Category: Sports

The Los Angeles Dodgers secured a 5-2 victory against the San Francisco Giants on Thursday, splitting their four-game series behind a stellar pitching performance from Emmet Sheehan and a crucial sixth-inning rally.

Sheehan delivered six impressive innings on the mound, while Alex Call provided the decisive blow with a two-run double in the sixth that put the Dodgers ahead for good. Will Smith got things started early with a leadoff home run, and Teoscar Hernandez contributed three hits to the winning effort.

The victory allowed the Dodgers to claim the final two contests of the series after beginning the season with a disappointing 1-4 record against their division rivals. Los Angeles managed eight hits despite playing without Shohei Ohtani for the second straight game, as the star player received his first complete day off of the year while working through offensive struggles.

Sheehan improved to 3-1 on the season, surrendering just two runs on two hits while walking two and striking out six batters. Tanner Scott closed out the game with a flawless ninth inning to earn his fourth save of the campaign.

For San Francisco, Jung Hoo Lee provided the offensive highlight with a two-run inside-the-park home run. Starting pitcher Landen Roupp took the loss, falling to 5-4 after allowing four runs on six hits across 5 1/3 innings. He recorded seven strikeouts and issued two walks as the Giants dropped back-to-back games following a strong 4-1 stretch.

The Giants’ offensive struggles continued from the previous night when they were shut out by Ohtani and the Los Angeles bullpen.

Smith, batting leadoff for the first time in his professional career, wasted no time connecting on Roupp’s fourth pitch of the game, sending it just over the right field fence for his fourth homer this season.

The Dodgers extended their lead to 2-0 in the second inning when Hyeseong Kim drove in a run with a single.

Lee’s dramatic inside-the-park homer came in the fifth inning with a runner on first base. His blooper down the left field line took an unusual bounce off the retaining wall, rolling past Hernandez into the corner and allowing Lee to circle the bases for his third home run of the year, sliding safely into home ahead of the relay throw.

The decisive sixth inning saw pinch hitter Call deliver a clutch single to right field off reliever Matt Gage, bringing home two runs for a 4-2 advantage. Miguel Rojas added an insurance run with an RBI single to center field on the tenth pitch of his at-bat.

Milwaukee Brewers officials are taking a wait-and-see approach with star outfielder Christian Yelich, who has been dealing with back stiffness that may require a stint on the injured list.

The team has given Yelich two consecutive days off to address the back issues, with Friday’s evaluation expected to determine his immediate future. Yelich had just returned from missing 24 games with a left groin injury when he played Tuesday against the visiting San Diego Padres, going hitless in four at-bats during Milwaukee’s 6-4 victory.

Following Tuesday’s contest, Yelich developed back stiffness that kept him sidelined for Wednesday’s defeat and Thursday’s win that concluded the series against San Diego. Team officials believe the current problem stems from back surgery the player had in August 2024.

Manager Pat Murphy provided an update after Thursday’s 7-1 triumph over San Diego, saying, “He felt much better today. We’ll find out a lot more (Friday). I think (Friday) will be kind of a telling tale whether he needs a longer break.”

Milwaukee begins a three-game road series against the Minnesota Twins on Friday in Minneapolis.

Murphy explained that similar issues occurred previously, noting, “He had the same thing last year. If you talked to his doctor, they would tell you the same thing, that this is going to happen from time to time. Do you know anybody with back surgery that absolutely has no problems with their back? That’s just not how it is.”

The 34-year-old Yelich has posted a .291 batting average this season with a .350 on-base percentage and .418 slugging percentage, along with one home run and 10 RBIs across 16 games.

The three-time All-Star earned National League Most Valuable Player honors in 2018 and carries career statistics of a .285/.374/.464 batting line with 234 home runs, 861 RBIs and 224 stolen bases over 1,632 games.

Yelich spent his early career with the Miami Marlins from 2013-17 before joining Milwaukee via trade in January 2018.

Ukrainian boxing champion Vasiliy Lomachenko is making his return to the ring after stepping away from professional fighting, his manager revealed Wednesday.

“We are working on his comeback this fall,” Egis Klimas told ESPN.

The fighter, who compiled an 18-3 record with 12 knockouts before stepping away from the sport last summer, recently became a free agent on Tuesday and plans to pursue major bouts as part of his return to boxing.

At 38 years old, Lomachenko has captured world championships across three weight classes: featherweight, super featherweight and lightweight. His professional success built upon a stellar amateur career that featured two Olympic gold medals representing Ukraine in 2008 and 2012, along with an outstanding 396-1 amateur record.

Known as “Hi Tech,” Lomachenko’s most recent bout took place in 2024, where he scored a TKO victory over former lightweight champion George Kambosos Jr. in Perth, Australia. Following his inability to line up another fight after that victory, Lomachenko considered his options before ultimately deciding to retire.

Professional football teams displayed remarkable creativity Thursday evening as they unveiled their upcoming season schedules through an array of entertaining presentations featuring artistic elements, gaming references, film nods, and even animated television shows.

The organizations also took opportunities to playfully tease their future opponents, make light of their own situations, and reference notable offseason incidents.

The Indianapolis team utilized an animated approach featuring characters from the long-running cartoon series. Their presentation acknowledged their extended losing streak in Jacksonville by showing the famous father character vanishing into bushes when displaying their away matchup against the Jaguars.

The animation also depicted the young son character repeatedly scribbling on a school blackboard: “We will not include Tyreek Hill in these videos.”

The New York franchise adopted an artistic “football is ART (craft blend)” concept, mixing specially labeled paint colors to reveal their opponents and corresponding dates.

Their opening game against the Tennessee team featured paint shades called “Dolly Denim” and “Bachelorette Blush,” referencing a city famous for a country music icon and party destinations. The Miami matchup incorporated spray tan, del boca vista, major key and finkle — nodding to the Ray Finkle character from the 1994 film “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective” — while the Minnesota game used raspberry beret and minnetonka blue colors.

The New Orleans organization employed a “season forecast” theme that featured personalities including Jim Cantore from The Weather Channel. The Los Angeles team drew inspiration from the film “Napoleon Dynamite” for their “A Dynamite schedule” presentation.

The Pittsburgh franchise created an extended presentation lasting over 4 minutes and 36 seconds that celebrated local culture, traditions, cuisine, and regional dialect with “Ready to yinzify your DNA, n’at?” A Pittsburgh-born actor Billy Gardell guides a new security employee through the experience with the schedule information revealed at the conclusion.

The Los Angeles team produced an even lengthier presentation using the video game Halo Infinite for a 6-minute and 12-second reveal, beginning with a social media post asking whether they should create their schedule video using the game, with “NO” spelled out alongside the word “yes.”

This team also reminded Baltimore about backing out of their potential trade with another franchise for player Maxx Crosby.

They additionally appeared to reference the Patriots coach’s recent activities in their headlines with a mention of “Next Photo Dump 1 Mile.”

The Jacksonville organization capitalized on perhaps the most talked-about offseason haircut, featuring their quarterback Trevor Lawrence trimming his lengthy hair on camera after presenting their schedule, which then displays on screen in an edited version under 2 minutes.

The Tennessee team returned to street interviews for their schedule announcement, building on their 2023 approach. This year, they used “You never know who you’ll see on the street” set to the classic rock song “Who Are You,” asking random individuals if they were notable figures associated with specific opponents.

The Atlanta organization borrowed the style from a popular social media account known as ArtButMakeItSports for their schedule preview. They published a series Thursday morning titled “Art but make it our 2026 opponents,” showcasing paintings representing each opposing team.

Two major cities set to host World Cup matches are implementing new restrictions on pre-game festivities that will change how fans experience the tournament atmosphere.

Boston and Philadelphia announced Wednesday that tailgating activities will only be permitted for individuals who possess tickets to the matches, representing a shift from standard practices at Gillette Stadium and Lincoln Financial Field.

“The people who should come to Gillette on a game day are people who have a ticket to the event,” stated Jim Nolan, COO of Kraft Sports and Entertainment. “So, if you don’t have a ticket, don’t come to Gillette.”

The announcement provides relief to supporters who worried about a complete prohibition on tailgating following confusion last month when officials initially suggested all pre-game parking lot activities would be eliminated entirely.

However, the new policy adds another expense for fans already facing elevated ticket and parking costs for the international tournament.

“Parking in the lots is controlled by FIFA, so anyone who is looking to purchase a parking space can work with FIFA. There’s a website available where you can purchase the parking,” explained Meg Kane, CEO & President of Philadelphia Soccer 2026. “If you have a ticket for the match on the day that the ticket says, and you have a parking space, you’re absolutely welcome to enjoy the traditional fan experience. That’s something that we’re going to embrace in every way.”

Kane acknowledged the policy represents a significant departure from typical professional football game experiences.

“It is a change for Philadelphians to know that this is not like a traditional Eagles game, where there are 25,000 people here who have no tickets, and are here for that part of the party,” she noted.

FIFA has not yet disclosed whether similar restrictions will apply at all tournament locations. New Jersey has already implemented even stricter measures, completely prohibiting tailgating at MetLife Stadium. Previous FIFA communications had suggested various limitations might be implemented.

Last week, a representative from the North Texas FIFA World Cup Organizing Committee told the Dallas Observer that tailgating “will have a slightly different feel but additional fan information for all FIFA World Cup 2026 matches will be communicated in advance of the tournament.”

MIAMI (AP) — On Thursday, the Tampa Bay Rays and Florida local authorities revealed a preliminary $2.3 billion pact for a new stadium that would be financed through both public and private funding sources.

The preliminary memorandum of understanding between the Rays, Hillsborough County, and Tampa city officials details stadium expenses that would involve $967 million in public tax funding. City and county elected representatives are scheduled to consider the proposal during separate sessions next week.

“The Rays respectfully but resolutely encourage Hillsborough County and the City of Tampa to approve the MOU and make possible a Forever Home for our community’s Tampa Bay Rays, breathe new life into the Dale Mabry Campus of Hillsborough College, and create a new privately financed neighborhood that will be an inviting and inclusive destination to work, live, learn, and play,” Rays CEO Ken Babby said in a statement.

Earlier this year, the team’s ownership struck a deal with Hillsborough College to construct the ballpark and a mixed-use entertainment complex on the college grounds while also upgrading some college facilities. The site sits adjacent to the New York Yankees’ spring training complex and opposite a major roadway from Raymond James Stadium, where the Tampa Bay Buccaneers play.

Team officials have expressed hopes to complete the new ballpark construction within three years.

The Rays have called Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg home since beginning play in 1998, though they temporarily relocated home games to the Yankees’ Steinbrenner Field in 2025 after hurricane damage affected the Trop. Their current lease extends through the 2028 season at minimum. The team resumed playing at the Trop last month when this season began.

Last year, a proposed $1.3 billion renovation project for a new stadium near the Trop collapsed, creating uncertainty about the franchise’s future after Patrick Zalupski’s ownership group purchased the team in September.

Football fans can mark their calendars as the complete 2026 NFL schedule becomes available Thursday evening, wrapping up the lineup of 272 games spanning 18 weeks. The season will begin September 9 with the Seahawks celebrating their Super Bowl championship with a banner ceremony. This marks only the second occasion the NFL has started its season on a Wednesday, following the Giants-Cowboys matchup on September 5, 2012. Multiple games have already been confirmed, including a historic nine international contests spanning four continents. The 49ers will meet the Rams in Melbourne on September 10 for the season’s first overseas game, while the Steelers take on the Saints in Paris on October 25, marking the NFL’s inaugural regular-season game in France.

At Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, the PGA Championship is delivering a stern examination for competitors. Among the morning wave, no golfer managed better than 67 strokes. Rory McIlroy encountered difficulties, carding a 74, while Bryson DeChambeau fared even worse with a 76. Four players – Aldrich Potgieter, Stephan Jaeger, Min Woo Lee and Ryo Hisatsune – achieved 67 by making sufficient birdies to counter their errors. Xander Schauffele sits among those posting 68, with Jordan Spieth and Brooks Koepka recording 69. Spieth expressed optimism about his ball-striking despite the score, noting it provides a solid foundation as he pursues the final piece of the career Grand Slam.

McIlroy’s round at Aronimink deteriorated significantly after dealing with a blister on his right pinky toe during practice sessions. The Masters champion had planned to attack with his driver and adapt accordingly, but struggled to locate fairways throughout his round. He concluded with four consecutive bogeys for his 74. Historically, no PGA champion has recovered from an opening round of 74 or higher in 27 years, leaving him facing an uphill battle. McIlroy found just five fairways, missing all of them over his final eight holes.

DeChambeau’s quest to improve his position encountered a bizarre obstacle when his tee shot found its way onto a hospitality tent’s staircase. The unusual situation contributed to his struggles in a 6-over 76 at Aronimink, representing his worst score relative to par in PGA Championship competition. This performance puts him in danger of missing the cut in consecutive major championships. Despite his on-course difficulties, DeChambeau maintains his popularity with spectators who continue celebrating his powerful drives. His association with LIV Golf faces uncertainty following Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund withdrawing its support, potentially leading him toward social media ventures if he doesn’t secure a new agreement.

Georgia safety Ja’Marley Riddle faces legal troubles following his arrest on two felony charges for controlled substance possession plus a misdemeanor speeding violation. Police reports obtained by WGIG 98.7 FM indicate officers observed Riddle driving erratically through traffic at approximately 95 mph Friday evening. During the traffic stop, authorities noted his anxious demeanor and detected marijuana odors. A search revealed a bag containing various packages marked as marijuana and THC vapes in his backpack. The football program’s spokesperson acknowledged they are collecting additional details but refused to elaborate. Riddle joined Georgia this winter following his transfer from East Carolina University.

The WNBA’s efforts to address excessive physical play are creating adjustment challenges during the season’s opening week. Teams are currently averaging 21.6 fouls per game, an increase from 19.9 during the comparable period last season. That figure typically decreases as the year progresses, with teams averaging 17.5 fouls per contest by season’s end last year. The uptick in whistles hasn’t significantly impacted free throw attempts, with 21.9 being shot this season compared to 21.4 at this point previously.

Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund strengthened its sports investments by becoming an “official tournament supporter” of the World Cup Thursday, demonstrating continued commitment despite recent pullbacks from other ventures. The kingdom’s public investment fund announced this month it would cease future LIV Golf funding, creating questions about long-term sports strategies following massive recent expenditures. However, the partnership announcement emphasized sport remains a “priority sector.” Financial terms of the agreement covering North America and Asia weren’t revealed, but it deepens connections between Saudi Arabia and soccer’s global governing organization.

Israel’s defense minister has condemned Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal for displaying a Palestinian flag during Spanish league championship celebrations. Minister Israel Katz posted on X that Yamal’s flag-waving “incites hate” toward Israel. The 18-year-old Yamal held a large Palestinian flag while riding Barcelona’s victory parade bus through the city Monday. Yamal is expected to feature prominently for Spain in next month’s World Cup tournament in North America.

The Edmonton Oilers dismissed coach Kris Knoblauch following their first-round playoff elimination, ending his tenure after leading the team to back-to-back Stanley Cup Final appearances. Knoblauch assumed control as a midseason replacement when Jay Woodcroft was terminated following a poor start in November 2023. This marks the organization’s sixth coaching change in 12 seasons since Connor McDavid joined the NHL and established himself as the sport’s premier talent alongside fellow MVP Leon Draisaitl. General manager Stan Bowman’s decision to release Knoblauch suggests he will continue in his role alongside president of hockey operations Jeff Jackson.

Trainer Brittany Russell has an opportunity to create horse racing history as another woman to capture a Triple Crown race victory. Following Cherie DeVaux’s Kentucky Derby triumph and Jenna Antonucci’s Belmont success, Russell seeks to finish the series by winning Saturday’s Preakness Stakes with Taj Mahal. The event occurs at Laurel Park, Russell’s regular venue, with her husband Sheldon serving as jockey. Success would establish them as the first married team to claim a Triple Crown race as trainer and rider. Taj Mahal enters as a legitimate threat, maintaining a perfect record through three starts at Laurel Park.

The Colorado Rockies have moved pitcher Jimmy Herget to the 15-day injured list Thursday due to a shoulder impingement in his throwing arm.

The 32-year-old right-handed pitcher had recently rejoined the team after being on the bereavement/family emergency list since Saturday. During Tuesday’s game, Herget took the mound and pitched one inning in the team’s 3-1 defeat to the Pittsburgh Pirates on the road. He gave up one hit and issued one walk while recording one strikeout, but experienced shoulder discomfort during the outing.

The injured list placement has been made effective as of Wednesday. To fill the roster spot, the Rockies have brought up right-handed pitcher Tanner Gordon from their Triple-A affiliate in Albuquerque.

This season marks Herget’s second year with Colorado, where he has compiled a 0-1 record with one save opportunity converted. His earned run average stands at 5.06 across 16 innings of work, during which he has issued four walks and recorded 17 strikeouts over 15 appearances, including three as a starter.

Throughout his major league career, Herget has posted an 8-12 record with 10 saves and a 3.29 earned run average. He has walked 77 batters and struck out 239 across 254 1/3 innings in 203 games, with six starts. His career has included stints with the Cincinnati Reds in 2019, the Texas Rangers from 2020-21, the Los Angeles Angels from 2021-23, the Atlanta Braves in 2024, and now the Rockies.

Gordon, who is 28 years old, has appeared in five relief outings for the Rockies this season, posting a 0-0 record with a 6.35 earned run average. He has walked four batters and struck out 20 in 17 innings of work. In his third major league season, Gordon holds a career 6-14 record with a 6.06 earned run average across 28 games, 23 of which were starts.

The Oakland Athletics made a roster move Thursday, bringing in left-handed pitcher Jose Suarez from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for cash while releasing outfielder Junior Perez.

The 28-year-old Suarez has struggled this season, compiling a 0-1 record with one save and a 6.38 ERA across nine appearances, including one starting assignment, split between Seattle and Atlanta. During his time with the Braves, he went 0-1 with one save and posted a 6.61 ERA over eight games before making one relief appearance for the Mariners that resulted in a no-decision.

Throughout his major league career, Suarez holds a 22-30 record with three saves and a 5.34 ERA spanning 115 games, 63 of which were starts. His career has included stints with the Los Angeles Angels from 2019-24, the Braves in 2025-26, and the Mariners.

The Mariners had claimed Suarez off waivers on May 3.

Meanwhile, the 24-year-old Perez batted .210 with five home runs and 19 RBIs across 36 games this season while playing for Triple-A Las Vegas.

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Mets welcomed back Juan Soto to their starting lineup on Thursday, while also receiving encouraging updates about Francisco Lindor’s recovery from a left calf strain.

Soto had left Wednesday night’s 3-2 extra-inning victory against the Detroit Tigers during the seventh inning, after fouling a pitch off his right foot four innings earlier. Medical imaging showed no fractures, and Soto was inserted into Thursday’s lineup as the designated hitter for the series finale with Detroit.

Manager Carlos Mendoza reported that Lindor, who sustained his injury on April 22 while running home on a Francisco Alvarez double, received an MRI on Wednesday revealing “signs of healing,” although the All-Star shortstop remains far from returning to action.

According to Mendoza, Lindor has been authorized to increase his weight room activities before starting a running regimen.

“Positive sign,” Mendoza stated. “We’ve just got to let it heal.”

Mendoza indicated no specific timeline exists for Lindor to resume baseball-related activities. The shortstop has been absent for the team’s previous 18 contests — exceeding his total missed games from the past four seasons combined by four games.

Francisco Alvarez, who tore his right knee meniscus while fouling off a pitch during Tuesday’s 10-2 victory over Detroit, had surgery Thursday morning. The team anticipates Alvarez will be sidelined for as long as eight weeks, according to Mendoza.

The Mets currently have 12 players on their injured list, including Alvarez and Lindor, along with pitchers Reed Garrett (Tommy John surgery), Justin Hagenman (fractured rib), Tylor Megill (sprained right elbow), Dedniel Núñez (Tommy John surgery) and Kodai Senga (lumbar spine inflammation); left-handed pitcher A.J. Minter (left lat surgery); position players Ronny Mauricio (broken left thumb), Jorge Polanco (bruised right wrist) and Jared Young (torn left meniscus); and outfielder Luis Robert Jr. (lumbar spine disk herniation).

Soto previously sat out 15 games last month due to a right calf strain.

MANCHESTER, England — Despite stepping away from golf financing, Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund announced Thursday it has expanded its soccer investments by securing an “official tournament supporter” designation for the World Cup.

The kingdom’s public investment fund (PIF) revealed earlier this month it would cease future financial backing for LIV Golf, sparking uncertainty about its long-term athletic investment strategy following years of massive spending.

However, the partnership announcement emphasized that athletics remains a “priority sector” for the fund.

Financial terms of the agreement, which encompasses North America and Asia, remain undisclosed, though the deal further solidifies the relationship between Saudi Arabia and soccer’s international governing body.

The petroleum-wealthy nation secured hosting rights for the 2034 World Cup, while PIF served as a commercial partner during last year’s Club World Cup tournament.

SURJ Sports Investment, owned by PIF, maintains ownership stakes in online streaming platform DAZN, which provided Club World Cup broadcasts.

FIFA financial records indicate television broadcasting rights generated “the lion’s share” of its 2025 annual income, exceeding $1 billion in value.

Soccer represents a central component of Saudi Arabia’s strategy to reduce dependence on petroleum revenues while developing alternative income sources.

This approach has involved attracting premier athletes including Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Karim Benzema to the domestic league, along with purchasing Premier League team Newcastle. Securing World Cup hosting rights stands as the most significant accomplishment to date.

Additional athletic investments encompass hosting world championship boxing events, Formula One racing and tennis competitions.

The controversial LIV Golf tour’s 2022 debut significantly disrupted professional golf, attracting elite players such as Bryson DeChambeau, Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson from the PGA. LIV Golf expenditures are projected to surpass $6 billion by year’s end.

Although the flow of top soccer talent to the Saudi league has decreased following initial aggressive recruiting efforts, PIF maintains the sport plays a “crucial role in the ongoing transformation of Saudi Arabia.”

“PIF continues to expand its global footprint in sport, with football at the heart of this growth,” stated head of corporate brand Mohamed AlSayyad.

As the 2026 NCAA Women’s Lacrosse season progresses, attention turns to the upcoming regional tournament competition.

A preview of the regional tournament has been made available, offering insight into what fans can expect from the upcoming lacrosse action.

The regional competition represents a key stage in the NCAA women’s lacrosse championship tournament structure.

DENVER — Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar summed up his team’s remarkable comeback victory with one word after they overcame a three-goal deficit to win their playoff series on an overtime goal from a defenseman who hadn’t found the net since January while playing for a different organization.

“That one was,” the coach said, “something.”

Something, indeed.

The Avalanche punched their ticket to the Western Conference final for the eighth time since moving to Denver after Brett Kulak’s goal delivered a 4-3 victory over the Minnesota Wild in Game 5. This marks only the second time in their last nine playoff runs that the Avalanche have progressed beyond the second round.

During their previous conference final appearance in 2022, the franchise claimed the Stanley Cup championship.

With Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar leading the charge, expectations remain Cup-or-bust for this organization. This season’s squad appears particularly equipped for a championship run, featuring captain Gabriel Landeskog back in action for a full regular season, impressive roster depth — 16 different players found the scoresheet during the Wild series — and exceptional performances from their star players.

Entering the season among championship contenders, they topped the NHL standings for most of the regular season while claiming their fourth Presidents’ Trophy, awarded to the team with the league’s best record.

Similar to Carolina, the Avalanche are gaining momentum heading into the conference finals. The Hurricanes reached this stage with back-to-back sweeps, while the Avalanche needed nine games, including a first-round sweep of the Los Angeles Kings. As of Thursday, Colorado holds slight favoritism over the Hurricanes for the Cup according to oddsmakers.

Colorado’s next opponent will be either Vegas or Anaheim. During the regular season, the Avalanche posted a 2-0-1 record against both the Golden Knights and the Ducks.

Bednar recognizes the elevated expectations that accompany his talented roster each season. He accepts that criticism comes with the territory.

“It’s hard to win,” Bednar said. “But I wouldn’t want it any other way. I don’t think our players would want it any other way.

“People are going to get on you because you didn’t win the Cup. I’d still rather be fighting for that, having earned that type of reputation because of the way you play through the regular season and the group that you put together as an organization and the high expectations, rather than, ‘Let’s just try and make the playoffs.’”

Little seems to shake the Avalanche’s composure these days. Even facing a three-goal deficit couldn’t rattle them, setting the stage for a dramatic finish and Kulak’s overtime heroics, as he converted a precise pass from Martin Necas into the net, sending the packed arena into celebration.

The goal marked Kulak’s first since Jan. 19 during his time with Pittsburgh, before his trade to Colorado the following month. The victory also represented the first time the Avalanche clinched a series at home since 2008, when they defeated the Wild in Game 6 of the conference quarterfinals.

“In an environment like this, where the building felt like it was going to start shaking at any moment, it was exciting,” said Landeskog, who played his first complete regular season since 2022 following recovery from a knee injury. “Now, it’s kind of a sigh of relief.”

The Avalanche have several days to recover. They played without forward Artturi Lehkonen and defenseman Sam Malinski during the final two games against the Wild due to upper-body injuries. Makar briefly exited Wednesday’s contest following a collision but returned to action.

“The playoffs are a long grind and you want to keep your focus narrow,” said Kulak, who reached the Stanley Cup Final with Edmonton last season. “We can get some rest.”

Colorado carries a 3-4 record in conference finals since relocating to the city before the 1995-96 season. However, each of their three previous advances resulted in championship banners — 1996, 2001 and 2022.

“They’re a really good team,” Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes said.

Colorado’s roster depth has proven to be a major asset. The 16 different goal scorers in the second round ties an NHL record for most in a single series, according to NHL Stats.

“The depth is what’s going to win, coming down the stretch here in the playoffs,” Landeskog said. “Guys are stepping up all over the place.”

That depth extends to goaltending, though a potential storyline may emerge regarding the position.

Scott Wedgewood entered during the second period after Mackenzie Blackwood allowed three first-period goals. Wedgewood turned away all seven shots he faced during the second and third periods (he faced none in overtime).

“Just proud,” Wedgewood said of reaching the conference final. “Proud of our group ending it and finding a way to do that because we knew going into the series, it wasn’t going to be an easy out. There’s a long road ahead, a lot of stories to write and just preparing for that.”

Football fans will get their complete look at the 2026 NFL regular season Thursday evening when the league unveils its full schedule featuring 272 games spanning 18 weeks.

Seattle will host the season opener on September 9 as the Seahawks celebrate their Super Bowl championship with a banner ceremony. This marks only the second occasion the NFL has begun its season on a Wednesday, with the previous instance occurring when the Giants welcomed the Cowboys on September 5, 2012.

While many matchups have already been revealed, the complete schedule will finalize details for what includes a historic nine international contests spanning four continents. The season’s first overseas game features San Francisco taking on the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne on September 10.

France will host its inaugural NFL regular season contest when Pittsburgh meets New Orleans in Paris on October 25.

Half of the league’s 32 franchises will compete in at least one of their 17 regular season contests outside American borders. Both San Francisco and Jacksonville are scheduled for two international appearances each. The 49ers will also battle Minnesota in Mexico City during Week 11, while the Jaguars play back-to-back London games in Weeks 5 and 6 against the Eagles and Texans respectively. The Colts and Commanders will also clash in London during Week 4.

Week 3 brings Dallas and Baltimore together in Rio de Janeiro. Madrid hosts the Bengals and Falcons in Week 8, while Munich welcomes the Patriots and Lions for a Week 9 showdown.

Previously announced prime-time matchups include Dallas visiting the Giants for the season’s first Sunday night contest and Denver traveling to face Kansas City in the opening Monday night game.

Holiday football features Green Bay against the Rams on Thanksgiving Eve, with the Lions hosting the Bears and the Eagles visiting Dallas among the traditional Thanksgiving Day games.

EDMONTON, Alberta — Edmonton Oilers management dismissed head coach Kris Knoblauch on Thursday following the team’s early playoff elimination that came after he had led the franchise to back-to-back Stanley Cup Final appearances.

Since replacing Jay Woodcroft as a mid-season hire when the previous coach was let go after a poor November 2023 start, Knoblauch guided Edmonton to three playoff berths. Under his leadership, the team posted 166 victories in 286 games, giving him a .623 regular-season points percentage that places him sixth among current NHL head coaches.

This marks the sixth coaching change for Edmonton since Connor McDavid joined the NHL in 2015 and established himself as the league’s top player, playing alongside fellow MVP Leon Draisaitl. The duo remains without a championship as they enter their 12th campaign together.

The coaching dismissal follows reports from earlier this week that Edmonton had requested and been refused permission by the Vegas Golden Knights to interview Bruce Cassidy, whom they had released as coach in late March while he remains under contract. Organizations typically wait for open positions before pursuing potential coaching candidates during the offseason.

General manager Stan Bowman’s authority to make this decision suggests he will retain his position, as will president of hockey operations Jeff Jackson, who came aboard in August 2023. Jackson assumed control of hockey operations after the team’s initial final appearance in 2024 and brought in Bowman as general manager that summer. Assistant coach Mark Stuart was also dismissed.

“Following a thorough review of this past season, we believe these changes are needed,” Bowman said. “We are grateful for the contributions both Kris and Mark have made to our organization and we wish them the best moving forward.”

The Oilers trailed 3-0 in their initial championship series against Florida before forcing the Panthers to a decisive Game 7 and falling by one goal. They returned the next year with home-ice advantage but appeared to take a step backward in a six-game series loss attributed to defensive struggles and poor goaltending.

These issues persisted throughout this season, both before and after Bowman executed a goaltender trade to acquire Tristan Jarry while sending Stuart Skinner to Pittsburgh. The move backfired, as Edmonton finished 29th among 32 league teams with an .883 save percentage.

McDavid offered significant praise for Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper late in the season after the Lightning defeated the Oilers 5-2. While not necessarily intended as a critique of Knoblauch, the comments were notable from a player who typically focuses on accepting accountability for defeats.

Edmonton was ousted by the less-experienced Anaheim Ducks, as Knoblauch couldn’t solve the goaltending crisis between Jarry and backup-turned-starter Connor Ingram. Their combined .880 save percentage ranked worst in the playoffs, while the Oilers’ 4.33 goals allowed also finished last.

The three-year contract extension Edmonton gave Knoblauch in October begins next season and extends through 2028-29. The organization must continue paying him until another team employs him and would cover any salary difference during that period.

A diverse group of talented competitors, from working professionals to skilled animals, will take center stage at The Meadow Event Park in Caroline County throughout this month.

Attendees can observe the impressive abilities of the country’s top electrical lineworkers during the 22nd Annual Gaff-n-Go Rodeo and Expo scheduled for May 15-16. These essential workers will demonstrate their professional expertise through demanding competitions that mirror their daily job responsibilities. Additional details are available on the Gaff-n-Go website.

The Virginia Quarter Horse Association will present the Virginia National Stock Horse Show from May 15-17. More information can be found on the VQHA website.

Canine competitors of various breeds and sizes will be featured during the B.O.B. Cluster AKC Dog Show May 22-24. This event will include participants from multiple organizations: the Mid-Atlantic Non-Sporting Club of Virginia, Mid-Atlantic Herding Group Club of Maryland, Mid-Atlantic Working Group Club of Maryland, Sporting Dog Club of Virginia, Virginia Toy Club and Old Dominion Pug Club.

Young competitors will take the spotlight during the energetic Virginia High School Rodeo Association State Finals on May 22-23. Additional information is available on the VHSRA website.

Arabian and half-Arabian horses will compete in multiple disciplines during the Virginia Arabian Horse Show May 29-31, including dressage, sport horse, pleasure and trail events. Those seeking more details can call 540-898-3522 or check the Virginia Arabian Horse Association website or Facebook page.

The month concludes with the Chesapeake Kennel Club of Maryland event on May 30-31.

Those interested in staying informed about upcoming activities at The Meadow Event Park can sign up for monthly email updates.

A highly-rated quarterback at Vanderbilt University has landed an unconventional NIL agreement that features an appearance in a Hollywood film, according to recent reports.

Jared Curtis, a five-star recruit, was given a part in the movie “The Breadwinner” by comedian and devoted Commodores fan Nate Bargatze, as reported by OutKick. The quarterback’s scene involves shopping for a vehicle while wearing Vanderbilt baseball headwear.

The comedian presented his unusual recruitment offer to Curtis during a live broadcast of ESPN’s “College GameDay” in the previous season.

Curtis changed his college commitment from Georgia to his local Commodores in December, making him the most highly-ranked recruit the program has ever secured.

According to 247 Sports composite rankings for the Class of 2026, Curtis held the No. 4 position among all prospects and ranked as the No. 2 quarterback. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound player competed at Nashville Christian, accumulating close to 10,000 passing yards and over 2,000 rushing yards during his four seasons as the starting quarterback.

New York Giants officials express confidence that wide receiver Malik Nabers will be ready for the team’s season opener despite undergoing a second procedure on his right knee, according to Thursday reports from ESPN.

Following his ACL injury in September, Nabers underwent an additional “cleanup” surgery during the offseason to address scar tissue buildup that was creating stiffness in the joint, the report indicated.

The Giants and new head coach John Harbaugh are scheduled to kick off their season at home on Sept. 13 when they face the Dallas Cowboys on “Sunday Night Football.”

The 22-year-old receiver, whose initial surgery took place on Oct. 28, revealed to ESPN in February that his original procedure also included a complete meniscus repair.

During last season’s abbreviated campaign, Nabers recorded 18 receptions for 271 yards and two touchdowns across four games. His rookie year in 2024 earned him Pro Bowl recognition after posting 109 catches for 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns in 15 contests as a first-round draft selection.

The Giants have significantly restructured their receiving corps during the offseason. The team saw Wan’Dale Robinson depart for the Tennessee Titans through free agency while bringing in Darnell Mooney and Calvin Austin III, and selecting Malachi Fields in the third round of the draft. Veteran Odell Beckham Jr. has participated in workouts with the organization in recent weeks.

A professional golfer from South Africa faced an early setback at the PGA Championship on Thursday morning when he was hit with a two-stroke penalty for failing to arrive on time for his opening round tee time in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania.

The 27-year-old Garrick Higgo was supposed to begin play at 7:18 a.m. at Aronimink Golf Club, where he was paired with Michael Brennan and Shaun Micheel for the round.

The penalty resulted in Higgo recording a double bogey on the first hole, which is a par-4. However, he managed to bounce back with birdies on the third and ninth holes, allowing him to reach the turn at even par for the round.

Currently ranked 85th in the world, Higgo has claimed victory twice on the PGA Tour during his professional career. This marks his fourth time competing in the PGA Championship, as he continues seeking his first top-40 result in any major tournament.

NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pennsylvania, May 14 – Masters winner Rory McIlroy began his pursuit of back-to-back major championships on a sour note, carding a bogey on his opening hole of the PGA Championship’s first round. The world’s second-ranked golfer was part of several marquee groups that started their rounds well ahead of defending champion Scottie Scheffler, who is attempting to become the tournament’s first back-to-back winner since 2019.

The world number two player started his round on Aronimink Golf Club’s par-four 10th hole while battling a blister on his right pinky toe. His opening tee shot found a tree, followed by a second shot that barely escaped the heavy rough before landing 14 feet from the pin, leading to a two-putt bogey.

McIlroy was paired with Jordan Spieth and Jon Rahm, with Rahm being one of 11 LIV Golf competitors in this year’s second major championship. Spieth, who is attempting to join the exclusive group of just seven golfers to achieve the career grand slam by capturing all four major titles, started with a par. McIlroy became the most recent member of that elite club when he won the 2025 Masters.

One group in front of them featured another star-studded trio including 2024 PGA Championship winner Xander Schauffele, five-time major winner Brooks Koepka, and LIV Golf’s Tyrrell Hatton. Schauffele got off to an excellent start with consecutive birdies.

Playing ahead of that group was LIV Golf’s Bryson DeChambeau, who has finished second at the previous two PGA Championships, alongside Ludvig Aberg and Rickie Fowler. DeChambeau was one over par after completing two holes.

The world’s top-ranked golfer Scheffler, who increased his major championship count to four with victories at last year’s PGA Championship and British Open, was scheduled to begin his round at 2:05 p.m. ET from the par-four first hole. He will be grouped with Justin Rose and Matt Fitzpatrick in one of the day’s final threesomes.

Scheffler dominated last year’s PGA Championship with a commanding five-shot victory. The American has posted three consecutive runner-up finishes on the PGA Tour in his recent outings, including at the Masters where he narrowly missed achieving a historic comeback after trailing by 12 strokes at the halfway point.

Other notable golfers scheduled for afternoon tee times include Cameron Young, who is enjoying his strongest PGA Tour campaign with two victories already this season, along with Shane Lowry, Tommy Fleetwood, and past champions Collin Morikawa and Justin Thomas.

Stephan Jaeger held the early lead on the course after recording four birdies in his first six holes.

Multiple media sources reported Thursday morning that the Edmonton Oilers have terminated head coach Kris Knoblauch following three seasons with the franchise.

The team had not issued an official statement regarding the coaching change early Thursday.

Under Knoblauch’s leadership, the Oilers made two Stanley Cup Final appearances with star captain Connor McDavid and fellow former Hart Trophy winner Leon Draisaitl leading the roster. Edmonton was defeated by the Florida Panthers in six games during 2024 and again in seven games in 2025.

During the most recent season, the team was eliminated by the Anaheim Ducks in a six-game first-round playoff series.

The reported dismissal occurs prior to the start of Knoblauch’s three-year contract extension that runs through the 2028-29 season. The 47-year-old coach signed that agreement on Oct. 3, 2025.

During his tenure, Knoblauch compiled a 135-77-21 regular season record along with a 31-22 playoff mark. He assumed control of the team following the Oilers’ dismissal of Jay Woodcroft on Nov. 13, 2023.

Italian tennis sensation Jannik Sinner made history Thursday in Rome, breaking a major professional tennis milestone by securing his 32nd consecutive Masters 1000 match victory. The world’s top-ranked player defeated Russia’s Andrey Rublev in straight sets, 6-2 6-4, advancing to the Italian Open semifinals while setting a new record.

The achievement puts Sinner ahead of a previous record held by Novak Djokovic. With his remarkable winning streak, Sinner now has an opportunity to achieve another milestone – matching Djokovic as the only player to capture victories at all nine Masters 1000 tournaments if he claims the championship on his home courts in Rome.

Despite the historic achievement, Sinner remained focused on his personal journey rather than the record books. “I don’t play for records. I play just for my own story,” Sinner said. “At the same time it means a lot to me, but tomorrow is another opponent. We’re going to play in different conditions – it’s going to be a night match.”

The Italian star emphasized his immediate priorities heading into the semifinals. “Now the highest priority for me is trying to recover as much as I can physically. We’ll see how it goes,” he explained.

Sinner also acknowledged the emotional challenge of competing in front of his home crowd. “Emotionally, it takes a lot playing here at home. At the same time, I’ll definitely try to do my best. It’s a win-win situation for me in any case. It was a good day today,” he said.

Sinner’s semifinal opponent will be determined by the outcome of Thursday’s match between former world number one Daniil Medvedev and Spanish rising star Martin Landaluce.

The Cleveland Cavaliers mounted a dramatic comeback to defeat the Detroit Pistons 117-113 in overtime, with James Harden leading the way with 30 points in his best playoff performance. Donovan Mitchell contributed 21 points as Cleveland overcame a nine-point deficit late in regulation to take a 3-2 series advantage in their Eastern Conference semifinal matchup. Detroit held commanding leads throughout the game, building a 15-point cushion in the opening half and maintaining a 103-94 advantage with just over two minutes remaining in regulation. The Cavaliers fought back to tie the contest at 103-103 on free throws by Evan Mobley with 45.2 seconds left on the clock. Cleveland then dominated with a 13-0 scoring run while keeping Detroit off the scoreboard for five consecutive minutes spanning from late in the fourth quarter into the middle of overtime.

In hockey action, Brett Kulak found the net 3:52 into overtime to send the Colorado Avalanche to the Western Conference final with a 4-3 triumph over the Minnesota Wild in their decisive fifth game. Nathan MacKinnon had forced the extra period with a late regulation goal, completing a remarkable turnaround for Colorado after falling behind 3-0 midway through the second period. This marks the eighth time the Avalanche have reached the conference final since moving to Denver in the 1995-96 season. Colorado will await the outcome of the Vegas-Anaheim series, where the Golden Knights currently hold a 3-2 advantage. Minnesota appeared in control with a 3-1 lead before Jack Drury scored with 3:33 remaining, setting up MacKinnon’s equalizer with 1:23 left. The overtime winner came when Martin Necas carried the puck behind the net before finding Kulak open in front for the decisive goal.

The PGA Championship commenced at Aronimink with some early drama and uncertainty surrounding the course. Braden Shattuck, one of 20 club professionals in the field who works approximately 10 miles from the venue, received the honor of hitting the opening shot. His initial drive veered left, prompting him to hit a backup shot fearing it might be out of bounds. Shattuck later discovered his original ball was barely in play, resulting in a double bogey to start his round. The Aronimink course presents a challenge for many competitors, as it hasn’t hosted a major championship since the 1962 PGA Championship.

Shohei Ohtani delivered a dominant pitching performance, throwing seven scoreless innings while allowing just four hits to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers past the San Francisco Giants 4-0. The victory ended a four-game losing streak for the Dodgers, with Ohtani taking the mound instead of serving as the designated hitter. Ohtani recorded eight strikeouts and issued two walks while lowering his earned run average to 0.82. Santiago Espinal and Mookie Betts connected for consecutive home runs in the third inning, staking Los Angeles to a 2-0 lead before adding two more runs in the fourth. The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for San Francisco, with starter Robbie Ray surrendering four runs and seven hits over 4 2/3 innings.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has issued an investigative subpoena to the NFL concerning the Rooney Rule, following through on enforcement threats made in March. Uthmeier sent the subpoena along with a letter to NFL executive vice president and attorney Ted Ullyot on Wednesday, targeting the 23-year-old hiring policy. The Rooney Rule mandates that teams interview a minimum of two minority candidates for head coach, general manager and coordinator roles, with at least one minority candidate required for quarterbacks coach positions. In his initial correspondence to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in March, Uthmeier characterized the rule as “blatant race and sex discrimination.”

The Trump administration has suspended bond requirements for foreign visitors from World Cup qualifying nations who have purchased tournament tickets. Previously, travelers from 50 countries were required to pay bonds of up to $15,000 to enter the United States due to high visa overstay rates and security concerns. Five World Cup qualifying countries were affected by this policy. Citizens from Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Tunisia who have bought tickets through FIFA are now exempt from the bond requirement.

FIFA has unveiled plans for a Super Bowl-style halftime show during the World Cup final, featuring performances by Madonna, Shakira and the boy band BTS. The July 19 final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey will mark the first time such an entertainment spectacle has been included in a World Cup final. The show will benefit the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which aims to raise $100 million to improve children’s access to education and soccer opportunities. Coldplay’s Chris Martin will serve as the show’s curator.

The Atlanta Braves became the first major league team to reach 30 victories, improving their league-best record to 30-13 with a thrilling 4-1 comeback win over the Chicago Cubs. Atlanta scored three runs in the eighth inning to secure another dramatic victory, with Mike Yastrzemski delivering a crucial pinch-hit double that drove in the tying run. Mauricio Dubón followed with a two-run homer into the Chicago bullpen to seal the victory. The Braves’ diverse offensive attack and ability to win in various ways has them positioned to potentially run away with the National League East division before summer arrives.

Danny Jansen provided the walk-off heroics for the Texas Rangers in a wild 6-5 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks following a chaotic ninth inning. Both teams’ closers surrendered three runs in a frantic final frame before Jansen ended the contest with an RBI single on the only pitch thrown by Juan Morillo, who had just replaced Paul Sewald. Sewald had blown his first save opportunity in 10 attempts. Jansen remarked that the game seemed to have everything, including the dramatic conclusion, and joked afterward that he was relieved not to have to catch another inning.

Nineteen-year-old Macklin Celebrini will captain Canada at the world hockey championship in Switzerland, with Sidney Crosby joining the roster as the team aims to improve on last year’s fifth-place showing. Celebrini becomes the youngest player ever to captain Canada’s national team, coming off an outstanding NHL season where he set a San Jose Sharks record with 115 points. The United States enters as defending champions, looking to repeat their 2025 title – their first world championship in 92 years. The 16-team tournament begins Friday with teams split into two groups, culminating in the final on May 31. Canada, historically the most successful nation at the world championships, hopes to rebound from their disappointing finish last year.

Nineteen-year-old Macklin Celebrini will make history as Canada’s youngest-ever captain when the world hockey championships begin Friday in Switzerland, with veteran Sidney Crosby joining the roster as the United States looks to defend its 2025 title.

The San Jose Sharks center becomes not only the youngest captain in Canadian world championship history but also the youngest player on this year’s roster for the tournament taking place in Zurich and Fribourg.

The young star has enjoyed a remarkable year during his second NHL campaign, posting incredible statistics with a franchise-record 115 points through 45 goals and 70 assists across 82 regular season contests.

His outstanding performance placed him fourth in league standings and earned him Ted Lindsay Award finalist recognition alongside established veterans Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers and Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Celebrini joins an elite group, as just two teenagers in NHL history have reached 50 points faster in a season – legends Crosby and Wayne Gretzky.

These exceptional numbers secured his spot on Canada’s squad following their silver medal performance at this year’s Milan Cortina Olympics.

With 28 world championship titles, Canada leads all nations in tournament success and remains among the top contenders regardless of roster availability during NHL playoff season.

Celebrini will work alongside two veteran alternate captains, both 35 years old: John Tavares from the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ryan O’Reilly from the Nashville Predators.

Crosby’s late addition for his fourth tournament appearance strengthens Canada’s chances as they seek to improve from last year’s disappointing fifth-place showing.

The 2024 NHL draft’s first overall selection previously competed in the 2025 tournament alongside Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon, but Canada suffered a shocking 2-1 quarterfinal defeat to Denmark.

Canada’s most recent championship came in 2023.

The Americans captured their second world title and first since 1933 last year when Tage Thompson netted an overtime goal at 2:02 for a 1-0 final victory over Switzerland.

Thompson won’t return this year due to his Buffalo Sabres’ playoff series against Montreal Canadians. The U.S. roster retains only two players from last year’s championship team: forwards Mason Lohrei of the Boston Bruins and Isaac Howard of the Bakersfield Condors in the AHL.

American forward Matthew Tkachuk has the opportunity to join hockey’s exclusive Triple Gold Club. He captured consecutive Stanley Cup championships with the Florida Panthers and earned Olympic gold at the Milan Cortina Games with Team USA.

Currently, 30 players have achieved Stanley Cup, Olympic, and world championship victories, with 11 Canadians leading that group.

Tkachuk stands as the sole Milan Games Olympian selected for the U.S. squad. Justin Faulk of the Detroit Red Wings will serve as team captain in his fourth world championship appearance.

Host nation Switzerland, coming off consecutive runner-up finishes, aims for greater success with a roster featuring forwards Nico Hirschier and Timo Meier of the New Jersey Devils, Nino Niederreiter of the Winnipeg Jets, Pius Sutter of the St. Louis Blues, and Nashville defenseman Roman Josi.

Traditional medal favorites Sweden, featuring Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond, and Finland, with Florida center Aleksandar Barkov, will also compete for the title.

Tournament organizers have split the 16 participating nations into two preliminary round groups.

Group A in Zurich features the United States alongside Switzerland, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Austria, Hungary, and first-time participant Britain. Group B in Fribourg includes Canada, Sweden, Czechia, Denmark, Slovakia, Norway, Slovenia, and fellow newcomer Italy.

Each group’s top four teams will advance to quarterfinal play. Championship and third-place matches are set for May 31.

FIFA announced Thursday that pop icons Madonna and Shakira will join forces with Korean pop sensation BTS for an unprecedented halftime performance during the World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

The historic entertainment spectacle, set for July 19, will be overseen by Chris Martin of Coldplay, according to the tournament’s organizing body.

“The FIFA World Cup 2026 Final halftime show will be a truly special moment, bringing together music, football and a shared commitment to improving the lives of children around the world,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino said on social media.

“Together, we will support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund and help create greater access to quality education and football for children worldwide.”

The expanded 48-nation tournament, jointly hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, is scheduled to begin June 11 and conclude July 19. This edition will showcase 104 total games, a significant increase from the current 64-match format, and will include an extra elimination round.

The previous year’s Club World Cup held in North America provided a preview of this concept, featuring halftime entertainment with performances by American rapper Doja Cat, Colombian artist J Balvin, and Nigerian vocalist Tems.

Lionel Messi found the back of the net twice and recorded an assist as Inter Miami mounted a dramatic comeback to defeat Cincinnati 5-3 on Wednesday evening, with German Berterame netting the decisive goal in the 84th minute.

The match turned in Miami’s favor during the final stages when Mateo Silvetti evened the score at 3-3 in the 79th minute, sparking a late surge that propelled the Herons (7-2-4, 25 points) to their fifth consecutive away victory in MLS play.

Both Messi and Silvetti recorded assists during the comeback, while Rodrigo de Paul contributed two assists throughout the evening as Miami once again emerged triumphant in a repeat of their 4-0 victory over Cincinnati in the 2025 Eastern Conference semifinals.

Cincinnati (4-5-4, 16 points) received strong performances from Kevin Denkey, who notched his eighth goal along with two assists, and Evander, who added his seventh goal with a spectacular 64th-minute strike that gave the hosts a 3-2 advantage.

Pavel Bucha also found the scoresheet for the home team, but Cincinnati’s six-game unbeaten streak came to an end as they allowed three or more goals for the fifth occasion in nine matches.

The equalizing goal came after Messi delivered the pass to Silvetti following a Cincinnati mistake in their defensive zone, finding the 20-year-old positioned on the left side of the penalty area. Silvetti showcased his skill by cutting back inside and threading a low shot through defenders into the bottom right corner.

Five minutes later, Berterame secured his fourth goal of the campaign to put the Herons ahead.

Messi played a key role once again, delivering a diagonal free kick toward the top of the 6-yard box that appeared to be an easy save for Cincinnati goalkeeper Roman Celentano. However, center back Andrei Chirila collided with his own keeper, causing Celentano to drop the ball and leaving Berterame with a simple tap-in to an empty net.

In the 89th minute, Messi nearly secured his third MLS hat trick when he met Silvetti’s cross from the left wing and fired a sliding shot that struck the inside of the right post. The ball rebounded off Celentano and crossed the goal line, but the goal was ultimately credited as an own-goal.

Messi opened the scoring in the 24th minute after Cincinnati’s first major mistake, applying pressure to center back Matt Miazga and deflecting his poorly chosen pass into the open goal when Miazga should have simply cleared the ball for a Miami corner kick.

His second goal brought the match level at 2-2 in the 55th minute through a more traditional finish, connecting with de Paul’s cross at the penalty spot following combination play that also featured Luis Suarez.

ARLINGTON, Texas — Danny Jansen laughed while admitting he wasn’t eager to catch another inning in what had already been a busy game defensively.

Fortunately for Jansen, he didn’t need to after connecting on the game-winning hit that secured a 6-5 victory for the Texas Rangers over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday evening, following a wild ninth inning where both teams’ closers surrendered three runs each.

“I feel like the game had everything. Like passed balls, a couple of wild pitches, I mean, stolen bases, threw somebody out,” Jansen explained, noting he also had to block several pitches with baserunners. “A bit of everything, it was kind of a wild one. … Definitely a crazy finish.”

Texas had just evened the score and knocked out Paul Sewald (0-4), who had successfully converted his initial nine save opportunities, when the ninth-place hitter Jansen smacked an RBI single down the baseline into the left-field corner off the first pitch from Juan Morillo.

This followed a disappointing top half of the ninth for Texas, where Jacob Latz — their primary closer since midway through a run of 10 straight scoreless appearances — couldn’t record an out against four consecutive batters. His night ended after Nolan Arenado drove in a run with a double and Ildemaro Vargas connected on a two-run single to left field, putting Arizona ahead 5-3.

“Latz has been so good this year. He has given up next to no runs,” manager Skip Schumaker commented. “I pitched him two innings, day off, then back-to-back, and then running him out there, maybe not fair to him quite honestly.”

However, when the dust settled, Latz was grinning alongside his teammates after Texas secured consecutive series victories for the first time since their opening two series of the campaign.

“The boys picked him up in a big way,” Schumaker noted. “And that’s what good teams do, and good teammates do, is they pick each other up.”

The Rangers (21-22) have captured five of their past six contests heading into Thursday’s scheduled day off.

Arizona (20-22) erased a three-run deficit, eventually tying the contest before taking the lead in the ninth inning, giving their closer a two-run cushion despite stranding 13 baserunners.

Sewald retired two of the first three hitters in the ninth, beginning with a strikeout of slumping shortstop Corey Seager. Josh Jung managed a single between those outs and came home on Ezequiel Duran’s double before Alejandro Osuna drew a five-pitch walk and Jake Burger knotted the game with an RBI single that ended Sewald’s night.

“I felt like they were just on every pitch,” Sewald reflected. “It just felt like when I threw good pitchers, it didn’t matter.”

Thousands of supporters gathered in Tehran’s Enqelab Square Wednesday evening for Iran’s national soccer team send-off celebration, even as uncertainty lingers over whether the squad will be able to enter the United States for World Cup competition.

The players received enthusiastic support from the crowd as they delivered patriotic remarks from the stage, and organizers revealed the uniforms the team will wear during the June 11 to July 19 tournament. The squad plans to continue training in Turkey next week.

“This is the best send-off in the last four World Cup campaigns,” Iranian FA (FFIRI) President Mehdi Taj told state TV.

“The players are with the people, and the crowd stands with the country’s dignity, honour, and strength. Whatever the result, may Iran’s flag be raised there and defended.”

Questions about Iran’s World Cup participation emerged after the U.S. and Israel initiated the regional conflict by conducting air strikes against the Islamic Republic in late February.

Entry concerns intensified when Taj was denied access to co-host nation Canada for the FIFA Congress two weeks earlier due to his ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), raising worries that other Iranian delegation members might face similar obstacles entering the U.S.

Both Canada and the United States classify the IRGC as a “terrorist entity,” and Secretary of State Marco Rubio has declared that individuals with connections to the organization will not be permitted entry to the country.

Iranian officials have placed the responsibility for securing entry for players and staff squarely with FIFA, as Team Melli is set to play all three group stage matches on U.S. soil.

“Nothing has arrived yet regarding the visas. We hope it will definitely be handled within this timeframe,” Hedayat Mombeini, the FFIRI secretary-general, told state TV at the rally on Wednesday.

“FIFA has made promises, and hopefully those promises will lead to results and the players will receive their visas on time.”

Iranian anxieties were heightened by reports that some Iraq players had been denied U.S. visas, though both the White House and Iraq Football Association quickly disputed these claims on Wednesday.

“I just heard that news as well,” Mombeini added.

“I hope FIFA steps in … we have always believed sport should be separate from politics. So in my view FIFA has a duty to step in and make sure entry for all members of all World Cup teams is facilitated.”

Iran is scheduled to face Gambia in a World Cup preparation match in Antalya on May 29, and Mombeini indicated the FFIRI is working to arrange an additional friendly during their Turkey training camp.

The international players’ union for soccer expressed fresh worries Thursday following a new scientific study that shows dramatically increased chances of hazardous heat conditions during the 2026 World Cup tournament.

Research conducted by the World Weather Attribution climate group revealed that approximately 25% of the 104 scheduled games in the expanded championship spanning the United States, Mexico and Canada will likely occur under temperatures that surpass safety guidelines established by FIFPRO. This represents nearly double the heat danger present during the 1994 World Cup held in the United States.

The study indicates that roughly five contests may happen under conditions deemed too risky for play, where delays would be recommended, according to the research team.

The risk assessment utilized scheduled start times along with the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature measurement system, which evaluates the human body’s ability to regulate its internal temperature through cooling mechanisms.

Vincent Gouttebarge, who serves as FIFPRO’s medical director, stated: “The calculations to estimate the likelihood of 2026 FIFA World Cup games being played in high WBGT conditions are in line with FIFPRO’s calculations published in 2023.”

He continued: “These estimations justify the need for – and implementation of – a series of mitigation strategies with a view to better protecting players’ health and performance when they are exposed to hot conditions.”

FIFPRO’s guidelines call for cooling interventions when WBGT measurements climb beyond 26 degrees Celsius and recommend match postponements if temperatures reach 28C, which corresponds to approximately 38C under dry conditions or 30C when humidity levels are elevated.

FIFA responded to inquiries by stating it has developed comprehensive heat-management protocols, featuring three-minute water breaks during both halves of matches, cooling systems for spectators and athletes, modified work-rest schedules, and heightened medical preparedness that adjusts based on live temperature readings.

The international soccer federation declared: “FIFA is committed to protecting the health and safety of players, referees, fans, volunteers and staff.”

Chris Mullington, a consultant anaesthetist at Imperial College London NHS Trust and clinical senior lecturer at Imperial College London, suggested that extreme temperatures will more likely affect game quality rather than create widespread health crises among athletes.

“It will be more of a performance issue than a health issue,” Mullington explained. “These players are elite athletes and acclimatised. You’ll see players self-pacing. That behavioural thermoregulation is very difficult to override.”

“So you may end up with more conservative football,” he added.

Air conditioning systems are anticipated to lower some dangers at three of the 16 tournament locations, the research indicates.

Nevertheless, more than one-third of matches with at least a 10% probability of surpassing 26 C WBGT are planned for venues lacking climate control, including facilities in Miami, Kansas City, New York and Philadelphia.

This encompasses the championship game at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, which currently has a one-in-eight probability of exceeding the 26 C benchmark and roughly a 3% chance of reaching the more hazardous threshold – approximately twice the danger level it would have faced in 1994, the study concluded.

Friederike Otto, a professor of climate science at Imperial College London, said the research underscores the importance of FIFA reconsidering scheduling for future World Cup tournaments, especially in areas prone to severe summer heat.

“From a health point of view, it would be advisable to have these (World Cups) either earlier or later in the year, so you can have a football party rather than something that is a massive health risk for the whole city,” Otto stated.

FIFPRO additionally cautioned that while climate-controlled venues in locations such as Dallas and Houston might safeguard players, supporters attending games and outdoor viewing events could still face extended exposure to hazardous temperatures.

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski was forced to exit Wednesday night’s contest against the San Diego Padres due to leg cramping, marking his second early departure in just three outings.

The 24-year-old right-handed pitcher had dominated through seven innings without allowing a run, giving up just four hits to the visiting Padres. When he stepped onto the mound to prepare for the eighth inning, Misiorowski called for medical staff, who examined his right leg before the team decided to remove him from the game.

Milwaukee’s coaching staff pulled Misiorowski before he could deliver a single pitch in the eighth frame.

Following the contest, Misiorowski explained that cramping in his right quadriceps forced his exit. This marks a repeat of issues that plagued him during his May 1 outing against Washington, when he departed after 5 1/3 no-hit innings due to right hamstring cramping.

“Probably the exact same (issue) as last time, but it was the quad this time instead of the hamstring,” he said. “Nothing we haven’t seen before. It’ll be fine. I’ll be ready to go.”

Milwaukee held a 1-0 advantage when Misiorowski departed and maintained that edge until the ninth inning with two outs and no runners on base. However, reliever Abner Uribe allowed a single and issued a walk before Padres left fielder Gavin Sheets connected on a three-run home run, securing a 3-1 win for San Diego.

Before his departure, Misiorowski recorded 10 strikeouts, bringing his major-league-best total to 80 for the season. He allowed four hits while issuing no walks during his seven-inning stint.

The Atlanta Braves continue to discover fresh methods for securing victories on the baseball diamond.

Their consistent success has made them the initial Major League Baseball franchise to achieve 30 wins this season.

Atlanta enhanced their league-leading record to 30-13 following another exciting victory on Wednesday evening, mounting a three-run rally in the eighth inning to defeat the Chicago Cubs 4-1.

Mike Yastrzemski entered the game as a substitute and delivered a crucial pinch-hit double that brought home the go-ahead run, while versatile player Mauricio Dubón followed up with a two-run home run into the Chicago bullpen area to seal the Cubs’ fate.

Combined with another solid outing from their relief pitchers, who each contributed one scoreless inning from four different relievers, this squad appears poised to dominate the NL East division well before summer arrives.

Atlanta currently holds a nine-game advantage over second-place Washington and maintains a double-digit lead over all other teams in their division.

“There’s no egos here,” said Yastrzemski, who delivered his first home run of the season during the previous evening’s 5-2 triumph over the Cubs. “Nobody feels like they own any piece of this team. We’re all pulling on the same rope together, the same direction. Whatever opportunities come for you that day, that’s good enough.”

Although standout performers like Matt Olson, Drake Baldwin, Chris Sale and Ozzie Albies are enjoying exceptional seasons, several lesser-recognized players are also making substantial contributions.

This group includes Dubón, who joined the team from Houston during the offseason in exchange for journeyman Nick Allen and has stepped up whenever called upon.

Dubón began the campaign playing shortstop while Ha-Seong Kim rehabilitated from an injury but currently finds himself primarily in the outfield, even assuming the leadoff position in the batting order while former NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. remains sidelined with an injury.

The game-winning home run demonstrated the level of trust the Braves and their first-year skipper, Walt Weiss, place in their multi-position player.

“In years past for me, I would’ve gotten pinch-hit right there and they wouldn’t let me hit,” Dubón said. “But I ended up putting up a two-run homer. I think it’s that confidence he gives you when you’re playing.”

Dubón remains driven by his selection in the 26th round — the 773rd pick overall — during the 2013 draft.

“I’m trying to prove people wrong,” he said, breaking into a satisfied smile. “I’ve been doing that for a while now.”

Weiss, who assumed control after longtime skipper Brian Snitker stepped down following a disappointing 2025 season, has Atlanta firmly positioned for a postseason return.

While he avoids focusing on the broader picture, he cannot help but feel pleased with how his managerial career has begun.

“I’m so engrossed with the day to day,” Weiss said. “You want to attack each day the best you can, and these guys are doing that. They confront every challenge that comes our way.”

Yastrzemski, similar to every other player on the team, remains ready to contribute whenever the situation demands.

“Some days your role is going to be a cheerleader. Keep everyone in a good mood, pull for the guys, bring somebody a water when they’re thirsty,” he said. “Those things, it’s real. When you see that happening with other guys, you can’t help but do it yourself.”

The Miami Dolphins have locked up their star running back De’Von Achane with a lucrative four-year contract extension valued at $64 million, according to a source familiar with the negotiations who spoke to The Associated Press on Wednesday.

The source, who requested anonymity since the team hasn’t officially announced the agreement, confirmed that $32 million of the deal is guaranteed money.

NFL insider Jordan Schultz was the first to break news of the extension.

With an annual average of $16 million, Achane now ranks as the third-highest paid running back in the league, trailing only Saquon Barkley at $20.6 million and Christian McCaffrey at $19 million per year.

The talented back posted impressive numbers in 2025, accumulating a personal-best 1,350 rushing yards across 238 attempts while topping the league with an average of 5.7 yards per carry. His outstanding performance earned him his inaugural Pro Bowl honor. Achane found the end zone eight times on the ground and added four touchdown catches, while his 488 receiving yards placed him fourth among all running backs.

In just three NFL seasons, Achane has compiled 3,057 rushing yards, setting a franchise record for any Dolphins player in their opening three campaigns. His 1,277 career receiving yards represent the second-best total among Miami running backs during their first three seasons since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger.

“He’s dynamic,” new Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley said in March. “I mean there’s plays that you’re not even blocked right for and he gets 6 or 7 yards. His vision, his acceleration, the way he can catch the ball out of the backfield, he’s so hard to defend.”

While Miami has been conducting a major roster overhaul that involved releasing or trading numerous veteran players — including quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle — general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan made it evident that Achane was not on the trading block.

Selected in the third round from Texas A&M, Achane joins an exclusive group of just seven running backs since 1970 who have recorded 20 or more rushing touchdowns and 10 receiving touchdowns within their first three professional seasons.

“He’s obviously very important to what we’re doing,” Sullivan said last month amid contract talks with Achane, “and it’s all part of it. It’s part of professional sports. We’ll get where we need to be one way or the other.”

A Colorado Rockies outfielder made baseball history Wednesday evening in Pittsburgh by executing an extremely rare defensive play that hadn’t been seen in over a decade.

Jake McCarthy accomplished the first unassisted double play by a left fielder in Major League Baseball since 2013 during the Rockies’ matchup with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The unusual play unfolded when McCarthy sprinted toward home plate to field a dropping line drive hit by Bryan Reynolds, securing the catch while running at full speed for the inning’s second out.

With Pittsburgh’s Oneil Cruz positioned near third base after starting the play at second, the 28-year-old McCarthy kept running toward the infield and touched second base to complete the double play and end the inning.

According to statistics from the Elias Sports Bureau, no left fielder had turned an unassisted double play since Jonny Gomes achieved the feat on July 31, 2013.

Colorado went on to defeat Pittsburgh by a score of 10-4.

Italian tennis player Luciano Darderi secured his spot in the Italian Open semifinals after defeating Spanish teenager Rafael Jodar 7-6(5) 5-7 6-0 in an exhausting three-hour battle that concluded in the early morning hours of Thursday.

Coming off an impressive upset victory against second seed Alexander Zverev in his previous match, the Italian maintained his strong form during the late-evening quarter-final match on Campo Centrale, where enthusiastic spectators remained despite weather delays that pushed the schedule well into the night.

Play was temporarily halted during the first set when smoke from fireworks at the adjacent Stadio Olimpico drifted over the tennis venue. The nearby stadium was hosting the Coppa Italia final between Inter Milan and Lazio, and the smoke reduced court visibility while briefly affecting the tournament’s electronic line-calling technology.

After competition resumed, Darderi mounted a comeback from a 2-5 deficit in the tiebreak to capture the opening set before his supportive home crowd.

The 18th seed seemed poised for a quick victory after jumping ahead 3-0 in the second set, but Jodar mounted an impressive comeback to even the match. The Spanish player saved two match points, held serve to reach 5-5, then broke serve again before closing out the set to force a deciding third set.

The demanding second set appeared to exhaust 19-year-old Jodar in the final set, as he lost serve twice while Darderi regained command to secure the victory.

“I think it’s the best win of my career because of the crowd and everything here in Rome,” Darderi said in his on-court interview.

“First time in the semi-finals, it’s a dream to play here. It was difficult because we started around 11, the court was very slow … I just kept fighting and I’m very happy about that.”

Darderi’s semifinal opponent will be Casper Ruud, who defeated Russia’s Karen Khachanov 6-1 1-6 6-2 in Wednesday’s earlier action.

Ruud dominated early, cruising through the first set before rain halted the match for nearly two-and-a-half hours early in the second set.

The extended break allowed Khachanov to reset and shift momentum, with the Russian evening the match after recording 11 winners and just one unforced error in the second set.

Ruud regained his composure in the final set and thrilled spectators by executing a spectacular tweener shot while securing his victory and reaching the Rome semifinals for the first time since 2023.

Professional golfer Nelly Korda believes she has developed a new tool in her competitive arsenal as she works to extend her current winning streak throughout the busy LPGA Tour season — her mental approach.

The 27-year-old has captured victory in three of her initial six tournaments in 2026 while placing second in the remaining three competitions. This impressive performance has propelled her back to the top position in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings as the tour arrives in Cincinnati for the Queen City Championship this week.

This resurgence follows a disappointing 2025 campaign that concluded without earning a single tournament win.

Following her triumph in the season’s first major at the Chevron Championship, Korda honored her pledge to compete in Mexico. She claimed victory in that tournament as well before taking the previous week off from competition.

“You need to give your body a break because you played two weeks in a row with all the travel, too,” Korda explained on Wednesday. “You’re getting ready for a big summer ahead, so it’s like you can’t rest too much or the body doesn’t feel 100%.”

“I think everyone gets into that middle of the season when you travel a lot, play a lot. You don’t have too many weeks where you can rest, especially going into kind of the part of the season right now where we have kind of all the majors stacked up.”

Korda achieved six victories during a seven-tournament span in early 2024. She subsequently failed to make the cut in three straight events, including two major championships. After another underwhelming performance, Korda eventually regained her competitive edge with a second-place showing at the 2024 AIG Women’s Open.

The situation appears remarkably similar two years later, with a dominant Korda preparing for the year’s second major at the U.S. Women’s Open beginning in June. The KPMG Women’s PGA Championship concludes the month three weeks afterward before the tour travels to Europe for the Evian Championship prior to the Women’s Open.

The golfer believes she is more equipped to sustain her excellent performance this time.

“My patience, for sure,” Korda responded when questioned about the strongest aspect of her current game. “Mentally being on the golf course, just really enjoying it, knowing that I am going to make mistakes and that it’s OK. It’s not going to ruin my round. That it’s OK to bounce back.”

“In the past I’ve been very scared to make mistakes, and that’s locked me up a little bit. So just kind of trying to stay free on the golf course, knowing my swing is not going to be perfect every week. Maybe to the outside they don’t see as precise of what I see, the detailing of my golf swing.”

“For me, as long as I stay mentally fresh, that’s the most important.”

Korda leads a 144-competitor field at Maketewah Country Club this week. The course layout features par-3 holes that conclude both the front and back nine.

“It’s definitely a very unique golf course,” Korda noted. “But it’s also fun to sometimes switch it up and play something you normally don’t.”

Despite coaching the Vegas Golden Knights for just over six weeks, John Tortorella brings extensive experience as this marks his sixth NHL franchise and he approaches his 22nd anniversary of winning the Stanley Cup.

Even with all that background, he remains curious about a fundamental aspect of playoff competition.

“I’m not sure what’s better: experience or youth, when you have no clue what’s going on?” Tortorella said. “They don’t understand the pressures of it because they don’t know. Or the experience.”

Tortorella’s squad demonstrated the benefits of seasoned play, securing a 3-2 series advantage against the largely inexperienced Anaheim Ducks with an overtime victory Tuesday evening. Meanwhile, the younger Buffalo Sabres defeated the Canadiens in Montreal to level their best-of-seven matchup at 2-2.

Two additional opportunities await to examine Tortorella’s inquiry.

When/Where to Watch: Game 5, Thursday, 7 p.m. EDT (TNT, TruTV)

Series: Tied 2-2

Right when Buffalo appeared to be struggling, they netted the first goal within seven minutes of Game 4 and survived an evening filled with video reviews and penalty calls. Sabres coach Lindy Ruff expressed frustration with opposing players “going down easy” and hoped for additional embellishment penalties, though he praised his youthful roster’s response.

“We battled through all that,” Ruff said Wednesday. “We got to make sure we’re in there but at the same time not taking anything stupid and putting our team at a disadvantage. It’s a fine line right now, but I think there’s a way to juggle around it.”

The Canadiens experienced postseason action last year, falling to Washington in five first-round contests. Several players remain from 2021 (with Phillip Danault returning), when they made an unlikely journey to the Stanley Cup Final before losing to Tampa Bay.

Team captain Nick Suzuki, among those veterans, attributed their recent loss to unfortunate circumstances and appears prepared for Game 5.

“We knew we had to go to Buffalo anyway,” Suzuki said. “We’re a good road team. We’ve shown that all year, so we’ve go do it again and bring it back home.”

While some Sabres players have postseason experience, the franchise is participating for the first time since 2011 following the conclusion of the league’s longest playoff absence. The newcomers have performed among Buffalo’s top contributors and appear to embrace the experience.

“As a kid, this is what you dream of, playing playoff hockey,” said Josh Doan, who tops the team’s series scoring with six points. “There’s nothing you trade it in the world for, getting the opportunity to do this.”

When/Where to Watch: Game 6, Thursday, 9:30 p.m. EDT (TNT, TruTV)

Series: Vegas leads 3-2

Tortorella hopes experience prevails since the Golden Knights possess abundant amounts. The team recognizes this advantage.

“We’re a pretty comfortable group in there, and there’s a lot of players in there who’ve been through it and had a lot of success and won,” Vegas defenseman Rasmus Andersson said. “We’re an older team, and it’s that feeling that no moment is too big.”

Vegas will play without top defensive pairing member Brayden McNabb, who received a suspension for his illegal check that injured Ducks center Ryan Poehling.

Despite losing Poehling, Anaheim possesses numerous experienced players, including championship winners Alex Killorn and John Carlson, along with players like Chris Kreider and Jacob Trouba who have advanced deep into playoffs. However, the Ducks’ foundation centers on youthful energy, quickness, and remaining unfazed by pressure.

“I’m pretty excited to see what we all got,” 23-year-old center Mason McTavish said. “It’s our first time with our backs against the wall. I’m excited for us to kind of show everybody what we got.”

Head coach Joel Quenneville, who earned three championship rings during his Chicago tenure, has sufficient experience that Tuesday’s game recalled a comparable Game 5 situation from 11 years earlier at Anaheim. During his Blackhawks days, they overcame this exact disadvantage while capturing their third title in six seasons.

“(We have) a lot of younger guys that they’ve been fine the whole playoffs and nothing seems to change their demeanor or their approach,” Quenneville said. “We’ll come back home and focus on the next game and know we’re right in the thick of things.”

Regarding the concept that young teams must experience defeat before achieving victory, Quenneville responded, “I’m not ready for that.”

Four exceptional college basketball talents are vying for the coveted first overall selection in this year’s NBA draft, with AJ Dybantsa from BYU and Darryn Peterson from Kansas leading the conversation alongside Duke’s Cameron Boozer and North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson.

These four athletes stand apart from their peers in what experts consider a talent-rich draft class. The question now centers on which order teams will select them.

Washington holds the top selection for the first time since selecting John Wall in 2010. The Jazz, Grizzlies, and Bulls occupy the next three spots in the draft order.

“It would mean a lot,” Dybantsa expressed Wednesday during the NBA draft combine when asked about potentially being chosen first. “It would just mean that all my hard work is paying off. All the countless hours and all the sacrifices I made have paid off.”

The nation’s leading scorer from last season believes he would mesh well with Washington’s roster. The franchise posted a dismal 17-65 record, marking their worst season since 1967. Following eight consecutive losing campaigns, the organization may be ready for improvement.

However, Dybantsa’s selection at the top spot remains uncertain. Strong arguments exist for Peterson, along with Boozer and Wilson.

“For me, it’s just about going to the right fit, the right situation for me,” explained Boozer, who earned AP national player of the year honors. “An organization that really believes in me, and understands what I bring to the team. I understand where you go really matters for your career and how your trajectory goes, so that’s the biggest thing for me for sure.”

The son of former Duke and NBA veteran Carlos Boozer matched the national record with 22 double-doubles while posting averages of 22.5 points and 10.2 rebounds. His father previously suited up for the Jazz and Bulls, and now Cameron could potentially join one of those franchises.

“He loves it here,” Cameron Boozer mentioned regarding his father’s connection to Chicago. “I think he has a very strong fan base here as well. I think he’d be very happy if I was sent to Chicago.”

Wilson compiled impressive numbers with 19.8 points and 9.4 rebounds during an outstanding campaign that injuries unfortunately shortened. He suffered a broken bone in his left hand shortly after a memorable victory over Duke. Later, as he prepared to return, he fractured his right thumb during a non-contact practice session, ending his season before another clash with the Blue Devils.

Wilson reported his hand is “perfectly fine” and promised the selecting team will acquire a “winner.”

“They’re gonna get somebody who’s dedicated to their franchise, somebody who will change their city for the better,” he stated.

Peterson faced hospitalization due to full-body cramping before the season began and battled additional injuries and illnesses that sidelined him for 11 contests. Despite these setbacks, he excelled when healthy, recording 20.2 points and 4.2 rebounds while connecting on 38.2% of his three-point attempts across 24 appearances.

Peterson and Dybantsa held recognition as the nation’s premier high school prospects for several years. They delivered an unforgettable performance during a Grind Session matchup on the winter AAU schedule, where Peterson exploded for 58 points representing Prolific Prep and connected on the game-winning three-pointer in the closing moments. Dybantsa contributed 49 points for Utah Prep.

“I just remember me and AJ going back and forth,” Peterson recalled. “It was a great game and I was blessed to come out on top. I’m getting back to that now.”

Dybantsa characterized the contest as an unforgettable moment for spectators.

“If you were at that game, that’s probably a core memory in your whole basketball-watching as a fan,” he reflected. “That was probably a core moment. I think there was a time in the game where we went 15 for 15 straight. It was crazy. He ended up winning, so he got the best me.”

Peterson repeated his success when Kansas defeated BYU in late January, contributing 18 points while Dybantsa managed 17.

Currently, Peterson works to demonstrate that the physical challenges from last season are behind him. Those difficulties may have contributed to his evolution as a more complete player.

“I didn’t have the same step that I had before,” he acknowledged. “If one thing’s bad, something else improves. My shooting improved because of that.”

The streaming platform Netflix will broadcast its first National Football League matchup on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, featuring the Los Angeles Rams welcoming the Green Bay Packers to their home stadium, league officials revealed Wednesday.

This November 25 evening game represents the league’s inaugural contest scheduled for Thanksgiving Eve and is among five NFL matchups Netflix will stream during the current season under an extended agreement lasting until 2029, according to published reports. The streaming service has confirmed its 2026 game lineup.

The Week 12 matchup will showcase Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, who earned NFL MVP honors, facing off against Packers signal-caller Jordan Love. Stafford topped the league with 4,707 passing yards while throwing a personal-best 46 touchdown passes.

Each franchise reached the playoffs during the previous campaign. The Rams finished with a 12-5 regular season record before falling in the NFC Championship Game to the Seattle Seahawks, who went on to capture the Super Bowl title.

Green Bay posted a 9-7-1 record but saw their season end with a wild-card round defeat to the Chicago Bears.

Netflix will additionally broadcast the Rams’ season opener against the San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne, Australia on September 10. The platform has also secured rights to two Christmas Day games and a crucial Week 18 contest with postseason implications.

The streaming service also revealed Wednesday it has obtained rights to broadcast the NFL Honors awards ceremony during Super Bowl week.

Earlier this week, league officials announced the Dallas Cowboys will welcome the Philadelphia Eagles on Thanksgiving Day in a game televised by Fox.

The complete 2026 NFL schedule is set for official release on Thursday.

Professional football players are paying close attention to the field conditions being provided for World Cup soccer matches, particularly the installation of natural grass surfaces.

JC Tretter, who leads the NFL Players Association as executive director, has observed that seven venues hosting NFL teams are temporarily replacing their synthetic turf with natural grass for the international soccer tournament beginning next month.

These same facilities will revert to their artificial playing surfaces when football season kicks off in September.

“What we want is good grass fields. Good, solid fields,” Tretter stated during a recent appearance on the “Not Just Football” podcast with Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman Cam Heyward. “You don’t just want to pull out the (municipal) golf course grass. On every field, you want high-quality surfaces.”

“If you ask every player that we polled, 1,700 players, 92% say they want grass over turf. There is something about the feeling of being on grass, the body feels different. I think if you ask the coaches, just standing on grass vs. standing on turf for three hours feels different. There is something there that impacts the body,” he explained.

The international soccer governing body FIFA mandates natural grass for World Cup competitions. This requirement has prompted surface changes at venues in East Rutherford N.J. (New York Giants, New York Jets), Arlington, Texas (Dallas Cowboys), Foxborough, Mass. (New England Patriots), Seattle (Seahawks), Houston (Texans), Inglewood, Calif. (Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers) and Atlanta (Falcons).

The championship match will take place at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19.

“You look at FIFA, they’re rolling out the green carpet for soccer players. And that has become the norm,” Tretter observed. “Over in European leagues, that is what you do. You play on grass. They have surface standards that each thing is rolled out. It’s exactly how it’s supposed to be. And those players will not play if it’s not that.”

When the current NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement reaches its expiration in March 2031, Tretter confirmed that field surfaces will be a topic of discussion between the players union and the league.

A decades-old NFL policy designed to promote diversity in hiring has sparked fresh controversy as Florida’s top legal official takes action against the league.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced Wednesday that he has issued a legal subpoena to the NFL concerning its diversity hiring policy. This move follows his March warning to the league about potential enforcement actions if the 23-year-old regulation wasn’t discontinued.

Uthmeier delivered the subpoena alongside a formal letter addressed to NFL executive vice president and attorney Ted Ullyot. The Attorney General contends the policy breaks Florida law because it mandates race-based factors in employment decisions.

The diversity policy has grown significantly since its inception and now covers searches for general managers, coordinators and quarterback coaches. Current requirements mandate teams conduct interviews with a minimum of two external minority candidates when filling head coach, general manager and coordinator roles. For quarterbacks coach openings, at least one minority candidate interview is mandatory.

Opponents contend the policy has resulted in superficial interviews meant solely to satisfy requirements rather than genuinely considering candidates for positions.

This criticism forms part of the 2022 legal action brought by former Dolphins head coach Brian Flores, currently serving as Vikings defensive coordinator, who alleged discriminatory hiring practices by the NFL and three franchises.

The policy bears the name of the late Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney, who led the league’s Workplace Diversity Committee when it was established, and mandates teams interview diverse candidates (minority or female) for head coach, general manager and coordinator openings.

The regulation aimed to boost leadership diversity through mandatory face-to-face interviews, though it has drawn criticism throughout its existence for not substantially increasing minority hiring numbers.

The Workplace Diversity Committee initially concentrated on the historically small representation of minorities in head coaching roles. The original policy mandated every team with a head coaching opening interview at least one diverse candidate prior to making their selection.

Throughout the years, the diversity rule has broadened to encompass more positions within NFL organizations.

Indeed, in 2022, the league modified the rule to incorporate women within the minority candidate classification.

NFL franchises may count women as minority candidates for openings involving head coach, general manager, coordinators, quarterbacks coach and senior personnel roles.

Absolutely. In November 2020, team owners endorsed a plan that rewards organizations developing minority talent who advance to become general managers or head coaches elsewhere in the league.

When a team loses a minority executive or coach who served with the organization for a minimum of two years to another franchise, that team earns a third-round compensatory draft selection for two years. Should a team lose both a coach and personnel executive, it receives a third-round compensatory pick for three years.

The NFL may impose fines exceeding $500,000 on teams that violate the regulation. The league also has authority to revoke draft selections or nullify a hiring decision.

Nevertheless, the sole recorded penalty occurred in 2003 when Detroit received a $200,000 fine for hiring Steve Mariucci without interviewing a minority candidate.

The 2006 season marked what many considered a major milestone. Seven Black head coaches led teams that year, with two facing each other in the Super Bowl for the first time in history.

When Tony Dungy’s Indianapolis Colts beat Lovie Smith’s Chicago Bears in the championship game, minority coaches seemed to gain the most. Nobody could question that Black coaches performed as effectively as their white colleagues.

Minority head coaches reached a peak in 2024 with nine total, including six Black head coaches.

However, that figure dropped to five before the 2026 season began. Among the record-tying 10 new head coaches brought in during this offseason, only one minority received a position: Robert Saleh, who has Lebanese heritage, was hired in Tennessee.

Eleven franchises, representing roughly one-third of the league, have never employed a Black non-interim coach. This group consists of Baltimore, Buffalo, Carolina, Dallas, Jacksonville, the Los Angeles Rams, New Orleans, the New York Giants, Seattle, Tennessee and Washington. Three of these organizations have had minority coaches: the Panthers (Dave Canales), the Titans (Saleh) and the Commanders (Ron Rivera).

The New York Mets announced Wednesday that catcher Francisco Alvarez has been added to the injured list following a torn meniscus diagnosis and is expected to be sidelined for six to eight weeks while recovering from the right knee injury.

The 24-year-old backstop will undergo surgical repair for the injury, with his roster spot being taken by Hayden Senger, who was called up from Triple-A Syracuse.

The injury occurred during Tuesday’s 10-2 victory over Detroit when Alvarez’s leg became twisted while making contact with a foul ball in the sixth inning. The catcher connected with a pitch from Burch Smith but lost his balance as he sent the ball into foul territory. Manager Carlos Mendoza and team medical staff pulled Alvarez from the game mid-at-bat.

This season, Alvarez has posted a .241 batting average while serving as New York’s primary catcher. Medical projections suggest his earliest possible return would be in late June or early July.

The injury adds to mounting health concerns for the Mets’ starting lineup. Outfielders Mike Tauchman and Jared Young are also currently sidelined with identical torn meniscus injuries.

Luis Torrens is expected to handle the bulk of catching duties moving forward, with newly recalled Senger providing support.

The 30-year-old Torrens recently secured his future with the organization, signing a two-year contract extension on May 2.

Through Wednesday’s action, Torrens had collected 10 hits across 48 at-bats for a .208 batting average this season. This marks his third campaign with New York, following previous stints with San Diego, Seattle and Chicago since entering the majors in 2017.

Golf’s second major championship of the year begins Thursday as the 108th PGA Championship gets underway at Aronimink Golf Club near Philadelphia.

Will defending champion Scottie Scheffler successfully defend his title? Can Rory McIlroy capture his second straight major championship to start 2026? Or might an unexpected contender emerge from the 156 golfers competing? Golf analysts are offering their tournament predictions and preferred betting options for who will take home the Wanamaker Trophy.

108TH PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

Where: Philadelphia, May 14-17

Venue: Aronimink Golf Club (Par 70, 7,394 Yards)

Prize Money: To be announced ($19M in 2025; Winner received $3.42 million)

Title Holder: Scottie Scheffler

FedEx Cup Leader: Cameron Young

VIEWING OPTIONS

Television: Thursday: Noon-7 p.m. ET (ESPN), 7-8 p.m. (ESPN2); Friday: Noon-8 p.m. (ESPN); Saturday-Sunday: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. (ESPN), 1-7 p.m. (CBS)

Online (ESPN+): Thursday-Friday: 7 a.m.-8 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday: 8 a.m.-7 p.m.

Social Media: @PGAChampionship

BETTING RECOMMENDATIONS

Ludvig Aberg to Beat Xander Schauffele (+100 at DraftKings): The Swedish golfer continues to demonstrate exceptional skill despite difficulty completing four strong rounds consistently. Aberg has secured five top-5 placements in his last six tournaments at premier events, with only a T21 at the Masters breaking that streak. Meanwhile, Schauffele, who already owns a PGA title, struggled last week with a T60 finish after failing to shoot under 72 in his final three rounds.

Scottie Scheffler Top 5 Finish (-110 at BetMGM): The current champion has attracted significant betting interest for good reason. Beyond defending his title, Scheffler brings momentum from three straight second-place finishes and won the AmEx in February during a run of three consecutive top-4 results.

Sudarshan Yellamaraju Top Canadian (+280 at DraftKings): The 24-year-old earned his tournament spot with a strong T19 showing at last week’s Truist Championship. This continues an impressive climb for the self-taught golfer whose family relocated to Canada from India when he was four years old. Yellamaraju has made 10 straight cuts and achieved a T5 at The Players. He faces tough competition from veterans Corey Conners (+205), Nick Taylor (+220), and PGA Tour winner Taylor Pendrith (+300).

TOP WAGERING CHOICES

Scheffler (+385 at DraftKings) captured his first victory this season and has posted three consecutive runner-up finishes, including at the Masters. He represents BetMGM’s second-largest liability, drawing 13.7% of total bets and 23.2% of money wagered.

McIlroy (+900) has claimed two PGA Championships and recorded 11 top-25 finishes in 17 career appearances. He’s attracted 5.8% of total bets, ranking third.

Jon Rahm (+1400) placed T8 last year, with his previous best showing a T4 at Bellerive in 2018.

Cameron Young (+1475) has won twice this year and was competitive last week before a final-round 74. Still pursuing his first major victory, Young’s odds have improved from +1650 at DraftKings on Tuesday. He ranks second behind Scheffler at BetMGM with 9.6% of bets and 9.8% of money.

Bryson DeChambeau (+1900) has finished second in each of the last two years and recently placed third at LIV Golf Virginia.

Matt Fitzpatrick (+2300) has already won three times this season. His best previous PGA Championship result was T5 in 2022 across 10 appearances.

Tommy Fleetwood (+2800) recorded two course-record 62s at Aronimink in 2018 and comes off a T5 at the Truist Championship.

Jordan Spieth (+6600) represents BetMGM’s biggest liability as he attempts his 10th try at completing the career Grand Slam. “Scottie Scheffer and the in-form Cameron Young are great results for customers in the outright market for the PGA Championship,” BetMGM senior trader Matt Wall said. “However, the biggest liability currently is Jordan Spieth as BetMGM customers dream of the former world No. 1 finally completing the career grand slam.”

TOURNAMENT FACTS

Originally created by Donald Ross in 1926, Aronimink hosts the PGA Championship for just the second time since Gary Player’s 1962 victory. Keegan Bradley captured the 2018 BMW Championship at Aronimink, defeating Justin Rose in a playoff. The course has been extended 114 yards since that event.

The 156-golfer field will be reduced to the top 70 and ties following the second round.

Scheffler aims to become the first repeat PGA Championship winner since Brooks Koepka in 2019, while McIlroy could become the first golfer since Spieth in 2015 to win the year’s opening two majors.

Spieth enters his 10th attempt at achieving the career Grand Slam.

Jake Knapp withdrew Monday with a thumb injury and was replaced by Tom Hoge.

No international golfer has won the PGA Championship since Jason Day in 2015, marking the longest such drought at any major. This year’s field represents 26 different countries.

Adam Scott will make his 99th straight major championship appearance. Only Jack Nicklaus has achieved more than 100 consecutive major starts.

GREENBURGH, N.Y. — OG Anunoby was limited to partial participation during the New York Knicks’ Wednesday practice session as the team resumed training.

Fortunately for the squad, they have the luxury of time on their side.

The Knicks can afford to be cautious with Anunoby’s hamstring injury recovery since they have several days remaining before their Eastern Conference finals series begins. The injury sidelined him for the final two contests of their second-round series victory over Philadelphia.

Coach Mike Brown reported that the starting forward participated in certain drills but sat out when the team increased practice intensity. Brown noted Anunoby appeared comfortable with his limited activities, though acknowledged a significant difference between practice participation and playoff game demands.

Brown explained he remains uncertain about when Anunoby might increase his activity level, and the team doesn’t know exactly when that will be necessary. The opening game against Detroit or Cleveland might occur Sunday, but the series could be delayed until next week if those teams extend their current 2-2 series to seven games following Wednesday’s Game 5.

“They told me what he could do today. They have not told me what he could do tomorrow, so I don’t know what he’ll be able to do for Game 1,” Brown said.

Anunoby represents a crucial component of the Knicks’ success as an elite defender whose scoring has reached new heights during the current playoff campaign. While the team managed victories without him against a fatigued Philadelphia squad still recovering from their seven-game first-round battle with Boston, defeating the top-seeded Pistons or Cavaliers without him would present significant challenges.

Brown prefers focusing on immediate concerns rather than long-term planning. The Knicks will take Thursday off before returning to practice Friday, when he plans to request another medical update on Anunoby.

“At least for me, I’m taking it one game at a time,” Brown said. “I don’t want to know from medical or anybody else anything beyond that, because when I do that stuff I get my hopes up and I don’t like doing that at all.”

The Knicks have strong reasons for optimism following their impressive first two playoff rounds. They’ve captured seven consecutive victories since trailing Atlanta 2-1 in round one, outscoring the Hawks and 76ers by a combined 194 points — the largest margin in franchise history through 10 postseason games.

After eliminating Atlanta on April 30, they faced Philadelphia on May 4. This break could last more than double that timeframe.

“The first series we had what, four days’ break I think it was? That was good enough,” forward Josh Hart said. “This right now, I think at least a week if not nine days, that’s a long time. So obviously it’s good for recovery, but mentally I’m watching the games, I’m just like just waiting, just waiting to get back out there.”

Brown brings relevant experience to this situation. His Cleveland Cavaliers completed first-round and second-round sweeps in 2009 before waiting over a week for East finals action, which they ultimately lost to Orlando. He also stepped in for an injured Steve Kerr during Golden State’s 2017 postseason run when the Warriors swept their first three series, creating a 10-day gap before the NBA Finals.

“I’ve been part of sweeps, I’ve been part of getting swept and been part of long layoffs and short turnarounds, so you worry about different stuff at different times,” Brown said. “Like, quick turnaround you’re like: ‘Oh my God, we can’t prepare. Oh my god, guys are tired.’ And long layoffs, you’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, we got too much time, we’re not going to stay sharp.’”

He emphasized that extended breaks require creating methods to maintain players’ mental sharpness, and the Knicks feel confident in their approach.

“I think we have our plan,” All-Star Jalen Brunson said. “Obviously utilize rest, but then when we’re in the gym we’re doing everything that we need to do to stay in rhythm, stay having the edge that we need to have, focusing on the things that we need to focus on and continuing to prepare.”

The streaming platform Netflix has struck a significant expanded agreement with the National Football League, securing rights to broadcast five regular season contests annually along with the NFL Honors ceremony through the 2029 season.

The deal, revealed Wednesday during Netflix’s advertising upfront event, builds upon the streaming service’s existing arrangement to carry two Christmas Day contests that began in 2024. Under the new terms, Netflix will broadcast games during opening week, Thanksgiving Eve, Christmas Day (two games), and a 1 p.m. ET Saturday contest during the season’s final week.

Officials confirmed two specific matchups featuring the Los Angeles Rams on Wednesday. Netflix will stream the opening week contest between the Rams and San Francisco 49ers from Melbourne, Australia. Later in the season, the Rams will face the Green Bay Packers in what will mark the league’s inaugural Thanksgiving Eve game on Nov. 25.

Both contests will air during prime time hours in the United States at 8:35 p.m. ET. The season opener is scheduled for Sept. 10 in the U.S., though it will kick off at 10:35 a.m. on Sept. 11 in Australia due to the 14-hour time difference from New York and 17-hour gap from Los Angeles and San Francisco.

The Australia game between NFC West division rivals represents one of nine international contests the NFL plans to stage during the upcoming season. League officials released their complete international schedule Wednesday morning.

“We’ve seen how many fans are already on Netflix, so we thought it was a tremendous opportunity to deepen the partnership, expand the reach of those games, and to do so around tentpole events at the beginning and end of the year with big holidays in the middle, then have them extend into honors and do what Netflix has shown they do so well, which is make big events even bigger,” said Hans Schroeder, the NFL’s executive vice president of media distribution.

The Thanksgiving Eve and final week Saturday games come from four contests the league reclaimed after ESPN purchased NFL Network. YouTube carried the opening week game during the previous season.

The NFL Honors ceremony debuted during the 2012 Super Bowl in Indianapolis as the league’s platform for announcing annual award recipients in a single broadcast. Initially aired the evening before the Super Bowl, the show moved to Thursday of Super Bowl week in 2022. Previously carried by whichever network broadcast the Super Bowl, the ceremony will now reach a global audience through the Netflix partnership.

The NFL Honors presentation features Associated Press awards including Most Valuable Player, Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year, Coach of the Year, Assistant Coach of the Year and Comeback Player of the Year.

The complete schedule, including Christmas Day games, will be announced Thursday evening. The final week Saturday contests, which also feature 4:30 and 8:15 p.m. ET games on ESPN/ABC, won’t be revealed until six days prior as the league prioritizes matchups with playoff significance for those time slots.

League officials finalized the regular season schedule Tuesday morning.

Netflix also revealed that the third season of its documentary series Quarterback will premiere July 14. The upcoming season will follow Washington’s Jayden Daniels, Tampa Bay’s Baker Mayfield, Tennessee’s Cam Ward, who was selected as the top pick in the 2025 draft, and Joe Flacco, who started the season with Cleveland before being traded to Cincinnati.

Florida’s top legal official James Uthmeier has delivered an investigative subpoena to the National Football League concerning the organization’s diversity hiring requirements known as the Rooney Rule.

The state’s attorney general, who previously warned the league about potential legal enforcement in March unless the 23-year-old policy was suspended, delivered the subpoena alongside a formal letter to NFL executive vice president and attorney Ted Ullyot this Wednesday.

“All in all, the Rooney Rule and the NFL’s related ‘inclusive hiring’ policies — and the NFL’s representations about these policies — continue to raise significant concerns under Florida law,” Uthmeier wrote in the letter.

The diversity policy mandates that franchises conduct interviews with no fewer than two minority applicants for head coaching, general manager and coordinator roles. Additionally, teams must interview at least one minority applicant for quarterbacks coach openings.

During league meetings held in Phoenix this past March, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell recognized the shifting political climate surrounding diversity programs nationwide, though he expressed confidence that the league’s approach wouldn’t face legal challenges. “The Rooney Rule has been around a long time,” Goodell said then. “We’ve evolved it, changed it. We’ll continue to do that.”

The league did not provide an immediate response to requests for comment Wednesday.

In his most recent correspondence, Uthmeier praised the organization for modifying the Rooney Rule description on its official website following his initial warning in March, though he noted the changes created additional concerns.

The revised language on the NFL’s website now reads: “The Rooney Rule establishes best practices designed to expand opportunity and strengthen the NFL’s talent pipeline across leadership roles. It is part of a broader effort to develop a deep and sustainable talent pipeline across all levels of the NFL. The policy is intended to ensure that qualified candidates from a wide range of backgrounds are identified and considered for leadership roles.”

The previous website language indicated the Rooney Rule sought to “increase the number of minorities hired” in executive positions and stated that diversity “enriches the game and creates a more effective, quality organization.”

“We appreciate how quickly the NFL changed its website in response to our letter and capitulated on some of their discriminatory hiring quotas,” Uthmeier said. “But their response raises more questions about the Rooney Rule, and we look forward to their cooperation with the investigative subpoena we issued them today.”

In March, Uthmeier’s initial correspondence to Goodell characterized the policy as “blatant race and sex discrimination.”

New York Yankees southpaw Max Fried was forced to leave Wednesday’s game against Baltimore after completing just three innings due to discomfort in his left elbow, according to team officials.

The 32-year-old pitcher will receive a medical evaluation from team physicians and undergo diagnostic imaging on Thursday to assess the injury.

During his abbreviated outing, Fried threw 61 pitches while allowing three runs on five hits and one walk, recording two strikeouts. His earned run average rose to 3.21 following the performance. New York was down 3-0 when Fried departed, with right-hander Paul Blackburn taking over pitching duties in the fourth inning.

Coming into Wednesday’s contest, Fried held a 4-2 record with a 2.91 ERA, having issued 18 walks and recorded 48 strikeouts across 58 2/3 innings pitched. He had faced more batters than any other pitcher in the American League this season with 227.

The veteran hurler has earned All-Star honors three times during his career, receiving the recognition in 2022, 2024 and last season. Over his professional tenure spanning 2009 regular-season appearances (192 as a starter) with Atlanta from 2017-24 and New York since 2025, Fried has compiled a 96-43 record with a 3.03 ERA, 315 walks and 1,110 strikeouts across 1,138 1/3 innings.

The San Diego Padres originally selected Fried as the seventh overall pick in the first round of the 2012 MLB Draft.

NEW YORK — The New York Islanders’ Matthew Schaefer has captured the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie, earning every first-place vote in the process.

The NHL presented him with the honor on Wednesday.

Schaefer, who was selected first overall in the draft, emerged as the leading candidate for the award almost immediately after his first game on opening night in Pittsburgh. The defenseman netted 23 goals, matching Brian Leetch’s milestone for most goals by a first-year defenseman, while accumulating 59 total points.

The 18-year-old emerged as the centerpiece of the Islanders organization and contributed to their postseason bid, though the team came up short during the final weeks of the regular season. He captured all 198 first-place votes for the Calder Trophy.

Ivan Demidov from Montreal finished as the runner-up, while Anaheim’s Bennett Sennecke claimed third place in the balloting conducted by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

WASHINGTON — Foreign soccer fans holding World Cup tickets will no longer need to post bonds of up to $15,000 to enter the United States, according to a State Department announcement made to The Associated Press Wednesday.

Last year, the department established bond requirements for visitors from nations with elevated visa overstay rates and security concerns as part of stricter immigration enforcement. Citizens from 50 countries must pay these bonds, including five World Cup participants: Algeria, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal and Tunisia.

Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar stated, “The United States is excited to organize the biggest and best FIFA World Cup in history. We are waiving visa bonds for qualified fans who bought World Cup tickets” and enrolled in the FIFA Pass system for expedited visa processing as of April 15.

This represents an uncommon relaxation of immigration policies under the current administration and will reduce travel obstacles for some visitors attending the tournament, which kicks off June 11 across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Team athletes, coaching staff and certain personnel were already excluded from bond payments under previous directives prioritizing World Cup visa processing. Regular ticket holders had remained subject to the requirement until this week’s announcement.

The current administration has implemented significant immigration restrictions that opponents argue conflict with the inclusive spirit typically associated with international sporting competitions like the World Cup.

Travel prohibitions affect visitors from Iran and Haiti, though World Cup team members and support staff receive exemptions. Partial restrictions under an expanded travel ban also impact travelers from qualifying nations Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal.

Additional requirements now mandate foreign visitors provide social media account histories, while Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have been stationed at airports during recent Transportation Security Administration staffing issues.

These policies led Amnesty International and numerous U.S. civil rights organizations to publish a “World Cup travel advisory” cautioning visitors about the current U.S. environment.

A recent report from the primary U.S. hotel industry advocacy group attributed “significantly suppressed international demand” to visa obstacles and geopolitical tensions, resulting in tournament hotel reservations well below original projections.

The American Hotel & Lodging Association cited traveler concerns about extended visa processing times, higher fees, and uncertainty surrounding entry procedures.

The bond system aims to address visa overstays by requiring payments of $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000 from designated countries. Funds are returned when travelers follow visa terms or if applications are rejected.

By early April, approximately 250 World Cup fans were estimated to be impacted by the bond requirement, according to unnamed U.S. officials. However, they noted this figure fluctuates as ticket sales continue and some purchasers decide against traveling.

FIFA had formally requested the exemption, which required approval from both the State Department and Department of Homeland Security following months of discussions at the White House and throughout Washington, officials confirmed.

Professional basketball officials are whistling approximately 11% more personal fouls per game during this year’s postseason compared to the regular season, creating a gap that ranks among the most significant in league history.

According to the NBA, this increase is completely normal.

Despite ongoing criticism from players and coaches that surfaces every postseason, the league’s senior vice president of referee development and training openly admits there’s a clear distinction between regular-season and playoff basketball — something everyone in the organization would agree with.

However, Monty McCutchen maintains that officiating principles remain unchanged during the playoffs.

“It would be very difficult on our players, on our coaches, most certainly on our referees, if the intensity of a seven-game series that we see in the playoffs exhibited itself over 82 games,” McCutchen said at the NBA draft combine. “NBA playoff basketball is one of the great spectacles of all sport in my opinion. You get the combination of the passion and strength of our players and coaching staffs in tight spaces over seven-game series. And I think that that absolutely makes for a different game.”

With postseason stakes elevated, every moment receives heightened examination and tempers naturally flare.

— San Antonio star Victor Wembanyama received an ejection from a playoff contest this week for elbowing Minnesota’s Naz Reid, prompting Spurs coach Mitch Johnson to note his 7-foot-4 player constantly faces excessive physical contact that eventually forces a response. “At some level, you have to protect yourself,” Johnson said. “Every single play on every single part of the floor, people are trying to impose their physicality on him. I get it. We get it. That’s part of the game.”

— Austin Reaves and the Los Angeles Lakers conducted an unplanned discussion at center court with officials following a playoff defeat in Oklahoma City to express their concerns.

— Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson noted that Cavs star guard Donovan Mitchell rarely reached the free-throw line during Games 1 and 2 against Detroit; Mitchell attempted 11 free throws total in those contests (both Cleveland defeats) but averaged 11.5 attempts in the following two games (both Cleveland victories). This observation prompted Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff to respond after Game 4.

These represent just a few instances.

“Standing up for your team is a job descriptor of an NBA head coach and most certainly I don’t begrudge a head coach the desire to represent for himself, his team, most certainly his players,” McCutchen said. “That’s part of the voice of an NBA head coach that I have an understanding of. My job is to take those commentaries and decide or see what is true and what is avocation. And now, even if it is true, it’s very important that I’m not putting my foot on the scale of a series.”

Postseason officials — not every referee receives playoff duties, and the group of working officials shrinks after each round based on evaluation — review game footage afterward, identical to regular-season procedures. Every decision undergoes assessment, and McCutchen has repeatedly stated in recent years that the league’s officiating staff continuously works toward improvement.

“We’re not putting our whistles in our pocket,” McCutchen said. “That being said, I think it’s fair to debate, talk about passionately, like many of our fans and people in the media do, about whether that’s the appropriate enough of whistles to blow. But we are trying to meet the moments of the passion of the playoffs in a way that upholds our standards.”

This typically results in additional calls. The NBA has experienced rising foul calls from regular season to playoffs for the 66th occasion in its 80-year existence. This season shows a differential exceeding 10% for just the sixth time in the past 60 years. (The five largest increases in that gap, spanning from 13% to 17%, all occurred between 1949 and 1955.)

McCutchen views the playoffs through this lens: Aggression benefits the game, while roughness does not.

“We don’t like to see ejections,” McCutchen said. “Our goal would be to get through all these games where we meet this right up to the edge of rough and you have this really aggressive, passionate game that is adjudicated and an environment is created in which that environment of aggressiveness is rewarded — because we have the best players in any sport, in my opinion — but that it doesn’t creep over to rough. That’s the goal.”

TORONTO (AP) — The Toronto Maple Leafs dismissed head coach Craig Berube on Wednesday following a disastrous season that landed the franchise at the bottom of the Atlantic Division standings.

Berube’s departure concludes his two-season tenure with Toronto. While his inaugural campaign delivered an impressive 108-point season, the team’s performance collapsed dramatically in 2025-26.

“Craig is a tremendous coach and an even better person,” general manager John Chayka said in a statement. “This decision is more reflective of an organizational shift and an opportunity for a fresh start than it is an evaluation of Craig.”

Chayka recently joined the organization this month, taking over after Brad Treliving’s dismissal in March.

The Maple Leafs secured the top selection in last week’s NHL draft lottery. Toronto is anticipated to choose between Gavin McKenna or Ivar Stenberg when they make the first overall selection on June 26 during the NHL draft in Buffalo.

During his time with Toronto, Berube compiled an 84-62-18 record, though the team managed only 32-36-14 this past season. The plunge from 108 points to 78 represented the franchise’s most dramatic single-season decline in team history.

Despite losing star forward Mitch Marner, the Maple Leafs entered the campaign with optimistic expectations.

The organization brought in three new forwards — Matias Maccelli, Dakota Joshua and Nicolas Roy — attempting to fill Marner’s role through a collective approach on what many considered a Stanley Cup-caliber roster.

However, Toronto never found their rhythm throughout the season. Combined with significant injuries and player absences, the team appeared disjointed from the opening game.

Even with star players Auston Matthews and William Nylander leading the offense, Toronto’s power play became a major weakness.

The team’s defensive struggles created serious issues, as they posted the league’s second-worst goals-against average and were outshot more than any other NHL team with 66 instances.

“They played with more passion than we did,” Berube told reporters in December after a 4-0 road loss to the Washington Capitals. “That’s what it boils down to. It looked to me like they had way more urgency in their game, more passion in their game. That’s the difference.”

When pressed to elaborate on his assessment, he responded: “Ask those guys, not me.”

This exchange highlighted the obvious tension within the organization.

Matthews, a three-time Maurice (Rocket) Richard Trophy recipient as the NHL’s leading goal scorer, managed just 27 goals before a season-ending knee injury from a hit by Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas in March.

The team’s lack of response to the hit on their captain drew harsh criticism from Berube — a former NHL enforcer who ranks seventh all-time in penalty minutes — along with media and supporters who questioned the team’s locker room dynamics.

The 60-year-old Berube was brought aboard in May 2024 when Treliving released Sheldon Keefe after 4½ seasons as head coach.

Under Berube’s leadership in his first year, Toronto achieved only their second playoff series victory during the NHL’s salary-cap era. The Maple Leafs defeated the Ottawa Senators before losing to Florida in a series highlighted by devastating 6-1 home defeats in Games 5 and 7. The Panthers subsequently captured their second consecutive Stanley Cup championship.

Toronto had initially responded well to Berube’s direct, disciplined, north-south playing style in 2024-25 after Keefe couldn’t guide the same talented roster past their postseason struggles, but failed to replicate that achievement in year two.

Berube’s coaching career started within the Philadelphia Flyers system following his playing retirement. He progressed through the ranks, transitioning from the AHL to an NHL assistant position in 2006-07.

He assumed the Flyers’ head coaching role partway through 2013-14 and remained for one additional season before his dismissal.

Following a year away from hockey, Berube coached St. Louis Blues’ AHL team. He became an NHL associate coach in 2017-18 and was elevated to head coach with St. Louis in November 2018.

Berube transformed the struggling Blues, who had occupied last place in the overall standings, into a playoff team that embarked on an incredible championship run culminating in the franchise’s first Cup title.

After three consecutive first-round playoff exits and missing the playoffs entirely in 2022-23, St. Louis dismissed Berube just 28 games into the following season.

When Toronto hired Berube, Treliving mentioned extensive discussions with individuals who had worked with, reported to, and played for the former enforcer.

“They talked about how they would go through a wall for him,” Treliving said. “There was the connection he had with his players, the accountability he had with his players, and the bond he was able to build with staff.”

The National Football League announced its most extensive overseas schedule in league history, with the San Francisco 49ers set to participate in two international contests during the 2026 season.

San Francisco will kick off the NFL’s expanded global presence by facing division rival Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia on September 10. This Thursday night matchup, which will air on Netflix, marks the league’s inaugural game on Australian soil and will actually be played Friday morning local time. The 49ers will serve as the visiting team for this historic opener.

Later in the season, San Francisco will host the Minnesota Vikings in Mexico City on November 22 for a Sunday night game in Week 11. The Vikings previously made history with back-to-back international road games in Dublin and London during consecutive weeks last season.

This ambitious international expansion includes nine total games spanning eight venues across seven cities on four different continents – the largest overseas commitment the NFL has ever undertaken. League Commissioner Roger Goodell has expressed his vision of eventually reaching 16 international contests per season.

London will host three games at its traditional venues, with Jacksonville making franchise history by scheduling back-to-back home games overseas. The Jaguars will meet Philadelphia at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 11, followed by a divisional clash against Houston at Wembley Stadium on October 18. Washington will also call Tottenham home when they battle Indianapolis on October 4.

The league will break new ground in Paris during Week 7, as New Orleans takes on Pittsburgh on October 25. Munich will welcome its second NFL game when Detroit hosts New England on November 15.

Previously announced international matchups include Dallas hosting Baltimore in Rio De Janeiro on September 27 and Atlanta welcoming Cincinnati to Madrid on November 8.

The basketball world is mourning the loss of Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke, who passed away at the age of 29. The team, his representation agency, and the NBA have all confirmed his death.

According to sources close to the investigation, medical examiners will conduct an autopsy to establish the precise cause of Clarke’s passing. His representatives at Priority Sports expressed their grief on social media, stating they were “beyond devastated” by the tragic news. Clarke had faced legal troubles recently, having been taken into custody on April 1st in Arkansas on charges of speeding and controlled substance possession before posting bond the following day. The Gonzaga product was selected 21st overall by Oklahoma City in the 2019 draft and earned All-Rookie honors in 2020, though injuries restricted him to just 72 appearances over his final three seasons out of a possible 246 games.

In playoff action, Victor Wembanyama delivered a dominant performance to help the San Antonio Spurs defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves 126-97, putting San Antonio one win away from the Western Conference finals with a 3-2 series advantage. The young star recorded 27 points, 17 rebounds, and three blocks in what served as redemption following his first career ejection. Keldon Johnson contributed 21 points, while De’Aaron Fox added 18 and Stephon Castle chipped in 17 for the Spurs. San Antonio can secure their spot against Oklahoma City with a Game 6 victory this Friday in Minneapolis. Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards managed 20 points despite being held to just eight in the opening half.

Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani will sit out the next two games as the designated hitter while dealing with an offensive struggle. Despite breaking an 11-game home run drought with his second long ball in 24 contests during a 6-2 victory over San Francisco, manager Dave Roberts announced Ohtani won’t appear in Wednesday’s lineup when he takes the mound, nor Thursday’s game. Ohtani finished 2-for-4 with two runs, one RBI, and a walk, while his teammates managed just two hits in 25 at-bats. This marks Ohtani’s inaugural complete season as a dual-threat player with the Dodgers.

The Philadelphia 76ers have dismissed president Daryl Morey while retaining head coach Nick Nurse following their Eastern Conference semifinal sweep at the hands of the New York Knicks. Morey’s six-year tenure ended after another disappointing postseason, prompting the organization to seek new leadership for their basketball operations. Former Golden State Warriors executive Bob Myers will spearhead the search for Morey’s successor and oversee operations temporarily. Under Morey’s leadership, Philadelphia posted a 270-212 regular season record but struggled in playoff situations with a 28-26 mark, never advancing beyond the conference semifinals.

A Florida judge has ordered that Tiger Woods’ prescription medication records be released to prosecutors in connection with his March DUI arrest. The ruling came after a brief four-minute court session in Martin County, where an agreement was reached between Woods’ legal team and prosecutors. The subpoena requests all prescription drug documentation for the golf legend from January through March. Woods’ lawyer conceded that privacy rights have limitations and acknowledged prosecutors presented a strong case for accessing the records. In exchange, the defense secured a protective order restricting who may view the sensitive medical information.

World number one golfer Scottie Scheffler aims to break a pattern of second-place finishes as he defends his PGA Championship title. Despite his dominance on tour, Scheffler has recorded three straight runner-up results since the Masters. “It’s a little bittersweet but at least he knows he’s playing well,” Scheffler commented on his recent performances. Victory would place him alongside Brooks Koepka and Tiger Woods as the only players to capture consecutive PGA Championships in the stroke play era. Standing in his path are golf’s strongest major championship field and Aronimink’s challenging layout, which Xander Schauffele characterized as having “diabolical greens.”

Pavel Dorofeyev netted his second goal of the contest 4:10 into overtime, lifting the Vegas Golden Knights to a 3-2 triumph over the Anaheim Ducks and a 3-2 series lead. The Golden Knights need just one more victory to reach the Western Conference final, with Game 6 scheduled for Thursday in Anaheim. Vegas hasn’t appeared in a conference final since capturing the Stanley Cup in 2023. The Ducks, making their first postseason appearance in eight years, will attempt to force a decisive Game 7 back in Las Vegas this Saturday. Tomas Hertl ended a 29-game goalless streak dating to the regular season and now has two goals in two playoff games. Vegas goaltender Carter Hart made 34 saves in the victory.

Zach Benson celebrated his 21st birthday in style, scoring the game-winning goal on a third-period power play as the Buffalo Sabres defeated the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 in Game 4, evening their Eastern Conference semifinal series. Benson received a pass from Josh Doan in the slot, controlled the puck with his skate, and fired a backhand past goalie Jakub Dobes at the 4:41 mark of the final period. Game 5 returns to Buffalo on Thursday, with the series victor advancing to face Carolina in the conference final. Tage Thompson equalized for Buffalo in the second period with an unusual goal and also recorded an assist. Defenseman Mattias Samuelsson opened the scoring while Doan contributed two assists. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen replaced Alex Lyon in net and stopped 28 shots.

Major League Baseball players and team owners have commenced collective bargaining discussions more than six months before their current agreement expires on December 1st. The negotiations, expected to be lengthy and contentious, will likely feature management’s push for a salary cap system that the players’ union has consistently rejected. The initial two-hour meeting took place at the MLB Players Association offices, located just a short walk from league headquarters in Manhattan’s Rockefeller Center. Both sides used the session to present their perspectives on the sport’s current state and financial landscape, though no formal proposals were exchanged.

Professional golfer Rory McIlroy, currently ranked second in the world, abbreviated his Tuesday practice session at Aronimink Golf Club after completing only three holes due to a painful blister on his right pinky toe. The injury comes as McIlroy prepares for this week’s PGA Championship taking place in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania.

The golfer was observed walking with a limp during Sunday’s final round of the Truist Championship in Charlotte, marking his first tournament appearance since claiming his second straight Masters title in April.

“Yeah, I’ve got a blister on my pinky toe on my right foot, but it’s underneath my nail,” McIlroy explained on Sunday. “I can’t really get to it, so it’s a little sore. But I’ll be all right.”

Speaking with Irish reporters earlier Tuesday, McIlroy revealed that doctors have removed the affected toenail and he is currently testing multiple pairs of golf shoes to determine which provide the greatest comfort during play.

The Northern Ireland native has claimed the PGA Championship title twice previously, capturing victories in 2012 and 2014. This week marks his first competitive round at Aronimink, with his sole prior experience at the venue being a practice session conducted several weeks before the major tournament.

McIlroy’s participation in Wednesday’s practice round remains uncertain as he may choose to rest instead. His first competitive round is scheduled for Thursday morning with an 8:40 a.m. tee time.

Victor Wembanyama made a statement in his return to the court, putting up 27 points and hauling in 17 rebounds as the San Antonio Spurs dominated the Minnesota Timberwolves 126-97 on Tuesday night, giving San Antonio a 3-2 advantage in their Western Conference semifinal matchup.

The series now shifts to Minneapolis for Game 6 on Friday, with a potential decisive Game 7 scheduled for Sunday back in San Antonio if needed.

Wembanyama’s explosive performance came after his early exit from Game 4 on Sunday, when he was tossed from the contest in the second quarter following a flagrant 2 foul for an elbow that caught Naz Reid in the face. The incident resulted in an automatic ejection after video review, and the Spurs went on to lose that game 114-109.

“Very, very much,” Wembanyama responded when questioned about his eagerness to get back on the floor for Game 5. “I mean, I was fresh, feeling good. But honestly, it’s hard to tell if it’s just, it’s just, it was just getting fired up. Obviously, I’m going to be excited with butterflies, you know. So excitement is not something abnormal.”

San Antonio established control early, building an 18-point cushion in the second quarter before cooling off and taking a 12-point edge into the locker room at halftime. Minnesota managed to battle back and even things up at 61-61 early in the third period, but the Spurs responded with authority, outscoring the Timberwolves 30-12 over the remainder of the quarter to enter the fourth with a commanding 91-73 lead.

“We went away from what was working, and then, you know, defense just cratered,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch explained. “In the last six minutes of the third quarter, lot of it was just ball contain stuff. And, you know, offensively found stuff that was working, then we just started breaking off plays, you know. And that’s my job. I gotta get us back on track. That’s on me.”

The fourth quarter saw San Antonio extend their advantage to 20 points before Minnesota mounted a brief 8-0 comeback attempt, cutting the deficit to 93-81 with just over nine minutes left. However, the Timberwolves could get no closer than 11 points for the remainder of the contest.

Supporting Wembanyama’s stellar effort, Keldon Johnson contributed 21 points coming off the bench for the Spurs. De’Aaron Fox chipped in 18 points, while Stephon Castle added 17. Devin Vassell and Dylan Harper each scored 12 points, with Harper also collecting 10 rebounds for a double-double.

“We played with the appropriate fear, discipline, execution, physicality, poise,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson noted. “And I thought we had it from an array of people tonight, and it was really good to see. We needed everybody, because at different moments of the game, different guys stepped up.”

For Minnesota, Anthony Edwards paced the scoring with 20 points. Jaden McDaniels and Julius Randle each tallied 17 points, Ayo Dosunmu added 16, and Naz Reid finished with 12.

Wembanyama set the tone immediately, scoring 16 of San Antonio’s first 24 points as the Spurs jumped out to a 24-9 lead with 6:17 remaining in the opening quarter. Minnesota weathered that early assault, with Reid’s driving layup in the final seconds cutting the gap to 34-30 after one period.

“We knew it was going to be physical, so just making that a point of emphasis and trying to keep them off the offensive glass,” Castle said. “I thought we started the game off well, and that’s where our runs came from. But obviously, they’re a good team, you know, they’re going to go on their own run.”

San Antonio opened the second quarter with nine straight points, highlighted by Castle’s three-point play, pushing their lead to 43-30. The Spurs stretched their margin to 58-40 following a spectacular Wembanyama alley-oop dunk with 3:24 left in the half, but then went cold, missing their final eight field goal attempts of the period and allowing Minnesota to close within 59-47 at intermission.

Wembanyama already had a double-double by halftime, recording 21 points and 11 rebounds in just two quarters of work. Fox had contributed 12 points for San Antonio before the break.

“I think one thing, the one word I’d like to use, just ‘mature,’” Mitch Johnson said of Wembanyama. “There’s a lot that’s happened in the last 48 hours, in the last game, and I think how that young man came out tonight and played in a variety of ways, in a variety of situations, not just in terms of his production, was extremely mature and then defensively, start to finish.”

Dosunmu led Minnesota’s first-half scoring with nine points, while Reid and Edwards each contributed eight.

The Timberwolves continued their momentum to start the third quarter, knotting the score at 61-61 with 7:51 on the clock when Dosunmu’s layup capped a 14-2 surge.

“I don’t see nobody in our locker room that (is) worried at the end of the day,” Edwards said. “Man, it’s another basketball game. So you come out, put your boots on and get ready to go to work.”

An actor from the beloved television series ‘Ted Lasso’ has made his fictional soccer career a reality by joining a professional team in the United States.

Cristo Fernandez, known for his role as Dani Rojas on the Apple TV+ hit show featuring an American coach leading a British soccer team, has officially signed with El Paso Locomotive FC in the USL Championship league.

The 35-year-old performer previously played youth soccer in Mexico but left the sport at 15 following a knee injury. While building his acting career, Fernandez never abandoned his athletic aspirations and even trained with the Chicago Fire’s reserve squad in Major League Soccer this year.

El Paso Locomotive FC announced the signing Tuesday following Fernandez’s successful two-month tryout period, during which he made a preseason appearance for the team.

‘(Football) has always been a huge part of my life and identity, and no matter where life has taken me, the dream of competing professionally never truly left my heart,’ Fernandez stated on the team’s website.

‘Maybe I’m just a crazy man with crazy dreams.’

The club, established in 2018, currently holds fourth place in Group B of the USL Championship standings.

Head coach Junior Gonzalez praised the new addition, saying ‘Cristo is a great addition to our roster, adding another attacking threat to our forward line.’

‘His passion for the game and leadership qualities for our locker room allow us to continue growing the positive culture we strive for as a club,’ Gonzalez added.

Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes came tantalizingly close to his second straight no-hit bid, carrying a perfect game into the seventh inning before surrendering just two hits across eight shutout frames in the Pirates’ 3-1 triumph over Colorado on Tuesday night.

The defending National League Cy Young Award recipient (6-2) kept the Rockies off the basepaths entirely through 6⅓ innings until Mickey Moniak broke up the bid with a soft liner that fell just beyond the outstretched glove of diving center fielder Oneil Cruz.

This marked Skenes’ second consecutive eight-inning, two-hit shutout performance. The dominant right-hander has surrendered zero runs in four of his last five outings, dropping his earned run average to 1.98 while extending his streak of starts without issuing a walk to five games. He fanned 10 Colorado batters on the evening.

Colorado’s Michael Lorenzen (2-5) struggled in comparison, surrendering two earned runs on five hits and two free passes while striking out five across five innings of work.

Pittsburgh received offensive contributions from Nick Gonzales, who collected two hits and drove in one run, while Spencer Horwitz also managed two base hits. Brandon Lowe and Bryan Reynolds each contributed RBI singles to provide Skenes with sufficient run support.

In other Tuesday action around the majors:

Rays 7, Blue Jays 6 (10 innings)

Jonathan Aranda’s sacrifice fly capped Tampa Bay’s extra-inning victory as the Rays maintained their perfect 5-0 record against Toronto this season. Taylor Walls delivered the go-ahead RBI single against Braydon Fisher (2-1) before Aranda’s fly ball provided insurance. Ian Seymour (2-0) tossed a clean ninth inning for Tampa Bay, which had blown a five-run advantage by allowing five two-out tallies in the seventh.

Braves 5, Cubs 2

Mike Yastrzemski launched his first home run as a Brave and drove in three runs, while Austin Riley also went deep and Dominic Smith collected four hits to power Atlanta past Chicago. The victory improved the Braves’ major league-best record to 29-13. Yastrzemski’s three-run blast broke a 2-2 deadlock during a four-run sixth inning. Didier Fuentes (2-0) threw three hitless relief innings before Raisel Iglesias completed the combined one-hitter with a perfect ninth.

Twins 3, Marlins 0

Bailey Ober delivered a complete-game shutout, striking out seven while walking none to guide Minnesota past Miami. Byron Buxton stole home plate and Ryan Jeffers belted a two-run homer to provide the offense. Ober (4-2) earned his first career complete-game shutout in his 124th major league start, throwing 64 strikes among his 89 total pitches.

Guardians 3, Angels 2

Angel Martinez homered and Patrick Bailey drove in his first run since joining Cleveland via trade to help the Guardians continue their dominance over Los Angeles. The Angels fell to 4-29 in Cleveland since 2015, the most lopsided venue record in baseball during that span. Hunter Gaddis (1-1) earned the victory with 1⅓ scoreless innings, while Cade Smith notched his 12th save.

Nationals 10, Reds 4

Daylen Lile and Luis Garcia Jr. each launched two home runs as Washington blasted six long balls total to overwhelm Cincinnati. Lile, a Louisville native, hit a solo shot in the fourth and a three-run blast in the fifth for his first career multi-homer game. Garcia contributed two solo homers as both players recorded three hits apiece.

Yankees 6, Orioles 2

Paul Goldschmidt and Trent Grisham homered as New York snapped a four-game losing streak with a victory in Baltimore. Grisham’s three-run blast highlighted a five-run third inning. Will Warren (5-1) carried a shutout into the sixth inning, ultimately allowing two runs on four hits.

Mets 10, Tigers 2

A.J. Ewing scored twice and drove in two runs in his major league debut, sparking New York’s rout of Detroit. Ewing collected an RBI triple and drew three walks in his first big league appearance. Freddy Peralta (3-3) allowed two runs while striking out seven over six innings for the victory.

Phillies 2, Red Sox 1

Kyle Schwarber tied a franchise record by homering for the fifth straight game, while Zack Wheeler pitched into the eighth inning to lift Philadelphia past Boston. Schwarber’s first-inning blast off Jovani Moran (0-1) gave him six homers in five games and 17 total to lead the majors. Wheeler (2-0) allowed one run on six hits before departing with one out in the eighth.

White Sox 6, Royals 5

Derek Hill delivered a pinch-hit, go-ahead solo homer in the eighth inning to help Chicago extend its winning streak to three games despite being outhit 11-7. Chase Meidroth and Drew Romo also went deep for the White Sox. Kansas City got solo homers from Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez in the first inning.

Brewers 6, Padres 4

Brandon Sproat earned his first career victory by pitching effectively into the sixth inning, while Joey Ortiz homered for the first time since July to lead Milwaukee past San Diego. The Brewers extended their winning streak to five games and moved seven games above .500 for the first time this season by overcoming a 2-1 deficit with five fourth-inning runs.

Rangers 7, Diamondbacks 4

MacKenzie Gore allowed just one run on three hits over a season-high eight innings as Texas defeated Arizona. Joc Pederson and Ezequiel Duran homered while Brandon Nimmo and Jake Burger each collected three hits. Gore (3-3) had entered with an 0-3 record and 6.85 ERA since April 8.

Mariners 10, Astros 2

Dominic Canzone belted his first career grand slam and Randy Arozarena produced four hits and three RBIs to support Bryan Woo as Seattle routed Houston. Canzone’s fourth-inning slam broke a 2-2 tie after Tatsuya Imai (1-1) loaded the bases with nobody out. Woo (3-2) struck out nine while retiring the final 11 batters he faced.

Cardinals 6, Athletics 4

JJ Wetherholt smacked a two-run homer and Jose Fermin added a two-run double to lead St. Louis past Oakland in West Sacramento. Ivan Herrera joined Wetherholt with two hits as the Cardinals ended a two-game skid. Andre Pallante (4-3) allowed three runs over five innings for the victory.

Giants 6, Dodgers 2

Eric Haase hit two home runs and Harrison Bader added another as San Francisco improved to 4-1 against Los Angeles this season. Adrian Houser (1-4) earned his first win as a Giant by allowing two runs over 5⅔ innings. The loss extended the Dodgers’ losing streak to four games, matching their season high.

The National Basketball Association has wrapped up its inquiry into Milwaukee’s handling of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s season-ending absence and determined no penalties are warranted, ESPN reported Tuesday.

The two-time Most Valuable Player suffered a hyperextended left knee during Milwaukee’s March 15 matchup against Indiana and remained sidelined for the team’s remaining 15 contests. The Bucks subsequently failed to reach the playoffs for the first time in eight years.

Conflicting narratives emerged between the organization and its superstar regarding his physical condition and readiness to compete once Milwaukee’s postseason hopes were dashed in late March.

During an early April media session, Antetokounmpo stated he was physically ready but being prevented from playing by team officials.

“I’m available to play, but I’m not in the game,” Antetokounmpo declared on April 3. “I’m available to play today. Right now. I’m available.

“For somebody to come and tell me to not play or not to compete, it’s like a slap in my face. So I don’t know where the relationship goes from there.”

According to the ESPN report, Milwaukee officials told league investigators they questioned whether Antetokounmpo genuinely wanted to return, pointing to his alleged unwillingness to engage in 3-on-3 practice sessions designed to demonstrate his recovery.

The 31-year-old disputed this characterization during his season-ending media availability.

“From my understanding, coming back to play, which I don’t think I ever had any return-to-play protocol, but to my understanding was I had to play 3-on-3 to be able to be available to play,” Antetokounmpo explained. “I did that multiple times. I’ve never in my life denied participation of practice.”

ESPN also revealed Monday that Milwaukee is again weighing potential pre-draft trades involving Antetokounmpo. The franchise previously considered similar moves before February’s trade deadline but opted to retain their cornerstone player through the summer.

Antetokounmpo remains under contract for one more season before a player option becomes available for the 2027-28 campaign.

The decorated forward has compiled averages of 24.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.2 blocks and 1.1 steals across 13 seasons and 895 appearances (830 as a starter) with Milwaukee. He guided the franchise to its first championship in five decades during the 2021 season, earning recognition as a 10-time All-Star and nine-time All-NBA selection.

The Oakland Athletics have sidelined All-Star shortstop Jacob Wilson for at least 10 days after he suffered a left shoulder dislocation during Sunday’s matchup with Baltimore. The injury occurred when Wilson made a diving attempt to field a ground ball hit by Orioles player Gunner Henderson, who reached base safely on the play.

Medical imaging conducted Monday revealed the extent of the 24-year-old’s shoulder subluxation, prompting the team to officially place him on the injured list with the designation taking effect retroactively from Monday. The timing means Wilson will miss Tuesday’s home series opener against St. Louis.

According to MLB.com reports, Wilson will avoid surgical intervention and instead focus on a rehabilitation program before returning to baseball activities. Team officials have not provided a specific timeline for when the young infielder might rejoin the roster.

Wilson’s injury comes at an unfortunate time as he had been demonstrating improved performance at the plate. Following a challenging start to the season where he managed just a .196 batting average through his initial 12 contests, Wilson rebounded significantly over his most recent 27 games, posting a .336 average alongside an impressive .826 OPS. His current season statistics show a .292 batting average with three home runs and 19 runs batted in.

Since entering Major League Baseball in his third campaign, Wilson has compiled a .299 career batting average with 16 homers and 85 RBIs across 192 games. Oakland selected the promising shortstop with the sixth overall pick in the 2023 amateur draft.

During Wilson’s recovery period, Darell Hernaiz is anticipated to handle the majority of shortstop duties, similar to his role when Wilson previously missed time due to a fractured left forearm in 2025.

To address roster needs, Oakland has promoted outfielder Henry Bolte, ranked as the organization’s fifth-best prospect according to MLB Pipeline, along with infielder Michael Stefanic from their Triple-A Las Vegas affiliate.

Stefanic brings versatility to the infield, capable of playing both second and third base positions. In 34 games with Las Vegas this season, he recorded a .250 batting average and .706 OPS. His major league experience includes stints with the Los Angeles Angels from 2022-2024 and the Toronto Blue Jays in 2025, where he compiled a .227 average with 14 RBIs over 99 total games.

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers are giving their superstar Shohei Ohtani some time away from hitting as his struggles at the plate continue to mount.

The two-way phenom has managed just four hits in 36 at-bats during the month of May, and his season statistics show a concerning trend with a .233 batting average, only six home runs, and 16 RBIs. Most notably, he hasn’t connected for a single home run all month.

Dodgers skipper Dave Roberts announced Tuesday that Ohtani won’t serve as the team’s designated hitter on Thursday, though he could be called upon if the game situation demands it. Roberts is also considering keeping Ohtani out of the batter’s box Wednesday when he takes the mound against the San Francisco Giants.

“It might just be a good thing to take a little bit of a load off of his plate offensively,” Roberts explained. “I just can’t take for granted what’s on his plate and so I’m trying to be sensitive.”

The Dodgers’ fortunes have mirrored their star player’s struggles, as the team sits at 24-17 and trails the NL West-leading San Diego Padres by half a game after dropping three consecutive games. While Andy Pages has excelled with a .325 average and Max Muncy is hitting .280, the rest of the lineup has faltered, including veteran Freddie Freeman at .273 and Kyle Tucker at .250.

This marks Ohtani’s first complete season handling both pitching and hitting responsibilities since joining the Dodgers. After undergoing two significant right elbow surgeries, he was restricted to designated hitter duties in 2024, when he made history by joining the exclusive 50/50 club with 54 home runs and 59 stolen bases while earning NL MVP honors and helping the Dodgers capture the World Series.

During the previous campaign, Ohtani didn’t return to pitching until the middle of the season and wasn’t built up to throw six innings until September. Despite the limited mound time, he still managed 55 home runs and 20 stolen bases, earning another NL MVP award as the Dodgers repeated as World Series champions.

While his hitting has been problematic, Ohtani has been exceptional on the pitching side this year. The right-hander boasts a 2-2 record with an outstanding 0.97 ERA, striking out 42 batters across 37 innings in six starts. He’s surrendered just four earned runs and 21 hits.

“He’s still calibrating on this kind of newfound two-way player,” Roberts observed.

Roberts acknowledges that while Ohtani is always willing to do whatever benefits the team, the manager must sometimes protect his most valuable player from his own competitive drive.

“He’s always going to want to do more,” Roberts noted. “He has that sense of responsibility to his teammates that he wants to be out there on both ways. I’ve learned that I have to be proactive and take it out of his hands.”

The manager believes he’s seen enough evidence to determine that removing the bat from Ohtani’s hands temporarily could help him find his rhythm again.

“When the quality of at-bats starts to go down consistently, I think that’s a sign that there needs to be a break because you’re just not able to stay within your game plan and then the chase starts to spike,” he explained. “The fatigue is bleeding into the mechanics. Most players get that towards the end of the summer. Now I’m learning managing Shohei it’s probably showing itself a little earlier as far as the tax on pitching and all that comes with it to the hitting, too.”

Ohtani isn’t accustomed to sitting out hitting duties, having appeared as the designated hitter in all but three games this season. Roberts even suggested the star player arrive late to the ballpark Thursday.

The organization anticipated challenges when they decided to have Ohtani resume full two-way duties for the first time since his 2023 season with the Los Angeles Angels.

“It definitely feels sustainable,” Roberts said. “I wouldn’t say it’s more difficult. I think that we all came in knowing that we had to read and react, it was going to be fluid. It should be. It’s very unique.”

The Philadelphia 76ers have dismissed president of basketball operations Daryl Morey, the team revealed on Tuesday.

Bob Myers, the former general manager of the Golden State Warriors who currently serves as president of sports for Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, will temporarily oversee the basketball operations department while spearheading the hunt for Morey’s successor. Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment owns the 76ers.

Team owner Josh Harris released a statement expressing his thoughts on the decision. “I have a tremendous amount of respect for Daryl personally and professionally, and I’m grateful for his contributions over the last six seasons,” Harris stated. “After speaking with Daryl, we determined that it was time for a fresh start. Bob Myers will lead the process of identifying a new leader and I believe his experience in constructing four NBA championship teams will be a valuable resource to our organization.”

Harris also addressed frustrated fans directly. “To our fans, your frustration and disappointment are understandable and warranted. We have fallen well short of our own expectations and failed to deliver in the way this city deserves. That bothers me deeply and I have confidence in Bob to establish a path forward for our franchise.”

The 53-year-old Morey came to Philadelphia in 2020 after spending 13 seasons as Houston’s general manager.

Morey’s most significant transaction with the Sixers involved trading for James Harden in a 2022 deal that shipped Ben Simmons to Brooklyn. The trade came during a period when Simmons was refusing to play for Philadelphia while Harden was seeking an exit from the Nets.

While Simmons’ career declined after brief tenures with Brooklyn and Los Angeles, Harden lasted just 1.5 seasons in Philadelphia before demanding another trade to the Clippers. During a trip to China prior to his departure, Harden made harsh comments about Morey, stating “Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organization that he’s a part of.”

Harden and Morey had previously worked together for more than eight seasons in Houston.

The 76ers have struggled to break through in recent years, failing to reach the Eastern Conference finals since 2001. Following a disappointing 2024-25 campaign where they missed the playoffs due to injuries to Joel Embiid and other core players, Philadelphia bounced back with a 45-37 record this past season to secure the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference. The team shocked the Boston Celtics in a seven-game opening round matchup but was subsequently eliminated by the New York Knicks in a four-game semifinal sweep.

According to ESPN reports, head coach Nick Nurse will return for his fourth season despite posting a 116-130 record over his first three years with the franchise.

PHILADELPHIA — Following their elimination from the Eastern Conference semifinals, the Philadelphia 76ers dismissed president Daryl Morey on Tuesday while choosing to retain head coach Nick Nurse for the upcoming season.

The organization made swift changes after the New York Knicks eliminated them in a sweep, concluding Morey’s sixth year leading the franchise’s basketball operations.

Managing partner Josh Harris announced that he and Morey mutually agreed it was appropriate to pursue a new direction for the organization.

Former Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers will spearhead the hiring process for Morey’s successor and will temporarily manage the basketball operations department.

“To our fans, your frustration and disappointment are understandable and warranted,” Harris said. “We have fallen well short of our own expectations and failed to deliver in the way this city deserves. That bothers me deeply and I have confidence in Bob to establish a path forward for our franchise.”

During Morey’s leadership, the Sixers compiled a 270-212 regular season record but struggled in playoff competition with a 28-26 postseason mark, never advancing beyond the conference semifinals. The team qualified for the playoffs this year after missing the postseason for the first time during Morey’s era in 2024-25, when they finished 24-58.

Myers constructed the championship Golden State squads that captured NBA titles in 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2022. Following his departure from the Warriors, he worked as an ESPN analyst before joining Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment as president of sports in October 2025.

Morey arrived in Philadelphia in 2020 following 14 years with the Houston Rockets, where he served as general manager for 13 seasons. Houston qualified for the playoffs during his final eight campaigns, and he earned NBA executive of the year honors in 2018 when the Rockets achieved a 65-17 record and reached the Western Conference finals.

In 2019, his social media post supporting Hong Kong protesters created diplomatic tensions with Chinese officials and damaged the NBA’s profitable Chinese market relationships. The Rockets had previously maintained strong popularity in China following their selection of Yao Ming as the top draft pick in 2002.

Known for his data-driven methodology — holding an MBA from MIT and co-chairing the institution’s annual Sports Analytics Conference — Morey struggled to construct a championship team around frequently injured center Joel Embiid. He brought in James Harden, his former Houston standout, and subsequently added veteran Paul George at significant cost.

His recent draft selections included successful picks like Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, chosen third overall last year. However, he faced criticism for trading Jared McCain, a 2024 first-round selection, to Oklahoma City this season. McCain contributed 11.5 points per game as the defending champion Thunder swept the Lakers in the second round.

Basketball pioneer Jason Collins, who broke barriers as the first openly gay athlete to compete in the NBA, has passed away at age 47 following an eight-month fight with an aggressive brain tumor, his family confirmed Tuesday.

Collins made history during his professional basketball career and later became a leading advocate for inclusion within the league and broader sports community. His groundbreaking presence in the NBA opened doors for LGBTQ+ athletes across professional sports.

The former center’s family announced his death after he battled the aggressive form of brain cancer for eight months. Collins’ courage both on and off the court made him a respected figure in basketball and an important voice for equality in athletics.

His legacy extends beyond his playing career, as Collins continued to serve as an advocate and representative for the NBA, promoting diversity and inclusion throughout the sports world.

The Milwaukee Brewers welcomed back star outfielder Christian Yelich on Tuesday, removing him from the 10-day injured list in time for their upcoming series against the San Diego Padres at home.

The 34-year-old player had been sidelined for an entire month due to a strained left groin muscle. His most recent game appearance was during an April 12 defeat against the Washington Nationals. Prior to his injury, Yelich was performing well at the plate with a .314 batting average, along with 10 RBIs and one home run.

To make room on the roster, Milwaukee sent utility player Tyler Black down to their Triple-A affiliate in Nashville.

The 25-year-old Black has seen limited action with Milwaukee, playing in nine contests this season and 32 games total across three years with the organization. Throughout his major league career spanning 98 plate appearances, he maintains a .250 batting average.

Yelich, who captured the National League MVP award in 2018 and earned three All-Star selections, rejoins the Brewers roster without completing any rehabilitation games in the minor leagues.

Jason Collins, the groundbreaking NBA veteran who became the first openly gay active player in major professional sports, has passed away at 47 following a battle with brain cancer, his family announced Tuesday.

In September, Collins shared that he was receiving treatment for a brain tumor, later revealing he had been diagnosed with stage four glioblastoma, a particularly aggressive type of brain cancer.

“We are heartbroken to share that Jason Collins, our beloved husband, son, brother and uncle, has died after a valiant fight with glioblastoma,” his family stated.

Collins broke barriers in 2013 when he became the first active male professional athlete in North America’s major sports leagues to publicly announce he was gay.

The center spent 13 years in the NBA after being drafted 18th overall by Houston in 2001, though he was immediately traded to what was then the New Jersey Nets. Throughout his career, he also played for Memphis, Minnesota, Atlanta, Boston and Washington.

Collins was part of the Nets teams that advanced to consecutive NBA Finals appearances in 2002 and 2003, playing alongside stars Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson.

His announcement came through a personal essay published in Sports Illustrated, which generated overwhelming support throughout the sports community, including praise from then-President Barack Obama.

“Jason changed lives in unexpected ways and was an inspiration to all who knew him and to those who admired him from afar,” his family shared. “Our family will miss him dearly.”

The basketball world mourns the loss of Jason Collins, who broke barriers as the NBA’s first openly gay athlete and later became a leading voice for diversity in professional sports. Collins passed away Tuesday at age 47 after battling Stage 4 glioblastoma for eight months, his family confirmed.

The center played professional basketball for 13 seasons across six different teams. In 2013, near the conclusion of his playing days, Collins made the groundbreaking decision to publicly share his sexual orientation.

Doctors had diagnosed Collins with Stage 4 glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer with very poor survival odds.

“Jason changed lives in unexpected ways and was an inspiration to all who knew him and to those who admired him from afar,” Collins’ family said in a statement released through the NBA. “We are grateful for the outpouring of love and prayers over the past eight months and for the exceptional medical care Jason received from his doctors and nurses. Our family will miss him dearly.”

Recently, Collins was honored with the first-ever Bill Walton Global Champion Award during the Green Sports Alliance Summit. Due to his deteriorating health, his twin brother Jarron Collins, also a former NBA player, received the recognition on his behalf.

“I told my brother this before I came here: He’s the bravest, strongest man I’ve ever known,” Jarron Collins said while accepting that award.

Throughout his professional career, Jason Collins maintained averages of 3.6 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. He was instrumental in helping the New Jersey Nets advance to two NBA Finals appearances, with his most productive season coming in 2004-05 when he averaged 6.4 points and 6.1 rebounds.

“Jason Collins’ impact and influence extended far beyond basketball as he helped make the NBA, WNBA and larger sports community more inclusive and welcoming for future generations,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. “He exemplified outstanding leadership and professionalism throughout his 13-year NBA career and in his dedicated work as an NBA Cares Ambassador. Jason will be remembered not only for breaking barriers, but also for the kindness and humanity that defined his life and touched so many others.

“On behalf of the NBA, I send my heartfelt condolences to Jason’s husband, Brunson, and his family, friends and colleagues across our leagues.”

Collins made his historic announcement through a personal essay published in Sports Illustrated during April 2013. Though he was between teams at the time, he expressed his desire to continue competing and subsequently appeared in 22 games for Brooklyn during the next season.

“If I had my way, someone else would have already done this,” he wrote at that time. “Nobody has, which is why I’m raising my hand.”

The announcement received widespread praise, with notable players like Kobe Bryant immediately voicing their support. Even the White House and former President Bill Clinton endorsed Collins’ courage – Clinton’s daughter Chelsea had attended Stanford University alongside Collins. During his college years, Collins shared living quarters with Joe Kennedy III, who later served Massachusetts in Congress for eight years.

In his Sports Illustrated essay, Collins explained that watching Kennedy participate in Boston’s 2012 gay pride parade motivated him to speak publicly about his own identity, since he felt unable to do the same while remaining closeted.

Before his announcement, Collins had quietly shown support for LGBTQ+ causes through his jersey selections. He chose number 98 during his final three team stints with Boston, Washington, and Brooklyn – honoring the year Matthew Shepard, a gay Wyoming college student, was murdered. He also wore number 46 in one Nets game, though that was simply the only available jersey when he joined the team.

During his Stanford career, Collins achieved a shooting percentage of nearly 61%, establishing a university record that still stands. The Associated Press named him an honorable mention All-America selection in 2001, shortly before the Houston Rockets selected him 18th overall in that year’s draft.

“It’s a sad day for all of us associated with Stanford basketball when we lose one of the program’s greats,” former Stanford coach Mike Montgomery said. “We all have great memories of Jason and the kind of person he was. It’s hard to separate Jarron and Jason because they thought so alike, but even though he was an identical twin, Jason was unique in his own way. The impact he had on Stanford was immense, as he could match up against anyone in the country because he was big, smart, strong and skilled, all while being a very bright and nice person.”

Mixed martial arts superstar Conor McGregor appears to be closing in on a deal that would bring him back to the UFC octagon this summer, multiple industry sources are reporting.

The Irish fighter, who has been sidelined since suffering an ankle injury during his 2021 bout against Dustin Poirer, is reportedly very close to finalizing terms for a rematch against Max Holloway scheduled for July 11 during International Fight Week at UFC 29, according to combat sports journalist Ariel Helwani.

Speaking on his program, Helwani defended his reporting track record: “I was the first person to tell you Conor was coming back, I was the first person to tell you it was going to be Conor versus Max, I’m still the only one. I can’t dictate or decide when they are going to announce things because that’s arbitrary. What I can tell you are the facts. So, I will never get wrong fight bookings, matchups, things of that nature.”

While UFC President Dana White expressed being “very confident” that the 37-year-old McGregor will return to competition soon during an appearance on “The Jim Rome Show,” he confirmed that no contract has been finalized and no official opponent has been revealed. Helwani, however, suggested fans should anticipate a formal announcement before UFC Freedom 250, which is set for 8 p.m. Saturday, June 14 at the White House.

“If you don’t believe me, you’re going to be proven wrong. As of right now, they’re on the goal line,” Helwani stated. “I’ve never said it’s signed, sealed, and delivered. It will be. I just want to make that clear, I am not walking this back.”

The reporter added: “Something awful has to happen for this fight not to come to fruition July 11. (Announcing) it at the White House would be too late, that would be less than a month.”

In a follow-up comment, Helwani acknowledged White’s position, saying: “Dana is right. It is not signed, sealed, and delivered. Is one side signed, sealed?”

The potential matchup would mark a reunion between McGregor and Holloway, who is now 34 years old. The two fighters previously met in 2013 in the featherweight category, with McGregor securing victory by unanimous decision.

INGLEWOOD, California – Basketball legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson made a passionate appeal Tuesday for global soccer fans to choose Los Angeles as their primary destination during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, describing the metropolis as the “sports capital of the world.”

Speaking at a special countdown event titled ’30 Days to FIFA World Cup 2026′ held at SoFi Stadium, the promotional gathering showcased the metropolitan area’s ambitions to offer visitors a comprehensive experience beyond just attending soccer matches.

“The world game is coming to the greatest city in the world,” Johnson declared enthusiastically during the promotional event, which aimed to attract international travelers not only for World Cup games but also to explore the city’s numerous attractions and establish LA’s reputation as an international sports destination.

The five-time NBA champion and three-time MVP emphasized that Los Angeles is entering an unprecedented era of major sporting events. “Great events are coming to our city,” Johnson stated, referencing the upcoming World Cup, NFL Super Bowl, and the 2028 Olympic Games.

The California city will serve as the venue for eight World Cup contests, welcoming national squads from the United States, Paraguay, Iran, New Zealand, Switzerland, Bosnia, Belgium and Turkey.

This enlarged World Cup tournament will span across North America, with games scheduled in 16 different host cities throughout Mexico, the United States and Canada. The competition will include 48 participating nations, representing an increase from the traditional 32-team format.

Kathryn Schloessman, who serves as President and CEO of the Los Angeles Sports and Entertainment Commission and host committee CEO, promised that both local residents and international visitors will experience a “giant soccer carnival” throughout the city.

Officials also emphasized the city’s dedication to accessible public transit, highlighting $1.75 stadium tickets that contrast sharply with the expensive transportation costs that have sparked criticism on the East Coast.

However, the World Cup’s regional effects have generated ongoing discussion for several months. Opponents have expressed worries about local homelessness issues, economic inequality, and taxpayer expenses, cautioning that society’s most disadvantaged populations might face higher costs, housing shortages connected to the tournament, and interruptions to city services.

Los Angeles will additionally present the tournament’s U.S. opening ceremony on June 12, headlined by pop artist Katy Perry. This celebration will follow an opening ceremony in Mexico City the previous day and another Toronto event earlier on June 12, highlighting the tournament’s tri-national scope.

Although Los Angeles is primarily recognized for major American sports franchises like the Lakers, Dodgers, Rams and Chargers, the city has also drawn prominent international soccer players during the latter stages of their careers, including David Beckham, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Steven Gerrard, who all competed for LA Galaxy.

The city’s World Cup organizing committee has leveraged its closeness to Hollywood’s celebrity community by recruiting Snoop Dogg, Eva Longoria, Will Ferrell and other entertainment figures as “community ambassadors.”

Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy will sit out the opening six games of next season after the National Hockey League imposed a suspension without pay for a violent stick attack on Buffalo Sabres forward Zach Benson during Boston’s playoff elimination on May 1st.

The NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced the discipline on Tuesday, following an in-person hearing at league headquarters in New York the previous day. The face-to-face meeting allowed officials to consider penalties exceeding five games.

The controversial play unfolded with 1:31 remaining in the third period when Benson tripped McAvoy while both players pursued a loose puck before colliding with the end boards. After getting back on his feet, McAvoy skated aggressively toward the Buffalo player and delivered a baseball bat-style swing with his stick, striking Benson in the stomach area.

Officials assessed McAvoy a five-minute major penalty for slashing plus a game misconduct, while Benson received a two-minute minor for the initial tripping infraction.

Buffalo completed their 4-1 victory that night, securing the Eastern Conference first-round matchup with a 4-2 series triumph that ended Boston’s playoff run.

The 28-year-old McAvoy has the right to challenge the suspension through an appeal process. This marks his third disciplinary action from the league during his nine-year professional career, having faced two previous suspensions and one fine.

McAvoy posted career-best offensive numbers this past season with 61 points on 11 goals and 50 assists, while accumulating 62 penalty minutes across 69 regular-season appearances. He contributed two assists during the Buffalo series.

Throughout his NHL tenure exclusively with Boston, McAvoy has recorded 71 goals and 361 total points with 491 penalty minutes over 573 regular-season contests. His postseason statistics include six goals, 50 points, and 103 penalty minutes in 97 playoff games.

The National Football League revealed Tuesday that the Cincinnati Bengals and Atlanta Falcons will clash at Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on November 8, 2026, marking the second NFL regular season contest held in Spain.

Real Madrid’s legendary home venue, which has stood for seven decades, previously hosted an NFL game last November when the Miami Dolphins defeated the Washington Commanders 16-13 in overtime, featuring quarterback Tua Tagovailoa who now plays for Atlanta.

This Week 9 matchup, scheduled for 9:30 a.m. and broadcast on NFL Network, represents part of the 2026 NFL International Games series. The announcement came two days before the complete NFL schedule release set for Thursday.

For Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, whose team struggled to a 6-11 record last season, this will mark his debut in an international NFL game.

“The game has a lot of room to grow. Just like basketball did in the ’80s and ’90s,” Burrow commented Tuesday following the announcement. “The Bulls kind of spearheaded that. Made it global and, hopefully, the Bengals can do the same thing over the next couple of years for the NFL.”

Cincinnati has participated in two previous international contests, both held in London, with their most recent appearance being a 24-10 defeat to the Los Angeles Rams at Wembley Stadium in 2019 during head coach Zac Taylor’s inaugural season.

New Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski brings extensive knowledge of the Bengals to his first season in Atlanta, having spent six years coaching the AFC North division rival Cleveland Browns.

The Falcons have competed in five prior regular season games on foreign soil, including four European contests. Atlanta’s international experience includes games in Toronto (2013), London (2014, 2021, 2023), and Berlin last season, where they fell 31-25 to the Indianapolis Colts before finishing 8-9.

“We are truly honored and deeply grateful for the opportunity to host the Cincinnati Bengals at the Bernabeu, one of the world’s most iconic venues,” stated Falcons president and CEO Greg Beadles on Tuesday. “This matchup represents a unique opportunity to connect with fans in Spain, and we sincerely appreciate the NFL’s continued commitment to growing the game on a global stage. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup on the horizon, we are thankful for the opportunity to begin building meaningful connections with Spanish supporters who will also experience our great city of Atlanta on the world stage.”

World No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler hasn’t captured a tournament victory since January, though his recent performances have been tantalizingly close to breaking through.

The 29-year-old finished as runner-up in three consecutive tournaments during April before taking time off to gear up for this week’s PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club near Philadelphia.

Though such consistent high finishes would be impressive for most players, Scheffler finds himself fielding questions about why he can’t seal the deal.

“I think it was last week my wife was like, ‘Hey, Scottie, you’re like the first guy in PGA Tour history to have three solo runner-ups in a row.’ I’m like, ‘Yeah, it’s probably because the guy that was playing that good figured out a way to win one of those, he didn’t come second in all three,’” Scheffler joked when speaking with reporters Tuesday.

“A little bit of it is bittersweet. Finishing second in a golf tournament is not bad, but, I mean — especially in the way I did it in a couple of them. I was spotting guys so many strokes going into the weekend, mainly the Masters.”

At Augusta National, Scheffler bounced back from a disappointing second-round 74 with weekend scores of 65-68, ultimately finishing one shot behind Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy. The following week at Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, he posted 64-67 during another weekend charge but fell to England’s Matt Fitzpatrick in a playoff at the RBC Heritage.

His third near-miss came at the Cadillac Championship in Miami, where another sluggish start was partially salvaged by a stronger finish. Despite reaching 13 under par, he trailed winner Cameron Young by six strokes.

“You know you’re playing good golf, and you’d love to get some wins,” said Scheffler. “Finishing second hurts, but I think when you reflect and you’re looking at things to work on, there’s a lot less to clean up when you’re finishing second than there is when you’re finishing 30th.”

Among Scheffler’s four major championships, he has never successfully defended one immediately. His Masters victories were separated by two years before he claimed both the PGA Championship and Open Championship in 2025. This week presents his first opportunity to win consecutive major titles.

Successfully defending a major championship outside Augusta requires favorable course rotation timing. Scheffler triumphed at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte last year, a venue that regularly hosts PGA Tour events. However, he acknowledged Tuesday that he believes he’s never competed in the Philadelphia region before.

“I think a lot of it depends on the golf course. A lot of it depends on the conditions,” Scheffler explained regarding PGA Championship challenges. “If you look at this golf course specifically, between it being soft and firm, I think is two totally different tests. If you’re looking at this golf course when it’s soft, I think there’s a lot of stuff you can kind of get away with in terms of like you can hit it pretty far offline. There’s not many things to block you. …”

“But if you look at this golf course when it’s firm, the fairways are hard to hit. Then if you want to get the ball close to a lot of these pins, you have to control your spin and control your distance really well, which is not that easy to do out of the rough.”

Despite his recent frustrations, Scheffler recognizes his position is enviable compared to struggling with poor results.

“I’d much rather have to sit here and be (asked), ‘Hey, how come you didn’t win last week,’ versus, ‘He finished 15th, like that was a pretty good start for you, game’s starting to turn around.’ It’s a lot better playing good golf,” he said. “… I think those questions are easier to answer.”

The New York Yankees made roster moves Tuesday, promoting shortstop Anthony Volpe from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre while putting utility player Jose Caballero on the 10-day injured list due to a broken finger.

Caballero sustained the injury to his right middle finger during Sunday’s 4-3 defeat against the Milwaukee Brewers on the road. The injury occurred when he dove back toward first base to avoid being picked off. When Caballero reported pain afterward, the team sent him back to New York for testing, where an MRI scan confirmed a fracture.

This injury opens the door for Volpe to return to the majors for his first appearance in the 2026 season, after Caballero had secured the regular shortstop position at the start of the year.

The 29-year-old Caballero was hitting .259 with four homers, 13 RBIs and 13 stolen bases across 41 games this season, starting 39 of those contests at shortstop. New York obtained him from division rival Tampa Bay Rays during the 2025 trade deadline and utilized him at various positions in both the infield and outfield.

Meanwhile, the 25-year-old Volpe dealt with a partial labrum tear in his left shoulder during the previous season and had surgery in October. His performance both at the plate and in the field suffered in 2025 while playing through the injury. Following his rehabilitation assignment, Volpe was sent down to Triple-A on May 3.

Volpe first reached the major leagues in 2023 after just 22 Triple-A appearances the previous year. He earned the starting shortstop role during spring training and delivered an impressive rookie campaign with 21 home runs and a Gold Glove award. He appeared in 159 games that season, followed by 160 in 2024 and 153 in 2025.

Over his 472 major league games, Volpe has compiled a .222 batting average with 52 home runs, 192 RBIs, 82 doubles and 70 stolen bases. However, he also shared the American League lead with 19 errors during the previous season.

Max Schuemann is scheduled to start at shortstop for Tuesday’s matchup against the Baltimore Orioles. The Yankees enter the game having dropped four consecutive contests.

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers are making their intentions clear: they want LeBron James to continue his career in purple and gold.

Following the team’s disappointing 115-110 defeat to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night, which completed a second-round playoff sweep, Lakers General Manager Rob Pelinka and head coach JJ Redick expressed their strong commitment to retaining the veteran superstar. The loss marked the end of James’ eighth campaign with Los Angeles.

At 41 years old, James has just wrapped up his remarkable 23rd NBA campaign, though he remains uncertain about continuing his playing career.

“Any team, including ours, would love to have LeBron James on their roster,” Pelinka said. “That’s a blessing in itself, just with what he does.”

The NBA’s all-time leading scorer enters unrestricted free agency this summer, giving him complete control over his next destination should he decide to delay retirement. While not every franchise possesses the financial flexibility to offer competitive compensation, the Lakers maintain substantial cap space and numerous roster decisions ahead. The organization hopes James will remain part of their championship pursuit centered around Luka Doncic.

“He’s given so much to his teammates, to this organization, and the thing we want to do more than anything else is honor him back,” Pelinka said.

The general manager repeatedly emphasized his commitment to “honor” James’ deliberation process, indicating the franchise’s willingness to wait patiently for the superstar’s decision over the coming weeks.

“The first order of business there is allowing him to spend the time he needs to decide what his next steps are,” Pelinka said. “Does he want to play another year in the NBA? That’ll be (determined through) family time, I think, time with his inner circle, and we just want to honor that for him.”

This represents James’ longest tenure with a single franchise, spanning eight seasons. His family has established roots in Los Angeles, where he captured an NBA championship and achieved numerous league milestones. Additionally, his 21-year-old son Bronny has spent two seasons as a reserve guard with the Lakers, creating the unique opportunity for father and son to share the court during several meaningful playoff moments.

Injuries limited James to 60 games this season, and he posted career-low averages of 20.9 points per game while adapting to his role as the team’s third scoring option behind Doncic and Austin Reaves. Despite this adjustment representing unfamiliar territory, James appeared to embrace his enhanced playmaking responsibilities, particularly during the team’s strongest stretch in March.

Los Angeles compiled a 53-win record and claimed the Pacific Division championship despite losing Doncic for the remainder of the season and Reaves for nearly a month due to injuries sustained in the same April 2nd contest. Although their campaign concluded with a four-game elimination by the heavily favored Thunder, the Lakers approach the offseason with confidence about their potential improvement — especially if James returns.

However, Pelinka clarified that the franchise’s long-term vision revolves around 27-year-old Doncic, who captured the NBA scoring championship before a hamstring injury derailed his playoff preparation.

“The archetype of the roster that we want is going to be retrofitted around Luka and the things he needs,” Pelinka said. “Clearly he’s that leader and player for the future that we want to build the right way around.”

The Lakers’ most significant offseason priority involves securing a new contract for Reaves, the former undrafted player who has emerged as one of the league’s most productive scorers during his five Los Angeles seasons. Reaves is anticipated to decline his player option, with Pelinka confirming mutual interest in a substantial extension.

“He started his journey here as a Laker and has made it very clear to us that he wants his journey to continue as a Laker, and we feel the same way,” Pelinka said. “We want his odyssey to continue to unfold in the purple and gold. Both sides have made it abundantly clear that we want to work something out.”

Other unrestricted free agents include forward Rui Hachimura, whose impressive postseason performance following regular-season inconsistencies likely earned him a significant raise; guard Luke Kennard, acquired via late-season trade who provided valuable contributions during Reaves’ absence; and reserve center Jaxson Hayes.

Starting center Deandre Ayton holds an $8.1 million player option and indicated Monday he hasn’t considered his decision. Marcus Smart, another key playoff contributor, possesses a $5.4 million player option he’s expected to decline in pursuit of a larger contract.

“Being here in LA, the crowd and everybody has been amazing,” Ayton said. “I wouldn’t change it for nothing, to be honest.”

The world’s top-ranked golfer Scottie Scheffler will begin defending his PGA Championship crown Thursday afternoon at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, paired with English players Justin Rose and Matt Fitzpatrick.

The defending champion, ranked first globally, will tee off at 2:05 p.m. ET alongside fourth-ranked Fitzpatrick and seventh-ranked Rose in one of the day’s final groupings from the opening par-four hole.

Scheffler, who claimed last year’s British Open title and dominated the PGA Championship by five strokes at Quail Hollow, enters the tournament after three consecutive second-place finishes on tour. His recent near-misses include the Masters, where the American nearly completed a historic rally from 12 shots behind after two rounds.

Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy, ranked second worldwide and fresh off his successful Masters title defense at Augusta National where he edged Scheffler by one stroke, will begin play much earlier at 8:40 a.m. from the par-four 10th tee. McIlroy’s group includes American Jordan Spieth and Spain’s Jon Rahm, who represents one of 11 LIV Golf competitors in this year’s second major championship.

Teeing off one group before McIlroy will be a star-studded trio featuring 2024 PGA Championship winner Xander Schauffele, five-time major champion Brooks Koepka, and LIV Golf’s Tyrrell Hatton from England. This tournament marks Koepka’s second major appearance since departing LIV in December, following his tie for 12th place at the Masters.

Current U.S. Open champion J.J. Spaun will start his round at 12:59 p.m. from the first tee, joined by American Max Homa, who earned his spot in the 156-player field after six-time major winner Phil Mickelson withdrew, and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama.

Cameron Young, competing in his fifth PGA Championship while enjoying his strongest PGA Tour campaign with two victories already this season, will play in an American trio with former U.S. Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley and two-time champion Justin Thomas, starting one group before Scheffler.

Tournament play will officially commence at 6:45 a.m. when Philadelphia native Braden Shattuck hits the opening shot, playing alongside England’s Alex Fitzpatrick and American Ben Griffin.

The Memphis Grizzlies organization announced Tuesday that forward Brandon Clarke has passed away at 29 years old.

Details surrounding the circumstances, timing, and location of Clarke’s death have not been disclosed by either the Grizzlies organization or Priority Sports, the agency that represented him.

“We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of Brandon Clarke. Brandon was an outstanding teammate and an even better person whose impact on the organization and the greater Memphis community will not be forgotten,” the Grizzlies said in a statement. “We express our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones during this difficult time.”

Representatives from Priority Sports shared their grief on social media, stating they were “beyond devastated” by Clarke’s passing.

“He was so loved by all of us here and everyone whose life he touched,” Priority Sports said. “He was the gentlest soul who was the first to be there for all of his friends and family.”

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver also offered condolences to Clarke’s loved ones and the Memphis organization.

“We are devastated to learn of the passing of Brandon Clarke,” Silver said. “As one of the longest-tenured members of the Grizzlies, Brandon was a beloved teammate and leader who played the game with enormous passion and grit.”

The National Basketball Players Association commented on the loss, saying: “This is an incredible loss for the brotherhood. We will remember Brandon not only for the immense joy he brought to so many throughout his career, but for the genuine friendships he built far beyond basketball.”

Clarke faced legal issues earlier this year when he was taken into custody on April 1 in Arkansas on charges of speeding and possessing a controlled substance, identified as kratom, a legal herbal supplement used for pain management in Tennessee. He posted bond and was released the following day.

The basketball player entered the NBA when Oklahoma selected him 21st overall from Gonzaga University in the 2019 draft, though his rights were immediately traded to Memphis, which had already chosen guard Ja Morant as the second overall selection. Both Clarke and Morant earned spots on the NBA’s All-Rookie team in 2020, and Memphis rewarded Clarke with a multi-year contract extension in October 2022.

A significant setback occurred on March 3, 2023, when Clarke suffered a torn left Achilles tendon during a game against the Denver Nuggets, a matchup between the Western Conference’s top two teams at the time. Various injuries restricted his playing time to just 72 games out of a possible 246 over his final three seasons, with only two appearances this season.

Throughout his seven-year tenure with Memphis, Clarke maintained averages of 10.2 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.

NEW YORK (AP) — Representatives for Major League Baseball players and team owners launched what’s expected to be challenging contract negotiations on Tuesday, working to hammer out a new labor agreement before their current deal runs out on December 1st. League management is anticipated to push for implementing a salary cap structure that the players’ union has consistently refused to consider.

The opening meeting lasted approximately two hours at the Major League Baseball Players Association headquarters in Manhattan, just a short walk from MLB’s main offices in Rockefeller Center. This initial gathering focused on each side presenting their perspectives on the sport’s current state and financial situation, with no formal proposals exchanged.

Among the players present was Mets infielder Marcus Semien, who serves on the union’s eight-member executive subcommittee, alongside teammates Clay Holmes and Austin Slater, according to a source familiar with the proceedings who requested anonymity since attendee names weren’t officially released. Other players participated through video calls.

Baseball’s current five-year labor agreement reaches its expiration on December 1st. Commissioner Rob Manfred has repeatedly stated that team owners would rather implement offseason lockouts than face in-season strikes, hoping to avoid losing regular-season games. The sport hasn’t lost regular-season contests due to labor disputes since the devastating 7½-month strike of 1994-95, which led to the first World Series cancellation in nine decades.

Previous negotiations for the current contract started in April 2021 and concluded with an agreement on March 10, 2022, saving the full 162-game season only after both sides negotiated beyond multiple deadlines. Manfred had announced the cancellation of 184 games before they were ultimately restored.

Bruce Meyer will guide the union’s negotiating efforts, reprising his role from 2021-22 but now serving as interim union leader. He was promoted from deputy director in February following Tony Clark’s forced departure. Clark, a former All-Star first baseman, had led the union since Michael Weiner’s death in 2013.

Deputy Commissioner Dan Halem will again head MLB’s negotiating team, continuing his role from the previous two contract discussions.

Several major league team owners have advocated for a salary cap structure that includes both a ceiling and floor, arguing it would benefit the sport overall. Unlike the NFL, NBA, and NHL, MLB has operated without a cap system, instead relying on a luxury tax implemented in 2003 to discourage excessive spending.

“When I talk to the players, I don’t try to convince them that a salary cap system would be a good thing,” Manfred explained to the Baseball Writers’ Association of America last summer. “I identify a problem in the media business and explain to them that owners need to change to address that problem. I then identify a second problem that we need to work together and that is that there are fans in a lot of our markets who feel like we have a competitive balance problem.”

Current spending restrictions haven’t significantly impacted teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets in recent seasons. The Dodgers broke MLB’s spending records with a total of $515 million in payroll and luxury tax payments last year while capturing their second consecutive World Series championship, based on final calculations from the commissioner’s office. Los Angeles is projected to lead spending again in 2026. The gap between the five biggest spenders and five lowest spenders grew from 3.6 in 2021 to a record 4.7 last year.

The players’ union contends that cap systems reduce overall player compensation, while team management claims that both caps and floors would help the majority of players.

Players have built up their potential strike fund of cash and investments to $415 million entering 2026. MLB has similarly been stockpiling resources for negotiations, accumulating roughly $75 million per team through withheld central fund payments.

The Memphis Grizzlies announced Tuesday that forward Brandon Clarke has passed away at the age of 29.

Team officials did not immediately release details regarding the cause of death.

“We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of Brandon Clarke,” the Grizzlies said in a statement. “Brandon was an outstanding teammate and an even better person whose impact on the organization and the greater Memphis community will not be forgotten.”

The Vancouver native was picked 21st in the 2019 NBA Draft by Oklahoma City but was immediately traded to Memphis that same evening. Clarke remained with the Grizzlies throughout his professional career and received NBA All-Rookie First Team recognition in 2020 following a strong first season where he posted averages of 12.1 points and 5.9 rebounds per game.

Recent knee and calf problems restricted Clarke to only two games during the 2025-26 campaign.

Prior to joining the professional ranks, Clarke competed collegiately at San Jose State before transferring to Gonzaga, where he became one of the nation’s premier forwards in the 2018-19 season.

Clarke faced legal troubles last month when he was taken into custody in Arkansas on multiple charges, including controlled substance possession and trafficking, along with improper passing and fleeing in a vehicle while speeding, law enforcement officials reported.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver expressed that the league was “devastated” by Clarke’s passing, calling him “a beloved teammate and leader who played the game with enormous passion and grit.”

“Our thoughts and sympathies are with Brandon’s family, friends and the Grizzlies organization,” Silver added in a statement.

NBA superstar LeBron James remains uncertain about his basketball future following the Los Angeles Lakers’ playoff elimination Monday night, though betting experts believe the 41-year-old will continue playing next season.

Following the Lakers’ loss to Oklahoma City, James told reporters that “what my future (holds), I don’t know, obviously.”

Despite his uncertainty, SportsBetting.ag opened retirement odds with “No” at -450 compared to +275 that he will hang up his jersey, suggesting an 81.8% probability James will take the court for another season.

“I got a lot of time to sit back like I think I said last year after we lost, I think to Minnesota, to go back and recalibrate with my family and talk with them and spend some time with them and then when the time comes … obviously you guys will know what I decide to do,” James explained.

Following the Lakers’ season-ending defeat, the sportsbook released multiple betting lines related to James’s future decisions:

Regarding his potential return to Los Angeles next season:
Yes (+110)
No (-150)

These numbers indicate only a 40% likelihood of James remaining with the Lakers.

The odds for LeBron and his son Bronny playing together next season:
Yes (+130)
No (-170)

This suggests a 37% chance of the father-son duo sharing the same roster.

Should James decide to continue his career elsewhere, Cleveland leads the speculation as his most likely destination with 1/1 odds. The Golden State Warriors follow at 3/1, potentially setting up a partnership with Stephen Curry. Other contenders include Denver (5/1), New York Knicks (7/1), and Milwaukee (9/1).

The complete list of potential destinations ranges from Detroit at 10/1 odds down to several teams at 80/1, including Boston, Memphis, New Orleans, and Utah.

During the regular season, James earned his 22nd consecutive All-Star selection while adapting to a different role on the team. With Luka Doncic leading the league at 33.5 points per game and Austin Reaves averaging 23.3 points, James contributed 20.9 points per contest along with 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds.

In the playoffs without the injured Doncic, James elevated his performance to 23.2 points, 7.3 assists, and 6.7 rebounds per game.

“Obviously we fell a little short, but I’m not looking at my year as a disappointment, that’s for damn sure,” James reflected. “I was put in some positions I never played in my career before, actually in my life. I’ve never been a third option in my life.”

“So, to be able to thrive in that role for that period of time and then have to step back into the role that I’ve been accustomed with over my career or my life playing this sport and be able to thrive under that and then just my teammates allowing me to lead them under extreme circumstances, I thought that was pretty cool for me at this stage of my career.”

SAN ANTONIO — Victor Wembanyama will suit up for the San Antonio Spurs in tonight’s pivotal Game 5 matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves, following his early dismissal from Game 4 due to an elbow thrown at an opponent.

The Spurs organization is breathing a sigh of relief over the news. According to guard Devin Vassell, if Wembanyama carries some frustration from missing most of the previous contest, that could work in San Antonio’s favor.

“I know he was upset not being able to play that game,” Vassell commented during Tuesday’s practice session, which featured notable attendees including Spurs President Gregg Popovich, franchise icon Manu Ginobili, and former assistant coach Brett Brown. “So, I know that he’s going to be ready to go. That’s what we need. We need that upset Vic who’s ready to attack the game for sure.”

Tuesday night’s contest represents what many consider the most significant game of Wembanyama’s professional basketball career — a Game 5 showdown in a deadlocked 2-2 playoff series, where the victor advances within one win of reaching the Western Conference finals.

While Vassell welcomes a motivated Wembanyama, he emphasized the need for controlled aggression.

“We’ve seen it before. We’ve seen when Vic gets upset,” Vassell explained. “I mean, we just need him to calm his emotions, make sure that he doesn’t let his emotions take over because at the end of the day like I said, he can’t get any flagrants, he can’t get anything like that. So, Vic knows what he’s got to do and he’ll be ready.”

The young star’s removal from Sunday’s game occurred during the second quarter following a rebounding situation that involved Minnesota players Naz Reid and Jaden McDaniels. While fighting for the ball, Wembanyama swung his arms and made contact with Reid’s face using his elbow.

Game officials reviewed the incident and elevated the initial foul to a Flagrant 2 violation, resulting in automatic ejection. The league office conducted its standard post-game analysis and announced Monday that no additional punishment would be imposed. The NBA retained the option to issue fines or extend the suspension into Game 5 and beyond if deemed necessary.

“I don’t think we even thought about it much at all,” Minnesota’s Mike Conley Jr. shared with media during the Timberwolves’ Tuesday practice. “I think once the ruling came down, it was just like, we expected that and just moved forward. It’s one of those things. We don’t want guys to miss games. We want to play against the best. We don’t want to have guys missing games like that.”

Beyond Wembanyama’s elbow situation, San Antonio faces additional concerns regarding player availability. The team recently added Dylan Harper to their injury report just hours before Thursday’s Game 5 tip-off, citing left knee discomfort. Harper joins point guard De’Aaron Fox on the questionable list, as Fox continues dealing with right ankle soreness according to team medical staff.

Hotels across America’s World Cup host cities are experiencing disappointing reservation numbers, falling well short of the anticipated tourism surge that was expected to accompany the world’s premier soccer tournament.

An April study conducted by the American Hotel & Lodging Association revealed that guest bookings have fallen below projections in most of the 11 American cities welcoming the globally televised competition.

Hotel managers in Kansas City, Boston, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Seattle reported that reservations are actually trailing behind normal seasonal patterns. Meanwhile, properties in New York City, Los Angeles, Dallas and Houston described demand as stagnant when compared to typical spring and summer periods, the association found.

The hospitality trade group identified several factors contributing to the underwhelming response: international visitors’ travel apprehensions, lengthy U.S. visa processing delays, and steep tournament expenses including costly match tickets and transportation in host cities.

“I think everyone had hoped the games would lead an influx of bookings, but with all going on in the world and the USA’s involvement, events are playing out differently for everyone,” said Michael Black, general manager at the Cloud One hotel in Manhattan.

The booking challenges aren’t limited to American venues. Mexico, which shares hosting duties with the United States and Canada, faces similar struggles. Hotels in Mexico City, where the tournament kicks off June 11, show occupancy rates between 30% and 36%, according to the Asociación de Hoteles de Ciudad de México.

Following the tournament schedule announcement, numerous hotels dramatically increased their nightly rates, betting that soccer enthusiasts would accept premium pricing to secure accommodations near match venues.

A New Jersey hotel near MetLife Stadium exemplifies this strategy, raising its typical $200 nightly rate to $800 during June World Cup dates. Prices climb even higher to over $1,300 per night before the July 19 championship match.

Experienced soccer followers likely anticipate these elevated rates will eventually decrease, according to Ronan Evain, executive director of Football Supporters Europe, a Germany-based fan advocacy organization.

“Fans that are used to traveling for tournaments know that this price will always go down,” Evain said. “There are many examples of hotel owners regretting that they priced too high and then panicking at the last minute and reducing prices.”

Alternative accommodations may explain some of the hotel booking shortfalls. Evain noted that many visitors have likely arranged less expensive lodging at greater distances from stadiums or through Airbnb and similar short-term rental services.

Data from AirDNA, which monitors Airbnb and Vrbo reservations, confirms increased short-term rental activity in metropolitan areas around Kansas City, Seattle, San Francisco, Dallas/Fort Worth and Miami/Ft. Lauderdale compared to the previous year.

Airbnb announced that anticipated guest numbers during the tournament will surpass initial projections and potentially exceed the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris, making it the platform’s largest hosting event ever.

FIFA reports selling more than 5 million tickets so far, approaching the 6 million total expected for all 104 tournament matches.

While tournament attendees represent potential hotel guests, major international events like the World Cup often deter other visitor categories, explained Andrew Zimbalist, a Smith College professor specializing in sports economics.

“The general problem is that soccer tourists — and expected congestion, high prices and security concerns — push away normal business travel and tourism,” he explained.

Vijay Dandapani, president of the Hotel Association of New York City, reported a modest 10% increase in summer reservations compared to the previous year, but noted this falls far short of the economic boost promised by FIFA and tournament promoters.

Toronto, Canada, which will stage six matches, shows stronger performance with room demand up approximately 28% over June 2025, said Sara Anghel, president of the Greater Toronto Hotel Association.

Despite 90% of Kansas City hotel operators telling the American Hotel & Lodging Association survey that bookings missed expectations, local tourism leaders maintain optimism for record visitor numbers.

“While hotel occupancy in Kansas City has not followed the trajectory originally predicted by FIFA, there are positive indicators for Kansas City on the horizon,” said Derik Detter, market research director at Visit KC.

Jon Bortz, CEO of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust, which operates numerous hotels nationwide, shares this positive outlook.

He reported higher occupancy rates at the company’s host city properties compared to last year, though acknowledged that cities like Boston with premier matchups are outperforming locations like San Francisco hosting less popular games.

“We haven’t seen anything that would cause us to think it’s going to be less than what we were expecting,” he said. “Maybe other people had much grander expectations.”

British tennis player Jack Draper revealed Tuesday that former Wimbledon champion Andy Murray will be joining his support team for the upcoming grass court season, as the 24-year-old athlete makes coaching changes ahead of the prestigious tournament.

The announcement comes as Draper ends his working relationship with coach Jamie Delgado after a six-month partnership. Murray, who stepped away from professional tennis in 2024, recently concluded his own coaching arrangement with Novak Djokovic in May 2025.

Draper, who reached the U.S. Open semifinals, has faced a challenging year marked by various injuries and will be absent from the French Open due to persistent knee problems.

“I am very grateful for everything Jamie Delgado has done for me over these past six months. He is a world-class coach and a great man,” Draper expressed in a statement to British media outlets.

“In the interim, I will continue to be supported by the excellent team at the (Lawn Tennis Association), with the addition of Andy Murray, who will be supporting me throughout the grasscourt season,” he continued.

The young tennis player has yet to advance past the second round at Wimbledon during his career, and among his three ATP tournament victories, only one was achieved on grass courts.

While Draper did not detail Murray’s specific responsibilities within his team structure, media sources suggest the former champion may take on a coaching role.

LOS ANGELES — Despite claims from the Oklahoma City Thunder that their performance hasn’t been flawless during their championship defense, their unblemished playoff record tells a different story.

At the midway mark of the postseason, their spotless record speaks volumes.

Oklahoma City secured their second consecutive series sweep of the season on Monday evening, defeating the determined Lakers 115-110 in the fourth game of the second round. The Thunder dominated LeBron James and Los Angeles throughout the entire season with an 8-0 record — and the title holders now stand at 8-0 in this year’s playoffs following consecutive eliminations of Phoenix and Los Angeles.

While head coach Mark Daigneault acknowledges room for growth and issues to address, MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander emphasizes that their mission remains incomplete.

Nevertheless, the Thunder have established themselves as the premier team in basketball with this playoff run following their commanding regular season performance, as they pursue the NBA’s first consecutive titles since Golden State achieved the feat in 2017 and 2018.

Sam Presti’s relentless organization appears nearly unstoppable as it advances to the Western Conference finals for the second consecutive season and the sixth occasion in the last 16 years.

“We’ve done our job so far, that’s all it really means,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “We’ve gone out there, we’ve executed, we played at a high level and we’ve been able to win eight tough games against really good opponents. That’s all it really means. And nothing is guaranteed. In the playoffs, no two games are the same, especially when you change opponents. So the challenges are all coming up, I guess you can say.”

Their upcoming challenge involves facing either the San Antonio Spurs or Minnesota Timberwolves in the conference finals — following additional rest days compared to those teams, who remain deadlocked before Tuesday evening’s fifth game.

However, whichever team survives that intense battle will confront the league’s most formidable obstacle in the fluid, unstoppable Thunder, who seem to be performing at an even superior level than during last season’s championship run.

“We’ve been very, very good,” Daigneault said. “I thought we had more lapses tonight than we had had in previous games, so we have to learn from that. Obviously we have to play better in more of the 48 minutes, but I also think the wind is going to be in your face in a playoff game for different reasons at different times, and you’ve got to be able to recenter. I thought we did that exceptionally well.”

Oklahoma City had never achieved consecutive playoff series sweeps, nor had the former Seattle SuperSonics franchise.

Los Angeles suffered three blowout defeats against Oklahoma City before finally producing one competitive contest. The Thunder found themselves behind during a fourth quarter for the first time this postseason, and their five-point victory marked their narrowest margin of the spring.

Yet Oklahoma City mounted a comeback, as they consistently manage to do.

Gilgeous-Alexander contributed nine of his 35 total points during the final quarter. Ajay Mitchell, the reserve guard who has emerged as a standout performer during Jalen Williams’ injury-related absence, delivered 10 of his career playoff-best 28 points in the same period. Chet Holmgren provided perhaps the most crucial baskets, including a decisive dunk with 32.8 seconds remaining.

Oklahoma City celebrated a closing quarter that appeared to showcase significant contributions from every player who entered the game. Moments afterward, they returned to their focused mindset.

“Everything that we’ve done so far is behind us,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “We still have a huge target on. We have two more series to win to reach our ultimate goal, and that’s what we’re focused on.”

Los Angeles head coach JJ Redick and his coaching staff seemed to develop an unexpected, successful strategy to disrupt the Thunder’s offensive players — yet it failed to significantly affect the final score.

Daigneault discovered learning opportunities during his team’s dismantling of the Lakers, who deployed double-team pressure against Gilgeous-Alexander and other primary ball-handlers at a frequency not witnessed since Oklahoma City’s playoff matchup with Denver last season.

Perhaps most concerning for the Thunder’s future adversaries, they have absorbed lessons and enhanced their play based on the Lakers’ limited achievements.

“It really had us having to sharpen our attacks, but I thought we did a great job of that,” Daigneault said. “Down the stretch, we had some big-time plays (with) high-lows, traps, and we had a dunk for Chet. That was a great attack, and I just thought we showed great execution of that. So I think we’re a lot better in that area than we were coming into the series.”

The future remains uncertain for basketball legend LeBron James following his team’s playoff exit. The 41-year-old superstar faces several paths forward as he contemplates what could be the end of an unprecedented 23-year NBA career.

James finds himself at a crossroads with multiple possibilities ahead. The veteran could remain with the Los Angeles Lakers, explore opportunities with a different franchise, or choose to retire altogether, bringing closure to the longest tenure in professional basketball history. While he recognizes these options exist, the four-time champion admits he hasn’t reached a decision yet.

The Lakers’ season concluded Monday evening following their elimination by the Oklahoma City Thunder. Now James must weigh his personal desires against his family’s wishes and determine the best course for everyone involved, knowing his playing days may be numbered.

The Thunder completed their playoff sweep of Los Angeles with a hard-fought 115-110 victory in Game 4. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led Oklahoma City with 35 points, while Chet Holmgren delivered the decisive basket with 32.8 seconds remaining. Ajay Mitchell contributed 28 points, including 10 crucial points in the final quarter, as the Thunder maintained their perfect 8-0 playoff record in what proved to be their most challenging victory yet. James finished with 24 points and 14 rebounds but couldn’t convert a crucial driving attempt with 20 seconds left that could have given the Lakers the lead.

In Cleveland, Donovan Mitchell orchestrated one of the most dramatic turnarounds in recent playoff memory. After managing just four points in the opening half against Detroit, the Cavaliers guard exploded for 39 second-half points, matching the NBA playoff record for points in a single half. His remarkable performance powered Cleveland to a 112-103 triumph over the Pistons in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference semifinal matchup.

Looking ahead to the 2026 NFL season, the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs will square off September 14 in the opening Monday Night Football contest on ESPN. The venue for this divisional clash remains undetermined as the league continues finalizing details before Thursday’s complete schedule announcement. Questions surround the availability of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who suffered torn ACL and LCL injuries in his left knee on December 14. Broncos signal-caller Bo Nix should be ready for training camp despite breaking an ankle bone during the AFC playoffs.

The Colorado Avalanche rebounded from their recent struggles with a commanding 5-2 victory over Minnesota Wild in Game 4, pushing them within one win of the Western Conference finals. Ross Colton and Parker Kelly each netted their first postseason goals during the decisive third period. Goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood made 19 saves in his first playoff start after coming in relief during Game 3’s disappointing loss. The Wild received goals from Danila Yurov and Nico Sturm but now trail the series 3-1.

A significant ruling emerged in college athletics as an arbitrator sided with the College Sports Commission in a dispute involving Nebraska football players. The decision upheld the CSC’s rejection of third-party name-image-likeness agreements between the university’s multimedia partner Playfly and student-athletes. Commission CEO Bryan Seeley expressed hope the ruling would strengthen confidence in the new organization’s enforcement capabilities, though he stopped short of calling it precedent-setting.

Los Angeles prepares to welcome the World Cup for the third time, with eight matches scheduled including Team USA’s opening game against Paraguay on June 12 at SoFi Stadium. The city offers visitors its trademark sunshine, beaches, celebrity culture, and diverse culinary landscape spanning Latin American, Asian, and Middle Eastern options alongside classic American fare. However, tourists should expect to encounter the ongoing homelessness situation and elevated fuel costs. FIFA’s Fan Festival runs June 11-14, with ten additional fan zones operating through July 19.

Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium has undergone extensive renovations to meet FIFA standards for World Cup hosting duties. The Chiefs’ home venue will stage six group stage matches beginning next month, plus a round of 32 encounter and quarterfinal game. Argentina faces Algeria in the stadium’s World Cup debut on June 16. The 1972-built facility required substantial modifications including seat removal and field improvements to satisfy international requirements. Limited parking will necessitate shuttle transportation from remote lots, while existing signage has been removed to prevent sponsorship conflicts.

At Aronimink Golf Club in Pennsylvania, players are discovering the primary challenge for the PGA Championship lies in the putting surfaces. The expansive greens feature dramatic slopes that will test even the most skilled professionals. Keegan Bradley, who captured the 2018 BMW Championship at the venue, noted that while driving accuracy isn’t the main concern, the undulating greens present significant difficulties. Matt Fitzpatrick questioned whether tournament officials can locate sufficient pin positions given the severe contours. Jordan Spieth played nine preparation holes as he pursues his tenth attempt at completing the career Grand Slam, with only the PGA Championship missing from his collection.

Tiger Woods faces a legal hearing in Florida as his attorney and prosecutors debate access to the golf icon’s prescription medication records. The Tuesday morning session in Martin County circuit court centers on the state’s subpoena requesting all prescription drug documentation from January through March, following Woods’ arrest on suspected driving under the influence charges. The defense argues constitutional privacy protections should shield the medical information, while also seeking a protective order to limit any potential disclosure. Woods has entered a not guilty plea to the charges.