This article originally appeared on PGHBaseballNOW.com.
A day after putting pen to paper and officially signing with the Pirates, Derek Curiel took batting practice on the field at PNC Park ahead of Monday night's game against the Diamondbacks.
The on-field batting practice capped off a six-day stay in Pittsburgh for Curiel, who was selected by the Pirates with the fifth pick in this year's draft. He joined a hitting group of Bryan Reynolds, Ryan O'Hearn and Jacob Gonzalez for his first swings at his future home.
"It felt good," Curiel said after his round. "The stadium is beautiful. Nice backdrop, beautiful batter's eye. Couldn't ask for a better field to hit at."
Curiel said he hadn't swung a bat since arriving in Pittsburgh, but he didn't waste much time before taking some impressive cuts. With third base coach Tony Beasley throwing to him, Curiel hit a couple ****** over the wall and into the seats. One deep drive to right drew some aahs from several current Pirates.

#curiel #pittsburgh #beautiful #park

The club will hopefully announce Bodø/Glimt striker Kasper Høgh on a multi-million pound deal, after the Bhoys struck a record-breaking £11m transfer fee with the Norwegian side for his services.
News last night, as reported on Celtic Shorts, was that the big centre-forward has completed a successful medical in London ahead of the club confirming his signing on a four-year deal later today.
Martin O'Neill is in the marketplace for several more major targets, as the squad is in desperate need of refreshment following a close shave in Scottish football last year.
Hearts and Derek McInnes gave the 5IAR Champions a good run for their money, after Tony Bloom's initial involvement at the Tynecastle club, which could have easily been avoided, had proper investment in the playing squad been achieved last summer, as Brendan Rodgers continually pleaded for.
Now reports from Spain have confirmed that the World Cup star will return to pre-season training with the rest of his Real Oviedo teammates this midweek, as the Hoops' hierarchy has yet to strike an agreement with the Segunda Division side for the transfer to proceed. That is another frustrating update for Celtic supporters, but one that we are well used to, unfortunately.

#last #celtic #transfer

The climactic end to the Scottish Premiership, coupled with the summer of football and managerial upheaval that followed, has made it somewhat easy to forget that Rangers finished last term third.
A lot has happened since head coach Danny Rohl, who has been replaced by Derek McInnes, watched his team limp to the finish after their season unravelled in a post-split collapse.
The memories of the Ibrox side's demanding fanbase are not that short, though.
They are expecting far better from a club that followed up a reported £40m spending spree with a second successive trophyless season.
But as the McInnes era prepares to kick into gear, are those same supporters heading into the new campaign with fewer reasons to fear more failure?

#mcinnes #rohl #derek

Series leader Layne Riggs looks for a second straight win on the short track at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park as the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series TSport 200 returns on Friday night.
NASCAR Truck Series drivers Derek Lemke (22) and Ben Rhodes (99) race during the Allegiance 200 at Nashville Superspeedway in Lebanon, Tenn., Friday, May 29, 2026.
When: Friday, July 24, 2026
Start Time: 8:00 PM ET
Channel: FOX Sports 1

#truck #indianapolis #raceway #park

The Phillies have been plagued this season by lackluster production from their righty bats. As a whole, J.T. Realmuto (.648 OPS), Trea Turner (.684) and Alec Bohm (.657) have provided unsatisfactory offensive results.
While Turner's defense has been much maligned this season, he's turned his production around at the plate. Since June 15, Turner has posted an .886 OPS, picking up seven home runs and seven doubles. Realmuto has quietly been performing better recently as well, with an .818 OPS in July. And early-season trade acquisition Derek Hill has provided more value than expected, already worth 1.5 bWAR as a Phillie.
That leaves Alec Bohm out of the picture. While his numbers aren't as strong as his other right-handed teammates, there's strong evidence that a huge hot streak is inbound.
Bohm's numbers since June are lackluster, slashing just .244/.298/.421 in 42 games. Counting just July, Bohm is hitting .239/.311/.478, a little above league average by the measure of wRC+ (114). He avoids strikeouts well (16.9 K% since June) but doesn't walk much either (5.1 BB%). Most importantly, he's grounding out 50.4% of the time, limiting the amount of impact his swings can have.
That's significant, as his swings have had a relatively big amount of impact by measure of his batted ball statistics. During July, Bohm has been hitting the ball harder than he has all season:

#bohm #turner #lackluster #production

During Mark Pope’s first two seasons in Lexington, we have yet to see him develop a lottery pick in the NBA Draft.
That may be changing next year, as Malachi Moreno is already generating buzz as a potential lottery selection in the 2027 NBA Draft.
Over at Sports Illustrated, Derek Parker has Moreno ranked as the third-best returning college player who was a 2026 NBA prospect.
Kentucky big Malachi Moreno fell victim to the depth of the ’26 class, putting up enough production to be an intriguing late-first bet in most classes.
In his freshman season with the Wildcats, he averaged 7.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.8 ****** ists and 1.5 blocks in just 22.6 minutes per game, showing off versatility on the interior. With similar or better production, he could massively boost his stock.

#malachi #lexington

Updated July 22, 2026 8:58 am ET
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(3 min)
1248 GMT – The dollar could remain little affected by the latest bout of U.S. trade uncertainty in the near term, MUFG Bank’s Derek Halpenny says in a note. President Trump’s plans for new tariffs should broadly replicate the Section 122 tariffs which are due to expire on Friday, meaning the currency implications should be limited, he says. Moreover, it comes at a time when markets are pricing in U.S. interest-rate rises and Middle East risks are higher, providing some support to the dollar, he says. However, if trade uncertainty becomes more ***** ounced, dollar selling could re-emerge as investors become more concerned over unpredictable policies and the damage to the U.S. economy, he says. The DXY dollar index trades flat at 101.135. (renae.dyerwsj.com)
0940 GMT – U.S. Treasury yields trade steady on the day, with the 10-year yield close to an earlier two-month high, while the dollar is marginally lower. Investors remain cautious as oil prices rise and Middle East tensions continue, leaving a risk that yields and the dollar could rise. “The pullback [in the U.S. dollar] could prove limited, however, as Treasury yields remain at elevated levels and geopolitical tensions could continue to fuel safe-haven demand,” DHF Capital S.A’s Bas Kooijman says in a note. Brent crude rises 3.5% to $94.19. The 10-year Treasury yield is last up 0.2 basis points at 4.630%, having earlier hit a high of 4.642%, according to Tradeweb. The DXY dollar index falls 0.1% to 101.102, having hit a one-week high of 101.210 overnight. (emese.barthawsj.com)

#treasury #east

Hello, and welcome back to the Pac-Mountain Pulse, a Mountain West Connection podcast. Thank you for joining us today!
In this episode, Hike's Peak host Jack Thompson (JackTalksCFB) joins Derek to discuss various Pac-12 topics, such as the hype and expectations surrounding Texas State quarterback Brad Johnson, which teams will exceed or fall below their FanDuel win total expectations and the ongoing discussions of conference realignment a couple of years down the line.
View Link

#expectations #hello #pulse

AC Milan have reached an agreement with Troyes to sign Rangers target Sankhoun Diawara, according to Foot Mercato. The 20-year-old was reportedly on the verge of joining Rangers in a huge boost to Bears manager Derek McInnes. However, the Ibrox club have to look elsewhere for a top defender to boost their chances of winning the Scottish Premiership next term. Milan have hijacked the Light Blues’ deal for Diawara despite Rangers agreeing terms to the Frenchman.
The Serie A club have also agreed personal terms with Diawara, with only the final details remaining to be settled before finalising the deal. While the Bears wanted the youngster in their first-team immediately, Milan only have plans to add him to their under-23s. Diawara secured promotion to Ligue 1 at the end of last term after making 17 appearances across all competitions.

#boost #club

Delicious Orie has weighed in on the debate around Joe Joyce’s future, after his fellow Commonwealth champion suffered his fifth loss in six fights.
Joyce, 40, won Commonwealth gold for England and Olympic silver for Britain before turning professional and winning his first 15 fights – even stopping Daniel Dubois, Joseph Parker and Carlos Takam.
However, the heavyweight’s sole win since 2022 is a late stoppage of Kash Ali in 2024, which came after back-to-back KOs by Zhilei Zhang and preceded a hat-trick of defeats: points losses to Derek Chisora and Filip Hrgovic, and a stoppage by Artem Suslenkov this month.
Now, compatriot and fellow heavyweight Orie has given his opinion on the situation, one year after abruptly calling time on his own pro career after just one fight.
“It’s funny you say this, because I was literally having a conversation about Joe Joyce earlier,” the 29-year-old told The Independent. “It’s very interesting with Joe. Phenomenal athlete, he did exceptional as an amateur and did great things as a professional as well.

#fights

Marc Stein: Jaron Pierre Jr. and the Pelicans have agreed to a two-way contract, his Skyward Sports representatives Derek Lafayette and Curtis Lawrence tell TheSteinLine. The New Orleans native and former SMUBasketball star was drafted No. 58 overall in June.
x.com
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Jaron Pierre Jr. and the Pelicans have agreed to a …

#stein #sports

BENTON — Brodie Garber knew down deep that at the end of his coaching career, he’d be back leading a girls basketball team.
He wasn’t sure when or where, but he just knew.
The answer came earlier this year, when Garber left his position as the boys basketball coach at Fairfield to take the job as the head girls coach of the Falcons.
Garber was the head boys coach at Fairfield for two years, posting a record of 29-16 including 16-6 last season. He also served as an ***** istant under Derek Hinen for the 2023-24 season, when the Falcons went to the Class 3A semistate.
While he wasn’t unhappy as the boys coach, Garber jumped at the opportunity to return to coaching the Fairfield girls, after Kyle Hartman resigned to take over as head coach at Warsaw.

#fairfield #girls

GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) — The Scottish Football ***** ociation has handed new Rangers manager Derek McInnes a four-match ban for his critical comments about a disputed penalty that benefited Celtic in last season's ***** le race.
Then-Hearts coach McInnes had called the stoppage-time penalty decision “actually quite disgusting" after Celtic beat Motherwell 3-2 in the penultimate game to put it on course for its record 56th Scottish league ***** le.
On Wednesday, the Scottish FA issued the four-match touchline ban with one suspended until the end of the 2026-27 season.
Rangers responded by saying it would appeal the ruling.
“We do not believe Derek’s view on a match-defining decision amounted to an attack on the competence or integrity of match officials,” the Glasgow club said in a statement. “His comments were directed at the decision, rather than representing any broader criticism of officials. Considered fairly and in context, Derek’s comments did not allege bias, incompetence or dishonesty.

#scottish #match #celtic

Rangers intend to contest a four-match touchline ban given to manager Derek McInnes for describing as "disgusting" the decision to award Celtic a late penalty at Motherwell in May.
The comments, made at the end of last season when McInnes was in charge of Hearts, related to a stoppage-time spot-kick for handball that was converted by Kelechi Iheanacho.
Celtic's 3-2 victory at Fir Park on 13 May kept them one point behind Hearts, who they beat to the **** le a few days later in a final-day decider.
Responding to the Scottish FA penalty, which is an immediate three-game ban with one suspended until the end of the season, Rangers say the remarks were "directed at the decision, rather than representing any broader criticism of officials".
Speaking to Sky Sports after a win against Falkirk at Tynecastle the same night, McInnes said: "When you heard Celtic got a 96th-minute penalty that was going to VAR and they were checking it, you just **** ume what's happened is they get the penalty.

#mcinnes #rangers #decision #motherwell

For the first time since IndyCar introduced its charter system in 2025, one of the 25 available charters has been sold. Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing is selling one of its three charters to Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, which will return as a full-time IndyCar team for the first time since 2012.
After Dreyer & Reinbold Racing owner Dennis Reinbold died in June, the team has continued operations and worked to become a full-time team, which Reinbold was working toward before his death. Dreyer & Reinbold Racing CEO Derek Reinbold worked with RLL's ownership group of by Bobby Rahal, Mike Lanigan and David Letterman to complete the deal.
"I want to thank Bobby Rahal, Mike Lanigan, David Letterman, and (RLL president) Jay Frye for the way they approached this from our very first conversation," Reinbold said in a news release. "They treated this as a partnership between two organizations that want to see each other succeed, and this announcement today reflects that.
"The NTT IndyCar Series is in the strongest position it has been in for decades, and that is a direct result of Roger Penske's stewardship and leadership. The growth of this series, on the track and off, made this the right moment for our team to return to full-time racing. My dad built Dreyer & Reinbold Racing and poured his life into it, and our family has been part of the Speedway for four generations. Competing for a full season again is the truest way we can honor his legacy, and we intend to make him proud."
Dreyer & Reinbold has competed in the Indianapolis 500 every year despite not being a full-time team, and it will now be the 11th team in the paddock in 2027. RLL has not announced which drivers will return next year, as the team's current lineup consists of Graham Rahal, Louis Foster and Mick Schumacher.

#full #lanigan

For the first time since IndyCar introduced its charter system in 2025, one of the 25 available charters has been sold. Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing is selling one of its three charters to Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, which will return as a full-time IndyCar team for the first time since 2012.
After Dreyer & Reinbold Racing owner Dennis Reinbold died in June, the team has continued operations and worked to become a full-time team, which Reinbold was working toward before his death. Dreyer & Reinbold Racing CEO Derek Reinbold worked with RLL's ownership group of Bobby Rahal, Mike Lanigan and David Letterman to complete the deal.
"I want to thank Bobby Rahal, Mike Lanigan, David Letterman, and (RLL president) Jay Frye for the way they approached this from our very first conversation," Reinbold said in a news release. "They treated this as a partnership between two organizations that want to see each other succeed, and this announcement today reflects that.
"The NTT IndyCar Series is in the strongest position it has been in for decades, and that is a direct result of Roger Penske's stewardship and leadership. The growth of this series, on the track and off, made this the right moment for our team to return to full-time racing. My dad built Dreyer & Reinbold Racing and poured his life into it, and our family has been part of the Speedway for four generations. Competing for a full season again is the truest way we can honor his legacy, and we intend to make him proud."
Dreyer & Reinbold has competed in the Indianapolis 500 every year despite not being a full-time team, and it will now be the 11th team in the paddock in 2027. RLL has not announced which drivers will return next year, as the team's current lineup consists of Graham Rahal, Louis Foster and Mick Schumacher.

#full

Finally another member of the Houston Texans has cracked the NFL's Top 100 list for 2026.
Pro Bowl wide receiver Nico Collins, fresh off his third consecutive 1,000-yard season, was selected as the No.58 player for the upcoming season. He's the first Texans player to make the list since Pro Bowl linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair appeared back at the initial ranking at No. 92 player.
"I don't think anyone can cover him one-on-one," All-Pro cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. said in the release from the NFL. "It's just not possible. It's really not."
While it is a drop from last season's No. 32 ranking, still being considered a consensus top 10 wide receiver is key. Collins has dealt with injuries throughout his career, limiting him to under 17 games per season.
That hasn't limited his production since Pro Bowl quarterback C.J. Stroud arrived in 2023. Over his past three seasons, the 6-foot-4 wideout has been consistent, totaling at least 1,000 yards and at least six touchdowns. Last season, he finished with 1,117 and a team-leading six touchdowns on 71 catches.

#since

PHILADELPHIA — It was an MLB All-Star Game that will be remembered for the sheer pitching dominance, the offensive ineptitude, players holding sparklers in front of the dugout, fireworks shooting up in the air, kids riding bicycles on the field, a star player who nearly broke his hand, but missing that one magical moment.
Instead, it was seemingly harmless two-run, first-inning single by a former MVP participating in his first All-Star Game in seven years whose hit proved to be worthy of the All-Star MVP award.
New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger, who stood in front of his locker before the game reminiscing when he was the National League's MVP for the Los Angeles Dodgers at the age of 24, and six hours later Tuesday night was sitting behind a podium holding the MVP award after the American League's 4-0 victory.
Bellinger is the fourth Yankee to win the All-Star MVP award, joining Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and Giancarlo Stanton, and also the first in MLB history to win Rookie of the Year, LCS MVP, All-Star MVP and a World Series ******* le.
"Pretty special,'' Bellinger, 31, said. "My first few years in the big leagues, I was here two of my first three years. I was, like, 'Oh, I'll be here every year. It took a long time to get back.'

Pete Crow-Armstrong was 9 years old, maybe 10. He can’t remember for sure. But he clearly remembers the scene: a journey from his San Fernando Valley home to Angel Stadium, for a game featuring Derek Jeter and the New York Yankees.
Jeter wasn’t an outfielder, though. Crow-Armstrong sat in right-center field, with a great view of an Angels’ phenom.
“I absolutely followed Mike Trout,” Crow-Armstrong said. “I would have followed him if he were in freaking Seattle.
“He was — he still is — the only one to ever really do what I’ve ever seen him do in my life.”
A decade and a half later, in an All-Star Game that was short on drama and long on tributes to Trout, the hometown hero and future Hall of Famer, Crow-Armstrong shared center field with Trout.

There has been a vacancy in the Kansas City Chiefs’ defensive rotation for a few months. In May, we highlighted four free agents the Chiefs could sign to play defensive end on the site.
New Orleans Saints edge rusher Cameron Jordan has returned to his long-time team since that writing, but the three players remaining are still on the market with training camp nearing.
Jadeveon Clowney is always a name to consider, but there’s another candidate from the list who was also highlighted by friend of the site Charles Goldman of A to Z Sports this week.
4 veteran free agent defensive ends the Kansas City Chiefs could sign for competitive depth during training camp and the preseason | A to Z Sports
Derek Barnett

Every MLB All-Star Game MVP by year: Complete list of winners, from Mike Trout to Derek Jeter originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Every summer, MLB pauses action in July, giving the majority of the league a break to rest up for the second part of the season. The league's best, however, get less time off because they participate in the annual MLB All-Star Game and related festivities.
Unlike the NFL's Pro Bowl, but similar to the NBA's All-Star Game, MLB holds its All-Star Game during the regular season. The Midsummer Classic pits the best of the American League against the best of the National League. Historically, the league that won the All-Star Game earned home-field advantage for that year's World Series. That was changed in 2017, and now the winners of the All-Star Game just get a nice bonus check.
The best player in the All-Star Game is awarded the All-Star Game MVP Award. In its history, it was known as the Arch Ward Memorial Trophy, honoring the inventor of the MLB All-Star Game, and the Commissioner's Trophy, although that became the name of the World Series Trophy in 1985. Since 2003, the MLB All-Star Game Trophy has been named the Ted Williams Trophy.
Here is a list of every player who has won the MLB All-Star Game MVP Award.

PHILADELPHIA − Cody Bellinger had a night he won’t soon forget.
And in the process, he made a bit of history.
Bellinger was named the 2026 All-Star Game MVP on Tuesday at Citizens Bank Park, following the American League’s 4-0 victory over the host National League.
He becomes the fourth Yankees player in franchise history to win the honor, joining Derek Jeter (2000), Mariano Rivera (2013) and Giancarlo Stanton (2022).
Bellinger got the American League going in the top of the first inning. Batting with the bases loaded and two outs, he came through with a two-run single off National League starter Cristopher Sanchez of the hometown Phillies for quick 2-0 AL lead.

Jul. 14—WINNER, S.D. — Winner/Colome claimed a Sunshine League amateur baseball victory on Monday night, topping Platte 11-8 at Leahy Bowl.
It was the Pheasants' fifth win in the last six games, with Austin Richey driving in four runs for Winner/Colome, including a key three-run home run in the eighth inning to help seal the win. Richey and Drew DeMers each had three hits and Derek Graesser had two hits and three RBIs in the game, while Austin Calhoon finished with two hits.
Graesser was the winning pitcher with 10 strikeouts in five innings of work, allowing four hits, one earned run and walking two. Isaiah Olson had 3 2/3 innings of relief with nine hits and six runs allowed, striking out three and Kelly O'Bryan recorded the final out via strikeout.
Platte finished with a 13-11 edge in hits, and Hayden Kuiper and Preston Nedved both had home runs in the game for the Killer Tomatoes. Michael Buitenbos had three hits and drove in a pair of runs, while Matt Link, Nedved, Kuiper and Jimmy DeWaard each had two hits. Dawson Hoffman was the losing pitcher of record with six innings, nine hits, eight runs (one earned), seven strikeouts and six walks.
Winner/Colome (8-5 overall, 8-5 Sunshine) hosts Alexandria at 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 17. Platte (6-7, 6-7 Sunshine) will host the Parkston Rays at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 16.

This week’s All-Star Week festivities got off to a bombastic start on Monday night at Citizens Bank Park, with outstanding performances from established sluggers and burgeoning stars alike in the Home Run Derby. The spectacle of Jordan Walker silencing a partisan Philadelphia crowd with six consecutive bombs to ****** the ****** le from Kyle Schwarber will be hard to top in terms of pure theatre, but let’s see what the Midsummer Classic itself has to offer!
Tonight, the Yankees will have both Ben Rice and Cody Bellinger representing them in the American League’s starting lineup; they’ll take on Philadelphia ace Cristopher Sánchez on his home mound as the Senior Circuit seeks to claim their second straight victory in the main event. The AL had mounted a late-inning comeback to erase a 6-0 lead, but Schwarber ultimately led the NL to victory by winning a Derby-esque swing-off challenge which replaced extra innings.
Of course, two other Yankees were named All-Stars this season: Aaron Judge and Cam Schlittler. Judge is still working his way back from the rib fracture he sustained in the first week of June. Schlittler was about as deserving as any pitcher to get the starting nod for the AL, but owing to his start this past Saturday, opted not to participate. Strangely, Blue Jays manager John Schneider, who will be leading the American League on the field tonight, said he was always planning to tap the Blue Jays’ Dylan Cease as the starter—even if Schlittler was available to pitch. Weird move, but all right.
Bellinger and Rice will hit consecutively in Schneider’s lineup, at the sixth and seventh spot respectively. (Everybody get those jokes out of the way now.) They were not voted into starting spots, but they will each get the nod regardless due to injuries to Judge and Byron Buxton in Bellinger’s case and the combination of Vladimir Guerrero Jr.‘s withdrawal from the event and replacement Nick Kurtz’s recent addition to the IL.
Rice participated in last night’s Home Run Derby, but failed to advance to the next round. He’ll still get a chance to show off the impressive game power which has brought him to the precipice of 30 home runs at the season’s intermission. Bellinger was slumping mightily ahead of the season’s final week, but finished strong with five hits in the last four games ahead of the break. He gets a chance to keep that momentum going against…well, somebody in the NL’s pitching staff. Since it tends to be a new face pitching every inning, and all. Just one big hit from either of them however, and they could join Derek Jeter (2000), Mariano Rivera (2013), and Giancarlo Stanton (2022) as the only All-Star Game MVPs in Yankees history.

There are a lot of Detroit Tigers’ storylines playing out during All-Star Week. From Justin Verlander’s honorary selection as a Legends pick and final appearance at the MidSummer Classic as an active player, to Kevin McGonigle’s first All-Star game and triumphant return home to Philadelphia, where the Delaware County native grew up going to Citizens Bank Park to see childhood favorites like Chase Utley and Bryce Harper, to Dillon Dingler’s first All-Star Game and emergence this season as the best all round catcher in baseball, there is a lot to celebrate.In terms of the game itself, Riley Greene, making his third All-Star Game appearance, has been added to tonight’s starting lineup.
We thought we’d just put together a little round-up of clips from the Tigers’ All-Stars during media day. It’s been pretty fun watching the 43-year-old Verlander take it all in for the last time as he prepares to ride off into the sunset. The contrast between the legendary Tigers and Astros ace’s perspective, and that of the 21-year-old McGonigle’s first experience as a star player in the game, has been particularly fun to observe. Jokes have abounded regarding Verlander taking his three adult sons to the All-Star Game, as you’d expect. There have also been quite a few clips with Verlander reminiscing on his first All-Star Game back in 2007 and how the league and the game has changed.
Watching him chat with former foes like Derek Jeter, David Ortiz, and Alex Rodriguez, all now long retired, as he prepares to join them in the next phase of a ballplayer’s life has certainly provided some nostalgic moments as well.
Future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander joins the show and talks about what led to his decision to retire at the end of the season. pic.twitter.com/RZkdTYDrVB
— FOX Sports: MLB (MLBONFOX) July 13, 2026

The Scottish press has dropped a massive development. Rangers are actively pursuing AEK Athens left-back James Penrice, reports Transfer Feed. The 27-year-old only left Hearts last summer in a £2 million deal, picking up a Greek Super League winner’s medal during his brief stint abroad. Yet, he wants out. He wants an immediate UK return, craving regular first-team minutes after a season spent largely as a rotation player. The lure of Glasgow is strong. Penrice completely prefers a lucrative proposal from Ibrox over competing interest from English Championship duo Middlesbrough and Blackburn.
It is an aggressive early move from the Ibrox hierarchy. They want local talent through the door quickly. During his single season in Greece, the defender featured 20 times in the league, starting 16 matches. His stat line reads zero goals, zero ***** ists, and seven yellow cards. Unspectacular, perhaps, but he helped AEK clinch the domestic ***** le. Now, he wants to be back home.
GLASGOW, SCOTLAND – APRIL 19: James Penrice of Hearts looks dejected after the team’s 2-1 defeat after the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup Semi Final match between Hearts and Aberdeen at Hampden Park on April 19, 2025 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
The full-back position demands immediate tactical reinforcement. New manager Derek McInnes needs defensive steel, rapid recovery pace, and reliable width to challenge Celtic. Penrice offers proven Scottish Premiership experience. He won individual player of the year accolades at Tynecastle before moving to Greece. His deep familiarity with the local game gives him an immediate psychological advantage. He won’t need an adaptation period. He handles away-ground hostility well.
The tactical fit, however, raises questions. McInnes prefers a direct, high-pressing defensive unit that relies heavily on physical aerial duels. Penrice is a different profile. He thrives in possession-heavy structures. His Greek stint showed his technical ability to dictate tempo from deep positions. Scottish football requires raw physical dominance in the defensive third. It is a genuine tactical dilemma.

Tis the season for NFL media to put out their own Top 100 players list. Pro Football Network put theirs out and it is based on their own specialized formula they call a PFN Impact Score. This sort of objective measure creates a very different type of ranking as opposed to say the NFL Network, which is more of a popularity contest.
For the Pittsburgh Steelers, they landed four players on their Top 100, and while two of them didn't come as a suprirse, the other two did.
First up and highest-rated on the list is cornerback Joey Porter Jr. at No. 33. He's the third-highest ranked cornerabck on the list, behind only Derek Stingley Jr. and Pat Surtain II. Porter is currently waiting on a massive contract extension with the Steelers and based on this metric, he should be paid like the top corners in the NFL.
Next up we get EDGE T.J. Watt at No. 42 and defensive tackle Cameron Heyward at No. 49. Watt and Heyward were the two guys who most often show up on these sorts of lists and despite both guys having down seasons in 2025, are in great positions to rebound in 2026 under new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham.
Finally we get center Zach Frazier at No. 75. The only center on this list ranked higher than Frazier is Creed Hunphrey and it really illustrates just how well Frazier played last season, even if others weren't paying attention.

Derek Curiel became the latest former LSU baseball star to be picked in the top five in the MLB Draft. The Pittsburgh Pirates selected him at No. 5 overall on Saturday during the 2026 MLB Draft. He joins Paul Skenes, Dylan Crews and Kade Anderson as Tigers to be drafted in the top five since 2023.
Scouts considered Curiel a consensus first rounder but most mock drafts had him going in the teens and high twenties. ESPN ranked him the No. 10 overall prospect and MLB out him at No. 12. The outfielder over performed all expectations and becomes the most recent Tiger turned Pirate, following Skenes.
MLB ****** igned a slot value of $8.34 million to the No. 5 overall pick but the total compensation package will likely exceed the estimate. The Pirates boast the sixth-highest bonus pool at $16.2 million, which means the contract and signing bonus will be lucrative.
Curiel teased a return to LSU during interviews following the 2026 season. The chance he donned the purple and gold again was slim but has almost certainly dissipated with the estimated amount of money sitting on the table from the Pirates.
This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: LSU Baseball Draft News: Derek Curiel's expected signing bonus

When LeBron James came to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018, he instantly made them relevant again after they had missed the NBA playoffs five straight times. He and fellow superstar Anthony Davis delivered the franchise the Larry O'Brien Trophy in 2020, yet as time went on afterward, some Lakers fans soured on him.
There were quite a few Lakers fans who had wanted James gone for a couple of years, and on June 30, they got their wish when James let the team know he was moving on in free agency. He remains a free agent, and the organization has already moved on and started to ****** emble a roster around and for Luka Doncic.
Former Laker Derek Fisher admitted that he doesn't quite understand why some don't appreciate James' tenure with the team. Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who, like Fisher, won five NBA championships with L.A., urged fans to appreciate what the four-time MVP did while with the Purple and Gold.
"LeBron was a winner on and off the court, and Laker fans should appreciate his performance for the last 8 years," Abdul-Jabbar wrote on X (formerly Twitter). "If LeBron goes home to Cleveland, it won’t matter if they win the World Championship or not because his hometown fans will get their opportunity to say their goodbyes to one of the greatest ever."
Indeed, it seems the Cleveland Cavaliers are the team James is most likely to play for this coming season. He spent his first seven pro seasons with them, and after leaving in 2010 to head to the Miami Heat, he returned for four more years in 2014.

The NFL is quickly approaching training camp, and the preseason will soon get underway. Multiple teams have key position battles ahead of the season, including some at quarterback. One retired quarterback, however, has kept the door open for a potential return in 2026.
Former Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr has previously stated that he would come out of retirement for the right situation. He recently appeared on Good Morning Football and revealed that several teams have checked in with him.
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“There were multiple teams that reached out to me this offseason. I won’t say who or how, but they reached out and was just gauging my interest on what I wanted to do. They were good, solid football teams,” Carr said.
“If I were to do it, it would have to be a special team that maybe lost somebody or needed somebody, but even then, it’s not guaranteed.”