance to correct her legacy before her final exit.

By facing the 44-year-old Carano, who had been inactive for 17 years and is now primarily known for acting, she selected an adversary who could potentially match her status as a female trailblazer in the sport but posed little threat in actual competition, allowing Rousey to solidify her legacy with one final characteristic triumph.

“I feel like a ghost was banished, and it’s just lifted a weight off of me that I didn’t realise I was still carrying in that way,” Rousey said with a smile during her media conference appearance.

“This is exactly what I needed, and that was closure.”

The Buffalo Sabres delivered a spectacular comeback performance Saturday night, rallying from behind to defeat the Montreal Canadiens 8-3 and extend their Eastern Conference semifinal series to a decisive seventh game.

Defenseman Rasmus Dahlin matched a franchise playoff record by recording five points on one goal and four assists, while Tage Thompson contributed four points with a goal and three assists in the road victory. The Sabres closed out the contest by scoring seven goals without answer from Montreal.

Jack Quinn found the net twice as part of a three-point night, while Zach Benson and Jason Zucker each contributed a goal and assist. Konsta Helenius and Zach Metsa also scored for Buffalo in the offensive explosion.

“It’s unreal to win this game. Now we have a chance to advance,” Dahlin told Sportsnet following the victory. “The whole group stepped up and played an ‘A’ game. Every individual had their best game. That’s what we need.”

Buffalo’s goaltending situation became a key storyline when starter Alex Lyon was removed after allowing three goals on just four shots. Relief netminder Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stepped in to make 18 saves and steady the team during the comeback.

The goaltender switch marked the first time Buffalo had won a playoff contest after making a performance-based goalie change since Game 3 of the 1975 Stanley Cup Finals.

The series will conclude Monday night in Buffalo, with the victor advancing to face the Carolina Hurricanes in the conference championship round.

“That’s why I play hockey. That’s what I want to do. I live for this,” Dahlin added about the upcoming decisive game.

Montreal’s Lane Hutson remained confident despite the setback, saying: “There’s no panic or anything. I think we’re all excited. Just more hockey for us. We don’t like it easy. We like the challenge. They brought their best and we’ve got to answer the bell.”

For the Canadiens, Jake Evans recorded a goal and assist, while Arber Xhekaj and Ivan Demidov each found the back of the net. Goaltender Jakub Dobes was charged with six goals on 33 shots before being replaced by Jacob Fowler, who stopped one of two attempts in relief.

The turning point came early in the second period when Benson capitalized on a loose puck just one minute into the frame, tying the game at 3-3 with Buffalo trailing by a goal.

Montreal suffered its first franchise loss in a potential series-clinching home playoff game where it held a multi-goal advantage, as the game quickly slipped away in the middle period.

Quinn broke the deadlock with a power-play goal at 10:54 of the second period for his first career playoff tally, putting Buffalo ahead. Helenius extended the lead to 5-3 by converting on a 2-on-1 break at 12:59.

“We’re up a goal in the second period and in a good spot and lost control of the game there,” Montreal captain Nick Suzuki explained. “We were pushing in the third and they get that power-play goal that put it out of reach.”

The third period saw Quinn add his second goal of the night, Thompson score into an empty net, and Metsa cap the scoring with his first career playoff goal on a late power-play opportunity – Buffalo’s fourth man-advantage goal of the evening.

“I feel like every game’s had a lot of chaos to it, so I think we’re getting used to it,” Quinn told Sportsnet after the game. “We knew we played well in the first (period) in stretches and just had to stick with it.”

Montreal had appeared in control after taking a 3-2 advantage into the first intermission. Buffalo opened the scoring when Dahlin converted on the game’s first shot just 32 seconds in, but the Canadiens responded with three straight goals.

Xhekaj evened the score 68 seconds later on Montreal’s initial shot for his first playoff goal, Demidov gave his team the lead with a power-play marker at 8:12, and Evans extended the advantage to 3-1 with a short-handed goal at 10:14.

However, Zucker ignited Buffalo’s rally with a power-play goal at 13:56 of the opening period, shifting momentum in favor of the visiting team for the remainder of the contest.

SEOUL, South Korea — For the first time in eight years, North Korean athletes have set foot in South Korea as a women’s soccer team touched down Sunday for an upcoming regional competition, despite ongoing political tensions between the neighboring countries.

The delegation of 39 players and staff members from North Korea’s Naegohyang Women’s FC landed at Incheon International Airport, located west of Seoul, after flying in from China. While the team remained silent upon arrival, activists welcomed them with shouts of “Welcome! Welcome!” as onlookers captured the historic moment on their cell phones.

The visiting North Korean squad is scheduled to take on South Korea’s Suwon FC Women this Wednesday in the Asian Football Confederation Women’s Champions League semifinals, which will be held in Suwon, located south of Seoul.

While sports have previously served as diplomatic bridges during periods of improved relations between the two Koreas, experts caution that this soccer match is unlikely to indicate any warming of their historically tense relationship, especially given North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s continued aggressive posture toward South Korea.

Lee Wootae, a senior research fellow at Seoul’s Korea Institute for National Unification, warned against reading too much into the visit in a recent analysis. “We should be cautious about interpreting their visit to South Korea as a sign of an improvement in South-North relations,” he stated. “It would be more accurate to view this as a limited South-North Korean contact within the framework of international sports.”

In recent times, Kim has consistently labeled South Korea as his nation’s main adversary and has worked to abandon concepts of shared Korean identity while promoting an antagonistic “two-state” approach to the Korean Peninsula. Analysts believe this shift reflects Kim’s concerns about South Korean cultural influence and his apparent belief that South Korea no longer serves a useful role in negotiations with the United States.

The last time North Korean athletes competed in South Korea was in December 2018 during a table tennis competition. That visit occurred during a period of active exchange and cooperation programs that followed North Korea’s participation in the Pyeongchang Olympics held in South Korea earlier that year.

This brief era of improved inter-Korean relations ended when American-led diplomatic efforts to address North Korea’s nuclear weapons program fell apart in 2019 over disagreements regarding international sanctions against the North. Since then, North Korea has conducted an aggressive series of weapons testing to build up its nuclear capabilities and has rejected overtures from both South Korea and the United States to resume diplomatic talks.

South Korea’s current liberal administration, headed by President Lee Jae Myung, supports reconciliation with North Korea. The government announced it will financially back civic organizations planning to organize a 3,000-person cheering section to support both North and South Korean teams during Wednesday’s game.

“We will enthusiastically cheer for them by chanting the names of both teams and their players, while faithfully adhering to AFC guidelines,” the civic groups said in a joint statement.

North Korea has established itself as a dominant force in women’s soccer, especially in youth competitions. The country has claimed the Under-17 Women’s World Cup title four times and the Under-20 Women’s World Cup three times. Naegohyang Women’s FC previously defeated Suwon FC Women 3-0 during group stage play in Myanmar last November.

The tournament’s other semifinal will feature Melbourne City FC against Tokyo Verdy Beleza on Wednesday. The championship game is scheduled for Saturday at a stadium in Suwon.

ANAHEIM, Calif. — A short break appears to have recharged Shohei Ohtani as the Los Angeles Dodgers star recorded a season-best five RBIs while facing his former team on Saturday evening.

Ohtani finished 2-for-4 with a pair of walks and crossed home plate twice during the Dodgers’ commanding 15-2 victory over the Angels — highlighted by a Little League home run during the eighth inning.

“We were hoping to get a reset with a couple days off,” manager Dave Roberts said, “and I think that’s what happened.”

Playing before another strong showing of Dodgers supporters during the second contest of the three-game Freeway Series, Ohtani returned to his spectacular form during the later innings.

During the eighth frame, he launched a ball toward the right field corner that took an unusual bounce off protective netting along the first-base line. Jo Adell initially hesitated on the play, anticipating a ground-rule double call. When no such ruling came, Adell scrambled to recover. His subsequent throw to the infield missed its mark, enabling Ohtani to cross home plate on the error following what began as a two-run triple.

The protective netting extending to both foul poles represents a recent modification to Angel Stadium this season and wasn’t present during Ohtani’s tenure with the Angels from 2018-23, when he captured two American League MVP honors.

“I just kept running,” Ohtani said through a translator in a postgame television interview.

Angels manager Kurt Suzuki unsuccessfully challenged the play, hoping officials would rule that a spectator had interfered with the ball when it struck the netting before returning to the field.

Ohtani later delivered a bases-loaded double during the ninth inning, prompting “MVP” cheers from the crowd while recording his first five-RBI performance since June 22, 2025. The showing marked his third extra-base hit across two games, including a fifth-inning double on Friday, after managing just one such hit during his first 12 May appearances.

His power decline began during a hitless stretch spanning 17 at-bats from April 29 through May 4.

“Just happy to be performing in front of both Dodger fans and Angels fans,” Ohtani said. “I’m really happy I was able to contribute a lot today.”

Cristopher Sanchez delivered a dominant performance Saturday, recording a personal-best 13 strikeouts while tossing his second career complete game shutout as the Philadelphia Phillies blanked the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-0 on the road.

Bryce Harper launched a towering three-run home run while Trea Turner contributed two hits, scored twice and drove in a run for Philadelphia. The victory brought the Phillies to an even 23-23 record, marking their 14th victory in 18 contests since Don Mattingly assumed interim managerial duties late last month.

Pittsburgh’s offense struggled against Sanchez (5-2), managing just six hits with no walks drawn. Marcell Ozuna endured a difficult afternoon, going hitless in four at-bats with four strikeouts. Pirates starting pitcher Bubba Chandler (1-5) was tagged for five runs, four of them earned, surrendering three hits and issuing four walks across three innings of work.

Sanchez recorded two strikeouts in the eighth inning before establishing his career milestone with another punchout of Ozuna in the ninth. His 108th and final pitch of the contest resulted in Nick Yorke grounding out to end the game.

In other Saturday action, Daulton Varsho delivered a clutch one-out single in the 10th inning, driving home Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to give Toronto a 2-1 extra-inning victory over Detroit. Yohendrick Pinango connected for his first major league homer for the Blue Jays, while Matt Vierling went deep for the Tigers.

Kyle Leahy’s solid pitching performance guided St. Louis to a 4-2 home win against Kansas City. Leahy (5-3) earned his third victory in four starts, working six innings and allowing just one run. Alec Burleson knocked in two runs for the Cardinals.

Mickey Moniak drove in two runs as Colorado split their weekend series with Arizona, winning 4-2 in Denver. The contest marked just the third game this season at Coors Field without a home run hit by either team.

Miami erupted for eight runs in the 10th inning to defeat Tampa Bay 10-5 in St. Petersburg. Liam Hicks contributed a two-run single and Javier Sanoja added a three-run double during the decisive rally that snapped the Rays’ 11-game home winning streak.

Washington reached the .500 mark with a convincing 13-3 victory over Baltimore at home. Keibert Ruiz collected three hits including a homer and drove in five runs, while Jacob Young and Brady House each contributed two hits with a home run and three RBIs.

The Chicago White Sox powered past the Cubs 8-3 behind a five-homer attack led by Munetaka Murakami’s two long balls. In his rookie major league season, Murakami recorded his first multi-homer game to highlight the offensive showcase.

Houston prevented Texas pitcher Jacob deGrom from reaching his 100th career victory, hitting four home runs off the two-time Cy Young Award winner in a 4-1 triumph. Jose Altuve and Yordan Alvarez connected for first-inning homers to spark the assault.

Angel Martinez’s go-ahead two-run homer in the seventh inning lifted Cleveland to a 7-4 comeback victory over Cincinnati. The Guardians trailed 4-2 before scoring five times over the final three innings.

Willson Contreras crushed a two-run homer in the eighth inning to power Boston past Atlanta 3-2. The clutch hit made a winner of Peyton Tolle (2-2), who worked a career-high eight innings for the Red Sox.

Mark Vientos drove in three runs and the New York Mets received crucial relief pitching from Luke Weaver in a 6-3 victory over the Yankees in the second game of the Subway Series. Casey Schmitt had four hits including two home runs, leading San Francisco to a 6-4 win over the Athletics in West Sacramento.

Shohei Ohtani drove in five runs with a triple and double as Los Angeles routed the Angels 15-2 in the Freeway Series. Jackson Chourio hit his first home run of the season to help Milwaukee edge Minnesota 2-1, while San Diego improved to 5-0 this season against Seattle with a 7-4 victory featuring home runs from Gavin Sheets, Nick Castellanos and rookie Rodolfo Duran.

Jonathan Rodriguez delivered an exceptional individual performance in the Hawks’ final baseball game of the 2026 season, collecting four hits for a new personal best. However, his stellar effort wasn’t enough to secure victory as the Hawks dropped their season finale to New Haven by a score of 11-9.

The loss concluded what proved to be an improved campaign for the Hawks, who managed to add two additional wins to their record compared to their 2025 performance. Rodriguez’s four-hit showcase provided a bright spot in the season’s closing contest, highlighting his development as a key contributor to the team’s offensive efforts.

While the Hawks couldn’t cap off their season with a victory at New Haven, the team’s overall progress throughout 2026 demonstrated meaningful improvement from the previous year’s results.

Former dual-division UFC champion Conor McGregor is scheduled to step back into the octagon on July 11 in Las Vegas, UFC President Dana White revealed during Saturday evening’s UFC event.

The Irish fighter will face off against Hawaiian competitor Max Holloway in the featured bout at UFC 329, taking place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The match will occur in the lightweight/welterweight division. McGregor hasn’t competed since sustaining a leg fracture during his bout with Dustin Poirier in July 2021.

Known for his dynamic striking abilities and provocative promotional style, McGregor joined the UFC in 2013 and rapidly rose to become mixed martial arts’ most recognizable figure. In 2016, he captured the UFC lightweight championship while already holding the featherweight title, making history as the first fighter to simultaneously possess two UFC championships.

McGregor’s bold personality resonated with audiences worldwide, and he played a significant role in elevating MMA from a sport once criticized by U.S. Senator John McCain as “human cockfighting” into mainstream popularity.

His crossover boxing bout with Floyd Mayweather in August 2017 earned the Irishman substantial financial rewards, though he has competed in MMA only four times since defeating Eddie Alvarez for the lightweight championship on November 12, 2016, suffering defeats in three of those contests.

The 37-year-old McGregor was originally scheduled to face former Bellator champion Michael Chandler in June 2024, but that bout was canceled due to a toe injury sustained during training.

Subsequently, an Irish civil court jury determined he was liable for the rape of Nikita Hand in 2018.

In October 2025, McGregor accepted an 18-month suspension for “whereabouts failures” after missing three sample collection attempts by Combat Sports Anti-Doping in 2024. The suspension was applied retroactively and concluded in March.

Should McGregor compete against Holloway on July 11, it will mark exactly five years and one day since his leg injury against Poirier.

INGLEWOOD, California, May 17 – Former UFC champion Ronda Rousey made a spectacular return to mixed martial arts competition after nearly ten years away from the sport, defeating Gina Carano with her signature armbar submission move in just 17 seconds Saturday evening.

The 39-year-old fighter, who earned an Olympic bronze medal in judo in 2008, immediately went on the attack when the bout started at the Intuit Dome during the inaugural MMA event organized by Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions. Rousey quickly brought down the 44-year-old Carano and transitioned into the armbar position, leaving her opponent with no choice but to submit or face a broken arm.

The armbar technique became Rousey’s calling card throughout her championship run as UFC bantamweight titleholder, and despite Carano anticipating the move after 17 years away from competition, she couldn’t defend against it.

“Gina is the person who brought me into MMA, she’s the only person who could have brought me back into MMA,” an emotional Rousey stated during her post-fight interview before speaking directly to her opponent.

“You brought me back home … you changed my world, and we changed the world. And I will never ever forget, and I will never be able to pay you back enough. I’m so glad we finally got to share this moment.”

Carano expressed frustration that the match concluded so rapidly, but acknowledged that simply returning to competition after building an acting career over more than fifteen years was an accomplishment in itself.

“I wanted that to last longer. I felt like I was so ready. I felt so good. I’ve never felt that good, but I haven’t been here for 17 years, so I mean I wanted to. I wanted to hit her,” she explained.

“You feel a little unfulfilled, just because you didn’t get a chance to at least show the world what you’ve been working on, you know. I’ll probably feel that later. Right now, getting in the cage was a victory. Getting here after 17 years is a victory.”

The night’s other featured bouts saw lineal heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou deliver a crushing knockout victory over Philipe Lins, while Mike Perry inflicted severe cuts on popular fighter Nate Diaz to earn a second-round stoppage victory.

Houston Astros veteran infielder Jose Altuve is scheduled for medical imaging Sunday morning following a left side injury that forced his early departure from Saturday’s 4-1 victory against the Texas Rangers.

The injury occurred during the eighth inning when Altuve was taking a swing at the plate. While he made contact and sent the ball toward third base, he was unable to run to first base, showing visible discomfort as he returned to the dugout area.

“It’s not good he couldn’t even get out of the box and run,” said Astros manager Joe Espada.

Following an assessment by Espada and a Houston athletic trainer near the dugout, Altuve headed straight to the clubhouse. The veteran player chose not to discuss the injury with reporters after the game, stating he would wait for his MRI results before making any comments about his condition.

The 36-year-old Altuve has appeared in 41 games this season for Houston, batting .245 with three home runs and 11 RBIs. Throughout his 16-season career entirely with the Astros, he has maintained a .302 batting average while accumulating 258 home runs and 900 RBIs.

If Altuve requires placement on the injured list, it would compound Houston’s existing infield concerns. Third baseman Carlos Correa is sidelined following season-ending ankle surgery, while shortstop Jeremy Pena continues his recovery on the injured list due to a hamstring strain.

NEW YORK (AP) — Luke Weaver confessed to telling Clay Holmes a white lie and felt no shame about it.

Following his escape from a bases-loaded situation with no outs during the New York Mets’ 6-3 Subway Series victory against the Yankees on Saturday evening, Weaver made it a point to contact his teammate who had departed Friday’s game with a leg fracture.

“When I saw him I just was like: ‘That was in honor of you. I even had your name written in my hat,’” Weaver recalled saying.

However, the relief pitcher confessed he made up that motivational detail.

“I didn’t, but it just felt right to say,” he told reporters. “Kids, don’t lie to your parents.”

“Clay would probably be disappointed that I wasn’t thinking about him out there on the mound,” Weaver added, “but the situation obviously presented itself pretty quickly.”

One day after Holmes suffered a broken right fibula from Spencer Jones’ line drive back to the mound, the Mets held a 5-2 advantage when the Yankees filled the bases in the seventh inning following rookie right fielder Carsen Benge’s dropped catch of Cody Bellinger’s fly ball, which allowed Aaron Judge to cross home plate.

Weaver, who departed the Yankees in December for a $22 million, two-year contract with the Mets, rushed from the bullpen to replace Brooks Raley. Weaver focused on “not twisting an ankle or something.”

“I run in pretty fast. I just think that’s more of an adrenaline spike,” he said. “but the first few steps always are unpleasant and then the ankles start to loosen up a bit.”

He eliminated Amed Rosario and Trent Grisham with changeups after establishing 0-2 counts on both batters, then forced Anthony Volpe into a groundout that ended the inning.

“He was pretty fired up,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said.

Weaver’s fastball velocity reached 96.1 mph on average, which was 1.4 mph higher than his seasonal norm.

“I don’t think he’s extra fired up. I think that’s who he is. I think that’s what he brings to the table every time,” said Juan Soto, who had a pair of hits and walked twice.

Weaver returned for the eighth inning, marking his first multi-inning appearance since May of the previous year. He concluded the eighth by getting Judge out on a fly ball.

“A little smirk,” Weaver revealed. “I did say I would acknowledge him at the plate. I didn’t do that a few years ago, and he let me have it. But yeah, it was a cool opportunity to finish that outing against one of the greatest we’ve ever seen and one of best people you’ve ever known.”

The crowd at Citi Field was energetic, particularly during Judge and Soto’s at-bats.

“I enjoyed every bit of it.” Soto said. “Definitely, there’s some weird words that they say out there. Most of them, I don’t understand it, but, yeah, it’s really cool.”

Having won four of their last five contests, the Mets moved to 19-26 but stayed in last place within the NL East division.

“I think tonight I wanted people to know, especially my teammates, that’s what we’re capable of,” Weaver said. “We could beat great teams in this league and it just takes some fundamental baseball. It takes big moments. It takes some mistakes that we bounce back from.”

Holmes, who joined the Mets from the Yankees following the 2024 season, will probably remain out of action until August at the earliest. Weaver doesn’t plan to actually inscribe Holmes’ name in his cap going forward.

“I certainly will not. That would violate a best friendship that I’m striving for and it would just be a little too much too quick,” he said. “He seems like a guy that’s got a lot of friends but not a lot of best friends, so that’s always a challenge, trying to just get something you can’t have.”

ESPN reports that Aaron Rodgers has committed to continuing his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2026, with plans to sign a one-year contract valued at up to $25 million, according to Saturday night reports.

The network indicates he will earn between $22 million and $23 million in guaranteed base compensation, with performance bonuses potentially bringing the total package to $25 million.

The report states that Rodgers is anticipated to attend Pittsburgh’s organized team activities session on Monday.

The 42-year-old quarterback has spent time in Pittsburgh during recent weeks, and throughout much of the offseason there was widespread expectation that he would ultimately decide to continue with the Steelers.

Pittsburgh’s decision to bring in Mike McCarthy as head coach was considered a major influence in Rodgers’ choice. The two worked together during McCarthy’s tenure leading the Green Bay Packers from 2006-18, when Rodgers helped guide the team to victory in the 2010 season Super Bowl.

The veteran signal-caller, who has earned MVP honors four times, will be beginning his 21st season in the NFL. He has been selected for the Pro Bowl on 10 occasions.

During the previous season with Pittsburgh, Rodgers posted a completion percentage of 65.7% while throwing for 3,322 yards, 24 touchdown passes and seven interceptions.

In NFL history, Rodgers holds the fifth position for career passing yards with 66,274 and ranks fourth in touchdown passes with 527. His career total of 123 interceptions gives him a 1.4 interception percentage, which stands as the league’s all-time best mark.

Rodgers spent 18 seasons playing for the Packers and two years with the New York Jets before joining the Steelers last season.

Pittsburgh’s current quarterback depth chart also includes veteran Mason Rudolph, second-year player Will Howard and 2026 third-round selection Drew Allar.

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell is scheduled for surgery Tuesday to have loose bodies removed from his left elbow, though the team anticipates the two-time Cy Young Award winner will be back on the mound this season.

The left-handed pitcher made his first appearance of the season last weekend, allowing four earned runs over three innings after being sidelined at the season’s start due to left shoulder fatigue and inflammation. He was pulled from his planned Friday start against the Los Angeles Angels.

The procedure is set for Tuesday.

“It’s going to be to take out those loose bodies, and it’s supposed to be a lot quicker recovery, so we’re encouraged about that,” manager Dave Roberts said Saturday before the second game of the three-game Freeway Series at Angel Stadium.

The 33-year-old missed the majority of the 2025 regular season due to a shoulder problem, limiting him to 11 starts, though he managed six playoff appearances. He posted a 3-2 record in the postseason, contributing to the Dodgers’ second straight World Series championship.

The elbow issue was identified Thursday, and Roberts suggested the pitcher might have a procedure similar to what Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal recently underwent to speed up his recovery. Skubal had a more aggressive minimally invasive operation on May 6, allowing him to begin playing catch and soft tossing just over a week afterward.

While Roberts said it’s premature to establish a timeline for the pitcher’s return to baseball activities, “I think just with the MRI, the scans and everything, we feel good about getting back to play sooner than later,” he said.

The team is already dealing with the absence of closer Edwin Diaz, who underwent surgery to remove loose bodies from his right elbow in April, and starter Tyler Glasnow remains on the injured list with back spasms.

San Francisco Giants left fielder Heliot Ramos has been sidelined on the 10-day injured list following a right quadriceps strain he sustained Saturday.

The injury occurred during Friday evening’s 6-2 defeat against the Athletics in West Sacramento, California. Ramos received an MRI examination on Saturday.

Giants manager Tony Vitello indicated the recovery timeline will be substantial. “It will be at least a couple weeks and probably more than that,” Vitello stated. “We’ll see how things go for him. It’s obviously painful for (Ramos) and it stinks.”

Drew Gilbert will take over left field duties and bat in the seventh position for Saturday’s matchup versus the Athletics.

The team brought up outfielder Will Brennan from Triple-A Sacramento while sending right-handed pitcher Tristan Beck down to the same club. Additionally, San Francisco activated left-handed pitcher Erik Miller from the injured list after recovering from a back issue.

The 26-year-old Ramos sustained the injury while attempting a diving catch on Jeff McNeil’s base hit during the fifth inning. He managed to bat in the sixth inning before being pulled from the game.

Infielder Casey Schmitt took over Ramos’ position in left field, marking his debut as a professional outfielder. Schmitt also had no outfield experience during his three college campaigns from 2018-20 at San Diego State, where he was selected in the second round of the 2020 draft.

Ramos recorded one hit in three at-bats Friday and currently maintains a .267 batting average with four home runs and 20 RBIs across 44 games this season. He achieved more than 20 home runs in both of the previous two seasons and earned National League All-Star recognition in 2024.

Brennan, 28, went hitless in nine at-bats during five earlier games with the Giants this season, while the 29-year-old Beck contributed three shutout innings across two appearances.

Miller, 28, posted a 3.18 ERA through 12 relief outings before his injury. His most recent appearance for the Giants was on April 30.

Napoleon Solo, with jockey Paco Lopez in the saddle, captured the 151st Preakness Stakes on Saturday at Laurel Park in Laurel, Maryland, holding off a challenge from Iron Honor to claim the victory.

The triumph marked the colt’s first win of the current racing season. The absence of Kentucky Derby champion Golden Tempo from the race created an open competition among the field of 14 horses vying for the second jewel of the Triple Crown series.

Lopez guided Napoleon Solo to the front of the pack in the stretch run, successfully defending against Iron Honor’s late charge to secure the prestigious victory at the historic Maryland track.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have secured their veteran quarterback for another season, with Aaron Rodgers committing to a one-year contract to remain with the team.

Sources familiar with the agreement confirmed to The Associated Press on Saturday that the four-time NFL MVP has ended his lengthy deliberation process and will return to Pittsburgh. The sources requested anonymity as the team has not yet made an official announcement.

At 42 years old, Rodgers led the Steelers to an AFC North championship during his first season with the franchise, recording 24 touchdown passes against just seven interceptions. The veteran quarterback appeared to connect with Pittsburgh’s rich football tradition, similar to his earlier years in Green Bay, and will now enter what could be his 22nd and potentially final NFL season.

The signing brings Rodgers back together with former Packers coach Mike McCarthy, who was brought in to helm the Steelers in January after Mike Tomlin concluded his 19-season tenure with the organization.

The quarterback and coach previously collaborated for 13 seasons in Green Bay, where Rodgers developed into one of football’s premier talents after taking over as the starter in 2008. During their time together, Green Bay captured its fourth Super Bowl championship while Rodgers claimed two of his four MVP awards under McCarthy’s offensive system.

The partnership will continue in Pittsburgh, though both men find themselves in different stages of their careers. This season likely represents Rodgers’ final chapter, while the 64-year-old McCarthy appears to be concluding his coaching career close to the Greenfield neighborhood where he was raised.

Pittsburgh had expressed interest in bringing Rodgers back, though several self-imposed deadlines passed without a signature – including the March start of free agency and last month’s NFL draft held in Pittsburgh.

The organization took the uncommon step of placing an unrestricted free agent tender on Rodgers, a procedural move that provided some protection if the quarterback had chosen to join another team before training camp begins in late July.

Whether other teams pursued Rodgers remains unclear, though the point is now moot. Last year, he delayed his decision until early June before joining Pittsburgh, then spent the following months fully embracing his role and earning praise from teammates for his commitment and leadership qualities.

Rodgers returns to a quarterback group that has grown during his decision-making period. The Steelers selected Penn State’s Drew Allar in the third round of the draft, joining veteran Mason Rudolph and Will Howard, who was chosen in the sixth round of 2025.

Both Howard and Allar are viewed as developmental prospects, and Rodgers’ return allows them time to progress while learning from a quarterback who spent three seasons as Brett Favre’s understudy in Green Bay before becoming the starter.

Pittsburgh has also bolstered its receiving corps this offseason, acquiring Michael Pittman Jr. through trade and drafting Germie Bernard. These additions could give Rodgers additional deep-threat options after opposing defenses focused heavily on stopping DK Metcalf last season.

While Rodgers’ return seemed more a matter of timing than uncertainty, questions remain about when he’ll join team activities. Pittsburgh’s organized team activities begin May 18.

Although OTAs are technically voluntary, they typically carry greater importance with new coaching staffs. However, Rodgers’ experience with McCarthy’s offensive system and Pittsburgh’s desire to give Allar and Howard extensive practice repetitions could allow Rodgers to remain at his Malibu, California home until mandatory minicamp runs from June 2-4.

Regardless of his spring participation, Rodgers will be with the starters when the team gathers for training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe in late July, with the goal of guiding the Steelers back to the playoffs and pursuing the franchise’s first postseason victory in ten years.

Spanish golfer Jon Rahm positioned himself as a serious contender for the PGA Championship title after firing a third-round 67 on Saturday, though he made clear his attention remains fixed on claiming another major championship rather than addressing concerns about LIV Golf’s prospects.

The two-time major winner, who captured the 2021 U.S. Open and 2023 Masters titles, carded five birdies against two bogeys to reach four under par at Aronimink Golf Club near Philadelphia. He momentarily held a share of the lead before dropping a stroke at the final hole, leaving him one shot off the pace.

Improved course conditions led to better scoring throughout the field on Saturday, enabling Rahm to temporarily reach the top of the leaderboard before settling into a crowded group of contenders entering Sunday’s final round.

While LIV Golf players continue drawing scrutiny, Rahm dismissed questions about whether a championship victory at Aronimink might help the tour’s standing as it grapples with financial uncertainty ahead.

The Saudi Arabia-backed Public Investment Fund, which has invested over $5 billion in LIV since the circuit began in 2022, announced last month it will discontinue funding after the 2026 season concludes, forcing the tour to seek alternative financial support.

“Honestly, in a week like this one, I’m thinking more about myself,” Rahm explained to reporters when questioned about whether winning could assist LIV Golf in securing new investors.

“I’m not going to take on anything outside what I can control when it comes to competing tomorrow.”

Rahm noted that claiming another major championship would hold special meaning for his country’s golf legacy and his own quest to complete the career Grand Slam.

“But what it would mean for Spain as well in the Grand Slam tally and being the last leg of the Grand Slam for us as well, there’s a lot of things that would mean a lot,” he said.

Following a series of disappointing major championship results since switching to LIV Golf in late 2023, Rahm’s solid performance this weekend has him positioned for his strongest finish in one of golf’s premier events since his Masters victory.

Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager will be absent from Saturday’s starting lineup when his team faces the Houston Astros after experiencing back spasms upon waking up, manager Skip Schumaker announced.

The veteran player is currently enduring a career-worst offensive drought, going hitless in his last 27 at-bats. While Seager also sat out Friday’s contest, Schumaker explained that absence was part of a planned rest day.

“He wanted to see if he could loosen up when he got here,” Schumaker explained. “It just didn’t loosen up, so just wanted to play it smart and not push him.”

In his most recent appearance Wednesday against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Seager failed to record a hit in four trips to the plate while striking out twice.

Ezequiel Duran, a five-year veteran currently hitting .274, will take over shortstop duties for the second straight game and occupy the fifth spot in the batting order.

Throughout the 2026 season, Duran has demonstrated versatility by playing multiple positions including second base, third base, and both corner outfield positions.

The five-time All-Star Seager is currently posting a .179 batting average with seven home runs and 20 RBIs across 42 games this season.

This marks Seager’s fifth campaign with Texas following his signing of a 10-year, $325 million contract before the 2022 season. He previously spent seven seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers from 2015-2021.

The Los Angeles Angels promoted outfielder Jose Siri from the minors on Saturday before their home matchup with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The team also sent outfielder Bryce Teodosio down to Triple-A Salt Lake and moved right-handed reliever Ben Joyce to the 60-day injured list.

Siri brings five years of major league experience and is recognized for his quickness and outfield skills, though he hasn’t played in the majors this season. During 2023, he had his best professional year with the Tampa Bay Rays, hitting 25 home runs and swiping 12 bases across 101 contests.

The previous season saw Siri’s hitting numbers plummet with the New York Mets after he was sidelined for five months due to a fractured tibia. He managed just 2 hits in 36 at-bats over 16 appearances, with zero home runs and one RBI.

The 30-year-old has been performing well this year for Salt Lake in the offense-friendly PCL. Through 140 plate appearances, he’s recorded five homers, 27 RBIs, four steals and is hitting .288.

Teodosio possesses comparable talents. The quick defensive player was hitting .213 without any home runs but with four stolen bases through 34 appearances for the Angels this year. The 26-year-old will receive additional development time in the farm system.

Joyce hasn’t taken the mound in a big league contest since April 8, 2025, following labrum surgery last May. The 60-day IL placement makes sense as he works through his rehabilitation with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga.

FIFA’s top official expressed confidence about Iran’s participation in this year’s World Cup following what he described as productive discussions with Iranian football leadership on Saturday.

Secretary-General Mattias Grafstrom met with Iran’s FA (FFIRI) President Mehdi Taj during a visit to Istanbul, addressing ongoing concerns about the team’s involvement in the June 11 to July 19 tournament.

“We’ve had an excellent meeting and constructive meeting together with the Iran FA,” Grafstrom told Reuters. “We’re working closely together and looking very much forward to welcoming them in the FIFA World Cup.”

Iran’s World Cup participation has faced uncertainty since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran in late February. The situation became more complicated when FFIRI’s Taj was denied entry to Canada for the FIFA Congress in Vancouver earlier this month due to his connections to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Both the U.S. and Canada, who are co-hosting the World Cup alongside Mexico, designate the IRGC as a “terrorist entity” and refuse entry to individuals with ties to the elite military organization.

While Grafstrom would not discuss specific visa arrangements for Iran’s players, he indicated that operational matters were addressed during the meeting and characterized the exchange as positive.

Taj also spoke favorably about the discussions with FIFA leadership.

“I am pleased that they listened to Iran’s points, all 10 points that we had raised, and they offered solutions for each of them. I hope, God willing, that our national team can go to the World Cup without any problems and achieve very good results there,” he said.

When pressed about whether FIFA had obtained guarantees regarding entry and visa procedures for Iran’s squad, Grafstrom remained tight-lipped.

“We’ve discussed all relevant matters, but I think it’s not the place to discuss the details,” he stated. “Overall, a very positive meeting and we’re looking forward to continuing the dialogue.”

Iran had requested that their World Cup fixtures be moved to Mexico, but FIFA President Gianni Infantino maintains that all matches must take place at their originally designated venues.

The Iranian national team is set to depart Tehran on Monday for a training camp in Turkey before relocating to their U.S. headquarters at the Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, Arizona in early June.

Iran’s World Cup journey begins with a match against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15. The team is also slated to face Belgium and Egypt in Group G competition.

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Jose Berrios will have surgery on Wednesday to repair a stress fracture in his elbow, manager John Schneider announced Saturday.

The 31-year-old right-handed pitcher has been absent from major league action since September and was unable to participate in Toronto’s World Series run last season or represent Puerto Rico in this spring’s World Baseball Classic due to what was initially identified as inflammation in his right elbow.

Following four minor league rehabilitation outings this season, additional elbow pain revealed the stress fracture diagnosis.

Medical staff will determine a recovery timeline after Wednesday’s surgical procedure, though there’s a chance Berrios could be sidelined for all of 2026.

Last season, Berrios compiled a 9-5 record with a 4.17 ERA across 31 games, starting 30 of them. Throughout his decade-long major league career, the two-time All-Star has posted a 108-82 record with a 4.08 ERA in 275 appearances (273 starts) while playing for the Minnesota Twins from 2016-21 and the Blue Jays.

The New York Mets have sidelined right-handed pitcher Clay Holmes for at least 15 days after he suffered a broken right fibula during Friday’s matchup against the New York Yankees when a batted ball struck him.

To fill the roster spot, the team brought up right-hander Joey Gerber from their Triple-A Syracuse affiliate.

The injury occurred when Holmes was struck by a blistering 111.1-mph liner off the bat of Spencer Jones during the fourth inning. Despite the impact, Holmes continued pitching and threw to seven additional batters before leaving the game. Medical imaging at the stadium confirmed the bone fracture.

“It’s a huge blow,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “He’s been one of the most consistent guys that we had in that rotation.”

The 33-year-old Holmes has compiled a 4-4 record with a 2.39 ERA across nine starts this season. Throughout his major league career spanning appearances with the Pittsburgh Pirates (2018-21), New York Yankees (2021-24) and Mets, he holds a 40-34 record with a 3.53 ERA over 353 total appearances, including 44 starts.

Gerber, age 29, previously appeared in one relief outing for the Mets last month. His major league career includes 20 relief appearances with the Seattle Mariners, Tampa Bay Rays and Mets dating back to 2020, posting a 3.27 ERA.

The Oakland Athletics released second baseman Michael Stefanic on Saturday while completing a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates to bring in minor league infielder Alika Williams.

The 30-year-old Stefanic had just joined Oakland’s roster this past Tuesday and recorded two hits in five at-bats with one run scored across two appearances after spending 34 games with Triple-A Las Vegas. Over his five-year major league career spanning three different clubs, Stefanic holds a .231 batting average with 14 RBIs across 101 games.

Williams, age 27, will get another shot at the majors after last appearing in 2024. This season with Pittsburgh’s Triple-A Indianapolis team, he posted a .317 batting average along with two home runs and 18 RBIs over 34 contests.

During his time with Pittsburgh from 2023-24, Williams appeared in 83 games and batted .202 with 11 RBIs.

To finalize the transaction, Oakland sent minor league right-handed pitcher Kyle Robinson to Pittsburgh. The 22-year-old Robinson compiled a 7-13 record with a 4.52 ERA across 34 outings, including 27 starts, within Oakland’s farm system.

Oakland also announced Saturday they shipped minor league outfielder Junior Perez to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for minor league left-handed pitcher Jackson Nove.

The National Football League’s diversity accelerator initiative will welcome 34 coaching staff members and front office personnel, with former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel among the participants, according to ESPN’s Saturday report.

League leadership launched these accelerator sessions during spring meetings beginning in 2022 following observations that team owners were overlooking well-qualified minority candidates for open positions. The program did not take place in 2025.

McDaniel, currently working as the Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator, previously led the Miami Dolphins from 2022 through 2025 and is one of 16 coaches participating in the program.

During his tenure with Miami, McDaniel guided the team to consecutive playoff berths in his initial two campaigns. His four-year run with the Dolphins produced a 35-33 regular season record alongside an 0-2 playoff mark.

Eric Bieniemy of the Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Nate Scheelhaase, Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski, Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Aden Durde, and Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich represent other participants who have interviewed for head coaching opportunities recently.

The program will also feature 18 front office professionals, including Glenn Cook and Catherine Hickman from the Cleveland Browns, James Liipfert with the Houston Texans, Mike Bradway representing the Chiefs, Brandon Brown of the New York Giants, Josh Williams from the San Francisco 49ers, Mike Greenberg with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Lance Newmark from the Washington Commanders.

NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pennsylvania, May 16 – Rory McIlroy mounted an impressive comeback at the PGA Championship, firing a third-round 66 on Saturday at Aronimink to surge back into title contention after struggling in his opening round.

The Masters champion, who started the tournament with a disappointing 74 before posting a bogey-free 67 on Friday to stay in the hunt, capitalized on improved course conditions and more favorable pin placements to reach three under par and share the clubhouse lead with Xander Schauffele.

McIlroy recorded six birdies against two bogeys in what ranked among the day’s finest performances, appearing much more at ease on a layout that had faced harsh criticism from multiple top players earlier in the tournament due to its challenging setup.

Jon Rahm, Justin Thomas and overnight co-leaders Maverick McNealy and Alex Smalley stayed in contention as the later groups worked through their rounds, while defending champion Scottie Scheffler also remained within reach despite experiencing difficulties converting scoring opportunities on the putting surfaces.

The more favorable Saturday weather conditions led to improved scoring after Aronimink had tested players severely during the opening two rounds with deep rough, gusty winds and controversial pin placements that created a tightly bunched leaderboard entering the weekend.

McIlroy’s dramatic turnaround completely altered the tournament dynamics after the Northern Irishman began Thursday’s play with four consecutive bogeys before rekindling his pursuit of back-to-back major championships following his Masters victory last month.

ROME, May 16 – Ukrainian tennis player Elina Svitolina demonstrated her preparation for the upcoming French Open by defeating world number four Coco Gauff 6-4 6-7(3) 6-2 during Saturday’s Italian Open championship match, capturing her first clay court tournament victory this season before Roland Garros begins.

The Ukrainian competitor recovered from being behind twice in the opening set to even the score at 4-4, then maintained her composure during grueling exchanges to take the lead in the ninth game through aggressive shot-making.

Several poorly-timed double faults by Gauff during the following game handed Svitolina the first set, and the 31-year-old increased her aggressive play late in the second set as she approached her third Rome championship.

The current Roland Garros titleholder Gauff persevered until the score reached 5-5 in the second set, then secured a break with an instinctive net volley after a ball that touched the net cord disrupted Svitolina’s positioning and caused an unsuccessful return.

Gauff’s momentum proved brief as Svitolina immediately broke serve again, though the American elevated her performance during the tiebreak to force a third and final set, where both players remained closely matched through the first four games.

A backhand mistake by Gauff allowed Svitolina to capture a crucial break in the fifth game, and the Ukrainian struck again for a second break advantage before maintaining her composure during a dramatic conclusion to claim victory on her third match point.

Svitolina will next attempt to capture her first Grand Slam championship at the French Open, which begins in Paris on May 24.

NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. — Saturday’s third round at the PGA Championship brought a dramatic shift in scoring conditions, with three golfers carding matching 5-under 65s by early afternoon.

Chris Kirk, Norway’s Kristoffer Reitan, and England’s Justin Rose all posted the low rounds before 2 p.m., matching the total number of rounds at 65 or better from the tournament’s first two days combined.

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland was also making a strong move, recording six birdies against one bogey through 15 holes to reach a tie for the 36-hole lead at 4 under par.

The improved scoring came after two days of player complaints about extremely difficult pin placements and challenging weather conditions at the Pennsylvania course near Philadelphia.

Kirk came tantalizingly close to golf history, needing just one more birdie to record what would have been the sixth 62 in major championship history. However, his approach shot at the 18th hole came up short of the green, and his lengthy putt from the fringe rolled 8 1/2 feet past the hole. He missed the comeback putt when it caught the lip, resulting in a double-bogey that drew gasps from spectators.

“When I’m not playing particularly well, I tend to play more conservative. When I’m having a nice day and making putts, I’m going to try to keep the pedal down as long as I can,” Kirk explained. “I was trying to make that putt from the front fringe on 18. It just doesn’t always work out that way.”

The aggressive approach made sense given the circumstances. All three players who shot 65 began the day at 3 over par, just one shot inside the cut line and needing to make significant moves.

“I’m hoping the lead doesn’t stretch more than 6 or 7 (under),” Rose commented. “That’s kind of what I’m kind of sitting here hoping. I think, if you don’t get off to a fast start, then you’re going to kind of get to, let’s say, the seventh hole, eighth hole, and you’re going to be like, geez, you know the easy holes are running out.”

Both Kirk and Rose built their strong rounds primarily on the front nine holes. Rose posted a 5-under 30 on the outward nine, recording consecutive birdies at holes 3, 4, 5, and 6, plus another at the ninth. Kirk managed five birdies over a six-hole span before stumbling with a bogey at the challenging par-3 eighth hole.

Reitan took a different path to his 65, making eagles on both the par-4 13th and par-5 16th holes. Tournament officials moved the tee forward on the 13th hole Saturday, reducing it to a drivable 292 yards. Reitan’s tee shot struck the flagstick with force before settling just 6 feet away for an easy eagle putt.

The 28-year-old Norwegian, fresh off his first PGA Tour victory at last week’s Truist Championship, joined Rose and Kirk in identifying two key factors that made scoring easier: more reasonable pin positions and warmer, calmer weather compared to Thursday and Friday.

“I think they’re probably halfway responsible, both of those two factors,” Reitan observed, though he cautioned that conditions might change as the day progressed.

“I don’t know how it’s going to look like this afternoon, but happy to get out early and try to take — or take advantage of the early morning conditions.”

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler had harshly criticized Friday’s pin placements as “absurd,” saying they were the most difficult he’d encountered since becoming a professional. Many pins were positioned on narrow shelves or steep slopes within the greens.

“Pin locations is a big difference, for sure,” Kirk noted Saturday. “There’s a handful of really tough ones out there still, but for the most part, they’re much, much more accessible than they have been the last few days.”

“It is warming up, and I think that makes a big difference,” Rose added. “Suddenly the ball is going a bit further. I think players feel a little bit better in T-shirts, and the body works a bit better, people start hitting the ball a little bit further.”

The tournament’s 36-hole co-leaders, Maverick McNealy and Alex Smalley, were scheduled to begin their third rounds at 2:40 p.m. local time. Other players making significant moves included Xander Schauffele, who was 4 under for his round and 3 under for the tournament, and Spain’s Jon Rahm, who stood at 3 under for the day and 2 under overall.

The St. Louis Cardinals skipper Oliver Marmol is embracing a “shirts optional” philosophy after witnessing an electrifying fan display during Friday evening’s victory.

A contingent of college baseball players seated in the right-field area stripped off their shirts and waved them enthusiastically while singing and chanting, inspiring other spectators to join their spirited demonstration.

The manager is eager to see this energy return to the ballpark.

“Last night’s atmosphere was electric. Let’s run it back this weekend,” Marmol wrote on social media. “I’ll buy tickets for fans who want to sit in the right field Loge and bring the energy.”

The spontaneous celebration originated when members of the Stephen F. Austin club baseball squad known as the Lumberjacks attended the game. These 17 players were visiting nearby Alton, Illinois, for the National Club Baseball Division II World Series when the Cardinals provided them with complimentary tickets.

When Yohel Pozo delivered the decisive RBI with a walk-off hit in the 11th inning, the Lumberjacks had successfully recruited additional supporters — including team mascot Fredbird — to participate in their topless celebration.

“Whoever started that in right field, I’ll do whatever I need to do to make sure they come every game,” Marmol commented after Friday’s contest. “Because that was awesome. Not only them, but everybody that showed up today. That was a fun environment.”

While the “tarps off” celebration — removing and waving one’s shirt — has become common in various sports venues, it marked a first for Busch Stadium.

Friday evening’s supporters may have inadvertently established a fresh ballpark custom.

The visiting players performed soccer-style chants and called out individual player names. Stadium organist Dwayne Hilton provided musical accompaniment and encouraged broader participation in the festivities.

“It creates an environment where, it’s not only filling this place up, it’s making it a tough place for other teams to come in and play,” Marmol stated Friday. “That was pretty damn cool. I’ll sign up for that, any day.”

The second contest of the three-game matchup against the Kansas City Royals commenced Saturday following approximately 45 minutes of weather-related delays.

The New York Yankees have sidelined left-handed pitcher Max Fried by placing him on the 15-day injured list Saturday, while bringing up right-handed pitching prospect Elmer Rodriguez from their Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre affiliate.

The decision regarding Fried dates back to Thursday and came following MRI and CT scan results that showed a bone bruise in his left elbow.

Following an outstanding beginning to the 2026 season, Fried (4-3, 3.21 ERA) encountered difficulties during May, surrendering 11 earned runs and 17 hits across 14 1/3 innings in three outings. He departed Wednesday’s game against Baltimore after just three innings, giving up three earned runs on 61 pitches.

The 32-year-old Fried posted a 4-1 record with a 2.09 ERA during his first seven starts (47 1/3 IP) in March and April.

Following an eight-season tenure with the Atlanta Braves (2017-24), Fried inked an eight-year, $218 million deal with the Yankees before the 2025 season. He earned his third All-Star selection with New York, compiling a 19-5 record and 2.86 ERA across 32 starts.

Throughout his 10-year major league career, Fried holds a 96-44 record in 210 appearances (194 starts) with a 3.04 ERA.

The 22-year-old Rodriguez first appeared in the majors on April 29, surrendering two runs on four hits while walking four batters in four innings during a 3-0 loss to the Texas Rangers. He returned to Triple-A on May 6.

Rodriguez carries a 0-1 record and 5.19 ERA in two games (both starts) with the Yankees this year, while maintaining a 1-2 record and 1.38 ERA in five Triple-A appearances (all starts).

Kansas City has moved left-handed pitcher Matt Strahm to the 15-day injured list due to inflammation in his right knee, while bringing back left-hander Bailey Falter from his stint on the IL.

The 34-year-old Strahm holds a 1-1 record with a 3.86 ERA across 17 relief outings since rejoining the Royals, the organization that drafted him in 2012.

Throughout his 11 seasons in the majors, Strahm has compiled a 35-39 record with a 3.37 ERA across 412 appearances, including 35 starts, playing for Kansas City (2016-17, 2026), the San Diego Padres (2018-21), Boston Red Sox (2022), and Philadelphia Phillies (2023-25).

The 29-year-old Falter struggled early this season with a 13.50 ERA in two relief appearances before being sidelined with inflammation in his left elbow. During his rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Omaha, he posted a 1-0 record and 2.70 ERA over nine relief outings.

Across six major league campaigns, Falter carries a 25-30 record with a 4.64 ERA in 116 appearances, including 83 starts, having played for Philadelphia (2021-23), the Pittsburgh Pirates (2023-25), and Kansas City.

Boston Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story will be placed on the 10-day injured list, according to a Saturday report from the Boston Globe.

The publication also indicated that utility player Nick Sogard will be called up from Triple-A Worcester to take Story’s place on the roster.

The 33-year-old Story has reportedly been managing a minor groin strain throughout much of the current season.

This season, he has posted a .206 batting average with three home runs and 19 RBIs across 41 games, while his six defensive errors tie him for the second-highest total in the American League entering Saturday’s games.

Throughout his career with the Colorado Rockies and Red Sox, Story has maintained a .262 batting average with 207 home runs and 655 RBIs over 1,106 games.

The 28-year-old Sogard has appeared in 61 games over the past two seasons with Boston.

This season with Worcester, he has recorded a .269 batting average along with five home runs and 23 RBIs in 36 games.

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Jose Berrios is scheduled for elbow surgery on Wednesday to repair a stress fracture and examine possible ligament damage or loose bodies in his pitching arm, according to MLB.com reports from Saturday.

The 31-year-old right-handed pitcher has been battling the injury since the beginning of spring training and has not appeared in any major league games this season.

“There may be some ligament stuff going on,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said on Saturday. “They’re going to figure that out when they’re in there.”

The elbow inflammation was first detected during a standard MRI scan conducted for insurance reasons while Berrios was still considering participation with Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic.

Last season, Berrios compiled a 9-5 record with a 4.17 ERA across 31 appearances, including 30 starts. This marked his first career placement on the injured list in late September due to elbow inflammation. The injury forced him to miss the entire postseason as Toronto fell to the Los Angeles Dodgers in a seven-game World Series.

Throughout his major league career with the Minnesota Twins from 2016-21 and the Blue Jays, Berrios holds a 108-82 record with a 4.08 ERA over 275 games, including 273 starts.

Missouri Tigers running back Ahmad Hardy maintains positive spirits while recovering from a gunshot wound to his leg sustained during a weekend concert, with his head coach Eli Drinkwitz expressing optimism that Hardy could be discharged from the hospital Monday.

The All-American athlete returned to Columbia, Missouri, this week after the May 10 incident occurred at an outdoor music event in Mississippi.

According to Drinkwitz’s comments to ESPN on Saturday, Hardy continues his hospital stay for post-surgical wound monitoring, though he is ambulatory and participating in physical therapy sessions three times daily.

Law enforcement officials apprehended Rashodrick Harris on Thursday in Paducah, Kentucky, regarding the shooting that took place in Laurel, Mississippi.

The 20-year-old Hardy hails from Mississippi and initially played college football at Louisiana-Monroe, where he earned 2024 Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year recognition after leading the conference with 1,351 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns across 237 carries.

Following his transfer to Missouri, Hardy achieved remarkable success last season, accumulating 1,649 rushing yards that placed him second nationally among FBS players while establishing a new Tigers single-season rushing record. His outstanding performance earned him SEC Newcomer of the Year recognition, Doak Walker Award finalist status, and consensus All-American honors after scoring 16 touchdowns and maintaining a 6.4-yard average on 256 rushing attempts.

Multiple media outlets reported Saturday that the Baltimore Orioles have agreed to terms with seasoned outfielder Tommy Pham on a minor league contract.

The 38-year-old struggled during his brief stint with the New York Mets this past month, failing to record a hit in 13 at-bats across nine appearances before the team designated him for assignment on April 27.

Since breaking into the majors with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2014, the experienced player has suited up for 10 different franchises over his 13-season career.

Throughout his major league tenure, Pham has compiled a .256 batting average with a .344 on-base percentage and .421 slugging percentage, along with 149 home runs, 522 runs batted in, and 131 stolen bases across 1,250 contests. His most recent American League experience came in 2024 when he played for both the Chicago White Sox and Kansas City Royals.

Baltimore is seeking additional outfield options following this week’s placement of Dylan Beavers on the 10-day injured list with a right oblique strain.

SHAOXING, China, May 16 – South African sprinter Gift Leotlela captured his first Diamond League victory Saturday at the Shanghai meet, narrowly defeating Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala and American Kenny Bednarek in the men’s 100-meter dash. Swedish pole vault star Mondo Duplantis was unable to break his world record in another ambitious attempt.

The 28-year-old Leotlela powered through in the final meters to win a thrilling photo finish against Omanyala from Kenya and Bednarek, who has earned two Olympic medals in the 200 meters. Leotlela crossed the line in 9.97 seconds to secure his breakthrough Diamond League triumph.

“It means a lot… I had a decent start, not great. I just tried to keep my composure, stay in my rhythm and stay strong,” commented Leotlela, who placed fifth at last year’s World Championships.

In the women’s 200 meters, Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson powered past Bahamian competitor Shaunae Miller-Uibo, a dual Olympic 400-meter champion, to claim victory. American Anavia Battle took third place, finishing ahead of compatriot Sha’Carri Richardson, who earned 100-meter silver at the Paris Games.

Olympic champion Masai Russell from the United States dominated the women’s 100-meter hurdles, recording 12.25 seconds for the year’s fastest time globally. In the men’s 110-meter hurdles, world champion Cordell Tinch was defeated by fellow American Jamal Britt.

DUPLANTIS UNABLE TO CLEAR 6.32 METERS

Duplantis secured an easy victory in the men’s pole vault competition after his nearest rival Kurtis Marschall was eliminated following a 5.80-meter clearance.

The 26-year-old Swedish athlete comfortably cleared 6.12 meters before targeting 6.32 meters in hopes of surpassing his 6.31-meter record from March, which would have marked his 16th world record achievement.

The bar was dislodged by his feet during his initial two tries, and his final attempt fell significantly short.

“The attempt at the world record was okay, I wish I could improve the run-up, the approach, speed and energy and then it will be good,” Duplantis explained.

Dutch athlete Jessica Schilder delivered an outstanding performance in the women’s shot put, launching 21.09 meters to defeat two-time world champion Chase Jackson.

Ireland’s Mark English claimed the men’s 800-meter title in a chaotic sprint to the finish as nearly all competitors bunched together in the final stretch, narrowly beating Kethobogile Haingura and Brandon Miller.

Kenyan distance runner Faith Kipyegon easily won her season-opening outdoor 5000-meter race, finishing in 14 minutes and 24.14 seconds for the year’s top performance.

“I feel so good, it was a good race. A positive season opener,” stated Kipyegon, who has claimed three Olympic 1500-meter titles and also earned 5,000-meter silver at the Paris Games.

“I’m going to continue to do both 1,500m and 5,000m… I just want to be the best version of myself and see how I perform.”

ROME, May 16 – The world’s top-ranked tennis player Jannik Sinner experienced a difficult night’s sleep before wrapping up his weather-delayed semifinal triumph over Daniil Medvedev at the Italian Open on Saturday.

The tournament’s leading seed defeated Medvedev with scores of 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 in a semifinal match that had been postponed Friday evening because of torrential rain, with Sinner ahead 4-2 in the final set when officials stopped play.

Sinner will face Norway’s 23rd-seeded Casper Ruud in Sunday’s championship match, against whom the Italian holds a 4-0 advantage in previous meetings.

“A tough challenge, to be honest. During the night, usually I never struggle to sleep. This night was not easy,” Sinner said.

“When you’re in the third set, nearly done, but you still have to show up again … It’s basically a new start of a match. There are nerves again, but I’m very happy how I handled the situation.”

This triumph pushed Sinner’s extraordinary Masters series victory run to 33 straight matches, an unprecedented streak that has included championship trophies in Paris, Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo and Madrid.

Notably, the Rome championship represents the sole gap in his outstanding Masters tournament collection, after falling to Carlos Alcaraz in the previous year’s final.

With his advancement to Sunday’s title match, Sinner also achieved the distinction of becoming the first Italian player since Nicola Pietrangeli 68 years ago to appear in consecutive Rome finals.

Sinner maintains an unblemished 4-0 record against Ruud, which includes a quarterfinal victory in Rome the previous year, and has yet to lose a single set to the Norwegian competitor. However, he anticipates a challenging contest.

“I think he’s playing much, much better tennis right now, it’s going to be very tough,” Sinner added.

“I’m just happy to stand again here in the final – special tournament for me, special tournament for Italians … If it goes well, I’m very happy. If not, the final of a Masters is an amazing result.”

A decisive seventh game awaits basketball fans this Sunday, bringing excitement for supporters of both the Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons.

However, only one fanbase will celebrate when the night concludes.

For the second straight playoff round, the Cavaliers and Pistons find themselves in a do-or-die matchup. Detroit will welcome Cleveland on Sunday evening for Game 7 of their Eastern Conference semifinal matchup, with the victor earning a spot against New York in the East finals beginning Tuesday.

Detroit boasts a 6-1 record in Game 7 contests since 1990, while Cleveland maintains a perfect 5-0 mark in such games since 2016 — including two victories on opposing courts.

“I’ve seen this movie before,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said. “It’s tough. It’s hard. And it should be hard. The good thing is we’ve put ourselves in a position to have a Game 7. But this is what it’s about. Playoffs are hard. We’ve got to close it out in Game 7.”

Cleveland’s first-round seven-game victory this season came against Toronto, while Detroit needed the full series to defeat Orlando. Both the Cavaliers and Pistons enjoyed home-court advantage for those decisive contests, but Cleveland won’t have that benefit this time.

The Cavs captured Game 5 in Detroit to seize control of the series momentarily, then suffered a 115-94 defeat while attempting to clinch at home on Friday. Now they must return to Detroit.

“It’s one game on the road. There’s no other way to put it,” Cavaliers guard James Harden said. “You’ve got to be detailed, you’ve got to get off for a really good start, and you’ve got to maintain and sustain it for an entire game, however long that takes. It really is just one game. Not saying you’ve got to be perfect, but we’ve got to do the details that we’ve been preaching.”

The Pistons now stand 4-0 this season when facing elimination following Friday’s triumph. They managed just four elimination game victories combined over the previous 20 seasons, though many of those years passed without Detroit reaching the playoffs at all.

This squad represents a transformation. A franchise that won only 14 games two seasons ago maintained the East’s top seed for nearly the entire current season, developing confidence from that achievement.

“We stay in the moment,” Pistons guard Cade Cunningham said. “We don’t get ahead of ourselves. But most importantly, we stick together. When things get ugly or whatever, we come together, we talk, we get back in the moment and then we move forward from there.”

Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff added: “They just don’t quit. The resolve that they have, the belief that they have in one another, they just have the ability to bounce back mentally where they don’t hang onto things. Quarters don’t bother them. Halves don’t bother them. They just move on to the next play, stay moment to moment and try to win what’s in front of them.”

Sunday’s victor will become the sixth franchise in the current playoff structure (the NBA adopted best-of-seven first-round series in 2003) to reach the conference finals after winning Game 7s in both the opening and second rounds.

The previous teams:

— Dallas, 2003

The Mavs finished 60-22 in the 2002-03 campaign and earned the Western Conference’s No. 3 seed. They defeated Portland 4-3 in the first round, Sacramento 4-3 in the second round, but lost in six games to San Antonio in the West finals.

— Phoenix, 2006

The Suns compiled a 54-28 record in 2005-06 and secured the West’s No. 2 seed. They eliminated the Lakers 4-3 in the opening round, the Clippers 4-3 in round two, but fell in six games to Dallas in the West finals.

— Boston, 2008

The Celtics captured the NBA championship in 2007-08 through an extremely challenging path. Boston posted a 66-16 record to claim the Eastern Conference’s top seed, then required seven games to eliminate both Atlanta in the first round and Cleveland in the second round. The Celtics defeated Detroit in six games to win the East finals, then beat the Lakers in six games in the NBA Finals.

— Toronto, 2016

The Raptors finished 56-26 in 2015-16 and claimed the East’s No. 2 seed. They needed seven games to overcome Indiana in the first round and Miami in the second round, then fell in six games to Cleveland in the East finals.

— Denver, 2020

During the bubble season, the Nuggets completed a 46-27 campaign to secure the West’s No. 3 seed. They defeated Utah 4-3 in the first round, the Clippers 4-3 in the second round — overcoming 3-1 deficits in both series — then lost to the Lakers 4-1 in the West finals.

Texas Rangers infielder Josh Smith is receiving medical treatment for viral meningitis at a hospital in the Dallas area, according to a team announcement.

The 28-year-old player began experiencing symptoms earlier this week and sought medical attention on Wednesday. Medical staff expect Smith to remain hospitalized for approximately one to two weeks until he makes a complete recovery.

“Our only concern right now is Josh’s health,” said Chris Young, the team’s president of baseball operations on Friday. “Josh is receiving tremendous care from outstanding health professionals and has a good prognosis. This is obviously an unexpected illness, but we hope to see him return to full health and rejoin the club very soon.”

The condition involves inflammation of the protective membrane surrounding the brain and spinal cord.

Smith had already been sidelined on the 10-day injured list since May 4 due to a right glute strain. During his rehabilitation, he has also been managing left wrist inflammation.

This season, Smith is batting .217 with six RBIs across 31 games. Throughout his five-year career spanning 487 games, he maintains a .235 batting average with 31 home runs and 134 RBIs. Smith contributed to Texas winning the World Series in 2023 and received a Silver Slugger award in 2024.

The PGA Championship has elevated its prize pool to $20.5 million for this year’s tournament, with the winner set to receive $3.69 million on Sunday.

Officials from the PGA of America revealed the enhanced prize money on Saturday at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pa., where the 108th PGA Championship is taking place.

This increase puts the championship alongside other major tournaments offering $20 million or more in prize money, including the Masters at $22.5 million in 2026 and the U.S. Open at $21.5 million in 2025. The Open Championship offered $17 million in prize money last year.

Last year’s PGA Championship featured $19 million in total prize money, falling short of the $20 million offered by the PGA Tour’s signature events. The tournament’s purse remains below The Players Championship’s $25 million total.

“We’re really focused on all aspects of how do we improve and continue to look at improvement at the assets we have, including PGA Championships,” PGA of America CEO Terry Clark said earlier this week. “This is a really important one. Obviously, it’s something we look at every year. It’s not always in comparison to all of those (other majors and signature events). It’s what are the factors that make sense?”

Scottie Scheffler earned $3.42 million for capturing the Wanamaker Trophy at last year’s PGA Championship held at Quail Hollow Golf Club in Charlotte, N.C.

The runner-up on Sunday will collect approximately $2.2 million, while the third-place finisher will receive around $1.4 million. All golfers finishing in the top 20 will earn no less than $252,000. The last-place finisher among the 82 players who made the cut will take home $23,900, and those eliminated after missing the cut will receive $4,300.

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Traditional wrestling holds deep cultural significance in Senegal, where the sport called laamb in the local Wolof language serves as a cornerstone of village culture. Elite competitors who achieve the highest level earn recognition as “King of the Arenas” and attract enormous crowds both in person and on television.

What sets laamb apart is its ceremonial nature, incorporating ornate clothing, spiritual amulets, and traditional ceremonies. Athletes adorned in decorative outfits and wearing protective talismans thought to prevent harm and harness mystical energy dance to traditional sabar drumbeats, highlighting the spiritual dimension that many consider equally vital to the physical competition.

The ancient practice has transformed into a commercial enterprise complete with corporate backing and monetary prizes. Young athletes view the sport as a pathway to prosperity and celebrity status, though financial hardships remain common among participants who dream of opportunities overseas.

Omar, a 22-year-old amateur competitor, sees the wrestling ring as his ticket to success. “I do this because wrestling pays more than being a footballer in this country,” he said. “If I become a professional, I will be rich.”

Despite these aspirations, wrestlers competing in regional competitions typically receive minimal compensation and face economic difficulties, placing their faith in training programs and potential international opportunities while hoping to join the select few who achieve stardom.

The San Antonio Spurs are heading to the Western Conference finals after delivering a dominant performance against the Minnesota Timberwolves, winning 139-109 in Game 6 on Friday night in Minneapolis to close out the semifinal series.

San Antonio will now square off against the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, with the defending champions hosting Game 1 of the best-of-seven series on Monday. The Spurs enter as the second seed in the matchup.

During the regular season, these teams faced each other five times, including a meeting in the NBA Cup semifinals, with San Antonio taking four of those five contests.

However, Stephon Castle, who led all scorers with 32 points in the decisive game, emphasized that past results won’t matter in the upcoming series.

“We’re not even thinking about that right now. The games ahead are a totally different game,” Castle explained during his postgame interview on the court. “They’re rolling right now. They’ve won eight straight. It’s going to be tough to knock them off, but we’re pretty confident we can do it.”

The Spurs shot exceptionally well in their series-clinching victory, connecting on 55.7% of their field goal attempts and 47.4% from three-point range, leaving little doubt about the outcome against Minnesota.

Castle set the tone early, knocking down three shots from beyond the arc and converting a three-point play during a 14-point opening quarter that helped San Antonio build an 11-point advantage. The visitors then completely took control by opening the second quarter with a 20-0 scoring run.

Victor Wembanyama contributed seven of his 19 points during that decisive stretch, helping create a commanding 56-27 lead just five minutes into the second period.

“Our energy and attention to detail was probably the best it’s been all series,” Castle noted. “When we’re playing like that on defense, it makes offense for us real easy.”

The Timberwolves, who reached the Western Conference finals in each of the previous two seasons, battled back to cut the deficit to 74-61 by halftime. But Minnesota couldn’t match San Antonio’s three-point shooting and never mounted a serious comeback threat in the second half.

Following the loss, Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards, who managed 24 points despite struggling with his shot at 9-for-26, acknowledged San Antonio’s superiority.

“Tip my hat to them,” Edwards said at his media availability. “They’re just a better team.”

The three-point line proved decisive, with Castle hitting 5-of-7 attempts and De’Aaron Fox going 3-for-3 as the Spurs outscored their hosts 54-36 from deep. San Antonio made 18 of 38 three-point attempts (47.4%) while Minnesota managed just 12 of 34 (35.3%).

Castle’s 32-point effort fell just one point short of his 33-point performance in Game 3 against Portland during the first round. He also grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds as the Spurs controlled the boards 60-29.

Fox contributed 21 points and tied for the game high with nine assists, while Wembanyama added six rebounds and three blocks to his 19 points.

Julian Champagnie added 18 points for San Antonio, with Dylan Harper scoring 15 and Devin Vassell chipping in 11. This marks the Spurs’ first playoff appearance since 2019 and their first conference finals berth in that span.

“The words conference finals are unreal,” Wembanyama shared with the Prime Video broadcast team after the victory. “It’s something I’ve heard my whole life and now we’re in it and it’s kinda unreal. But it’s just basketball and we know what we have to do.”

For the sixth-seeded Timberwolves, who upset third-seeded Denver in the opening round, Terrence Shannon Jr. scored 21 points and Naz Reid added 18. Jaden McDaniels contributed 13 points and Ayo Dosunmu had 10, while also dishing out nine assists.

Minnesota’s Julius Randle struggled significantly, making just 1-of-8 shots for three points, while Rudy Gobert failed to score and managed only three rebounds in 22 minutes of play.

FIFA’s Secretary-General Mattias Grafstrom is scheduled to hold discussions with officials from Iran’s soccer federation (FFIRI) this Saturday in Istanbul, where he plans to provide “reassurance” regarding Iran’s World Cup participation, according to a source with knowledge of the planned meeting who spoke to Reuters.

The Iranian national team is set to compete in all three of their World Cup group stage matches on U.S. soil, but their involvement in the tournament running from June 11 through July 19 has been uncertain following military strikes carried out by the U.S. and Israel against Iran in late February.

Houston pitcher Spencer Arrighetti came tantalizingly close to baseball perfection Friday night, taking a no-hitter deep into the eighth inning before the Astros defeated the Texas Rangers 2-0 in the opening game of their three-game series.

The right-hander Arrighetti (5-1) delivered a masterful performance on the mound, establishing his dominance early in the contest.

Following a two-out walk to Brandon Nimmo in the opening frame, Arrighetti mowed down 11 straight Rangers hitters. His no-hit bid remained intact until Kyle Higashioka flew out to left field in the eighth inning, but Justin Foscue then delivered a crisp single to left field that shattered Arrighetti’s dreams of a no-hitter and brought his night to an end. The Houston starter finished with 102 pitches – just one short of his personal best – allowing only one hit and four walks while striking out five batters across 7 1/3 innings.

Texas starter Jack Leiter (1-4) nearly kept pace with Arrighetti’s dominance. Isaac Paredes’ fourth home run of the season provided the only offensive breakthrough against Leiter, who gave up just one run on three hits during his seven-inning outing.

Reds 7, Guardians 6

Matt McClain launched a home run and collected three RBIs as Cincinnati held off Cleveland for the victory on the road.

J.J. Bleday contributed a 3-for-5 performance with two runs and one RBI for the Reds, who captured their second consecutive win. Winning pitcher Andrew Abbott (3-2) surrendered one run on four hits across five-plus innings, extending his scoreless streak to 21 2/3 innings.

Jose Ramirez went 3-for-4 with an RBI for Cleveland, which saw its three-game win streak come to an end. Losing pitcher Tanner Bibee (0-6) lasted 6 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits. The Guardians have dropped nine of his 10 starts.

Phillies 11, Pirates 9 (10 innings)

Bryce Harper recorded four hits, including a game-tying single in the ninth inning, while Brandon Marsh knocked in the decisive run in the 10th as Philadelphia mounted a comeback victory over Pittsburgh on the road.

Kyle Schwarber connected for two home runs for the Phillies, bringing his major-league-leading total to 20 for the season, with nine coming in his last eight contests. He drove in five runs to help Philadelphia improve to 13-4 under interim manager Don Mattingly.

Brandon Lowe notched his third multi-homer performance of the year for Pittsburgh, which held a 6-0 advantage after three innings and led 8-5 in the ninth. Oneil Cruz and Marcell Ozuna each contributed two RBIs for the Pirates.

Padres 2, Mariners 0

Randy Vasquez tossed six shutout innings as San Diego secured the Vedder Cup with a blanking of Seattle at home.

The Padres moved to 4-0 in their six-game season series against the Mariners, with whom they share spring training facilities in Peoria, Ariz. The Vedder Cup honors Pearl Jam lead singer Eddie Vedder, who maintains connections to both San Diego and Seattle. Vasquez (5-1) scattered four hits in his winning effort.

Seattle right-hander Emerson Hancock (3-2) delivered a quality start, surrendering one run on five hits over six innings.

Cubs 10, White Sox 5

Carson Kelly posted a 3-for-5 night with four RBIs, including a go-ahead single in the seventh and a two-run double in the eighth, leading the Cubs to victory over the White Sox on the road.

The Cubs ended their crosstown rivals’ five-game winning streak behind a 14-hit offensive explosion that featured two-hit performances from Alex Bregman, Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki.

Chicago pitching weathered solo homers from Colson Montgomery, Miguel Vargas and Jarred Kelenic. Drew Romo, Montgomery and Vargas each collected two hits for the White Sox.

Cardinals 5, Royals 4 (11 innings)

Pinch hitter Yohel Pozo delivered a walk-off RBI single with two outs in the 11th inning to lift St. Louis past Kansas City at home.

After trailing by one in the 10th, the Cardinals plated a run in each of the final two frames to earn their third victory in four games. Jordan Walker finished 3-for-5 with a two-run homer.

In the top of the 10th, Bobby Witt Jr.’s double put the Royals ahead 4-3. Witt and Carter Jensen each recorded two hits and an RBI for Kansas City, which suffered its fifth straight loss.

Dodgers 6, Angels 0

Andy Pages and Max Muncy connected for consecutive home runs to spark a four-run fourth inning, while eight pitchers combined for a two-hitter as the Dodgers shut out the Angels in Anaheim, Calif.

Teoscar Hernandez also went deep and collected two hits for the Dodgers, who ended a seven-game losing streak against their Southern California rivals. Edgardo Henriquez (2-0) pitched a hitless inning of relief for the Dodgers, who used a bullpen approach after Blake Snell was placed on the injured list before the game.

Zach Neto singled and reached base four times for the Angels, who fell for the fourth consecutive game. Jack Kochanowicz (2-3) surrendered six runs on seven hits across six innings.

Nationals 3, Orioles 2

Daylen Lile came within a triple of hitting for the cycle, Zack Littell (2-4) threw five scoreless innings and Washington defeated Baltimore at home.

Lile has connected for four home runs in his last four contests. The Nationals carried a 3-0 lead into the ninth inning, when they required three pitchers to navigate the frame. Richard Lovelady retired only one of three batters he faced but recorded his second save.

Gunnar Henderson collected two hits and an RBI for the Orioles. Shane Baz (1-5) worked seven innings, giving up three runs on six hits.

Tigers 3, Blue Jays 2

Spencer Torkelson’s two-out RBI single delivered the winning run in the ninth inning as Detroit edged Toronto at home.

Torkelson’s opposite-field hit off Jeff Hoffman (2-3) brought home Matt Vierling, who reached on a bloop single and stole second base. Detroit had dropped eight of its previous nine contests, including three in a row.

Riley Greene contributed an RBI double to extend his hitting streak to 10 games. Greene owns the longest active hitting streak in the majors and has reached base safely in a career-high 25 straight games. Andres Gimenez drove in both Toronto runs with a double.

Braves 3, Red Sox 2 (10 innings)

Mike Yastrzemski’s leadoff double in the bottom of the 10th inning powered Atlanta past Boston at home.

Drake Baldwin went 2-for-4 with a home run that staked the Braves to a first-inning lead. Michael Harris II also homered before the Red Sox fought back to tie the game with single runs in the sixth and seventh innings.

The final pitcher among five Atlanta relievers to appear, Didier Fuentes (3-0) left two runners stranded to deliver a scoreless 10th. Marcelo Mayer hit a game-tying homer for Boston, which has dropped four of its last five games.

Brewers 3, Twins 2

Jake Bauers’ RBI double and a disputed eighth-inning call helped Milwaukee edge Minnesota in Minneapolis.

Jackson Chourio recorded two hits and scored twice while Bauers went 2-for-4. Reliever Aaron Ashby (8-0) surrendered the tying run but earned the victory after allowing four hits and one run across two innings. Trevor Megill secured his fifth save with a perfect ninth inning.

Ryan Kreidler contributed two hits for the Twins. Joe Ryan scattered four hits and one run while striking out seven over six innings.

Yankees 5, Mets 2

Cam Schlittler extended his strong beginning by surrendering one run over 6 2/3 innings for the Yankees, who defeated the Mets in the season’s first Subway Series matchup on the road.

Cody Bellinger and Jazz Chisholm Jr. delivered back-to-back RBI doubles during a three-run third inning for the Yankees, who won for only the third time in nine games. Spencer Jones added an RBI single in the fifth and Ben Rice homered in the ninth. Chisholm finished with three hits and a stolen base, while Rice also recorded three hits. Jones ended with two hits.

Juan Soto homered and Brett Baty collected two hits, including an RBI single, for the Mets, who saw their three-game winning streak end. Starter Clay Holmes (4-4) suffered a fractured right fibula, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza informed reporters following the game.

Diamondbacks 9, Rockies 1

A six-run opening inning paved the way for Merrill Kelly’s first career complete game as Arizona rolled to victory over Colorado in Denver.

Ildemaro Vargas went 4-for-5 with a double and two RBIs for Arizona. Kelly (3-3) required only 100 pitches to record all 27 outs. He found his rhythm after surrendering a Hunter Goodman first-inning homer, allowing just four hits total.

Colorado starter Kyle Freeland (1-5) surrendered seven runs on eight hits in 3 2/3 innings. Hunter Goodman took Kelly deep in the first for the Rockies’ only run.

Athletics 5, Giants 2

Nick Kurtz blasted a go-ahead, three-run homer to extend his on-base streak to 38 games while leading the Athletics to victory over San Francisco in West Sacramento, Calif.

Rookie Henry Bolte and veteran Jeff McNeil each recorded two hits and one RBI for the Athletics, who had lost three of their previous four contests. Aaron Civale (5-1) surrendered two runs and six hits over five innings to win his third straight start.

Luis Arraez collected four hits, including his first homer of the season, for the Giants, who dropped their third consecutive game. Harrison Bader also went deep and joined Willy Adames with two hits for San Francisco. Tyler Mahle (1-5) was hammered for five runs and 10 hits over five innings.

The National Basketball Association plans to unveil its Most Valuable Player award winner this Sunday, scheduled for the evening before the Western Conference finals tip off between Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs.

Oklahoma City guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who claimed last season’s MVP honor, stands among three candidates vying for this year’s recognition alongside San Antonio center Victor Wembanyama and Denver’s Nikola Jokic. Amazon Prime Video will broadcast the winner announcement during its pregame programming Sunday, beginning at 7:30 p.m. EDT.

Regardless of the outcome, this marks the eighth straight year that a player born beyond American borders will claim the MVP honor.

This streak of international MVP winners began with Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo (born in Greece, of Nigerian descent) in 2019 and 2020, then Denver’s Nikola Jokic (Serbia) in 2021 and 2022, Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid (born in Cameroon but has since become a U.S. citizen) in 2023, Jokic again in 2024 and Gilgeous-Alexander (Canada) last year.

Should Wembanyama claim victory, he would become the first French player to earn MVP recognition, while Jokic pursues a fourth MVP title — an achievement reached only by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (six), Michael Jordan (five), Bill Russell (five), Wilt Chamberlain (four) and LeBron James (four).

This would represent the 12th MVP recognition for an international player overall. Prior to the current streak, Nigeria’s Hakeem Olajuwon won in 1994, Canada’s Steve Nash won in 2005 and 2006, and Germany’s Dirk Nowitzki won in 2007.

The timing of Sunday’s announcement could suggest Gilgeous-Alexander might claim the award, mirroring last year’s announcement timeline. In 2025, Gilgeous-Alexander was announced as the winner May 21, and he was formally presented with the trophy before Game 2 of the West finals in Oklahoma City on May 22.

This season, Sunday’s reveal precedes the Thunder hosting Game 1 of the Western Conference finals Monday evening.

A summary of awards the NBA has already distributed this season:

— Defensive Player of the Year: Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio.

— Clutch Player of the Year: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City.

— Sixth Man of the Year: Keldon Johnson, San Antonio.

— Most Improved Player: Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Atlanta.

— Rookie of the Year: Cooper Flagg, Dallas.

— Executive of the Year: Brad Stevens, Boston.

— Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year: DeAndre Jordan, New Orleans.

— Hustle Award: Moussa Diabaté, Charlotte.

— Sportsmanship Award: Derrick White, Boston.

The league’s Coach of the Year award (San Antonio’s Mitch Johnson, Detroit’s J.B. Bickerstaff, or Boston’s Joe Mazzulla) has yet to be announced, as have the All-NBA, All-Rookie and All-Defensive teams.

Diego Aponte’s powerful swing proved to be the difference-maker as the Hawks secured their series-opening victory and earned a doubleheader split on the road at New Haven.

The standout performance from Aponte featured a crucial two-run home run that propelled the Hawks to victory in the first game of the twin bill. His offensive showcase didn’t end there, as he compiled an impressive stat line across both contests.

Throughout the doubleheader, Aponte demonstrated his versatility at the plate by collecting a home run, a double, and driving in five runs total for the Hawks. His production was instrumental in helping the team salvage a split from their road trip.

The series-opening win gives the Hawks momentum as they continue their campaign, with Aponte’s bat emerging as a key weapon in their offensive arsenal.

A 27-year-old screenwriter named Rylee White discovered the high-energy sport of handball through an unexpected source: her roommate showed her a TikTok video advertising tryouts for the U.S. Olympic women’s team in Los Angeles, with no prior experience required.

White felt compelled to attend the tryouts, and she wasn’t alone. The viral social media post drew more than 150 women to the January event, representing a five-fold jump compared to typical attendance numbers.

Now, five months after those tryouts, White has joined a small group of women who relocated to Florida to participate in USA Handball’s national residency program. Their ultimate goal is earning selection to compete for the United States at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

Since the U.S. will serve as the host country, it receives automatic qualification in every Olympic sport.

The United States hasn’t fielded a women’s handball team at the Olympic Games since 1996. Securing adequate funding and resources to create a competitive American squad remains an ongoing struggle. Team rosters typically include athletes with dual citizenship from European countries where they compete professionally.

Although handball receives little attention in America, the sport enjoys widespread popularity in Germany, France, Norway, Denmark, and various Balkan countries in southeastern Europe. These nations typically excel in Olympic competition.

Men’s handball made its Olympic debut in 1936, with women’s competition beginning at the 1976 Games. Unlike many Olympic athletes who begin training during childhood, American handball players frequently transition to the sport during adulthood.

The sport features two six-player teams using their hands to move a ball coated in sticky resin toward the opposing team’s goal, which a goalkeeper defends. The action is rapid, involves full contact, and attracts tens of thousands of spectators in other countries.

Female handball athletes often come from Division One college sports backgrounds or professional basketball careers. Most players range from their 20s to 30s, though some continue competing into their 40s.

White had aspired to compete collegiately in basketball and lacrosse, but injuries and multiple knee surgeries derailed those plans. Handball represented an opportunity to return to competitive athletics.

“I think a lot of people would describe me as the most competitive person they’d ever met,” White said. “I definitely was raised in a house where we had big, big dreams.”

Following the tryouts, she informed the coach: “I’m ready to go do this and I will work as hard as you want me to work.”

The residency program aims to develop players sufficiently to earn professional contracts overseas.

Many participants, including White, have left romantic partners behind to pursue this opportunity.

“I told him I’m going to take him to Europe with me,” she said.

The final Olympic team roster won’t be determined until several months before the LA Games. While dozens of women are participating in residency training, only approximately 14 to 18 athletes can represent the country in tournament play. The commitment involves considerable risk.

Sarah Gascon, a longtime member of the women’s national team, recently assumed the role of head coach. She’s working to reconstruct both the team and the broader program in the United States following years of deterioration.

“We’ve had great successes in my career and some really great moments but still didn’t get an opportunity to play in the Olympic Games because we just weren’t good enough,” Gascon said.

According to Gascon, the most effective players have competed in multiple sports. Basketball provides dribbling skills, volleyball teaches ball-blocking techniques when facing shots, and softball or rugby develops throwing abilities. Handball combines all these athletic elements.

“It’s really about their athleticism,” Gascon said. “Do they have a good foundation that we could build upon? And how are they able to adapt with learning something new at 22 or 23 years old?”

While Gascon has assembled motivated athletes in Florida, their primary obstacle involves limited resources.

USA Handball stands as the sole national governing body for an Olympic sport that receives no financial support from the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, and the women’s team is the only squad that lacks any assistance, including access to elite athlete health insurance, according to Gascon. The committee did not respond to an Associated Press email seeking comment.

Gascon and her coaching staff work as volunteers, while athletes must maintain full-time employment alongside their training.

“Some of our best athletes haven’t been able to go to tournaments or go to events because they can’t afford it,” Gascon said.

Devyn Holbrook also had no knowledge of handball before attending the tryouts.

The 30-year-old, who calls herself the “queen of side quests,” participated in ballet, soccer, basketball, softball, and javelin during track and field while growing up. She developed an immediate passion for handball after just a few days of play.

“I just loved it and then I couldn’t stop watching videos online of past Olympic Games,” Holbrook said. “You don’t get a lot of chances to do like women’s team sports later in life.”

She decided the opportunity presented minimal downside risk.

“There will never be a chance again that I could go to the Olympics in this capacity,” Holbrook said. “So why not give it everything that I have? And if I don’t make it, then I don’t make it.”

PITTSBURGH — Kyle Schwarber admits he can’t pinpoint exactly why his bat has been so hot lately.

“It’s a great question,” Schwarber said.

But the Philadelphia slugger isn’t too concerned with finding explanations. What matters is that he’s discovered his groove, and more crucially, his entire team has followed suit.

Even after launching two two-run home runs that brought his season total to a major league-best 20 and drawing a bases-loaded walk during a dramatic ninth-inning comeback, Schwarber preferred highlighting his teammates’ contributions in Friday’s thrilling 11-9, 10-inning triumph over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Schwarber’s 20th homer came on the earliest calendar date in MLB history, according to Stats Perform, surpassing Arizona’s Luis Gonzalez, who reached the milestone on May 17, 2001. The Philadelphia star also matched a franchise record with 20 home runs through the team’s first 45 games, originally established by Cy Williams in 1923.

Bryce Harper, hitting in the cleanup spot, collected four hits, including a game-tying single after Pirates closer Gregory Soto issued four straight balls to Schwarber, bringing the Phillies within two runs. Reserve catcher Rafael Marchan came through with a two-run single in the 10th inning. Orion Kerkering earned his first save of the season and third of his professional career.

“There’s so much good that went on today that we were able to respond and fight back,” Schwarber said. “That’s a really positive thing for us.”

The victory improved Philadelphia’s mark to 13-4 since Don Mattingly took over for Rob Thomson as manager, bringing the Phillies within one game of .500 at 22-23. The team’s resurgence has coincided perfectly with Schwarber’s offensive explosion.

“It’s pretty amazing,” Mattingly said. “He’s a different cat from the standpoint of how he does it. … He’s dangerous all the time. Doesn’t matter really lefties or righties, either one.”

Schwarber connected against both types of pitching to spark Philadelphia’s comeback from a six-run hole. He launched a shot off Pittsburgh right-handed starter Braxton Ashcraft beyond the outfield wall in the fifth inning. When the Pirates brought in left-hander Mason Montgomery with a runner on base and two outs in the seventh, the result remained unchanged. Schwarber pounced on a 96 mph fastball that caught too much plate and drove it into the right-center field seats, cutting the deficit to three runs.

Those two blasts gave Schwarber nine home runs across his past eight games. It marks the second occasion in his career he’s accomplished such a feat over an eight-game stretch. Former slugger Albert Belle remains the only other major league player to achieve that level of power production twice in eight-game spans.

“One of the cooler things I’ve seen in baseball,” Harper said. “Just the ways he puts the bat on the ball. Yeah, it been pretty fun to watch.”

For Schwarber, the excitement comes not from watching baseballs disappear into the stands but from what the final score shows when the game ends.

A 10-game losing streak in April led to Thomson’s dismissal despite his popularity. Mattingly — who will miss Saturday’s contest to attend his son’s graduation at Purdue — has brought stability to the clubhouse. The turnaround has been aided by one of baseball’s most talented (and costly) lineups finally delivering on expectations.

Despite his current hot streak, Schwarber remains grounded in his approach. His most crucial plate appearance Friday may have been one where he never swung the bat.

Trailing by three in the ninth inning, Schwarber watched four consecutive sinkers from Soto pass by rather than attempting to force the action. He walked to first base, setting up Harper’s long single off the right-center field wall that tied the game.

“Greg’s got great stuff and he’s got a really nasty sinker in the bigger slider, so it’s just kind of really keying in on what you want,” Schwarber said. “And once I get 3-0, I was happy with the take.”

He felt even better about what followed as the Phillies moved closer to resembling the squad that has reached the postseason in four of the past years. While division-leading Atlanta maintains a substantial advantage in the NL East, Philadelphia’s early-season struggles appear to be behind them, with positive momentum building — something Schwarber values more than any individual statistics.

“Obviously we know it’s not anywhere near complete, right?” Schwarber said, later adding, “It’s been really cool to see the guys go out there and getting their results and us as a team, to be able to kind of get the results that we want.”

NEW YORK (AP) — New York Mets pitcher Clay Holmes will be sidelined indefinitely after suffering a broken right fibula when struck by a 111 mph line drive during Friday night’s game, dealing another crushing injury blow to the struggling franchise.

Holmes, who has been among the Mets’ most reliable performers this season, was struck just above his right foot on a leadoff single during the fourth inning by Yankees rookie Spencer Jones in the Subway Series opener at Citi Field.

The ball bounced past first base into foul ground as Mets manager Carlos Mendoza and a trainer rushed from the dugout to assess Holmes. The right-handed pitcher tossed a couple of warmup throws and continued playing.

Holmes walked the next six batters he faced, but then struck out two consecutive hitters and got Aaron Judge to fly out with runners on all three bases, completing a shutout inning.

The pitcher was removed after issuing a walk with one out in the fifth frame. Holmes threw 95 total pitches, with 26 coming after Jones’ line drive made contact with his leg.

Following the contest, Mendoza revealed that X-rays confirmed a fractured right fibula that will keep Holmes out of action for an undetermined period.

Holmes, a former Yankees reliever who trains with Jones at the same Nashville, Tennessee facility, has been a steady rotation member since transitioning to starting after joining the Mets as a free agent prior to the 2025 campaign. He ranked third in the National League with a 1.86 ERA entering Friday’s matchup.

Holmes (4-4) allowed four runs on seven hits across 4 1/3 innings in the 5-2 defeat, pushing his ERA up to 2.39. He recorded eight strikeouts while issuing two walks.

Through his first eight outings this season, Holmes had completed at least five innings while giving up two runs or fewer in every start.

The expensive Mets fell to 18-26 with the loss. Four expected starters are already on the injury report — shortstop Francisco Lindor, catcher Francisco Alvarez, first baseman Jorge Polanco and center fielder Luis Robert Jr. — alongside struggling starter Kodai Senga and reserves Ronny Mauricio and Jared Young.

Right-handed pitcher Clay Holmes of the New York Mets sustained a broken fibula during Friday evening’s matchup, manager Carlos Mendoza announced after the team’s 5-2 defeat to their crosstown rivals, the Yankees.

The injury occurred when Holmes took a line drive from Yankees player Spencer Jones directly to his right foot during the fourth inning of play.

Holmes entered the game with a 4-3 record and 1.86 earned run average, but struggled significantly in what became his poorest performance of the year. He allowed four runs on seven hits while walking two batters and recording eight strikeouts.

Despite the injury, Holmes continued playing and completed the inning by striking out two batters and getting Aaron Judge to pop out after team trainers examined him on the field.

The pitcher even returned for another out in the fifth inning before leaving the game, having thrown 95 pitches total while playing through the fracture.

Mendoza informed reporters after the game that Holmes would be out “for a long time” due to the injury.

This latest setback adds to what has been a difficult season for the 18-26 Mets, who have been plagued by numerous injuries to key players. The team’s injured list currently includes Luis Robert Jr. with a back injury, Francisco Lindor dealing with a calf problem, Jorge Polanco sidelined with Achilles and wrist issues, and Francisco Alvarez out with a meniscus injury.

Officials at the Indianapolis 500 announced Friday that Hollywood actor Brendan Fraser will serve as the honorary starter for this year’s race.

Fraser joins an impressive roster of celebrities who have waved the green flag at the prestigious racing event. Recent years have featured actors Christian Bale, Matt Damon, Chris Hemsworth, Jake Gyllenhaal and Chris Pine in the ceremonial role.

The list of notable figures who have started the Indy 500 also includes Mark Cuban (2014), Jack Nicholson (2010), Peyton Manning (2007), Sugar Ray Leonard (2006) and Reggie Miller (2005).

The 57-year-old Fraser, recognized for his performances in “The Whale” and “The Mummy” series, has Indianapolis roots as his birthplace.

“We’re incredibly excited to give him a warm Hoosier welcome as he returns for ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,’” said Indycar and IMS President J. Douglas Boles.

The Indianapolis 500 is scheduled for Sunday, May 24.

HOUSTON — A Houston pitcher’s bid for baseball perfection came to an end just five outs short of completion Friday evening when Texas Rangers newcomer Justin Foscue lined a single into left field during the eighth inning.

Spencer Arrighetti’s quest for a no-hitter ended with that hit, prompting his removal from the mound. The 26-year-old right-hander had issued four walks during his 102-pitch outing — just one pitch below his personal best — with 62 of those throws finding the strike zone.

The rookie Foscue had managed only ground outs in his previous two trips to the plate and came into Friday’s contest with a .182 batting average across 11 plate appearances this season.

Coming into the game, Arrighetti sported a 4-1 record with a 1.88 ERA across five starts after starting the season playing for Triple-A Sugar Land. His previous career-best performance came on Aug. 28, 2024, when he recorded 11 strikeouts during 7 2/3 shutout innings against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Houston held a 1-0 advantage thanks to Isaac Paredes’ solo home run in the third inning.

Relief pitcher Bryan King took over for Arrighetti and prevented Texas from scoring in the eighth by getting Joc Pederson to fly out to right field, followed by catcher Christian Walker picking off Foscue at first base.

Left fielder Zach Dezenzo helped preserve the no-hit attempt earlier in the game with a spectacular diving grab on Alejandro Osuna’s line drive for the second out in the fifth inning.

First baseman Christian Walker handled a difficult bounce off Brandon Nimmo’s grounder to begin an inning-ending double play during the sixth.

The Astros franchise has recorded 17 no-hitters throughout their history, with Ronel Blanco throwing the most recent one on April 1, 2024.

Since relocating to Texas in 1971, the Rangers have been victims of five no-hitters, with Corey Kluber of the New York Yankees delivering the latest on May 19, 2021.

Former MMA fighters Gina Carano and Ronda Rousey successfully completed their weigh-ins Friday, setting up their featherweight clash scheduled for Saturday at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif.

Rousey hit the scales at 142 pounds, while Carano registered 141.4 pounds.

Following the official weigh-in, Carano shared details on social media about her weight achievement, describing it as a significant personal accomplishment.

“I just weighed in at 141.4 lbs. Since Sept 2024 to today, May 15, 2026, I have lost 100lbs,” Carano disclosed in an X.com post. “It hurts to say that and share but I am going to share it because I worked so damn hard every week for over a year and a half to shed this weight. It did not happen overnight.

Carano expressed gratitude to Rousey, “who waited patiently while I lost this weight,” and acknowledged that Rousey provided her “something to aim for.”

Both fighters are considered legends in mixed martial arts, though neither has competed since 2016. Carano’s last bout dates back to 2009. Their upcoming match is part of Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions event streaming on Netflix, featuring several former UFC competitors.

The 39-year-old Rousey built her reputation with a 12-2 record primarily competing at bantamweight (135 pounds), while 44-year-old Carano should be comfortable at the current weight class, having achieved a 7-1 record fighting predominantly around 140 pounds.

TEXCOCO, Mexico – The fifth Street Child World Cup concluded Thursday with championship victories, celebrity appearances, and a powerful message about youth empowerment as teams from around the globe gathered in Mexico for the international tournament.

Young athletes from 28 teams representing more than 20 nations competed in the event, which kicked off May 6 and held its championship rounds in Texcoco, located outside Mexico City.

The famous Irish rock group U2 brought celebrity attention to the finals, with drummer Larry Mullen Jr. conducting the ceremonial coin toss for the boys’ Shield championship match. Band members Bono, the Edge and Adam Clayton watched the action from the sidelines, with Bono at one point encouraging spectators to redirect their attention to the young athletes competing on the field.

According to Street Child United CEO and co-founder John Wroe, the tournament serves a mission beyond sports competition.

“This is the fifth Street Child World Cup. It’s about creating a global platform for young people’s voices to be heard. On their demands on identity, access to education, protection from violence and gender equality,” Wroe explained to Reuters.

“And we invite them to play a world cup where the World Cup is. And it’s all about getting the eyes of the world’s media on them so they can amplify their voices and bring about lasting change on behalf of street-connected children all over the world.”

In championship action, Brazil’s boys squad defeated India to claim the Cup title, leading to exuberant victory celebrations. Mexico’s girls team captured their Cup division championship with a win over Kenya. Indonesia’s boys and Brazil’s girls emerged victorious in their respective Shield divisions.

Brazilian boys team captain Joao JV, an 18-year-old from Rio de Janeiro, described the championship as the culmination of extensive preparation.

“I want to thank God, first of all. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience to be here in Mexico, especially to be with my teammates. We’ve been training for a long time, two years. And so, it is so gratifying for us to be here because we’ve all dreamt of this.

“To represent Brazil outside the country is indescribable. And so, we’re all really happy. And I thank God for us getting the title.”

Participants emphasized that the tournament offered valuable experiences extending far beyond athletic competition, including cultural exchange opportunities and educational workshops addressing challenges facing street-connected youth worldwide.

“The thing I like the most about being at the World Cup is the opportunity to mingle with players from other countries. I also really liked the light show,” commented India girls captain Pavithra Vellaiyangiri, 17, from Chennai.

The tournament concluded with a festival-style celebration featuring a performance by American rapper and singer Paul Russell, who performed while players celebrated their experiences.

“Yeah, it’s wild to hear that for some of them, it’s their first time on a plane; for some of them, it’s their first time meeting someone from another country. So, it’s cool you can see the way it’s just broadening their own understanding of the world and of their place in it. Yeah, it’s super cool to see,” Russell observed.

Texas Rangers infielder Josh Smith will spend a minimum of one week in a Dallas-area medical facility while receiving treatment for viral meningitis, the team announced Friday.

Team officials stated that Smith will continue his hospital stay until he achieves complete recovery, which medical professionals anticipate will occur within seven to 10 days. Once Smith resumes physical activities, team staff will develop a strategy for his return to playing baseball.

According to the Rangers, Smith visited a physician on Wednesday after experiencing illness symptoms.

“Our only concern right now is Josh’s health,” president of baseball operations Chris Young said. “This is obviously an unexpected illness, but we hope to see him return to full health and rejoin the club very soon.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, meningitis involves inflammation of the protective membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, which can result from viral infections.

Smith has been placed on the 10-day injured list since May 4 due to a right glute strain. The 28-year-old player, currently in his fifth major league season, has also experienced left wrist inflammation while recovering from his previous injury.

Following the Rangers’ offseason trade of Marcus Semien to the New York Mets, Smith assumed the starting second base position. Through 31 games this season, he maintains a .217 batting average with zero home runs and six RBIs.

The Rangers were scheduled to begin a three-game series against the Houston Astros on Friday evening.

The Vegas Golden Knights face significant penalties from the NHL after breaking league media requirements following their Thursday night playoff victory against the Anaheim Ducks in their Western Conference semifinal matchup.

The team must surrender a second-round selection in the 2026 NHL Draft due to what the league called “flagrant violations” of media policies after their 5-1 win in Game Six.

Head coach John Tortorella received a $100,000 fine for failing to speak with reporters following the Golden Knights’ victory.

The organization also prevented media access to their locker room after the game ended. Only forwards Mitch Marner and Brett Howden addressed reporters at the main podium, while defenseman Shea Theodore gave a brief interview in a separate room at Honda Center in Anaheim, California.

Tortorella additionally skipped the traditional post-game handshake line after the win.

According to an NHL statement, Vegas had received previous warnings regarding “compliance with the media regulations and other associated policies.”

The Golden Knights acknowledged the league’s punishment in a Friday post on X, stating they are aware of the penalty and will not comment further.

Vegas can challenge the NHL’s decision next week through an appeal to commissioner Gary Bettman’s office.

The Golden Knights advance to face the Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference championship round.

The New York Yankees have sidelined left-handed pitcher Max Fried for at least 15 days after medical scans revealed a bone bruise in his left elbow, the team announced Friday.

The 32-year-old starter had been experiencing difficulties on the mound during May, giving up 11 earned runs and 17 hits across 14 1/3 innings in three outings. His most recent appearance Wednesday against Baltimore lasted just three innings, during which he surrendered three earned runs while throwing 61 pitches.

This marks a significant downturn from Fried’s exceptional performance earlier in the season. Through his first seven starts in March and April, he compiled a 4-1 record with a 2.09 ERA across 47 1/3 innings pitched. His current season statistics stand at 4-3 with a 3.21 ERA.

Fried joined the Yankees organization after inking an eight-year, $218 million deal before the 2025 season, following eight seasons with the Atlanta Braves from 2017-24. During his first year in pinstripes, he earned his third All-Star selection while posting a 19-5 record and 2.86 ERA over 32 starts.

Throughout his decade-long major league career, Fried has appeared in 210 games with 194 starts, accumulating a 96-44 record and 3.04 ERA.

Team officials have not established a timeline for his return to action. Fried will undergo additional imaging in several weeks or once symptoms subside to determine when he can begin throwing again.

The Yankees had not announced a roster move to fill Fried’s spot as of Friday afternoon.

Baltimore Orioles third baseman Jordan Westburg received Tommy John surgery on his right elbow Friday, bringing his 2025 season to an early close, according to an industry source and multiple reports.

The 27-year-old player, who participated in the 2024 All-Star game, initially sustained a right oblique injury during early spring training. While recovering from that setback, he began experiencing elbow discomfort during throwing activities, leading team officials to halt all his baseball-related activities.

On Feb. 20, Westburg chose to receive a PRP injection and was progressing through his throwing routine in Florida before being sidelined again earlier this month. Following consultations with Dr. Neal ElAttrache and team physicians on Monday, he decided to proceed with the surgical procedure.

After establishing himself as a full-time starter with the Orioles in 2024, Westburg delivered impressive performances when healthy. During 107 games in 2024, he achieved a .792 OPS while recording 26 doubles, 18 home runs and 63 RBIs. However, his season was interrupted when he fractured his right hand after being struck by a pitch on July 31, sidelining him for almost two months.

Throughout 2023-24, Westburg split time between second and third base positions before settling into the regular third base role in 2025. He managed 17 home runs across 85 games but dealt with injuries to his left hamstring, left index finger and right ankle.

Over his professional career, he maintains a .264/.312/.456 slash line with a .768 OPS across 260 games.

Defensively, Westburg is considered an above-average fielder, maintaining a .983 career fielding percentage.

In his absence, 24-year-old Coby Mayo has handled most of the third base duties for the Orioles, posting a .174/.242/.321 line through 37 games this season.

NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. — During their second round at the PGA Championship, the trio of Justin Thomas, Keegan Bradley and Cameron Young found themselves placed on pace-of-play monitoring, leaving them confused about why officials targeted their group.

The slow play wasn’t limited to just their threesome. Thomas contended that rather than causing delays for trailing players, his group was actually waiting on the golfers in front of them. Television coverage showed Thomas and Bradley gesturing toward the preceding group while on Aronimink Golf Club’s fourth hole.

“The hard part to me with the whole pace of play thing is that you, there’s so much that goes into golf and there’s so much that goes into hole to hole,” Thomas said. “… Are you hitting it close? Are you able to tap it in, or you have to mark it? Stuff like that — are you holding the group up or are you not — to where it’s very hard to make that call. And we just didn’t agree with it, to be honest.”

After picking up their pace on the following hole, officials removed the timing restriction from Thomas’s group. While multiple delays during clock monitoring can lead to penalty strokes, Thomas maintained he never felt pressured to rush his shots.

“I backed off on my first shot being on the clock, even,” Thomas said. “It’s just, it’s so hard out here, and that’s the last thing I’m going to do is make a mistake because I feel like I’m rushing.

“If we were, for some reason, to get in a position where I was getting, we were getting bad times and we were continuing to be on, I would have had more discussions with the rules officials to kind of plead my case.”

This marked the second consecutive day at the major where playing times regularly surpassed five hours, occasionally reaching 5½ hours. The group featuring world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler alongside Englishmen Justin Rose and Matt Fitzpatrick began their round around 8:40 a.m. local time and finished shortly after 2:10 p.m.

Scheffler and fellow competitors cited the challenging pin placements selected by the PGA of America as a contributing factor to the sluggish pace.

“You just got to continue to try to hit good shots, and most of the pins today were, I mean, kind of absurd,” Scheffler said after shooting 1-over 71 to reach 2 under for the tournament.

“They were just so far into the areas where we thought the pins were going to be, and then they just — like the one on 14 was probably the hardest pin that I’ve seen in a long time just because, I mean, there’s literally just like a spine (in the green) and they’re like, ‘Oh, we’ll just put the pin right on top of it.’ And you’re like, ‘All right, well, I’ll see what I can do.’”

Chris Gotterup shared comparable sentiments despite recording an impressive 5-under 65.

“I don’t think it’s unfair, but I do think for pace of play and certain aspects, there have been a couple — you know, 14 today is probably aggressive, I will say,” Gotterup said. “You’re hitting a 4-iron to a 10-foot circle, and if it doesn’t go there, it’s off the green, and if you hit it 40 feet left, you have a very hard 2-putt.”

Course design appears to contribute to the delays as well. With 156 competitors starting from both the first and 10th tees — which utilize the same tee area — groups sometimes encounter bottlenecks. Additionally, players finishing the eighth hole must navigate through the 11th tee area to reach the ninth tee.

“Back nine requires a little bit more quality, and pace of play was incredibly slow on the back,” Denmark’s Nicolai Hojgaard said Thursday. “We were two groups (waiting at a time) on a couple tee boxes. It was hard to get into a rhythm. Where, on the front nine, we were on the fly.”

Slow play commonly becomes an issue at major championships due to their large participant fields, though conditions should improve over the weekend after Friday’s cut reduces the field to the top 70 players and ties.

Manchester City announced Friday that United States Women’s National Team midfielder Sam Coffey is on the road to recovery following minor knee surgery performed earlier in the week.

The club did not provide specific details about Coffey’s injury or the surgical procedure. Manchester City stated that Coffey would “work on recovery over the summer.”

The 27-year-old player transferred from the NWSL’s Portland Thorns to Manchester City in January for an $875,000 transfer fee. During her time with the English club, she appeared in 10 matches and contributed to Manchester City’s Women’s Super League Championship victory.

As a key player for the USWNT, Coffey has netted five goals across 46 international appearances and serves as one of the team’s leaders. She was instrumental in helping the squad capture the gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

The surgery will cause Coffey to sit out upcoming matches against Brazil scheduled for June 6 and June 9. Medical staff anticipate she will make a complete recovery in time for World Cup qualifying matches beginning in November.

During her four-year tenure with Portland from 2022-25, Coffey recorded five goals and 17 assists over 98 appearances. She played a crucial role in helping the Thorns secure the NWSL championship in 2022.

NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. — Chris Gotterup walked through Aronimink Golf Club during the second day of the PGA Championship looking like he knew every inch of the course.

The reality is that Gotterup had never laid eyes on Aronimink until Monday. He simply feels comfortable in this region, working his shots through the wind during a chilly Friday morning.

“I slept in my own bed on Sunday, so I take that as a win when I can get it,” Gotterup said. “You know, it’s nice to be back wearing a sweatshirt and being in the Northeast.”

The Little Silver, N.J. native, who lives less than two hours east of the course near the Jersey Shore, posted an impressive 5-under-par 65 that moved him up the rankings during Friday’s second round of the PGA Championship. Through Friday afternoon, no competitor has recorded anything better than a 67 this week.

Gotterup enters the weekend at 3-under 137, positioning himself as a legitimate contender for the major championship. The 26-year-old professional, who has captured four victories since receiving his PGA Tour card in 2024, will advance to the weekend rounds at his fourth straight major tournament.

He surprised many observers last summer when he battled Rory McIlroy to claim victory at the Scottish Open, then remained competitive throughout the week at Royal Portrush and finished third at the Open Championship.

“I feel like, if I’m playing well, I can compete anywhere,” Gotterup said Friday. “That’s no different here. But I think it’s just hard to say what (the Open) did for me other than build confidence. I felt like I played some of my best golf maybe ever as a pro that week, and I came in third.

“So like it’s just one of those things where you just got to keep — I feel like you got to keep putting yourself in position, and you hope that one day it breaks through and it was your time. But as long as you can keep putting yourself there, I think that’s all you can do.”

Perhaps strong winds serve as the connecting factor between the British Isles and the Philadelphia area this week.

Wind speeds reaching approximately 30 mph have made the already challenging pin placements set by the PGA of America even more difficult. While Gotterup’s initial three birdie putts were lengthy shots from 26 1/2, 23 and 20 feet at holes 11, 17 and 3, he executed precise approach shots while birdieing his final three holes.

On the par-4 seventh hole, his 100-yard pitch shot settled just 2 feet from the cup despite the challenging wind conditions. Next came the par-3 eighth, which has proven to be the most difficult hole this week. Confronting a sand-guarded front-right pin placement, Gotterup placed his tee shot within 5 feet of the target.

“Even if it’s a generic shot, if it’s blowing 30 off the right, you’ve got to be able to craft something that is manageable to get it in the middle of the green,” Gotterup said.

“I feel like I’ve gotten a lot better since turning pro at being OK with hitting it to 30 feet being a good shot, and I think there’s a lot of that out here. So I think there’s a lot of aspects of being patient, and I feel like I’ve gotten better at that, but also just being creative and being willing to execute a shot that might, you know, you might not try and pull off in a normal week.”

Gotterup, a Rutgers graduate, mentioned that his parents attended Friday’s round and his girlfriend along with her family watched both of the opening rounds, accompanied by several friends.

“So it’s been fun in that respect. It makes it feel a little bit more like you’re at home,” Gotterup said. “For how much we’re on the road, you don’t get to feel that that much.”

His family and friends can witness directly how Gotterup is becoming increasingly comfortable competing at the highest levels of major championships.

“Every tournament that I’ve won has been a challenge. So hopefully give myself a challenge come Sunday,” Gotterup said. “I’m just trying to put myself there … and if it comes through, great, and if not, I’ll learn from it.”

FIFA has selected “Dai Dai” by Shakira and Burna Boy as the official anthem for the 2026 World Cup. The collaboration marks another milestone for the Colombian superstar, who is no stranger to creating music for soccer’s biggest tournament.

This latest project represents Shakira’s fourth musical contribution to a World Cup event. Her previous World Cup involvement dates back 16 years to when she achieved massive success with “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa).”

According to FIFA, multiple elements influence which songs become synonymous with a particular tournament and continue to resonate with audiences long after the competition ends.

GREENBURGH, N.Y. — Mike Brown accepted the New York Knicks coaching position knowing exactly what was expected of him.

The franchise already had a coach capable of reaching the Eastern Conference finals — and dismissed him right after accomplishing that feat.

Anyone stepping in to replace Tom Thibodeau understood they were taking over a precarious position, accepting a win-now role where success could only be measured by reaching the NBA Finals. The pressure intensified when the owner declared during the season that he expected the Knicks to compete for a championship.

The expectations were unmistakable, though Brown didn’t require any clarification.

“People have talked about a mandate,” Brown said recently. “Like, I’m coaching to win, so it doesn’t matter what others say. I’m disappointed if we’re not in the finals and having a chance to win it.”

Brown has guided the Knicks back to the conference finals, where they’ll face either Detroit or Cleveland. After coming within two defeats of elimination in the opening round — a failure that could have cost him his job — he made strategic adjustments while maintaining other approaches, leading to seven consecutive victories, most achieved decisively.

“He’s done a great job of adjusting our team to give us the best chance to win,” center Karl-Anthony Towns said, “and the spot we’re in now is because of his courage and the trust to change what we were doing and put us in a better position.”

Brown’s credentials certainly justified his hiring. The two-time NBA Coach of the Year became the first unanimous winner in 2023 after guiding the Sacramento Kings to their initial playoff berth since 2006, breaking what had been the longest active postseason absence in North American professional sports.

However, skepticism was inevitable with any replacement, partly because many questioned whether Thibodeau deserved termination. The Knicks managed just one playoff series victory between 2001 and his 2020 hiring, yet he delivered four postseason appearances in five seasons, including last year’s first conference finals run in 25 years.

Still, the Knicks sought a coach with a different approach. They wanted someone who could lead without being overbearing, someone who would make team decisions without creating the impression that only his input mattered.

Brown encourages input from everyone, from front office executives to players.

“He’s always wanted to have open dialogue since day one,” captain Jalen Brunson said. “And obviously he’s still the coach and he’s going to make the decisions and everything. But I mean, we give our opinions, and whether they’re good or bad opinions, they’re talked about and they’re decided on later.”

Brown, naturally, makes the ultimate decisions. His choices during the Knicks’ only postseason struggles proved correct.

Mikal Bridges struggled terribly against Atlanta, and after managing zero points in just 21 minutes during Game 3, many demanded Brown bench the guard who had started every contest during his two Knicks seasons.

Brown maintained confidence in his player, and Bridges is now indispensable. Following a 24-point performance in the series-clinching Game 6 against the Hawks, he averaged 17.5 points on nearly 64% shooting during Philadelphia’s sweep, while spearheading defensive efforts against 76ers star guard Tyrese Maxey.

Brown’s other key decision involved reducing Brunson’s role in initiating offense. Instead, the Knicks have operated more through Towns positioned high, allowing him to locate cutting teammates. His playmaking has created additional floor spacing for Brunson and others to find cleaner scoring opportunities.

Once again, discussion preceded the decision. However, demonstrating the players’ faith in Brown, the conversation was brief.

“The dialogue was: ‘OK, let’s do it,’” Brunson said.

Brown directed the Knicks to a 53-29 record, their finest since 2012-13. Yet there were periods of inconsistency following a promising beginning, and finishing a distant third in the East despite featuring two All-Stars felt disappointing.

Brown countered by explaining that teams must navigate difficult periods.

“He doesn’t listen to the outside noise and he doesn’t let that affect him,” forward Josh Hart said.

Brown maintains this comes naturally. Having worked on championship teams under Gregg Popovich in San Antonio and Steve Kerr with Golden State, he recalls criticism directed at those successful squads.

“So shoot, people can talk about Mike Brown for sure,” Brown said. “But it’s my job to ignore the noise and it’s easy for me to do that because the pressure that I put on myself, that the team puts on itself, to be great or to try to be the best team in the league doesn’t even match up with what everybody else says throughout the course of the year.”

Brown stated his singular focus all season has remained winning a championship. Given how his Knicks are currently performing, that goal appears achievable.

“The mandate and all that other stuff, like, that’s what I expect,” Brown said. “That’s what I want to do and hopefully it can happen, but who knows.”

National Football League officials say their choice to schedule Kansas City for high-profile evening games during the season’s opening weeks had nothing to do with Patrick Mahomes’ rehabilitation progress following his knee operation.

The quarterback suffered torn ACL and LCL injuries in his left knee on December 14th and has stated his aim is returning by the first week of the season. Kansas City will face Denver at home during Monday Night Football on September 14th to kick off the season, followed by a Sunday night home matchup against Indianapolis in Week 2.

“We didn’t know anything more than anyone else,” NFL executive Hans Schroeder stated on Friday.

Head coach Andy Reid mentioned on NFL Network Friday that league officials never consulted him regarding Mahomes’ condition, though he feels optimistic about what he’s observed during early offseason activities.

“He’s doing great right now and that’s kind of how you gotta go about this,” Reid stated. “People go ‘well, he’s ahead of schedule.’ Who made the schedule? Everybody’s different, let’s just take it day by day. Nobody is spending more time than he is rehabbing, he spends seven hours here going through it. He hasn’t missed a day and he wants more, all the things that are Patrick Mahomes. Let’s see where we are at as we go forward as we get a little bit closer to the game.”

Schroeder expressed enthusiasm about Reid’s remarks and noted that Kansas City continues drawing interest from television networks, evidenced by their six evening games, including a Thanksgiving night clash with Buffalo that typically ranks among the season’s most anticipated contests.

Kansas City, which finished 6-11 and failed to reach the playoffs last year after three consecutive Super Bowl appearances, also received five additional slots in the prominent late Sunday afternoon doubleheader time period.

“The Chiefs are an incredible story,” Schroeder said. “They’re one of the most popular teams in the league right now. They’ve been on an incredibly successful run for a number of years now, and have built a hugely popular fan base. We went into the year planning to play the Chiefs in the same number of windows. We didn’t know anything more than then you did, but we’re certainly hoping Patrick would be back Week 1. … We felt really good about it and certainly feel better after seeing Andy’s comments this morning with how Patrick’s rehab’s going.”

Due to Labor Day occurring later this year and the NFL’s desire to host a Week 1 contest in Australia, the season opener was shifted to Wednesday for only the second occurrence in league history.

This scheduling change might become more common.

The league revealed a new Netflix partnership extending through 2029 that ensures the streaming service gets a Week 1 game alongside NBC’s traditional opener featuring the defending Super Bowl champions. Schroeder indicated this could result in more Wednesday season starts.

The 2026 campaign begins Wednesday September 9th with Seattle hosting New England on NBC, followed by a Netflix game the following evening in the United States between Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco. That contest will start Friday morning in Australia.

“I think you’ll see us certainly playing on a couple nights, weekday nights to start the year going forward,” Schroeder said.

The NFL held an international game during Week 1 on Friday evening the past two seasons but cannot schedule another Friday night Week 1 game until 2029 due to the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961, which prevents the league from televising games on Friday nights beginning the second Friday in September. Week 1’s Friday will again fall on the second Friday of September in both 2027 and 2028.

The only previous instance of an NFL season starting on Wednesday occurred in 2012 when Dallas traveled to New York Giants. That game moved from its typical Thursday slot because President Barack Obama was scheduled to address the Democratic National Convention that evening.

The Australian opener created significant travel demands for both San Francisco and Los Angeles.

San Francisco will establish a record this season with approximately 38,000 miles of travel due to the distant opener and a “home” contest in Mexico City during Week 11 against Minnesota. Los Angeles follows closely with roughly 35,000 miles of travel this upcoming season.

Both teams return home Friday September 11th, providing some additional preparation time before Week 2. The Rams receive an extra day since they’ll host a Monday night game against New York Giants before consecutive road trips to Denver and Philadelphia.

San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan openly criticized the extensive travel during league meetings earlier this offseason, and general manager John Lynch said the NFL would provide some accommodations.

San Francisco will play three consecutive home games after the Week 1 journey and won’t leave the Pacific Time Zone again until visiting Atlanta in Week 7. The team also avoided games on both Thanksgiving and Christmas after playing both holidays in 2023.

“I’m sure wave a magic wand, they would move a game or two on their schedule,” NFL VP of broadcast planning Mike North said. “But I assume the same is true for the other 31 teams as well. We were sensitive, we were cognizant, and think we landed in a fair place, not just for the Niners and the Rams, but hopefully for everybody.”

The era of every NFL franchise receiving a guaranteed primetime game has ended, with five teams failing to secure games in those prominent windows this season.

Tennessee, Miami, Arizona, Las Vegas Raiders and New York Jets all received no primetime games in the initial schedule. These teams rank among the bottom six in Super Bowl odds this season after Miami won seven games last year and the other four finished 3-14.

Unless one of these teams gets moved into a primetime slot late in the season, this would mark the first time since 2011 that five teams received no primetime games.

None of these five teams received an isolated game in another window either.

Even adding Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback and top overall draft pick Fernando Mendoza wasn’t sufficient to earn the Raiders a primetime slot.

This represents the second consecutive season where the team selecting a quarterback first overall didn’t receive primetime games, with Tennessee getting none last season after choosing Cam Ward first overall.

“Not to be flippant, but we don’t draft our way into primetime. We play our way into primetime,” North said.

Rest disparity concerns have gained significant attention recently, though the NFL maintains its data shows the focus is excessive.

This season features notable extremes with both Los Angeles Chargers and Philadelphia facing four games against teams coming off bye weeks, while 14 teams don’t encounter this situation once. The Raiders and Los Angeles Rams each have three games against teams following a bye.

The Chargers will have 22 fewer rest days than their opponents this season, the largest gap since the 2012 Eagles at minus-23, according to ESPN.

“Rest disparity is not a thing,” North said. “You do not have a competitive advantage when you’re coming off your bye. You certainly don’t have a competitive advantage when you’re one day or two day or three days more well rested. If that data suggests that there’s a there, we will adjust.”

FIFA reached a broadcasting rights agreement with China Media Group on Friday for World Cup coverage, securing the deal just 27 days before tournament kickoff and accepting significantly less money than the soccer organization initially demanded.

The comprehensive deal encompasses four World Cups spanning through 2031, including both men’s and women’s competitions, according to FIFA’s announcement. This covers the expanded 48-team, 104-match men’s tournament beginning June 11 across North America, despite China’s absence from the competition.

State-affiliated Chinese media outlets reported Friday that the 2026 World Cup broadcasting rights carried a $60 million price tag.

According to Chinese media coverage in recent weeks leading up to the negotiation deadline, FIFA had initially demanded $300 million for the rights.

Broadcasting rights for India remain unresolved.

“It’s a real pleasure that we have found an agreement with CMG,” stated FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafström in the organization’s official announcement. Grafström traveled to China this week, participating in discussions with Chinese soccer federation representatives.

FIFA’s negotiating position weakened due to the substantial time zone differences, with up to 15 hours separating Beijing from the 16 tournament venues distributed throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Chinese corporations have already committed substantial resources to the 2026 World Cup, which FIFA projects will generate over $11 billion in revenue.

Technology company Lenovo holds a position among FIFA’s eight premier sponsorship partners, while dairy company Mengniu and electronics maker Hisense secured secondary-level agreements.

Chinese business conglomerate Wanda had established a long-term partnership with FIFA in 2016, which ended two years ago.

FIFA did not reveal the financial terms for the 2030 World Cup television rights, a tournament China previously considered hosting as part of Wanda’s FIFA partnership strategy. The nation’s aspirations to host major international soccer events diminished during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2030 men’s competition will primarily take place in Spain, Portugal and Morocco, with individual matches currently planned for Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, the original 1930 World Cup host nation.

Brazil will host the 2027 Women’s World Cup, while the 2031 tournament will occur mainly in the United States, alongside Mexico, Costa Rica and Jamaica.

FIFA member federations are scheduled to formally approve this hosting arrangement, which faces no competing bids, in November.

The PWHL announced Friday that Manon Rheaume will serve as general manager for Detroit’s expansion franchise, bringing her pioneering hockey career from the ice to the front office.

The 54-year-old former goaltender made history as the first woman to participate in an exhibition contest for any major North American professional sport. Most recently, she worked for four years in hockey operations with the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings. Her appointment also marks a return to familiar territory, as she previously spent 11 years developing talent with the Little Caesars youth hockey girls’ program in the Detroit area.

“She brings an unmatched resume, a championship mindset and a lifelong commitment to growing the women’s game,” said Jayna Hefford, PWHL executive vice president of hockey operations, who oversees the hiring process.

“Her experience at every level of hockey, combined with her leadership and vision, makes her the perfect person to lead PWHL Detroit into its inaugural season,” Hefford added.

The announcement follows Detroit’s designation as an expansion franchise just over a week ago. Since then, the league has welcomed Las Vegas and Hamilton, Ontario as additional new teams, with plans for one more expansion to reach 12 teams next season.

Women now hold seven of the nine general manager positions across the PWHL.

“I’m incredibly honored to join the PWHL and help build something special in Detroit,” Rheaume said. “The city has such a deep hockey tradition, and the passion for hockey here is truly special.”

Her immediate responsibilities include overseeing an expansion free-agent signing period tentatively set to start May 28, followed by the league draft scheduled for June 17 in Detroit.

The Beauport, Quebec native first gained international attention in the early 1990s when she signed with Trois-Rivieres in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. She made headlines in 1992 during a tryout with the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning, giving up two goals on nine shots during one period of a preseason matchup against St. Louis. She appeared in a second exhibition game the following year against Boston.

Rheaume’s competitive achievements include a silver medal for Canada at the 1998 Nagano Games, which featured the inaugural women’s Olympic hockey tournament. She also captured gold medals at the 1992 and 1994 world championships.

The sudden passing of Brandon Clarke has left many unanswered questions, and those answers may not come for quite some time.

The Memphis Grizzlies player was discovered deceased at a residence in the Los Angeles area on Monday. Following the team’s announcement of Clarke’s death, a source with knowledge of the investigation informed The Associated Press on Tuesday that drug paraphernalia was discovered at the location.

Emergency responders declared the 29-year-old athlete dead at the scene. While an autopsy has been conducted, determining the exact cause of death may require several weeks.

Back in Memphis, the community continues to process the devastating news. On Friday, the Grizzlies released a memorial video, stating that Clarke’s “legacy will carry on in the hearts of Grizz Nation, always and forever.”

Here are the key details surrounding the ongoing investigation:

The County of Los Angeles’ Medical Examiner’s Office will eventually provide an updated cause of death determination. However, this process may extend for weeks while awaiting toxicology results and additional testing.

Currently, the coroner’s office indicates the case remains active with the cause of death classified as “deferred.” The coroner has finished their examination, and officials are now waiting for test results to return.

Additional aspects of the death investigation include identifying who placed the emergency call and determining what other circumstances may have contributed.

Supporters have gathered outside the team’s Memphis arena, bringing flowers and other tributes to express their sorrow over Clarke’s passing. The Grizzlies display player banners on poles in the plaza area outside FedEx Forum, where fans have independently come to honor his memory.

The organization has not yet decided whether to hold a public memorial service or similar event to commemorate Clarke’s seven-year tenure with the team. Plans for family funeral arrangements also remain unknown.

Clarke had a contract extending through the 2026-27 season with the Grizzlies.

On April 1, Clarke faced arrest in Arkansas on charges including speeding and controlled substance possession, reportedly involving kratom, an herbal supplement marketed as a pain relief alternative that becomes illegal in Tennessee starting July 1. He was released on bond the following day. Whether kratom was present in Clarke’s system at the time of death will likely remain unclear until the coroner releases their official findings.

Health authorities have issued warnings regarding the dangers of 7-hydroxymitragynine, an opioid-like compound found in kratom. This Southeast Asian plant has become increasingly popular in America as an unregulated treatment for pain, anxiety, and substance dependency.

A 2019 federal study revealed that kratom-related overdose deaths occurred more frequently than previously documented. While most fatalities involved additional substances like heroin or fentanyl, officials recorded several cases where kratom was the sole substance identified.

The 6-foot-8, 215-pound forward from Canada appeared in only two games this season due to multiple injuries, including a right knee problem requiring surgical intervention followed by a right calf injury.

This marked the second time in three seasons that Clarke missed nearly an entire year due to injury-related issues.

Approximately six weeks prior to his death, Clarke was taken into custody in Arkansas facing charges of speeding, reckless driving, and controlled substance possession. He spent his entire seven-year professional career with Memphis after completing his collegiate playing days at Gonzaga.

NEW YORK — New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby completed his first full practice session Friday since sustaining a hamstring injury, bringing the team one step closer to having their complete starting roster available for the Eastern Conference finals.

The starting forward has been sidelined for the last two contests of the Knicks’ second-round series victory over the Philadelphia 76ers after he strained his right hamstring during the closing moments of Game 2. While he participated in limited portions of Wednesday’s practice session when the team reconvened, he was held out of high-intensity drills.

However, coach Mike Brown confirmed that Anunoby participated in all team activities during Friday’s session.

The Knicks are positioned to host the opening game of the Eastern Conference finals on Sunday, contingent on Cleveland defeating Detroit in their sixth game Friday evening. Should that series extend to a seventh game, Anunoby would have additional recovery time until Tuesday.

Throughout the current postseason, Anunoby has posted averages of 21.4 points per contest while maintaining shooting percentages of 61.9% from the floor and 53.8% from beyond the three-point arc.

First-year Minnesota Lynx player Emma Cechova is scheduled to undergo an MRI examination on her right knee Friday, according to a report from The Athletic.

The 21-year-old center sustained the injury during a third-quarter collision with Dallas Wings star Paige Bueckers in Minnesota’s 90-86 victory Thursday evening in Arlington, Texas.

Team medical personnel quickly attended to Cechova, who clutched her knee in obvious discomfort before receiving assistance to exit to the locker room.

The player from the Czech Republic concluded Thursday’s contest with two points and two rebounds across 11 minutes of play.

Through her first three games of the season, she has posted averages of 8.3 points and 3.7 rebounds while playing 17.3 minutes per game as a reserve.

Five members of a local softball team have been selected for National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-Region recognition, marking a significant achievement for the program.

The honors recognize the exceptional performance and contributions of these student-athletes throughout the season. The NFCA All-Region awards are given to standout players who demonstrate excellence both on the field and in their athletic achievements.

This recognition reflects the strong performance of the softball program and highlights the talent of the individual players who earned these prestigious honors.

The National Football League’s diversity hiring policy is facing legal scrutiny from Florida’s top prosecutor, who claims the requirement discriminates against candidates.

The Rooney Rule mandates that NFL franchises must conduct interviews with minority applicants when filling senior-level positions. However, Florida’s attorney general has labeled this practice as discriminatory.

This challenge comes as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission under the current administration has been questioning similar diversity initiatives in other sectors and organizations.

The policy was established to increase opportunities for underrepresented groups in NFL leadership roles, but critics argue it creates unfair hiring practices.

ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Las Vegas Golden Knights’ remarkable streak of success continues as they’ve secured another trip to the Western Conference finals, marking their fifth appearance in the third round during just nine seasons in the NHL.

Las Vegas closed out the Anaheim Ducks with a commanding 5-1 victory in Game 6 of their second-round matchup Thursday evening, claiming their 14th playoff series win since joining the league in 2017 — the most of any NHL team during that period.

The franchise’s sustained excellence stems from more than just fortune. Their aggressive approach to winning has involved costly free agent signings and major player acquisitions, culminating in a surprising coaching switch this spring that has paid immediate dividends.

“Just proud of the guys,” commented defenseman Shea Theodore, who has been with the organization since its inception. “I think it comes right from (owner) Bill Foley up top. That’s the message going into every year, is to win Cups, and I think we’ve put ourselves in great positions. Guys put the work in.”

Following back-to-back six-game series wins against the Utah Mammoth and Anaheim, Las Vegas has compiled a 15-4-1 record since making the bold decision to dismiss Stanley Cup-winning coach Bruce Cassidy and bring in John Tortorella with only eight games remaining in the regular season.

“Torts has been a good change coming in, just getting us the right mindset going into each game, each playoff series,” Theodore explained. “I feel like we have the right tools going in and guys have been executing.”

The coaching change came after an 8-15-4 stretch that had the team struggling. The 67-year-old Tortorella’s arrival sparked an immediate turnaround, helping Vegas surge past both Anaheim and Edmonton to capture the Pacific Division title before navigating through the division’s relatively favorable playoff bracket.

“I think we were maybe doubting a little bit of ourselves about what we were trying to do out there, and sometimes that happens,” said Mitch Marner, who netted the opening goal in Thursday’s clincher after recording a hat trick in the same building during Game 3. “Torts came in and, I think, brought our swagger back to where it needed to be, and playing the way that we wanted to play. And obviously since that change, I’ve really liked our game as a team. I think we all have. We’re playing a fast-paced game. We’re doing all the little things right, and that’s what it takes.”

For Marner, who departed Toronto last summer amid fan criticism while the Maple Leafs continued their conference finals drought, his inaugural Vegas campaign has been “a roller coaster ride.” After a slow start by his standards, the veteran forward has found his groove at the perfect time.

Marner contributed a goal and assist in the series-clinching victory, bringing his postseason total to an NHL-leading 18 points. His playoff performance has silenced critics who questioned his big-game capabilities during his Toronto tenure.

“Individually wise, it feels great to be going on to the next round with this team,” Marner stated. “And the work now really just keeps getting harder, and we’re excited for it.”

The Golden Knights now face their toughest test yet against the Colorado Avalanche, who have dominated throughout most of the season. Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar have guided Colorado to eight victories in nine playoff contests against the conference’s second and third-seeded teams.

Despite facing long odds against what appears to be Colorado’s championship destiny, the Golden Knights carry the confidence that comes from nearly a decade of unprecedented success since entering the league.

“We’re playing a very high-talented team coming up here, so we’ve got to make sure we’re doing all those things right,” Marner noted. “And then when we get our opportunities, capitalize on them.”

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Montreal Canadiens first-year netminder Jakub Dobes says he takes pride in not losing faith in himself after Buffalo scored three times on their opening four attempts. More importantly, he remains grateful that Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis chose not to pull him from the game.

The difficult opening, which wasn’t completely the goaltender’s responsibility, ultimately helped Dobes find his rhythm and rebuild his confidence. He turned away Buffalo’s remaining 32 attempts in Thursday night’s 6-3 victory that put Montreal ahead 3-2 in their second-round playoff matchup.

“I told him thank you for leaving me and trying to prove myself,” Dobes said, referring to St. Louis. “That’s a big part, to have (the) trust of your coach, and I will never disrespect it. I appreciate it and the only thing I was trying to do just give some momentum back to the team and try to keep it tight, and it worked out.”

Game 6 is at Montreal on Saturday night.

Despite whatever difficulties Dobes experienced early in a contest where Buffalo held a 3-2 advantage by the 10:15 mark of the opening period, the 24-year-old Czech player convinced his teammates he had found his rhythm again.

This became especially clear about four minutes into the middle period when he denied Tage Thompson during a breakaway opportunity after Buffalo caught Montreal during a line change. The Sabres’ top regular-season goal scorer rushed in from the left side, moved across the goal mouth only to see Dobes track his movement and block Thompson’s attempt with his left leg pad.

Montreal answered by scoring three times during the period’s final 12 minutes to establish a 5-3 advantage.

“It was a huge save,” Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki said. “We never lost confidence in him. Everyone was struggling in that first period. And I just thought that was a big moment for us.”

For Dobes, who posted a 29-10-4 record during his initial complete NHL regular season, the challenging-then-successful performance taught him about resisting frustration. The netminder admitted his spirits dropped after rookie Konsta Helenius scored Buffalo’s third goal between his legs.

“The one lesson I learned from today was just got to have a better body language for the boys — don’t let them know that I’m not feeling maybe my best,” Dobes said, noting he was reminded of that during a first-intermission discussion. Dobes has been Montreal’s starting goaltender since the playoffs opened, and is now 7-5 in which he’s allowed 28 goals.

St. Louis said it was goalie coach Marco Marciano’s decision to not pull Dobes.

“Ultimately, it’s probably my decision right? But I feel like the goalie position is probably the one position that I can help much,” said St. Louis, a former NHL forward. “So I try to stay out of it and not be emotionally driven, and being upset that we’re down.”

St. Louis described the conversation over the radio with Marciano, who was watching from the press box, as being brief.

“He said, ‘No, keep him in.’ OK, let’s move on,” St. Louis said.

Forward Juraj Slafkovsky defended Dobes by saying Buffalo’s first goal pinballed in by deflecting off Sabres forward Jason Zucker and then a Montreal defender. And Dobes was screened when Josh Doan beat him to put Buffalo up 2-1.

“We didn’t help him there, but then he came back and he was in a game, and he was once again really good,” said Slafkovsky, who had three assists. “It’s just Marty trusting him. I think it’s huge for confidence of (Dobes). And we all trust him as well.”

What unfolded could easily be described as The James Harden Experience in action.

During a crucial 22-second stretch in overtime of Game 5 in the Eastern Conference semifinals versus Detroit on Wednesday evening, Harden displayed his full range for Cleveland — converting one free throw while missing another, swatting away a shot, grabbing a rebound, and committing a turnover.

The veteran guard remained unshaken throughout the sequence, which perfectly captures his character.

“He never wavered,” said Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson. “He has a bad game, good game, you can’t even tell. So, I think his mentality — he’s seen so much, been through so many of these series — he’s a heck of a leader.”

Cleveland’s decision to acquire Harden through a trade three months earlier was based on his ability to elevate their toughness and playoff readiness. Early results suggest their strategy is working.

With the veteran who has reached the postseason in all 17 of his NBA campaigns leading the way, Cleveland sits just one victory from advancing to the East finals. A win against Detroit in Game 6 on Friday night at home would secure their spot. Notably, Harden’s strongest three performances of the series have come in the most recent games — all Cleveland victories.

“He’s a pro’s pro,” said Cavaliers guard Max Strus following the Game 5 victory, where Harden topped all scorers with 30 points despite struggling through the final periods, connecting on just one of his last eight field goal attempts in the fourth quarter and overtime.

“He shows up every single day,” Strus continued. “He puts (an) amount of work in. You don’t become one of the best players the game has ever seen without showing up every single day. I think that’s one thing that I’ve noticed from him is the consistency, whether that’s in the weight room, whether that’s in taking care of your body, whether it’s in getting shots up. He’s a Hall of Famer in that regard and that’s why he is who he is — because he consistently puts in the work.”

Statistical evidence demonstrates Harden’s importance to Cleveland’s postseason run:

— 5-1 when he scores at least 22 points (2-4 otherwise).

— 4-0 when he shoots at least 44% (3-5 otherwise).

— 5-0 when he has at least seven field goals (2-5 otherwise).

— 6-1 when he has at least three 3-pointers (1-4 otherwise).

The transition hasn’t been without challenges. Harden continues to struggle with turnovers, though this statistic can be misleading since primary ball handlers naturally commit more turnovers than role players. He stands three points shy of matching Stephen Curry for 10th place on the all-time playoff scoring list (a positive milestone), while sitting one turnover away from tying Shaquille O’Neal for second-most playoff turnovers since the current format began in 1984 (a less favorable distinction).

Harden faces heightened scrutiny compared to many players. This comes with the territory — 17 seasons in the league, 17 playoff appearances, substantial earnings, numerous individual accolades, yet no NBA championships. However, he deserves credit for adapting to a significantly different role in Cleveland than what he’s grown accustomed to over recent years.

“This is new for me. I’ve only been here two and a half months,” Harden explained. “So, the things that we are going through is all new.”

In Cleveland, he’s accepted a secondary role, serving as Robin to Donovan Mitchell’s Batman. Such transitions don’t happen overnight. Harden has worked to make this adjustment smoothly since arriving via trade — and Cleveland now stands one win from reaching the NBA’s final four for the first time since 2018 (and without LeBron James, their first appearance since 1992).

“I think we’re building in the right direction,” Harden said. “And throughout that process, there’s going to be some times where we don’t look as great, but I think overall we’ve all got the right mindset of wanting to help each other be better. And I think we’re finding that.”

The National Football League’s game schedule continues to draw significant interest from fans and government officials alike, particularly those following the Washington Commanders or their preferred teams. However, the league faces increased examination as it allocates more contests to streaming platforms.

Out of 272 regular-season matchups, 22 will have streaming services as their primary broadcaster – one additional game compared to the previous season’s announcement. Another 14 games will air mainly on cable networks.

This distribution means 236 contests will broadcast on CBS, Fox, NBC or ABC, keeping 87% of all games on traditional broadcast television – identical to last year’s percentage. Games played in each team’s home market will continue airing on broadcast networks.

President Donald Trump expressed his frustration regarding the financial burden on fans seeking access to complete game coverage, as Federal Communications Commission and Department of Justice investigations proceed.

“You have people that live for Sunday. They can’t think about anything else, and then all of a sudden, they’re gonna have to pay $1,000 a game? It’s crazy, so I’m not happy about it,” Trump said while interviewed on “Full Measure” last weekend.

Although fans don’t actually pay $1,000 per individual game for television or streaming access, the combined cost of viewing all content through “NFL Sunday Ticket,” cable or satellite packages, plus subscriptions to Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Peacock could approach nearly $1,000 for an entire season.

Despite heightened examination of its distribution approach, the league maintained its existing strategy, according to Hans Schroeder, the NFL’s executive vice president of media distribution.

“Our focus is on getting the best games into the best windows,” Schroeder said. “And even with the additional games that went to Netflix, we think we’re expanding the reach of those games.”

The organization created new independent time slots after reclaiming four games from Monday night doubleheaders used in prior seasons. Two games moved to Netflix (Thanksgiving Eve and the Saturday early game in Week 18), one to Fox (one of the international games) and one to NBC (a Saturday game in Week 17).

CBS and Fox gained Saturday games in Week 15 that previously aired as Sunday regional contests. Fox also secured a Christmas Day game for the first time since 2023.

Although the league and ESPN believed having dual Monday night games certain weeks would benefit viewers, it frequently divided audiences because one contest began at 7 p.m. while the other started at 8:15 p.m.

“I think our fans felt a little conflicted with having two games on Monday,” Schroeder said. “It wasn’t working as we intended. We could take these games and find a better home and broader distribution for them.”

The Netflix games should attract substantial viewership given the platform’s domestic and international presence. The streaming service boasts 81.4 million U.S. subscribers versus ESPN’s 60 million. Netflix will also distribute its five-game package worldwide.

Ten Monday night games will simulcast on ABC this season. ESPN will broadcast the Super Bowl for the first time, while ABC will air it for the first time since 2006.

Tim Reed, ESPN’s vice president of programming and acquisitions, also believed eliminating the doubleheaders helped “Monday Night Football” achieve a more comprehensive schedule.

“The ability to streamline and simplify the schedule just helps. I assume it helped the league and makes it easier to land all the games,” he said.

With 10 broadcast windows during Thanksgiving week, only six 1 p.m. games will air Sunday, split equally between CBS and Fox. Baltimore at Houston (CBS) and Atlanta at Minnesota (Fox) are anticipated to be the featured early window contests, while Seattle at San Francisco receives the late afternoon spotlight on Fox.

Christmas week will feature 11 windows – Christmas Eve, three on Christmas Day, two on Dec. 26, CBS doubleheader plus early game on Fox, NBC Sunday night, and ESPN Monday night. After ESPN selects the two games it will broadcast on NFL Network, CBS and Fox will each receive one game, likely resulting in six total 1 p.m. Sunday contests. The 49ers-Chiefs matchup serves as the highlighted late-afternoon game on CBS.

“How do you satisfy everybody? You probably can’t, but you can be fair,” said Mike Mulvihill, Fox Sports president, insight and analytics. “It leaves things a little light for the afternoon windows, but as long as we’re not shouldering more of that burden and feel we’re being treated fairly, it’s OK.”

CBS, which experienced its strongest regular season in 2025, will feature the Chiefs four times and the Cowboys twice during its Sunday 4:25 p.m. doubleheader window.

Its strongest lineup appears to be Week 15, with Bears-Bills on Saturday, Dec. 19, at 8:20 p.m., followed by Steelers-Ravens on Sunday at 1 p.m., and Cowboys-Rams at 4:25 p.m.

“That will be a great scene in Buffalo for us, and then you go from that game to Sunday and a monster doubleheader with Ravens-Steelers early, a legendary black-and-blue game, and then having the Cowboys in LA against the Rams,” said Dan Weinberg, CBS Sports EVP of programming.

CBS also features the Cowboys in Week 3 against the Ravens, which will take place in Brazil.

By broadcasting the Patriots-Lions game in Munich during Week 10, Fox will present its first tripleheader since Week 8 in 2016. Following the Sunday morning game, it will also showcase Vikings-Packers as a featured 1 p.m. contest, followed by 49ers-Cowboys in the late afternoon slot.

Tom Brady makes his initial return to Foxborough, Massachusetts, as a broadcaster when the Patriots face the Packers in Week 9.

“I think there are 60 dates this season with NFL football. That is quite different than 20-25 years ago,” Mulvihill said. “Sunday is still the core of the football experience and always will be. I think the league is mindful of not undermining the brand and power of Sunday football.”

The Chicago White Sox achieved a milestone Thursday night, defeating the Kansas City Royals 6-2 to push their record above .500 for the first time since their 2023 season opener.

Randal Grichuk powered the offensive attack with four RBIs, connecting for a two-run blast in the opening frame and adding two more runs with a base hit in the third inning. The victory marked Chicago’s fifth consecutive win, extending their current hot streak.

Chicago completed a three-game sweep of Kansas City, establishing themselves as baseball’s hottest team. With a 22-21 record, the White Sox have reached .500 after April for the first time since October 2022.

Left-handed starter Anthony Kay (3-1) delivered a solid performance for Chicago, surrendering six hits and two runs across six-plus innings. Kay walked two batters while striking out four on 97 pitches.

In other MLB action Thursday:

Cincinnati dominated Washington 15-1, with JJ Bleday launching two home runs and collecting six RBIs to help the Reds salvage the series finale. Matt McLain and Dane Myers also went deep, while Spencer Steer contributed two hits and three runs scored. Elly De La Cruz extended his multi-hit streak to six games with two hits and two runs. Chase Burns (5-1) shut out the Nationals over six innings, allowing just two hits.

The New York Mets completed their first series sweep of the season with a 9-4 victory over Detroit. Nolan McLean (2-2) worked seven innings of three-run ball for the win. Juan Soto delivered the go-ahead hit in the fifth and added a leadoff homer in the seventh. A.J. Ewing, Marcus Semien, Brett Baty and Mark Vientos also homered for New York.

Chicago Cubs avoided a sweep with a 2-0 shutout victory at Atlanta. Ian Happ homered while five Cubs pitchers combined for a five-hit shutout. Hoby Milner (1-0) earned the win with two scoreless innings. The Cubs snapped a season-high four-game losing streak.

Pittsburgh defeated Colorado 7-2 behind Ryan O’Hearn’s three-hit, two-RBI performance that included a home run. The Pirates took two of three games from the Rockies.

Seattle beat Houston 8-3 to win three of four games in the series. Luke Raley and Mitch Garver homered for the Mariners, while Brendan Donovan went 3-for-5 with a double and triple.

Milwaukee topped San Diego 7-1 in the series finale. Luis Rengifo drove in three runs while Kyle Harrison (4-1) threw five shutout innings with seven strikeouts.

Philadelphia edged Boston 3-1 as Kyle Schwarber hit his 18th homer of the season and Jesus Luzardo pitched six scoreless innings for the road victory.

Minnesota cruised past Miami 9-1, with Austin Martin and James Outman each driving in three runs. Zebby Matthews (1-0) scattered four hits over seven shutout innings in his season debut.

Los Angeles defeated San Francisco 5-2 to close their four-game series. Emmet Sheehan (3-1) threw six strong innings, while Alex Call hit a go-ahead two-run double in the sixth.

St. Louis rallied for a 5-4 win over the Athletics in West Sacramento. Ivan Herrera tied the game with a two-out single in the ninth, and Jordan Walker followed with the go-ahead double.