4 hours ago
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Royce Lewis hit a two-run triple with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Minnesota Twins a 3-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night.
Taj Bradley threw six strong innings for the Twins (54-54), who have won three in a row and five of six. They are third in the AL Cental, just two games behind the first-place Chicago White Sox.
Kody Clemens doubled for Minnesota in the fourth and scored on Josh Bell's single. But center fielder Byron Buxton left in the fifth with right hip soreness after running to first base. It's the same joint that caused him to miss the All-Star Game this month.
Kansas City went ahead 2-1 in the sixth when Josh Rojas stole home on the front end of a double steal and Salvador Perez had an RBI single.
___
#first
Taj Bradley threw six strong innings for the Twins (54-54), who have won three in a row and five of six. They are third in the AL Cental, just two games behind the first-place Chicago White Sox.
Kody Clemens doubled for Minnesota in the fourth and scored on Josh Bell's single. But center fielder Byron Buxton left in the fifth with right hip soreness after running to first base. It's the same joint that caused him to miss the All-Star Game this month.
Kansas City went ahead 2-1 in the sixth when Josh Rojas stole home on the front end of a double steal and Salvador Perez had an RBI single.
___
#first
4 hours ago
The Twins offense tonight could only be described as groundball happy, get ready to read the words "double play" about a million times. In the 1st, 2 on and 1 out, Kody Clemens hits into an inning ending double play. In the 2nd inning, Luke Keaschall ends the inning with their second double play.
They finally broke through in the 4th inning, after Clemens doubled and Josh Bell hit an RBI single to put the Twins up 1-0. In the bottom of the 5th Alan Roden hits into the 3rd Twin-killer of the night.
In the top of the 6th, Josh Rojas and Lane Thomas did a double steal, with Rojas stealing home. I wasn't there to see it but Gameday says it happened. Two batters later, the Twin killer himself, Salvador Perez, hit the go-ahead RBI single to put the Royals up 2-1.
The Twins rallied again, with Clemens HBP and Bell singling to center with Clemens going 1st-to-3rd on the play. Then Victor Caratini ended the inning by, you guessed it, hitting into the 4th double play of the night. I'm so glad I missed almost all of this game because that had to be depressing.
What wasn't depressing was the performance of Taj Bradley and the bullpen tonight. Taj racked up 10 strikeouts in his 6 innings of work, allowing just 3 hits, 2 runs, and 3 walks. Then Kody Funderburk, Travis Adams, and Jack Anderson combined for 3 innings of shutout pitching, allowing just 1 hit and striking out 4.
#clemens #kody #twin
They finally broke through in the 4th inning, after Clemens doubled and Josh Bell hit an RBI single to put the Twins up 1-0. In the bottom of the 5th Alan Roden hits into the 3rd Twin-killer of the night.
In the top of the 6th, Josh Rojas and Lane Thomas did a double steal, with Rojas stealing home. I wasn't there to see it but Gameday says it happened. Two batters later, the Twin killer himself, Salvador Perez, hit the go-ahead RBI single to put the Royals up 2-1.
The Twins rallied again, with Clemens HBP and Bell singling to center with Clemens going 1st-to-3rd on the play. Then Victor Caratini ended the inning by, you guessed it, hitting into the 4th double play of the night. I'm so glad I missed almost all of this game because that had to be depressing.
What wasn't depressing was the performance of Taj Bradley and the bullpen tonight. Taj racked up 10 strikeouts in his 6 innings of work, allowing just 3 hits, 2 runs, and 3 walks. Then Kody Funderburk, Travis Adams, and Jack Anderson combined for 3 innings of shutout pitching, allowing just 1 hit and striking out 4.
#clemens #kody #twin
11 hours ago
Rodri enhanced his reputation with his performances for Spain at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He led Spain to World Cup glory and his performances during the latter stages of the tournament reminded everyone that the Manchester City midfield mainstay remains one of the premier midfielders in European football. Following the World Cup, Rodri's stock couldn't be higher. However, he was scheduled to have back surgery after the competition. Manchester City have confirmed that Rodri has now undergone back surgery. Also, due to his performances at the World Cup, there are doubts over Rodri's future at City as Real Madrid circle.
In an announcement on mancity.com, it has been confirmed that Rodri has undergone minor back surgery. As per Manchester City's statement, Rodri has been feeling discomfort in his back for some time. The surgery that Rodri has undertaken will alleviate the issue and the Ballon d'Or-winning midfielder will now enter a short period of rehabilitation ahead of joining up with Enzo Maresca's squad for the latter stages of Manchester City's preseason.
Having undergone back surgery, Rodri should be ready to go for the 2026-27 season. Manchester City will need their midfield general ready to go based on how integral he is to their chances next season. However, there is an elephant in the room. A major one. That is will Rodri be at Manchester City for next season? He is in the final 12 months of his contract and Real Madrid are circling one of Manchester City's key ***** ets.
Spanish publication Marca has reported that Real Madrid are looking to sign Rodri this summer. It is reported that Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is preparing to push to sign the World Cup winner. Also, it is believed that new Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho is eager to add Rodri's leadership, ability in possession, tactical discipline and ability to manage a game to his squad. It now remains to be seen if Real Madrid will begin negotiations with Manchester City to sign Rodri.
Rodri has undergone back surgery on a minor issue. It is hoped that he will be ready for the 2026-27 season following that procedure. It now remains to be seen where Rodri will play next season. That is the biggest question mark surrounding Manchester City's midfield general.
#rodri #World #surgery
In an announcement on mancity.com, it has been confirmed that Rodri has undergone minor back surgery. As per Manchester City's statement, Rodri has been feeling discomfort in his back for some time. The surgery that Rodri has undertaken will alleviate the issue and the Ballon d'Or-winning midfielder will now enter a short period of rehabilitation ahead of joining up with Enzo Maresca's squad for the latter stages of Manchester City's preseason.
Having undergone back surgery, Rodri should be ready to go for the 2026-27 season. Manchester City will need their midfield general ready to go based on how integral he is to their chances next season. However, there is an elephant in the room. A major one. That is will Rodri be at Manchester City for next season? He is in the final 12 months of his contract and Real Madrid are circling one of Manchester City's key ***** ets.
Spanish publication Marca has reported that Real Madrid are looking to sign Rodri this summer. It is reported that Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is preparing to push to sign the World Cup winner. Also, it is believed that new Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho is eager to add Rodri's leadership, ability in possession, tactical discipline and ability to manage a game to his squad. It now remains to be seen if Real Madrid will begin negotiations with Manchester City to sign Rodri.
Rodri has undergone back surgery on a minor issue. It is hoped that he will be ready for the 2026-27 season following that procedure. It now remains to be seen where Rodri will play next season. That is the biggest question mark surrounding Manchester City's midfield general.
#rodri #World #surgery
21 hours ago
Real Madrid are hoping to complete a blockbuster double transfer in the next few days, as they aim to finalise Jose Mourinho's squad ahead of the 2026-27 La Liga season getting underway in a few weeks' time. A deal for Yan Diomande in close, and following him to the Bernabeu could be Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri.
In recent weeks, Real Madrid have turned their attention back to Rodri. They were priced out of a move for leading target Enzo Fernandez, but that could work in their favour as they are closing in on signing one of the world's best midfielders, as well as the recipient of the 2026 World Cup Golden Ball.
Previously, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez had ruled out signing Rodri as retribution for election rival Enrique Riquelme promising to bring the 30-year-old to the Bernabeu, but he's since changed his tune. As per Ramon Alvarez de Mon, he's gave the go-ahead last week for a move to be made for the Man City man, who should be available on a cut-price deal due to being in the final 12 months of his current contract.
Real Madrid believe that a deal can be done imminently, although they may need to raise their offer if they are to convince Man City to sell this summer. Despite already having an agreement on personal terms in place with the former Atletico Madrid and Villarreal midfielder, they have been quoted €80m to get a deal done now, whereas they are presently only willing to pay €50-60m.
It will be interesting to see how the Rodri situation develops over the coming weeks. Real Madrid will hope that Man City relax their stance sooner rather than later, knowing that they are unlikely to be able to agree a new contract with the 2024 Ballon d'Or winner.
#weeks #bernabeu #midfielder #move
In recent weeks, Real Madrid have turned their attention back to Rodri. They were priced out of a move for leading target Enzo Fernandez, but that could work in their favour as they are closing in on signing one of the world's best midfielders, as well as the recipient of the 2026 World Cup Golden Ball.
Previously, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez had ruled out signing Rodri as retribution for election rival Enrique Riquelme promising to bring the 30-year-old to the Bernabeu, but he's since changed his tune. As per Ramon Alvarez de Mon, he's gave the go-ahead last week for a move to be made for the Man City man, who should be available on a cut-price deal due to being in the final 12 months of his current contract.
Real Madrid believe that a deal can be done imminently, although they may need to raise their offer if they are to convince Man City to sell this summer. Despite already having an agreement on personal terms in place with the former Atletico Madrid and Villarreal midfielder, they have been quoted €80m to get a deal done now, whereas they are presently only willing to pay €50-60m.
It will be interesting to see how the Rodri situation develops over the coming weeks. Real Madrid will hope that Man City relax their stance sooner rather than later, knowing that they are unlikely to be able to agree a new contract with the 2024 Ballon d'Or winner.
#weeks #bernabeu #midfielder #move
1 day ago
Once upon a time (although it wasn't just once), the Braves used Carlos Carrasco in a close game. Ronald Acuña Jr. got injured in that game and ended up missing about six weeks of play. The use of Carrasco turned sinister, the Braves lost that game, and then ended up mired in a funk that lasted for a good chunk of Acuña's absence.
Tonight, Ronald Acuña Jr. made his return to the lineup. It could have been a triumphant time, building on the Braves' recent strong run of results. Instead, amid some rain and another indifferent outing from Martin Perez, the Braves opted to insert Connor Thomas, the "last guy" in their bullpen, into a tie game. It went south almost immediately, and then it kind of ran out south to go, as the Mets just pummeled Thomas into oblivion. To the Braves' credit, they let Thomas wear it and didn't use another pitcher, avoiding a double-down mistake of using Thomas to save the rest of the bullpen but then not actually saving the rest of the bullpen. (Jorge Mateo got the last out in lieu of Thomas, after the score had ballooned to 14-3 in favor of the Mets.)
Before all that, though, the game was pretty cool. In his first major league PA in a while, Acuña fell behind 0-2 against Zac Thornton, battled back to 3-2, and then teed off on a pitch down the middle, knocking it 108 mph to center for a solid single. Drake Baldwin followed followed with a hard liner single of his own, and the Braves seemed to be in business. Unfortunately, Matt Olson hit into a double play, but Ozzie Albies, as part of a measure of personal revenge for possibly a career-worst game on Sunday, legged out an infield hit to plate his buddy for the first run of the game.
Martin Perez did not have a shutdown first inning. A hard-hit grounder went for a leadoff hit, and then Francisco Lindor got his arms extended on a cutter on the edge away and nearly hit it out of the park. The play ended up being kind of weird, as it looked like it was just going to be a double, but the ball bounced far enough off the wall that Lindor ended up getting an RBI triple. But, Perez pachinko also cuts the other way, as a grounder to third, a strikeout, and flyout to center kept the game tied at one run apiece.
Nothing much happened in the second or the top of the third. In the bottom half of the inning, after a leadoff single, Lindor again took a Perez pitch on the outer edge, this time a changeup, and pulled it into left for a two-run homer. Perez was hitting his spots, but it didn't matter. That score didn't last long: after Olson drew a leadoff walk in the fourth, Albies victimized Thornton by crushing an elevated fastball for a definitive non-cheapie homer. Michael Harris II singled and it looked like the Braves might've solved Thornton, but that didn't end up being the case, as Mauricio Dubon popped out and Austin Riley hit into a double play.
#thomas #play #double #lindor
Tonight, Ronald Acuña Jr. made his return to the lineup. It could have been a triumphant time, building on the Braves' recent strong run of results. Instead, amid some rain and another indifferent outing from Martin Perez, the Braves opted to insert Connor Thomas, the "last guy" in their bullpen, into a tie game. It went south almost immediately, and then it kind of ran out south to go, as the Mets just pummeled Thomas into oblivion. To the Braves' credit, they let Thomas wear it and didn't use another pitcher, avoiding a double-down mistake of using Thomas to save the rest of the bullpen but then not actually saving the rest of the bullpen. (Jorge Mateo got the last out in lieu of Thomas, after the score had ballooned to 14-3 in favor of the Mets.)
Before all that, though, the game was pretty cool. In his first major league PA in a while, Acuña fell behind 0-2 against Zac Thornton, battled back to 3-2, and then teed off on a pitch down the middle, knocking it 108 mph to center for a solid single. Drake Baldwin followed followed with a hard liner single of his own, and the Braves seemed to be in business. Unfortunately, Matt Olson hit into a double play, but Ozzie Albies, as part of a measure of personal revenge for possibly a career-worst game on Sunday, legged out an infield hit to plate his buddy for the first run of the game.
Martin Perez did not have a shutdown first inning. A hard-hit grounder went for a leadoff hit, and then Francisco Lindor got his arms extended on a cutter on the edge away and nearly hit it out of the park. The play ended up being kind of weird, as it looked like it was just going to be a double, but the ball bounced far enough off the wall that Lindor ended up getting an RBI triple. But, Perez pachinko also cuts the other way, as a grounder to third, a strikeout, and flyout to center kept the game tied at one run apiece.
Nothing much happened in the second or the top of the third. In the bottom half of the inning, after a leadoff single, Lindor again took a Perez pitch on the outer edge, this time a changeup, and pulled it into left for a two-run homer. Perez was hitting his spots, but it didn't matter. That score didn't last long: after Olson drew a leadoff walk in the fourth, Albies victimized Thornton by crushing an elevated fastball for a definitive non-cheapie homer. Michael Harris II singled and it looked like the Braves might've solved Thornton, but that didn't end up being the case, as Mauricio Dubon popped out and Austin Riley hit into a double play.
#thomas #play #double #lindor
4 days ago
There is not long to go until the 2026-27 season gets underway for Real Madrid, who have Jose Mourinho back at the helm for the first time in over 13 years. The Portuguese has been tasked with ending Los Blancos' run without a major trophy, which dates back to the end of the 2024-25 campaign when they won their 15th Champions League.
There is a lot of hope that Mourinho is the ideal man to get Real Madrid back on track. A lot of current and former players have expressed their support in recent weeks, with the latest being Borja Mayoral during an interview with Marca (via MD). He recounted his memories of the Portuguese, starting with the positives.
"What I liked the most, above all, was training. They were very competitive and a lot of fun. Although my situation was not ideal, I really enjoyed training with him. Over time I was even surprised. From the conversations we had and some things he said to me before certain games, I felt that he valued my work. I remember that on one occasion he told me that I deserved to have played much earlier and he also spoke very highly of me in a press conference. That sticks with me. He was a close person. With Gonzalo Villar, Carles Pérez and the Spaniards he talked a lot about his time at Real Madrid. As I have always been very curious, I took the opportunity to ask him many things about his time at Madrid."
However, there were also negatives that Mayoral remembers, such as Mourinho's inability to take defeat well.
"Maybe he didn't really know how to lose, he made comments within the dressing room that I didn't like. Not only towards me, but also towards other colleagues. I understand that he is a very competitive person and that in the heat we can all say things, but I believe that respect for people should always be above all else."
#things #mayoral
There is a lot of hope that Mourinho is the ideal man to get Real Madrid back on track. A lot of current and former players have expressed their support in recent weeks, with the latest being Borja Mayoral during an interview with Marca (via MD). He recounted his memories of the Portuguese, starting with the positives.
"What I liked the most, above all, was training. They were very competitive and a lot of fun. Although my situation was not ideal, I really enjoyed training with him. Over time I was even surprised. From the conversations we had and some things he said to me before certain games, I felt that he valued my work. I remember that on one occasion he told me that I deserved to have played much earlier and he also spoke very highly of me in a press conference. That sticks with me. He was a close person. With Gonzalo Villar, Carles Pérez and the Spaniards he talked a lot about his time at Real Madrid. As I have always been very curious, I took the opportunity to ask him many things about his time at Madrid."
However, there were also negatives that Mayoral remembers, such as Mourinho's inability to take defeat well.
"Maybe he didn't really know how to lose, he made comments within the dressing room that I didn't like. Not only towards me, but also towards other colleagues. I understand that he is a very competitive person and that in the heat we can all say things, but I believe that respect for people should always be above all else."
#things #mayoral
4 days ago
Sky Sports reported Real Madrid are now turning their full attention towards signing Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig after FC Bayern showed no interest in accepting any bid for Michael Olise.
According to Sky, FC Bayern closed all doors for negotiations for Florentino Pérez's dream target. As previously reported, Real Madrid's president doesn't want to break the club's good relationship with Bayern by approaching the deal differently.
Thus, after they realized FC Bayern are unwilling to enter discussions, Real Madrid bosses decided to go strong for a fellow Bundesliga winger. PSG were in pole position to sign the Ivorian youngster for weeks, but Real Madrid are now hopeful of completing the deal after their initial €100 million bid was rejected by RB Leipzig on Friday.
Diomande scored 13 goals in his debut Bundesliga campaign with RB Leipzig. Both Olise and Diomande are yet to join their respective team for pre-season preparations due to their participation at the World Cup.
#olise
According to Sky, FC Bayern closed all doors for negotiations for Florentino Pérez's dream target. As previously reported, Real Madrid's president doesn't want to break the club's good relationship with Bayern by approaching the deal differently.
Thus, after they realized FC Bayern are unwilling to enter discussions, Real Madrid bosses decided to go strong for a fellow Bundesliga winger. PSG were in pole position to sign the Ivorian youngster for weeks, but Real Madrid are now hopeful of completing the deal after their initial €100 million bid was rejected by RB Leipzig on Friday.
Diomande scored 13 goals in his debut Bundesliga campaign with RB Leipzig. Both Olise and Diomande are yet to join their respective team for pre-season preparations due to their participation at the World Cup.
#olise
4 days ago
La Liga giants Real Madrid have done a complete 180 on their stance on the potential signing of Manchester City star Rodri.
This comes amid confirmation on the part of some of the most reliable sources in the European media that Los Blancos are now actively working on a deal for the 30-year-old.
Bernabéu insider Mario Cortegana is one such source, with the Spaniard having revealed that the key factor in the wheels being set in motion is a complete change in stance on the part of Florentino Pérez and co.
As per The Athletic:
'Madrid sources had kept insisting this summer that Rodri was not part of their plans, but the club's stance has changed following his return from the World Cup, with the performance level he demonstrated and the role he played in Spain's triumph a factor in their decision to pursue him.'
#sources
This comes amid confirmation on the part of some of the most reliable sources in the European media that Los Blancos are now actively working on a deal for the 30-year-old.
Bernabéu insider Mario Cortegana is one such source, with the Spaniard having revealed that the key factor in the wheels being set in motion is a complete change in stance on the part of Florentino Pérez and co.
As per The Athletic:
'Madrid sources had kept insisting this summer that Rodri was not part of their plans, but the club's stance has changed following his return from the World Cup, with the performance level he demonstrated and the role he played in Spain's triumph a factor in their decision to pursue him.'
#sources
4 days ago
La Liga outfit Villarreal are closing on an imminent addition to the club's goalkeeper ranks. This comes amid the understanding that Péter Gulácsi is on the verge of taking his talents to Castellón.
Villarreal are fresh off bidding farewell to a member of the club's shot-stopper setup earlier this week.
After several weeks of negotiations, the Yellow Submarine agreed to sanction the departure of Diego Conde to La Liga rivals Real Betis.
The brass at La Cerámica, in turn, spent recent days ramping up efforts to add fresh blood between the posts in new manager Iñigo Pérez's squad.
Amid this search, the name of the aforementioned Péter Gulácsi quickly came to the fore as a leading option.
#castell #diego #conde
Villarreal are fresh off bidding farewell to a member of the club's shot-stopper setup earlier this week.
After several weeks of negotiations, the Yellow Submarine agreed to sanction the departure of Diego Conde to La Liga rivals Real Betis.
The brass at La Cerámica, in turn, spent recent days ramping up efforts to add fresh blood between the posts in new manager Iñigo Pérez's squad.
Amid this search, the name of the aforementioned Péter Gulácsi quickly came to the fore as a leading option.
#castell #diego #conde
5 days ago
Salvador Perez makes heartfelt plea after fan arrested retrieving historic home run originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
A Royals fan jumped into the Kauffman Stadium fountains to recover Salvador Perez’s record-tying home run ball, leading to an arrest and a personal request from the Kansas City captain.
Salvador Perez understood why one Kansas City Royals fan was willing to risk a trip to jail for a piece of franchise history.
Perez blasted the 317th home run of his career Wednesday against the San Francisco Giants, tying Hall of Famer George Brett for the most in Royals history. The 437-foot drive landed in the famous fountains beyond the right-center-field wall at Kauffman Stadium.
One fan decided that history was worth getting wet for. The fan jumped into the fountain in an attempt to retrieve Perez’s home run ball. Security quickly intervened, escorting the fan out of the stadium before police placed him in handcuffs and took him into custody.
#perez #Royals #kauffman
A Royals fan jumped into the Kauffman Stadium fountains to recover Salvador Perez’s record-tying home run ball, leading to an arrest and a personal request from the Kansas City captain.
Salvador Perez understood why one Kansas City Royals fan was willing to risk a trip to jail for a piece of franchise history.
Perez blasted the 317th home run of his career Wednesday against the San Francisco Giants, tying Hall of Famer George Brett for the most in Royals history. The 437-foot drive landed in the famous fountains beyond the right-center-field wall at Kauffman Stadium.
One fan decided that history was worth getting wet for. The fan jumped into the fountain in an attempt to retrieve Perez’s home run ball. Security quickly intervened, escorting the fan out of the stadium before police placed him in handcuffs and took him into custody.
#perez #Royals #kauffman
5 days ago
Salvador Perez tied the Kansas City Royals' all-time home run record on Wednesday. What happened next became a legal matter.
With his 317th career long ball, the 36-year-old Perez tied George Brett for the record in Kansas City. Facing San Francisco Giants starter Landen Roupp in the seventh inning, he took a center-cut sinker and deposited it in the fountains at Kaufmann Stadium.
While much of the attention was understandably focused on Perez in the moment, it turns out a fan jumped into the fountain to retrieve the historic ball.
Such mementos are usually the legal property of the fan who catches or first obtains the ball, but the Royals' website clearly states the fountains are off-limits for fans: "If at any time a guest enters a fountain, they will be immediately arrested, transported to the police station downtown and charged to the fullest extent of the law."
So the fan was soon arrested and escorted out of the stands, with the ball confiscated.
#kansas #Royals #tied #Legal
With his 317th career long ball, the 36-year-old Perez tied George Brett for the record in Kansas City. Facing San Francisco Giants starter Landen Roupp in the seventh inning, he took a center-cut sinker and deposited it in the fountains at Kaufmann Stadium.
While much of the attention was understandably focused on Perez in the moment, it turns out a fan jumped into the fountain to retrieve the historic ball.
Such mementos are usually the legal property of the fan who catches or first obtains the ball, but the Royals' website clearly states the fountains are off-limits for fans: "If at any time a guest enters a fountain, they will be immediately arrested, transported to the police station downtown and charged to the fullest extent of the law."
So the fan was soon arrested and escorted out of the stands, with the ball confiscated.
#kansas #Royals #tied #Legal
5 days ago
It's the final week of the regular season, and the top of the table is all set with the Green Bay Blizzard, San Diego Strike Force and Vegas Knight Hawks rounding out the top three after a heated battle the last few weeks.
This weekend will see several enticing matchups broadcast on Yahoo Sports, including a Sunday slate featuring some of the league's best: the Orlando Pirates vs. Fishers Freight (4 p.m. ET) and Green Bay Blizzard vs. Jacksonville Sharks (7:30 p.m. ET)
Offensive Player of the Week: Jimmie Robinson, RB, Jacksonville Sharks
Defensive Player of the Week: Gleson Sprewell, DB, New Mexico Chupacabras
Special Teams Player of the Week: Axel Perez, K, Tulsa Oilers
#green #blizzard #sharks #diego
This weekend will see several enticing matchups broadcast on Yahoo Sports, including a Sunday slate featuring some of the league's best: the Orlando Pirates vs. Fishers Freight (4 p.m. ET) and Green Bay Blizzard vs. Jacksonville Sharks (7:30 p.m. ET)
Offensive Player of the Week: Jimmie Robinson, RB, Jacksonville Sharks
Defensive Player of the Week: Gleson Sprewell, DB, New Mexico Chupacabras
Special Teams Player of the Week: Axel Perez, K, Tulsa Oilers
#green #blizzard #sharks #diego
5 days ago
Inside the Fort Bend Boxing Club, the lessons extend far beyond jabs and footwork.
"Boxing is a brutal sport, but it's a disciplined sport," Owner, Hector Perez Jr said.
The Rosenberg nonprofit has provided young people with an affordable place to learn the sport while emphasizing discipline, respect, and perseverance.
The Fort Bend Boxing Club was founded in 1964 by Hector's uncle Blas Perez. Blas was a fighter himself, playing the sport from the age of 12, before turning to coaching and building amateur champions.
"My uncle was a brawler. He fought to the end - he never gave up," Hector shared. "That's how life is with him right now. He's had quite a bit of strokes already, he's still fighting."
#hector #uncle
"Boxing is a brutal sport, but it's a disciplined sport," Owner, Hector Perez Jr said.
The Rosenberg nonprofit has provided young people with an affordable place to learn the sport while emphasizing discipline, respect, and perseverance.
The Fort Bend Boxing Club was founded in 1964 by Hector's uncle Blas Perez. Blas was a fighter himself, playing the sport from the age of 12, before turning to coaching and building amateur champions.
"My uncle was a brawler. He fought to the end - he never gave up," Hector shared. "That's how life is with him right now. He's had quite a bit of strokes already, he's still fighting."
#hector #uncle
5 days ago
The Detroit Tigers have released a veteran catcher.
The Tigers released nine-year veteran Tomás Nido from Triple-A Toledo on Tuesday, July 21. In his place, the Tigers signed veteran catcher Carlos Pérez to a minor-league deal on Wednesday, July 22, ******* igning him to Toledo.
Nido, who made his MLB debut with the New York Mets in 2017, originally signed a contract with the Tigers on Sept. 17, 2024. Nido appeared in 10 games for the Tigers in 2025, putting up a .704 OPS in 37 plate appearances in April and May.
KEIDER: Let's fully appreciate what Keider Montero is doing for surging Tigers
He re-signed with the Tigers ahead of the 2025 season and played 43 games with Toledo, but didn't break through to the majors as Eduardo Valencia emerged as the team's backup catcher during All-Star catcher Dillon Dingler's brief injury spell.
#tigers #keider
The Tigers released nine-year veteran Tomás Nido from Triple-A Toledo on Tuesday, July 21. In his place, the Tigers signed veteran catcher Carlos Pérez to a minor-league deal on Wednesday, July 22, ******* igning him to Toledo.
Nido, who made his MLB debut with the New York Mets in 2017, originally signed a contract with the Tigers on Sept. 17, 2024. Nido appeared in 10 games for the Tigers in 2025, putting up a .704 OPS in 37 plate appearances in April and May.
KEIDER: Let's fully appreciate what Keider Montero is doing for surging Tigers
He re-signed with the Tigers ahead of the 2025 season and played 43 games with Toledo, but didn't break through to the majors as Eduardo Valencia emerged as the team's backup catcher during All-Star catcher Dillon Dingler's brief injury spell.
#tigers #keider
5 days ago
The Detroit Tigers have released a veteran catcher.
The Tigers released nine-year veteran Tomás Nido from Triple-A Toledo on Tuesday, July 21. In his place, the Tigers signed veteran catcher Carlos Pérez to a minor-league deal on Wednesday, July 22, ****** igning him to Toledo.
Nido, who made his MLB debut with the New York Mets in 2017, originally signed a contract with the Tigers on Sept. 17, 2024. Nido appeared in 10 games for the Tigers in 2025, putting up a .704 OPS in 37 plate appearances in April and May.
KEIDER: Let's fully appreciate what Keider Montero is doing for surging Tigers
#toledo
The Tigers released nine-year veteran Tomás Nido from Triple-A Toledo on Tuesday, July 21. In his place, the Tigers signed veteran catcher Carlos Pérez to a minor-league deal on Wednesday, July 22, ****** igning him to Toledo.
Nido, who made his MLB debut with the New York Mets in 2017, originally signed a contract with the Tigers on Sept. 17, 2024. Nido appeared in 10 games for the Tigers in 2025, putting up a .704 OPS in 37 plate appearances in April and May.
KEIDER: Let's fully appreciate what Keider Montero is doing for surging Tigers
#toledo
6 days ago
Manchester City star Rodri had a dream World Cup, winning the Player of the Tournament award and captaining Spain to the ****** le.
He has been very keen on a move to Real Madrid for some time now, with a return to Spain said to be what he desires most at this stage of his career.
Los Blancos, and especially Florentino Perez, have not been too active in their pursuit of the Ballon d’Or winner but are considering his interest.
However, according to The Athletic, the Spanish capital club making a move for Rodri could hinge on how long his back surgery is set to keep him out of action.
He will need an operation on the injury and there is currently no clear date for his return. That uncertainty could become a decisive issue in any possible move to the Santiago Bernabeu.
#spain #manchester #city
He has been very keen on a move to Real Madrid for some time now, with a return to Spain said to be what he desires most at this stage of his career.
Los Blancos, and especially Florentino Perez, have not been too active in their pursuit of the Ballon d’Or winner but are considering his interest.
However, according to The Athletic, the Spanish capital club making a move for Rodri could hinge on how long his back surgery is set to keep him out of action.
He will need an operation on the injury and there is currently no clear date for his return. That uncertainty could become a decisive issue in any possible move to the Santiago Bernabeu.
#spain #manchester #city
6 days ago
Cadillac Formula 1 driver Sergio Perez believes Aston Martin's significant car update at this weekend's Hungarian GP will close the gap with his team.
Aston Martin has struggled massively with its AMR26, and with engine partner Honda also facing a steep development curve, the team decided to hold back its upgrades until it could bring enough performance to the car to lift it from the back of the grid.
That moment has now arrived in Budapest, with the AMR26 getting a facelift including a full aerodynamic overhaul and a weight reduction.
Paddock rumours vary on just how much of a laptime boost Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll will get out of their new package, with some observers expecting the AMR to gain over two seconds per lap.
That type of gain will be necessary to threaten Cadillac and get off the last row of the grid. The fastest Cadillac was 1.6 seconds quicker in qualifying in Silverstone and 2.4s up in Belgium, although Honda's lack of power and deployment exaggerated that gap. In Barcelona and Spielberg, Aston Martin's deficit was just over a second, with the caveat that Cadillac has since also added performance to its MAC-26.
#team
Aston Martin has struggled massively with its AMR26, and with engine partner Honda also facing a steep development curve, the team decided to hold back its upgrades until it could bring enough performance to the car to lift it from the back of the grid.
That moment has now arrived in Budapest, with the AMR26 getting a facelift including a full aerodynamic overhaul and a weight reduction.
Paddock rumours vary on just how much of a laptime boost Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll will get out of their new package, with some observers expecting the AMR to gain over two seconds per lap.
That type of gain will be necessary to threaten Cadillac and get off the last row of the grid. The fastest Cadillac was 1.6 seconds quicker in qualifying in Silverstone and 2.4s up in Belgium, although Honda's lack of power and deployment exaggerated that gap. In Barcelona and Spielberg, Aston Martin's deficit was just over a second, with the caveat that Cadillac has since also added performance to its MAC-26.
#team
6 days ago
In a game that first crawled due to a deluge of walks (but few runs) and then saw dueling late-inning paroxysms in each team’s final time at the plate, the Braves eventually emerged victorious. But boy, was it a winding path to get there.
At the beginning of this contest, things seemed like they were going to drag on forever with little to show for it. After a one-walk, no other action first from Martin Perez, the Braves took aim at Michael King, who dominated them a few weeks ago in San Diego, and…
…he did not dominate this time. In fact, King walked the first three batters he faced, grimacing and looking generally uncomfy all the while. A groundout from Michael Harris II plated a run, but both Austin Riley and Mike Yastrzemski kind of lost the plot and went down looking. Yastrzemski, in particular, looked at five straight pitches to end the inning… the Braves’ track record with guys skimping on rehab **** ignments this year is looking abysmal.
Staked to a small lead, Perez did his normal thing — it just happened to work out this time. He walked two in the second, but then recovered with two punchouts. The Braves got a couple of singles against a resurgent-ish King in the bottom of the inning, but Ozzie Albies struck out on a changeup that was literally in the other batter’s box. There was another walk from Perez, this time of the leadoff variety, in the third, but nothing else. King followed suit, but again, nothing doing from the bats. Perez had a quicker fourth, three up and three down thanks to a double play. Meanwhile, the Braves kinda-sorta tried to rally against King with a leadoff double from Mauricio Dubon and an infield single by Brewer Hicklen, but two weak flyouts kept it a 1-0 game.
Some combination of “Perez didn’t have a rehab **** ignment and had thrown 75 pitches” and “Perez had a 3/4 K/BB ratio in four innings” ultimately convinced the Braves to go to the bullpen for the fifth. Dylan Dodd came in and was delicious, throwing an 11-pitch frame with two strikeouts and a first-pitch groundout. King stayed in, and worked around a two-out single. Didier Fuentes followed Dodd and had to work a little harder (18 pitches), but had his two strikeouts, one groundout inning all the same. King’s night finished with a flourish, a nine-pitch frame that featured a strikeout of Hicklen. He rebounded and once again mystified the Braves despite the rocky start, with a 7/4 K/BB ratio — a 7/1 K/BB ratio after the first three batters.
#perez #looking #groundout
At the beginning of this contest, things seemed like they were going to drag on forever with little to show for it. After a one-walk, no other action first from Martin Perez, the Braves took aim at Michael King, who dominated them a few weeks ago in San Diego, and…
…he did not dominate this time. In fact, King walked the first three batters he faced, grimacing and looking generally uncomfy all the while. A groundout from Michael Harris II plated a run, but both Austin Riley and Mike Yastrzemski kind of lost the plot and went down looking. Yastrzemski, in particular, looked at five straight pitches to end the inning… the Braves’ track record with guys skimping on rehab **** ignments this year is looking abysmal.
Staked to a small lead, Perez did his normal thing — it just happened to work out this time. He walked two in the second, but then recovered with two punchouts. The Braves got a couple of singles against a resurgent-ish King in the bottom of the inning, but Ozzie Albies struck out on a changeup that was literally in the other batter’s box. There was another walk from Perez, this time of the leadoff variety, in the third, but nothing else. King followed suit, but again, nothing doing from the bats. Perez had a quicker fourth, three up and three down thanks to a double play. Meanwhile, the Braves kinda-sorta tried to rally against King with a leadoff double from Mauricio Dubon and an infield single by Brewer Hicklen, but two weak flyouts kept it a 1-0 game.
Some combination of “Perez didn’t have a rehab **** ignment and had thrown 75 pitches” and “Perez had a 3/4 K/BB ratio in four innings” ultimately convinced the Braves to go to the bullpen for the fifth. Dylan Dodd came in and was delicious, throwing an 11-pitch frame with two strikeouts and a first-pitch groundout. King stayed in, and worked around a two-out single. Didier Fuentes followed Dodd and had to work a little harder (18 pitches), but had his two strikeouts, one groundout inning all the same. King’s night finished with a flourish, a nine-pitch frame that featured a strikeout of Hicklen. He rebounded and once again mystified the Braves despite the rocky start, with a 7/4 K/BB ratio — a 7/1 K/BB ratio after the first three batters.
#perez #looking #groundout
7 days ago
The situation surrounding the future of Rodri at Manchester City continues to evolve. It did seem that as much as the Ballon d’Or-winning midfielder wanted a move to Real Madrid, the La Liga giants were not interested in signing him this summer. Fabrizio Romano reported on his YouTube channel that Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has no interest in signing Rodri. However, a new report has emerged that indicates that perhaps Real Madrid are now interested in signing arguably Manchester City’s most important player. Whatever occurs with Rodri’s future this summer, Manchester City do need a speedy resolution to the situation before it drags on for far too long.
Fabrizio Romano reported that Rodri does indeed want a move to Real Madrid at some point. However, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez had no interest in bringing Rodri to the club. However, that situation may have changed. Matteo Moretto has reported that Florentino Perez is becoming open to the possibility of signing Rodri. Furthermore, it is also reported that personal terms between Rodri and Real Madrid are considered to be a formality. Lastly, it is also reported that at this stage, negotiations between Real Madrid and Manchester City over a deal that will see Rodri sign for the 15-time UEFA Champions League winners have yet to commence.
The situation surrounding Rodri threatens to be a distraction for Manchester City. Rodri will enjoy a period of holidays following his efforts at the World Cup with Spain. Manchester City’s midfield general helped his country claim their second World Cup crown and he was named as the player of the tournament. While Rodri rests, his future is now a major topic to watch for in the coming days and weeks. It is also a situation that could shape the remainder of the summer transfer window for Manchester City.
Rodri is contracted with City for next season. He is entering the final twelve months of his current deal. Manchester City are eager to sign him to an extension, but for now, there hasn’t been any movement on that front. As Matteo Moretto reports, Real Madrid are yet to enter into negotiations with City to sign Rodri. Nor has Rodri indicated to City that he wants to leave this summer. But Rodri’s contract situation does raise the possibility of him leaving City sooner than anticipated.
However, the best scenario for Manchester City is that Rodri provides clarity on his intentions in a timely manner. The longer the situation drags on, that doesn’t really suit anyone. Typically, the FA Cup and Carabao Cup holders do not keep players that don’t want to be at the club. Unless that player was Bernardo Silva. If Rodri informs City that he wants to leave this summer, and if Real Madrid do make their move, the sooner that process begins, the quicker a resolution can be found, whatever that may be.
#city #madrid
Fabrizio Romano reported that Rodri does indeed want a move to Real Madrid at some point. However, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez had no interest in bringing Rodri to the club. However, that situation may have changed. Matteo Moretto has reported that Florentino Perez is becoming open to the possibility of signing Rodri. Furthermore, it is also reported that personal terms between Rodri and Real Madrid are considered to be a formality. Lastly, it is also reported that at this stage, negotiations between Real Madrid and Manchester City over a deal that will see Rodri sign for the 15-time UEFA Champions League winners have yet to commence.
The situation surrounding Rodri threatens to be a distraction for Manchester City. Rodri will enjoy a period of holidays following his efforts at the World Cup with Spain. Manchester City’s midfield general helped his country claim their second World Cup crown and he was named as the player of the tournament. While Rodri rests, his future is now a major topic to watch for in the coming days and weeks. It is also a situation that could shape the remainder of the summer transfer window for Manchester City.
Rodri is contracted with City for next season. He is entering the final twelve months of his current deal. Manchester City are eager to sign him to an extension, but for now, there hasn’t been any movement on that front. As Matteo Moretto reports, Real Madrid are yet to enter into negotiations with City to sign Rodri. Nor has Rodri indicated to City that he wants to leave this summer. But Rodri’s contract situation does raise the possibility of him leaving City sooner than anticipated.
However, the best scenario for Manchester City is that Rodri provides clarity on his intentions in a timely manner. The longer the situation drags on, that doesn’t really suit anyone. Typically, the FA Cup and Carabao Cup holders do not keep players that don’t want to be at the club. Unless that player was Bernardo Silva. If Rodri informs City that he wants to leave this summer, and if Real Madrid do make their move, the sooner that process begins, the quicker a resolution can be found, whatever that may be.
#city #madrid
14 days ago
Rodri's future at Manchester City has become a topic of discussion within Real Madrid, with the Spanish midfielder emerging as an unexpected option in the wake of the club's midfield ***** sment.
According to Defensa Central, Rodri has been offered to Real Madrid for a fee in the region of €70 million.
While Florentino Perez has previously shown little interest in pursuing the Spain international, his performances at the 2026 FIFA World Cup have reopened the debate inside the club.
The report claims there is no change to Madrid's official position, but Rodri's form has strengthened the argument of those within the hierarchy who believe the opportunity deserves serious consideration.
Before the tournament, Rodri was not considered a realistic target. His age, injury record and contractual situation meant Madrid had looked elsewhere when ***** sing potential midfield reinforcements.
According to Defensa Central, Rodri has been offered to Real Madrid for a fee in the region of €70 million.
While Florentino Perez has previously shown little interest in pursuing the Spain international, his performances at the 2026 FIFA World Cup have reopened the debate inside the club.
The report claims there is no change to Madrid's official position, but Rodri's form has strengthened the argument of those within the hierarchy who believe the opportunity deserves serious consideration.
Before the tournament, Rodri was not considered a realistic target. His age, injury record and contractual situation meant Madrid had looked elsewhere when ***** sing potential midfield reinforcements.
14 days ago
I hope every MLB fan gets used to Bobby Witt Jr. in the All-Star Game. This is already Witt’s third All-Star Game, and Witt just turned 26 last month. The Kansas City Royals record for most All-Star selections is George Brett with 13; Salvador Perez is second with nine. After that, multiple Royals are tied with five selections, and it seems at least that Witt is on track to move into third place as soon as 2028.
Joining Witt is Michael Wacha, making his second All-Star appearance. Wacha’s first All-Star Game? All the way back in 2015, when he was but a wee 23-year-old with the St. Louis Cardinals.
It’s an All-Star Game with some new faces (Ben Rice, Drake Baldwin) and some old faces (Mike Trout, Freddie Freeman). May the best team win—and may the on-field interviews be as least cringy as possible.
Joining Witt is Michael Wacha, making his second All-Star appearance. Wacha’s first All-Star Game? All the way back in 2015, when he was but a wee 23-year-old with the St. Louis Cardinals.
It’s an All-Star Game with some new faces (Ben Rice, Drake Baldwin) and some old faces (Mike Trout, Freddie Freeman). May the best team win—and may the on-field interviews be as least cringy as possible.
15 days ago
WWE Raw on July 13, 2026, took place at American Airlines Center in Dallas, and featured a contract signing with Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins.
With Saturday Night's Main Event and SummerSlam rapidly approaching, there were matches set for both events. There was only one match with stakes on the show: a No. 1 contender match for the men's Intercontinental Championship. IYO SKY picked up a win over Roxanne Perez and a rough-looking Lyra Valkyria now has a match against Bayley at SNME. A six-man tag between The Usos and Jacob Fatu is set for SummerSlam against Royce Keys, LA Knight, and Solo Sikoa. There was also a teaser for the return of Big Cass.
Here are the top takeaways from this week's show:
Before we get into the takeaways of what went down in the ring, an observation about this show must be stated.
The commercial breaks are ridiculous. They are poorly timed, and the frequency is too high. Multiple entrances were skimped this week in favor of commercials. For example, a commercial ran right as Je'Von Evans entered the gauntlet match. On the return, he was already hurt, outside of the ring.
With Saturday Night's Main Event and SummerSlam rapidly approaching, there were matches set for both events. There was only one match with stakes on the show: a No. 1 contender match for the men's Intercontinental Championship. IYO SKY picked up a win over Roxanne Perez and a rough-looking Lyra Valkyria now has a match against Bayley at SNME. A six-man tag between The Usos and Jacob Fatu is set for SummerSlam against Royce Keys, LA Knight, and Solo Sikoa. There was also a teaser for the return of Big Cass.
Here are the top takeaways from this week's show:
Before we get into the takeaways of what went down in the ring, an observation about this show must be stated.
The commercial breaks are ridiculous. They are poorly timed, and the frequency is too high. Multiple entrances were skimped this week in favor of commercials. For example, a commercial ran right as Je'Von Evans entered the gauntlet match. On the return, he was already hurt, outside of the ring.
16 days ago
The Formula 1 paddock has long whispered about the ruthless reality of the second seat at Red Bull Racing. For years, the team’s development philosophy has appeared completely centralized around Max Verstappen, leaving a trail of broken teammates in his wake. Now, Sergio Perez has officially broken the silence, confirming every suspicion about the Milton Keynes squad.
In a deeply revealing interview on the High Performance podcast, Perez pulled back the curtain on his turbulent tenure with the team, exposing an environment that ultimately fractured his confidence and forced him to take a sabbatical before joining Cadillac.
Most drivers enter a new championship-winning organization with illusions of equal treatment and a fair fight. Perez, however, was stripped of those illusions before he even sat in the car.
Reflecting on his initial conversations with the team boss, Perez revealed that Christian Horner didn’t mince words about the team’s singular focus.
“First time I met Christian, he told me, I mean, we go racing with two cars because we have to, you know. Otherwise, we will be super happy just to race with one car,” Perez recalled. “Everything is for Max, around Max. We want to win the championship.”
In a deeply revealing interview on the High Performance podcast, Perez pulled back the curtain on his turbulent tenure with the team, exposing an environment that ultimately fractured his confidence and forced him to take a sabbatical before joining Cadillac.
Most drivers enter a new championship-winning organization with illusions of equal treatment and a fair fight. Perez, however, was stripped of those illusions before he even sat in the car.
Reflecting on his initial conversations with the team boss, Perez revealed that Christian Horner didn’t mince words about the team’s singular focus.
“First time I met Christian, he told me, I mean, we go racing with two cars because we have to, you know. Otherwise, we will be super happy just to race with one car,” Perez recalled. “Everything is for Max, around Max. We want to win the championship.”
17 days ago
Real Madrid have one major issue to sort out this summer, with Los Blancos still not certain whether Vinicius Junior will renew his contract at the club.
His future at the Spanish club has been under scrutiny for a while now, with Florentino Perez making it a priority to extend his contract before moving for a player like Michael Olise.
The Brazilian has created fresh uncertainty around his Real Madrid future after removing visible references to the club from his social media profiles.
As reported by Defensa Central, Vinicius has changed his profile image to black, removed any mention of Real Madrid from his biography and no longer has club-related posts pinned on Instagram.
Recent references to Madrid are also very limited, with only farewell posts to David Alaba and Dani Carvajal visible on his handle.
His future at the Spanish club has been under scrutiny for a while now, with Florentino Perez making it a priority to extend his contract before moving for a player like Michael Olise.
The Brazilian has created fresh uncertainty around his Real Madrid future after removing visible references to the club from his social media profiles.
As reported by Defensa Central, Vinicius has changed his profile image to black, removed any mention of Real Madrid from his biography and no longer has club-related posts pinned on Instagram.
Recent references to Madrid are also very limited, with only farewell posts to David Alaba and Dani Carvajal visible on his handle.
17 days ago
Conor McGregor made his Ultimate Fighting Championship return atop an action-packed UFC 329 card that ended with a whimper. The welterweight main event saw “Notorious” take on Max Holloway in a rematch of their 2013 fight that never really got started. The finish-filled card also had important fights in the lightweight, bantamweight and flyweight divisions.
Here are the matches to make for the UFC 329 main card winners.
Holloway (28-9) finally got revenge on McGregor (22-7), but it wasn’t how he wanted to after McGregor suffered a knee injury. Regardless, “Blessed” is now 2-1 in his last three fights, with a deflating loss to Charles Oliveira sandwiched between wins over Dustin Poirier and McGregor. I’d like to see Holloway take on Pimblett next, as “The Baddie” submitted Benoit St. Denis with a Peruvian necktie. It was an impressive showing for the British fighter, who proved he deserves to be among the elite at 155 pounds. Both men are among the most entertaining at lightweight and it’d be a stellar action fight after Holloway’s disappointing showings against Oliveira and McGregor.
Bautista battled back from early adversity to take a decision win and get revenge against Cody Sandhagen, who beat him in 2019. The American is now 10-1 in his last 11 bouts inside the Octagon, with the lone defeat coming to Umar Nurmagomedov. While he called for a ******* le shot, that doesn’t seem likely with champion Petr Yan having major rematches against Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O'Malley as possible ******* le defenses. Instead, a fight against the underrated Barcelos would make sense. The Brazilian is on a five-fight win streak that includes victories over Ricky Simon, Payton Talbott and Cody Garbrandt. It’s a great stay-busy fight against a tough foe that will allow the log jam at the top of the division to figure itself out.
Royval capped off an impressive back-and-forth war with flyweight prospect Lone'er Kavanagh with a rare-naked choke. That snaps a two-fight winning streak for"Raw Dawg," who fell short to Manel Kape and Joshua Van in recent fights. Royval (18-9) called out Almabayev for his next Octagon appearance in a rare post-fight callout that makes total sense. It's a fresh fight and one that will give Almabayev (24-3) the chance to get the biggest win of his career. The Kazakhstani fighter is currently on a three-fight win streak, with wins over Charles Johnson and Alex Perez being particularly impressive. Whoever emerges victorious will be a solid contender in one of mixed martial arts' best divisions.
Here are the matches to make for the UFC 329 main card winners.
Holloway (28-9) finally got revenge on McGregor (22-7), but it wasn’t how he wanted to after McGregor suffered a knee injury. Regardless, “Blessed” is now 2-1 in his last three fights, with a deflating loss to Charles Oliveira sandwiched between wins over Dustin Poirier and McGregor. I’d like to see Holloway take on Pimblett next, as “The Baddie” submitted Benoit St. Denis with a Peruvian necktie. It was an impressive showing for the British fighter, who proved he deserves to be among the elite at 155 pounds. Both men are among the most entertaining at lightweight and it’d be a stellar action fight after Holloway’s disappointing showings against Oliveira and McGregor.
Bautista battled back from early adversity to take a decision win and get revenge against Cody Sandhagen, who beat him in 2019. The American is now 10-1 in his last 11 bouts inside the Octagon, with the lone defeat coming to Umar Nurmagomedov. While he called for a ******* le shot, that doesn’t seem likely with champion Petr Yan having major rematches against Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O'Malley as possible ******* le defenses. Instead, a fight against the underrated Barcelos would make sense. The Brazilian is on a five-fight win streak that includes victories over Ricky Simon, Payton Talbott and Cody Garbrandt. It’s a great stay-busy fight against a tough foe that will allow the log jam at the top of the division to figure itself out.
Royval capped off an impressive back-and-forth war with flyweight prospect Lone'er Kavanagh with a rare-naked choke. That snaps a two-fight winning streak for"Raw Dawg," who fell short to Manel Kape and Joshua Van in recent fights. Royval (18-9) called out Almabayev for his next Octagon appearance in a rare post-fight callout that makes total sense. It's a fresh fight and one that will give Almabayev (24-3) the chance to get the biggest win of his career. The Kazakhstani fighter is currently on a three-fight win streak, with wins over Charles Johnson and Alex Perez being particularly impressive. Whoever emerges victorious will be a solid contender in one of mixed martial arts' best divisions.
17 days ago
Nine-hole hitter Steven Kwan lined a two-out, two-strike, two-run double and also produced a run-saving defensive gem, leading the Cleveland Guardians to a 4-1 win over the host Miami Marlins on Saturday afternoon, July 11.
Cleveland also got a two-out, two-strike, two-run double from No. 8 hitter Patrick Bailey in the eighth to add some insurance.
Tanner Bibee, who started this season 0-7 with six no-decisions, earned the win. Bibee (3-9) turned in a quality start, allowing five hits, four walks and one run in 6⅔ innings.
Eury Perez, who pitched seven perfect innings in his previous start, took the loss. Perez (5-7) allowed eight hits, two walks and two runs in six innings. He struck out six.
Cleveland loaded the bases with no outs in the first inning, but Perez struck out Kyle Manzardo and got Kahlil Watson to bounce into a double play.
Cleveland also got a two-out, two-strike, two-run double from No. 8 hitter Patrick Bailey in the eighth to add some insurance.
Tanner Bibee, who started this season 0-7 with six no-decisions, earned the win. Bibee (3-9) turned in a quality start, allowing five hits, four walks and one run in 6⅔ innings.
Eury Perez, who pitched seven perfect innings in his previous start, took the loss. Perez (5-7) allowed eight hits, two walks and two runs in six innings. He struck out six.
Cleveland loaded the bases with no outs in the first inning, but Perez struck out Kyle Manzardo and got Kahlil Watson to bounce into a double play.
17 days ago
MIAMI (AP) — Tanner Bibee threw 6 2/3 solid innings, Steven Kwan and Patrick Bailey hit two-run doubles and the Cleveland Guardians beat the Miami Marlins 4-1 on Saturday.
Gabriel Arias had three hits for the Guardians, who clinched the series after winning the opener 3-2 on Friday. The Marlins, who lost their first series since June 14-16 at Philadelphia, had won six consecutive home series.
Bibee (3-9) gave up one run and four hits, walked four and struck out three. Colin Holderman pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his first save.
Miami starter Eury Pérez (5-7), who pitched seven perfect innings in his previous outing at the Athletics on July 5, allowed two runs and eight hits over six innings. The right-hander walked two and struck out six.
Kwan’s double in the fourth put Cleveland ahead 2-0. Arias and Petey Halpin had consecutive singles and both scored when Kwan hit an opposite filed grounder that rolled inside the line and toward the left-field foul area.
Gabriel Arias had three hits for the Guardians, who clinched the series after winning the opener 3-2 on Friday. The Marlins, who lost their first series since June 14-16 at Philadelphia, had won six consecutive home series.
Bibee (3-9) gave up one run and four hits, walked four and struck out three. Colin Holderman pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his first save.
Miami starter Eury Pérez (5-7), who pitched seven perfect innings in his previous outing at the Athletics on July 5, allowed two runs and eight hits over six innings. The right-hander walked two and struck out six.
Kwan’s double in the fourth put Cleveland ahead 2-0. Arias and Petey Halpin had consecutive singles and both scored when Kwan hit an opposite filed grounder that rolled inside the line and toward the left-field foul area.
19 days ago
Say what you will about Raiders owner Mark Davis (which usually means people say not-so-nice things about the person in question), but he cares about his players.
A.J. Perez has written a feature for the L.A. Times regarding the grass vs. turf debate, which has been fueled by multiple NFL owners bending over backwards to install grass temporarily for the World Cup. In it, Davis makes it clear that he has chosen grass because it's better for the men who wear silver and black.
“I just always felt that football should be played on grass,” Raiders owner Mark Davis told Perez. “That’s for safety purposes, No. 1. I want it to look like a game was played even if it’s an indoor field. You see grass stains and everything else. I wasn’t going to a stadium without it being grass once I knew that capability was there. Obviously, it added a lot of cost, but it’s worth it.”
Allegiant Stadium has a grass field that slides in and out over the fixed-roof facility.
Davis could have gone with the fake stuff instead. He was willing to spend the money in order to take care of his players.
A.J. Perez has written a feature for the L.A. Times regarding the grass vs. turf debate, which has been fueled by multiple NFL owners bending over backwards to install grass temporarily for the World Cup. In it, Davis makes it clear that he has chosen grass because it's better for the men who wear silver and black.
“I just always felt that football should be played on grass,” Raiders owner Mark Davis told Perez. “That’s for safety purposes, No. 1. I want it to look like a game was played even if it’s an indoor field. You see grass stains and everything else. I wasn’t going to a stadium without it being grass once I knew that capability was there. Obviously, it added a lot of cost, but it’s worth it.”
Allegiant Stadium has a grass field that slides in and out over the fixed-roof facility.
Davis could have gone with the fake stuff instead. He was willing to spend the money in order to take care of his players.
20 days ago
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.
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.
20 days ago
We've seen a lot of long, frustrating losses this season. Last night's 16-12 offensive barrage was unique even for the 2026 Mets. Following that monstrosity of a baseball game, tonight's affair was blissfully, mercifully fairly normal in comparison. It was a fairly low-scoring evening until a sudden offensive barrage in the eighth inning, and the Mets came away with a 6-2 victory.
The Mets got the scoring started early against Royals opener Steven Cruz, as A.J. Ewing followed his four-hit barrage last night with another homer to lead off the game for the Amazins. It was Ewing's seventh major league home run—and his first in the leadoff spot—and it quickly gave the Mets a 1-0 lead. That would prove to be the only run the bats would bring home for quite a while, as bulkman Randy Dobnak came on in the second and would go on to shut the Mets down for 5.2 scoreless innings. They came close in the bottom of third when Francisco Lindor socked a ball to deep right field with runners on first and second with two outs, but Tyler Tolbert made a terrific leaping catch against the wall to end the inning.
Thankfully for the Mets, Christian Scott was able to maintain that one-run lead during his start tonight. While Scott has overall had a pretty solid 2026, going deep into games has been an issue for him—as mentioned by Gary Cohen on the broadcast, he had not made it through five innings in any of the past three starts. Tonight, he managed to make it through five scoreless innings, giving up just three hits and one walk while striking out five. The most meaningful threat against him came in the top of the second when he surrendered a two-out walk and single, respectively, before inducing a pop fly to second base from the previously unstoppable Tolbert. All told, it was an encouraging outing from one of the few bright spots in the team's starting rotation.
Unfortunately, the Mets quickly surrendered the lead when Scott exited the game. Tobias Myers was just recalled from the minors today, and he came on for the top of the sixth. He gave up a one-out double to Jac Caglianone, and after a groundout to third brought him within one out of getting out of the inning, Salvador Perez lined a 3-2 pitch to left field to bring the tying run home. Thus, Scott would receive a no-decision despite his solid start, and we were square even once more.
Myers got out of that inning and managed to toss a scoreless top of the seventh. Brooks Raley then came on and contributed a scoreless inning of his own. The Mets' bats, meanwhile, continued to look hapless following the leadoff homer. Reliever Alex Lange came on for the eighth inning and quickly recorded the first two outs, and it looked like it was going to be yet another scoreless frame. Then Lindor lined a single to the outfield to break up a lengthy hitless stretch. Carson Benge followed that with a walk, and then Jorge Polanco hit a dribbler to first base and made it safely when Caglionone made an errant toss to the pitch
The Mets got the scoring started early against Royals opener Steven Cruz, as A.J. Ewing followed his four-hit barrage last night with another homer to lead off the game for the Amazins. It was Ewing's seventh major league home run—and his first in the leadoff spot—and it quickly gave the Mets a 1-0 lead. That would prove to be the only run the bats would bring home for quite a while, as bulkman Randy Dobnak came on in the second and would go on to shut the Mets down for 5.2 scoreless innings. They came close in the bottom of third when Francisco Lindor socked a ball to deep right field with runners on first and second with two outs, but Tyler Tolbert made a terrific leaping catch against the wall to end the inning.
Thankfully for the Mets, Christian Scott was able to maintain that one-run lead during his start tonight. While Scott has overall had a pretty solid 2026, going deep into games has been an issue for him—as mentioned by Gary Cohen on the broadcast, he had not made it through five innings in any of the past three starts. Tonight, he managed to make it through five scoreless innings, giving up just three hits and one walk while striking out five. The most meaningful threat against him came in the top of the second when he surrendered a two-out walk and single, respectively, before inducing a pop fly to second base from the previously unstoppable Tolbert. All told, it was an encouraging outing from one of the few bright spots in the team's starting rotation.
Unfortunately, the Mets quickly surrendered the lead when Scott exited the game. Tobias Myers was just recalled from the minors today, and he came on for the top of the sixth. He gave up a one-out double to Jac Caglianone, and after a groundout to third brought him within one out of getting out of the inning, Salvador Perez lined a 3-2 pitch to left field to bring the tying run home. Thus, Scott would receive a no-decision despite his solid start, and we were square even once more.
Myers got out of that inning and managed to toss a scoreless top of the seventh. Brooks Raley then came on and contributed a scoreless inning of his own. The Mets' bats, meanwhile, continued to look hapless following the leadoff homer. Reliever Alex Lange came on for the eighth inning and quickly recorded the first two outs, and it looked like it was going to be yet another scoreless frame. Then Lindor lined a single to the outfield to break up a lengthy hitless stretch. Carson Benge followed that with a walk, and then Jorge Polanco hit a dribbler to first base and made it safely when Caglionone made an errant toss to the pitch