Amazon reported better-than-expected second-quarter earnings on Thursday, and investors loved what they saw. Net sales rose 20%, and cloud revenue stood out as a particular bright spot. This combination of positive results was enough to send Amazon's stock up nearly 10% in after-hours trading.
Crucially, Amazon isn't slowing down on data center spending, despite the conventional wisdom that investors want companies to rein it in.
One line item, in particular, illustrates Amazon's appetite for investing in infrastructure. Amazon spent $173 billion for the fiscal year ended June 30 on property and equipment — a category that covers GPUs, natural gas turbines, and plots of land — up from $107.65 billion from the year before.
It also raised its 2026 capex forecast from $200 billion to $220 billion — even as it has begun dipping into its cash reserves to help cover the cost. The company ended the quarter with $7.6 billion less cash than it had 12 months ago, marking its first period of negative free cash flow this year.
Under normal circumstances, ballooning expenses would be a tough pill for investors to swallow. But Amazon has a revenue engine that helps justify the spending. AWS revenue rose 37% year over year, clocking $42 billion for the quarter. That's not enough to balance out the capex spending in raw arithmetic, but it shows that demand is growing alongside supply. Given the years-long time lag between breaking ground on a data center and selling its capacity, that's reassuring for investors.

#investors #cash #rose #particular

SEATTLE (AP) — Royce Lewis hit a tying home run in the seventh inning and Luke Keaschall smacked a go-ahead double as the surging Minnesota Twins beat the Seattle Mariners 5-3 on Friday night.
Minnesota's seventh victory in nine games gave the Twins (56-55) a winning record for the first time since April 21, when they were 12-11. They are tied with Cleveland for the final American League playoff spot, and both teams are three games behind the first-place Chicago White Sox in the AL Central.
The skidding Mariners (53-58) have lost three straight and eight of 10 to fall three games behind AL West-leading Houston.
Yoendrys Gómez walked two in the ninth but locked down his 14th save of the season. Kody Funderburk (2-1) tossed 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief after Zebby Matthews struck out a career-high 10 in five innings of three-run ball.
Lewis led off the seventh with a no-doubt drive to left field off left-hander José A. Ferrer (4-2) to make it 3-all. Alan Roden reached on an infield single and, one-out later, Keaschall put the Twins up for good with his RBI double off Eduard Bazardo.

#twins #seventh #games #first

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Dillon Dingler hit a grand slam in Detroit's seven-run eighth inning and the Tigers opened their longest trip of the season with a 13-1 victory over the Athletics on Friday night.
Kevin McGonigle homered and drove in two runs, and fellow 2023 draft pick Max Clark had three hits, including an RBI double in the big eighth inning to help Detroit get the win in his big-league debut.
The Tigers got a strong performance from their bullpen after deciding to scratch scheduled starter Casey Mize in case a trade develops before Monday's deadline. Tyler Holton started and allowed one run in two innings. Ty Madden (1-0) allowed two hits in three scoreless innings to get the win.
The Tigers won for just the second time in six games to start a three-city West Coast swing and moved within 3 1/2 games of the final wild-card spot in the American League.
McGonigle tied the game with a solo homer off Jeffrey Springs (3-11) in the third inning, He added a sacrifice fly in the fourth in an inning aided by Clark's first career hit.

#inning #tigers #hits

Shaquille O'Neal opened up about the harsh reality of playing under the spotlight in Los Angeles, offering his perspective on why LeBron James never fully won over Los Angeles Lakers fans during his eight-year stint with the franchise.
Speaking on SiriusXM's NBA Today with Justin Termine and Eddie Johnson, the centerpiece of the Lakers' last championship three-peat reflected on the complex relationship between the 41-year-old superstar and the Purple and Gold faithful. O'Neal took a notably self-deprecating approach, acknowledging that he could relate to James' experience.
"They didn't love me, they loved Kobe," O'Neal said. "They didn't love me. This is what we call B-O-B, brother to business of basketball. You know, when you're like me, when I'm in charge I'm a difficult man to deal with. The thing has to be done my way, and sometimes people don't agree with that. And you know, so when they get you up out of there, so I can kinda understand both sides."
O'Neal said he understood why the connection often felt complicated. He candidly admitted that even his own legendary tenure in Los Angeles was not without friction, stressing the unique pressure and scrutiny that come with wearing the Lakers uniform.
His perspective highlights the delicate line superstar transplants walk in Los Angeles. While James brought a championship to the franchise in 2020 and broke the NBA's all-time scoring record in a Lakers uniform, many fans viewed him as an established outside icon rather than a homegrown Laker.

#o 'neal #perspective #year

In less than a month, college football will be back. If you're a Virginia Tech Hokies fan, you'll have to wait just a bit longer, as VT hosts VMI on Saturday, Sept. 5, in Lane Stadium to kick off the James Franklin era.
While the Hokies have yet to play a game, it's fair to ask: is Virginia Tech back?
We aren't going to fall for that. The Hokies were 3-9 last season. But make no mistake, there's a different vibe around the entire program. It began with the school's financial commitment to success, which directly led to the hiring of Franklin. Of course, luck was on VT's side, too. So was timing.
There aren't many 3-9 teams that receive a lot of national love. Virginia Tech is changing that notion. ESPN recently released its trailer for the 2026 college football season, featuring stars from different schools across the country, coaches, fans, stadiums and more.
The Hokies were featured three times in the video, which lasted 1 minute and 41 seconds. Let's see if you can spot them.

#virginia #back

BALTIMORE – Shortly before the Philadelphia Phillies took the field Friday, July 31, desperate to slow their second-half free fall, owner John Middleton and Sam Fuld, their president of business operations, took a tour of Camden Yards' new amenities, guided by an Orioles official.
The Phillies have big plans for their own Citizens Bank Park, the success of these past five seasons making a refurbishing of their lovely ballpark a well-timed venture.
Down on the field, interim manager Don Mattingly was searching even harder for upgrades.
The Phillies had lost nine of their last 12 games since hosting the All-Star Game, the fourth and fifth spots in their rotation still unreliable, the ennui spreading through the lineup and bullpen. Fresh out of ideas and the trade deadline still three stultifying days away, the Phillies returned promising but erratic right-hander Andrew Painter to the major leagues, not because they envision him immediately locking down a rotation spot.
"He gives us the best chance," Mattingly said of Painter, 1-8 with a 7.06 ERA his first time up, "to win a game tonight."

#field

As the Chicago Bulls approach the fall with an open roster spot, they've been linked to LA Clippers restricted free agent guard Bennedict Mathurin. The Bulls' reported interest in Mathurin, though, has been overstated, according to a league source who was granted anonymity to describe ongoing deliberations.
New York Times
Marc Stein: The Pelicans and Bulls remain engaged suitors for Clippers RFA Bennedict Mathurin, says one source close to the process. The source adds: "Dallas has not expressed interest at a serious level" thus far. MikeAScotto reported today that Milwaukee has joined the Mathurin chase. — 7/31/2026 x.com
While the Los Angeles Clippers remain interested in re-signing restricted free agent Bennedict Mathurin, the New Orleans Pelicans, Chicago Bulls, Milwaukee Bucks, and Dallas Mavericks have expressed sign-and-trade interest in the 24-year-old swingman, league sources told HoopsHype. With that said, there's work to be done by each team if they're going to add Mathurin. — 7/31/2026 HoopsHype

#dallas

Nicole Kidman is rumored to be in a budding relationship with wealthy businessman Michael Reinstein.
The pair, who were first photographed together at a luxury hotel, were seen again enjoying a car ride, with the actress all smiles, seated next to her new man.
Nicole Kidman's new romance comes less than a year after her divorce from country music singer Keith Urban made headlines, leaving many in shock.
RCF / MEGA
As seen in photographs obtained by the Daily Mail, the 59-year-old actress was spotted enjoying a drive through Los Angeles with affluent financier Michael Reinstein on Thursday.

#enjoying #keith

Mike Elias has made his first move ahead of the trade deadline. The Orioles are trading Dean Kremer to the Twins. The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal broke the news of the trade. Another reporter at The Athletic, Dan Hayes, wrote that the return for the Orioles is 18-year-old outfield prospect Jhomnardo Reyes.
Selling off a player right after a dramatic win kind of sucks. The Orioles are one and a half games out of a dang wild card spot and this is how Elias responds. Not only is the first move a sell, it's selling to one of the teams that is ahead of the Orioles in the wild card standings. That's the immediate reaction.
On the other hand, Kremer has a 6.50 ERA across his seven starts this year. He is giving up home runs like they are going out of style. He's been consistent across the past three seasons before that, posting ERAs of 4.12, 4.10, and 4.19. If he finishes the season with that kind of ERA, the Orioles may end up regretting the immediate aftermath of this trade. If he doesn't, then Elias has moved on from a pitcher at a good time and done well to get a player in the process.
This is a subtraction not just from the rotation for the rest of this season but for next season as well. Kremer has one season remaining before becoming a free agent. He's making $5.75 million this year and figures to get at least a modest increase on that next year. That's not even a third of what Chris Bassitt is making this season. Bassitt has started his rehab ******* ignment; he's probably the rest-of-season replacement for Kremer in the rotation, although that may take a start or two before he's built back up and can take that spot. It won't be good if Bassitt pitches like pre-back surgery Bassitt.
Reyes is an 18-year-old from the Dominican Republic who signed with the Twins for a bonus of $322,500 in January 2025. He made his US minor league debut this season with the Florida Complex League Twins affiliate and came away with a pretty darn good .296/.406/.541 batting line in 49 games, including seven home runs. He has since played in a small handful of games for Low-A Fort Myers. Presumably, the Orioles will ******* ign him to their affiliate at that level, Delmarva.

#orioles #bassitt #elias #good

Even with 90 spots to work with, NFL rosters can feel the domino effect of summertime injuries.
That's certainly been the case for the Carolina Panthers, whose 2026 training camp has felt like a war of attrition. On top of the starters who were already sidelined going into workouts, including offensive tackles Ikem Ekwonu and Taylor Moton and defensive linemen Tershawn Wharton and Bobby Brown III, the team has now lost rookie wide receiver Chris Brazzell II and second-year outside linebacker Nic Scourton to season-ending knee injuries.
Head coach Dave Canales explained on Friday night, following Fan Fest, that those setbacks have held back the Panthers from adding a fourth quarterback—namely, Kyle Trask.
"Yeah, just general needs for our roster right now," stated Canales, who later mentioned the offensive line and tight end room as areas that are currently experiencing stress. "We just didn't really feel like we had the luxury. With a couple of positions, we have some guys down."
Trask, a second-round pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2021, was brought into Charlotte for a workout on Wednesday. The 28-year-old crossed paths with Canales back in 2023, when Canales served as Tampa Bay's offensive coordinator.

#trask

Tom Holland has grown from a promising young British actor into one of Hollywood's biggest stars, thanks largely to his portrayal of Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Alongside his blockbuster success, his personal life has frequently attracted public attention, with fans closely following the relationships that have accompanied different stages of his career. While Holland has generally kept his private life out of the spotlight, several reported romances have made headlines over the years before he found lasting happiness with fellow actor Zendaya.
Before achieving international fame, Holland was reportedly linked to childhood friend Elle Lotherington in 2015. As his acting career accelerated, the relationship quietly came to an end. He was later rumored to be dating actress Ella Purnell after the pair were seen together following a BAFTA event in 2017, though neither publicly confirmed a romantic relationship. In 2019, Holland was connected to family friend Olivia Bolton, but the relationship reportedly lasted less than a year before the two decided to remain friends. During the 2020 pandemic, he was also linked to actress Nadia Parkes, with reports suggesting they spent part of the lockdown together before eventually going their separate ways.
The relationship that truly captured public attention began with Zendaya, whom Holland met while filming Spider-Man: Homecoming in 2016. For several years, the pair insisted they were simply close friends despite persistent speculation from fans and the media. In 2021, photographs of the two together confirmed that their friendship had developed into a romantic relationship, and they quickly became one of Hollywood's most admired couples. Despite their global fame, Holland and Zendaya have consistently chosen to keep much of their relationship private while supporting one another's careers through premieres, award ceremonies, and public appearances.
Their relationship continued to flourish, with news of their engagement emerging after Zendaya appeared wearing a diamond ring at the Golden Globes in early 2025. The couple later confirmed they had quietly married in a private ceremony attended by close family members, remaining true to their preference for keeping personal milestones away from the public spotlight.
Holland and Zendaya's approach to fame has distinguished them from many celebrity couples. Rather than sharing every aspect of their lives online, they have maintained clear boundaries between their public careers and private relationship. Their mutual respect, support for one another's achievements, and commitment to privacy have made them one of the entertainment industry's most admired partnerships, proving that even in the age of constant social media attention, some love stories can still thrive away from the spotlight.

#public #spotlight #confirmed

Rich Paul thinks Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe will benefit from playing with LeBron James originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Across his 23 years in the NBA, LeBron James has always been a positive presence for a lot of players. This includes the younger players, who have learned from him. New Philadelphia 76ers teammate VJ Edgecombe is only entering his second year, but playing with James has been polarizing for some people.
Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green has never been shy to give his take on certain situations. Since the Warriors missed out on signing LeBron, Draymond has given his take on how the former could harm VJ's development in Philly.
While the 76ers are celebrating the fact that LeBron will be playing for them, it seems some critics are unhappy with how VJ will be affected by this new signing. It is a bit of a bizarre sentiment, considering Edgecombe himself is quite excited by the fact that he will be playing alongside the four-time Finals MVP.
It will be challenging to beat out any other player who can be as impactful as James for Edgecombe. The latter might be quite young at only 21, but he is mature and ******* ertive enough to earn a spot in the starting lineup. In fact, he and Maxey could benefit massively from playing alongside James.

#fact #Warriors #benefit

A former Ohio State Buckeye is retiring from the NFL after 12 seasons in the league. Defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins, better known as "Big Hank," is calling it a career.
Hankins earned a starting spot in the trenches by his sophomore year at OSU. The **** e eater tallied 67 tackles with 11 tackles for loss and three sacks. In his junior season, Hankins totaled 55 tackles with four tackles for loss and one sack. He would enter the NFL draft and become a second-round pick of the New York Giants.
Over the course of the next 12 years, Hankins would play with a total of five different teams, including the Colts, Raiders, Cowboys, and Seahawks. He racked up 433 tackles with 44 tackles for loss, 18.5 sacks, 13 forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, and 13 pass breakups in 169 games. He finished his career with Seattle, although he would miss the entire 2025 season due to a back injury. After being waived in December, Big Hank decided to hang it up for good.
Hankins earned All-Big Ten and All-American honors while wearing the Scarlet and Gray.
Contact/Follow us BuckeyesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes, and opinion.

#hankins

Anfernee Simons understands his new sixth-man role with the refreshed 76ers originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
For the 2026-27 season, the Philadelphia 76ers will be one of the exciting teams because of LeBron James' arrival. However, they are much more than that because they also have more additions, including All-NBA player Jaylen Brown and explosive scorer Anfernee Simons.
Considering he is not an established star, Simons is not the most popular player for the 76ers. However, people might be surprised because he can be one of the most impactful players due to his skill set as an offensive player, especially as a dynamic scorer.
Dating back to his days with the Portland Trail Blazers, Simons has always been an explosive scorer. He thrives without the ball in his hands, as he loves getting open with smart off-ball movement. His three-point shooting is elite, especially when he serves as a spot-up shooter.
Playing off elite players like James, Brown, and Embiid can open up all kinds of opportunities for him to shine. He already has experience playing with Brown and other top-level players like Damian Lillard, so this won't be a problem for Simons to adjust to this kind of role.

#players #james #playing

CLEVELAND (AP) — Geraldo Perdomo and Gabriel Moreno had back-to-back RBI singles off Erik Sabrowski in a four-run eighth inning, lifting the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 4-1 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Friday night.
Ketel Marte also singled home a run in the eighth as the Diamondbacks won their third straight game and moved into sole possession of the second wild-card spot in the National League. Arizona, which didn't advance a runner past second base in the first seven innings, is an NL-best 13-5 since July 9.
Jonathan Loaisiga (3-3) pitched a scoreless seventh for the win. Brandyn Garcia worked the ninth for his third save, wrapping up a combined three-hitter that began with rookie Mitch Bratt throwing five innings.
Guardians starter Tanner Bibee (4-11) allowed two runs and three hits in 7 1/3 innings. Sabrowski entered with two runners aboard and issued a walk to Corbin Carroll before Perdomo and Moreno both delivered.
Carroll scored on Moreno's base hit when right fielder Angel Martínez committed a fielding error.

#moreno #diamondbacks

The Rays entered Friday's game with a three-game lead in the AL East, after the Yankees beat the Cubs in an afternoon affair at Wrigley Field, By the end of Friday's game, which saw the division lead cut to 2.5, the last completed trade was AJ Minter to the Twins. There is now less than three days until Monday's 6 pm deadline.
Nick Martinez took the mound for the Rays, and it wasn't a night to remember for the All-Star pitcher. He gave up six runs over six innings, all of them coming on four White Sox home runs. It's a scary thought to think about Martinez, who doesn't have overpowering stuff, facing teams like this in a postseason setting. There's still time to bolster this rotation, Erik.
The one bright spot for the Rays on Friday night was Junior Caminero hitting his 30th home run of the season. He's on pace to reach the 40 mark for a second straight season.
Alex Cook, who replaced Shane McClanahan on the active roster, made his Major League debut, pitching the seventh and eighth innings. Cook walked a pair and didn't record any strikeouts, but kept the White Sox off the board in his two innings of work. He leaned on his fastball, throwing it 76% of the time, occasionally mixing in a slider and changeup.
In Durham this season, Cook has thrown 33.1 innings with a 3.78 ERA.

#rays #martinez

It is Friday night. The Orioles kicked off their weekend homestand with a 6-4 win over the Philadelphia Phillies. Down 4-2 heading into the bottom of the seventh, they rallied to score four runs on a double by Christian Encarnacion-Strand and a triple by Gunnar Henderson.
Brandon Young battled through 5.2 innings and the bullpen held the Phillies to one hit over the final 3.1 innings. Newly extended Yennier Cano was perfect, as was closer Tyler Wells.
Moments after the game ended, the Cleveland Guardians lost to bring the Orioles to just 1.5 games out of a Wild Card spot.
You know what must be done.
GIFs!

#innings #encarnacion #strand #gunnar

Anaheim (Calif.) Servite athlete Benjamin Harris has committed to Oregon State and broke down why he chose the Beavers.
Harris took his official visit to Corvallis back on June 19, the final big trip weekend of the month. Going in to the visit, we thought the Beavers were in a good spot and they were able to seal the deal earlier this week.
"I really connected well with the coaching staff," Harris said. "I really appreciated the honesty from the staff and how everyone treated not just me but my family when I visited.
"They have a specific plan in place for me in the offense and that was another big plus as well. They don't see me at a specific position but want to move me all around and use me a weapon as a running back and receiver and I love that fit."
Oregon State running back Lee Marks and receiver coach James Finley were the lead recruiters with Harris. Former Beaver great James Rodgers was the player the staff compared to Harris in terms of how they would like to use him.

#beavers

The Brewers didn't get off to the best start on their six-game California road trip, dropping two of three to the San Francisco Giants. After an off day to regroup, they'll have as good an opportunity as any to get back on track against a Los Angeles Angels team that's tied with the Rockies for the worst record in baseball.
On the mound for the Brewers is left-hander Shane Drohan, who's been excellent in his first season with the organization. Drohan has posted a 3.51 ERA while striking out 82 batters in 82 innings this year. He was originally scheduled to start the series finale against the Giants, but Brewers manager Pat Murphy instead called up Thomas Pannone for a spot start to give his rotation a little extra rest.
The Angels will counter with 23-year-old right-hander Ryan Johnson, their second-round competitive balance selection in the 2024 draft. Johnson made headlines last season after breaking camp with the big league club despite never pitching in the minor leagues. He struggled to a 7.36 ERA across 14 relief appearances as a rookie and has posted an almost identical 7.34 ERA through 11 appearances (eight starts) this season.
As for the lineup, Brice Turang and Jackson Chourio will bat first and second for the second straight game, followed by designated hitter Christian Yelich. William Contreras will hit cleanup, with Jake Bauers and Garrett Mitchell batting fifth and sixth. Rounding out the lineup are Luis Lara (.832 OPS in his first 42 at-bats as a Brewer), David Hamilton, and Cooper Pratt. With Hamilton starting at third base, Joey Ortiz is out of the lineup again tonight.
One final piece of roster news: left-hander DL Hall, who owns a 2.03 ERA in 24 appearances this season, has been activated from the injured list. Pannone was designated for **** ignment in a corresponding move.

#brewers #hander

Okta on Thursday agreed to acquire AI identity security startup Permiso Security, betting that demand for protecting AI agents and other machine identities will grow as enterprises deploy autonomous software across their operations.
The identity management company did not disclose the terms of the transaction. But TechCrunch has learned that the acquisition is valued at just under $200 million and is structured as an almost all-cash deal, according to a source with knowledge of the deal. A spokesperson for Okta did not dispute the $200 million figure when TechCrunch asked CEO Todd McKinnon for comment about the deal, but the company would not comment on specifics of the deal terms.
The deal is expected to close in the third quarter of its fiscal 2027, Okta said, subject to customary closing conditions.
Okta's move to buy Permiso comes as identity management companies seek to expand beyond verifying users at login to continuously monitoring what users, applications, and AI agents do once gaining authorized access to a network environment. That shift has intensified competition to secure machine identities as enterprises embed AI deeper into everyday operations.
Permiso, which emerged from stealth in 2022, develops software that helps security teams spot suspicious activity in cloud environments after users or applications have been granted access. More recently, the startup has expanded its platform to monitor AI agents and other machine identities.

#identity

Chelsea Handler had one immediate question after seeing Joe Rogan placed at the top of Forbes' 2026 ranking of the highest-paid podcasters: who is paying him an estimated $82 million?
The comedian challenged the figure beneath an Instagram post promoting the list.
She argued that the money would be better directed toward veterans or children before criticizing the information Rogan shares with his enormous audience.
The $82 million figure is not a disclosed salary or a single payment from Spotify. It is Forbes' estimate of the pretax podcast-related earnings generated by Rogan or his business between June 2025 and June 2026.
"WHO IS PAYING JOE ROGAN 82 million?" Handler wrote beneath Forbes' Instagram post. "Give that to our vets, or our children!!!" She then accused Rogan of being "completely uninformed" and mocked what she characterized as his habit of casually retreating from inaccurate statements.

#million

Bitcoin's (CRYPTO: BTC) average spot trading volume fell to roughly $2.2 billion in July, according to K33 Research. That marked the token's weakest trading volume since Nov. 2023.
That chilly sentiment wasn't surprising, since fears of interest rate hikes and other macro headwinds had chilled the broader cryptocurrency market this year. Bitcoin currently trades at about $65,000, which is well below its all-time high of more than $126,000 in Oct. 2025.
Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »
Some investors might think that sluggish trading indicates Bitcoin's best days are over. However, I'm not too concerned about the top cryptocurrency's future -- and I believe it will heat up again and set fresh highs once the macroeconomic environment stabilizes.
In Nov. 2021, Bitcoin hit $69,000 amid the buying frenzy in meme stocks, cryptocurrencies, and other speculative investments. But in 2022 and 2023, the Fed's 11 consecutive rate hikes ended that rally, chilled the crypto market, and drove investors to more conservative investments.

#volume #rate

Former child actors Blake Collins and Jordan Warkol are reflecting on life after The Little Rascals and leaving life in front of the camera
Collins and Warkol share stories of child stardom on their podcast The Not So Little Rascals
Warkol now works in business development while Collins transitioned to behind-the-scenes camerawork for a more normal life
A former child actor is opening up about the realities of growing up after a youth spent in the spotlight.
In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Blake Collins and Jordan Warkol — former actors who both starred in The Little Rascals in 1994 — opened up about their lives after the blockbuster film, and leaving life in front of the camera.

#rascals #child #blake

USA men's tennis star Taylor Fritz has been playing some of the best tennis of his life this summer. This is especially impressive because he has been navigating a recent heartbreak.
Fritz and his longtime girlfriend, Morgan Riddle, broke up back in April after spending being together for six years. This was a highly public breakup, if only because Fritz is one of the best-known American tennis players in the world right now and Riddle is an extremely popular social media influencer.
Taylor Fritz and Morgan Riddle pose at an event together. Getty Images for Spotify
There have been rumors that Fritz was dating other celebrities shortly after splitting with Riddle. What's for sure is that he has A-list actress Sydney Sweeney on his mind.
This was made clear when Fritz was golfing with influencers Nick Nayersina, David Dobrik, and Josh Richards for a YouTube video that was posted on July 23.

#riddle #tennis #best #together

Violet Affleck is proving to be her mom Jennifer Garner's twin. The duo was recently spotted in Los Angeles, and they're making the case for being one of Hollywood's strongest mother-daughter resemblances.
The mother-daughter duo grabbed lunch together on July 30 (x17/The Grosby Group)
The 54-year-old actress stepped out with her eldest daughter in Los Angeles on Thursday, July 30, for a casual lunch together.
Jennifer and Violet both opted for florals for their summer afternoon (x17/The Grosby Group)
Violet, 20, had her facemask handy, but for a few moments she had it off, showing just how much she's grown to look like her famous mom.

#jennifer

As the trade deadline quickly approaches, the Mets have made the first of what is expected to be several moves before the deadline. The Mets traded relief pitcher AJ Minter to the Minnesota Twins in exchange for two Minor League infield prospects, Billy Amick and Bruin Agbayani. After a disappointing season, this jumpstarts the Mets trade deadline sell-off.
Trade news: The Minnesota Twins are acquiring left-handed reliever A.J. Minter from the New York Mets, sources tell ESPN.

The Mets' selling starts with one of the top relievers on the market. There will be many more Mets deals to come before Aug. 3.
Minter has been a bright spot for the Mets in relief with a 1-1 record, 2.35 ERA, and 20 strikeouts in the 2026 season. The Twins currently rank 27th in ERA in relief pitching, so Minter should bring a boost to their lackluster bullpen.
The Twins currently sit at .500 with a 55-55 record as they continue to fight for a Wild Card spot, currently one game back of the Guardians for the third spot in the AL.
Minter has only seen the mound for 23 innings this season with the Metropolitans, but his usage should increase with his new team in Minnesota, who are in desperate need of a reliable relief pitcher out of the bullpen.

#METS #currently

The last place Cincinnati Reds are limping towards the August 3rd trade deadline at just 51-57, still buried in the busy National League Wild Card standings 5.5 games back of the final spot. That comes with the caveat that there are six NL clubs they'd have to jump to earn their way into that spot – the Philadelphia Phillies, San Diego Padres, Miami Marlins, Pittsburgh Pirates, Washington Nationals, and St. Louis Cardinals.
At quick glance, at least three of those clubs are likely going to be buyers at the deadline. So, the Reds are between a rock and a hard place, and anything other than a miracle win streak this weekend will likely send them into at least some mode of selling.
Per Bob Nightengale of the USA Today, that won't include moving Hunter Greene. Cincinnati's ace had seen his name pop up in trade rumors pretty much ever since Chase Burns signed his $105 million extension as the rest of the baseball world began to wonder how the typically frugal Reds would accommodate both on the payroll long-term.
That said, they've long been rumored to be shopping their litany of players who are destined to reach free agency at season's end, and that includes catcher Tyler Stephenson. He's been red-hot of late, too, slashing .339/.400/.523 dating back to June 4th, and that's caught the eye of the catching-needy New York Yankees, according to MLB insider Jon Heyman.
Yankees are among many teams to check on 3-time All-Star/switch-hitting catcher Adley Rutschman. NYY is casting a wide net for catching need. Ryan Jeffers, pending free agent, seemed logical but Twins suggest they’re a buyer now. Tyler Stephenson, others are on NYY list

#trade #deadline

Panthers rookie wide receiver Chris Brazzell's season is officially over.
The Panthers announced that Brazzell has been placed on injured reserve as a result of the knee injury he suffered at practice on Wednesday.
Brazzell will have surgery to repair his lateral collateral ligament. A third-round pick from Tennessee, Brazzell was a first-team All-SEC sedection last year who was expected to make an impact as a rookie, but now he'll spend the year rehabbing to prepare for the 2027 season.
With their open roster spot, the Panthers signed tight end Chamon Metayer, who originally signed with the Steelers as an undrafted rookie in April but was cut by Pittsburgh in June.

#brazzell #wednesday #tennessee #chamon

The Philadelphia Phillies are in desperate need of an outfielder, and they could target Heliot Ramos.
Ramos has three more years of club control and is a former All-Star. This year, he has played in 71 games and has a .739 OPS and nine homers. The San Francisco Giants will clearly be sellers, and the latest report from Bob Nightengale suggests Ramos is available.
"The Giants plan to keep outfielder Jung Hoo Lee and trade Heliot Ramos," Nightengale reported on Friday.
Of the two, Lee is having the better season. However, Ramos is no slouch. The Phillies have Brandon Marsh, but the other two outfield spots have been a disaster. Justin Crawford has struggled offensively, and Derek Hill's bat has cooled down after a hot start.
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Over the years, we've seen sales for the Big 4 sports teams continue to rise drastically, with the Seattle Seahawks being sold for a record $9.612 billion earlier this month.
That has begged the question: what are the top college programs worth if they were potentially sold? The Athletic ran that exercise last year, looking at every team's revenue and inherent value based on brand power, conference value, and more.
Wisconsin came in 19th in the country last year with a valuation of $801 million, which topped schools like Iowa ($709 million), Indiana ($386 million), Arkansas ($646 million), Michigan State ($708 million), Clemson ($665 million), Minnesota ($562 million), and more.
Where did they come in the rankings this year?
Interestingly enough, the Badgers came in at No. 19 again, only this time at a valuation of $922 million, remaining one of the top powers in college athletics. That got them ahead of Florida State, which fell two spots to No. 20 at an $819 million valuation, and still ahead of Iowa, which remained at No. 21 at an $806 million valuation.

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