As you may have heard, Pete Alonso returned with his new team to Citi Field tonight, and the Mets lost to the Orioles 2-1. Although Jonah Tong pitched admirably, the Mets could not capitalize on their six hits and left nine runners on base.
After Jonah Tong struck out Dylan Beavers to lead off the first inning, Alonso stepped up to thunderous applause, cheers, and chants of his name. He flied out to Carson Benge in right field, but that did not dampen the enthusiasm of the crowd. Tong then retired Gunnar Henderson as well for a 1-2-3 start to his day. In the bottom of the inning, Francisco Lindor walked to lead off, but Juan Soto popped out, and Bo Bichette grounded into a double play for the second and third outs to end the inning.
At the top of the second inning, Jackson Holliday looped a one-out single into right field. He reached second on a passed ball by Francisco Alvarez, which had popped out of Alvarez's glove. It proved costly when Heston Kjerstad drilled a double into right field past Brett Baty. The ball made a weird hop past Baty, and Holliday scored the first run of the game. When the Mets came to bat in the second, they loaded the bases with two outs. Marcus Semien drilled a single down the left-field line, and then A.J. Ewing and Baty walked. Unfortunately, they were all stranded when Alvarez struck out on a foul tip for the third out, and the second inning ended with the score Orioles 1, Mets 0.
Alonso drew a two-out walk in the third inning, but was stranded there when Tong struck out Henderson. At the bottom of the third, Juan Soto smacked a one-out single into right field. Benge sneaked a single past third base, but both runners were again stranded when Jared Young grounded out for the third out. At the top of the fourth inning, Holliday hit a ground ball straight to Semien, but Semien could not get it out of his glove in a timely manner, and Holliday made it to first base safely. He was stranded as well, though. At the bottom of the inning, Ewing drilled a home run into right field. Alvarez smacked a ground ball to third base that Coby Mayo initially fielded but bobbled, allowing Alvarez to reach base safely on an infield hit. However, he was also stranded when Lindor struck out, leaving the score Mets 1, Orioles 1, at the end of the fourth inning.
To lead off the fifth inning, Colton Cowser hit a single that Semien knocked down but couldn't get to first base in time. The next three batters went down in order. Soto walked to lead off the bottom of the fifth and, with two outs, stole second base. Young also drew a walk, but Semien grounded out to end the rally attempt there. Tong came back out for the top of the sixth inning and only needed six pitches to retire the three batters he saw. Josh Walker replaced Brandon Young for the Orioles at the bottom of the sixth, and he also worked a 1-2-3 inning. The score remained 1-1.

#field

The Denver Broncos have announced their list of six inactive players for a Monday Night Football showdown with the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1.
Broncos quarterback Sam Ehlinger, running back Tyler Badie, offensive lineman Kage Casey, tight end Dallen Bentley, defensive end Jordan Jackson and defensive lineman Tyler Onyedim are inactive tonight. With the exception of Ehlinger, those players won't suit up for the game. Ehlinger will still dress as the team's emergency third-string quarterback.
With Badie inactive, rookie running back Jonah Coleman is set to make his NFL debut as the club's RB3 behind J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey.
All of Denver's inactive players are healthy scratches. The only player on the team's injury report this week was wide receiver Marvin Mims (foot), and he has been cleared to play.
QB Sam Ehlinger

#inactive #players #tyler

Duke improved to 2-0 on the season with a hard-fought 31-27 victory over Illinois on the road in Champaign in a sold out Gies Memorial Stadium. A non-conference Power Four win is a huge accomplishment in Week Two of the season.
Quarterback Walker Eget completed 15 of 21 passes for 206 yards and three touchdowns. Nate Sheppard rushed 24 times for 147 yards and one touchdown, and caught five passes for 41 yards and two touchdowns. Wide receiver Jonah Burton caught four passes for 76 yards and a touchdown.
Cornerback Evan Smith accounted for the game's only turnover when he intercepted a pass from Illinois quarterback Katin Houser.
Play One: Illinois was leading 17-7 and Duke was facing a 4th down and four yards to go with nine minutes and 41 seconds remaining in the 2nd quarter. Duke lined up to punt but hiked the ball to Nate Sheppard instead of punter Kade Reynoldson and Sheppard ran for 15 yards and a 1st down. This play switched momentum from the Illini to the Blue Devils. Four plays later Nate Sheppard rushed two yards for a touchdown cutting the Illini lead to 17-14.
Play Two: At the eight minutes and 28 seconds mark of the 1st quarter, quarterback Walker Eget hit wide receiver Jonah Burton for a 12 yards touchdown pass to tie the game at 7-7. Burton did a great job securing the ball as he went to the ground.

#illinois

Baseball's best team is going to see a lot of the San Francisco Giants during these final days of the regular season. Given that it's a brave new world around here, we'll make sure all of them get a proper introduction.
The Los Angeles Dodgers couldn't possibly know much about Jonah **** , Turner Hill, Shay Whitcomb, Drew Cavanaugh, Trent Harris - there, that covers about half the group. The defending champs are too busy trying to figure out their postseason plans, and it's a lot more complicated than you may think.
The Dodgers without Shohei Ohtani? Unthinkable.
Resting uncomfortably on the injured list, felled by a sore left knee and right arm, Ohtani won't be in uniform for the Giants' three-game series that begins Friday at Dodger Stadium. When the two teams close out the season at Oracle Park on Sept. 25-27, he will have been eligible for only two prior games, against San Diego at home.
Until recently, the Dodgers tried to shake off Ohtani's aches and pains. This is the greatest talent in the history of baseball, a man who looks **** near indestructible at times. He rises above everyone, godlike, as he lodges a three-run homer alongside a pitching masterpiece.

#angeles #jonah

Aston Villa v **** nal, August 2024. Morgan Rogers receives a pass facing his own goal and Declan Rice is immediately on his back, but the Villa midfielder takes the ball with the outside of his right foot and swivels into **** e, leaving Rice behind. The **** e is quickly filled by **** nal's midfield enforcer Thomas Partey, but Rogers knocks it past Partey and races around his back to regather the ball, leaving the Ghanaian splayed on the grass. Their tussle at least buys Rice some time to catch up, but as he lunges in to make the tackle, Rogers takes a clever touch and Rice concedes a clumsy foul.
Arsenal would go on to win but it was an afternoon full of moments like that one in which Rogers tormented his opponents. After the game, Mikel Arteta marvelled at his performance. On Sky Sports, Jamie Redknapp compared Rogers to "Jonah Lomu in his prime", and when you saw the trail of **** nal bodies left on the floor, you understood exactly what he meant.
The Lomu comparison touched on what makes Rogers rare, even unique, in world football, and perhaps helps to explain why Chelsea FC were prepared to spend £117m to sign him this summer. Rogers is a blend of football genres, a walking oxymoron, powerful and graceful, hardy and agile, heavy and light all at once, like some contorted beast with the shoulders of a buffalo and the feet of a squirrel on an errand.
Morgan Rogers has made an impressive start to life at Chelsea (Getty)
There are other robust ball-carriers at the top of the game: Antoine **** yo and Jude Bellingham come to mind; Ryan Gravenberch, Manu Kone and Rice all perform similar functions from deep. But none have Rogers' package of strength and balance, quick feet and rapid acceleration, that creative eye and subtle movement between the lines. In an increasingly **** genized world of coaching and industrialised talent production, Rogers is something of a unicorn forward.

#villa #partey

The Mets' bats continued their impressive Labor Day weekend by pounding out 16 hits and scoring nine runs in a 9-4 victory over the Marlins. Jonah Tong, who was called upon for his first start of the 2026 season, earned a win by striking out seven over five innings.
Choose Your Recap: Amazin' Avenue, MLB.com, Daily News, NY Post, Newsday, ESPN, Faith and Fear in Flushing
The Mets optioned Justin Hagenman to Triple-A to make room for Jonah Tong on the roster.
Jon Heyman explained that the Mets' trifecta is giving the team hope that this can be a $365 million learning experience.
Abbey Mastracco wrote about 'Beat It' becoming Citi Field's answer to a lost season.

#tong #marlins #recap #amazin

Although the top choice as the most anticipated young player to watch was not MY choice, I applaud the outcome on this week's SBNation Reacts Poll all the same.
Because who isn't excited about a running game that could be revived by a rookie?
So Jonah Coleman it is as the top choice for favorite young player to watch.
No doubt we've been excited for this many seasons before. And it often depends on the scheme and how much an offensive play caller is willing to stick with the run game (ahem), but the preseason definitely brought us hope.
Even Sean Payton thinks the run game is ahead of where it has been.

#although #sbnation

The Mets are promoting pitching prospect Gary Gill Hill from Double-A Binghamton to Triple-A Syracuse, the team announced on Sunday.
Gill Hill joined the Mets organization as part of the trade that sent Freddy Peralta to the Tampa Bay Rays at this year's trade deadline and had pitched well with the Rumble Ponies. In five starts, the right-hander went 2-0 with a 3.76 ERA (1.22 WHIP) and struck out 28 batters over 26.1 innings.
Overall, the 21-year-old has a 4.34 ERA in 25 starts between High-A, where he began the season, and Double-A.
New York's No. 19 overall prospect, according to SNY, Gill Hill's last start in Binghamton came on Sept. 1, which puts him on schedule to make his debut for Syracuse soon.
The promotion comes after the Mets recalled Jonah Tong from Triple-A to the big leagues, leaving a spot open in the starting rotation.

#binghamton #prospect

NEW YORK (AP) — Jonah Tong will return to the big leagues on Monday and the New York Mets intend to keep the right-hander in their rotation for the final weeks of the season.
Tong will start in Miami against the Marlins, and the 23-year-old could be in line to pitch in next weekend's Subway Series at Yankee Stadium as part of a young rotation that includes Nolan McLean, Christian Scott and Zac Thornton.
"I just can't wait for that," Tong said Sunday before the Mets concluded a three-game series with the San Francisco Giants.
Tong is rejoining the Mets as the club's No. 5 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline, after going 5-6 with a 4.54 ERA in 23 starts for Triple-A Syracuse and allowing two runs in his past 21 1/3 innings. He was 4-1 with a 3.00 ERA in his last 10 starts, combined on a no-hitter on July 30 and came within one out of finishing a seven-inning no-hitter on Aug. 29.
"He's had a good run here recently and we want to see him build on it," interim manager Andy Green said. "So I think we're excited to see it, and I think we'll continue to hand him the ball throughout the rest of this year. We're not going to make a secret of that."

#METS #york #series

Despite starting 32 minutes later than anticipated due to lightning in the area, Saturday saw Jaylen Raynor pass for two touchdowns and run for a pair as Iowa State (1-0, 0-0 Big 12) opened the Jimmy Rogers era with a 38-10 win over SEMO (1-1, 0-0 OVC).
Even though the first two plays from scrimmage by Aiden Flora gained 22 yards on the ground – a rush of 17 yards and a rush of five yards – a pair of incompletions brought out Jonah DuPont who punted 39 yards to the Redhawks' 14-yard line.
The ensuing SEMO drive was a three-and-out, but, notably for the Cyclones defense Isaac "Bobby" Terrell picked up the first of his three sacks on the day. Iowa State finished with six sacks to the Redhawks' one.
The Cyclones struck quickly on their second possession of the day, starting with a 45 yard reception by Dominic Overby. Three plays later, the first touchdown of ISU's 2026 season came from the feet of Raynor.
SEMO's second drive began on their own 25-yard line with a self-inflicted five-yard delay of game penalty. Though Khyair Spain and Braylen Ragland scratched out consecutive one-yard rushes, a deep third-down incompletion brought out Teagan Cobb. His 44-yard punt was ***** ed by Aiden Flora and recovered by Cooper Falconite at the Iowa State 31-yard line, gifting the Redhawks an immediate second chance in Cyclone territory.

#yards #raynor

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Katin Houser threw three touchdown passes and ran for a score in his Illinois debut as the Illini defeated UAB 42-23 on Thursday night in a season opener.
Houser, who transferred from East Carolina, completed 13 of 17 passes for 182 yards. Collin Dixon caught six passes for 70 yards and two TDs, and Ca'Lil Valentine rushed 11 times for 88 yards and a score.
UAB's Ryder Burton completed 18 of 33 passes for 219 yards and a TD. He also rushed for a score. Jonah Delange kicked three field goals for the Blazers.
Illinois scored two TDs on its first six plays and led 21-13 at halftime.
A 65-yard punt return by Mac Resetich set up the first TD — an 18-yard pass from Houser to Dixon. Valentine scored on a 51-yard run.

#illinois #three #completed

Memphis football is the talk of the town after a buzzworthy defensive performance powered the Tigers to a 27-21 Week 0 win at UNLV.
Charles Huff and Co. hope to hit another high note by christening the newly renovated Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium with a win over Arkansas State on Sept. 5.
On this week's episode, Tiger football beat writer Jonah Dylan and Tiger basketball beat writer Jason Munz relive some key under-the-radar moments from the victory in Vegas and set up the Group of 6 showdown against the Red Wolves.
Dylan and Munz also update where things stand with Nemanja Popovic's eligibility and explain why the American Conference's recent ban on professional players returning to college has no bearing on the situation.
Reach sports writer Jason Munz at jason.munzcommercialappeal.com, follow him munzly on X.

#munz #tiger

College fantasy football ***** yst Eric Froton sets the table for Week 1 of the 2026 season.
Sutton Smith had missed some time early in camp which led to speculation that Arkansas holdover from the Sam Pittman era, Braylen Russell, would get the first crack at the starting RB job. The Hogs were among the most effective running teams in the nation last year, ranking first in rushing success rate and yards per carry. Former Memphis HC Ryan Silverfield takes over this year and brings with him a rush-oriented philosophy that was a catalyst for the Tigers' fourth overall ranking in EPA/rush.
Smith is now the preferred CFF option of the two and deserves a ***** p in your rankings, but I still think Russell will see carries and eat into Smith's workload.
With Washington's top two rushers (Jonah Coleman/Adam Mohammed) departing, there is ample opportunity for someone to take the reins. Jordan Washington is the leading returnee with 233 rushing yards on a sparkling 8.6 YPC last year, while Oregon transfer Jayden Limar brings experience and production on a per-carry basis to the competition. So it was quite unexpected when Carr led the competition out of spring, as he only managed to accrue 14 yards on four carries during his freshman season.
Washington's 44th ranked schedule is one of the most favorable in the Big Ten, while their excellent offensive line averaged 3.4 yards before contact (10th in FBS). If Carr can maintain his hold on the job, he could develop into a major CFF contributor.

#first

The Denver Broncos have set their 53-man roster, and all eyes are now set on Arrowhead Stadium for a Monday Night Football clash with the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1. But the news that Jonathon Cooper was placed on the commissioner's exempt list is a bit of a hurdle, even if it was expected.
Cooper will be unable to practice with or play in any games for the Broncos as long as he is under that status, raising a critical question: Do the Broncos have enough in the pass-rushing department?
Nik Bonitto remains one of the league's best pass-rusher, but the Broncos will have to turn to Jonah Elliss until Cooper is able to rejoin the team. Behind them, the only other edge rushers on the roster are Dondrea Tillman and second-year player Que Robinson.
Former Broncos star Von Miller was available for quite some time and many fans wanted to see that reunion. Instead, the Dallas Cowboys signed Miller. Should the Broncos consider another option before the season kicks off?
The Broncos led the league in sacks last season and were able to generate pressure from all over the defensive alignment. It's likely that coach Sean Payton and defensive coordinator Vance Joseph are highly confident in the players they have, but a veteran option should at least be considered.

#Broncos #cooper #option

Now that the dust has settled from NFL teams setting their 53-man rosters and creating their practice squads for the 2026 NFL season, we can start to look back at some of the moves that were made to get there.
For the Denver Broncos, what seemed like an easily predictable 53-man roster took some twists and turns in the final hours before the rosters needed to be locked in. Will the team regret any of those decisions?
Fans are never 100 percent in agreement with a team's front office, but teams aren't always right all of the time, either. In the NFL, there are often just as many bad moves in terms of personnel as good ones. Here, we'll take a look at some moves that could come back to bite general manager George Paton and coach Sean Payton.
This was a predictable decision the moment the team used a fourth-round pick on Jonah Coleman, but aside from being smaller in stature and not playing special teams, there is no reason to cut Jaleel McLaughlin. Sadly, not playing special teams and being a victim of the numbers game caught up to him.
Payton made it clear that the team went with Tyler Badie over McLaughlin for his work on special teams. It's very reminiscent of when the Broncos moved on from another terrific undrafted running back, Phillip Lindsay, in favor of Mike Boone, who did next to nothing for the team.

#Broncos

On paper, it looked like a big advantage that the Atlanta Braves got to play the makeup game for a June 18 rainout at the end of August. The San Francisco Giants would have to wait 10 weeks, fly across the country ahead of a six-game road trip, and trade away six veterans in the interim before facing a division-leading team on a seven-game win streak.
But waiting meant the Braves had to face a trio of rookies that weren't on the roster three weeks ago. Monday night, Sluggin' Jonah **** , Nate "The Great" Furman, and Turner "King Of The" Hill rained on the Braves parade with three runs, five fits, and four RBIs in a 7-3 win. Their sad fans were Tomahawk-chopping their umbrellas as they walk out of the stadium in despair.
This means that, perhaps unofficially, the Giants have finally swept a series in 2026. And it only took them until the last day of August! Their rainy visit to Hotlanta Wetlanta in June saw one game cancelled and another postponed after a two-hour rain delay, but the Giants won both halves of an improvised doubleheader on the one day with ded=cent weather. This means the Giants technically have swept a series this season, won a series on the road in the process and are currently on a three-series unbeaten streak.
Former Brave Anthony Molina (2-0), acquired in the deadline deal for Tyler Mahle, won his second game in seven days by giving up three runs in five innings in his first start of the season and the third of his career. He struck out five straight Braves between the 3rd and 4th innings and escaped the 5th after giving up four hits but only one run, and leaving with the game tied 3-3.
The Giants broke things open in the top of the 6th thanks to Osleivis Basabe and a trio of rookies. Basabe led off the inning with his 4th home run of the season, bouncing it off the top of the center field wall just above the Papa John's sign, which should probably earn him some free terrible pizza, right?

#five

The Denver Broncos' initial 53-man roster came down to the wire, having cut down from 91 players to 53 on Sunday afternoon. There were several surprises from the initial roster, from cutting fan-favorite draft picks to veteran playmakers. We take a more in-depth look at the winners and losers from the first iteration of the 53-man roster.
Ehlinger made a push for the backup quarterback position against Jarrett Stidham this summer. Stidham ended up starting two of Denver's preseason contests, giving him a leg up on Ehlinger. What sealed Ehlinger's spot on the 53-man roster was his performance on Friday against the Minnesota Vikings. Ehlinger went 15-of-20 for 233 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. General manager George Paton said that the team "didn't want to lose him" after a very competitive summer.
McLaughlin was the "last decision we made," according to Paton in a post-cut presser. The writing began to be on the wall when the Broncos put McLaughlin on the practice squad in 2025. McLaughlin became expendable when the Broncos drafted Jonah Coleman in the third round of the 2026 NFL draft.
Conversely, Badie was named to the 53-man roster ahead of McLaughlin. Badie struggled in the preseason, but was one of those players who coach Sean Payton apparently couldn't live without. Badie saw action in 15 of Denver's games, so the trust is there. The fact that Badie made the roster in place of McLaughlin tells a story of the skill set difference between the players.
"Mr. Irrelevant" showed his potential throughout the preseason, making tackles and even forcing a fumble. One could have made a strong case for Murdock, who played his ***** off in camp and the preseason. He was calling plays for Vance Joseph's defense and was one of the biggest surprises of the entire cut process. Hopefully Murdock clears waivers and will be on the practice squad. He was a likeable player, with an even better story.

#made #players #paton

Well, they lost the first one. But they're back to try it again! The San Francisco Giants are hosting the Arizona Diamondbacks for the second game of a doubleheader, and are hoping to split the four-game series.
It's an exciting pitching situation for the Giants, as right-hander Yunior Marte takes the mound for his MLB debut. Marte — not to be confused with the reliever of the same name, who pitched for San Francisco in 2022 — is a young prospect whom the Giants acquired a year ago in the Mike Yastrzemski trade. He is, shockingly, following in Jonah **** 's footsteps as the second player the Giants have called up directly from AA this year … after going nearly a decade without making such a move.
Marte, who turned 23 earlier this month, has a strong fastball/slider combo, with a splitter as well. He's fastball reliant, and sits mid-90s, while occasionally touching high-90s. He does a good job limiting walks, despite a slightly herky-jerky motion that isn't always conducive to consistent strike-throwing. In 13 starts with AA Richmond this year, Marte posted a 3.92 ERA and a 3.97 FIP, with 72 strikeouts and 22 walks in 64.1 innings. He started the year with High-A Eugene, where he had a 3.74 ERA and a 4.11 FIP in nine games, with 41 strikeouts and 19 walks in 43.1 innings. He was not on the 40-man roster (though he would have been a Rule 5 decision this winter), so the Giants made a spot for him by moving Casey Schmitt to the 60-Day IL. The Giants made **** e on the active roster by optioning lefty Seth Lonsway, who made his MLB debut in the first game of the doubleheader.
For Arizona, it's lefty Mitch Bratt, who is also a 23-year old lefty. Bratt, who was a fifth-round pick in 2021, has made nine appearances in his debut season, and is 1-2 with a 4.54 ERA, a 5.28 FIP, and 28 strikeouts against 25 walks in 39.2 innings. After a pair of great starts to open the month, Bratt has given up three runs in three innings in each of his last two games.
Enjoy the baseball, everyone!

#walks #made #game #strikeouts

DIAMONDBACKS
GIANTS
Lars Nootbaar – DH
Jonah ***** – CF
Corbin Carroll – RF

#diamondbacks #nootbaar #corbin

One of the reasons the San Francisco Giants have liked Christian Koss so much is his baseball savvy. Against one of the team's top 2026 tormentors, the Diamondbacks, Koss' baserunning helped fuel a rare win against Arizona.
Hit by a pitch in the fifth, Koss dashed from first to third on Nate Furman's sacrifice bunt, realizing third baseman Jose Fernandez hadn't retreated fast enough to the bag. That set up Drew Gilbert's sacrifice fly to take a 2-1 lead, helping starter Landen Roupp snap his five-game losing streak. The Giants are now 2-8 against the Diamondbacks this season.
Jung Hoo Lee hasn't started two games in a row because of a bruised right elbow, but he pinch hit in the eighth Thursday and drew a 10-pitch walk. He scored on Bryce Eldridge's double and rookie outfielders Jonah ****** and Turner Hill provided RBI singles that inning, while third baseman Shay Whitcomb sent ****** in with a safety-squeeze bunt.
With Willy Adames likely out for the rest of the season with an elbow injury, Koss has started 27 of the past 28 games and has a plus-2 outs above average (OAA), an advanced Statcast metric. Adames, who has played through back issues this season, had a minus-17, tied for worst in the majors.
The Giants have Marcelo Mayer, acquired from Boston at the deadline, waiting in the wings. When he's ready to come off the injured list - he expects to be out of a walking boot for a bruised foot soon - Koss is likely to shift back to third, where he has also played well.

#season

ST. CLOUD, MN — It is that time of year again. The first football games in the St. Cloud metro kick off on Sept. 3. Vote for your preseason football player of the year below!
Poll closes on Tuesday, Sept. 1.
Here are the nominees:
Jonah Ambrosier, FB, Sartell-St. Stephen
Colton Burggraff, RB/S, Royalton

#year #here #jonah #ambrosier

Fulham welcome Chelsea to Craven Cottage in the West London derby this evening, with both sides entering new beginnings on the managerial front.
In July, Fulham announced the appointment of Álvaro Arbeloa as the new head coach, taking over from Marco Silva, who spent five years at the club and is now at Benfica. Last season, Arbeloa took over Real Madrid from Xabi Alonso, whom he faces in the capital, but ultimately couldn't salvage any silverware for the Spanish giants.
The Cottagers have had a busy summer, with 22-year-old striker Gonzalo Gonzalo García joining the club from Real Madrid for £34 million, along with Cesar Palacios, Shea Charles and Jonah Kusi-Aware. Significant outgoings include Saša Lukić and Issa Diop to recently promoted Ipswich Town, while Harry Wilson left on a free transfer to Leeds United and Raúl Jiménez returned to Wolverhampton in the Championship.
Ahead of the derby under the lights, the Fulham boss spoke to the media, saying, "I know how important that game is for our supporters.
"It's also very important for everyone at the club, for us, for players, for me. It's the first game of the season, the first game at Craven Cottage, so we are ready, we are excited, and of course we can't wait for that game."

#club #cottage #arbeloa

The Athletics opened a three-game series against the Houston Astros, hoping to get back in the win column in the first game of Players' Weekend. In a matchup between two teams desperate for a win, the Astros emerged victorious, winning the series-opener 4-0 in a game where the A's never posed a threat.
After Astros starter Hayden Wesneski worked a scoreless first inning, the hosts immediately threatened to score as A's starter J.T. Ginn failed to retire either of the first two batters he faced. The A's right-hander escaped the jam, leaving Houston unable to capitalize on its golden opportunity to take the lead.
With one out in the third inning, shortstop Donovan Walton singled to record the Athletics first hit of the game. Walton stole second with two outs, putting himself in scoring position. Wesneski escaped the jam by getting Jeff McNeil to pop out, stranding two runners.
A's catcher Jonah Heim threw out Astros runners attempting to steal second to end two consecutive innings.
A leadoff walk followed by a double put the Astros in position to take the lead in the bottom of the fourth. First baseman Christian Walker's sacrifice fly scored Isaac Paredes, putting the Astros up 1-0. Ginn limited the damage by retiring the next two hitters. A's left fielder Carlos Cortes made a nice catch at the wall, robbing Astros catcher Yainer Diaz of a potential RBI extra-base hit.

#astros #game #walton #series

Karl Mecklenburg originally shared this post on his social media pages, and it was re-shared here with permission.
The Broncos' first-preseason game went well. They beat Atlanta in a quiet and mostly empty stadium. Quarterback Jerrett Stidham bounced back from his disastrous AFC Championship appearance and had a good showing with the Broncos' first-team offense. The Broncos' offensive line gave him great protection and Stidham threw the ball well. The Broncos defense got some turnovers and controlled the game throughout. Rookie players who stood out to me were undrafted free agent wide receiver Joseph Manjack IV and 4th round running back Jonah Coleman. I was also impressed with Davis Webb calling the plays. Not only was the Atlanta defense off balance but Denver didn't have to waste any timeouts due to communication problems.
Sam Ehlinger, the other quarterback fighting for a position behind Bo Nix, didn't play as well. He didn't have the advantage of playing with the starters last Friday and it showed. Hopefully this Friday we will see Bo Nix quarterbacking the first-string group with Ehlinger getting some time with the first team line, backs, and receivers as well.
Last Friday was the [eighth] preseason win in a row for the Broncos. Preseason wins don't count for qualifying for the playoffs, but winning becomes a habit. When a team prepares to win, and expects to win, they play to win. The veterans set the tone. They were engaged on the sidelines, encouraging the backups, and congratulating them for big plays and scores. When veterans in any business are engaged and supportive of newcomers it makes a huge difference.
This Friday the Green Bay Packers will be in Denver to play the Broncos. The stadium won't be quiet or half empty like it was in Atlanta. I would expect the healthy first-string players to play for the first half, and maybe one series into the second half. Playing one series into the second half would allow them to work on making half time adjustments with play caller Davis Webb, like they will in the regular season. With the preseason goals of identifying talent, staying healthy, growing as a team, and always playing to win, this Friday's game should be fun. Go Broncos!

#play #well #playing

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. drove in the winning run with a two-out single in the ninth after pinch-hitter Tyler Tolbert hit a tying two-run single, giving the Kansas City Royals a 4-3 victory over the Athletics on Tuesday night.
Trailing 3-1, the Royals loaded the bases with one out in the ninth on a catcher's interference call, a single and a walk. Tolbert batted for Kyle Isbel and grounded a single into left off Hogan Harris (3-2) to tie it. Elvis Alvarado replaced Harris and got Isaac Collins to line out before Witt blooped a single into left for the Royals' sixth walk-off win of the season.
The Athletics took an early lead as Zack Gelof drew a first-inning walk, and Jonah Heim drew another to load the bases. Then, Tommy White knocked in the game's first run with a single to left. A second runner nearly scored, but was thrown out at the plate.
Athletics left-hander Brady Basso exited the game after just one out in the third inning. He gave up two hits and recorded one strikeout in his short, 32-pitch outing.
Jack Perkins inherited one baserunner when he took over, but caught Carter Jensen stealing second. The Royals flew out to end the inning. Perkins also worked around a leadoff walk in the fourth. Perkins held Kansas City to one hit and struck out four in 3 2/3 innings.

#athletics

The Athletics' blew another late lead on Tuesday night in Kansas City, allowing three runs in the bottom of the ninth to let an easy win slip right through their fingers. This one hurt.
Facing Kansas City left-hander Daniel Lynch IV tonight, the A's got to work right away against the reliever-turned-starter. Zack Gelof drew a one-out walk to spark the first-inning rally and was immediately followed by a Jeff McNeil single and another walk to Jonah Heim. That loaded the bases and brought up rookie infielder Tommy White. A productive out would have been fine but the A's ideally needed a hit, and White delivered with a base knock to left field to drive home one:
McNeil got a bit greedy behind Gelof trying to score and was gunned down at the plate. That took the air out of the rally and the A's would ultimately only come away with one. Felt like they left some meat on the bone there.
That one run was enough for the Athletics' pitching early. Righty Jack Perkins was initially slated to start but a late change saw left-hander Brady Basso get the ball for the first couple frames. He had a clean 1-2-3 bottom of the first then allowed one harmless single in the second. Pressing his luck, Mark Kotsay sent Basso back out for the third and Basso allowed another hit but also got one more out before getting pulled for Perkins.
Perkins was just as effective as Basso. He finished the third inning and would end up pitching through the sixth inning. He'd only allow two base runners in his work tonight, looking sharper as the game went on. He ended his night on a massive high, striking out the side in the sixth including an inning-ending punchout of Royals star Bobby Witt Jr.

#basso

College football turns over the player pool via graduation and transfer portal defections at a dizzying rate in the modern era. Here is a list of my favorite breakout players available in Yahoo Standard P4 College Fantasy Football Leagues.
Play Yahoo's new College Fantasy Football game: Create or join a league now!
One thing is clear when it comes to the QB position in Yahoo Standard Scoring Leagues that utilize 4-point passing touchdown formats: rushing production is imperative. Of the top-10 scoring quarterbacks last year, six of them rushed for 400+ yards and all 10 top scorers topped the 200+ yard rushing barrier.
For his part, Leavitt fits LSU head coach Lane Kiffin's QB archetype perfectly, evoking comparisons to CFF stars Matt Corral and Jaxson Dart. Leavitt averaged a strong 22.5 fantasy PPG in his seven appearances before suffering a season-ending injury. He has the tools and plays in the perfect system to compliment his dual-threat skill set and create explosive college fantasy football production.
With starting RB Jonah Coleman compromised with a leg injury for the second half of the year, Mohammed ripped off two-straight 100-yard games to end the regular season. His 14-carry, 105 yard showing against rival Oregon was an important game for him, as then-Oregon DC Tosh Lupoi took the Cal head coaching job in the offseason and immediately moved to bring in Mohammed to lead the Bears' backfield. For CFF purposes, he secured 17-of-19 targets for 138 yards in 2025 and should have a clear path to 180+ rush attempts with 30+ receptions in Berkley.

#leagues #mohammed #oregon

There were a lot of positive developments for the Denver Broncos in their 27-7 victory over the Atlanta Falcons in the first game of the preseason. The defense forced some turnovers, Jarrett Stidham played well starting at quarterback, and Offensive Coordinator Davis Webb dialed up a lot of creative plays.
However, one of the best aspects was how well their rushing attack performed. The Broncos rushed for 162 yards against the Falcons in their preseason opener. As a group, they averaged a respectable 4.2 yards per carry and moved the chains with nine first downs on the ground. By doing so, they controlled the pace of the game and the clock, earning themselves a decisive victory in the process.
Head Coach Sean Payton was pleased with the stable of back's efforts. Last season, the Broncos struggled in the latter portion of the season when J.K. Dobbins went down with injury. In order to keep their ground game strong for the upcoming season, Denver drafted Washington standout Jonah Coleman with one of their fourth-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft.
In his NFL debut, Coleman had just four carries. He racked up 24 yards on the ground, including an impressive 13-yard scamper that showcased his vision, contact balance, and ability to break tackles and create extra yards after contact. All key reasons why the Broncos believe highly in his future with the franchise. When asked why Coleman's carry total and playing time in the preseason opener was limited, Payton had a short and sweet answer.
"I didn't need to see additional evidence of what I've been seeing for three weeks," Payton stated.

#payton

The Miami Dolphins may have left their visit with the Washington Commanders officially carrying a loss from their preseason meeting and unofficially from their joint practice, but an early preseason meeting isn't all about the overall stats. The Dolphins, the youngest team in the NFL, including 13 drafted rookies this year, are trying to establish a new identity under first-year head coach Jeff Hafley. After years of focusing on speed, finesse, and mismatches, Miami is now trying to bring back physicality.
According to the South Florida Sun Sentinel's David Furones, they showed it against the Commanders. When providing a review of the team's weekend in Maryland and Virginia, Furones highlighted Miami's improved physical play:
Blocking and physicality
The Dolphins' first-team offensive line kept a clean pocket for Willis. That unit also got a push up front in the run game.
The two young guards, Kadyn Proctor and Jonah Savaiinaea, looked good in their first in-game action this season, so that's a plus. New reserve lineman Caedan Wallace had a nice day in his Dolphins debut after being picked up in a trade with the New England Patriots.
Physicality is one of the keys Hafley is trying to instill early on, and it's working.

#hafley #meeting

The Miami Dolphins' first preseason game against the Washington Commanders was a mixed bag, leaving me concerned about our overall roster depth despite solid performances from the starters. The opening drive was a standout, featuring impressive play from Malik Willis, De'Von Achane, and Caleb Douglas, highlighted by Douglas's spectacular one-handed catch despite defensive pass interference. I was also encouraged to see guard Jonah Savaiinaea finally showing the development we hoped for when he was drafted last year. Unfortunately, the game lost momentum once the backups entered, with the offense looking putrid and the defense not faring much better for the remainder of the game. But what about what you thought?
So this evening's Phinsider Question Of The Day is:
What were your takeaways from last night's preseason game between our Miami Dolphins and the Washington Commanders? What were the positives and negatives that you saw? What was encouraging, and what has to be addressed/hopefully fixed before the season begins?
Please share your thoughts and answers in the comments section below-

#dolphins #washington #Commanders