ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - MAY 30: Kyle Leahy #62 of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches against the Chicago Cubs in the first inning at Busch Stadium on May 30, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Joe Puetz/Getty Images) | Getty Images After a much-needed day off, the St. Louis Cardinals open another home series Friday night versus the Cincinnati Reds. Kyle Leahy will make the start for the Cardinals while the Reds are scheduled to send Brady Singer to the mound. First pitch scheduled for 7:15pm central time at Busch Stadium. Broadcast being handled by Cardinals.tv. Note that JJ Wetherholt is not in the lineup as reports say he’s dealing with lower body soreness.Join the conversation!Sign up for a user account and get:Fewer adsCreate community postsComment on articles, community postsRec comments, community postsNew, improved notifications system!

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - MAY 31: Michael Wacha #52 of the Kansas City Royals pitches against the Texas Rangers during the first inning at Globe Life Field on May 31, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images For the second game in a row, the Royals won with ninth-inning runs. Tonight, perhaps they can make things a little bit easier on those of us who already suffer from various heart, blood pressure, or anxiety diseases.Michael Wacha will take the mound for KC. His last start, against Texas, didn’t go so great. He allowed 6 runs in only 5 innings. He didn’t face the Twins in their earlier series this year, but he faced them three times last year. Unfortunately, those numbers weren’t great, either. He pitched a total of 16 innings and allowed 7 runs with 6 walks and only 10 strikeouts. His final start wasn’t bad, though, allowing only a single run in 5.2 innings.He will be countered by Zebby Matthews of the Twins. Zebby has a career 5.71 ERA, and he’s having his best big league season yet with a 4.63 ERA, though he’s giving up almost 2 home runs per 9 innings. He spent the beginning of the season in the minors, but returned to the bigs in May and will be making his sixth start tonight.Zebby throws six pitches, and 5 of them at least 8% of the time. It all comes down to his slider, though, the only truly effective pitch he has to offer. That single pitch has a 41.7% chase rate and 41% whiff rate, both of which are elite. Oddly, he still chooses to throw it only 18.1% of the time, but throws his four-seam fastball more than twice as often at 39.9% of the time. The fastball is almost never missed when swung at, and it can get hit hard. So the Royals should probably be focusing there.LineupsThe Royals will continue using Carter Jensen in the leadoff spot. He hasn’t been particularly good there, but the team has actually been scoring runs since the adjustment was made. Maikel Garcia is still out of the starting lineup. He pinch hit last night, but didn’t look great doing it and once he took the walk, he was immediately lifted for a pinch runner.As for the Twins, they have a lineup full of nobodies and Royal killers. Byron Buxton is good against everyone but saves some of his best work for KC. Kody Clemens has hit more than 1/5 of his career home runs against KC including two last night. Luke Keaschall looked like he was going to be a super star late last summer against KC but has been something less than mediocre to start the year. Austin Martin would be a below-average hitter if he hadn’t been able face the Royals a few times. Still, when your lineup has Orlando Arcia batting fifth, it’s not a good lineup. Hopefully Michael Wacha will make it look just that easy tonight.

Another primetime high school football matchup will be televised live on the ESPN network for the start of the 2026 season. [ $19.99 gets you a FULL year of On3 | Rivals national coverage ]Rivals has confirmed through multiple sources that Franklin (Tenn.) Battle Ground Academy and Fairhope (Ala.) St. Michael Catholic will square off in a nationally televised high school football showdown on the ESPN network with kickoff slated for 1:30 p.m. Central Time. 247’s Tom Loy was first to report the matchup.It was just last week that the Georgia high school football heavyweight showdown between GHSA Class 6A state champion Buford and Class 5A finalist Gainesville was announced will be televised on ESPN. This wouldn’t be the first time St. Michael Catholic has been featured on ESPN as the Cardinals faced Jackson last year in October in a regular season matchup. The 2025 contest between the Aggies and Cardinals was apart of the ESPN SC Next Showcase. The future NFL Hall of Famer Philip Rivers completed his fifth season as the head football coach at St. Michael Catholic, with the Cardinals’ 2025 campaign ending in the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) Class 4A state semifinals, losing to eventual champion Jackson, 44-23.The Cardinals finished the last season with a 13-1 record and Rivers’ son, Gunner, returning for his senior campaign may have played a major factor in the decision. Last season, the younger Rivers ended up completed 237 of 343 passes for 3,176 yards, 46 touchdowns and just five interceptions. Rivers’ best game this season was in a 49-7 win over Orange Beach, completing 16 of 18 passes for 271 yards and four scores.Battle Ground Academy finished the 2026 campaign with 13-1 record and won the TSSAA Division II-AA state championship, defeating Franklin Road Academy, 61-27. The Wildcats return a star studded cast of players, including 2028 four-star wide receiver Maximus Curry and 2028 three-star safety Jeisun Thompson. St. Michael Catholic ended last season as the No. 30 ranked team in the state, according to the final Alabama 2025 High School FootballMassey Rankings.More about St. Michael Catholic High SchoolSt. Michael Catholic High School, established in 2016 in Fairhope, AL, is a private Roman Catholic institution aiming to develop scholars, leaders, and disciples of Jesus Christ. With a diverse curriculum that includes Advanced Placement courses, it supports a variety of extracurricular activities. The school competes in the AHSAA at the 4A level, offering sports like football, basketball, and soccer. Notably, it has achieved success in cross country and cheerleading, fostering a strong athletic spirit within its community​.More about Battle Ground AcademyBattle Ground Academy (BGA), located in Franklin, Tennessee, is a historic college-preparatory school founded in 1889. Serving students from kindergarten through grade 12, BGA emphasizes academic excellence, character development, and leadership skills within a close-knit and supportive community. Known for its rigorous academic programs and diverse extracurricular opportunities, including competitive athletics, BGA fosters intellectual curiosity, resilience, and a commitment to service among its students, preparing them for college and lifelong success.

What To KnowZuffa Boxing 07 makes its UK debut, the first card outside the Meta APEX in Las Vegas, on Saturday featuring the cruiserweight division.Zuffa Boxing 07 airs in the U.S. on Paramount Plus, and in the UK on Sky Sports.Chris Billam-Smith fights in his hometown of Bournemouth against Canadian Ryan Rozicki, with the winner hoping to face Zuffa cruiserweight Jai Opetaia.In the weekend’s major boxing card, Dana White takes Zuffa Boxing across the Atlantic for its official UK debut. Zuffa Boxing 07 features former cruiserweight champion Chris Billam-Smith of Bournemouth facing Ryan Rozicki of Nova Scotia, Canada on Billam-Smith’s home turf at the Bournemouth International Centre in Bournemouth, England.Zuffa Boxing 07 airs live on Paramount Plus in the United States, with the main card getting underway at 4:30 p.m. ET/1:30 p.m. PT. Prelims air starting at 11:30 a.m. ET/8:30 a.m. PT.Watch Friday’s Zuffa Boxing 07 ceremonial weigh-in.Zuffa Boxing continues its high-level cruiserweight matchups with a clash of contenders at 200 pounds between former world champion Chris Billam-Smith, who returns home to take on Canadian knockout artist Ryan Rozicki.Both Billam-Smith (21-2, 13 KOs) and Rozicki (21-1-1, 20 KOs) know the winner will go on to bigger opportunities, including against Zuffa’s cruiserweight star Jai Opetaia.Zuffa Boxing 07 promoter Dana White said it’s precisely the type of matchup he promises from his new venture.“You’ve got the skill, the power that these guys have, but more importantly the mentality going into this fight,” said White. “I expect the fights to be incredible, and I say it all the time: there is nothing better than live sports in the UK.”Billam-Smith knows he must get past Rozicki to get his shot at Zuffa cruiserweight ruler Jai Opetaia of Australia, and he needs a statement-type win to ensure the matchup happens.Billam-Smith has faced the more significant opposition with wins over Lawrence Okolie, Mateusz Masternak, Richard Riakporhe and former Zuffa Boxing title challenger Brandon Glanton, who lost to Opetaia in his last fight. CBS wants nothing less than a statement-making victory on home soilRozicki is fighting for the first time in the UK, and the intense Canadian plans to unleash his punching power against Billam-Smith to crush his hopes. Rozicki has been angling for a title fight opportunity without success. When the Zuffa offer beckoned, he didn’t hesitate.After the weigh-in Rozicki said, “Nothing but respect to Chris, I’ve shown nothing but respect. I’m going to do what I do. He’s a great fighter. We’ll see what happens.” Rozicki knows he’s going into a hostile environment, but made it clear it doesn’t matter to him.Billam-Smith Counting On The Hometown CrowdChris Billam-Smith will have the Bournemouth faithful behind him on Saturday. Photo: Ed Mulholland, Zuffa BoxingBillam-Smith is leaning into the enthusiasm of his hometown fans. “It’s unbelievable. I love it. Boxing at home is an honor, and we know what this venue brings,” said Billam-Smith, who said he will probably know half the people in the venue by name.“I’m glad they’re here. He’s got a great record. It’s a fight that gets me switched on, and that’s why you’ll see the best me.”After an intense final faceoff, Billam-Smith shrugged it off as typical gameplay. “We’ll bring the win home again,” promised Billam-Smith.Billam-Smith said what convinced him to make a change and embark on a new adventure as a Zuffa Boxing athlete.“Just how valued I’ve felt,” he explained. “I felt so valued from the start of the conversations, and then arriving on fight week, I think all the fighters are really valued, and see what the setup is, and see how huge the whole machine is. You’ve got everything provided for you.”Billiam-Smith managed to neutralize a big puncher in Richard Riakporhe with a smart gameplan, and he did the same in his last fight against Brandon Glanton.“There’s no point in me just standing and trading with him and hoping I come out on top, because that gives him a much bigger chance of winning. But I’m also not going to be running the whole fight, and just looking to not get hit at all, you know? It’s going to happen at some point. So it’s just about being in the right positions at the right time, then picking my moments.”Rosicki will try to employ short hooks and uppercuts on the inside. It’s in his best interests to make it a rough fight, calling Jack Dempsey his role model. Rosicki taunted Billam-Smith all week about running from him on Saturday.Cruiserweight Co-Main Event: Jack Massey vs Chev ClarkeThe co-main event of the evening will see an all-British cruiserweight battle as former world title challenger and ex-European and Commonwealth champion Jack “One Smack” Massey takes on 2020 Team GB Olympian and former British cruiserweight champion Chev “C4” Clarke.Massey (23-3, 13 KOs) challenged Opetaia for his IBF World title October 2024 and fell short. He took a year away from the ring to rebuild and returned with a fourth-round stoppage victory over Ivan Gabriel Garcia of Argentina in November.Massey hopes a win over Clarke (11-2, 8 KOs) will give him a rematch with Jai Opetaia. Clarke is rebuilding his way up through the division after losing to Viddal Riley in a fight for the British cruiserweight title.Also On The Undercard From BournemouthBritish middleweights Lee Cutler of Bournemouth (15-2, 7 KOs) and Aaron Sutton (19-2, 3 KOs) will fight in a 163-pound catchweight bout scheduled for ten rounds.Cutler lost a controversial technical decision defeat to Sam Eggington in April 2025 after an alleged headbutt left Eggington cut and unable to continue. Replay later showed that a punch caused the cut and, despite a rematch being ordered, Eggington opted out of it.Cutler hopes to start his Zuffa Boxing era with a win against Sutton, who also looks to bounce back after falling losing to current British champion George Liddard in a title eliminator in May 2025.Another middleweight matchup on the main card pits Stevie “The Hitman” McKenna of Ireland (15-1, 14 KOs) against “The Comeback Kid” Casey James Streeter (15-3-2, 6 KOs), scheduled for eight rounds.McKenna returns from a 539-day layoff, the longest of his career, after his first loss in December 2024 to Lee Cutler by majority decision. He faces one of the few Americans on the Zuffa card, Casey James Streeter of Portland, Maine. Streeter saw a six-fight unbeaten run snapped when he lost out to prospect Leo Ruiz in his Zuffa Boxing debut in February. Now fighting at 160 pounds for the first time in his career, Streeter hopes the move up in weight serves him well.The main card opens with a Scotland-versus-England catchweight clash as Sam Hickey of Scotland takes on Todd Tompkins of Birmingham in a battle of prospects at 163 pounds, both with four wins and no losses.Hickey won a Commonwealth Games gold for Scotland in 2022 but lost out on representing Team GB in Paris when the middleweight division was not contested was removed from the Games.Early Action: Heavyweight SlobberknockerIt will be an uphill battle for Harvey Dykes against Ivan Dychko. Photo: Ed Mulholland, Zuffa BoxingWorth a look in early action is a heavyweight matchup squarely in the slobberknocker category.Harvey Dykes of England (7-0-1) hopes to hold onto his unbeaten record but he has a tough task ahead of him against two-time Olympic bronze medalist Ivan Dychko of Kazakhstan (15-1, 14 KOs). Dychko lost in the 2021 London Olympic semi-finals to Anthony Joshua. He is making his Zuffa boxing debut.Dykes works full time as a trash collector, but he received a phone call a week out from the fight with the offer to appear on the Zuffa UK debut against Dychko. It would be a life-changing win should the 30-year-old play spoiler and survive ten rounds with the knockout specialist. He weighed in at 240 pounds, against 243 pounds for Dychko. Dykes will give up 5.5 inches in height to the 6-foot-9 Dychko.

Jordy Frahm is continuing her career in college softball with Nebraska. The four-time All-American pitcher is joining the Cornhuskers’ coaching staff, the program announced on Friday. Frahm, 23, concluded a stellar college run with Nebraska’s defeat to eventual national champion Texas in the Women’s College World Series on Sunday. She carried a perfect game into the fifth inning before the Longhorns rallied for a 3-1 win to advance to the WCWS semifinals.The senior right-hander pitched 22 innings during Nebraska’s first WCWS since 2013. In three WCWS starts, she allowed nine runs, 14 hits and 17 strikeouts. That included an epic 10-inning, 133-pitch performance in a win over Arkansas. In three NCAA tournament appearances, Frahm threw 11 scoreless innings, allowing one hit with 24 strikeouts. In a regional win over Grand Canyon, she racked up 16 strikeouts. Frahm finished her college playing career with two WCWS national championships (both won with Oklahoma), WCWS Most Outstanding Player honors and two NFCA National Player of the Year awards, while being named to four All-American first teams. In two seasons with Oklahoma and three with Nebraska, Frahm compiled a 1.29 ERA, 91-17 record and 937 strikeouts. She was also productive as a hitter, batting .422 with a 1.356 OPS,43 home runs and 126 RBI. Playing professionally and adding her high profile to the AUSL seemed like a natural next step. However, she surprisingly did not receive a Golden Ticket from the league as one of its top draft selections. That development was explained when Frahm revealed that she is pregnant following Nebraska’s elimination from the WCWS. While that seemingly puts her playing career on hold, she can now continue her involvement as a coach with Rhonda Reveille’s staff at Nebraska. Perhaps she hinted at that next step in her softball career when speaking to reporters on Sunday night. “The cool thing about that is just because I'm done playing now, that doesn't have to be over, that doesn't have to end,” Frahm said, via Yahoo Sports’ Cassandra Negley. “Growing the game will now just look different,” she added. “It will still be the same love for wanting to grow the sport, especially in the state of Nebraska, but all over the country. Just the way I go about that will look a little different now.”Frahm has an opportunity to resume her playing career with Team USA for the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics, if she so chooses. (The softball competition will be held at Oklahoma City’s Devon Park, home for the WCWS and USA Softball.) She has some time to make that decision while coaching for the Cornhuskers.

Mr. Becerra was long dismissed in the contest until the abrupt departure of Eric Swalwell created a surprise path for an experienced Democrat.

HARRISONBURG — It was the first throw of the day for Sarah Piner, and the Riverheads sophomore let it fly.Coming into the meet, Piner was seeded second in Virginia High School League Class 1 discus, just about a foot behind Auburn's Allyson Harris, the defending state champion. Piner's top throw this year had been 119-5 1/2, a school record.On Friday afternoon, June 5, Piner broke that record — the third time she's done that this season — with a distance of 125-3 1/2. It was her first throw of the meet and stood until the end, giving Piner the Class 1 state championship. She beat Harris, who's top throw was 114-9 1/2."It feels pretty good," Piner said. "I'm very thankful and blessed. I'm thankful for all my coaches, my teammates and everyone who's pushed me through and supported me."More: Monthlong Staunton street test reshapes traffic, invites feedbackMore: Fort Defiance easily advances to girls tennis state semifinalsPiner stepped in to throw for the first time Friday, saying she knew she just had to relax and trust the work she's put in. As soon as she let it go, she knew it was probably a personal best. She didn't think it'd be a personal best by almost six feet, though."I was pleasantly surprised," Piner said. Piner just started throwing as a freshman, deciding she wanted to do a second sport in the spring to go along with softball. Her first throws were around 75 feet. Her throwing coach, Jeremy Heizer, said she was lacking in technique, but he saw something there with which he could work.By the time regionals rolled around — Riverheads was in Class 2 a year ago — Piner threw 101-6, good enough for third. She couldn't break 100-feet in the state meet, finishing ninth.This season, though, Piner found her groove. Piner began this spring as a dual-sport athlete, but gave up softball early in the season to focus on throwing. Heizer believes that's a big reason she was successful this year. Trying to manage two sports in one season is a lot for any athlete. Piner was able to work on just throwing and it paid off.Heizer wasn't shocked after that first throw Friday, saying the "sky's the limit" on her potential."She put the pressure on everyone else, right off the bat," Heizer said. The coach said he has seen that backfire, with the competition stepping up and responding to that pressure. It didn't happen Friday. No one was even close to Piner's first throw.As far as next year, and the year after that, the coach doesn't see any reason Piner can't continue just getting better. "She has a good shot at three (state championships) in a row," Heizer said.Piner wasn't ready to go that far, but she has thought about the next two years. "That goal is to just keep improving and help my team as much as possible in the future," Piner said. "And hopefully have a repeat."Patrick Hite is a reporter at The News Leader. Story ideas and tips are always welcome. Connect with Patrick (he/him/his) at phite@newsleader.com and on Instagram @hitepatrick. Subscribe to us at newsleader.com.This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Riverheads' Sarah Piner wins Virginia High School League discus title

Jun. 5—Owen Metz was the starting pitcher for the Riverview baseball team in Monday's PIAA Class 2A first-round game against District 10 champion Mercyhurst Prep.Miles Duncan was behind the plate for the rematch of last year's first-round contest with the Lakers.Lukas Duncan started in center field. He was flanked by Ian Stempfer in left and Owen Orbich in right.Around the diamond stood Liam Tomlinson at third, Rex Roberts at short, Ashton Saunders at second and Jake Sprajcar at first.Dom DelRosso was the designated hitter.That could be the lineup for next year's opener.There might be some changes in positions, but coach Bill Gras won't have to say goodbye to any of them or key reserves Ben Radelet and Nate Boyer.Everyone on the roster from this year's WPIAL third-place team, which finished 15-8 with a 4-0 loss to the Lakers, are underclassmen and can come back next year.With some younger players ready to bolster the ranks, Gras is excited to see what this team can do as they look to take that next step in the WPIAL and hope for a return to states in 2027."The guys played their hearts out (Monday) against a very good Mercyhurst Prep team," Gras said. "The guys never quit. As long as they had at-bats, they were battling."The Lakers and Raiders played even baseball except for one half inning when Prep scored all of the game's runs. They collected just two hits but took advantage of three Riverview errors."Riverview, which finished with three hits off Prep Division I commit Hunter Krahe, had their chances to score.They threatened in the sixth by loading the bases with two out. Stempfer and Miles Duncan singled off Krahe, and Metz drew a walk.Krahe excited the game at that point, but reliever Brady Rice came on and got the final out with a groundout to end the attempted Raiders uprising.Gras said there was a little frustration and disappointment after Monday's loss from a group that had high hopes entering the state tournament after a 3-1 run in the WPIAL playoffs that featured two close wins, a competitive loss to the top seed, and a dominating performance for third place, which lifted them to the PIAA bracket.Riverview's postseason journey this spring, in a way, mirrored last year's run.The Raiders, who finished runner-up to South Side in the battle for the Section 3 title, earned the No. 4 seed for the WPIAL playoffs and made the plays they needed to edge No. 13 Frazier, 5-4, in the first round.They took out No. 5 Laurel, 4-2, in the quarterfinals before falling to No. 1 Fort Cherry in the semifinals.Riverview found itself back at Washington & Jefferson's Ross Memorial Park for the third game with South Side. The teams split their section series, and Riverview broke the tie in a big way with a 12-2, six-inning triumph.Miles Duncan, who hit his first varsity home run against South Side, finished the season with a team-leading .422 average (27 of 64). His nine doubles also were a team best.Lukas Duncan was right behind his twin brother, batting .419 (26 for 62) with seven doubles. He fronted the lineup with 21 RBIs.Riverview batted .300 as a team and scored 5.4 runs a game.Lukas Duncan, Roberts and Metz are expected to again form the core of an effective pitching staff next spring when the Raiders drop down to Class A for the next two-year alignment cycle.Gras said the players responded well to a couple of new coaches this spring, and with the entire coaching staff set to be back next year, it will go a long way toward furthering team continuity."The kids responded on the field in games and in practice," he said. "It's all positive going into next year."The team members will go their separate ways for the summer. The Duncan twins will play together in the Youngstown B league, and Sprajcar and Tomlinson, both freshman, and DelRosso, a sophomore, will stay together on the newly formed Plum Legion team in the District 31 League.Stempfer and Roberts are expected to play a lot of golf over the next few months as they get set for the fall high school season and what they hope is another run to the PIAA tournament."Everyone is doing something," Gras said. "We're going to get the eighth graders together here sometime in the next month or so and introduce them to our program and get them ready for fall ball."Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

Florida high school football schedules for the 2026 season are coming out one-by-one out of every state around the country and one region that is always a breeding ground for college prospects is over in the Central Florida region (Flagler, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Volusia counties), with a number of squads finalizing their fall slates.[ $19.99 gets you a FULL year of On3 | Rivals national coverage ]Next Florida high school football powerhouse school to release their schedule for the 2026 season are the Orlando (Fla.) The First Academy Royals. The Royals had to play a complete independent schedule last year after serving a postseason ban imposed by the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA). With the new season ahead, the Royals will be able to compete in state championship competition as they have put together one of the tougher schedules in the state. The First Academy graduates a lot of 2026 talent, but do return a number of key starters including 2027 four-star offensive lineman Reed Ramsier, 2027 three-star athlete Brian Dillard, 2027 three-star safety David Coleman Jr. and 2027 three-star cornerback Kamauri Whitfield.The full The First Academy 2026 football schedule can be seen below, with all official game times to be announced at a later date.The First Academy Football 2026 ScheduleAug. 14 – at Lakeland (Fla.) Kathleen, 7 p.m. – Kickoff ClassicAug. 21 – Orlando (Fla.) Dr. Phillips, 7 p.m.Aug. 28 – at Orlando (Fla.) Edgewater, 7 p.m.Sep. 4 – at Port Charlotte (Fla.), 7 p.m.Sep. 11 – at Groveland (Fla.) South Lake, 7 p.m.Sep. 18 – Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy, 7 p.m.Oct. 2 – Cocoa (Fla.), 7 p.m.Oct. 9 – Southwest Ranches (Fla.) Archbishop McCarthy, 7 p.m.Oct. 16 – West Boca Raton (Fla.), 7 p.m.Oct. 23 – at Huntersville (NC) Ambassador Christian, 7 p.m.Oct. 30 – at Lakeland (Fla.), 7:30 p.m. The Royals 2026 varsity football schedule is locked in and complete!Which matchup are you most excited to see?@reedramsier@Bamwhitfield#TJW#PTBDpic.twitter.com/cJKxtx18Hr— The First Academy Football (@Royals__FB) June 5, 2026The Royals ended this past season with a 10-0 record and finishing at No. 26 in the final 2025 Florida High School Football Massey Rankings. More about The First AcademyEstablished in 1978, with a pioneering concept known as the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy, IMG Academy has since grown to become a global phenomenon. Today, IMG Academy is the world’s leading sports education brand, providing access and opportunity for student-athletes with an innovative suite of on-campus and online programming. IMG Academy is the only education brand directly responsible for filling one-quarter of all college roster spots on an annual basis. In 2021 alone, IMG Academy helped place 30,000 kids into college.

Another mid-season departure from the Hornets during the 2025-26 season was former Colorado guard KJ Simpson. Despite showing flashes of play-making ability at times for the Hornets last season, Charlotte decided to cut ties with Simpson after 14 appearances this year, making room to sign Tosan Evbuomwan on a two-way deal instead. This news was especially devastating for Simpson, considering he was dealing with a hip injury at the time. Despite being called up, Evbuomwan didn't log an NBA minute for the Hornets after playing in five games with the New York Knicks.In Simpson's 14 games with Charlotte, his efficiency was slightly up while his counting stats were down, averaging eight less minutes per game. However, Simpson's shooting numbers still weren't great, converting on just 34.8% of field goals and 30.8% of 3-pointers. In total, Simpson averaged six points, 2.5 assists, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.1 steals in 15.9 minutes of play. Following his departure from Charlotte, Denver scooped him up on a two-year, two-way contract, giving him another chance with the Nuggets next season.Overall grade: CThis article originally appeared on Rookie Wire: Hornets 2025-26 player grades: KJ Simpson

Knicks vs Spurs box score: Full stats from NBA Finals Game 2 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The New York Knicks came back after a Jalen Brunson injury scare to beat the Spurs by ten in Game 1. Effectively removing home court advantage from the Spurs until such a time that the Spurs can get a road win. As of today, Jalen Brunson did not appear on the Knicks injury report for Game 2. The only name on that report is Mitchell Robinson who is probable with a finger issue that stems from the Cleveland series. There's no such thing as a much win game in the second game of a seven-game series. However, the Spurs have plenty of adjustments they need to make. In Game 1, the Spurs did not win a single shooting stat. The alarming factor is that the Spurs only won two categories in any statistical metric. Fast break points and rebounds. Victor Wembanyama did his part from an individual statistics standpoint. Any time Wemby registers 25+ points and 10+ rebounds, the Spurs have had a much better winning percentage in these playoffs. The Spurs team shooting must get better. 36% from the floor and 26% from three is just not going to cut it against a Knicks team that has no issues scoring in volume. More: Knicks vs. Spurs live score, updates, highlights from 2026 NBA Finals Game 1Knicks vs Spurs NBA Finals Game 2 Box ScoreNew York KnicksBox score information will appear here once the game beginsSan Antonio SpursBox score information will appear here once the game beginsWATCH:Stream Spurs vs Knicks Game 2 with PeacockMore NBA Playoff news:San Antonio has best NBA Playoff win since 198310,170 days: Spurs vs. Thunder Western Conference Finals is a generational NBA Playoff seriesSpurs vs. Thunder: 2026 NBA Western Conference Finals schedule announcedFull stats from NBA Playoffs Western Conference Finals Game 1Spurs vs. Thunder final score, results: Victor Wembanyama goes off with 41 points, 24 rebounds in 2OT thriller

At least 18 ICE detainees have died shortly after being released from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities this year. This week, ICE announced that it would no longer release information related to such deaths. Advocates worry that this will obscure ICE’s practice of releasing severely sick detainees so that they die outside of facilities. In 2021, the Biden administration ordered ICE to report to Congress about any detainees who die within 30 days of being released from ICE facilities. ICE detainees “routinely” die at hospitals after being transported there for conditions that have worsened inside detention facilities, NBC News reported. Related The Trump admin is trying to collect trans kids’ medical information. So families are suing. In March, ICE reported that 46 people died while in their custody or detention facilities since the start of the second Trump administration; at least nine have died due to suicide, and five have died from other causes, the Kaiser Family Foundation reported. ICE has said that detainees receive adequate medical care, but detainees at the Delaney Hall ICE detention facility in Newark, New Jersey and elsewhere have alleged medical neglect, poor sanitary conditions, and rotten food. Markwayne Mullin, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), repeatedly refused under Senate questioning on Tuesday to commit to following court orders to restrict illegal actions by the DHS.

Following an outcry over a plan to forbid spectators from carrying water bottles to World Cup games, FIFA has reversed course. FIFA COO Heimo Schirg announced Friday that fans will be permitted to take a single water bottle into World Cup games hosted in the United States and Canada. It’s not clear how or if the policy will impact games played in Mexico. A bottle must be factory-sealed, soft and no larger than 20 ounces. Schirg announced the new policy via a video shared by FIFA clarifying what kind of bottles are and are not permitted:The announcement reverses a controversial decision that FIFA announced Wednesday forbidding fans from taking their own water bottles into World Cup stadiums. The previous announcement cited “safety considerations” and had reversed a prior policy that allowed ticket-holders to carry "empty, transparent, reusable plastic bottles" up to one liter in capacity. The revised policy announced Friday largely reinstates the previous policy.Temperatures for World Cup games that are scheduled to run from June 11-July 19 in the U.S., Mexico and Canada are expected to soar, and hydration will be imperative for the health and well-being of spectators. Rescinded ban was criticized as ‘pure money grab’The previous prohibition of water bottles prompted outcry, including from New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who described that policy as “concerning” in an interview with The Athletic published earlier Friday."It's concerning,” Mamdani, said. “It's concerning because the heat we're talking about is not just heat that the players are playing under. It's also the heat that spectators are going to be subjected to for arguably a longer period of time, as they will be there before the game starts and after the game finishes."And so that is something we are going to follow up on to better understand what the rationale is. Because we don't want anyone to be skimping on water because of the cost of the water at the stadium if they otherwise would be drinking it. We want to make it easy to have some water."Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow called the water bottle ban a “pure money grab.”Water, of course, was going to be and will remain available for fans to purchase at games. It’s not clear how much venues will charge fans. Now fans will be able to bring and drink the water in their own bottles and presumably be able to refill them from taps inside stadium.FIFA had previously announced planned hydration and cooling stations “around the stadium footprint.”“FIFA works closely with each host city committee and local authorities on heat mitigation factors for fans traveling to the stadium, which can include resources such as misting stations, fans, hydration stations, cooling tents and more around the stadium footprint,” a FIFA statement read. It’s not clear if dedicated drinking water stations will be made available inside stadiums.

Knicks vs. Spurs Score, Live Updates, Highlights From Game 2 of NBA Finals originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.After a thrilling first game of the 2026 NBA Finals, the Knicks and Spurs will return to action on Friday night for a pivotal Game 2.Behind Jalen Brunson's 30-point performance, the Knicks stormed back in the second half, overcoming a double-digit deficit to take Game 1 on the road. Brunson led the charge in the final frame, but he got plenty of help from Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby throughout the series opener.Now, the pressure is on the Spurs to even up the series before it shifts to Madison Square Garden. Victor Wembanyama had 26 points in Game 1, but he will need to be more efficient after shooting 6-of-21 from the field.Follow along right here for live updates and highlights from Game 2 between the Knicks and Spurs.Knicks vs. Spurs score1234FKnicksSpursKnicks vs. Spurs live updates, highlights from Game 2 of NBA Finals8:20 p.m.: Before Game 2 kicks off, let's relive Game 1 one more time, where the Knicks came from behind to take a 1-0 lead.A thrilling comeback led by the captain 🗽Relive the excitement and go behind the scenes of New York's gritty road win in Chasing History presented by @MichelobULTRA before the Knicks and Spurs clash in Game 2 of the NBA Finals, tonight at 8:30pm/et on ABC. pic.twitter.com/5BZYn5a6lD— NBA (@NBA) June 5, 20268:10 p.m.: It's safe to say Wembanyama is locked in ahead of tonight.WHAT A SHOT AHEAD OF GAME 2 🤯WEMBY FROM 3/4 COURT 👽 https://t.co/FFfohgBNyPpic.twitter.com/Swew72sjMN— NBA (@NBA) June 6, 20268:05 p.m.: There are no changes in the starting lineups, with both San Antonio and New York putting out the same starting five.Starting 🖐#PorVida | @Ticketmasterpic.twitter.com/cU8j0X7d94— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) June 5, 2026For the Knicks, its the same group: Brunson, Bridges, Hart, Anunoby, Towns8:00 p.m.: Game 2 is half an hour away.Brunson gets loose ahead of Game 2 🏀Game 1: 30 PTSGame 2: ?🏆 NYK (1-0) SAS📺 8:30pm/et on ABC pic.twitter.com/qRl6MJJmJl— NBA (@NBA) June 5, 20267:50 p.m.: The scene is set.THE SCENE IS SET FOR GAME 2 🏆NYK (1-0) SAS.8:30 PM ET on ABC. pic.twitter.com/U0CH9ijFyM— NBA (@NBA) June 5, 20267:42 p.m.: Then, of course, there's Victor Wembanyama.Friday fits 🤩#ULTRAcourtside | @MichelobULTRApic.twitter.com/vOnnFfXtfP— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) June 5, 2026Wembanyama had 26 points in the Game 1 loss, but on 6-for-21 shooting. He needs a much better shooting performance tonight as the Spurs look to even the series.7:36 p.m.: Here comes the star of Game 1, Jalen Brunson.Ready for Knicks Basketball 🔒 pic.twitter.com/VvIPa91g29— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) June 5, 2026Even after leaving the game for a brief period with a knee injury, Brunson scored a game-high 30 points, which included a personal 8-0 run in the fourth quarter to put the Knicks ahead.7:30 p.m.: The teams have arrived at the Frost Bank Center for Game 2, and the stakes are high.KNICKS. SPURS. GAME 2.Will the Spurs even the series at 1-1, or will the Knicks go up 2-0?🏆 NYK (1-0) SAS, Game 2📺 8:30pm/et on ABC pic.twitter.com/jvABFhCTDR— NBA (@NBA) June 5, 2026The home team Spurs need a win to even up the series, while the Knicks are looking to take a two-game lead heading back to Madison Square Garden.How to watch Knicks vs. Spurs Game 2: TV channel, live streamTV channel: ABCLive stream: DIRECTV | ESPN app | fuboGame 2 between the Knicks and Spurs will air live on ABC. The game will also be available to stream on DIRECTV, the ESPN app and fubo.Try DIRECTV FREE today! Stream live NBA, MLB and more with must-have sports channels like TNT, TBS, truTV, ESPN, FS1 and NFL Network — all included with DIRECTV.Start your FREE trial now and never miss a moment of the action. No contracts, no hassle, just wall-to-wall sports and entertainment.Knicks vs. Spurs Game 2 start timeDate: Friday, June 5Time: 8:30 p.m. ETGame 2 between the Knicks and Spurs is scheduled to start at 8:30 p.m. ET on Friday, June 5. The game will be played at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio.Knicks vs. Spurs schedule: New York leads 1-0DateGameTime (ET)TV/Live streamJune 3Game 1: Knicks 105, Spurs 95——June 5Game 2: Knicks vs. Spurs8:30 p.m.ABC, DIRECTV, ESPN app, fuboJune 8Game 3: Spurs vs. Knicks8:30 p.m.ABC, DIRECTV, ESPN app, fuboJune 10Game 4: Spurs vs. Knicks8:30 p.m.ABC, DIRECTV, ESPN app, fuboJune 13Game 5*: Knicks vs. Spurs8:30 p.m.ABC, DIRECTV, ESPN app, fuboJune 16Game 6*: Spurs vs. Knicks8:30 p.m.ABC, DIRECTV, ESPN app, fuboJune 19Game 7*: Knicks vs. Spurs8:30 p.m.ABC, DIRECTV, ESPN app, fubo*If necessaryNBA Playoffs scores, results 2026Conference finalsKnicks 4, Cavs 0Game 1: Knicks 115, Cavs 104 (OT)Game 2: Knicks 109, Cavs 93Game 3: Knicks 121, Cavs 108Game 4: Knicks 130, Cavs 93Spurs 4, Thunder 3Game 1: Spurs 122, Thunder 115 (2OT)Game 2: Thunder 122, Spurs 113Game 3: Thunder 123, Spurs 108Game 4: Spurs 103, Thunder 82Game 5: Thunder 127, Spurs 114Game 6: Spurs 118, Thunder 91Game 7: Spurs 111, Thunder 103Conference semifinalsKnicks 4, 76ers 0Game 1: Knicks 137, 76ers 98Game 2: Knicks 108, 76ers 102Game 3: Knicks 108, 76ers 94Game 4: Knicks 144, 76ers 114Spurs 4, Timberwolves 2Game 1: Timberwolves 104, Spurs 102Game 2: Spurs 133, Timberwolves 95Game 3: Spurs 115, Timberwolves 108Game 4: Timberwolves 114, Spurs 109Game 5: Spurs 126, Timberwolves 97Game 6: Spurs 139, Timberwolves 109First roundKnicks 4, Hawks 2Game 1: Knicks 113, Hawks 102Game 2: Hawks 107, Knicks 106Game 3: Hawks 109, Knicks 108Game 4: Knicks 114, Hawks 98Game 5: Knicks 126, Hawks 97Game 6: Knicks 140, Hawks 89Spurs 4, Trail Blazers 1Game 1: Spurs 111, Trail Blazers 98Game 2: Trail Blazers 106, Spurs 103Game 3: Spurs 120, Trail Blazers 108Game 4: Spurs 114, Trail Blazers 93Game 5: Spurs 114, Trail Blazers 95

[PA Media]Steve Clarke addressed the media before Scotland‘s final pre-World Cup friendly against Bolivia on Saturday in New Jersey.Here are the key things the head coach said:His priorities against Bolivia are “no injuries, performance and then result” as the head coach hopes to not lose any more players after Billy Gilmour’s injury in last weekend’s win against Curacao.He says it is “a straightforward selection“ on Saturday as it’s about “preparation not protection“. “"We can’t wrap players in cotton wool," he added. "You need to work. Injuries are part and parcel of football."Clarke said he still has “16 decisions” to make for Scotland‘s tournament opener against Haiti next Sunday. He added some fans have “a terrible habit of thinking these nations are not very good” but pointed to their thumping win over New Zealand on Tuesday as proof they‘re a “good, physical, technical” team.There are no “major” concerns, just a few players with “little grumbling things”.

The Sanger High School boys volleyball team has cemented its place in school history after capturing the program's first-ever state championship, marking a milestone more than a century in the making."This season's boys volleyball team did something no other Apaches have been able to accomplish," players said, reflecting on a historic run that culminated in the title."We were like - we're going to be the first team. That really motivated us," sophomore Troy Hingano said.In over 120 years of school history, Sanger High had never brought home a state championship trophy. That changed last Saturday, when the Apaches defeated Francis Parker of San Diego in four sets to secure the title.The victory was significant beyond the school itself. Sanger became the first team from the Central Valley to win a boys volleyball state championship and the first sports team from the school to even appear in a state championship game."When the realization finally hit it was like Dang we really did it. All the hours, all the hard work, everything that we've sacrificed with our coaches and everything, we finally did it," junior Ryan Vang said.For players, the win also carried broader meaning about representation and recognition for teams outside traditional powerhouse regions."I think it just means like - we can play. It's not just SoCal or LA," Hingano said.Head coach Scott Okada credited the team's steady growth and confidence throughout the season."I don't know if we've seen a group improve as much as they did this season. You could just see the belief build as the season went on," Okada said.Players said the experience is one they will carry with them long after the season."It's the buxx and excitement but it's also the pride that you're representing the valley. It's a really cool thing," Vang said.With a young roster and only three graduating seniors, the Apaches are already looking ahead, hoping their historic achievement is not a one-time moment but the start of sustained success."It's kind of neat for these boys to know like hey they've done something special... Even if we come from this small town we can still do amazing things," Okada said.For sports updates, follow Sydney Berger on Facebook, X and Instagram.

MLB collective bargaining agreement negotiations are officially underway. President Donald Trump knows which side he’s taking.Speaking to reporters on Air Force One on Friday, the president was asked about the MLB owners’ push for a salary cap. His immediate response: “They sort of have one, don’t they?” That likely refers to MLB’s “Cohen tax,” which forces the league’s highest spenders to pay 110% of their overage from a certain threshold.After having the system explained to him, Trump went all-in on the idea of a salary cap before pivoting to his efforts to reform college sports:“If you don’t have a salary cap you don’t have a sport, because they can’t help themselves. In sports, they can’t help themselves. Football has a salary cap.“They should have done it a long time ago. I know so much about sports. They should have done it a long time ago. We’re trying to help save college sports because they got some rulings that essentially destroyed college sports. We’re working with [New York Yankees president] Randy Levine and [former Alabama head coach] Nick Saban and some great people who are trying to save it because it’s so horrible.”MLB is indeed the only major professional sports league that doesn’t have a salary cap of some kind. It has used the luxury tax system for decades now, with top spenders also now docked draft pick position in addition to free agent compensation.Play 2026 Soccer Pick 'Em with FOX One and make your picks for the world's biggest soccer tournamentFor example, the last season saw the Los Angeles Dodgers pay a tax of $169 million for their World Series champion team, giving the roster a total price of $586.7 million between payroll and tax. They will also have to wait until the 40th pick to draft their first player due to that spending, with a diminished bonus pool as well.MLB commissioner Rob Manfred earlier this week that system has failed, despite four of six current division leaders being in the bottom half of payroll spending. The Dodgers are the lone team in the top 5 currently in first place.President Trump wants a big change in baseball.Pool via Getty ImagesA salary cap has been a non-starter for the MLB Players Association since players were released from the reserve clause. MLB owners are now making their biggest push for one since 1994, reportedly proposing a $245.3 million salary cap, $171.2 million salary floor and 50-50 revenue split with the players. Per Craig Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus, nine teams are currently above that cap, while 12 teams are below the floor, with the required salary adjustments favoring the league by $18.7 million.The MLBPA predictably rejected the proposal, with interim executive director Bruce Meyer claiming it would have cost the players more than $500 million if instituted for the 2026 season.Trump, who has a longstanding friendship with the leadership of the New York Yankees, still thinks a salary cap is a long time coming:“Major League Baseball, it’s shocking, frankly, that they didn’t put a cap on many years ago. They had a chance to do a cap and they blew it.”That “chance” would be the 1994 labor fight, in which MLB players elected to strike during the 1994 season in response to franchise owners proposing a salary cap for the next CBA, the failure of a Senate bill that would have revoked MLB's antitrust exemption and the owners' withholding of $8 million from their pension plan.The strike led to the cancellation of the 1994 MLB postseason and would have seen MLB use replacement players had future Supreme Court justice Sonia Sotomayor not issued an injunction against the league on the players' behalf. The ruling led to a shortened 1995 season being played under the terms of the expired CBA.It was a historically ugly fight that saw baseball's popularity diminish until the 1998 home run race (which wound up having its own issues). Manfred said earlier this week he was afraid of a repeat.

President Donald Trump arrives to speak to reporters aboard Air Force One en route from Joint Base Andrews, Md., to Eau Claire, Wis., Friday, June 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)2026-06-05T23:03:23Z CHIPPEWA FALLS, Wisc. (AP) — The U.S. military said it shot down four Iranian drones that were launched toward the Strait of Hormuz on Friday and then struck some of the Islamic Republic’s coastal surveillance radar sites in response, raising the risk to a shaky ceasefire as the Trump administration ramps up pressure on Iran.“The attack drones posed an immediate threat to regional maritime traffic,” U.S. Central Command said on social media. The military is enforcing a blockade on Iranian ports in response to Tehran’s chokehold on the crucial corridor for global oil and natural gas shipments, which has sent energy prices spiking and posed political problems for President Donald Trump’s Republican Party ahead of the midterm congressional elections.U.S. Central Command said it hit the radar sites, including an island in the strait, “to defend against further attacks.” It was the latest in back-and-forth attacks that have strained the tenuous ceasefire in the war and efforts to reach a deal to extend that truce. Earlier this week, Iranian drones heavily damaged a passenger terminal at Kuwait’s main airport, killing one person, wounding dozens and briefly closing the airfield. Despite the attacks raising new concerns that the ceasefire could collapse, Trump told reporters Friday that “the situation with Iran seems to be going quite well.”“We’re going to come out of Iran very quickly and it’s going to be very strong one way or the other, whether it’s a piece of paper or the very tough way,” Trump said at an event with farmers in Wisconsin. “The very tough way is maybe the easier way, but we’re going to come out, and your fertilizer prices are going to go way down, just like they were four months ago.” Read More Trump increasingly appears to be boxed in on a conflict that has settled into a holding pattern. U.S. and Iranian negotiators reached a tentative agreement a week ago to extend the ceasefire by 60 days and start a new round of talks on Iran’s nuclear program. But Trump has called for unspecified changes and Iranian officials have shown no public signs of signing off on the deal. Asked on Friday why it was taking so long, Trump told NBC’s “Meet the Press” it was because “it’s a very hard thing for them,” citing their “great independence” and the fact that “they’re strong, they’re proud.”“There are things they never thought they’d be doing that they’re going to have to do. They’ve got no choice, and it takes a little while,” he said in the interview.Trump said the Iranians still have 21% to 22% of their missiles. His administration also has touted the latest ceasefire agreed to this week by the Lebanese government and Israel after U.S.-brokered talks in Washington. However, the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group has rejected the agreement and new attacks have put it at further risk.The Israeli military on Friday struck multiple parts of southern Lebanon and issued evacuation warnings for nine villages, including one that has sheltered thousands of people displaced by the fighting. The strikes killed nine people in six locations in southern Lebanon, the state news agency reported. The Israeli military said two soldiers were wounded, one severely, in an encounter Friday with militants in southern Lebanon.The fighting in Lebanon, where Israeli forces have seized large swaths of the south, also threatens efforts to end the Iran war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz because Iran has demanded that any lasting truce extend to Lebanon. Besides the drone interception in the Strait of Hormuz, the U.S. military said earlier Friday that its forces boarded a sanctioned oil tanker linked to Iran in the Indian Ocean as the United States seeks to prevent Iran from profiting off its oil and other goods. The U.S. also targeted Iran’s energy sector with new sanctions on a group of people, firms and tankers. MICHELLE L. PRICE Price covers the White House. She previously covered the 2024 presidential campaign and politics, government and other news in New York, Nevada, Utah and Arizona. She is based in Washington. twitter mailto

The queen’s third cousin, she was a bridesmaid at the royal wedding in 1947, and witnessed firsthand pivotal moments in British history.

New revelations about Graham Platner have left Democrats anxious.

CHICAGO (AP) — Matt Chapman joined some select San Francisco baseball company — including Willie Mays — with his massive day at the plate on Friday.The 33-year-old third baseman hit his fourth career grand slam, a three-run homer and added a sacrifice fly to finish with a career-high eight RBIs in the Giants' 18-3 rout of the slumping Chicago Cubs. The eight RBIs tied the Giants' San Francisco-era individual game record, shared by five others. The first to do it after the team relocated from New York in 1958 was Mays in on April 30, 1961.The other Giants to accomplish the feat were Orlando Cepeda (July 1961), Brandon Crawford (July 2019), Joc Pederson (May 2020) and Wilmer Flores (May 2025).“I feel like I’ve been doing a good job with runners in scoring position and I’ve been having a lot of opportunities with guys on base,” said Chapman, in his 10th major league season and third with the Giants.Chapman hit his slam in San Francisco’s six-run fourth — and in a light rain — off Edward Cabrera. It barely reached Wrigley Field’s left-center basket.He added a sacrifice fly in the fifth.Chapman’s second homer capped the Giants’ seven-run sixth inning. He launched Ethan Roberts’ down-the-middle sweeper and sent it 432 feet to left before it struck an electric ad sign above the bleachers.Chapman's slam was the Giants' second in two days and sixth this season — all in San Francisco’s last 18 games. The Giants are the sixth team in MLB history to hit six slams in 20 days or less, according to the club.Chapman said he has now homered in every major league ballpark after going deep twice at Wrigley.“I got Sacramento (the Athletics' temporary home) in Triple-A, so we’ll count it,” he said. "But this was my last one, so that’s cool.”Willy Adames and Casey Schmitt also each homered twice and Jonah Cox added a solo shot after entering as a pinch hitter. The Giants won their third straight with a 19-hit attack after getting 20 hits in a 12-9 win at Milwaukee on Thursday.Chapman is up to four homers and 31 RBIs on the season with a .241 average. His best output was 36 homers and 91 RBIs with the Athletics in an All-Star 2019 season.“I haven’t been doing anything different over the last week,” Chapman said. “We went to Milwaukee and I hit that home run (on Monday) and then got a few more hits yesterday, so I felt like I was starting to feel more comfortable in the box.“I feel like I’m on time, getting good swings off and then today just showed up and just kept trying to repeat it and, you know, the power showed up a little bit."Even so, San Francisco is still just 26-38 and deep in the NL West standings.“We didn’t have many guys swinging the bat early and it seems like everybody’s kind of come alive at a similar time,” Chapman said. “The quality of at-bats have been really good."—AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB

WEST LAFAYETTE, IN - NOVEMBER 04: Purdue Boilermakers athletic director Mike Bobinski is seen before the game against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Ross-Ade Stadium on November 4, 2017 in West Lafayette, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) | Getty Images With the news this week that Mike Bobinski will be retiring at the end of the 2026 calendar year I wanted to reach out to the staff to see what they are looking for in the next hire. Ledman:First, they should hire me. I’m only half joking. I’ve worked in sports journalism for over a decade. I’m a lawyer. I worked as an intern in the Purdue athletic department. I worked as a graduate assistant in the marketing and promotions department of Purdue athletics. I spent a summer working for Special Olympics Minnesota working events dealing with big time donors. I’m as diehard a Purdue fan as you can hope to find. Why not me? Second, I look at the job as AD as basically two jobs. First, there is the HR piece (conveniently enough I spent over five years in HR specifically focused on hiring). The next AD is going to have to make tough decisions on the women’s basketball coach, keep an eye on Barry Odom and the football program, and as much as I hate to admit it there’s likely going to need to be a replacement for Dave Shondell hired before too long (he’s 68 years old). Those are each going to be big decisions to either retain, fire, or replace those people. The person you hire shouldn’t shy away from making those choices. I know the way to do these things lately is to overpay a consulting firm but to me that’s not how it should go. The AD is hired to run a department, so run the department. Make the calls, shake the trees, find the right person for the job. The second job is basically a fundraising job (did I mention I worked with big donors, including former Minnesota Vikings players when I was working for Special Olympics Minnesota?). With NIL and other new forms of compensation implemented over the last decade or so the need for money is more important than ever. Teams are gobbling up money and if you want to stay competitive you’ve got to have the money to back it up. Purdue is struggling on the football field but if there’s one thing we learned from IU it’s that with the right amount of money and the right head coach anything is possible. Third and finally, the next AD needs to be a strong advocate for guardrails from the NCAA, or any other governing body. I’ve long been a supporter of paying the players, but when things change each and every year it’s hard to know the rules of the road. Whoever comes into this job will be the AD at a prestigious university with one of the biggest megaphones in the country. They’ve got to use it to seek out some stability in the world of college sports. Travis:While we all love basketball and we know it will always be the top sport at Purdue, football pays the bills. Right now, Purdue football is probably the worst power 5 program in the country. It is also in the unenviable position of being near equidistant between one of the most storied programs in the sport and one of the new apparent superpowers. Purdue has a very, VERY long way to go just to make a bowl game, let alone compete at the highest levels. It’s also a multifaceted problem due to NIL. As a modern AD you have to be a fundraiser and an administrator. The new AD will have to come in and try to balance keeping the men’s basketball program among the elite while also trying to revive a football program that could be declared legally dead right now. Men’s basketball might be self-sustaining at this point. As long as Matt Painter is on the sideline Purdue is going to be a perrenial tournament team and Big Ten title contender. That part of the job is pretty easy right now. Reviving the football program in this day and age of college football? It might take a Cignetti-esque miracle because Purdue is so far behind the rest of the conference. We need someone willing to take that challenge, be innovative, and use the resources we do have (i.e., enormous media rights checks from the Big Ten) to turn things around in the toughest sport to break into the elite. Jed:Well, this is a very different time in college athletics that comes with some very different circumstances. Purdue has always had problems competing with the big boys but that has been made even more difficult as some of our traditional competitors have some very deep pockets (I’m looking at you Indiana and Mark Cuban).First and foremost, Purdue has got to find someone that can pull everyone’s mindset away from having an AD as a separate entity from the University. The two have got to find common ground and understand that an athletics department that has strong sports is one that benefits the university. I’m going to guess that Indiana is about to have some of their largest freshman classes because of the success of their football program.Having the university’s full power and wealth behind the AD to upgrade facilities to a level they have never been at Purdue is priority number 1. Ross Ade is desperately needing renovated once again while the basketball programs could use more resources. Holloway could also be converted to a dedicated facility for men’s and women’s basketball rather than continuing to share a space with all other sports inside Mackey.The new AD also needs to seriously look into naming rights for Ross Ade Stadium and Mackey Arena to generate a massive dose of help in this new era. We would potentially be looking at $45-$60 million in revenue from Ross Ade and Mackey could likely go for $25-$35 million. That would give the AD the necessary cash flow to expand facilities and put them on a more level playing field.Most importantly, the AD should not go to anyone that is currently serving in any capacity with the department. I won’t name anyone in particular but let’s just say some in the department that continue to remain there today were intricate in the decision to hire Ryan Walters when exponentially better candidates were available (and made it well known they were).Ryan:I’m not exactly sure how this whole process is going to play out considering Purdue will need a new president as well but first and foremost, I want the new Purdue AD to be able to excel in this whole new world that is college athletics. NIL and profit sharing are the names of the game nowadays and there has to be an effective plan to help Purdue athletics be competitive amongst its peers. Yes, it’s great that Purdue is already enshrined into the big 2 conferences but being amongst the bottom (in football anyway) of the bigs is not what you want to strive for. Now, the Big Ten is coming off both a nation championship in football and basketball by clearly proving that money can buy championships. Purdue is already getting plenty of cash to use but let’s face it, they need more money and this brings me to my next trait of the new AD: connection to alums. Purdue alums have deep pockets but the new AD needs to be a salesperson to get them to give money to sports programs. All they need to do is find their Mark Cuban and Purdue will be shoveling money hand over fist to get the best coaches, recruits, and facilities. We need to steer fully into the skid and accept the state of college athletics for what it is: a business, and a lucrative one at that. You need to spend money to make it and Purdue needs to make it to spend it. Get a person at AD who can break the chain. Do I have high hopes for Purdue getting this person? Perhaps, but if we’re living in fantasy world, the new Purdue AD will be able to print money for the university through athletics. The foundation is there but the execution is the next step.

AKRON - The Licking Valley softball team will play for a state championship.Valley overcame an early 1-0 deficit to beat Bryan 2-1 in a battle of unbeatens June 5 in a Division IV state semifinal at Firestone Stadium in Akron. D'Neya Dennis' RBI single with two outs in the top of the seventh inning broke the 1-1 tie.Valley plays Kenton Ridge at 11 a.m. June 7 at Firestone Stadium. Kenton Ridge, the defending champion, beat Mogadore Field 5-3 in the earlier semifinal.Dani Lambert's RBI double scored Tori Baughman to tie the game in the fourth inning. Emory Whisner struck out 11 while pitching a four-hitter, allowing just an unearned run in the first inning.The Panthers' last loss came 11-1 to Kenton Ridge in a regional final last season. Valley beat Kenton Ridge to win the Division II state championship in 2013.This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Licking Valley Panthers softball advances to OHSAA state final

FOXBOROUGH, MA - MAY 27: TreVeyon Henderson #32 of the New England Patriots carries during New England Patriots OTA on May 27, 2026, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Sportswire) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images TreVeyon Henderson found himself the subject of criticism earlier this offseason. The New England Patriots’ second-year running had seemingly expressed support for NBA player Jaden Ivey on social media after he was released by the Chicago Bulls following some apparent anti-LGBTQ+ remarks.The public outcry over Henderson’s post — he had quoted a verse from the Bible saying that “[b]lessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake” — led to head coach Mike Vrabel stepping in and talk to both him and the team. For the 23-year-old, that conversation was a positive experience.“We’ve had a great conversation,” he told reporters earlier this week. “He was very respectful about my beliefs. He expressed that aloud to this team, and so I really appreciate Coach for that.”Henderson refrained from addressing the issue directly, or from apologizing for the irritation his post caused. What he did do instead was explain how he sees himself and his beliefs in light of the controversy.“I have love for every one, but my love may not look like the world’s love. I try to love people through a biblical lens, which is grace and truth,” he said.“A lot of people may be offended by it, but I think the biggest thing is just, we look at life [through] two different lenses; I look at it one way, somebody looks at it another. I’m not going stop sharing my faith. I’m going to continue to share my faith and reach people, and just let the Lord use me to reach people with love and truth.”For Henderson, Vrabel and the Patriots, the book is closed on the matter. Hence, they can focus on his on-field development coming off a promising rookie campaign.Selected 38th overall by the Patriots out of Ohio State, Henderson saw action in all 21 of New England’s regular season and playoff games in 2025. Starting five of those contests, he finished second on the team with 1,241 scrimmage yards and also tied fellow running back Rhamondre Stevenson with a team-leading 10 touchdowns.Despite his success, however, Henderson still sees some areas that need to be improved upon for a successful Year 2 jump to take place.“The biggest thing I want to continue to develop, blocking and just during this time running routes out of the backfield, catching the ball out of the backfield,” he said. “This is a time when we can really just continue to enhance those skills. Specifically those two skills, I definitely want to continue to develop.”What will help Henderson do so is his active involvement in the Patriots’ offseason thus far. He has been a regular during the voluntary portion of their workout program, and will try to further build the foundation in next week’s mandatory minicamp.

Jun. 5—GRAND FORKS — The NCAA has, once again, changed course on age-based eligibility.The latest proposal has much of the hockey world celebrating.The NCAA sent out a memo Friday, revealing it is poised to follow the hockey world's recommendation that athletes' five-year clocks begin either upon college enrollment or the semester following their 19th birthday.This is what nearly every segment of the hockey world proposed in a letter to the NCAA two weeks ago.Among those signing onto it: Every NCAA men's hockey commissioner, junior league commissioners in the United States and Canada, and the NHL."On behalf of the entire ice hockey community, we are grateful to the NCAA Division I Cabinet for their willingness to consider and support our counter-proposal on age eligibility," Hockey East commissioner Steve Metcalf said.National Collegiate Hockey Conference commissioner Heather Weems said she was pleased, too."The NCAA's announcement today was a big win for college hockey and our partners who comprise the pathway," Weems said. "It was truly a team effort to build consensus and generate support from other sports. It was a great Friday afternoon outcome."The previous iteration would have started athletes' five-year clocks upon high school graduation. That would have been a major change for men's hockey, which is one of three sports where players are allowed to defer college enrollment for up to three years after high school graduation. The other sports that allow three-year deferrals are men's and women's skiing.All other NCAA sports allow one-year deferrals."The adjustment follows recommendations from stakeholders in men's ice hockey, men's basketball and the U.S. national service academies," the NCAA said in a release.Player agents were among those celebrating the new proposal."That's so huge," one agent told the Herald."Thank God," another said.

Elon Musk’s rocket company said Google would pay it $920 million a month, as it prepared for its initial public offering.

A grand jury subpoenaed the health system for information about adolescent patients who had received gender-related care, Mount Sinai said on Friday.

Ole Miss vs. Auburn baseball box score: Live stats from NCAA Baseball Championship Game originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The Auburn Tigers baseball team is two wins away from a trip to Omaha. First they've got to get through SEC foe the Ole Miss Rebels. The Tigers are looking for their third appearance in the College World Series since 2019.As for the Rebels, after going 3-0 in the Lincoln regional, which included two wins over Arizona State, both in extra innings, this will be a tougher task in the Auburn Super Regional.First pitch will be at 8 p.m. ET with coverage on ESPN2.2026 NCAA Baseball Championship123456789RHEOle Miss (39-21)010130Auburn (42-20)00010Ole Miss vs. Auburn baseball box score: Live stats from NCAA Championship Super RegionalOle Miss RebelsBatterPOSABRHRBIBBSOAVGOBP12Dom Decker2B201001.275.41627Judd Utermark3B200002.306.41836Will Furniss1B100001.318.43232Tristan BissettaLF/RF100000.279.3909Hayden FedericoCF010000.298.4236Owen PainoSS101000.262.40324Austin FawleyC100001.229.3521Brayden RandleRF/LF101100.248.33520Collin ReuterDH100000.262.365Total1013105RBI: Randle 1 (20)PitcherPOSIPHRERBBSOBFERA26Hunter ElliottP2.01002285.1Total2.0100228Elliott 27 (13 strikes)Auburn TigersBatterPOSABRHRBIBBSOAVGOBP17Mason McCraineDH100001.312.4208Eric Guevara3B100001.323.4003Chase FralickC100000.319.4212Chris Rembert2B000010.345.40018Ethin Bingaman1B100000.333.42119Bub TerrellLF101000.288.36711Brandon McCraineSS000010.327.41814Cade BelyeuRF100000.245.3605Bristol CarterCF000000.299.432Total601022PitcherPOSIPHRERBBSOBFERA21Andreas AlvarezP2.131105113.5Total2.13110511Alvarez 44 (31 strikes)How to watch: Ole Miss vs. Auburn 2026 NCAA Baseball Championship Game 1Date: Friday, June 5Time: 8 p.m. ETTV: ESPN2More NCAA NewsCal Poly vs. West Virginia baseball box score: Game 1USC vs North Carolina baseball box score: Game 1Little Rock vs. Troy baseball box score: Game 1Texas vs. Texas Tech softball box score: Final Women's College World SeriesDemond Williams bombshell could have resulted in Lane Kiffin fired by LSU

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday unveiled a permanent display honoring LGBTQ+ trailblazers and former players for the team Glenn Burke and Billy Bean, who were the first two major leaguers to say they were gay. A brief ceremony with their families was held on the team’s 13th Pride Night, hours before the Dodgers hosted the Los Angeles Angels in the Freeway Series.“It’s brave of them in this day and age to spotlight someone in our community when other organizations are trying to erase us,” said Greg Baker, Bean’s husband.The families let out audible “aahs” and applauded as a blue curtain dropped on the display under the left-field pavilion near the Dodgers bullpen. Against a swirling rainbow painted on the wall are Burke's No. 3 and Bean's No. 40 framed jerseys, along with a color photo of Burke's baseball card and a black-and-white shot of him in action. Bean's side of the display features two color photos of him. Placards describe their careers and contributions.“He would be smiling, he would be so happy, he probably would be giving a high-five,” said Joyce Burke Henderson of Vallejo, California, one of Burke's three sisters on hand.Burke was the first MLB player to come out as gay, announcing it in 1982 after he retired. He played for the Dodgers and Oakland Athletics from 1976 to '79. He and Dodgers teammate Dusty Baker are widely credited with inventing the high-five after they slapped hands on the field in 1977.Burke Henderson recalled that her brother initially kept his sexuality hidden before reaching a point where “he just didn't care.”“Nowadays the world is different and we need to conform to what’s going on,” she said. “As long as everybody is safe, they’re healthy, we don’t have the right to tell people how to live their lives. That’s up to them, but just respect that decision.”Burke died at age 42 in 1995 of AIDS complications.Four years later, Bean became the second MLB player to reveal that he was gay. Bean did so after he had been retired for four years. Bean was appointed MLB's first ambassador for inclusion in 2014 and later became the league's senior vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion. Bean was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in 2023 and died the following year at age 60.“It never stops being emotional,” said Baker, who got choked up addressing the gathering. “It's so well-deserved. I'm so proud of him.”Baker has remained close to Bean's family, including his parents Ed and Linda Kovac and three brothers who attended. Baker said he's not surprised that more professional athletes haven't come out."I still think there’s a lot of work to do and I think that work is not necessarily like within the sports community. I think it’s within our community as a whole,” he said. “There's always going to be homophobia, just hopefully there’s going to be less and less of it.”The families took turns posing in front of the wall and taking their own photos of it. "We still love him,” Burke Henderson said. “We just appreciate the Dodgers honoring him and Billy Bean, too. We knew Billy Bean. They were both great guys.”___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

For a second consecutive postseason, Calvary pitcher and Georgia softball signee Kynzee Anderson has been selected the 2026 Gatorade Louisiana Softball Player of the Year.Anderson, who was recently selected the Outstanding Player on the LSWA Class 2A All-State team, led Calvary to a sixth consecutive title in May. Here 2026 record was 30-1, and she posted a 0.61 ERA with 318 strikeouts in 171 innings. Anderson has also been named LSWA Miss Softball (2025) and Shreveport Times Pitcher of the Year.“A well-deserved award,” Calvary coach Tiffany Wood said. “Being able to get one of the highest high school awards two years in a row is just a testament to what kind of player and person Kynzee is.”WINNER WINNERS: Here's what made Calvary's sixth straight LHSAA softball title specialALL-STATE: Calvary, OCS athletes pace the LSWA Class 2A softball/baseball teamsGatorade selects one player from each of the 50 states, plus Washington D.C., in 12 sports for the honor. Ranked as the nation’s No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2026 by MaxPreps, Anderson hit .290 with three home runs and 25 RBIs. She closed out her career with 129 wins, 1,398 strikeouts and has volunteered locally making handicrafts and playing games at a nursing home. She has also donated her time as a youth softball coach and as part of multiple community service initiatives through her church.The valedictorian of her Calvary class, Anderson has maintained a 4.0 GPA in the classroom.“Kynzee’s presence on the mound was effortless and commanding at the same time,” said Ashley Hoyle, softball coach of West Ouachita High School, in a release. “She carries herself with a quiet humble confidence. Kynzee is a class act as a person and as a student-athlete.”Jimmy Watson covers Louisiana sports for the USA TODAY Network. Email him at jwatson@shreveporttimes.com and follow him on Twitter @JimmyWatson6.This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Georgia signee Anderson named Louisiana Gatorade Player of the Year

Michigan State football has picked up its third commitment of June. Cordaro Parham, a 6-foot-2 cornerback from Jefferson, Georgia, committed to the Spartans and coach Pat Fitzgerald on Friday, June 5. Parham posted on social media on Thursday, June 4 that he was heading up to East Lansing for a visit with Michigan State. A little over 24 hours later, he shared a short video of him in a Michigan State ballroom, standing beside Fitzgerald, where he announced that he's going to be a Spartan. The decision was met with a big cheer and many back slaps and hugs from Fitzgerald. @JoeS_Rossi@PoteatCoach@MSU_Football@coachfitz51@MalikGill5@MSUFBRecruitingpic.twitter.com/P4Jp27VO3y— Cordaro shyne Parham (pops) (@CordaroParham1) June 5, 2026Parham is the 10th commitment and first cornerback for the Spartans in a 2027 class that now ranks No. 43 in the nation in 247 Sports' composite rankings.He is listed as unranked by 247 Sports but is a three-star in Rivals' rankings.Parham also reportedly had offers from Kansas State and Arkansas State.Andrew Birkle is an assistant sports editor for the Free Press. Contact him via email at abirkle@freepress.com.This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan State football lands commitment from cornerback from Georgia

NEW YORK — The Red Sox’ first visit to Yankee Stadium comes after a tumultuous — and brief — homestand that saw the team drop two of three and option starting pitcher Brayan Bello to Worcester following another disastroius start.The Sox, who have played far better on the road than at home, will try to keep up their (relative) success away from Fenway. One positive for the Red Sox this weekend: they won’t have to deal with Aaron Judge, who was placed on the IL Thursday with a stress fracture of the right rib. With Judge sidelined, outfielder Spencer Jones, one of New York’s top prospects, will get a chance to play more regularly for the first time, taking over in right field.The Red Sox will be looking to improve their offensive performance from their last meeting with the Yankees. New York visited Fenway in April and swept a three-game series while holding the Sox to just three runs in that span. Two days after that series concluded, the Sox fired manager Alex Cora and a half-dozen coaches.Caleb Durbin is hitting fifth in the lineup Friday, the highest spot in the Boston batting order in some time. He hit second a handful of times early in the year, but as he struggled, was dropped to the bottom third. Over his last seven games, however, he’s heated up – Durbin is 10-for-28 (.357) with six extra base hits in that span.With lefty Ryan Weathers on the mound for the Yanks, the Red Sox will start Isiah Kiner-Falefa at shortstop over Marcelo Mayer.It will also be interesting to see what sort of reception Sonny Gray gets tonight at Yankee Stadium. When Gray was traded to the Red Sox over the offseason, he again voiced his dislike for playing in New York.Related: Stream the Red Sox live on NESN via FuboTV or DirecTV StreamBOSTON RED SOX (26-35) vs. NEW YORK YANKEES (37-25) · YANKEE STADIUM · NEW YORK, NY · GAME 62FIRST PITCH: 7:05 p.m. ETTV CHANNEL: NESNRADIO: WEEI 93.7 FMPITCHING PROBABLES: RHP Sonny Gray (6-1, 3.06 ERA) vs. LHP Ryan Weathers (2-3, 3.52 ERA)RED SOX LINEUP: Jarren Duran LFCeddanne Rafaela CFWilyer Abreu RFWillson Contreras 1BCaleb Durbin 3BIsiah Kiner-Falefa SSAndruw Monasterio 2BMickey Gasper DHConnor Wong CYANKEES LINEUP: Trent Grisham CFBen Rice DHPaul Goldschmidt 1BCody Bellinger LFJazz Chisholm Jr. 2BSpencer Jones RFAnthony Volpe SSRyan McMahon 3BAustin Wells CMore Red Sox coverageNew Red Sox reliever will provide another lefty, length to bullpenRed Sox’ advice to optioned Brayan Bello: ‘Fall in love with baseball all over again’Aaron Judge heads to injured list ahead of Red Sox’ series, to miss extended timeState of the Sox: Orioles can offer a cautionary tale Patriots are all-in while the Red Sox check out: Ranking Boston’s title chancesRead the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Buffalo Bills continue to be viewed as one of the AFC’s top contenders, but questions surrounding wide receiver Joshua Palmer have sparked an interesting offseason discussion. As the organization prepares for the 2026 season, some analysts believe Buffalo should at least consider the possibility of trading the veteran receiver if the right opportunity presents itself.Palmer arrived with the expectation of strengthening the Bills’ receiving corps and providing another dependable target for quarterback Josh Allen. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated the ability to make plays at critical moments while contributing as a versatile option in the passing game. His experience and skill set made him an appealing addition for a team focused on maximizing its championship window.Bills wide receiver Joshua Palmer can’t pull down a touchdown pass as the Jets Samuel Womack breaks up the play during the second half of their game at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026.The speculation surrounding a potential trade is not necessarily an indictment of Palmer’s talent. Rather, it reflects the difficult roster decisions that contenders often face when evaluating depth, salary commitments and future flexibility. Teams competing for championships are constantly searching for ways to optimize resources, and every player must be viewed through the lens of both current production and long-term value.Buffalo’s situation becomes even more intriguing given the uncertainty surrounding player health and availability. Injuries can significantly impact roster planning, particularly at a position as important as wide receiver. If the Bills believe other players are capable of stepping into larger roles, they may be more willing to explore options involving veteran contributors. At the same time, moving a proven receiver would create risks that cannot be ignored.NFL Analysis Urges Buffalo Bills to Trade for Joshua Palmer Ahead of 2026 NFL SeasonWide receiver Joshua Palmer eyes in a pass during position drills during day five of Buffalo Bills training camp at St. John Fisher University Monday, July 28, 2025 in Pittsford, NY.Buffalo is being urged to trade Palmer ahead of the 2026 NFL season. This is detailed more in an analysis by Moe Moton for Bleacher Report.Last offseason, the Bills signed Palmer to a three-year deal. He made minimal impact, hauling in 22 passes for 303 scoreless yards in 12 outings.If Palmer remains on the roster, Coleman may not see enough targets to make third-year strides.The importance of reliable pass catchers in today’s NFL makes any discussion involving a receiver particularly complicated. Josh Allen has built his success on the ability to distribute the football to a variety of targets, and depth at the position often becomes crucial during a long season. Palmer’s presence provides experience and familiarity that can help stabilize an offense when challenges arise. Those factors make it difficult to determine whether a trade would truly improve the roster.For now, Palmer remains part of a Bills team determined to compete for a Super Bowl. The conversation surrounding his future highlights the difficult balancing act facing organizations with championship aspirations. While trade speculation is common throughout the offseason, Buffalo’s ultimate decision will depend on whether the potential return outweighs the value Palmer can provide on the field as the Bills pursue another deep postseason run.The post Buffalo Bills Urged to Consider Trading $30 Million WR appeared first on Gridiron Heroics.

The heavyweight division appeared set to enter a new era following the retirement of Jon Jones and the promotion of Tom Aspinall to undisputed champion. But what was meant to be Aspinall’s triumphant return after a 14-month layoff instead ended in controversy at UFC 321. Headlining the card in Abu Dhabi, Aspinall was scheduled to defend his heavyweight title against Ciryl Gane. However, the bout came to a sudden and shocking halt late in the opening round. At the 4:35 mark of Round 1, an accidental double eye poke from Gane left the champion unable to see, forcing referee Jason Herzog to step in and wave off the fight as a no-contest. Despite being given nearly four minutes to recover and undergoing examinations from two cageside doctors, Aspinall made it clear that his vision was compromised and he could not continue. As a result, the fight was officially ruled a no-contest, with the Englishman retaining his title in unfortunate fashion. View this post on Instagram A post shared by SportsCenter (@sportscenter)ALSO READ:Dana White Says Alex Pereira Could Overtake Jon Jones in UFC GOAT Race at Freedom 250The aftermath raised further concern as Aspinall was later diagnosed with bilateral traumatic Brown’s syndrome and has since undergone double eye surgery, leaving the timeline for his return uncertain. Aspinall has returned to light training and sparring while also securing a new management deal with Eddie Hearn, but there remains no clear timeline for his return to the Octagon. The prolonged uncertainty has frustrated former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping, who recently questioned the lack of transparency surrounding his fellow Brit’s situation. Speaking on a recent episode of the Believe You Me podcast alongside fellow UFC veteran Paul Felder, Bisping suggested that the situation does not entirely add up. While choosing his words carefully, ‘The Count’ admitted that the limited information coming from Aspinall’s camp has raised eyebrows.Bisping said, “I’ve got to choose my words carefully here, but he’s just said, ‘I’m still not clear to fight. But he’s been very vague with the details. If I wasn’t cleared, because he’s got a YouTube channel, he posts content all the time, you’d talk about it, the procedures that he had, the operations, whatever.”The former champion then compared Aspinall’s situation to his own eye injury. Bisping infamously lost vision in his right eye after absorbing a devastating head kick from Vitor Belfort, who was competing during the TRT era before the treatment was later banned in the sport. Despite undergoing a serious procedure and facing a lengthy recovery, Bisping managed to return to competition relatively quickly.Tom Aspinall with post event media during the UFC 304 event at Co-op Etihad Campus, SportCity, Manchester, England on the 27 July 2024. Copyright: xAndyxRowlandx PMI-6350-0004Bisping added, “I had a surgery, it was a very serious surgery called a scleral buckle, it’s gross what they do to the eyeball. I don’t know what he had, but he hasn’t talked about that… I had that surgery, recovered, came back, and had a fight in a shorter amount of time than it’s taken this whole eye poke saga.”He then went a step further, hinting that there may be more to the situation than has been publicly disclosed. He concluded with, “I know Tom. We used to have a close relationship, [but] we don’t talk these days. He’s a great guy. But maybe, you look between the lines, there’s something fucking weird going on. That’s what it looks like. That’s what it sounds like.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Verdict MMA App (@verdictmma)Bisping’s comments are particularly notable given the close relationship the pair once shared. Their camaraderie was frequently highlighted in UFC Embedded episodes and other MMA content, but that connection appears to have faded in recent years. Meanwhile, the UFC has opted to move forward with its heavyweight division in Aspinall’s absence. Alex Pereira is scheduled to face Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title at UFC Freedom 250 on June 14, with the winner widely expected to meet Aspinall in a title unification bout once the Brit is cleared to compete.Adding another layer of intrigue is Aspinall’s increasingly complicated relationship with the UFC. The heavyweight champion recently enlisted boxing promoter Eddie Hearn as his manager, a move that drew significant attention given Hearn’s long-running disagreements with UFC CEO Dana White. Hearn has already made it clear that he believes Aspinall is underpaid relative to his value and has stated that he would not be comfortable allowing the champion to continue fighting under the terms of his current deal. The Matchroom Boxing chairman has even floated the idea of Aspinall eventually leaving the promotion altogether. With questions surrounding his health, contract situation, and future in the division, speculation continues to grow. For now, however, fans are still waiting for a definitive update from Aspinall regarding when he will finally be ready to return to action.

Detroit general manager Manon Rhéaume wasted little time in beginning to stock her PWHL expansion team by signing four players Friday — including forward Daryl Watts landing the league’s first four-year contract.Meantime, Charge captain Brianne Jenner is leaving Ottawa after three seasons by signing a three-year standard agreement with the new team in Hamilton, Ontario. The 35-year-old Jenner's departure was anticipated as the four-time Canadian Olympian moves closer to her hometown of Oakville. Hamilton also signed New York goalie Kayle Osborne to three-year standard agreement.The moves came on the first day of the league’s three-day expansion signing process in which each of the four new teams can sign five players.With San Jose signing Seattle goalie Corinne Schroeder to a two-year standard agreement, Las Vegas remains the only expansion team to have yet to add a player.Watts’ addition in Detroit was particularly notable in landing what’s called an Expansion Foundational Offer, guaranteeing her an annual salary of no less than $100,000. Under league rules, Watts chose the maximum term of four years, which the PWHL introduced as part of this year's expansion process.Watts enjoys a raise over her $59,000 salary in Toronto last year. Sceptres general manager Gina Kingsbury on Thursday said she was closing in on a re-signing Watts before the player broke off negotiations.The 27-year-old is from Toronto, and led the Sceptres with 10 goals and 19 points last season. Overall, Watts ranks second on the league list with 32 career goals. She made her Olympic debut by winning a silver medal representing Canada at the Milan Cortina Games in February.Detroit also signed defender Cayla Barnes to a three-year standard agreement, and forward Hannah Bilka to a two-year standard agreement. The two were teammates in Seattle, and both won Olympic gold representing the U.S. in February, with Bilka tying the tournament lead with four goals.Seattle has now lost the maximum three players during the current expansion phase.Detroit also signed Minnesota forward Britta Curl-Salemme to a three-year standard agreement. The 26-year-old U.S. Olympian finished third in the league last season with 29 points, including a single-season record of 18 assists.___AP women’s hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey

Sporting Club Jacksonville women's soccer will switch to a spring-to-fall season along with the rest of the USL Gainbridge Super League beginning in 2027, with a shorter fall league to begin the transition this August.The transitional fall season, reduced to eight teams after the Spokane Zephyr ceased competition in May, will kick off on August 15. Each team will play 14 games, seven at home and seven on the road, until the season's final date on Nov. 28. Semifinals for the top four teams will be Dec. 5, followed by the championship match on Dec. 12. The Sporting Jax women reached the semifinals in their debut season at the University of North Florida's Hodges Stadium before losing to Carolina Ascent FC.The switch represents a change in approach for the Super League, which kicked off in 2024 on a fall-to-spring structure that was intended to more closely replicate the club soccer schedule used around most of the world. That calendar marked a significant difference from the established National Women's Soccer League, which competes from spring to fall."This transition supports player movement, roster development, and long-term growth while creating an exciting, competitive environment that resonates with our fans and strengthens our connection to communities," USL president Amanda Vandervort said in a statement. Both the NWSL, which includes the majority of the United States women's national team, and the Super League hold first-division status from the United States Soccer Federation. Under U.S. Soccer's professional league standards, however, the Super League would need to expand to 10 teams — two more than its present membership — by year four.Other than the starting and ending dates, the Super League has not issued a schedule for the fall season, and has not specified exactly when the 2027 spring-to-fall season would begin. Sporting Jax expects to begin preseason training for the fall season in early July. This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: USL Super League schedule change affects Sporting Jax women

Erick All Jr. worried his career might be over back in 2024 when he re-tore the ACL he injured the year prior in his final college season at Iowa. Even now, as the Cincinnati Bengals tight end finally is back to practicing with his teammates, he can’t help but wonder if it could happen again.That’s not to say the Fairfield High School graduate isn’t up for the challenge of completing his return to competition. He is already through the toughest part – a 19-month grueling recovery, healing and rehab process that has him almost cleared for full activities.All finally feels comfortable on his surgically-repaired knee and showed it this week, participating in Organized Team Activities, but it’s tough not to have doubts after all he has been through to get to this point.“Of course, yeah, I mean, I still do worry about it sometimes,” All said in his first interview with local media since the Nov. 3, 2024, re-injury. “I mean, you never really know. I try to just focus more on the controllables. I can't really control it if I get hurt or hurt again or not, but I'd say I think more about if it were to happen again instead of like coming back from it and not being able to get back to my full potential.”It’s supposed to be difficult to re-tear an already repaired ACL, but All’s initial surgery at Iowa didn’t go as it should have.When All went down in the Week 9 win over the Las Vegas Raiders during his rookie season in 2024, he wasn’t shocked it happened. Frustrated, angry and disappointed, but not completely surprised. Although he had tried to convince himself he was fine as he went through the NFL Draft process and started his professional career as a fourth-round pick of his hometown team, All knew deep down his knee wasn’t right.All said his steps had felt “wobbly” even before he re-tore the ACL.The Bengals set him up with renowned orthopedic specialist Dr. Daniel Cooper, the team doctor for the Dallas Cowboys, and it was discovered then that the work from his previous surgery at Iowa needed to be undone and the knee rebuilt. It cost him to miss not only the remainder of his rookie season but also the entire 2025 season.“Pretty much they just had to take out everything that Iowa did, and I had to wait for all that to heal, so that means like everything was still torn, nothing got fixed, really,” All said. “To be honest, they kind of made it worse, because the problem, the reason why it tore was because the outside of my knee was like unstable and the tissue was dying from the surgery before, like I didn't heal right. So, it was real weak on the outside and then that put stress on my ACL, and it tore.”All said Dr. Cooper and his team took apart what had been previously done to his knee, and then he needed to let that heal for about three months before he could even have the ACL reconstruction.Once he finally had that surgery, it was still a nine-month recovery.“Everything went smooth, and then you know, Dr. Cooper, he's legit, so everything feels fine,” All said. “I feel completely stable, my legs are strong.”All said he got through it with the help of his faith in Jesus Christ, wanting to support his family now that he has two young boys and just because of his love for football.The biggest thing for him now is having that chance to play again. All said he feels like he could go out and play a game tomorrow if the Bengals had one, but he hasn’t been officially cleared in full just as a precaution because there is no need to rush at this point.If or when All does get back to competition, he’ll be a bonus for Bengals coach Zac Taylor and the offense. All was the team’s most complete tight end in what he could provide to both the run and passing games.“To have the significance of the injuries that he's had, to miss a whole season - an extra season really, half of the first one and then the whole second one, it's been challenging for him,” Taylor said. “I think he's handled it really well. Now we're in the progression phase, getting back on the field with no contact or anything right now. We'll assess training camp as it gets closer, but it's been really good to get him on the field, have him back in the walkthroughs. I think mentally for him that's probably been really helpful, just not sitting over there doing the rehab things. He's got an attitude that you just love. He loves football, that's really clear. He's passionate about it. To be able to get him back out there working with the guys has been big for all of us.”Although there’s still the fear of another injury, All wants to show he can still make an impact for his team. What a comeback that would be.“(The goal is to show) that they can rely on me and that I can get back and do the same things I did at an even height or better pace,” All said. “I want to show that I'm gonna be better than I was, and I improved, that I'm gonna come back and be a dawg that they need me to be.”

New Orleans (La.) Edna Karr interior OL Zyion Wesley.Wesley has taken in several games in Starkville and returned to campus for another spring practice visit in April. The Bulldogs have moved the needle in a big way so far“The development, the community and the overall coaching staff … they’re building a family over there,” Wesley told Rivals.Mississippi State is set to host Wesley for his lone official visit on June 19-21.The Bulldogs have been setting the pace in the three-star interior OL recruitment since landing his offer this time last year.State inked former Edna Karr team Leon Noil last cycle.

Women's side wrap up preparations to face the United States on SaturdayThe Brazilian Women’s National Team is ready for another major challenge. On Friday afternoon (5), the squad led by Arthur Elias wrapped up preparations for the first friendly against the United States, scheduled for this Saturday (6) at 6:30 p.m. at Neo Química Arena.The final session was devoted to the team’s last adjustments. On the field, the coaching staff used the training session to go over the game plan, align strategies, and reinforce tactical details for the clash against the Americans.The match marks another chapter in a rivalry that has become frequent since Arthur Elias took charge of the national team. Since September 2023, Brazil and the United States have faced each other four times.The Americans won the Gold Cup final and the Paris Olympic Games final, both by 1-0. In the friendlies played on U.S. soil, the United States won the first match 2-0, but Brazil responded in the second game and secured a historic 2-1 comeback victory.Marta trains with the national team on the eve of the friendlyCredits: Lívia Villas Boas/Staff Images/CBFIn Arthur Elias’s assessment, despite the different results, the matches each had their own characteristics and showed the high level of both teams.“In the Gold Cup final, which was the first game since I took over, we had two balanced halves. I didn’t feel there was any significant drop-off in the second half. In the Olympic final, I thought we were better in the first half. In the second, the United States played better, although we still created important chances. In the third game, we had an excellent first half. Then, especially after conceding the second goal, we had a very poor second half and the United States were superior. In the last meeting, the opposite happened. I think we played well throughout the match, but our second half was especially strong, with clear superiority,” the coach analyzed.Arthur Elias stressed that each match told a different story, but highlighted the growing balance in the meetings between the teams.“When two great national teams face each other, with excellent players, that can happen. The important thing is that the level of the games has been very high.”Arthur Elias speaks about the final adjustments before the match at a press conferenceCredits: Lívia Villas Boas/Staff Images/CBFBeyond the importance of the result, the match is part of the Brazilian team’s preparation for the 2027 World Cup, which will be held in Brazil. The coaching staff sees the friendlies as a valuable opportunity to measure the team’s progress against one of the main powers in women’s football worldwide.After the match in São Paulo, the teams will face each other again next Tuesday (9) at 9:30 p.m. at Arena Castelão in Fortaleza. With little time between the games, Arthur Elias is already anticipating the need for balance in managing the squad.“We will have very little time between one game and the next. Practically just one training day. And on that day, 48 hours after the match, many players will still be recovering. So balance will be essential. Not only strategically, but also in terms of minutes and everything we do with both matches in mind. That will be decisive for the second game. We’re going to put a lot into this first match and define many things after it.”This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.

Titans wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson wore No. 17 in his four seasons with the Giants. When he signed with the Titans, Robinson could have tried to buy the No. 17 from Chimere Dike, who earned All-Pro honors as a returner last season as a rookie, or pick another number.He chose another number in honor of a friend."I didn't want [No. 17]," Robinson told Kay Adams of FanDuel TV. "I was going in wanting a single digit, and then also my late friend, Rondale Moore, he wore No. 4. So that was kind of the reasoning behind me getting that number. Just kind of to honor him, and the time that he was here. That's where I was going in. I wanted No. 4. I don't know about Carnell [Tate] and exactly what went on with him and Chim. But, yeah, I was good with leaving 17 in the past."Tate wore No. 17 at Ohio State. The first-round wide receiver will wear No. 14 with the Titans.Moore died in February from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.Robinson and Moore trained together in the Louisville area the final two years of Robinson's high school career and became fast friends.

FIFA announced on Friday that it will now allow fans to bring their own water bottles to some stadiums during the World Cup, adjusting a policy that had barred spectators from bringing refillable water bottles into the tournament’s 16 stadiums across North America, including some with limited or no shade from the sun.FIFA in a social media post said fans will be permitted to bring one, soft, plastic, 20-ounce (590 milliliter), factory-sealed, disposable water bottle into any match taking place in the United States or Canada.In a video released by FIFA, Chief Operating Officer Heimo Schirgi said fans will still not be permitted to bring in hard sided, reusable water bottles “due to safety and security reasons.”FIFA stated, “for the avoidance of doubt, reusable water bottles may not be brought into the stadium.”FIFA’s stadium rules had stated that fans could bring in a transparent, reusable bottle up to one liter, or 33.8 ounces capacity. On Thursday, the “Stadium Code of Conduct” update was criticized by an English fan group, which argued FIFA had given assurances on carrying empty plastic bottles to fill with freely available water at a tournament where heat and extreme weather are expected to be a factor. ___AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup

WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 03: Blake Butera #10 of the Washington Nationals walks to the mound to make a pitching change during the ninth inning against the Miami Marlins at Nationals Park on June 03, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jess Rapfogel/Getty Images) | Getty Images The sweep at the hands of the Marlins was demoralizing, but the Nats need to bounce back. They got a day off to re-set, and now they start the first west coast trip of the series. The Nats will square off against a Diamondbacks team that sneakily is in second place in the NL West.I have a feeling this lineup from Blake Butera will not be very popular. Curtis Mead, Jacob Young and Keibert Ruiz are all on the bench. That means Jorbit Vivas will be at third, Dylan Crews will be in center and Drew Millas will be behind the plate. Jose Tena will also be hitting third and in the DH spot. Foster Griffin will be on the mound.have you voted 5x today 💫 https://t.co/W9pZhhbsTM→ https://t.co/iUBDqlACVspic.twitter.com/effhR39OXX— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) June 5, 2026The Diamondbacks have an extreme mix of youth and experience. Veterans like Corbin Carroll, Nolan Arenado, Geraldo Perdomo and Ketel Marte are in the lineup. However, there are also rookies like Ryan Waldschmidt and the debuting LuJames Groover in the lineup. We will not see old pal Ildemaro Vargas tonight after he collided with Max Muncy yesterday. Veteran Merrill Kelly will be on the hill for the Snakes.Purple Friday pic.twitter.com/BrNO8Wpvma— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) June 5, 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: Chase FieldTime: 9:40 PM ESTTV: Nationals.TVRadio: 106.7 The FanThis is a very important series for the Nats after the Marlins debacle. Will this be a June swoon or was that Marlins series just a blip on the radar. We will find out this weekend. Follow along in the comments down below and let’s go Nats!

DUBLIN, Ohio (AP) — J.T. Poston stepped onto the putting green Friday at the Memorial just in time to feel the first gust of wind, knowing a tough course was about to get even harder. Part of him was eager to see how a new golf ball to help with the wind was going to perform. It’s safe to say he was pleased.Poston had eight birdies in a round of 7-under 65, a score best measured by the fact he was nine shots better than the field average, enough for a one-shot lead over Ryan Gerard going into the weekend at Muirfield Village.Poston was at 9-under 135, a score not many saw coming.The quality of his round could be measured by the comments of some of his peers. The interview with Tommy Fleetwood began with a statement that it seemed tougher out there.“Is that a question?” Fleetwood replied. “Yeah, we’ll expand on that. It was pretty brutal, actually.”Justin Thomas hit a phenomenal flop shot from behind the 18th green and holed a 6-foot par putt to make the cut on the number.“I can’t put into words how hard that was,” said Thomas, who did anyway. “That was the hardest round of golf that I can remember, major, non-major, it was just insane.”It was all about the wind, not the strongest these players have ever felt (especially if they have been to Kapalua or Scotland) but Muirfield Village has so much trouble and so little room to play it safe that it became vexing.That wasn’t the case for Poston, who decided last week to change to what he called the “left dash ball Titleist makes.”“It’s supposed to help me a little bit in the wind,” Poston said. “So we felt like today was going to be a good test of that and it obviously performed really well. We had a couple shots that I felt like didn’t quite hit them perfect and it hung in there pretty well.”Of course, there was a player hitting the shots, and in his case rolling the putts. So was it the golf ball or the putter?“Both,” Poston said. “The ball got me there, the putter helped me get it in the hole.”Only two of his eight birdie putts were inside 10 feet. Statistically, Poston picked up four shots on the field with his putting in the strokes gained category. He took 24 putts and the distance they covered was 134 feet. No matter which number, it was really good.He might have been the only one happy to see wind.“Yeah, sure,” Poston said with a laugh. “It’s hard to say I wasn’t when you shoot 65. I just knew it was going to play tough and the goal was to try and be patient and keep hitting the shots like I was hitting yesterday and it helps to get off to a great start, make a few nice, longish putts the first couple holes and I feel like I was just kind of off and running.”Gerard was pleased with his 69, getting three birdies before the wind really started to get tough. And he clearly remembers when that happened.“Seven fairway,” Gerard said. “I was spraying sunscreen and all of a sudden it started going all over the place. And my caddie was like, ‘Oh, I guess it’s windy now.’”And it only got worse.Scottie Scheffler hit a shank, said he felt like he was going to shoot 90 and came to life late with three birdies to salvage a 72. He was 10 shots behind in his bid for a third straight victory at the Memorial. Rory McIlroy had a double bogey and two bogeys over his last six holes for a 74. He also was 10 shots behind in his bid to win for the first time in 14 tries at Muirfield Village.Sam Burns had another 69 and was three shots back, followed by Fleetwood (73).Gerard, much like Scheffler, was happy with 69 considering he wasn’t entirely on top of his game. He spoke of “grimy up-and-downs” to stay in the game.“I hit it in two hazards off the tee on par 5s on the back nine and hit both greens in regulation from 240-plus,” he said. “But it’s just kind of keeping yourself in the hole — it’s not easy — and allowing yourself to be positive.“Mentally and physically this place is a monster, not only because it’s a big walk and I’m dealing with nine million allergies or whatever they’re putting out there,” he said. “So it’s a test of patience.”

DETROIT, MICHIGAN - JUNE 05: Kevin McGonigle #7 of the Detroit Tigers grounds out to Josh Naylor #12 of the Seattle Mariners during the bottom of the fifth inning at Comerica Park on June 05, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images) | Getty Images Tigers 7, Mariners 3The effort Ryan puts into his articles: Rob Refsnyder, +0.17 WPAThe effort Ryan puts into his WPA tags: Bryan Woo, -0.17 WPAGame Thread Comment of the Day

Jun 5, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers right fielder Kerry Carpenter (30) gets showered with sunflower seeds while celebrating in the dugout after hitting a two-run home run against the Seattle Mariners in the third inning at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images The Tigers have extended their winning streak to four, and it’s starting to look like it’s not just luck. They beat the Mariners 7-3 on Friday night. The Tigers were back in Detroit after a very hot and cold road trip. They were still riding the high of their sweep of the Rays at the start of the week, and hoping to bring that good luck home with them. They had Gleyber Torres, who has been excellent since his return, and on the mound, they were leaning on Framber Valdez. The Mariners had Bryan Woo up, who has been great for them in a very uneven season for the M’s. J.P Crawford got things going for the Mariners in the first with a leadoff single. Julio Rodriguez singled right behind him. Two outs followed, but then Rob Refsnyder singled, bringing Crawford home and putting the Mariners on the board first. Gleyber Torres continued his hot streak, starting the bottom of the inning with a single. Kevin McGonigle then grounded into a force out, eliminating Torres at second. Two more outs followed and the Tigers left a man stranded. Valdez, after giving up three singles in the first, got into a much better groove in the second, getting the Mariners out in order. In the home half, Riley Greene singled to get things going. Spencer Torkelson hit a force out that initially looked like a single with Greene getting safely to first, but the Mariners challenged and the call was overturned with Greene out. Two more outs followed. In the top of the third, Crawford was hit by a pitch to get a free bag. While he did stay in the game to run, he would later exit the game between the top and bottom of the inning. He was eliminated in a double play off the bat of Rodriguez and then one more out ended the inning. With one out in the home half, Torres singled again. McGonigle then singled, sending Torres to third. A Dillon Dingler fly ball turned into a force out, getting McGonigle out at second, putting Dingler safely at first, and scoring Torres. Then Kerry Carpenter came in to hit a home run to right. The Tigers found themselves in the lead, 3-1.& we all went WOO pic.twitter.com/uazSqJvOCZ— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) June 5, 2026Josh Naylor and Rob Refsnyder hit back-to-back singles to start the fourth. Three outs in a row, followed though, as Valdez showed some evident frustration in himself, but pulled it together to get out of the jam. The Tigers went down in order in the bottom of the inning. With two outs in the fifth Rodriguez walked. He then stole second. Randy Arozarena walked, and then Rodriguez stole third and Arozarena stole second. Despite having two runners in scoring position and rain falling steadily, Valdez got himself out of the inning relatively unscathed and with no runs scored. The Tigers went 1-2-3 in the home half, but the final out of the inning, a McGonigle groundout to first, resulted in McGonigle colliding with first baseman Naylor so hard Kevin’s helmet flew off. He looked okay, but it was still pretty ugly. After a few uneven innings and an elevated pitch count, Valdez was done for the night with a final line of 5.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K on 102 pitches. He was replaced by Drew Anderson. The Mariners went three-up, three-down with the final out of the inning being on an incredible diving catch from Riley Greene.he's Rileyyyy good pic.twitter.com/jUaHFpkfyz— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) June 6, 2026Dillon Dingler got the home half going with a leadoff single. A Carpenter pop out and Greene hitting into a double play ended the inning. With one out in the top of the seventh, Colt Emerson hit a solo home run to bring the Mariners within one. After the second out, Rodriguez doubled, but Seattle didn’t score any additional runs. In the bottom of the inning, Colt Keith got a one-out single. We then got Zach-to-Zack singles from McKinstry and Short. Woo’s game was done at that point, replaced by Eduard Bazardo. Torres doubled to right and Victor Robles misread the play, missing the catch completely, and sending two runs home. THE GLEY WAY pic.twitter.com/S5vPgoQ3Cd— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) June 6, 2026Tyler Holton was the next pitcher out of the Tigers’ pen and he gave up a leadoff double to Naylor. After a Canzone groundout moved Naylor to third, Kerry Carpenter completely lost a routine fly ball, allowing Naylor to score. Cole Young singled, and that was all she wrote for Holton, who was replaced by Kyle Finnegan. The Tigers got to breathe a big sigh of relief as the next two outs followed, but those extra insurance runs were really coming in handy now. Alex Hoppe came in from the Mariners’ pen. With one out, Greene singled. Then Spencer Torkelson hit a home run to left. TORK BOMB pic.twitter.com/yIpgc3FXZa— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) June 6, 2026Will Vest was in for the Tigers in the top of the ninth. With two outs, Arozarena doubled, followed by a walk to Naylor. Not ideal. Even though the drama got dialled up to eleven, Vest came through and got the final out of the inning to secure the Tigers’ win.Final: Tigers 7, Mariners 3

Los Angeles Dodgers closer Edwin Diaz has been out for more than a month after undergoing elbow surgery; however, the star reliever is looking to get back on the field soon. Diaz was found to have an elbow injury — loose bodies in his elbow — after a period of struggles out of the bullpen. View this post on InstagramA post shared by Dodgers Nation (@dodgersnation)The Dodgers paid Diaz $69 million to seal the closer spot, keeping him on board as the main high-leverage arm who can preserve leads and, during the postseason, support the starting rotation. The Dodgers had a bad bullpen in 2025, making a player like Diaz all the more important to add, and after a strong couple of initial outings, the righty had two really bad starts, coughing up two leads. Mar 27, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Edwin Diaz (3) delivers to the plate as he earns a save in the ninth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn ImagesThe Dodgers chose to have Diaz undergo surgery for his loose bodies, hoping to get his velocity back to his usual levels. The recovery is usually two to three months, putting him down for a return around the All-Star break.With a long timeline still ahead, manager Dave Roberts clarified that he is still a way’s away, but he has gone through back-to-back pitching sessions and appearances and is responding well.“I think Edwin is certainly ahead of Blake, obviously, and so he is playing catch,” Roberts said of Diaz. “He’s gone back-to-back a couple different times, stretching it out. “So I would assume that once he stretches it out more, then there’ll be the flat ground, and then at some point in time, he’ll get on the mound. But he’s progressing really nicely, all positive with Edwin.”Mar 27, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Edwin Diaz (3) delivers to the plate as he earns a save in the ninth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn ImagesDiaz’s similar road to SnellDodgers starting pitcher Blake Snell suffered a similar health issue, with loose bodies in his elbow. Snell only went through surgery two weeks ago, but he is throwing again because of a new procedure that keeps him off the recovery timeline for a month. He is looking to return sooner than Diaz did, though Snell and Diaz can provide the Dodgers with important information on both methods of handling loose bodies to help them figure out the best approach later on.

Summer is here, sort of, and it is everyone’s favorite time of the year, scouting time. Every year, we do Summer Scouting to preview college football for Bucs fans, but also give them an idea of names to follow and watch in the fall as needs pop up for Tampa Bay.Are we going to write about quarterbacks? Offensive tackles? Edge rushers? You know it, but why? Because other NFL teams will draft them, just as they will draft every other position. It all matters whether these players end up on the Bucs, the Bears, or the Steelers. We write these so Bucs fans can be the most informed fans.So if you are still with us, enjoy our latest Summer Scouting report as we prepare you for the Fall.Background InfoListed as a defensive endRedshirt sophomoreTucson, Arizona, nativeSalpointe Catholic High School graduateConsensus five-star recruitRated among the top EDGE prospects in the 2024 recruiting classAdidas All-American Bowl selectionSon of former Florida tight end George RushingBrother, Cruz Rushing, plays safety at ArizonaNotable Career Stats Heading Into 2026Appeared in four games as a true freshman while preserving a redshirtAppeared in limited action during the 2025 seasonOne documented pressure as a true freshman against PurdueFewer than 100 career defensive snaps entering 2026Notable Numbers From PFF Heading Into 202691 career defensive snaps2 career pressures0 career sacks51.1 overall defensive grade in 202550.7 run-defense grade in 202553.5 pass-rush grade in 202575.4 tackling grade in 2025High School ProductionRushing arrived at Oregon carrying one of the strongest recruiting profiles in the country.As a senior, he recorded:55 tackles17.5 tackles for loss13.5 sacks64 quarterback hurriesAs a junior, he posted:73 tackles13.5 tackles for loss11.5 sacks59 quarterback hurries4 forced fumblesThroughout his high school career, Rushing consistently generated pressure, created negative plays, and established himself as one of the most sought-after defenders in the nation.The Biggest Mystery We've EvaluatedElijah Rushing may be the most difficult evaluation of this entire Summer Scouting series.Unlike many of the edge defenders we've studied, there simply is not enough college film or playing time available to make meaningful conclusions about his current development. Through two seasons at Oregon, Rushing has played just 91 defensive snaps. For comparison, many of the top EDGE prospects in college football accumulate that amount of playing time in one or two games.That lack of opportunity creates far more questions than answers.Was Oregon's depth chart simply too talented to crack? Was the coaching staff focused on long-term development? Has Rushing needed additional time to physically mature? Without a larger sample size, those questions remain unanswered.What makes the situation fascinating is the contrast between the recruiting profile and the college résumé. Rushing arrived in Eugene as one of the most highly regarded defenders in the country. Recruiting services viewed him as a future impact pass rusher, and his high school production supported that projection. Yet through two seasons, there has been little opportunity to see how those traits translate against college competition.What We Need To See In 2026The upcoming season will likely determine how Rushing is viewed moving forward.Before scouts can evaluate his pass-rush plan, run defense, coverage ability, or overall NFL projection, he first needs a meaningful role within Oregon's defense. More than anything, evaluators need snaps.Can he earn a consistent spot in the rotation?Can he translate his recruiting pedigree into production?Can he show why he was considered one of the nation's top EDGE prospects?Those questions make Rushing one of the most intriguing players to monitor entering the season.Player SummaryMost prospects enter a scouting report with a résumé full of production and film. Elijah Rushing enters with something different: unanswered questions.The recruiting pedigree is undeniable. The high school production was outstanding. The physical tools were attractive enough to make him one of the nation's top recruits. What remains unknown is how those traits translate to the college level because the opportunities have been limited.For now, Rushing remains one of the biggest mystery prospects in college football. The talent that made him a five-star recruit still creates intrigue, but the next step is simple.Get on the field.Until that happens, projecting exactly what kind of player Oregon has in Elijah Rushing remains one of the most interesting unanswered questions in the country.This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: 2027 NFL Draft Summer Scouting Report on Oregon's Elijah Rushing

MIAMI (AP) — Drew Rasmussen allowed one hit in seven dominant innings, Junior Caminero reached base five times and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Miami Marlins 6-0 on Friday night.Caminero doubled and walked twice and singled and Cedric Mullings homered for the Rays. Ryan Vilade had two hits and two RBIs while Yandy Díaz had three singles.Rasmussen (5-2) struck out a season-high nine and retired 17 straight after allowing Javier Sanoja’s opposite-field single to right in the second. The right-hander was lifted after 87 pitches.Two of Rasmussen’s five victories this season have been against Miami. Rasmussen completed 5 1/3 innings of two-run ball in a 6-3 win at Tampa Bay on May 17.It was Caminero’s second game of the season that he reached base five times. Caminero had four walks and singled in Tampa Bay’s 9-7 loss against St. Louis on opening day.After being swept at home by Detroit in a three-game set, the Rays had 12 hits in the series opener against Miami.Cam Booser relieved Rasmussen and pitched the eighth around a walk to Jakob Marsee. Cole Sulser allowed a leadoff single in the ninth then closed to complete the two-hitter.The Rays struck quickly against Marlins starter Ryan Gusto (0-1) when Richie Palacios hit a two-run triple and scored on Vilade’s single in the first.Aranda’s RBI single off reliever Tyler Phillips in the fifth made it 4-0. Díaz followed with a comebacker clocked at 110.2 mph that deflected off Phillips’ right foot for an infield single. Phillips was evaluated by the Marlins trainer, made several warm-up pitches and remained in the game.The Rays padded the lead on Mullings’ homer to lead off the sixth and Vilade’s run-scoring single in the seventh.Gusto allowed three runs and three hits over two innings.Ray’ outfielder Chandler Simpson left in the third inning because of left thumb discomfort. Simpson hit leadoff and grounded out in his two plate appearances before being replaced by Victor Mesa Jr.Up nextLHP Shane McLanahan (6-2, 2.45) was set to start for the Rays on Saturday while the Marlins has not announced a starter.___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

NEW YORK (AP) — Willson Conteras homered and drove in three runs on Friday night to lead the Boston Red Sox to a 5-3 victory over the New York Yankees, who put Aaron Judge on the injured list with a stress fracture in his right rib.Contreras homered for the second straight game when his two-run drive off Ryan Weathers (2-4) reached the second deck in left field and stayed inside the foul pole in the fifth. Conteras also hit an infield single on a high chopper to the third base side of the mound to snap a 1-1 tie in the third.Andrew Monasterio homered in the fourth and Wilyer Abreu had an RBI groundout in Boston’s 10th win in its last 13 road games.Former Yankee Sonny Gray (7-1) allowed three runs and eight hits in 6 1/3 innings. Gray, who struggled in the Bronx in 2017 and 2018, earned his fifth straight win since returning from a hamstring injury.Danny Coulombe stranded a runner in the seventh and Justin Slaten needed four pitches in a perfect eighth. Aroldis Chapman issued a pair of walks to pinch hitters Max Schuemann and Amed Rosario in the ninth before securing his 13th save.The Yankees lost for the third time in four games since losing Judge to the injury. Before the game, New York said Judge would be re-evaluated in about four to six weeks.Ben Rice and Trent Grisham homered off Gray and Spencer Jones added an RBI single. Jones was called up to replace Judge and had his first career three-hit game.Weathers allowed five runs and seven hits in six innings. The left-hander struck out four, walked one and is winless in his last five starts.Up NextBoston LHP Ranger Suárez (2-3, 3.38 ERA) opposes New York RHP Will Warren (7-1, 3.22) on Saturday night.___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

COLUMBUS, OH — One day after Cincinnati Country Day's Luke Schnieber won a pole vault state title, a Summit County Day relay team made it two track and field titles in as many days for Cincinnati.In the first year with five divisions at the Ohio High School Athletic Association track and field state championships, Fenwick, CHCA and Summit Country Day led the way among the area's Division IV teams, while a pair of sprinters claimed spots on the podium.Here are the highlights from Friday's action at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. Saturday will see field events in Divisions I, II and III, running semifinals and a handful of finals in DI and DII, and the DIII running finals.Summit Country Day claims girls sprint relay titleMaddy Amend, Brielle Bryant, Alaina Williams and Ama Karikari brought home Cincinnati's lone state championship on Friday, winning the Division IV 4x100 meter relay in a new overall DIV state record of 48.59 seconds.Running the anchor leg, Karikari took the baton in second place and caught Girard to win the Silver Knights' first track state title since Braeden Austin, Oscar Loehrer, Oren Jenkins and Matthew Shuler won the 2022 DIII 4x200 meter state title."We knew the whole season that we were really close to winning and yesterday during prelims, we were 0.05 (seconds) away, so worked really hard on our handoffs and knew that if I got the stick in first or second, we'd definitely win," Karikari said.The junior also helped SCD to a fifth-place finish in 4x200 meter relay and took sixth place in the 200-meter dash.Summit Country Day, which doesn't have a track, was the top local team in the girls standings, tying for 12th place with 17 points."We have really hard-working coaches and staff that help us get ready before meets and train before the season starts. It just shows how hard work pays off," Karikari said.Wyatt Gockerman places in three events for CHCAWith his twin brother, Nate, out for the second half of the track season with various stress fractures, Wyatt Gockerman was thrust into the primary leadership role for the Eagles.The lineup change allowed him to explore his possibilities in the 3,200-meter run, which led to a new personal best of 9:13 and a third-place finish on the first day of the state championships."It honestly helped propel me and give me more motivation because I was able to really have a breakthrough race in the two-mile at regionals," Gockerman said.Earlier on Thursday, Gockerman and senior Jagger Dollenmeyer helped the Eagles to a seventh-place finish in the 4x800 meter relay.Both competed in the 1,600-meter run on Friday. Gockerman closed his junior season with a sixth-place finish in 4:18.93, one second slower than his personal best. Dollenmeyer, who will run at Wright State, closed his career with a 13th-place finish in 4:22.41."I feel pretty exhausted, especially with how late in the season it is," Dollenmeyer said.The Eagles were the highest-placing DIV boys team, scoring 17.33 points for 13th place.Fenwick's Sam Long bags two fourth-place finishesAs one of the elder stateswomen for the Fenwick track team, Samantha Long has shown her teammates what is possible this year. She had a top five 300-meter hurdle time in DIV this year and was a part of numerous school-record relay teams.The Falcons took 10 athletes to the DIV state meet, including seven freshman, but Long had the most successful day, taking fourth place in the 300-meter hurdles and running the anchor leg of the fourth-place 4x400 meter relay team."I passed people early on because I wanted to start out fast and then just tried to maintain it for the rest of the race," Long said of the relay.In the hurdles, she found her stride rounding the curve into the home stretch, holding off Columbus School for Girls' Hannah Watson and Mineral Ridge's Malayna Wilson.Long is optimistic about the team's future, knowing they can capitalize on the 10 points they scored this year."A lot of the freshmen we have have never run track before. I feel like they definitely look up to the upperclassmen. I was team captain this year and, hopefully, I get to do it again next year because it's really fun, trying to help the coaches," Long said.Serena Cyprien, Jimere Furr show out in Division V short sprintsOpening up the first-ever DV state meet, Cyprien took third place in the 100-meter dash in 12.73 seconds. Despite running into a tough headwind, the Cincinnati Christian senior's first state championship race brought her the first of two medals."It really is all about the start, getting out of your blocks and running through the rest," Cyprien said.She came back in the 200-meter dash, where she was the top seed from the prelims, and took second place in 25.68 seconds.Cyprien will run at Wittenberg University and credits her coaches and teammates for her progression this season. She lowered her 100-meter dash time from 13.35 seconds at her second meet to 12.23 seconds at regionals, and dropped her 200-meter time from 26.34 seconds on April 30 to 25.38 seconds in the regional prelims.She won district titles at both distances and snuck into state by taking fourth place at regionals but made the most of her experience."I've never been at a meet with this many people, ever. It's really nice. The support is amazing, all the girls are super sweet and it was a really good opportunity," Cyprien said.Right after Cyprien finished her 100-meter dash, Furr lined up in lane seven and, 100 meters later, was the runner-up in 11.37 seconds. It was one of his slower times of the season, coming one week after his personal best of 10.75 seconds, but again, he had a tough headwind."Everything was feeling good. I made sure I locked in, made sure I stayed focused. My coach told me that the wind would be crazy so he said to make sure my drive phase is longer than usual so, that way, I can cut through the wind," Furr said.The result was extra sweet because Furr was part of the Lions' 4x200 relay that got disqualified for a false start in 2025. One year after that miscue, he became the first Cincinnati College Prep Academy athlete to stand on the podium at the state meet."To come out here and get second means a lot," Furr said.Which Cincinnati athletes made the podium on the second day of the 2026 OHSAA track and field state championships?Events are listed by division, starting with DIII.DIII boys 3,20-meter run: 5. James O'Driscoll, Indian Hill; 6. Silas Baird, MadeiraDIII boys 4x800 meter relay: 6. Indian Hill (Tyler Martin, James McGrath, Harry Hong, James O'Driscoll)DIV girls 4x200 meter relay: 5. Summit Country Day (Brielle Bryant, Maddy Amend, Alaina Williams, Ama Karikari)DIV boys 4x2000 meter relay: 8. North College Hill (Raheem Griffin, Darrius Newman, Davien Hendrix, Malik Hicks)DIV girls 1,600-meter run: 6. Lucy Folger, Madeira; 7. Allie Tolle, GeorgetownDIV boys 1,600-meter run: 6. Wyatt Gockerman, CHCADIV girls 4x100 meter relay: 1. Summit Country Day (Brielle Bryant, Maddy Amend, Alaina Williams, Ama Karikari)DIV boys 4x100 meter relay: 8. Deer Park (Nolan Hedges, Morgan Brown, Tink Sellers, Titus Sayers)DIV girls 300-meter hurdles: 4. Samantha Long, FenwickDIV boys 800-meter run: 7. Isaac Bosken, MariemontDIV girls 200-meter dash: 6. Ama Karikari, Summit Country DayDIV girls 4x400 meter relay: 4. Fenwick (Lexi Braun, Haven Keyes, Makenzie Fallon, Samantha Long)DIV boys discus: 7. Owen Clary, CHCADIV girls shot put: 5. Makayal Davenport, Madeira; 7. Camille Lewis, Deer ParkDIV boys long jump: 8. Dillon Fox, CHCA; 9. Malik Hicks, North College HillDV girls 100-meter dash: 3. Serena Cyprien, Cincinnati ChristianDV boys 100-meter dash: 2. Jimere Furr, CCPADV boys 4x100 meter relay: 7. Cincinnati Country Day (Luke Schnieber, Leon Hall, Jr., Peyton Ware, Nathan Kellenberger)DV boys 400-meter dash: 8. William Lothmann, Cincinnati Country DayDV boys 300-meter hurdles: 7. Luke Schnieber, Cincinnati Country DayDV girls 800-meter run: 6. Olivia O'Hare, MVCADV girls 200-meter dash: 2. Serena Cyprien, Cincinnati ChristianDV boys high jump: 8. Hayden Broadwell, Felicity-FranklinThis article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati sprinters shine on day two of 2026 OHSAA state track meet