After the Raiders used the expected top pick in this year's draft on Fernando Mendoza, they went defense heavy over the final two days, with six of nine picks going to the defensive side of the ball. They addressed several needs with those picks. Every position on the defense had a need, though. Therfore, every position could see a returning player unseated by a rookie.Defensive lineOUT: JJ Pegues IN: Brandon ClevelandWhile fellow 2025 rookie Tonka Hemingway made some plays on defense, we didn't see much from Pegues. With the switch to a 3-4, it would seem the 6-2, 325-pounder could have a more defined role. But the former sixth round pick won't be the frontrunner for that spot. He will have rookie seventh round pick Brandon Cleveland as well as priority undrafted rookie Gary Smith II in the mix as well. Though, based on experience, the favorite is probably recent veteran addition Benito Jones.EDGE rusherOUT: Malcolm KoonceIN: Keyron CrawfordKoonce enters what is a third consecutive contract year with the Raiders. His initial contract year ended with him putting up eight sacks in the final nine games. And at this point, he's still living off that stretch of games. The following year ended before it began due to an injury. Then he re-signed to a one-year deal only to see just three starts and put up 4.5 sacks. This is likely his last shot, and he will have third round rookie fighting hard to take his snaps this season too.LinebackerOUT: Tommy EichenbergIN: Xavien Sorey JrFor the second year in a row, the Raiders changed out their linebacking corps. Never considering Eichenberg as a viable option to start. They had hoped the former fifth rounder could be an eventual starter, but that isn't looking like it will happen without an injury opening up a spot. And perhaps not even then.Sorey was given a draftable grade this year, but went undrafted. At a position severely lacking in depth, he has a good chance of not only making the roster, but possibly pushing out the third-year Eichenberg.CornerbackOUT: Darien Porter, Decamerion RichardsonIN: Jermod McCoy, Hezekiah MassesPorter was a Pete Carroll type of pick. A big cornerback. He also bounced back and forth from the starting lineup with Kyu Blu Kelly last season. Now, Porter is a former wide receiver, so he has some developing he could do. But McCoy is ready now and had first round talent. His only concern is the possibility that a knee issue could shorten his career. But as of now, McCoy is healthy and practicing. And it's possible that continues. If so, he should bump Porter out of a starting role.As for Richardson, in two years, the former fourth round pick hasn't risen to the challenge. Masses was selected in the fifth round and would figure to be given every opportunity to take Richardson's roster spot.SafetyOUT: Isaiah Pola-MaoIN: Treydan StukesThe Raiders' prioritized safety in this draft because they wanted an upgrade over Pola-Mao. Stukes was their second pick of the draft after taking franchise QB Fernando Mendoza with the top overal pick. That status puts Stukes in the position where the Raiders would like for him to be the starter right away. Should Stukes take over as the starter, it doesn't mean Pola-Mao would be out of the mix entirely. Stukes can line up at nickel as well and if he did, then Pola-Mao could come back in free safety.Also see: 5 young Raiders on OFFENSE who could unseat veteransThis article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: 6 young Raiders on defense who could unseat veterans in 2026

Speedy 2,200-yard wide receiver named Buccaneers' most exciting UDFA originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are looking to put the 2025 season behind them. At one point early in the season, the Bucs looked like potentially one of the best teams in the NFC. Then, due to some bad injury luck and plain underperformance, the Bucs collapsed and ended up missing out on the postseason. This offseason, the team has made nice moves. Alex Anzalone and A'Shawn Robinson were added to the defense in free agency, while edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. was added in the first round of the draft. One notable loss was receiver Mike Evans. Evans is a franchise legend and one of the best receivers of this generation, but he'll now be suiting up for the San Francisco 49ers. The team did draft Ted Hurst in the third round of the draft, but didn't add much else at the position. As a result, there's a certain undrafted free agent who should have a solid shot to make the team. Eric Rivers named Bucs' most promising UDFA After the draft concluded, the Bucs and every other team made a mad dash to sign the top undrafted players. One of the several signings the Bucs made was wide receiver Eric Rivers. Rivers began his college career at Memphis before playing two seasons at Florida International and one at Georgia Tech. In 2025, Rivers played in 13 games and caught 46 passes for 658 yards and two touchdowns. Bleacher Report's Gary Davenport named Rivers as the best UDFA the Bucs have and offered the following analysis: It wasn't all that surprising that Rivers went undrafted despite a 2024 season in which he topped 1,100 receiving yards at Florida International, averaged almost 19 yards per catch and scored 12 touchdowns—at just 5'10" and 177 pounds, he has the build of a slot receiver but the game of a boundary wideout.Those wheels and athleticism got Rivers a chance to show that big impacts can come in small packages. And as the old saying goes, you can't teach speed.As Davenport mentioned, Rivers had a ton of production in college, but he's built like a slot receiver while playing like a boundary receiver. There's no denying his athleticism, though, so it wouldn't be surprising if he carved out a role. Without Evans, the Bucs are slated to start Chris Godwin, Emeka Egbuka, and Jalen McMillan. The depth options include Hurst, Tez Johnson, and David Sills V. That definitely makes it possible, if not likely, that a standout UDFA like Rivers could snag a spot. More NFL news:Is Carnell Tate going to be a WR1 for the Titans?Will the Cardinals give up on Carson Beck quickly?Jets get good and bad news regarding the 2027 draftOne analyst loved what the Cowboys did in 2026 draftVikings roasted for questionable 2026 draftJaguars, James Gladstone's 2026 draft graded harshly

BLACKSBURG, VA - NOVEMBER 22: Virginia Tech Hokies helmet resting on the sidelines during a college football game between the Miami Hurricanes and the Virginia Tech Hokies on November 22, 2025, at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, VA. (Photo by Lee Coleman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Virginia Tech landed a commitment on Monday when 3-star interior offensive lineman Kaden Buchanan picked the Hokies over the Kentucky Wildcats.Buchanan is a 6-foot-4.5, 330-pound offensive lineman from Lebanon, Tennessee. According to the 247 Sports Composite rankings, Buchanan is rated as the No. 469 overall player nationally, the No. 28 interior offensive lineman in the class, and the No. 21 overall player in Tennessee.Virginia Tech originally offered Buchanan in December and remained heavily involved throughout the recruiting process. Buchanan is also scheduled to take an official visit to Virginia Tech at the end of the week, while he still has a June 12 official visit scheduled with Kentucky if he chooses to continue taking visits.Kentucky offered Buchanan in early February, shortly after Will Stein became the Wildcats’ head coach, and quickly pushed to become a major factor in the recruitment.247 Sports scouting analyst Gabe Brooks described Buchanan as a physical offensive lineman with experience at tackle, guard, and center while highlighting his positional flexibility and long-term upside.Brooks also noted Buchanan’s strong hands, power when pulling, and encouraging movement skills in pass protection situations. His defensive line experience and multi-sport background in volleyball and baseball have also helped separate him from other offensive line prospects in the class.During the 2025 season, Buchanan played across the offensive line while also recording 18 tackles, eight tackles for loss, and one sack on defense.Kentucky will now search elsewhere for more offensive line help in the class of 2027.

For the first time since 2006, Alabama baseball has earned a top eight overall seed. Crimson Tide coach Rob Vaughn isn't taking it lightly.The Tuscaloosa Regional at Sewell-Thomas Stadium will be a first-time experience for Vaughn, who took the helm in 2023, but it'll be the eighth time hosting for the program.This Crimson Tide team had an unlikely journey to the No. 7 overall seed of the 2026 NCAA Tournament. Although Alabama put together two seven-game win streaks, it also dropped three straight SEC series before winning three straight to end the regular season.Then, after a earning a No. 4 seed and double-bye in the SEC Tournament, the Crimson Tide was run-ruled 13-3 by Florida, who suffered a historic no-hitter at The Joe just months earlier.If Alabama (37-19) can't survive double-elimination at home this weekend, the season will be over. Here was Vaughn's message to the team after it learned where it ranked among the 16 national seeds.Rob Vaughn's message to Alabama baseball after securing No. 7 overall seed"Number one, congratulations," Vaughn said in a video shared by the university's NIL collective."That's an awesome accomplishment, not only to host, but to to finish in the top eight is awesome," Vaughn continued. "So we're going to have to make sure we train right, make sure we're preparing right, so let's be mature in our work."Vaughn added that he was "really proud" of the effort put in by players, coaching staff and the families who put "hours and hours" into the season.Alabama begins its road to Omaha with a game against 4-seed Alabama State on Friday, May 29 at 6 p.m. CT."This is a pretty special thing. Pretty awesome," Vaughn said. "Proud of what this group has fought through, like the injuries, the adversity, the struggles − and that's why you're here where you're at today.""Now, let's go win this thing. Let's go do it."Emilee Smarr covers Alabama basketball and Crimson Tide athletics for The Tuscaloosa News. She can be reached via email at esmarr@usatodayco.com.This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Rob Vaughn had message for Alabama baseball after clinching best seed since 2006

Michael Jordan won six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls [Getty Images]Basketball legend Michael Jordan led the cast of star names to pay tribute to Pep Guardiola at the Manchester City manager's farewell party.Guardiola, 55, announced last week he will step down as City manager following a decade in charge, leading the club to 20 trophies during his tenure.Jordan, one of the NBA's all-time greats, and City's former captain Vincent Kompany were surprise participants in Guardiola's send-off at Co-Op Live arena, which was attended by 19,000 supporters."I just wanted to congratulate you on an unbelievable career," said Chicago Bulls legend Jordan via a video message played on the big screen inside the venue.Guardiola is known to be fond of basketball as well as being a keen golfer and Jordan added: "Enjoy your retirement. Good luck on the links and keep them straight. Congratulations."British golfer Tommy Fleetwood also delivered a video message, saying: "You deserve whatever you are about to do next."It is an honour to call you a friend and congratulations. You have been amazing."Veteran manager Neil Warnock added: "I can't quite believe you are leaving. I have seen off so many managers but you are top of the pile."The best manager I have ever seen."Guardiola's final game in charge came in Sunday's 2-1 home defeat by Aston Villa, a match in which the Spaniard broke down in tears.Thousands line streets for Man City paradeShaw signs new Man City deal after contract U-turnThe moment that broke Guardiola on day a decade of glory endedEarlier on Monday, thousands of City fans lined the streets of Manchester to bid a final farewell to the departing Guardiola.This season's successful men's, women's and academy teams were driven on buses to Etihad Stadium, where they were greeted by a waiting crowd, before the entourage made its way to Co-Op Live for the 'after party'.All three teams celebrated their trophy victories on stage, with City women's striker Khadija Shaw making the shock announcement that she has signed a new four-year contract to remain at the club.Guardiola's three children, former captain Fernandinho, ex-sporting director Txiki Begiristain and goalkeeper Ederson, who left last summer, helped bring out all 20 trophies won under Guardiola.Surprise appearances made by current Bayern Munich boss Kompany and midfielder Jack Grealish, who spent season-long loan spell at Everton, were loudly cheered by those in attendance.Guardiola said goodbye for the final time in an interview with Oasis star Noel Gallagher."First of all, thank you so much for coming tonight to say bye," said Guardiola."I feel tonight that really shows the connection this club has. [City chairman] Khaldoon Al Mubarak and all the people and all the City fans that were connected from the first minute."Thank you so much, I don't have enough gratitude. Always, for the rest of my life, I will have you in my heart."Tributes were also paid to captain Bernardo Silva and defender John Stones, who will also be leaving the club this summer upon the expiry of their contracts.Striker Erling Haaland said on stage: "It has been a pleasure to play with Bernardo and John - and of course Pep."We won a lot of trophies and I have happy to play with Bernardo and John because they are amazing footbalters but even better people deep down."It has been an amazing journey, but we need to keep pushing and fighting even without them."

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - MAY 23: Jorbit Vivas #84 of the Washington Nationals hits a home run against the Atlanta Braves in the fifth inning at Truist Park on May 23, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Brett Davis/Getty Images) | Getty Images For a while, getting to .500 has been the big issue for the Nats, but now getting over that bar has been the issue. They will have another chance to secure a winning record tonight against the Guardians. The Guardians are a tough opponent, but after winning a series in Atlanta, this team is not scared.The Nats are making a couple changes to the lineup tonight. With a righty on the mound, Luis Garcia Jr. will be back at first base in favor of Andres Chaparro. Interestingly, Curtis Mead will stay in the lineup for this one. The only other change comes behind the plate, where Drew Millas is giving Keibert Ruiz a breather. PJ Poulin was quickly called up after Jake Irvin’s injury and he will be the opener. Zack Littell will get the bulk of the action.memorial day in ……… northeast ohio→ https://t.co/iUBDqlACVspic.twitter.com/RNK1TlRRYp— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) May 25, 2026In the past, the Guardians lineup has been so heavily reliant on Jose Ramirez and Steven Kwan. Those two are struggling to varying degrees, but this year the Guardians have more depth in the lineup. Rookies Chase DeLauter and Travis Bazzana are a big part of that. Angel Martinez and Brayan Roccio have both taken steps forward as well. Tanner Bibee may be 0-6, but he has thrown the ball well this year with a 3.75 ERA. He will be on the mound tonight.Tanner toes the rubber tonight.#GuardsBallpic.twitter.com/s7kDeyoAfp— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) May 25, 2026Join the conversation!Sign up for a user account and get:Fewer adsCreate community postsComment on articles, community postsRec comments, community postsNew, improved notifications system!Game Info:Stadium: Progressive FieldTime: 6:10 PM ESTTV: Nationals.TVRadio: 106.7 The FanHeading into Memorial Day, the Nats are an impressive 27-27. They will have the chance to go over .500 in this one. Hopefully they can take advantage of that opportunity this time around. Follow along in the comments down below and let’s go Nats!

Joshua Zirkzee: Two Italian giants offered the chance to sign United ace The conclusion of the 2025/26 Premier League season is set to mark the end of the road for several Manchester United players.Casemiro has already announced his departure, while INEOS are keen to offload Manuel Ugarte after a disastrous two-year stint at Old Trafford.Almost all the first-team stars currently out on loan are expected to leave, while the futures of a few stars remain up in the air.Plenty would like the club to sell Mason Mount, even though the midfielder and Michael Carrick have other plans.Things have not panned out for Joshua Zirkzee at UnitedSame goes for Joshua Zirkzee. The Dutchman has bundles of talent, especially when it comes to link-up play and creativity, and his teammates feel he is “underrated“.But he was signed as a backup striker, and the 25-year-old has failed to deliver on that front. A mere two goals this season means he has nine goals to his name since his £36.5 million, which is simply not good enough.While the former Bologna ace would like to stay and fight for his place, United’s co-owners will be looking to recoup the money they paid for his services in 2024.As revealed by TuttoSport, the Netherlands international’s agent has been hard at work and has offered his client’s services to two Italian giants, AS Roma and Juventus.Two Italian clubs in the race for Joshua Zirkzee“Zirkzee is on his way out of Manchester United.“His agent (Kia Joorabchian) is working on a move and has offered him to Roma, as well as Juventus.”The 20-time English league champions would love for a bidding war to ensue, and their goal will be to avoid incurring a loss from the versatile forward’s sale.Hopefully, once Joshua Zirkzee is gone, the co-owners will use the money raised to bring in an experienced striker to back up Benjamin Sesko.With United expected to challenge on all four fronts next season, the Slovenian will need help, and INEOS cannot afford to repeat the mistake the Glazers committed with Rasmus Hojlund.Feature image Molly Darlington via Getty Imagesonline pollsThe Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social

NBA players have the highest salaries in U.S. pro sports by a wide margin. The same holds true come playoff time. Players on NBA playoff teams will split $35.7 million this season, with each team receiving a chunk based on how far their teams go; teams earn more for each round they advance. The total is up $1 million from last year.SporticoThis article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Players set to split close to $36 million in playoff bonuses

The Toronto Blue Jays are placing one of the most reliable starters in baseball on the injured list. Dylan Cease is headed to the 15-day IL with a hamstring strain. Manager John Schneider announced the transaction to reporters on Monday. Cease was limited to 4 2/3 innings in Sunday’s 4-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates due to the injury. All-Star slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr., meanwhile, is considered day-to-day due to elbow soreness. Guerrero was hit by a pitch on his left elbow in the same game vs. the Pirates and left in the fifth inning. Play 2026 Soccer Pick 'Em with FOX One and make your picks for the world's biggest soccer tournamentPer Schneider, Guerrero could be available off the bench for Monday’s game against the Miami Marlins, but the Blue Jays “didn't want to push it” by placing him in the starting lineup.As for Cease, Schneider is hoping that his stint on the IL will be abbreviated. "It doesn't look too terrible, knock on wood," Schneider said, per Sportsnet. "Just trying to be smart and not have it get worse. Don't know the exact timeline yet ... hoping it's a minimal stay."Cease joined the Blue Jays in the offseason on a seven-year, $210 million contract. He’s responded with a career-best 3.05 ERA in 62 innings as part of a 1-2 punch at the top of Toronto’s rotation alongside veteran Blue Jay Kevin Guasman. He is not known for lengthy stints on the injured list. Cease has made at least 32 starts and thrown at least 165 innings in each of the last five seasons with the San Diego Padres and Chicago White Sox. He’ll certainly hope for a quick return as he seeks to make his first MLB All-Star game at 30 years old.The Blue Jays can’t afford to lose him for long. They’ve followed up their trip to the 2025 World Series with a disappointing 25-28 start as of Monday. They announced last week that veteran starter José Berríos won’t return this season from a stress fracture in his elbow and instead required Tommy John surgery. Cease has been a bright spot amid Toronto’s lackluster start. A quick return will be key to the Blue Jays’ chances of making a return to playoff contention.

Jul 7, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; The Silver Boot trophy is on display on the concourse for the Lone Star series with the Texas Rangers playinng against the Houston Astros at Global Life Park in Arlington. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images Houston Astros @ Texas RangersMonday, May 25, 2026, 6:05 PM CDT (105.3 The Fan / Rangers Sports Network)The ShedRHP Tatsuya Imai vs. RHP Kumar RockerToday’s LineupsASTROSRANGERSJeremy Pena – SSJoc Pederson – 1BIsaac Paredes – 3BAlejandro Osuna – LFYordan Alvarez – DHBrandon Nimmo – DHChristian Walker – 1BEzequiel Duran – 3BJake Meyers – CFEvan Carter – CFCam Smith – RFJustin Foscue – 2BZach Dezenzo – LFAndrew McCutchen – RFNick Allen – 2BDanny Jansen – CChristian Vazquez – CMichael Helman – SSTatsuya Imai – RHPKumar Rocker – RHPGo Rangers!

PREVIEW | Independiente del Valle vs Rosario Central: team news, lineups, predictions (Libertadores 27/05)Independiente del Valle host Rosario Central this Wednesday at the Estadio Banco Guayaquil of the Copa Libertadores.In their last encounter, Independiente del Valle were beaten 2-3 by Libertad de Loja (Ecuador League 2026). In their last game, Rosario Central won 4-0 against UCV FC (Copa Libertadores 2026).UnavailableIndependiente del VallePatrik Mercado - Cruciate Ligament TearGuido Villar - Knee InjuryJean Arroyo - Tibia And Fibula FractureRichard Schunke - Cartilage DamageRosario CentralLast starting XIsIndependiente del Valle ( vs Libertad de Loja 2026-05-23): Aldair Quintana, Darwin Guagua, Gustavo Cortez, Juan Viacava, Andy Velasco, Jhon Espinoza, Matías Perello, Ronald Briones, Jhegson Méndez, Youri Ochoa, Djorkaeff ReascoRosario Central ( vs UCV FC 2026-05-19): Jeremías Ledesma, Emanuel Coronel, Gastón Ávila, Facundo Mallo, Agustín Sández, Vicente Pizarro, Franco Ibarra, Ángel di María, Julián Fernández, Enzo Copetti, Alejo VelizDid you know...by playmaker statsMANAGERSJoaquín Papa has faced Jorge Almirón on one occasion, recording a draw.Jorge Almirón has faced Independiente del Valle on three occasions, recording two draws and one defeatJoaquín Papa has faced Rosario Central on one occasion, recording a draw.TEAMSRosario Central currently have one defeat in their last ten matches.Rosario Central currently have one draw in their last 11 matches.At home, Independiente del Valle currently have two defeats in their last ten matches.At home, Independiente del Valle are coming off four consecutive games scoring goals.Independiente del Valle currently have three defeats in their last 16 matches.Independiente del Valle currently have one draw in their last 17 matches.Independiente del Valle are coming off five consecutive games scoring goals.HEAD TO HEADIndependiente del Valle and Rosario Central have already faced each other once, with no advantage between Independiente del Valle and Rosario Central: zero wins for either team in one match.In the Copa Libertadores, a match was played between the two teams, ending in a draw

May 25, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles shortstop Blaze Alexander (23) is tagged out by Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Richie Palacios (1) on a steal attempt after a pickoff throw during the third inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images | Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images Happy Memorial Day, everyone (unless you are a Canadian, like me, in which case, happy very belated Victoria Day). The Rays are facing familiar foes this week, as they head to Baltimore to take on the Orioles. The O’s were just in St. Pete last week, where the Rays swept them. However, Baltimore might be feeling a little more emboldened. They took on the struggling Detroit Tigers over the weekend and took two of three games in that series. The Rays had Shane McClanahan on the mound, up against Kyle Bradish for the O’s. I don’t mind telling you that every time someone says Bradish’s last name, I hear it as “Radish” and it’s adorable. With two outs in the top of the first, Jonathan Aranda doubled, but the Rays weren’t able to bring him home. In the home half, the Orioles went down in order. The second inning was a speedy affair on both sides, and each team went down in order. It is a good time to acknowledge a classy gesture from Orioles fans as they gave Cedric Mullins a big round of applause when he came out for his first at-bat. That speaks volumes about a player when they are still so beloved by a team after they’ve moved on to a new club. In the third, with two outs, Chandler Simspon singled. Junior Caminero then singled right behind him. Unfortunately, the Rays simply weren’t able to bring their baserunners home. Blaze Alexander got the home half going with a leadoff single. With one out, Alexander was then caught stealing, eliminating the baserunner. Tyler O’Neill singled, but a lineout then ended the inning with no harm done. Two outs into the fourth, Mullins got a walk, but the Rays were once again unable to convert the baserunner. McClanahan continued to deal in the bottom of the inning, working his way through the Orioles in order. Taylor Walls got a one-out single in the top of the fifth. Once again, though, the Rays let an opportunity get by them. Bradish has been good, despite having some issues with command, and while the Rays were getting on base, they were also having a hard time finding opportunities to then score those runs. In the home half with one out, Leody Taveras singled on a bunt towards first that McClanahan tried to scoop toss towards first but ended up overthrowing and allowing Taveras to get to second. With two outs, Jackson Holliday walked, but McClanahan got redemption and the final out by making a much more secure toss to first after catching a soft comebacker. The Rays finally broke up the scoreless game in the top of the sixth with a solo home run by Aranda. It bounced off the top of the outfield wall so there was some initial concern the O’s might challenge, but they didn’t. Allllll around Aranda pic.twitter.com/4tyokvbNcs— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) May 25, 2026With two outs, Mullins walked, his second of the game, but the Rays had to settle for just the one run. McClanahan returned for the sixth, only his second time all season going more than five innings. He’d likely be on a very short leash for the inning, though. With one out, Gunnar Henderson was hit in the back with a pitch. Shane was looking pretty fired up after the HBP, so Kyle Snyder headed out to cool him down (and likely give the bullpen a little extra time to warm up). He then walked Adley Rutschman, and that was it for McClanahan. His final line for the day was 5.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K on 84 pitches. Hunter Bigge came out of the pen to replace him and hopefully get the final two outs of the inning. The O’s went for a double steal, but Henderson got snagged going for third, getting the second out of the inning. They found themselves back in a similar situation, though, when Pete Alonso walked, putting two on again. Bigge managed to get himself out of a tight corner, though, getting the final out and keeping the Orioles off the scoreboard.Grant Wolfram was in for Bradish in the top of the seventh. With two outs, Chandler Simpson doubled to center. Yennier Cano replaced Wolfram to get the final out of the inning. In the home half, the Bigge wheels kind of fell off. Taveras got a leadoff walk, then stole second. Bigge tried to pick him off at second and the ball went into center, Taveras ended up at third. Then, Alexander singled, and the Orioles managed to tie the game. This, of course, begs the eternal question: if a pitcher is the one who commits the error that ultimately causes a run to score, should they not still be responsible for the run? A question for the ages. Bigge’s day was done and he was replaced by Casey Legumina, who got the first out. With two outs, Taylor Ward singled into right and Victor Mesa Jr. did his darndest to get the ball over to third, but it went over Caminero’s glove and into the netting, putting it out of play and allowing another run to score. An error was charged to Mesa. The Rays got the final out of the inning at last, but the O’s had claimed the lead. Sloppy fielding wasn’t restricted to the Rays for this game. Anthony Nunez came in to pitch and Yandy Diaz hit a one-out double to deep center, but Taveras bobbled the ball, dropping it before he could throw to second, and Diaz was able to get all the way to third. Taveras was charged with an error. Oliver Dunn came in to run for Diaz, and Richie Palacios singled to bring Dunn home. A Mullins groundout got Palacios to second, but a lineout by newbie Mesa Jr. ended the inning with a 2-2 tie. In the home half, Alonso got a one-out walk, but was eliminated in a double play to end the inning. Rico Garcia was the new Orioles pitcher in the top of the ninth. With two outs, Simpson singled, but he was then caught stealing, killing the Rays’ chance at a tie-breaker unless the game headed to extras. Bryan Baker came in for the Rays in the bottom of the inning, and he got the Orioles out in order to force extras. In the top of the tenth, with one out, Garcia intentionally walked Aranda to put two runners on. Oliver Dunn then walked to load the bases. In the absolute best scenario they could have had, Palacios struck out (and he was big mad about it) and Mullins hit a liner right to first base to end the potential rally. Ian Seymour was the new Rays pitcher. With one out, Taylor Ward was intentionally walked to put two on, but two outs followed to get the Rays out of the inning.Tyler Wells came in for the O’s in the eleventh, and newbie Mesa Jr. finally got his redemption moment with a leadoff homer to score two runs. It was the only hit the Rays would get in the inning, but it was enough.Absolutely barreled 😮‍💨Victor Mesa Jr.'s first hit & homer as a Ray! pic.twitter.com/tMxddBRSut— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) May 25, 2026Pete Alonso singled to start the inning, and in an attempt to get the ball home, it actually ended up near the dugout, and the Orioles easily scored. Alonso moved to second. Chandler was charged with the error. Jeremiah Jackson singled to score Alonso with another poorly placed throw home. With one out, Alexander was walked intentionally. He then advanced to second on defensive indifference (more like fear of overthrowing another base), and while the Rays finally got out of the inning, they were right back to being tied. In the twelfth, Caminero flied out to advance free runner Chandler to third, then Aranda hit a sac fly to bring him home and get the Rays back into the lead. They would have to settle for just the one run, but hopefully it would be enough. Aranda ➡️ Chandler pic.twitter.com/3625k2l28F— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) May 25, 2026Jesse Scholtens was the next Rays’ pitcher out of the pen, and all eyes were on him to keep the O’s from scoring. Ward flied out to advance the ghost runner Cowser to third. Gunnar Henderson reached on a fielder’s choice, but they got Cowser out at home. Henderson somehow ended up at third and Kevin Cash absolutely lost his mind. Henderson was forced to head back to first. Nick Fortes, meanwhile, was looking like he felt a little tender after getting plowed into by Cowser. The Orioles evidently decided on a Hail Mary play by challenging the safe call at home, claiming Cowser touched the plate before he was tagged out. Honestly, depending on what angle you look at, it could go either way. The call was then overturned, and the game was once again tied. Pete Alonso got a two-out single, but no additional runs scored and the game headed to the 13th. Dietrich Enns came out, and Palacios singled, moving runner Dunn to third. Mullins then singled to bring Dunn home. A sac bunt by Mesa moved both baserunners into scoring position, then a Fortes sac fly scored Palacios. The Rays were up 7-5. Taveras started the home half with a double to score their free runner Jackson. Blaze Alexander singled, then a Holliday sac fly scored Alexander to re-tie the game for the millionth time. Cowser then homered, scoring two and walking off the game with an Orioles win. Final: Orioles 9, Rays 7 (F/13)

The Longhorns baseball team has officially found out their postseason draw. A 40-13 regular season earned Texas a top eight seed, checking in a No. 6. That means they’ll be hosting three teams in Austin this weekend: UC Santa Barbara, Tarleton State and Holy Cross. According to the all-important RPI metric, it’s one of the easier draws Texas could’ve asked for. The 16 regionals ranked by the average RPI of the teams included: 1. Lawrence 37.82. Hattiesburg 383. College Station 394. Chapel Hill 39.35. Morgantown 486. Gainesville 48.87. Tallahassee 53.88. Starkville 55.89. LA 6410. Eugene 6511. Athens 67.812. Atlanta 73.513.…— David Eckert (@davideckert98) May 25, 2026Texas currently sits at 5 in the RPI rankings. Their opponent Friday, Holy Cross, checks in at 201, the 4th lowest in the tournament. UC Santa Barbara checks in at 38, while Tarleton State sits at 56. Both of those sit on the lower side of the 2 and 3 seeds in regionals around the country. That places their average RPI at 75, placing them 14th out of 16 regionals. Now, it should be said the RPIs being lower doesn’t guarantee a thing. UC Santa Barbara enters with one of, if not the best pitcher in the country in Jackson Flora. Tarleton State walked into Austin earlier this season and handed Texas a 6-1 loss. Holy Cross is on a special postseason run after finishing just .500 in conference play. All of these teams present challenges and nothing is a given because of the favorable RPI ratings. Average RPI breakdown of every Regional.... There is one clear outlier in the top 8. pic.twitter.com/leB41svmpE— Tristan (@Tristan95827831) May 25, 2026This weekend is a massive one for Jim Schlossnagle and company. Last season ended in an Austin regional at the hands of a dangerous mid-major. There are two in Austin this weekend, hoping to knock off the Longhorns. RPI is incredibly favorable for Texas but they’ll have to confirm those rankings this weekend.This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Austin regional is a favorable draw for Texas, according to RPI

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Anthony Volpe answered Bobby Witt Jr.'s go-ahead homer in the eighth with a two-run single in the ninth for New York, sending the Yankees to a 4-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Monday and extending their winning streak to 12 in the series.Jake Bird nearly squandered a strong start by Will Warren when he gave up Witt's tiebreaking shot inside the left-field foul pole leading off the eighth inning. But the Yankees promptly rallied off Lucas Erceg (3-2), starting with Paul Goldschmidt's broken-bat hit and Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s one-out double before Volpe's timely single to left field.Tim Hill (2-2) earn the win while David Bednar worked around a two-out walk in the ninth to earn his 12th save of the season.It was Erceg who wound up wasting a strong start by the Royals' Michael Wacha, and an even more effective inning from Daniel Lynch IV, who had set down the top of the New York lineup in the eighth to turn a 3-2 lead over to the Kansas City closer.Cody Bellinger homered earlier in the game for the Yankees, who have not lost to the Royals since Sept. 10, 2024. That streak includes the past 11 regular-season meetings and the clinching game of the 2024 AL Divisional Series.After the Yankees jumped to a 2-0 lead on Bellinger's homer and an RBI single by Jose Caballero, the Royals clawed back in the bottom of the second. Salvador Perez, Jac Caglianone and Isaac Collins walked and Michael Massey hit a sacrifice fly to make it 2-1.That score remained until Perez's tying homer in the sixth. It was his 136th home run at Kauffman Stadium, tying George Brett's stadium record, and it moved the Royals captain to within five of the Hall of Famer's overall club record of 317 homers.Up nextRHP Cam Schlittler (6-2, 1.50 ERA) starts Tuesday night for the Yankees. The Royals are likely to use their bullpen to start the game.___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Packers urged to make blockbuster trade for disgruntled $76 million star originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The Green Bay Packers are ready to contend again in 2026. The team has had several disappointing playoff results recently, so the hope is that a corner can be turned in 2026. As is usual for the Packers, the team didn't do a ton in free agency this offseason. On defense, the notable additions were defensive tackle Javon Hargrave and linebacker Zaire Franklin. One area that hasn't really been address is the pass rush, and that's a bit surprising. Micah Parsons suffered a devastating injury last year and isn't expected to be at 100% to start this season. Even if Parsons is ready to go immediately and is his normal self, the team could us more depth on the edges. Interestingly, there could be an option for the Packers to still add an elite edge rusher before the season begins. Packers named as landing spot for Josh Sweat Josh Sweat signed a massive four-year, $76 million deal with the Arizona Cardinals last year. The defender spent the first seven years of his career with the Philadelphia Eagles, earning one Pro Bowl selection and helping the team win a Super Bowl. Unfortunately, it didn't take long for Sweat to grow unhappy in Arizona. Latest reports indicate that Sweat wants out, and he should have plenty of suitors on the trade market. Regarding the Packers and Sweat, Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox offered the following analysis: There are several reasons why the Green Bay Packers should be interested in adding Sweat if he becomes available. The first is the reality that star edge-rusher Micah Parsons is recovering from a torn ACL and might not be at 100 percent to start the season.Secondly, the Packers traded Rashan Gary to the Cowboys early in the offseason after recording just 36 sacks as a team in 2025. No edge player other than Parsons and Gary recorded more than 2.0 sacks for Green Bay last season.As Knox pointed out, the Packers traded Rashan Gary, so if Parsons isn't healthy, it's hard to see where the pass rush is going to come from. Sweat could be a huge boost in Green Bay. In his first year as a Cardinal, Sweat lived up to his contract, playing in 17 games and collecting 30 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, and 12 sacks. The Cardinals figure to be in for another long season in 2026, and it's understandable if Sweat doesn't want to waste another season of his prime. In Green Bay, Sweat and Parsons could make up possibly the best pass rush duo in the entire league. Sweat has had at least seven sacks in four different seasons and could reach that Pro Bowl level again playing opposite Parsons. More NFL news:Is Carnell Tate going to be a WR1 for the Titans?Will the Cardinals give up on Carson Beck quickly?Jets get good and bad news regarding the 2027 draftOne analyst loved what the Cowboys did in 2026 draftVikings roasted for questionable 2026 draftJaguars, James Gladstone's 2026 draft graded harshly

On May 13, the Arizona Complex League Giants walloped the ACL Dodgers in a seven-inning game by an eye-popping final score of 29-2. Almost nobody saw it.This pummeling took place at Papago Sports Complex on the southern edge of Scottsdale, Arizona, hundreds of miles and a universe away from Oracle Park and Dodger Stadium. The unrelenting desert heat touched 98 degrees at first pitch, despite a 6 p.m. local start time. San Francisco’s rookie-level youngsters pushed one run across in the first and five in the second against a teenaged Dominican hurler named Cesar Sanchez.Then things flew completely off the rails. Six ACL Dodgers relievers proceeded to surrender 24 runs over the next four frames, combining for more walks (13) than outs recorded (12). They hit two batters for good measure. To finish the game, multiple position players were asked to pitch. A 21-year-old outfielder named Jose Gonzalez faced eight Giants hitters; he allowed two hits and five walks while notching just one out.It seemed like a meaningless, futile, interminable day at the ballfield.So who cares? Why does this matter? If a minor-league blowout falls in the desert, does it even make a sound?Many folks in the industry — scouts, coaches, executives, player development personnel — argue that it should, that this recent drubbing encapsulates a number of concerning trends impacting the low minors. They claim the complex league is floundering and the ripple effects are beginning to seep up the pro-ball ladder. In their minds, if the fraying of low-level pro ball is left unchecked, it will eventually alter how the sport looks and functions at the highest level.That’s because the ACL Dodgers’ inability to fill innings was far from an isolated incident. A handful of other teams are running precipitously low on healthy, viable arms. Games are regularly being shortened to seven innings or, in multiple instances, canceled altogether. Underprepared Latin American arms are being called up ahead of schedule from the Dominican Complex. Predictably, many of those arms are struggling to throw strikes. On Tuesday, the ACL Reds scored 30 runs against the ACL Athletics.The complex leagues have always existed as something of a baseball twilight zone, one capable of producing wonky box scores. That’s what happens in a space designed for young players to fail in private. But industry experts resoundingly agree that the quality of play on the complex has reached an all-time low. Pitchers are throwing fewer strikes than ever. That’s hurting hitters, particularly Latin hitters. Everyone is then underprepared to make the leap to an actual minor-league team. At least one game per day is turning into an unproductive slog, incrementally stunting the developmental timeline of every player involved.“It’s way, way worse than it’s been,” a team employee told Yahoo Sports over the phone. “It’s a total s*** show.”Play 2026 Soccer Pick 'Em with FOX One and make your picks for the world's biggest soccer tournamentTo understand what has gone wrong and why it matters, it’s important to understand how the minor leagues are structured.Currently, there are six rungs of affiliated baseball operating beneath MLB. The top four tiers — Triple-A, Double-A, High-A and Low-A — are familiar to most fans. These are your traditional minor-league baseball teams, the ones with whimsical promotions and cheap tickets. You know the drill: Grab a hot dog for a dollar and watch the stars of tomorrow. For years, there was an additional level known as Class A Short Season, which started play after the draft, but MLB scuttled that as part of its minor-league contraction in 2021.Below those four are the two lesser-known “complex” levels: one in the U.S. and one in the Dominican Republic. Games are held at or near an organization’s spring training or Latin American facility, with the stateside action split between the Arizona Complex League (ACL) and the Florida Complex League (FCL). This is not a product intended for consumption by the public. Tickets are not sold, attendance is not usually listed, and contests are not streamed online. These leagues function entirely for the development of young players, particularly those matriculating from Latin America. Of the 25 healthy, non-rehabbing players currently on the ACL Dodgers’ roster, just three were born in the United States.The complex leagues are an overlooked yet vital piece of the sport’s talent pipeline. Nearly every Latin superstar currently shining in The Show spent time honing his skills in front of zero fans on the complex. The environment is particularly important for late-blooming prospects who didn’t receive large signing bonuses — the Jose Ramirezes, the Jose Altuves, the Junior Camineros. It is a place to learn, to grow, to fall and get back up again.But over the past decade, two separate trends have lessened the value of the complex leagues: the ongoing arms race for pitch velocity and minor-league contraction. The former increased the demand for healthy hurlers, while the latter reduced the supply.Nowadays, fastball velocity is not just an asset; it’s a requirement. Pitchers of all ages and skill levels train for it unrelentingly. That has had myriad effects on the sport, few more significant than the seemingly unstoppable wave of arm injuries. More pitchers are getting hurt more often than ever before. Insiders disagree somewhat on specifics but generally believe that the quest for velocity is a major culprit. It makes sense then, that the teams with reputations for prioritizing velocity, such as the Dodgers, Orioles and Nationals, are among the clubs with the most hurt arms and having the toughest time filling innings on the complex.“We could make things a lot easier on ourselves if we had more guys that threw it over the plate more often, so we didn't have to use three arms to get through an inning,” one team employee, speaking broadly about the industry, admitted.Fewer healthy pitchers and fewer strike-throwers mean more open spots and more innings to fill. Teams are struggling to make that happen, in large part because of the artificial roster limits imposed by MLB during the most recent minor-league CBA negotiations in 2023. As part of bargaining, the parties agreed to reduce the size of the Domestic Reserve List from 180 to 165, meaning that organizations could roster only 165 minor leaguers across all of their stateside affiliates.A few years ago, a club could simply pluck a soft-tosser from Independent Ball to fill innings on the complex. But with the new cap, roster spots have become a commodity all their own, one that clubs are more likely to use on low-command flamethrowers with an incremental shot of having an impact down the road. Those types of pitchers tend to be more injury-prone, further reinforcing the cycle.“The downstream impact of the roster limits is that you're increasing the likelihood that guys get injured because guys are gonna have to throw more often,” a scout explained. “And they're not gonna necessarily change how they throw, when we're paying them a certain way in arbitration and we're valuing certain things as an industry. They’re gonna redline every time they touch the mound because we’re measuring everything.”With fewer healthy pitchers available, unqualified pitchers are often pushed up the organizational ladder to fill in. This scout described that unfortunate trend as “microwaving.” It happens even more during this part of the year — after spring training roster cuts but before the influx of new players from the draft in July.The focus on fastball velocity at all levels of baseball is contributing to a shortage of healthy pitchers in the minor leagues. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox via Getty ImagesWhat does this all mean? What’s the impact? Will bad baseball at the complex level have a negative effect on the big leagues? Some around the game think it’s possible.“I fear that the Latin hitter is the type of player that will lose out here,” one veteran scout hypothesized, “because they’re the ones that benefit most from games on the complex.”Seven-inning games and canceled games mean fewer opportunities for hitters to hone their skills. A handful of teams indicated to Yahoo Sports that they’ve had to hold more live BP sessions on their backfields to ensure position players are getting sufficient work in. Latin players — the majority of whom come from the Dominican Republic or Venezuela — are usually in need of that extra developmental time. That’s a product of how the international market functions.Before signing at age 16, most Latin players spend very little time playing in actual baseball games. Teams are interested in skills and tools, so players train accordingly. The amateur showcase culture means the complex is often the first place players learn integral skills such as pitch selection, swing decisions, game strategy, situational hitting and team offense. Then again, that’s changing alongside shifts in what the sport prioritizes.“I think across baseball, we’re starting to view the complex level just as a training facility, right or wrong,” an AL team official told Yahoo Sports.The fear among industry insiders is that the continued decline of low-level ball will lead to MLB feeling empowered to contract the minor leagues even further when the current minor-league CBA expires after the 2027 season. There’s a growing sense that the league would prefer to effectively outsource aspects of the development process to top college programs. Why spend money, the thinking goes, to make players better when Clemson and Mississippi State will do it for you?But besides eliminating affiliated baseball from 30 more minor-league towns, such a cost-cutting measure would lead to a further reduction of team employees, particularly on the scouting side.In recent years, a number of teams have slashed their pro scouting departments, relying on video and date to evaluate minor leaguers. Some clubs, such as the Dodgers, Rays and Royals, still run substantial scouting apparatuses. Unlike other owners, theirs believe it's well worth the cost.At the end of the day, that’s what this entire discussion is about: money. Fewer levels, fewer players, fewer employees — that’s all more cost effective for the billionaires running these organizations. But it’s a short-term gain for a potential long-term loss, one that could damage the fabric of the sport at the big-league level. While the ACL Giants’ 29-2 blowout will likely fade into the dustbin of baseball history, its causes will live on and grow stronger.It might not happen soon, but eventually, something will have to give.

Only voter to leave Victor Wembanyama off All-NBA First Team ballot explains controversial decision originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama is one of the most team-oriented players in the NBA, but he received a major individual honor on Sunday when he was named to the All-NBA First Team for the first time in his career.The selection came as no surprise after Wembanyama finished third in MVP voting behind only Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic, and the balloting reflected how obvious of a choice he was: the third-year big man received 99 of 100 votes for the First Team.That means one voter kept Wembanyama from becoming a unanimous choice alongside Gilgeous-Alexander and Jokic, and that voter explained his controversial decision on Monday.Here's what he had to say.NBA PLAYOFFS HQ:Live NBA scores | NBA playoff schedule | NBA playoff bracketWhy Victor Wembanyama wasn't unanimous All-NBA First Team selectionSiriusXM NBA Radio host Justin Termine revealed Monday that he was the lone voter who left Wembanyama off his First Team All-NBA ballot and said he did so because he doesn't fill out a "position-less" ballot."I think [Wembanyama's] a better player than SGA right now. I think he is the best player in the world right now," Termine said. "But I thought Jokic had a better regular season at the same position. ... This year [Wembanyama] was the second best center, and I vote by position."Termine explained that he maintains that philosophy because of historical precedent. "In my opinion it is unfair historically to those who came before us, who I have great respect for, that those guys at center were not allowed to be on the First Team at the same time," he said.Termine pointed to the 1993-94 season, when Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson and Shaquille O'Neal made the All-NBA teams while Patrick Ewing, who finished fifth in MVP voting, was left off simply because he played the same position as that trio. With All-NBA selections influencing historical debates between players, Termine said, it isn't fair in his mind to play by different rules with the balloting today.Why I was the lone voter to leave Wemby off 1st Team All-NBA. pic.twitter.com/jWuwKdx46s— Justin Termine (@TermineRadio) May 25, 2026Before the 2023-24 season, the All-NBA teams were sorted by position, with only one center on each of the three teams. That often created some imbalance. The 2016 All-NBA First Team infamously featured DeAndre Jordan next to LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook and Kawhi Leonard, while other seasons with strong center play would see stellar big men such as Joel Embiid pushed down to the second or third team.This season is one of the scenarios the switch to position-less ballots addressed, as Wembanyama would have landed on the All-NBA Second Team if only one center could make the First Team. Termine stuck by that tradition for fairness' sake, but it wasn't nearly enough to change the outcome. MORE:How group of nuns became Spurs' biggest fans during playoff runAll-NBA First Team voting 2026Here are the complete results from the All-NBA First Team balloting:Player1st2nd3rdPointsShai Gilgeous-Alexander10000500Nikola Jokic10000500Victor Wembanyama9910498Luka Doncic9190482Cade Cunningham60380414Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic, Wembanyama and Luka Doncic all received more than 90 of 100 possible First Team votes, with Cade Cunningham earning the final spot over Jaylen Brown by a margin of 30 points.

KANSAS CITY, MO - MAY 25: New York Yankees left fielder Cody Bellinger (35) celebrates in the dugout after hitting a homer run against the Kansas City Royals on May 25th, 2026 at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by William Purnell/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Another ninth-inning meltdown wasted a great start from Michael Wacha in a 4-3 loss to the Yankees. This is just brutal to watch. It’s infuriating. The Royals held a 3-2 lead going into the 9th inning, which currently belongs to Lucas Erceg. I’m not sure it will for much longer.In that inning, Salvador Perez was playing first base because Quatraro pinch-ran for Pasquantino earlier. Paul Goldschmidt hit a little pop-dribbler hybrid thing that Bobby Witt could not get to in time. With one out and a runner on first, Perez was hugging the line to protect against the grounder-down-the-line double. Unfortunately, Jazz Chisholm hit a line drive exactly to where a first baseman would normally be standing, but Perez could not reach it. With Tyler Tolbert in RF instead of Jac Caglianone, Chisholm hustled for a double. With one out and runners on second and third, Anthony Volpe singled to left field to bring both runners in. That put the Yankees ahead 4-3, and it felt like it was over with the bottom of the lineup coming in for the bottom of the ninth. The Royals got one guy on but could do nothing with him.This hurts. Wacha threw yet another quality start – 7 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 5 K. The offense sputtered but put together enough runs to have a lead in the ninth. In the second inning, Perez led off with an ABS challenge to get a walk. He’s pretty good at ABS. Jac Caglianone went down 0-2 and then worked a walk. Isaac Collins went down 1-2 and also worked a walk to load the bases. Massey hit a lazy fly ball deep enough in the left-center field gap to bring in Perez on a sac fly. In the bottom of the 6th, Salvador Perez got a meatball that he hit almost into the fountains to tie the game 2-2. It was his 9th of the season. Bobby Witt Jr took a slider well beyond the left field fence in the 8th inning for a go-ahead solo homer to make it 3-2. It was Witt’s 8th homer of the season.In the 7th inning, the Royals almost plated another run. Would have helped. Nick Loftin hustle-doubled a pop fly that CF Trent Grisham got a poor read on off the bat. He went backwards first and then sorta jogged for a sec before he made an attempt to charge in for the short fly ball. It dropped between three fielders and Loftin barely beat the tag at second. He advanced to third on a deep fly ball to left-center field. Garcia hit a weak grounder to the shortstop, but not weak enough to make it close at first base. The Royals were unable to score.It wasn’t just the pitching either. The Royals flashed some leather too. Bobby Witt robbed a line drive up the middle from Ben Rice with a jumping, reaching catch. A double play got Wacha out of a jam in the third inning. Massey ranged to his right and threw on the run moving away from first base to get Jazz Chisholm out. Wacha was able to use his defense to work around runners on base in the third and fourth. He got a lot of quick outs and was at 93 pitches in the 7th inning. He was efficient and effective. His primary mistake was just a happy-zone four-seam fastball to Cody Bellinger that he blasted into the right-field bullpen. The Yankees put across another run with a walk and two singles.Overall, it felt like a close game that the Royals had a real chance to win even with the relatively low offensive output. Just, once again, they cannot rely on anyone to close the game out with any sort of confidence. Erceg almost blew the game yesterday too.The Royals are in a deep hole with the Guardians playing well above them as well as the upstart Chicago White Sox (??? How?). They cannot keep doing this and expect the season to end well.The Royals move to 22-32. The Yankees move to 32-22. They play again tomorrow at 6:40pm US Central.

After the prime minister made the announcement, the Israeli military said it had struck more than 70 Hezbollah sites in the past day.

In his letter, the first American pontiff called for putting care for humans at the heart of technological change.

Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky, a critic of President Trump who lost his primary last week, filed papers for another candidacy but said he was not sure which office he might seek.

The Italian sports car maker unveiled Luce, its first all-electric model, on Monday amid wider worries about the luxury E.V. market.

The buffet was an inexpensive Facebook Marketplace find that now looks like it could cost thousands. READ MORE...

Hecking questions early red card for Mæhle as Wolfsburg drop out of BundesligaDespite taking the lead just three minutes into the second leg of their Bundesliga play-off tie against SC Paderborn on Monday night, VfL Wolfsburg were ultimately relegated after a 2-1 extra-time defeat, having played most of the match with 10 men.Just 14 minutes into the match, Wolfsburg's Joakim Mæhle was sent off after receiving his second yellow card – much to the frustration of his coach, Dieter Hecking, who felt the decision was harsh.“When it comes to the red card, you have to look at the entire sequence of events. We would have liked the referee to show a bit more feel for the situation. But it’s pointless now – the match is decided. We have to congratulate Paderborn," Hecking said, according to ran.“The disappointment is huge – for me as well. In the end, like today, it can come down to maybe one moment whether you stay up or get relegated. We’ll let everything sink in for a day or two, and then talk about the future,” added the Wolfsburg coach.

Photo by Leonardo Fernandez/Getty ImagesConor McGregor opens up on how UFC 264 injury changed him ahead of Max Holloway rematchConor McGregor says he is ready for the worst after recovering from the broken leg he suffered against Dustin Poirier, which put his entire career in doubt five years ago.The former two-weight world champion hasn’t fought since that night in July 2021, when his snapped leg ended not only the fight and their trilogy but also raised serious questions about his future.McGregor is now preparing to step back into the octagon at UFC 329 during International Fight Week in Las Vegas on July 11, facing Max Holloway.It’s a matchup with history, as McGregor had already suffered a torn ACL early in their first meeting back in 2013, an injury that also required surgery and kept him out for an extended period.Photo by Louis Grasse/PxImages/Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesConor McGregor discusses ‘worst case scenario’ preparationAfter a long time out of the octagon, McGregor began training again for a comeback around three years ago. He went through several camps and even lined up a bout with Michael Chandler for June 2024, only to pull out due to a broken toe.He now appears ready to finally step back in. Speaking with former US Navy SEAL Rob O’Neill during an interview about his new drink Mac Energy, McGregor discussed how seriously he’s taking his return.“Now as I have become a lot more experienced in the game I actually work backwards towards the perfect scenario,” he explained. “So I have had a limb break inside the octagon, and now I must have an answer to that.“I have the perfect scenario, you knock them out with the big backhand, the crowd roars. But then I have the worst case scenario, the shoulder dislocates midway through the first round, what’s my mechanisms?“The knee dislocates in the first round, what’s my movements, my reactions? Do I switch the stance or go to my back? I have a whole selection of responses to the worst case scenarios. Not that I sit and dwell on them, or overthink them, but I just have them.“So if the ankle goes, if the knee goes, if the shoulder goes, what’s my response? Because the fight’s not over… If you have a maneuver, you can outlast and you can survive in there and you can work towards the victory.“I have found as I have gotten more experience in the fight game to work my way backwards from the worst case scenario, to the best case scenario. And then focus and prepare for the best case scenario. That’s where I’m at right now. I have every situation that may occur and my answers to them.”Read more:UFC stunned: Conor McGregor declines deal, drops bombshell tease of epic Netflix boutConor McGregor names the punch that could end Max Holloway’s night at UFC 329Ilia Topuria’s roadblock revealed: Dangerous lightweight opponent set before Islam Makhachev date!

MIAMI (AP) — Inter Miami confirmed Monday that Lionel Messi has a left hamstring issue, one that has popped up about a week before defending World Cup champion Argentina is set to begin its training camp for this summer's title defense.And the events of Sunday and Monday surely add at least a bit of intrigue to Argentina's plans.Messi underwent testing on Monday — which almost certainly means an MRI exam, though the team did not divulge what procedures were involved — and was ultimately diagnosed with “an overload associated with muscle fatigue in his left hamstring" that kept him from finishing Inter Miami's match on Sunday night.Typically, the timeframe for recovery from such issues is varied depending on the severity."The timeline for his return to physical activity will depend on his clinical and functional progress," Inter Miami said in a release.Messi was subbed out of Inter Miami's match against the Philadelphia Union in the 73rd minute on Sunday. He essentially stopped playing a couple of minutes earlier and was seen grabbing at the back of his left leg at least once before he could be removed for a sub.Messi walked off the field without any assistance and went directly to the team's locker room. Inter Miami, the defending MLS champion, won the game 6-4 and Messi had a pair of assists in the first half.Heavy rain fell during the second half, leaving the field slippery. It was unknown if Messi took a misstep at any point during the storm or if the conditions were involved in the decision for him to leave the match. All the team said Monday was he was subbed out because of “physical discomfort.”Argentina has a pair of friendlies scheduled in advance of the World Cup, first on June 6 in College Station, Texas, against Honduras and then on June 9 in Auburn, Alabama, against Iceland. Those games will be played in college football stadiums — the home fields of Texas A&M and Auburn — with a combined capacity of about 180,000.Argentina is in Group J for the World Cup. Its group stage matches: Algeria, at Kansas City, on June 16; Austria, at Arlington, Texas, on June 22; and Jordan, back in Arlington, on June 27.Messi has already appeared in five World Cups, winning the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player twice — first in 2014, then again in 2022 when he led Argentina to the title. That award has been given out only since 1982, but he is the lone player to win it twice.___AP soccer: https://apnews.com/soccer

The NCAA Baseball Tournament field is set, which means Texas knows who’s coming to Austin this weekend. The Longhorns drew UC Santa Barbara, Tarleton State and Holy Cross in their regional, a favorable draw according to RPI. Despite that, there are a few remarkable players coming to town that could change the weekend in a hurry. Here are the three players in Austin this weekend that Longhorns fans need to know: UC Santa Barbara: RHP Jackson FloraOne of, if not the best pitcher in the sport is coming to Austin with the Gauchos. Flora’s ERA sits at 1.05 on the season, which tops the country. Texas could possibly avoid Flora if head coach Fuller Smith decides to pitch him against Tarleton State. However, it’s assumed Flora will be the pitcher on Saturday in a possible matchup with Texas. This would take a win from both the Longhorns and Gauchos but they’ll be the favorites in their respective matchups. If they do, Texas could be staring down the toughest pitcher in the entire tournament. Jackson Flora lowers his ERA to 0.73 during an 8-strikeout performance 💥Scouting grades and more on the top-ranked pitching prospect in the 2026 Draft class: https://t.co/ywDpwUKk26(📹: @UCSB_Baseball) pic.twitter.com/WRzFjdUUpq— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) May 2, 2026Tarleton State: UTL Rayner Heinrich The Texans are a team Texas has seen before this season. In fact, they came into Austin and beat the Longhorns 6-1 earlier this season. First-team WAC selection, Rayner Heinrich was a major part of that, and every other win for Tarleton State. He’s hitting a whopping .375 on the season, with 12 HRs and 22 doubles, all best on the team. On top of that, his positional versatility gives the Texans multiple options defensively. If Texas hooks up with Tarleton State again this weekend, #8 will be one to watch. We had 6️⃣ Texan student-athletes earn WAC postseason awards!- Rayner Heinrich, First Team- Matthew McCullough, Second Team- Anthony Treto, Second Team- Sergio Guerra, Second Team- Jake Tatom, Second Team- Ike Shirey, Defensive TeamStory: https://t.co/Hbu3qItWLKpic.twitter.com/HlAVGBpK0K— Tarleton State Baseball (@TarletonBase) May 19, 2026Holy Cross: OF CJ EgrieThis is the only player that Texas is guaranteed to see this weekend. Texas and Holy Cross face off on Friday at Noon CT, where CJ Egrie will take center stage. The senior outfielder led the Crusaders on a special postseason run through the Patriot League tournament, including stealing home in the final. Throughout the season, Egrie amassed a .338 average, 74 total bases and went 46-for-48 on stolen bases. He’s someone the Longhorns want to keep off the basepaths because he could steal his way around the bases.CJ Egrie with the most electric play of the day on a straight steal home for Holy Cross in the Patriot League Championship Game😳 pic.twitter.com/EyyZfUImF7— The College Baseball Show (@CollegeBSBShow) May 20, 2026Follow us on X/Twitter at @LonghornsWire.This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Austin regional players to watch: National ERA leader coming to Texas

The New York Liberty (3-3) looks to stop a two-game skid as they play the back end of a home back-to-back on Monday night, hosting the expansion Portland Fire (3-3) at Barclays Center in Brooklyn as the teams meet for the third and final time this season.MORE: Early favorites for the 2026 WNBA MVP AwardMay 23, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Portland Fire guard Teja Oblak (7) huddles with guard Sarah Ashlee Barker (3) at a WNBA game against the Toronto Tempo during the second half at Coca-Cola Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-Imagn ImagesHow to Watch Portland Fire vs New York LibertyWhen: Monday, May 25, 2026Time: 8:00 PM ETTV Channel: WNYW – FOX 5 (New York), KPDX – FOX12+ (Portland)Live Stream: Fubo (try for free)Sabrina Ionescu made her season debut on Sunday for New York, returning from a preseason foot injury, but the Liberty had no answer for the visiting Dallas Wings in the second half of a 91-76 loss. Satou Sabally scored 20 points for New York in her second game back from a concussion sustained during last year’s WNBA Finals, while Ionescu went for 11 points and seven assists. Breanna Stewart finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds but shot just 7-of-18 as the Liberty hit only 38.9% on the afternoon.– Live Stream Fire vs Liberty with Fubo –The Fire picked up a 99-80 road win over their expansion partner, the Toronto Tempo, on Saturday. Portland got 28 points off 17 Tempo turnovers and pulled away with a 55-point second half. Emily Engstler finished with 16 points, seven rebounds, and four blocked shots while Carla Leite went for 15 points and nine assists. Bridget Carleton also scored 15 points, and Teja Oblak handed out nine assists in 17 minutes of reserve duty.Portland beat the Liberty at home on May 12, with New York bouncing back with a homecourt victory on May 14. Stewart comes in averaging 20.7 points and 9.3 rebounds for the Liberty, with Pauline Astier getting 13.5 points per game and Julie Vanloo posting 5.4 assists a night. Carleton tops the Fire with an average of 17.5 points, Leite nets 15.0 points per game, and Sug Sutton drops 11.3 points and 5.7 assists per outing.This is a great WNBA matchup that you will not want to miss; make sure to tune in and catch all the action.Live stream Portland Fire vs New York Liberty on Fubo: Start your free trial!You can live stream WNBA games all season long with Fubo, who offer a free trial. They carry all of the channels you will need to never miss your favorite team’s games, including nationally broadcast channels like ESPN, ABC, ION, and NBA TV, as well as local team coverage.Regional restrictions may apply. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation.— Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories on The Big Lead —

Anthony Volpe’s two-run single in the ninth inning rallied the New York Yankees to a 4-3 win over the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on Monday. Facing Royals closer Lucas Erceg, Paul Goldschmidt reached base on a one-out single that popped up, then just died in the infield grass. Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. had no chance to get Goldschmidt at first base by the time he reached the ball. Jazz Chisholm Jr. followed up with a double to right field that advanced pinch-runner Max Schuemann to third base. Erceg then got ahead of Volpe with two strikes before trying to get the Yankees shortstop to chase a pitch out of the zone. His next pitch, a sinker, was in the lower middle and Volpe smacked it to short left field. Volpe delivers 🙌 pic.twitter.com/YNkkW3kvMZ— New York Yankees (@Yankees) May 25, 2026Play 2026 Soccer Pick 'Em with FOX One and make your picks for the world's biggest soccer tournamentErceg blew his fourth save opportunity of the season, tying him for the MLB lead. He has 11 saves and a 5.06 ERA in 22 appearances. The Royals went ahead 3-2 in the eighth inning on a home run from Witt. Leading off the bottom of the frame, Witt turned on a curveball left in the inner middle of the strike zone by Yankees reliever Jake Bird to put the Royals on top. Bobby Witt Jr. HAMMERS one out to give the @Royals a late lead! pic.twitter.com/pHGpbBzKnL— MLB (@MLB) May 25, 2026The Yankees have won two straight games after losing three in a row and 11 of their past 16 games. But with the Tampa Bay Rays’ 13-inning, 9-7 loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Colton Cowser’s walk-off home run, New York is now 3.5 games out of first place in the AL East. Salvador Perez’s record-setting home runKansas City tied the score at 2-2 in the sixth on a solo home run by Salvador Perez. Not only did the home run come at an important time for the Royals, it also carried historical significance for the 15-year veteran. Salvador Perez hits his 9th home run of the year and ties the game! pic.twitter.com/TO4lhC1LYO— MLB (@MLB) May 25, 2026Perez’s homer was the 136th he’s hit at Kauffman Stadium, tying him with George Brett for the most in the ballpark’s history. Additionally, Perez overtook Iván Rodríguez for the most home runs by a Latin-American catcher in major-league history with 312. Up next for Perez in the Royals’ record book will be Brett’s franchise mark of 317 home runs.

Ben Shelton defeated Daniel Merida 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 in the first round of the French Open (Roland-Garros) on Monday.Shelton took an early 3-0 lead in the first set, breaking Merida at his first opportunity. In the second set, Shelton broke after each man held serve twice and finished things off with another break, holding Merida at love in the final game. The final set stayed even until things were tied at four games apiece. Shelton broke Merida while up 5-4 to finish things off.The former Gator hit 35 winners and six aces while dominating rallies that last four shots or fewer. “I think I’m learning more and more every year,” Shelton said. “This is my favourite clay-court tournament and to be able to be at a Grand Slam playing on a big court like this is a privilege. The French crowd always knows how to bring energy, and that’s part of the reason I play so well here.”Looking ahead at the French OpenShelton faces World No. 62 Raphael Collignon in the second round at Roland-Garros. It is the first meeting between the two. Should Shelton win that matchup, one of No. 33 Tallon Griekspoor, No. 79 Stefanos Tsitsipas, No. 104 Matteo Arnaldi and No. 127 Alexandre Muller awaits.World No. 10 Alexander Bublik and No. 22 Frances Tiafoe are the favorites to make it to the Round 3 matchup in Shelton's draw. Ben Shelton's world rankingShelton entered the French Open ranked No. 5 in the world. Felix Auger-Aliassime has leapfrogged him in the live rankings, but Novak Djokovic has dropped five places to No. 9, leaving Shelton at the No. 5 spot.Shelton made it to the Round of 16 in 2025 before falling to Carlos Alcaraz, who is not participating in the French Open this year. A Round of 128 win earns Shelton 10 ATP points. He must make it to the Round of 16 to recover all 200 points earned last year. Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Ben Shelton vs Daniel Merida French Open results

Paderborn boss praises players after “deserved” win over Wolfsburg seals promotionSC Paderborn have been promoted to the Bundesliga for the third time in their history after a 2-1 extra-time play-off win over VfL Wolfsburg on Monday night.Speaking after the match, Paderborn sporting managing director Sebastian Lange admitted that Joakim Mæhle’s sending-off after 14 minutes made things easier for the home side, but still found plenty of reason to praise the players after what he described as a “deserved” win.“The way the match developed played a bit into our hands with the second yellow card,” Lange said, according to ran.“But I have to say the lads really surpassed themselves today. How sharp we were, how quickly we moved the ball – everyone did really well.“It was a great performance. That’s why it was deserved.”

A new tradition has hit the Braves clubhouse for the month of May. Channel 2’s Luke Hetrick shares how new outfielder Mike Yastrzemski is actually bringing attention to an important cause in a fashionable way. Three things stand out about Mike Yastrzemski: the name, the game, and lately, the ‘stache.“I don’t take it too seriously. I think I look silly with it," he said.Now it does need to be said, it doesn’t matter how quickly or if at all you can grow in a mustache. This is not so much about style but support.Mustache May brings attention to mental health awareness.If you ask Yastrzemski, the message is very simple: “Care for your homies. I think that as human beings, we think we have to carry our own problems ourselves, but there’s a whole world out there, so somebody will help you.”Yastrzemskicreated Mustache May when he was struggling in the minor leagues.He took a fun idea and then gave it a bigger purpose. “I found a pathway to mental health with veterans and felt really successful to me. And I’ve had so many great opportunities to have conversations. You know, part of it is being vulnerable is OK,” Yastrzemski said.It’s something he knows all too well. “I actually thought about retiring, you know, before I ever got called up. And, you know, I was talking to my wife about it, and she kind of laid the law down where she’s like, Hey, I didn’t work four jobs grinding my butt off to make sure we can survive just for you to quit,”Yastrzemskisaid.“Being able to just have someone there to tell you it’s OK to not stop trying, to not give up, and now we’re here and I’m very grateful for her for that,” he added.It doesn’t take a mustache to remind us we’re not alone. “When you have somebody to talk to, whether it be a friend, a family member, anybody who’s willing to just listen, then things feel a lot lighter,” Yastrzemskisaid.[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks][SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]

Matt Luke has his first offensive line commitment in Clemsonfootball’s 2027 class.Four-star lineman Carter Jones announced Monday that he is committing to the Tigers, giving Clemson a major addition up front as the class continues to take shape. The Virginia prospect picked Clemson over Penn State, Georgia and Tennessee after one of the more closely watched recruitments on the Tigers’ board.Jones has been a priority target for Clemson for a long time. After earning an offer from the Tigers last summer, he quickly became one of the top offensive linemen the staff focused on in the 2027 cycle. Since then, the 6-foot-6, 295-pound prospect has made several visits to campus while building a strong relationship with Luke and the rest of the coaching staff.With Jones now committed, Clemson adds its 11th pledge in the class and another blue-chip prospect to a group that has picked up plenty of momentum in recent days. He is also the fourth player to commit to the Tigers over the last week, joining a run that has helped Clemson climb in the recruiting rankings heading into another busy stretch of official visits.Clemson-LSU early betting lines tell ugly story, low expectations 2026📸 Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina, Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images https://t.co/tKkaJakJfNpic.twitter.com/ONeh27Dlkx— Clemson Wire (@Clemson_Wire) May 25, 2026Jones is regarded as one of the top offensive line prospects in the 2027 cycle and one of the top players in Virginia. His commitment gives Clemson an important piece in the trenches and adds another highly recruited prospect to a class that continues to grow heading into the summer.Contact us @Clemson_Wire on X, and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news and notes, plus opinions.This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Clemson adds 4-star offensive lineman as recruiting momentum starts to turn

The New York Knicks are up 3-0 in the Eastern Conference final series against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Game 4, which will be held at Cleveland’s Rocket Arena tonight, will tip off at 8 p.m. ET and airs nationally on ESPN. (Will Taylor and Travis be at this one, too?) Want to tune in to the Western Conference finals between the San Antonio Spurs and the OKC Thunder? Those games will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock throughout the week. Stay up-to-date with the latest playoff news in our playoffs hub for scores, stats, and more, and check out the schedule below for all of this week's upcoming games.Here's everything you need to know so you won't miss the Knicks vs. Cavaliers Game 4, or any other remaining games of the series if it continues after tonight. How to watch the New York Knicks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Game 4:Date: May 25, 2026Time: 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PTTV channel: ESPNStreaming: ESPN Unlimited, DirecTV, YouTube TV and moreNew York Knicks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers game time: Game 4 between the Knicks and Cavaliers tips off at 8 p.m. ET. New York Knicks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Game 4 channel:The Knicks vs. Cavaliers Game 4 will be broadcast on ESPN.How to watch the New York Knicks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Game 4 without cable:NBA playoff games on ESPN are also streaming on ESPN Unlimited, as well as on streaming platforms like DirecTV and YouTube TV. More ways to watch NBA Playoff Games:2026 NBA Eastern Conference Finals schedule:All times EasternTuesday, May 19Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New York Knicks, 8 p.m. (ESPN)Thursday, May 21Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New York Knicks, 8 p.m. (ESPN)Saturday, May 23Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New York Knicks, 8 p.m. (ABC)Monday, May 25New York Knicks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers, 8 p.m. (ESPN)If necessary:Wednesday, May 27Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New York Knicks, 8 p.m. (ESPN)Friday, May 29New York Knicks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers, 8 p.m. (ESPN)Sunday, May 31Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New York Knicks, 8 p.m. (ESPN)Remaining NBA playoffs key dates:May 4: Conference Semifinals beginMay 18: Western Conference Finals begin on NBC/PeacockMay 19: Eastern Conference Finals begin on ESPN/ABCJune 3: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 1 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ETJune 5: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 2 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ETJune 8: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 3 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ETJune 10: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 4 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ETJune 13: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 5 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET (if necessary)June 16: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 6 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET (if necessary)June 19: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 7 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET (if necessary)

Heading home tied 2-2 in the Western Conference finals, the odds still favor the Oklahoma City Thunder getting through this series and winning their second consecutive NBA title. But the most interesting part of what has happened through four games against the San Antonio Spurs isn’t merely about a series that now hangs in the balance and a psychological edge that has now shifted after the Spurs rolled to a 103-82 victory in Game 4. It’s not even about this series, per se.If you’re Oklahoma City vice president and general manager Sam Presti and you have watched San Antonio make up this much ground this quickly, measured the trajectory of Victor Wembanyama and the young core around him, and projected what this rivalry is going to look like over the next five years, an obvious question emerges:Do the Thunder need to make a play for Giannis Antetokounmpo?For all 29 teams in the NBA, it is now abundantly clear The Wemby Factor is going to, on some level, influence the way they build their teams for the foreseeable future. Some organizations could look at this series and conclude that trading significant assets to go all-in right now is a losing bet. For those who are on the cusp of contention, any such move for a superstar player must consider whether it will make a difference in a playoff series against Wembanyama.That’s how impactful these Western Conference finals should be viewed in the arc of NBA history. The Wembanyama Spurs are no longer a far-off theory that could one day win a championship. Even if they don’t quite get it done this year, the conversation going forward starts with the Spurs. They are here.And it leaves Oklahoma City in a fascinating place.Play 2026 Soccer Pick 'Em with FOX One and make your picks for the world's biggest soccer tournamentLet’s say the Thunder manage to get by this series in six or seven games and beat the New York Knicks to win their second straight title. With their young core locked in, plus the treasure trove of first-round draft picks and swaps Presti has accumulated through previous trades, we should be talking dynasty.Instead, Oklahoma City probably wouldn’t even enter 2026-27 as the favorites to win the title.If that’s the case, Presti has a unique situation on his hands: Stay the course with a championship-caliber team that is probably going to get lapped, or fundamentally change a team that could be coming off back-to-back titles?It’s an unprecedented, gut-wrenching call. But there is one player available who could make it worthwhile.While much of the NBA zeitgeist has focused on Boston, Miami, Golden State and Houston as possible trade destinations for Antetokounmpo, does putting him into the Thunder lineup stem the Wemby tide for the next five years?If Presti and Thunder management believe it would, that’s the move they should explore. It may be the only move they can make.Under the NBA’s current Collective Bargaining Agreement, the future for the Thunder is clear. With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander locked into a max deal until through 2031, and new deals kicking in next year for Jalen Williams (five years, $287 million) and Chet Holmgren (five years, $239 million), there will be precious little room to maneuver going forward. That doesn’t even include players who will soon command raises like Jared McCain, Ajay Mitchell and Cason Wallace.The bottom line is Oklahoma City will not be able to keep this team together, in its current form, under the current CBA. Whether it’s moving off one of its huge contracts or gutting its bench, something’s got to give.The conventional wisdom has been that the Thunder’s bevy of picks — they’ll likely have five first-rounders over the next two drafts, plus a potentially valuable 2028 swap with Dallas — will allow them to turn over the roster and replace some veteran role players with rookie-scale salaries.But within the context of what we’ve seen in the Western Conference finals, are we sure that’s the way to go? At this point, Oklahoma City should only be thinking about how to maximize the next five years of Gilgeous-Alexander’s prime. Is the best way to compete with San Antonio during that window through a bunch of draft picks and nibbling around the edges or by countering Wemby with an Antetokounmpo-Holmgren frontcourt?Oklahoma City at least has to think about it.The conventional wisdom around the NBA is that by waiting so long to finally entertain Antetokounmpo trades, Milwaukee has probably missed its chance to get maximum value. But if the Thunder offered Williams, another young piece and their prime draft picks over the next two years, it would probably be difficult for any other suitors to cobble together a more compelling package.Would it be a risk? Of course. Antetokounmpo is 31, has started to compile some injuries and has a player option in 2027-28 that he will probably decline in search of a long-term deal. And it wouldn’t solve the Thunder’s fundamental problem under the current CBA, which is simply how restrictive it gets to carry three max contracts.But even if Oklahoma City emerges from this series, it will do so as a battle-scarred team that may be living on borrowed time as the Wemby era rises. Luckily for the Thunder, they’re one of the few teams that has the ammunition to pull off a mega-trade for Antetokounmpo without gutting its roster.Even if Oklahoma City wins another championship, we may well look back on this season as a turning point in NBA history, when the team Presti so brilliantly built no longer seems good enough to keep pace with the next dynasty.If Antetokounmpo is what’s necessary for Oklahoma City to remain competitive with the Spurs in the near future, Presti should do everything possible to make it a reality.

PLYMOUTH — With Saturday's results at the Northern Lakes Conference boys golf tournament at Pretty Lake, Warsaw is the league's outright champion.The combination of finishing first during the regular season and second at the tournament gave the Tigers the outright title.Plymouth finished second overall in the league after winning the tournament with 295 points. Warsaw was nine strokes behind and the tourney runner-up. Northridge finished third at the tourney with a 318 total. The Raiders tied Wawasee for third place overall in the conference.Cooper Kropf led Northridge with a 76. NorthWood was led by Caleb Vincent, who shot a 79, Concord was led by Nathan Potter, who shot an 81, and Goshen got a 90 from Isaac Pfahler.Plymouth's Ben Nguyen was the medalist after shooting a 67.------------NLC TOURNAMENTTeam scores: Plymouth 295, Warsaw 304, Northridge 318, Wawasee 323, NorthWood 332, Mishawaka 346, Concord 350, Goshen 392.Northridge: Cooper Kropf 76, Kaden Miller 78, Jediah Hochstetler 81, Brady Riegsecker 83, Owen Kaehr 87.NorthWood: Caleb Vincent 79, Micah Schwartz 81, Colton Rouch 83, Dawson Yoder 89, Kayson Carter 95.Concord: Nathan Potter 81, Trevin Koontz 86, Kolton McCkoughen 90, Dominic Paino 93, Owen Stone 107.Goshen: Isaac Pfahler 90, Mason Centeno 93, Elijah Mullett 101, Oliver Eisenhour 108, Ethan Sloan 113.Final over NLC standings: 1. Warsaw, 2. Plymouth, 3. Northridge and Wawasee, 5. NorthWood, 6. Mishawaka, 7. Concord, 8. Goshen.

Chargers' Justin Herbert set to benefit from 'mad scientist' in 2026 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The Los Angeles Chargers are one team that fascinates me ahead of the 2026 season, mainly because of Mike McDaniel.Now Justin Herbert's offensive coordinator, the young quarterback has never had a coordinator like McDaniel, which leaves many thinking 2026 could be Justin's best season in the NFL.We know what McDaniel did for Tua Tagovailoa in Miami, so imagine what he could do for Herbert?For Fox Sports' Ralph Vacchiano, when ranking every quarterback's supporting cast, L.A. is 19th out of 32 teams."The fact that they had the NFL’s 12th-ranked total offense is a miracle considering all the injuries they had last season, and they really believe that better health will get them back where they were," Vacchiano wrote. "But do they have enough weapons in the passing game for their new offensive coordinator? "For Mike McDaniel? Yes," one scout told me. "He’s a mad scientist. He’ll get the best out of those guys."MORE:Commanders get horrible ranking that greatly impacts Jayden DanielsCan McDaniel improve offense?Absolutely, he can, and in truth, just having Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt back improves it.But with Herbert now getting into McDaniel's scheme that loves to run to set up the pass, Herbert could be about to have one of his better seasons, and he's got the weapons to do it.Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, Tre Harris, Omarion Hampton, and Oronde Gadsden, that is more than enough for McDaniel to work his magic.Of course, being in the AFC West is tough, but now I feel the Chargers have more than a fighting chance in 2026.And McDaniel is the big reason why.More NFL news:Rams named as potential landing spot for Super Bowl-winning WRTy Simpson reveals 'big advantage' being drafted to RamsAnalyst offers brutal coaching reality for Buccaneers' Todd Bowles in 2026Ravens urged to fill gaping roster hole for Lamar JacksonRavens reason for 2026 optimism not centered on Lamar Jackson

Justin Gaethje is known to inflict damage, and he plans on doing the same to Ilia Topuria.Interim lightweight champion Gaethje (27-5 MMA, 10-5 UFC) will look to unify his belt with undisputed champ Topuria (17-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) in the main event of UFC Freedom 250 at the White House on June 14 (Paramount+).Gaethje has found a way to remain in the title picture throughout his UFC career. After tough losses to Khabib Nurmagomedov, Charles Oliveira, and Max Holloway, Gaethje rebounded every time. A two-time UFC interim champ, Gaethje gets his third shot at undisputed gold against Topuria."Coming off of losses, I'm much more dangerous than I am coming off wins," Gaethje told Grind City Media. "That's the human mind, and it's just a tricky, tricky situation to be in when you're being successful, to stay as committed to the process as you need to. But there's always a UFC 300 quick reminder – nice knockout."So again, I'm training with the thought of I just got knocked out by Max Holloway. I have had two wins since then, and yeah, it's been awesome. They tried to get rid of me. They don't want to get rid of me – obviously I'm a great fighter for the company. But I have held off these young, up-and-coming (fighters)."Gaethje has left the likes of Paddy Pimblett, Michael Chandler, Rafael Fiziev and Tony Ferguson bloodied and battered after defeating them. Although Topuria is unbeaten in his career, Gaethje says fighting him is a different experience."These guys are all up-and-comers, and they're all coming for me," Gaethje said. "Every time I've got the opportunity, I have held them off. I am here for a reason. I'm here because I'm one of the best in the world. I am fighting a guy that is absolutely incredible, but I have a great coach and we're going to have a great plan. I'm going to change his face, just like I always do to all my opponents."This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Justin Gaethje: I'm going to change Ilia Topuria's face

We are officially single-digit days away from the start of the 2026 USC football season! The Trojans will kick off their new campaign 96 days from today.After a successful debut last year, we are bringing back countdown to kickoff once again! In this series, we will be counting down the days until the season opener by highlighting a notable Trojan who wore each number. Today, we will be continue with number 96, Stevie Tu'ikolovatu.Career highlights: Tu'ikolovatu's journey to USC was a wild one. He arrived at Utah as a true freshman in 2009, before spending three years away from school on a Mormon mission. Tu'ikolovatu returned to the Utes in 2013, only to miss the season with a foot injury.Tu'ikolovatu was able to work his way into the rotation at Utah over the next two years, before transferring to USC for his senior season in 2016. That year, he emerged as a key player on a much improved Trojans defense, finishing the year with 53 tackles. In his final college football game, he was named Defensive MVP of the Rose Bowl as USC defeated Penn State 52-49 in an instant classic.Just how long was Tu'ikolovatu's college career? One of his college teammates was former Utah linebacker Mike Wright—who graduated from high school in 2004, and is three months older than legendary USC wide receiver Dwayne Jarrett. Also his college teammate was former USC running back Vavae Malepeai, who played his final game for the Trojans in December of 2021, six days after Lincoln Riley was announced as USC's head coach.After USC: Tu'ikolovatu was selected in the seventh round of the 2017 NFL draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However, he never appeared in an NFL regular season game, as he spent his first two seasons with the team on injured reserve before being released during roster cuts in 2019.This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: USC football countdown to kickoff recalls Trojan Stevie Tu’ikolovatu

With the NBA draft right around the corner, now is the time to look at some past drafts and see what the Philadelphia 76ers have done in their history. The Sixers have selected some big-time players in the past who have become an important part of the fabric of the franchise's history.The Sixers, coming off a 2005 playoff performance, only had a second-round pick, and they selected Lou Williams out of South Gwinnett High School in Georgia. He was expected to learn from Allen Iverson and Chris Webber and eventually help them lead the Sixers to success at that time.After not playing much as a rookie, he gradually earned more playing time in his second season, especially after the trade of Iverson to the Denver Nuggets. He eventually evolved into one of the NBA's best sixth men. Williams averaged 11.5 points off the bench during the 2012 playoffs when the eighth-seeded Sixers stunned the Chicago Bulls in the first round. They pushed the heavily favored Boston Celtics to Game 7 in the conference semifinals.He had a big moment in Game 4 against the Miami Heat in 2011 with a game-winner to avoid the sweep.He averaged 11.3 points and 3.0 assists in his seven seasons in Philadelphia before he joined the Atlanta Hawks in the 2012 offseason. He then won the first of his three 6th Man of the Year awards in 2015 as a member of the Toronto Raptors before then bouncing around with the Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers, and finishing back up with the Hawks in 2022.This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Philadelphia 76ers draft rewind: Lou Williams becomes a steal in 2005

NEW YORK – The Tito Speedo will not die.If you thought the Cincinnati Reds were the cockroaches they claimed to be down the stretch to sneak into the playoffs last season, check out the skimpy piece of underwear that has little printed faces of manager Terry Francona all over it.“It’s just been passing around (the clubhouse),” catcher Tyler Stephenson said. “And it was in my locker one day.”It was still there when the Reds got to the clubhouse before the opener of this week’s three-game series against the Mets in New York, just before Stephenson pulled it on for the fifth consecutive game − and then used it like Superman’s cape in the fourth inning of a blowout win against the big-bucks, bigger-bust Mets.Stephenson’s two-run homer off Nolan McLean, the best starter left standing for the Mets staff, capped a four-run fourth for the Reds that handed McLean a 7-2 loss in the worst start of his 19-start career.How powerful is the Speedo that Stephenson originally gifted Francona during spring training? McLean gave up more earned runs (seven) and lasted fewer innings (3 1/3) than he has in any start. JJ Bleday also homered off him, in the third; Eugenio Suárez singled and walked against him (and later doubled); Nathaniel Lowe walked and doubled; Spencer Steer singled home two runs.“We’ll see how long it goes,” said Stephenson, who figures he won’t be passing it along to the next guy too quickly.The Reds are 6-3 since Mike Napoli first pulled the Speedo from Francona’s office to try to change the lineup’s luck, wearing it for the final game of a series against the Washington Nationals – and watching the Reds score 15 runs.They’re 4-1 since Stephenson got his turn – with back-to-back seven-run outbursts heading Into the second game of the Mets series, along with a nine-run game against the Phillies last week.Whether the luck has anything to do with the pitching side of things, Nick Lodolo turned in the best of four starts since returning from a finger blister that had him on the injured list to start the season.He gave up one run on a solo homer in the sixth, and struck out seven without a walk in his six innings of work (first quality start of the season).Eventually, “I’ll pass it on,” Stephenson said of the magic drawers.Just not quite yet.And for those wondering, no, this isn’t one of those can’t-ever-wash-the-lucky-clothes things.“It’s on the (wash pile) every day,” Stephenson said.This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Reds beat Mets in New York to open NL series

ORLANDO, FL - DECEMBER 31: Texas Longhorns tight end Jack Endries (88) runs after a catch during the Cheez-It Bowl between the Michigan Wolverines and the Texas Longhorns on Wednesday, December 31, 2025 at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, FL (Photo by Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images With free agency and the NFL Draft in the books while OTAs are underway, it is time to take a way-too-early look at projecting the Cincinnati Bengals‘ initial 53-man roster for the 2026 football season.Quarterback (2)Joe Burrow – The Bengals need a healthy 2026 season from Burrow if they want to get back to the playoffs and make another run at a Super Bowl this year. Burrow appears happy about the Bengals recent moves this offseason. Ultimately, none of that will matter much if QB #1 cannot stay on the field.Joe Flacco – Flacco is an ideal backup for the Bengals. His experience alone should help with weekly preparation in the quarterback room. While Flacco is 41 years old, the Bengals did not bring in any real competition for the backup quarterback job, and rightfully so. Flacco has shown he can still play at a high level when called upon.Other quarterbacks on the current roster: Josh Johnson, Sean Clifford Running Back (3)Chase Brown – The biggest question will be if Brown secures an extension to his contract prior to the opening game of the season. If not, this could be his last season in Cincinnati. After rushing for over 1,000 yards in 2025, Brown has put himself in the top half of running backs in the league. He had an additional 400+ yards receiving last season. His ability as an all-around back will be critical for the team’s success once again in 2026.Samaje Perine – Perine is back as the reliable veteran backup for Brown in 2026. His ability to gain the tough yards, along with his pass protection ability, make him an obvious choice to be the primary backup for Brown. Tahj Brooks – The Bengals didn’t see much out of their 2025 sixth-round draft pick last year. He rushed for just 45 yards on the season. He isn’t necessarily a lock for this third running back spot, but someone else will have to impress during preseason to supplant him as the third back on the roster.Other running backs on the current roster: Kendall Milton, Gary Brightwell, Jamal Haynes, Kentrel BullockWide Receiver (6)Ja’Marr Chase – Chase is just a season removed from winning the triple crown for being the leader in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns in the NFL. The best wide receiver in football produced another 125 receptions, 1,400 yards, and 8 touchdowns in 2025. Tee Higgins – Higgins had over 800 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2025. He returns as the unquestioned starter opposite of Chase at receiver. Andrei Iosivas – Iosivas returns as the most likely starting candidate in the slot. Entering a contract season of his own, it will be interesting to see if Iosivas continues seeing the same amount of snaps he has in the past, especially after the addition of Colbie Young in the draft. Colbie Young – Speaking of Young, the 6’5”, 220-pound receiver out of Georgia was the Bengals’ second 4th round selection this year. While it was a bit higher than many expected, it is hard to find players with his combination of size and speed. Young ran a 4.49 40-yard dash time. He is likely to be on the 53-man roster, but how much playing time and his role on the team remain to be seen.Mitch Tinsley – Tinsley is by no means a lock to make the roster; these last two wide receiver spots feel wide open at the moment. Tinsley will need another impressive preseason in order to make it, but for now, I will give him a slight advantage to keep his spot.Ke’Shawn Williams – I didn’t think Charlie Jones should have been the roster lock he ended up being last year, so it is always tough to predict a scenario where he ultimately doesn’t make it. However, I liked what I saw from Williams as the primary returner after picking him up off waivers from Pittsburgh late in the season. I also think he brings more quick separation as a receiver than anyone not named Ja’Marr Chase on the roster.Other wide receivers on the current roster: Charlie Jones, Dohnte Meyers, Jordan Moore, Kendric Pryor, Xavier Johnson, Noah ThomasTight End (4)Mike Gesicki – Gesicki returns as the primary receiving option at the tight end position. They will likely need more than the 300 receiving yards they got from him last year, and I do expect him to get more than that this year. Drew Sample – The GOAT Drew Sample is back in 2026 and entering into his contract season. While I may never recover from the fact that he was a 2nd round pick, he has carved out a great career as a blocking tight end in Cincinnati.Erick All Jr. – This is where the position battle will get interesting. Can All stay healthy, and even if he does, can you really count on him to remain healthy through a full season? He has a talented player for sure, but at what point do the injuries just become too much for his body to handle recovering from? I will put him on this initial projection, but I fully expect him to be in a battle with Tanner Hudson and Jack Endries for a spot on the roster. Jack Endries – The Bengals and Joe Burrow love Tanner Hudson, so it is easy to see him getting this spot over Endries or All. I am going with Endries, though. Yes, he was a seventh-round pick. He shouldn’t have been. This was a guy that should have gone a couple of rounds higher, and he fell right in the Bengals laps. If you can roster Tanner McLachlan for an entire season, you certainly should be able to do that with Jack Endries this year. He is the eventual Mike Gesicki replacement on this team.Other tight ends on the current roster: Tanner Hudson, Cam Grandy, Josh KattusOffensive Line (9)Orlando Brown Jr. – Brown is back with a new two-year extension at left tackle for the Bengals in 2025. Amarius Mims – Mims returns as the starting right tackle and has a legitimate shot to be a Pro Bowl player this upcoming season based on his 2025 season performance and overall growth as a player.Ted Karras – Karras returns as the starting center in 2026. It may ultimately be the last ride for Teddy K in Cincinnati, and going out with a Super Bowl would be one hell of a way to end his career here. Dylan Fairchild – The second-year player returns as the starting left guard. He had some ups and downs, but for being a rookie, he showed a lot in my eyes. I expect another jump in his performance this year.Dalton Risner – The Bengals were able to re-sign Risner to a one-year deal to keep the entire starting five intact.Cody Ford – Maybe Ford shouldn’t be a roster lock, but history tells us otherwise. He has 4 position versatility, and is a player this coaching staff trusts to come off the bench into a game when needed. Connor Lew – The Bengals fourth round draft selection is the likely heir apparent to Karras at center. His roster spot is a lock here. Brian Parker II – The St. Xavier alum returns to Cincinnati as a versatile lineman. He has legitimate five-position flexibility. Ultimately, his best position is likely going to be on the inside. For the 2026 season, I think he will be backing up all five spots. He may end up being the heir apparent at right guard.Jalen Rivers – Rivers is another player who has some versatility. While Cincinnati mainly used him at guard in 2025, he did play that and tackle during his time at Miami. If they think he and Parker can handle guard/tackle responsibilities both, this is why they could elect to keep just 9 offensive linemen.Other offensive linemen on the current roster: Javon Foster, Jalen Coker, Christian Jones, Corey Robinson II, Liam Brown, Jacob BayerDefensive Line (11)Dexter Lawrence – The Bengals’ BIG addition this year. Lawrence will start at nose tackle and is expected to command a ton of double teams all season long on the defensive line.Jonathan Allen – Another addition on the defensive line was Allen. While he isn’t as explosive as he once was early in his career, Allen still looks to have plenty of juice left to be an upgrade as a pass rusher on the interior of the line. BJ Hill – Hill has to be pleased with those two additions listed here. This should allow him to slide back into a heavier rotation, keeping him fresh and also keeping him from being the one constantly facing double teams.TJ Slaton Jr. – It appears the current plan is for Slaton to remain with the Bengals in 2026. I like that move. You can never have enough depth, and he is the best backup for Lawrence as a true nose tackle. Kris Jenkins Jr. – Jenkins is entering his third season in the league. This is a make-or-break type of year for him. While he could potentially be moved if the right trade offer came their way, I think Jenkins sticks with the team.Landon Robinson – Keeping six defensive tackles might be a bit of a stretch here, but I think Robinson is worth it. Even if he is a game-day inactive for much of the season, he has the work ethic, athleticism, and pass-rush juice to stick around this roster.Boye Mafe – The Bengals signed Mafe to a three-year contract during free agency. They are expecting him to get back to the guy who is closer to 10 sacks in a season, instead of the one who is closer to 0. Even with just his two sacks last year, he still had a high pressure rate. I expect big things from Mafe in 2026.Myles Murphy – While the Bengals did not pick up the option on Murphy, I am still not writing this off as the last season for him in stripes. Murphy played at a high level during the 2025 season. I think he has a legitimate shot to put up 10 sacks this season. When he does, that contract price is going to go up. An extension before the season could still make a lot of sense here. Either way, I do expect him to ball out in 2026.Shemar Stewart – The Bengals 2025 first round draft selection is primed to have a breakout season. Injuries limited him in 2025, but it is time to unleash that freakish athleticism on the defensive line. A breakout season for him would do wonders for this defense as a whole. Cashius Howell – The Bengals 2026 second-round draft pick is an explosive pass rusher. Cut him loose on third downs, and you will profit.Cedric Johnson – Johnson will be in a battle for this last spot. He will have competition from Isaiah Foskey and Antwaun Powell-Ryland. Two players that fit the Cashius Howell mold of potential outside backers if they run a base 3-4 defense more often this season. It will be interesting to see how the edge spots play out this year. Other defensive linemen on the roster: Isaiah Foskey, Antwaun Powell-Ryland, McKinnley Jackson, Jordan Jefferson, Howard Cross IIILinebackers (5)Demetrius Knight Jr. – One of two second-year starting linebackers that the Bengals are banking on to make a huge leap in their second season. Knight had good stats, but his performance as a whole was more up and down throughout the 2025 season. Not having him lining up near the line so much will likely help him in 2026. Barrett Carter – The Bengals’ 2025 fourth-round selection will need to take an even bigger leap in his performance. To be fair to Carter, there was a lot thrown on his plate during his first year in the league. He has the character and work ethic to make a big leap, and doing so would go a long way toward seeing a potential top-10 to -15 defense in 2026.Oren Burks – Burks is a veteran linebacker who can give you rotational snaps and play special teams.Joe Giles-Harris – One of the best special teams players on the team last year. With the departure of Tycen Anderson to Denver, I expect Harris to fill an even bigger leadership role on those units this year. Shaka Heyward – I am going to go with the veteran Heyward here to take this spot. However, this is another one that feels wide open for someone to come in here and earn. There are a couple of undrafted free agent players to watch in this competition with Jack Dingle and Eric Gentry. Other linebackers on the current roster: Jack Dingle, Eric Gentry, Swayze Bozeman, Liam Anderson Cornerback (6)DJ Turner – To me, there isn’t a question of who is the top corner on this team, but more if that top corner will have a new contract extension before the season begins. Turner was terrific in 2025, and I expect Agent Zero Juan Drago to continue his high level of play this upcoming season.Dax Hill – Another player who is entering a contract season. Hill hopes to remain on the outside this season, and I hope that is the case, as well. He has played his best football on the outside.Jalen Davis – Davis was playing really good football in the second half of the season. His play was one of the reasons the defense started showing signs of life down the stretch. The Bengals could look to bring in some competition with Kenny Moore for the slot corner spot, but for now, Davis is in line to start there entering the season.Tacario Davis – I don’t expect Davis to earn a starting outside corner spot during his first season. What he is most likely to do is be a rotational player and try to help the Bengals improve their ability to cover tight ends.Josh Newton – Will this be the year that Newton challenges for a starting spot? It seems like it is now or never for him to make a jump in his play. There were a lot of promising reports during the last couple of years in camp, but that has never translated to performances in real game action.Ja’Sir Taylor – I almost went with DJ Ivey or Bralyn Lux here, but I think the veteran Taylor could win the job here. Especially, based on his special teams experience throughout his career. Another intriguing battle that could go a number of ways. Other cornerbacks on the roster: DJ Ivey, Brayln Lux, Jalen Kimber, Ceyair WrightSafety (4)Bryan Cook – Cook was the first free agent splash for this revamped Bengals defense. The former Bearcat returns to Cincinnati with a ton of big-game experience from his days with the Chiefs.Jordan Battle – Battle should have his best season yet with the additions around him on the defense. Kyle Dugger – Dugger should push for playing time. The former second-round pick brings physicality to the back end of the defense and should get some run in three-safety sets while also being able to play as an extra linebacker.PJ Jules – Jules showed his special teams value in 2025. I expect him to continue doing that again in 2026. He has a chance to be a Pro Bowl player in that area, and it wouldn’t surprise me if that happened this upcoming season. Other safeties on the roster: Daijahn Anthony, Russ Yeast, Isaiah NwokobiaSpecialists (3)William Wagner – Wagner returns as the starting long snapper after winning the job from Cal Adomitis in 2025. Ryan Rehkow – Rehkow has a cannon for a leg, but can he improve his touch inside the 20-yard line this year? If he does, he can be one of the best punters in the league.Evan McPherson – McPherson started well in 2025, but had some shaky performances later in the year. Hopefully, we get Money Mac all the way back this year.

Colorado is building a truly unique 2027 recruiting class. The Buffs are now the only program with a 2027 class where every verbal commitment comes from a different state, a national spread that has taken shape over the past week.The latest piece is four-star wide receiver Jaiden Kelly-Murray, a former South Carolina commit who announced his choice on CBS Sports' YouTube channel Monday afternoon. Kelly-Murray gives Colorado a player from South Carolina and becomes the fourth four-star in the class. Coach Prime has previously recruited South Carolina and has been fond of the program, including wide receiver Sincere Brown, who hailed from Charleston and transferred from Campbell.Colorado's 2027 recruiting class geographic rangeWith this commitment, the geographic range is striking. Four-star safety Gabe Jenkins is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, making him the furthest east recruit. Four-star quarterback Andre Adams is from Tennessee, while offensive tackle Li'Marcus Jones is a Mississippi native playing at Brentwood Academy in Tennessee. Linebacker Ba'Roc Willis is from Alabama, cornerback Prince Washington is from Houston, Texas and offensive lineman Kenny Fairley is from Georgia. Cornerback Will Rasmussen from Utah is the only player from the Mountain region.Kelly-Murray's commitment puts Colorado on pace to match the six four-stars they landed in the 2025 class, with the group headlined by Julian Lewis. The Buffs could still add more talent, including four-star defensive tackle Tyler Alexander from Florida, running back Kingston Miles from St. Louis and West Coast prospects like Benjamin Harris and Jaden Baldwin. If three-star wide receiver Isaiah Alvarez from New Jersey chooses Colorado, the national sweep would be complete.Follow James Carnes on X, Facebook and Instagram.Contact/Follow us @BuffaloesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Colorado news, notes and opinions.This article originally appeared on Buffaloes Wire: Colorado football 2027 recruiting class features players from 8 states

Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty ImagesPaddy Pimblett is happy with weight cut progress ahead of UFC 329 returnPaddy Pimblett says he’s in a good place physically, with just under two months to go before UFC 329.The Liverpool native hasn’t fought since January when he dropped a unanimous decision to Justin Gaethje at UFC 324. That loss ended his four-fight win streak inside the Octagon.Pimblett is set to return on July 11, facing Benoit Saint-Denis in Las Vegas. Saint-Denis, coming off back-to-back losses to Dustin Poirier and Renato Moicano, will be looking to bounce back against the popular lightweight.Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLCPaddy Pimblett faces a 33lb cut ahead of UFC 329Paddy Pimblett’s latest vlog gives fans a look at his training camp as he gets ready for his fight on Conor McGregor’s comeback card. The 31-year-old, often criticised for putting on weight between bouts, looked to be in decent shape.“That’s the first time we’ve seen 85kg, which is nice,” he said after tipping the scale at 189lbs. “I woke up 86.4kg. What was that, 85.7kg? Not bad.”After showing he still had 33lbs to lose before UFC 329, Pimblett had a message for those who have criticised him over his weight in the past.“I know youse always think I’m a fat, but the weight is actually sound. You can all think what you want. You have all these stupid fight dieticians posting pictures of me. You gang of bums. You can’t even make your own fighters make weight.”Read more:Conor McGregor sounds the alarm: Worst-case scenarios are on the radar before Max Holloway fightUFC stunned: Conor McGregor declines deal, drops bombshell tease of epic Netflix boutConor McGregor names the punch that could end Max Holloway’s night at UFC 329

Bruce KluckhohnLast summer, controversy swirled when it was revealed that former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, in his role as a Florida high school football coach, paid for his team’s meals and transportation. Evidently strictly forbidden, Bridgewater eventually left his job and returned to the NFL. He was also suspended. Fast forward to May 2026, and Florida lawmakers changed the rules.Bridgewater’s generosity became a fight over rules, but Florida lawmakers ultimately sided with common sense.The Bridgewater Act now allows exactly what the man provided: aid.The Bridgewater Act Flips Last Summer’s ControversyThey got this one right.Minnesota Vikings quarterbacks Teddy Bridgewater (5) and Taylor Heinicke (6) react following minicamp practice on Jun. 15, 2016 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Bridgewater continued leading Minnesota’s offense entering the 2016 campaign while Heinicke worked to develop as a young backup quarterback during organized team activities at Vikings headquarters. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY SportsThe Bridgewater Act Goes into LawIt’s done. Associated Pressreported Saturday: “Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the ‘Teddy Bridgewater Act’ into law Friday, meaning high school coaches in the state will now be able to use their own money to help their players with expenses such as food, transportation, physical therapy and rehabilitation services.”“The Bridgewater Act is named for the Florida native and longtime NFL quarterback who coached his alma mater, Miami Northwestern High, to a state championship in 2024. But he was suspended for the 2025 season after revealing that he personally paid for meals, ride-share services and treatments for some players.”Bridgewater was totally miffed by the outrage last summer. “There will be strict rules regarding how — and how much — coaches can spend. It would apply to a team’s head coach only, cannot be used in recruiting, must be reported in full to a state agency and is capped at $15,000 per team per year,” AP added.FL Governor on the LawBridgewater had Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on his side, paving the way for change. DeSantis said before signing the bill into law, “He got into this situation where he was paying for meals and rides for some of his players who were underprivileged and he was using his personal funds to do this. These were people that he was mentoring and that somehow got him suspended because of the way the rules were written.”“Look, there’s some possible downsides if you don’t have a structure like we have. But I also think the previous rules didn’t allow for the upside for a coach that really wants to make a difference in folks’ lives.”NFL fans and Florida residents largely sided with Bridgewater’s cause last summer, embracing the Robin Hood feel of his deeds. In that vein, it wasn’t difficult to see his intent. A Bizarre GrievanceBridgewater personally funded Uber rides, meals, clothing, and strength-and-conditioning support. When the story broke in July, many people simply shrugged. A wealthy former NFL quarterback using his own money to help high school players didn’t strike most as a major scandal.The FHSAA, however, viewed the situation differently.From their perspective, Bridgewater’s generosity provided certain athletes an unfair advantage. Since other high school players lacked access to similar resources, this, by their rules, rendered the entire arrangement illegal.Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater (5) reacts during the second half against the Arizona Cardinals on Dec. 10, 2015 at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Bridgewater battled throughout a tightly contested road matchup before Arizona secured a 23-20 victory over Minnesota in prime-time action. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY SportsThe public’s reaction was far simpler: “Who cares?”Bridgewater wasn’t accused of exploiting children, steering them toward agents, or running a clandestine recruiting operation. The sole complaint was that he had simply provided too much assistance. Most people found this perfectly acceptable; “He’s not hurting anyone,” was the obvious response, and it’s difficult to argue otherwise.Bridgewater, 10 months ago, said about the allegations: “I’m protective, and I’m a father first before anything. And when I decided to coach, those players became my sons. And I wanted to make sure that I just protected them in the best way that I can.”“I think that’s what came about. Miami Northwestern in a tough neighborhood and sometimes things can happen when the kids are walking home and things like that. So I was just trying to protect them and give them a ride home instead of having to take those dangerous walks.”Bridgwater Back with LionsMeanwhile, Bridgewater has not returned to high school football — the FHSAA suspended him — and is now the Detroit Lions’ backup quarterback. He’d be the first line of defense if something happened to Jared Goff.Detroit Lions quarterback Teddy Bridgewater waves to fans during pregame warmups before facing the Denver Broncos on Dec. 16, 2023 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. The veteran quarterback spent the 2023 season with Detroit, providing experienced depth and leadership for the Lions during their playoff push. Mandatory Credit: Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORKBridgewater played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2025.It’s unclear if Bridgewater will return to coaching when he formally retires (again) from the NFL. He did, though, effectuate change. Bridgewater will turn 34 in November and was the Vikings’ main ray of hope at quarterback in 2014 and 2015. The Vikings and Lions will lock horns for the first time in 2026 on November 1st.

BERLIN, GERMANY - MAY 23: Leon Goretzka of FC Bayern München celebrates after winning the DFB Cup Final 2026 match between FC Bayern München and VfB Stuttgart at Olympiastadion on May 23, 2026 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Christian Kaspar-Bartke/Getty Images) | Getty Images Leon Goretzka’s time as a Bayern Munich player has officially come to an end, capped off with winning both the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal in what’s been a truly remarkable season for the German Rekordmeister despite falling short in the Champions League. Bayern scored a record-setting 122 goals in the Bundesliga, beat some of the leagues top teams to get to the Pokal final, and were close to having beat both Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain to get to the Champions League final in Budapest, Hungary. For Goretzka, his time at Bayern comes to an end after eight seasons – a tenure during which he’s collected seven Bundesliga titles, one Champions League title, three DFB-Pokals, three German Supercups (DFL/Franz Beckenbauer), one FIFA Club World Cup, and one UEFA Supercup. In total, Goretzka made a total of 312 competitive appearances across all competitions, tallying 51 goals and 53 assists along the way. There were several different transfer windows where Goretzka was linked with a move away from Bayern due to inconsistencies in his form and being out of favor with either Julian Nagelsmann or Thomas Tuchel after he had been a stalwart in midfield alongside Joshua Kimmich under Hansi Flick. Now, the question is what’s next for Goretzka? There’s been several rumors linking him with a move to AC Milan and Italian journalist Nicolò Schira has reported that the midfielder’s agents are set to have meetings with the Serie A outfit this week. The Rossoneri would like to sign Goretzka on a free transfer as a free agent and are prepared to offer him a contract through 2029 with the potential of a one-year extension to 2030. The Milan FalloutAC Milan failing to qualify for the Champions League has resulted in a clearing house of sorts from the club’s ownership. Along with manager Massimiliano Allegri, CEO Giorgio Furlani, sporting director Igli Tare, and head of scouting Geoffrey Moncada have all been sacked with immediate effect, which could affect Goretzka’s standing. He was a transfer target of Allegri’s, but now there will be different personnel in charge at some point in the very near future and it remains to be seen whether or not they would still want to bring in the former Bochum, Schalke, and Bayern midfielder. For now, though, Goretzka’s focus will be on World Cup preparations with the German national team. If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast, Spotify, Apple, or any leading podcast distributor… Join the conversation!Sign up for a user account and get:New, improved notifications system!Fewer adsCreate community postsComment on articles, community postsRec comments, community posts

So, what do Houston Texans fans need to see by the end of OTAs later next month to feel confident in their roster heading into the 2026 season?Organized team activities begin on Tuesday for Houston, so things will certainly kick it up a notch in the second stage of offseason workouts. This will also mark the first time Houston will have players from both free agency and the draft working against each other, as well as the first time it will be able to run drills with meaning.No, nothing needs to be set in stone, but any promising growth could be a sign of what's to come in the regular season. Take for instance, last year, when rookie tackle Tay Ersery looked like one of the better linemen and earned the starting left tackle job, though initially he won the starting job at right tackle.Two years ago, defensive backs Calen Bullock and Kamari Lassiter looked like standouts, setting a baseline for what would later become Pro Bowl careers.So, what should fans want to find out about entering June? Here's the top five things Texans Wire will be watching for from the sidelines. Who is the starting center? Four offensive linemen's spots are locked up entering training camp. Ersery isn't in jeopardy of losing his starting left tackle position after starting 16 games last season. With Tytus Howard being traded, Ed Ingram is locked up at right guard. And with the signings of Wyatt Teller and Braden Smith, the left guard and right tackle spots, respectively, are secured until further notice. All that means is the center role will become a battle between first-round pick Keylan Rutledge and veteran Jake Andrews. Rutledge, who played right guard throughout his time at Georgia Tech, took some snaps at center during the Senior Bowl, which should be considered a key asset as to why he could be earning first-team reps. If Andrews looks stronger during drills, the good news for Rultedge is that he'll offer position flexibility, a key reason as to why the AFC South franchise was willing to move up to draft him in Round 1. It might be an uphill battle for Rutledge, especially since he's never played center in an actual game. But Andrews looks to be the weak link in the trenches. Houston can't afford in Year 2 of Nick Caley's offense to have a weakness in the trenches. What's the status of WR Tank Dell At some point, Dell has to see the field if fans are going to believe that he'll be an impactful option in the passing game. We're over 14 months removed from the former speedster's freak knee injury, which resulted in him undergoing multiple surgeries and missing the entire 2025 season. Everyone would love to see C.J. Stroud and Dell build off their 2023 success, but he has to get back on the field and show off the speed. That's not all. Houston drafted Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins in the first three rounds of the entire 2025 draft and has goals of getting them more involved in Year 2. The Texans also have Xavier Hutchinson, Nico Collins and rookie Lewis Bond all looking to make the field. Noel will be the top name to watch since he offers a similar skill set to that of Dell. Both are known for their route-running ability, catch radius and speed. More than anything. Noel has been healthy and well adjusted to Caley's offense, so he might even have an upper hand to see more reps from the jump. Dell is the type of player who can take the top off the defense and make it a house call at any moment. That's the plus. The negative? It's been more than a year since he’s played. So, what are the Texans getting in Dell? Are fans even going to see him run drills?Who is LB3? E.J. Speed suffered a partially torn quadriceps injury that required surgery and now will miss at least five months of action. There's a decent chance he'll return at some point during the year, but the Texans must go into the season with the intent of finding a No. 3 backer behind Pro Bowler Azeez Al-Shaair and Henry To'oTo'o. Houston has options waiting in the wings that understand DeMeco Ryans' defense. Jamal Hill and Jake Hansen are going on Year 3 in the defense, plus Houston traded for Marte Mapu and signed special teams ace Jake Hummel from the Baltimore Ravens. Mapu was a former starter with the New England Patriots as a weakside backer, so he could be a plug-and-play option. In reality, fans want to see if rookies Wade Woodaz and Aiden Fisher can be something. Both have multiple years of starting experience during their time at Clemson and Indiana, and can play different positions at the second level. Woodaz, a former starting safety, is better in coverage and has upside on special teams, but Fisher was one of college football's most consistent tacklers. Houston would love to have two young options with the potential of being plug-and-play contributors from the second the season begins, but Woodaz and Fisher will have to earn their spots on the staff. That starts with making an impact at OTAs. So, what's next for C.J. Stroud? Until a deal gets done, fans will speculate if Stroud is the long-term option at QB1. It's somewhat warranted, mainly because of the seven interceptions from the playoffs suffered back in January. Even if he former Offensive Rookie of the Year cut that in half, Houston likely would have been playing in its first Super Bowl. Everyone in the building, including Ryans, general manager Nick Caserio and CEO Cal McNair, has praised Stroud's ability to put last postseason in the past and build upon his success this offseason. The former No. 2 overall pick has spent the offseason nearly working out every day while changing his physique, hairstyle and approach to offseason workouts. The Texans have also done everything possible to make Stroud feel comfortable in Caley's offense, including rebuilding the offensive line and fixing the run game with the addition of Detroit Lions Pro Bowler David Montgomery. All the additions, at least on paper, seem to be built to thrive in the offensive approach under Caley's play-calling, meaning Stroud struggles, it might be on him and not the play-caller. Yes, the Texans are committed to Stroud and that's not changing going into the year. But for a deal to get done to make Stroud the face of the offense for years to come, the Pro Bowler has to prove the errors that cost Houston a chance at the Super Bowl are left in the past. You can't lose the offseason by having a bad OTA session, but you certainly can elevate the hype surrounding a player with a strong outing.How different is Nick Caley's offense in Year 2? By all accounts for a first-time play-caller, Caley was fine for the Texans. He helped Houston secure a 12-win campaign and made sure the team stayed consistent when Stroud missed three games because of a concussion. But Caley was brought in to enhance the offensive play design that would mirror that of Sean McVay with the Los Angeles Rams. Instead, it was more of evident of his time in New England under Bill Belichick, though it was missing a key assest of a solid run game. So, what will look different in Year 2 with a cast of new talent? Houston added in Rutledge, Smith and Teller because they thrived in run blocking, a key proponent of the success for the Rams. The Texans netted Montgomery because he was exceptional in the red zone, which has been a weak point for Houston since 2020. Los Angeles killed it with tight end play in 12 and 13-personnel looks, so Houston went out and brought in blocking tight end Foster Moreau and drafted Michigan's Marlin Klein. Will they all hit the ground running and bring a new feel to the offense? Can the young guns hold their own with veterans, or will everything come down to crash and burn? Caley survived Year 1 because of the 12 wins, but he's got to prove that the play-calling and offensive design will look different. Can it be by the end of OTA and mini camp? This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Top five things to watch at Texans OTA practices

FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - NOVEMBER 2: Tommy DeVito #16 of the New England Patriots looks to pass prior to an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons at Gillette Stadium on November 02, 2025 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images) | Getty Images Even though Tommy DeVito spent the entirety of 2025 as the New England Patriots’ third-string quarterback, the team saw enough of him to bump him up the depth chart this offseason. He was extended on a two-year, $4.4 million deal, while the team’s previous QB2, Joshua Dobbs, was released.This plus the fact that only one other quarterback currently is signed by the club — seventh-round rookie Behren Morton — means that DeVito is the odds-on favorite to back up Drake Maye in 2026. Let’s take a closer look at him and his projected role on the team.Hard factsName: Tommy DeVitoPosition: QuarterbackJersey number: 16Opening day age: 28 (8/7/1998)Measurements: 6’2”, 210 lbs, 29 7/8” arm length, 10 1/8” hand size, 4.59s 40-yard dash, 4.34s short shuttle, 33” vertical jump, 9’6” broad jump, 7.89 Relative Athletic ScoreExperienceNFL: New York Giants (2023-24), New England Patriots (2025-) | College: Syracuse (2017-21), Illinois (2022)Rated as either a three- or four-star recruit coming out of Don Bosco Preparatory in Ramsey, NJ, DeVito opted to take his talents to Syracuse. Despite spending five seasons with the Orange, however, he only started 18 games before entering the transfer portal midway through his 2021 redshirt campaign campaign. He moved to Illinois for his final year of eligibility and went on to have the most productive season of his career.Starting all 13 games he appeared in during the 2022 season, DeVito completed 69.6% of his passes for 2,650 yards, 15 touchdowns and four interceptions. He did attempt to stay in school for another year, but the NCAA denied his request. As a result, he headed to the NFL.DeVito went undrafted in 2023, and subsequently joined the Giants as a free agent. He opened his rookie season on the practice squad but still ended up starting six games (including a 10-7 win over the Patriots that indirectly helped New England land Drake Maye in the following year’s draft). Despite the Giants going 3-3 with him at the helm and DeVito becoming a fan favorite, he spent most of 2024 in a backup role and started only two more games.When he was waived by the Giants ahead of the 2025 roster cutdown deadline, he had appeared in a combined 12 games with eight starts, completing 145 of 222 passes (65.3%) for 1,358 yards with eight touchdowns and three interceptions. DeVito subsequently joined the Patriots in a backup role, and was retained as a restricted free agent after the season.Scouting reportStrengths: DeVito has the size you are looking for in an NFL quarterback and also provides some solid baseline athleticism. His arm is decent in the short and intermediate range and he has a compact and repeatable release while lining up his lower and upper body to generate good torque to push the ball downfield. He has also shown some advanced footwork in the pocket as well as the ability to evade pressure or create second opportunities for himself, as well as the confidence to make decisive and quick decisions. In general, DeVito is a tough cookie at the quarterback position who has earned praise for his work behind the scenes and command when inserted into the lineup.Weaknesses: DeVito has an NFL-caliber arm in some aspects but lacks the high-end traits that differentiate the backups from the starters. He is a willing but ultimately uneven vertical passer, something that is also true for passes into tight windows; his zip and ball placement do not significantly improve the odds on low-percentage throws, and his accuracy drops of more than you would want the deeper you go downfield; driving the ball is not a strength of his. Some of his decisions, however, do not always reflect his limitations. Overall, there have been flashes of starter-caliber play, but sustaining those has proven to be a problem three years into his career.2025 reviewStats: N/ASeason recap: After finding partial success during his first two seasons in the NFL, DeVito entered 2025 as part of a rebuilt Giants quarterback group. The team had drafted Jaxson Dart in the first round and also acquired veterans Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston in the offseason, putting him in a fight for his roster life.It was not one he would win. Despite going 30-for-38 (78.9%) for 323 yards with four touchdowns and an interception in his 55 preseason snaps, the Giants opted to release him in late August in favor of the Dart, Wilson and Winston combo at quarterback. While he appeared to be a candidate to be re-signed to New York’s practice squad, he did not make it that far: the Patriots, owning fourth priority on the waiver claim order, picked him up one day after he got cut.In New England, DeVito joined a rigid quarterback depth chart. Drake Maye was the clear-cut No. 1, with veteran Joshua Dobbs having spent all of the offseason and training camp as his backup. As a consequence, the latest addition to the group ended up slotting into the No. 3 role.As such, DeVito was made inactive each game of the season. He therefore ended 2025 with zero snaps between the regular season and playoffs, his first time ever going snap-less throughout an NFL season.2026 previewPosition: Second-string quarterback | Ability: Depth player/Role player | Contract: Signed through 2027 (2028 UFA)What will be his role? After spending 2025 as a third-string/emergency option at quarterback, DeVito is slated to spend 2026 as the Patriots’ No. 2 behind Drake Maye. As such, his value lies primarily in supporting Maye and helping him prepare during the week; the same is true for his role as a practice arm. As for his in-game contributions, the best case from a team perspective would be for him to not play any meaningful snaps whatsoever.What is his growth potential? DeVito burst onto the scene as a rookie but since then has not taken any significant steps forward, culminating in the Giants releasing him and the Patriots picking him up as a waiver claim. That change of scenery might allow him to develop on a different trajectory, but his ceiling overall still seems limited to being a backup with some spot-starter experience.Does he have positional versatility? DeVito is a solid athlete but not really what you would describe as a dual-threat quarterback. From that perspective, his versatility is limited. Of course, versatility is not what teams are primarily looking for in their quarterbacks; as long as he can adequately fill his role on the roster, he is A-OK.What is his salary cap situation? A restricted free agent this offseason, DeVito was not tendered by the Patriots but rather kept via the aforementioned two-year contract worth $4.4 million. The 2026 version of that deal comes with a $1.55 million salary cap hit that includes a $1.15 million base salary and $325,000 signing bonus proration, both of which are fully guaranteed. In addition, there are roster ($425,000) and workout bonuses ($75,000) and $1.5 million in incentives. Out of those up to $2 million, only the workout bonus is classified as likely to be earned and therefore part of New England’s current cap.How safe is his roster spot? While backup quarterbacks oftentimes look like a fungible commodity, DeVito very much looks like a safe bet to make the Patriots’ roster this season. Not only would releasing him bring no real financial benefits, it also would rob the team of its only experienced backup QB on; until seventh-round rookie Behren Morton can step up, the QB2 spot is DeVito’s to lose — and he seems poised not to lose it this year.Summary: As far as backup quarterbacks are concerned, DeVito is a pretty big name. Obviously, that is not why the Patriots decided to bring him in last year, though; they rather saw something in him worth further developing. The 27-year-old will likely only get limited chances to show his progress, but that is the life of an NFL backup quarterback — something the Patriots are hoping for won’t change in 2026.What do you think about Tommy DeVito heading into the 2026 season? Is his roster spot as secure as it looks? Will he play any meaningful snaps? Please head down to the comment section to share your thoughts.

The Detroit Pistons may not be satisfied sitting at No. 21 in the upcoming 2026 NBA Draft.According to a report from Brett Siegel, Detroit has interest in potentially trading up to target Michigan standout Yaxel Lendeborg, one of the most intriguing forwards in this year’s class.And based on his résumé, it is easy to understand why.Yaxel Lendeborg coming off monster season at MichiganLendeborg helped lead Michigan to the 2025-26 NCAA Championship while putting together one of the best all-around seasons in college basketball.The 6-foot-9 forward averaged:15.1 points per game6.8 rebounds per game3.2 assists per game51.5% shooting from the field37.2% from three-point rangeHe also posted an impressive 25.4 PER while showcasing versatility on both ends of the floor.His trophy case is stacked as well.Lendeborg earned:2025-26 Big Ten Player of the YearConsensus All-American honorsAll-Big Ten honorsNCAA Championship honorsTwo-time AAC Defensive Player of the Year recognition earlier in his careerDetroit Pistons looking for frontcourt versatilityThe Pistons already have a strong young core led by Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson, and Jalen Duren, but Detroit’s playoff run exposed several roster weaknesses.Adding more size, shooting, versatility, and defensive flexibility appears to be a priority heading into the offseason.Lendeborg checks a lot of those boxes.His ability to defend multiple positions while also stretching the floor offensively could make him an ideal fit alongside Detroit’s current roster construction.And if the Pistons truly believe another team could select him before No. 21, moving up in the draft may become a legitimate possibility.Could Detroit actually trade up?That remains the big question.The Pistons currently own the No. 21 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, but teams coming off deep playoff runs often become more aggressive when they believe they are close to contending for a championship.Detroit clearly views itself in that category now.After winning 60 games and earning the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference before falling to Cleveland in seven games, the front office appears focused on finding players who can immediately help elevate the roster.Lendeborg may be one of those targets.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 19: Sam Merrill #5 of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts during the third quarter of a game against the New York Knicks in Game One of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Madison Square Garden on May 19, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) | Getty Images The Cleveland Cavaliers will try to avoid being swept off their home floor. Share your thoughts as the game unfolds. If you aren’t a member of the community, sign up so you can talk to your fellow Cavalier fans and make your voice heard! Go Cavs!