For those who stayed up well into Saturday morning to watch the opener of this Orioles-Athletics series, well, I wouldn't exactly say you witnessed an instant classic. There was a whole lot of silly baseball going on. Baserunning blunders. Defensive butchery. Inexplicable managerial decisions. The Orioles couldn't score more than two runs in regulation against the league's worst pitching staff, and let a late lead slip away.
But in the end, Coby Mayo and Christian Encarnacion-Strand saved the Orioles' bacon with back-to-back RBI singles in the top of the 10th, and Alex Hoppe hung on in the bottom half for his first career save, bringing a happy ending to an often bewildering game. To quote Camden Chat commenter Knightley: "This game was so stupid, but at least we won."
If you were expecting the Orioles to storm into Sacramento and easily put away the third-worst team in baseball, well, you don't know the Orioles. Every game seems to be a struggle for the Birds, no matter the quality of the opponent. You might think that the O's, after scoring 26 runs in three games in St. Louis, could at least keep up their offensive momentum against an awful Athletics pitching staff, whose 5.75 ERA entering the game was the worst in the American League. Again, you'd be wrong.
In the first nine innings against these supposedly atrocious A's pitchers, the Orioles scored two (2) runs. That's it. Both came in a weird top of the second inning against Athletics starter Jacob Lopez. The lefty's first pitch drilled Coby Mayo in the shoulder, and later he walked Leody Taveras on four pitches. With two down, Dylan Beavers — starting against a lefty for only the fifth time this year — delivered a clutch hit, roping an RBI single to right to plate Mayo with the game's first run.
Then things went haywire. Carlos Narváez tapped a 43-mph dribbler down the first base line. It should have been a simple task for Lopez to simply pick the ball up and tag out Narváez on his way to first, but somehow the A's hurler let the ball pop out of his glove, then collided with Narváez in the baseline, leading to visits from both team's trainers (both players stayed in). Taveras scored on the error, extending the O's lead to 2-0.

#athletics #coby

The New York Giants have one preseason game left before the 53-man cutdown. Many players on the back end of the roster received ample playing time in the Giants' 26-3 victory over the Miami Dolphins. Josh Ezeudu played 47 snaps for the Giants in Miami and was then traded to the Kansas City Chiefs for a 2028 seventh-round pick. Some possible starters received snaps, but most of the first-team rested.
Nevertheless, we saw a Jameis Winston rushing touchdown, 81 J.C. Davis snaps, and a suffocating defense versus a Malik Willis-less — already bad — Dolphins' offense. Here are some tales from the timeline after preseason Week 2.
Arvell Reese played 10 snaps for the Giants and showed his physicality against the Dolphins' 21 personnel package; Reese took on the fullback at the line of scrimmage and created no rushing room in the B-Gap. Reese's fit in the 4-hole to the weak side forced Jaylen Wright (5) into the arms of three Giants' defenders. The upgrade at linebacker for the Giants will secure the continuity of the defense, which should inspire discipline and confidence.
Tyler Nubin (27) breaks on a football just outside his opposite hash. New York ran Cover-2 third-and-10, and Nubin initially opened to his deep half responsibility, but quickly turned to almost intercept the seam pass. Tyler Nubin tied the Minnesota Golden Gophers' interception record with 13 and has yet to secure a regular-season interception through two seasons.
Dru Phillips (22) has always been effective around the line of scrimmage. He's had 63 STOPs over his two-year career. He surrendered a 30-yard catch earlier in the drive above, but he bounced back by showcasing his strength. He does, though, need to get better in coverage to earn a larger snap share in Wilson's scheme.

#Giants #tyler #back

The Orioles were swept away tonight, ruining every bit of goodwill and excitement they had built up with their series against the Rays last weekend. Tonight's game, a 6-1 loss to the Yankees, had a little bit of everything bad. The offense could not solve Gerrit Cole. One big error cost the team a couple runs. And Kyle Bradish struggled for his second straight start. It was not an uplifting game, to say the least.
Let's start with Bradish. He faced just three batters in the first inning, but there was foreshadowing for the rest of his game. He walked leadoff batter Trent Grisham on six pitches. To make matters worse, Carlos Narváez challenged ball four and lost. On the first batter of the game. Bradish then went 3-2 to Ben Rice, but Rice bailed him out by swinging at ball four and popping out. Heliot Ramos grounded into the first of three Yankees double plays to end the inning.
The third inning was the worst one for Bradish, with an ***** ist to Gunnar Henderson. Back-to-back singles put runners on the corners with no outs. José Caballero hit a groundball to Jackson Holliday, who fired to Henderson to start the double play, but Henderson missed the catch. No outs were recorded and a run scored. The next batter did hit into a double play, but Bradish couldn't close out the inning. Three batters and three hits later, the Orioles were down 3-0.
Bradish allowed two more baserunners in the fifth inning but was once again saved by a double play ball. He ended the fifth inning with 89 pitches. After his struggles, I thought that might be the end of his night. Unfortunately for him, he went back out for the sixth. He faced four batters and retired two of them. The other two hit home runs. Whoops! He was pulled after the second one. His final pitching line: 5.2 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K. Henderson's error led to the unearned runs, but Bradish did allow three more hits in the inning after that play. Not great.
The way that the Orioles' offense played, Bradish could have been a lot better and it wouldn't have mattered. They looked like they might have something cooking in the first inning with Pete Alonso singled and Gunnar Henderson walked, but they were stranded.

#first #play

The Yankees, on the strength of Trent Grisham, pulled out a 3-1 win over the Orioles on Tuesday night.
But the game could have been very different if not for ABS.
In the second inning with the game still scoreless, the Orioles loaded the bases thanks in large part to a fielding error by Jazz Chisholm Jr. after the second base umpire screened him on a groundball. What could have been an inning-ending doubleplay turned into a massive jam for Carlos Rodon and the Yankees.
Rodon would wind up striking out Carlos Narvaez before Jackson Holliday stepped into the batter's box with two outs. After Rodon got ahead 0-2, the southpaw threw a fastball away and a bit high. Holliday didn't bite, but Austin Wells hopped up to head into the dugout but stopped once he realized homeplate umpire Will Little didn't ring up the young Orioles infielder.
After a few seconds, ABS confirmed that it was a strike and the Yankees escaped.

#didn 't

The New York Yankees got a key piece of their rotation back Tuesday night with the return of three-time All-Star Carlos Rodón from a multi-week layoff.
Rodón was limited to 4 innings in his first MLB game since June 28, but he looked good in those frames while allowing a single run via a solo home run.
Rodón had been sidelined due to left elbow inflammation following a strong start to his season. He made multiple rehab starts before being cleared for Tuesday's road game against the Baltimore Orioles.
Rodón issued an early walk to Tyler O'Neill, but didn't allow another base-runner in the first inning. He then faced pressure in the second before working out of a one-out, bases-loaded jam that was created in part by an error by Jazz Chisholm Jr. on what could have been an inning-ending double-play ground ball.
Rodón got Carlos Narváez out with a swinging third strike for the second out of the frame. He then caught leadoff hitter Jackson Holliday looking with high heat on the outside corner.

#tuesday

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Packers fans and fans across the country.
It was a tumultuous spring for Trey Smack, and the Green Bay Packers' rookie kicker had his share of issues early in training camp as well. The 6th-round pick out of Florida was inconsistent in practice for some time this year, and he has had to deal with adjusting to a new long snapper over the past few weeks with Cal Adomitis filling in for the injured Matt Orzech.
Last Thursday, however, Smack showed why the Packers traded up for him in April. In his preseason debut, he hit all four of his field goal attempts at Pittsburgh's Acrisure Stadium, including a pair from 58 yards out, one each in opposite directions. It was just the performance the Packers' front office and coaching staff hoped to see from him, and it eased the minds of many Packers fans alike.
However, the Packers have been searching for a long-term answer at kicker ever since Mason Crosby left the team after the 2022 season. Anders Carlson, Brayden Narveson, Brandon McManus, and Lucas Havrisik have all attempted kicks for the team over the past three years, with varying levels of inconsistency. By drafting Smack cutting McManus shortly thereafter, and releasing Havrisik early in training camp, the team has pushed all of its chips into the table for the youngster.
So how confident are you that Smack will make the gamble pay off? Let us know in the poll below and discuss in the comments.

#packers #smack #across #year

Tied after nine innings of baseball, the Orioles and Rays each turned to a member of their bullpen to try and keep the other team from scoring. For the Rays, it was Bryan Baker. Baker has transformed himself into a leading closer this year, posting a 1.55 ERA and a league-leading 34 saves. His last 21 appearances have come in Rays wins. For the Orioles, it was Cam Sanders. In 2025-26, Sanders made 15 appearances for the Pirates with an 8.44 ERA and 15 walks in 16 innings. The Orioles claimed him on waivers on July 13th. Which pitcher would you take?
Baker started the 10th inning against his former team with free (and pinch) runner Colton Cowser at second base. He was facing the top of the order, which naturally meant Tyler O'Neill. O'Neill was hitless to that point, but he came through in extras. Baker gave him a 96 mph fastball and O'Neill served it right back up the middle for a single. Cowser scored and the Orioles were back on top, 4-3. Pete Alonso followed with a single, but Baker stopped the bleeding after that. (If you were watching and worried about Alonso's apparent injury on this hit, Craig Albernaz said after the game that his calf was cramping and it's not serious.)
Then it was Sanders's turn. The bushy-bearded four eyes somehow already has two saves for the Orioles. Sanders got the first out on a line drive to center field that made me glad it was Cowser out there, then issued a walk to make things dramatic. But he came back and struck out Cedric Mullins and Richie Palacios to end the game. Orioles win, 4-3! Cam Sanders 1, Bryan Baker 0.
The game started, of course, with Kyle Bradish. He gutted through six innings without his best stuff tonight. His command was off; he was very hittable. Still, he got it done when he needed to and held the Rays to just two runs in six innings. It might have only been one run if not for a throwing error by Carlos Narváez.
Bradish started off pretty well. He worked around a single in the first and after a 1-2-3 second inning was sitting at just 19 pitches. That gave the Orioles the chance to take an early lead. In the second inning, Gunnar Henderson singled with one out. After Christian Encarnacion-Strand flew out, it was up to the bottom of the lineup to bring Henderson home. I am beginning to see why it's not ideal for him to bat fifth.

#sanders

It's not often you see the losing team have more base hits, draw more walks, and strike out 10 fewer times than the victor, but that is exactly what happened tonight in a 4-3 Rays defeat. Simply put, the Rays had plenty of chances in this game, but left 12 men on base while going 3 for 13 with runners in scoring position while Baltimore had two solo homers by Pete Alonso and Christian Encarnacion-Strand to offset their own nine men left on base tonight.
This game took on a different feel after both teams had wasted their challenges by the 5th inning. The first challenge was lost by the Rays when Junior Caminero challenged a first pitch on the inner black that was confirmed by ABS. That was followed by two challenges lost – one by each team – in one plate appearance. Carlos Narvaez challenged a 2-2 pitch to Cedric Mullins which was uphelp and that was followed by Mullins challenging a 3-2 pitch on the inside black that was indeed a strike. Baltimore's advantage was short-lived when Tyler O'Neill inaccurately challenged the first pitch of the top of the 5th thus leaving both teams without the ability to challenge was was a rather suspect strike zone for the game where several close pitches were called ***** and a few poor ones called strikes as the game went on. All of this is to say that, sometimes, men let their emotions get the better of them and the early challenges, none of which were in big leverage situations.
One particular at bat in the ninth, while not consequential, highlights the risks of burning through the challenges the way it was done. Andrew Kittrege dotted a beautiful 0-1 sinker down and away to Richie Palacios to lead off the 9th, but the ball was called a ball. That would have led to an 0-2 count and the next pitch would have been strike three instead of strike two:
The Rays would eventually tie up the game in the 9th after consecutive two-out singles by Yandy Diaz and Jonathan Aranda led to this bad process, good result moment from Junior Caminero and newest Ray, Jorge Mateo:
View Link

#challenged #called

Adley Rutschman is finally ready to make his debut with the Boston Red Sox.
Rutschman appears set to make his debut with the Red Sox on Tuesday for their matchup with the Toronto Blue Jays. Barring any late setbacks, Rutschman will start with Patrick Sandoval on the mound at Rogers Centre. The two were spotted working in the bullpen on Monday, too.
"For me, it's just excitement," Rutschman said before Monday's 2-1 loss, which opened the four-game series in Canada, via MassLive. "I miss playing. I want to be out there. To be able to go out and play baseball is such a blessing. You realize that when you're on the IL and not able to play."
The Red Sox made a move to acquire Rutschman ahead of the deadline in a rare intra-division deal. In return, the Baltimore Orioles picked up catcher Carlos Narvaez and the team's No. 2 prospect in the deal, among others.
Rutschman holds a .215 batting average with eight home runs and 47 RBI this season. But he's been sidelined since July 18 with left wrist inflammation, and hasn't been ready to play for his new team just yet while finishing up his recovery. He caught five total innings in a rehab ****** ignment with their Triple-A affiliate over the weekend, too.

#rutschman

BOSTON — New Red Sox catcher Adley Rutschman spent his fourth day with the club doing a full battery of baseball activities Friday, and there's a sense among club decision-makers that he could return from the injured list and make his club debut rather soon.
Rutschman, who is on the IL with wrist inflammation, could go out on a rehab **** ignment as soon as this weekend, interim manager Chad Tracy said Friday, though no decision has been made on a specific date yet.
"It's possible. I'll just leave it at that," said Tracy. "We have not discussed an exact date on that yet. He's doing some more stuff today, doing some more check-ins. We're still ironing down what's going to happen there based on how he feels and what everybody thinks. We don't know yet, but I'd answer that and say it's possible."
(UPDATE: Rutschman will begin a rehab **** ignment in Worcester on Saturday, Tracy said after Friday's blowout win over the A's.)
Rutschman last played in a game for the Orioles on July 18 in Houston before being sidelined with the wrist injury. When the Red Sox acquired him Monday for a package of Carlos Narváez, Anthony Eyanson, Kyson Witherspoon, Enddy Azocar and a player to be named later, they knew he wouldn't take the field right away. Boston's medical staff has taken the past four days to gather information from Rutschman about how he feels.

#rutschman #tracy #doing #rehab

BOSTON — As the Red Sox re-adjust their roster after making three trades ahead of Monday's deadline, they've decided to move on from a rookie who has been with them all season.
Reliever Ryan Watson, a Rule 5 pick who has appeared in 35 games for Boston, has been designated for ******* ignment, sources said Tuesday. Newcomer Erik Miller, acquired in the trade that sent Marcelo Mayer to San Francisco, will take his place in the bullpen.
The Red Sox also optioned infielder Romy Gonzalez to Triple-A to make room for outfielder Eli White, who was acquired from Atlanta. Backup catcher Jake Rogers will be added to the active roster, taking the spot vacated by Carlos Narváez, who was traded to Baltimore in a package for Adley Rutschman. Rutschman is on the 15-day injured list with wrist inflammation.
The Watson move also clears a 40-man roster spot.
The Red Sox took a flier on Watson, 28, in December when they traded infield prospect Justin Riemer to the A's for him after that club had selected him in the Rule 5 draft. Watson won a roster spot after an up-and-down spring training and has largely served a multi-inning, mop-up role all season. In 55 ⅔ innings, the Alabama native posted a 4.53 ERA and 43 strikeouts. He struggled early but had logged a 3.40 ERA and 33 strikeouts in his last 39 ⅔ innings dating back to April 28. Fifteen of his 35 outings were for two innings or more.

#boston #rule #season #acquired

Exhale, folks. The trade deadline has come and gone, and the rapid refreshing of Twitter, Bluesky, or wherever you get your news from can cease. The roster you look at now is more or less what you'll see for the rest of the season, save for a well-timed DFAs for cost-cutting purposes, à la Nathaniel Lowe in 2025.
It was an eventful day for Craig Breslow, who successfully executed four trades before the clock struck 6 pm EST:
INF Curtis Mead for Connelly Early
C Adley Rustchman and C Jake Rogers for Anthony Eyanson, Kyson Witherspoon, Carlos Narvaez, Enndy Azocar, and a player to be named later
LHP Erik Miller and prospect Carlos Gutierrez for Marcelo Mayer

#carlos #exhale #bluesky

LOS ANGELES — At Monday's trade deadline, the Red Sox made aggressive moves to solidify their roster for a playoff push and paid a big price to do so.
The biggest? Boston acquired catcher Adley Rutschman from the Orioles marking a major step in Craig Breslow's efforts to bolster the club's offense for the stretch run. The Red Sox sent a hefty five-player package to Baltimore of catcher Carlos Narváez, pitching prospects Anthony Eyanson and Kyson Witherspoon, outfield prospect Enddy Azocar and a player to be named later. The Sox are also getting backup catcher Jake Rogers and cash in the swap. Contrary to some reports, outfield prospect Harold Rivas was not involved in the deal.
The Red Sox, who have won 31 of their last 39 games and now possess the third-best record in the American League behind the Rays and Yankees, have been looking for upgrades at catcher and shortstop in recent days as well as searching for rotation and bullpen depth. Adding Rutschman provides clear upside behind the plate, where Narváez, Connor Wong (and for a spell, Mickey Gasper) have combined to post the sixth-worst OPS in the sport (.615) and the fewest home runs (4). The move — paired with last Saturday's 1-for-1 swap that sent Connelly Early to Washington for Curtis Mead — is a clear sign Breslow believes in his group and believes the Sox can make a deep run. Mead's bat will not be a factor in the coming weeks after he broke his wrist when he was hit by a pitch in his Red Sox debut.
BETTING: The Red Sox are listed at +500 on DraftKings to win the AL East Division. Our comprehensive DraftKings Sportsbook review provides a trustworthy guide on how to use their app. Also, make sure to check out our MLB betting guide if you're interested in learning more about how to bet on baseball.
In Rutschman, the Red Sox are getting a former No. 1 overall pick (2019) who had an up-and-down tenure in Baltimore, where he once appeared to be a franchise cornerstone. After a very strong three-year start to his big league career from 2022 to 2024, Rutschman took a step back last season and was limited, by injury, to 90 games. This year, he has taken a step forward again and was named an All-Star for the third time.

#betting

LOS ANGELES — With Monday's 6 p.m. ET trade deadline fast approaching, the Red Sox are finalizing a deal to land a three-time All-Star from a division rival — and paying a big price to do so.
Boston has agreed to acquire catcher Adley Rutschman from the Orioles, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan, marking a major step in Craig Breslow's efforts to bolster the club's offense for the stretch run. The Red Sox will send a hefty five-player package to Baltimore of catcher Carlos Narváez, pitching prospects Anthony Eyanson and Kyson Witherspoon, outfield prospect Enddy Azocar and a player to be named later. The Sox are also getting backup catcher Jake Rogers and cash in the swap. Contrary to some reports, outfield prospect Harold Rivas isn't in the deal.
The Red Sox, who have won 31 of their last 39 games and now possess the third-best record in the American League behind the Rays and Yankees, have been looking for upgrades at catcher and shortstop in recent days as well as searching for rotation and bullpen depth. Adding Rutschman provides clear upside behind the plate, where Narváez, Connor Wong (and for a spell, Mickey Gasper) have combined to post the sixth-worst OPS in the sport (.615) and the fewest home runs (4). The move — paired with last Saturday's 1-for-1 swap that sent Connelly Early to Washington for Curtis Mead — is a clear sign Breslow believes in his group and believes the Sox can make a deep run. Mead's bat will not be a factor in the coming weeks after he broke his wrist when he was hit by a pitch in his Red Sox debut.
BETTING: The Red Sox are listed at +500 on DraftKings to win the AL East Division. Our comprehensive DraftKings Sportsbook review provides a trustworthy guide on how to use their app. Also, make sure to check out our MLB betting guide if you're interested in learning more about how to bet on baseball.
In Rutschman, the Red Sox are getting a former No. 1 overall pick (2019) who had an up-and-down tenure in Baltimore, where he once appeared to be a franchise cornerstone. After a very strong three-year start to his big league career from 2022 to 2024, Rutschman took a step back last season and was limited, by injury, to 90 games. This year, he has taken a step forward again and was named an All-Star for the third time.

#rutschman #baltimore #draftkings #league

The MLB trade deadline is here and all eyes are on the Boston Red Sox.
After an improbable turnaround that has put the Red Sox in the postseason picture, many have wondered how they'll approach this year's deadline.
The Red Sox have been rumored to be in the market for a shortstop or a catcher as they look to bolster their team for the final two months of the season.
They acquired Adley Rutschman from the Orioles in a haul that includes sending Anthony Eyanson and Carlos Narváez to the Orioles.
The Red Sox also traded Marcelo Mayer to the Giants in exchange for relief pitcher Erik Miller.

#narv

The Orioles jumped on Boston’s starter Eduardo Rivera early and used that early offensive explosion to propel them to victory. After Taylor Ward barely missed a leadoff double into the right field corner, Pete Alonso started the rally with a ground rule double over the low wall in right. Gunnar Henderson then worked a four-pitch walk to bring former Red Sox Tyler O’Neill to the plate. TON hit a hard grounder to third, but Caleb Durbin’s throw to second was bobbled by Anthony Seigler, leaving everyone safe and the bases loaded.
After Christian Encarnacion-Strand struck out, Dylan Beavers stepped into the box looking to make sure the early opportunity wouldn’t go to waste. Rivera’s first-pitched slider bounced well in front of home plate, skipping past catcher Carlos Narváez and allowing Alonso to score from first.
Rivera went back to slider 2-2, but the breaking ball caught too much of the plate, and Beavers flipped it into center field for a two-run single. Johnathan Rodríguez then capped off the rally, lining a ball just over the head of Jaren Durran in left and off the Green Monster. The double scored Beavers from first, gave Baltimore a 4-0 lead and chased Rivera after just 41 pitches and two outs.
The early four-run lead was more than enough for Kyle Bradish, as he continued his recent run of good form. The newly minted $90M man, in his first start since his extension, breezed through the 1st inning on nine pitches. He got Seigler to ground out to second on two pitches, got Ceddane Rafaela to fly out to right on three pitches and punctuated the inning with a punch out of Wilyer Abreu.
The Red Sox made Bradish work a little harder in the 2nd, making him throw nine pitches to get the first two outs before getting their first base runner via a Durbin walk. Duran then sent his own hard liner to left, but it was hit right at Ward to end the inning.

#right

The Mets struggled again today against the Red Sox, ultimately being shut out for the ninth time this season and losing 4-0. The offense could not get anything going, even as the pitching and defense made a good effort to strand most Red Sox runners.
Freddy Peralta looked good initially, throwing his fastball for the majority of the first inning and striking out the batters in order. In the second inning, he struggled more, and the results were not as impressive. Caleb Durbin threaded one between Francisco Lindor and Brett Baty for a single. In the next at bat, Peralta challenged ball 4, but the call was confirmed, resulting in a walk for Masataka Yoshida. A sacrifice bunt from Andruw Monasterio moved the runners to second and third with one out. Peralta walked Carlos Narváez to load the bases with two outs; however, he worked out of it by striking out Tsung-Che Cheng. Unfortunately, by the end of the second inning, his pitch count was already 43.
After a quiet first inning, the Mets offense walked a batter in each of the second and third innings, but could not capitalize or create any momentum. Carson Benge walked in the second inning and stole second base one pitch later, but the three batters went down in order after him to end the inning. Brett Baty walked in the third inning, but after Zack Short struck out, A.J. Ewing grounded into a force out behind him, and Juan Soto popped out to end the third inning.
Peralta walked Durbin to lead off the fourth inning, and Durbin slid into second when Yoshida flied out to Soto. After an injury delay due to a ricochet off the face masks of both Francisco Alvarez and the home plate umpire, Brock Ballou, Monasterio smacked a two-run home run into left field. At the bottom of the fourth with two outs, Jorge Polanco fouled a ball off the inside of his knee, resulting in another injury delay, but he got back up and dropped a line drive into center field, just out of reach of Ceddanne Rafaela, for a single. Unfortunately, this prompted the Red Sox to change pitchers to Greg Weissert, who struck out Wagaman to end the fourth: Red Sox 2, Mets 0.
Peralta started with a walk to Cheng in the fifth. However, Seigler grounded into a force out when Short robbed him by laying out to block the base hit. Ultimately, this move saved a run for Peralta when the next two hitters gave him trouble. Rafaela popped one over Wagaman’s head that rolled slowly down the baseline for a double, moving Seigler to third. Peralta walked Abreu to load the bases and bring his pitch count to 91, prompting a pitching change. Huascar Brazobán replaced a clearly unhappy Peralta for the last two outs of the fifth. Durbin was called out on strikes thanks to a well-placed challenge from Alvarez that overturned ball three to strike three. Yoshida grounded out to first for the third out, leaving the bases loaded and ending the scoring threat.

The White Sox bats have gone comatose.
Four singles. That was it. Chicago never seriously threatened a rally in a 5-0 snoozer against Boston, snapping its 10-game home series winning streak. The offense has seemingly vanished, producing just one run in 21 innings dating back to the Cleveland series. Thankfully, the Guardians bailed the South Siders out by getting walked off in Minnesota. The All-Star break can't get here fast enough.
Davis Martin came out dealing, mowing down Boston on 10 pitches in the first with two loud fly outs and a K. Jake Bennett matched him, and Martin tossed another clean frame in the second. Early hope, quickly dashed.
Chicago squandered its best scoring opportunity in the second when Meidroth singled, Antonacci walked, two on, ***** ody out. Cue the collapse. Braden Montgomery whiffed on a high heater, Junior Perez watched strike three zip by, and Kyle Teel dribbled one to kill the rally before it started.
Boston cracked Martin hard in the third. A leadoff walk to Jarren Duran, a sac bunt by Carlos Narváez, and a single by Tsung-Che Cheng put Boston on the board. Chen then scooted to third on a Teel miscue. The mess continued with another walk, this time to Anthony Seigler, then Ceddanne Rafaela laced a double for 2-0. A wild pitch uncorked by Martin allowed Seigler to race home before Perez ended the mess by colliding with the center-field wall.

Washington Nationals pitcher Cade Cavalli had something to say after striking out Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras Tuesday night.
The result was both teams clearing their benches, Contreras throwing his helmet and multiple ejections.
The incident took place in the bottom of the fourth inning of Tuesday' game at Fenway Park. Cavalli struck Contreras out looking and immediately had something to say to the Boston first baseman.
Contreras, who'd started his walk to the dugout, looked immediately back at Cavalli and appeared to ask if Cavalli was talking to him. The two then walked directly toward each other, and both dugouts and bullpens cleared.
Pushing and shoving ensued on the infield as Red Sox catcher Carlos Narvaez tried to hold Contreras back. But something else sparked Contreras to sprint toward the swarm of players.

BOSTON (AP) — Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras was tossed for a second straight game on Tuesday after throwing his helmet toward Washington Nationals pitcher Cade Cavalli during a heated exchange that ended with the benches clearing on both sides and multiple ejections.
Cavalli struck out Contreras looking on a full-count pitch in the top of the fourth. The veteran then yelled, "Sit down bro,” at Contreras as Contreras made his way back to the Boston dugout.
Contreras, who hit a three-run homer off Washington's Miles Mikolas on Monday and celebrated with a massive bat flip that he later apologized fo r, then approached Cavalli on the mound. The two exchanged words as both dugouts emptied.
Boston catcher Carlos Narvaez tried to hold Contreras back, but Contreras broke loose long enough to leap and throw his batting helmet in Cavalli's direction.
Things settled down quickly after that, though the brief dustup ended with Contreras, Boston interim manager Chad Tracy, Boston outfielder Nate Eaton and Mikolas being ejected.

IBM has raised its dividend for 31 straight years, with a 54% FCF payout ratio signaling the $6.76 annual payment is well-protected.
Arvind Krishna guided IBM toward $15.7 billion in 2026 FCF against a $6.3 billion dividend obligation, leaving substantial room for continued increases.
IBM carries $61.3 billion in debt at 2.8x EBITDA, but 6.3x interest coverage keeps dividend service from becoming a threat.
Act now: the ***** yst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just named his top 10 AI stocks — and IBM didn't make the cut. Grab the names FREE today.
IBM (NYSE:IBM) has quietly become a cash-generating utility for corporate AI orchestration, sitting on a $255.3 billion market cap with a $12.5 billion generative AI book of business. For income investors who dismiss enterprise tech as too volatile for a retirement portfolio, the question is simple. Is the dividend safe?

The original Red Sox lineup Friday had Marcelo Mayer sitting out for the second straight game. About 35 minutes before first pitch, though, interim manager Chad Tracy made a change.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who was originally slated to start at shortstop and bat sixth, was scratched due to left forearm inflammation, according to reports. Mayer was inserted as the shortstop and will hit seventh against Seattle and starter Bryce Miller.
Mayer, who didn’t play Thursday against the Blue Jays at Fenway Park, has been dealing with an illness that forced him to stay back (and not take the team charter) when the Red Sox flew west Thursday night. He flew separately of the team Friday morning and arrived in Seattle well in time for first pitch. Mayer is clearly feeling good enough to play in the opening game of a three-game series at T-Mobile Park.
Kiner-Falefa, who hit a clutch homer to help the Red Sox tie Thursday’s game in the eighth inning, has started 19 games in a row at various positions. It’s unclear if his injury is something that might keep him out past Friday.
Elsewhere in Boston’s lineup, Andruw Monasterio is at second base and Carlos Narváez is catching Ranger Suarez. First pitch is at 10:10 p.m. ET.

Well, I guess I’ll eat crow for doubting this game, at least.
Few highlights in this one:
This team went 3-for-6 with RISP and only left two men on base with 10 hits! How about that!
Ceddanne Rafaela is on one, I really wonder if his bat is finally catching up to his defensive abilities, because this doesn’t feel like a mere streak. To kick off the seven inning, four run rally, he lined a double off of Luis Castillo, advanced on a sac fly and then made a beautiful read on Cal Raleigh getting crossed up by Castillo to scamper home. In the grand scheme of things, it was one of six runs scored but when it’s a 1-0 game and you come home like that, it can feel like a backbreaker to the opppsition.
I think all four Red Sox challenges were successful tonight: three ball/strike asks by Narváez, and a ball/strike ask from Marcelo which was overturned by 0.2 inches, leading to more Red Sox runs. Don’t ask me if the Red Sox have been more successful since they really started practicing challenging better—maybe worth a deep dive soon.

Blah blah blah transaction news.
Carlos Narvaez appeared in 112 games at catcher last season, tallying 15 home runs and playing solid defense, though he’s struggled at the dish this season and has taken a back seat to Gasper since Chad Tracy took over. He’s 27 years old and still pre-arbitration, meaning he’s under team control for the foreseeable future. Connor Wong had a miserable 2025 at the plate but has bounced back this year, although the power still hasn’t returned. He’s 30, but still has a few years of team control left. Mickey Gasper is the surprise addition to the group. He’s been the best of the group offensively, but also is the wrong side of 30 and has only just made the major leagues.
So, what should they do for the rest of this season? Do they let Narvaez work through his slump at the plate because he’s the most likely of the group to be the catcher of the future? Do they continue to run Gasper out to try to give a boost to the struggling offense? Do they let Connor Wong continue to handle the staff, because pitchers seem to like him? Do they trade for Ethan Salas? I don’t know. You tell me.
Talk about whatever you want and be good to one another.

In 2003, Michael Jackson was accused of molesting young boy Gavin Arvizo
Arvizo has stayed out of the public eye since the 2005 trial and has declined to participate in documentaries about Jackson
He married in 2013 and has worked in sales, education and as a paralegal
Michael Jackson was accused of child molestation over two decades ago, and the young boy at the center of his trial — Gavin Arvizo — has stayed out of the public eye ever since.
"He really just wants to live his life," family friend Louise Palanker, who was interviewed for Netflix's 2026 docuseries Michael Jackson: The Verdict, told TheWrap in May 2019. "He doesn't like it when Michael Jackson comes back into the news."

Red Sox reportedly shopping .713 OPS catcher in trade talks originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Boston Red Sox might not be having the best season overall, but thanks to the shaky American League postseason field, it's entirely possible the 27-35 Red Sox go on a run and make the postseason.
But this team does need to add a bit of help to the roster this summer by the deadline if they seriously want to contend. Looking at their options, it's clear that a right-handed-hitting infielder would be the best option possible.
According to The Athletic's Jen McCaffrey, the Red Sox, in pursuit of such a right-handed slugger, are reportedly shopping .713 OPS veteran catcher Connor Wong in trade talks this summer already.
"With three catchers on the big-league roster - Carlos Narvaez, Connor Wong and Mickey Gasper - Boston's surplus is drawing interest," McCaffrey writes. "The Red Sox are shopping Wong in particular, according to a league source."

Nov. 26 (UPI) -- On this date in history:
In 1789, U.S. President George Washington declared Nov. 26, 1789, to be Thanksgiving Day. It was the first U.S. holiday by presidential proclamation.
In 1922, in Egypt's Valley of the Kings, British archaeologists Howard Carter and George Carnarvon became the first humans to enter King Tutankhamen's treasure-laden tomb in more than 3,000 years.
In 1941, U.S. Secretary of State Cordell Hull submitted U.S. proposals to ******* anese peace envoys in Washington.
In 1948, the first commercial Polaroid camera was sold. The inventor of the device and foun