Warriors to discuss contract extension with Steph Curry this weekend

The Golden State Warriors won't leave any shadow of a doubt that they want their franchise leader Stephen Curry to finish his career in the Bay Area.

Curry officially becomes extension-eligible on Saturday, Aug. 29 and sign a deal that takes him into the twilight of his career. That's been the dialogue.

General manager Mike Dunleavy publicly expressed that Curry playing with the Warriors until he hangs up the jersey has always been the message in their conversations.

"That's always been sort of what we discussed, and I think that's you know tracking quite well," Dunleavy told reporters earlier this month. "Obviously, he's eligible for an extension coming up at the end of this month, and you know we'll talk through all that stuff and can't speak on it much right now."

Both sides are expected to "engage with a mutual desire to keep Curry with the Warriors for the entirety of his career," according to ESPN's Anthony Slater.

Curry, 38, is on a one-year veteran extension contract that he signed last August that pays him $62.5 million in the 2026-27 season, according to Spotrac.

The Warriors have rounded out their roster with their two remaining spots after signing veteran forward Georges Niang and fifth-year backup guard Brandon Williams to a Golden State nucleus that returned many of its players from the previous season.

With five weeks to go until training camp and a roster now completely filled, the next thing is securing Curry's legacy remains with the Warriors. A task, which has been reassured by the team, will indeed happen.

"I'm pretty confident Steph will finish his career here," Dunleavy said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Warriors to discuss contract extension with Steph Curry this weekend

Blue Jays bullpen blanks Royals to end the winning streak

Aug 26, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) puts the home run jacket onto right fielder Nathan Lukes (38) after his three run home run against the Kansas City Royals during the fourth inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Kansas City had only a few opportunities to score and did not manage to cash in on any of them while the Blue Jays got one ball over the wall. It was enough to get a 3-0 victory and tie the series. The Royals 9-game win streak is at an end.

The Toronto bullpen took over tonight due to Shane Bieber’s move to the IL. They seemed to have the Royals’ number no matter which arm ran out there. The only real threat Kansas City could muster in the early part of the game was in the third when Tyler Tobert led off with a single followed by a Carter Jensen walk to get some runners set up for Bobby Witt. A double steal moved the runners to 2nd and 3rd, which allowed the Blue Jays an open base to intentionally walk Witt and load the bases. Was it a mistake to steal and take the bat out of Bobby’s hands? Possibly. Jac Caglianone and Salvador Perez both struck out to strand all three.

Toronto was not putting tons of pressure on Randy Dobnak either. He had one base runner per inning until the fourth when the Jays managed to land the first blow of the game. George Springer leadoff with a single up the middle, which was followed by a broken bat bloop from Jesus Sanchez. Dobnak got an out and looked like he might get out of the situation, but Nathan Lukes got ahold of one and drove a 3-run homer to right. It was the second and final time they had runners in scoring position for the night, so it was a solid night of Royals pitching. A little bad luck plus a misplaced changeup did them in.

Dobnak managed to stay in there for the quality start finishing with a line of 6IP, 6H, BB, 5K, 3ER. He continues to give the Royals solid outings and has been a fantastic pickup on the cheap.

In the 8th inning, Carter Jensen finally got KC a hit after 16 consecutive batters failed to reach base after the bases loaded situation in the 3rd. If you are mad at me for a relatively light word count on this writeup, that is why. Bobby kept the two-out rally going and moved Jensen to third with a hard shot that took a weird hop right past Vlad Gurrero Jr. That brought in Louis Varland for a four out save. He has been one of the best relievers in baseball this season racking up almost 70 innings already with a sparkling ERA and peripherals to match. He retired Cags on one pitch to end the threat and then would return to try and finish the job in the 9th.

Meanwhile, Mason Black had a clean 7th after taking over for Dobnak and stayed in there for the 8th, which was another perfect inning. It was the first time Black entered the game and did not give up a run since June 7th!

Varland took care of Sal and Vinnie to start the ninth and bring the game down to the last out. Nick Loftin had other ideas. He hit a ball to the right center gap to get the Royals another scoring opportunity. John Rave almost scored him by singling up the middle, but Andres Giminez cut it off before it could get into center setting up first and third and bringing the tying run to the plate in the form of Isaac Collins. That is where it ended with Collins striking out to bring an end to the game and the win streak.

The Royals and Blue Jays will decide the series in Canada tomorrow when Noah Cameron takes on Spencer Arrighetti.

Red Sox drop series finale to Marlins before massive set in New York

MIAMI, FLORIDA - AUGUST 26: Sonny Gray #54 of the Boston Red Sox delivers during the first inning against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot park on August 26, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Red Sox took care of business by securing the series win in Miami Tuesday night. As a result, Boston kept Adley Rutschman and Willson Contreras off their feet Wednesday night as the Marlins, still in the NL Wild Card race, salvaged the finale with a 4-0 final. While the four errors on the night are mildly concerning after a few straight games of them, that should get cleaned up. The focus shifts to big weekend plans in New York. 

Here’s three takeaways from Wednesday night’s loss. 

CEDDANNE ALMOST MADE THIS HAPPEN

While the defensive chaos of this play should not be celebrated, how on earth did Rafaela almost make this a remarkable play at the plate? 

Watch here

SONNY STILL SOLID
Sonny Gray took the mound in search of his 17th win of the season. He pitched well, he just didn’t have the (or any) necessary run support required to get there. 

Gray surrendered just two earned runs on seven hits while striking out five Marlins in five innings. That’s more than good enough to win, but ultimately (and no harm in doing so) the Red Sox punted to get revved up for the weekend in The Bronx. 

BE READY FOR THE BRONX

The Red Sox will trot out Patrick Sandoval, Jake Bennett and Ranger Suarez against the Yankees, who pushed Cam Schiltler back to throw against Boston. The Red Sox are still TBD for the nightcap of Saturday’s doubleheader. 

Starting Wednesday, the Red Sox trailed the Yankees by just 1 1/2 games for the top Wild Card spot. This weekend’s four-game set should go a long way in determining who could eventually host a potential first-round rematch entering October.

Bo Bichette left Wednesday's Mets-Brewers game in fifth inning with left foot contusion

Mets third baseman Bo Bichette exited Wednesday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers in the top of the fifth inning with a left foot contusion, the team announced.

Bichette, New York's No. 3 hitter, was 0-for-1 with a walk at the plate before getting replaced by Christopher Morel in the lineup. Morel entered the game playing left field while Brett Baty moved from LF to 3B.

After the game, interim manager Andy Green spoke about Bichette's health:

"I think [he’s] fine. He’s got a contusion on his ankle from the foul ball. X-rays were negative," he said. "We’ll see where he’s at when he wakes up in the morning, you never really know how it is until the next day but we’re hoping he’s fine."

Spurs Villain Tournament, Round 1: Spurs Killers

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - JUNE 02: Serge Ibaka #9 of the Oklahoma City Thunder reacts in the third quarter while taking on the San Antonio Spurs in Game Four of the Western Conference Finals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena on June 2, 2012 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images) | Getty Images

We are deep into the doldrums of the NBA off season with over a month to go until training camp. To fill in the gap, we have enjoyed doing bracket-style tournaments over the years, and this year, we will be determining who the biggest Spurs villain of all time is. With the help of you and our staff, we have created four categories of eight for a total of 32 participants. Readers will vote for the biggest villain in a poll, and the winner of each match-up will advance to the next round, with the eventual winner crowned as the Biggest Spurs Villain of all time. Here are the four categories:

  • Spurs Killers — players who have ruined playoff series and/or made devastating shots or plays that will haunt our minds for all eternity. (Note: this is not necessarily superstars who gave everyone trouble all the time, but a few are included for specific events.)
  • Former Spurs — players who once played for the Spurs but became villains either because of betrayal, trash talk, they hate on the Spurs, etc.
  • Dirty Players — players who committed dirty plays against the Spurs, injured (or attempted to injure) a Spur or altered a playoff match-up, and we will never forgive them.
  • Spurs Haters — a more open category that can include players as well as coaches, owners, etc. from outside the organization who openly and publicly trashed the Spurs for various reasons.

Today, we are starting with Round 1 of Spurs Killers. Without further ado, let’s get voting!

1. Derek Fisher vs. 8. Chris Paul

These two need no introduction. First we have Derek Fisher, who across multiple teams and playoff series gave the Spurs plenty of trouble. Most infamously was the still-controversial 0.4 shot in ‘04, which came right after a huge shot by Tim Duncan to take the lead with 0.4 second left, and won the crucial Game 5 of the Western Conference Semi-finals for the Lakers and eventually the series, ending the Spurs’ chance of a repeat and giving them a series loss to the Lakers in three out of the last four years. To this day, questions linger if the clock started on time, and there was even a 0.4 rule created that stated it is physically impossible to get a jump shot off in less than 0.4 sec, and anything less means a player can only tip the ball.

But that isn’t all Fisher has done. There was also the Spurs’ 2008 loss to the Lakers in the Conference Finals, which again ended their chance at the elusive repeat. A big argument can be made that he fouled Brent Barry on the game-winning attempt of Game 4, which sent the series back to LA with the Spurs down 3-1. And of course, he was a pest in their 2012 Conference Finals loss to the Thunder, although the biggest pest of that series is also on this list.

Then there’s Chris Paul, who was always a thorn in the Spurs’ side and constantly battled with Tony Parker for the title of top PG in the West, if not the league. His lower seed is aided by the fact that the Spurs usually still had his number (despite a grueling seven-game series victory over the Hornets in 2008) and being a Spur himself just a season ago, but he still had his moment in Game 7 of the first round of 2015, hitting a prayer over Duncan to win the series and again spoil the Spurs’ chance at a repeat. (I see a theme developing here…)

4. Serge Ibaka vs. 5. Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby

These two could probably be seeded either way, but that’s what voting is for. (Personally, I’m still a bit more bothered by 2012 than 2026; perhaps it’s a case of “running out of time” vs. “we’re just getting started”.) In the fourth seed, we have the aforementioned Spurs killer of 2012. They had been on a historic 20-game winning streak, including the last 10 games of the regular season and first 10 of the playoffs before hitting a brick wall against the Thunder in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals.

A big part of that was the play of prime Serge Ibaka, whose athleticism proved to be their kryptonite. (The Thunder even chose him over James Harden in free agency after this series, in case anyone forgot.) The Spurs just couldn’t do anything right the rest of the series, flaming out in spectacular fashion. They would later run into the same Thunder team in the 2014 WCF and face a similar scenario of going 2-2 in the first four games. This time they pulled it out in Games 5 and 6, but Ibaka missed the first two games and was then limited by a calf strain.

As for the fifth seed, I struggled whether to go with one player or the 2026 Knicks in general (they were just a bad matchup), but it was these two in particular who sank the Spurs (beyond their own mistakes). Brunson didn’t have a great shooting series overall but always came up clutch in their fourth-quarter comebacks, and Anunoby handed the Spurs the devastating blow in Game 4 by tipping in Brunson’s missed three just before the buzzer, capping off a 33-point night and handing the Spurs the biggest blown lead in Finals history of 29 points.

2. Ray Allen vs. 7. Dirk Nowitzki

Again, no introduction needed. “The Shot” by Ray Allen in Game 6 of the 2013 Finals remains one of the most iconic plays in Finals history and the one that haunts my mind the most. The Spurs had that championship all but clinched, Heat fans were leaving the arena, and staff was setting up for the trophy ceremony before a couple of Spurs blunders (players and coaching) combined with this devastating shot off an offensive rebound sent the game to overtime and the Spurs too stunned to recover. At least it led to The Redemption of 2014.

As for Nowitzki, he wasn’t a Spurs killer all the time since they had Tim Duncan to counter him, but there certainly were some epic playoff match-ups between the rival Spurs and Mavs. 2003 could have gone differently if Dirk was healthy, and both teams traded blows in 2009 and 2010, with the lower seed upsetting the upper in each case. The Mavs also gave the Spurs a good wakeup call in 2014, but his real killer moment came in 2006. Maybe it was more the Spurs’ fault (hence the lower seed), but in Game 7 of the second round, with the Spurs up by three late, Manu Ginobili made the mistake of fouling Nowitzki on a two-point attempt. He converted the three-point play, and the Mavs went on to win the series in overtime, AGAIN costing the Spurs a chance to repeat.

3. Hakeem Olajuwon vs. 6. Zach Randolph

We’re looking back a little further to 1995 for the first one, when the 6th-seeded (but defending champion) Houston Rockets, led by Hakeem Olajuwon, spoiled the Spurs’ only real shot at a title pre-Tim Duncan. Feeling snubbed by David Robinson winning MVP, The Dream dominated and out-performed The Admiral in a WCF upset, averaging 35.3 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game compared to Robinson’s 23.8 points and 11.3 rebounds. Even though he won two championships with Duncan a few years later, it remains a stain on David’s legacy that he never won one on his own.

Finally, we have the Spurs’ biggest playoff upset of all time, when they lost as the top seed to the 8th-seeded Memphis Grizzlies in Round 1 in 2011. It’s another case of we could just say “2011 Grizzlies”, but Randolph was the real killer, with his physical play in the low post exposing a size mismatch that the already-injured Spurs struggled to contain. (Reminder: Manu was their best player that year but was playing through a broken elbow.) On the upside, it forced a few changes: Duncan realized he needed to transform his body to keep up, and the Spurs realized they needed more size and defense, leading Gregg Popovich to move away from DeJuan Blair to Tiago Splitter (albeit too late for this series) and the draft-night trade for Kawhi Leonard.

Roki Sasaki injury update: Dodgers pitcher heading to IL

Roki Sasaki exited the fourth inning of his start against the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday, Aug. 26 with Los Angeles Dodgers training staff attending to a blister on his right middle finger as he walked off the mound.

Sasaki was having a solid outing as he gave up just one earned run through his first three innings of work, but things started to unravel in the fourth inning. Ozzie Albies got on board with a leadoff walk and immediately stole second. He then moved over to third on a single from Mike Yastrzemski before scoring on a sac fly from Austin Riley. On the next at-bat, Sasaki left a second-pitch slider over the outer part of the plate for Sean Murphy, who lined it into center field for a double.

With runners on third and second and just one out, trainers went out to the mound with pitching coach Mark Prior to take a look at Sasaki before ultimately deciding to pull the 24-year-old right-hander from the game.

The Dodgers later confirmed that Sasaki was removed with a blister in his middle finger on his throwing hand. The Braves immediately capitalized on having two runners in scoring position after Teoscar Hernández misplayed a line drive from Drake Baldwin in left field as he crashed into the wall. Both runners came in to score to give Atlanta a 4-3 lead.

Roki Sasaki injury update

After the Dodgers' 6-5 walk-off loss, manager Dave Roberts told reporters that Sasaki would be heading to the injured list.

"It was a pretty good blister. It just came out of nowhere," Roberts said. "It's going to be an IL. I think that there's just no way we can avoid it given the severity of the blister."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Roki Sasaki injury update: Dodgers pitcher heading to IL

Roki Sasaki exits Dodgers' loss to Braves with blister on finger

Roki Sasaki leaves the game against the Atlanta Braves during the fourth inning Wednesday.
Roki Sasaki leaves the game against the Atlanta Braves during the fourth inning Wednesday. (Erik S. Lesser / Associated Press)

The gathering on the Truist Park mound kept growing. At first, Dodgers right-hander Roki Sasaki was visited by pitching coach Mark Prior and catcher Hunter Feduccia, with the help of interpreter Will Ireton. Then, Prior summoned head athletic trainer Thomas Albert. Then, they called out manager Dave Roberts, who eventually made the pitching change.

The group had been examining the middle finger on Sasaki’s right hand. And the Dodgers later announced Sasaki had exited their 6-5 loss to the Braves in the fourth inning with a blister on that finger.

That might explain why Sasaki, who was charged with four runs and six hits in 3 ⅓ innings, didn’t look as sharp Wednesday against the Braves as he had been in the rest of his impressive second-half stretch. Sasaki entered the day with a 2.19 ERA in six starts since the All-Star break.

His efficiency Wednesday wavered, and he exited after 66 pitches. After Sasaki gave up a solo home run to Matt Olson in the first inning, the outing began to devolve in the fourth.

Read more:Mark Walter's company TWG Global defends Dodgers financing and Lakers sale

Sasaki walked Ozzie Albies to open the inning. Then he surrendered a single to Mike Yastrzemski, a sacrifice fly to Austin Riley and a double to Sean Murphy. Then Prior came out to check on him.

Right-handed reliever Edgardo Henriquez replaced Sasaki, inheriting two baserunners. Both scored when Dodgers left fielder Teoscar Hernández overran Drake Baldwin’s deep fly ball down the line, for a go-ahead double.

The Dodgers (80-53) never led again. Though they tied the score in the seventh, they squandered a bases-loaded opportunity the next inning. And in the ninth, closer Tanner Scott, the fifth Dodgers reliever to take the mound, surrendered a walk-off single to pinch-hitter Ha-Seong Kim.

Regardless of whether the blister will affect Sasaki’s next start, the 24-year-old right-hander is in an interesting position about a month away from the playoffs.

Barring an unexpected extended absence, Sasaki will remain an important part of the Dodgers’ rotation in the final month of the season. But as things stand in that starting group, there doesn’t appear to be room for him in the postseason rotation.

While the Dodgers have carried a six-man rotation for much of the regular season, it’s down to five since the Dodgers put left-hander Justin Wrobleski on the IL a week and a half ago and later moved lefty Eric Lauer to the bullpen in a multi-inning role. But in the playoffs, they only need four starters.

The next four days will provide a preview, with right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Thursday in the series finale against the Braves), left-hander Tarik Skubal (making his Detroit return Friday), lefty Blake Snell (Saturday), and likely some combination of two-way star Shohei Ohtani and/or Tyler Glasnow (Sunday) all lined up.

Ozzie Albies steals second base as Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts leaps for the ball in the fourth inning Wednesday.
Ozzie Albies steals second base as Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts leaps for the ball in the fourth inning Wednesday. (Erik S. Lesser / Associated Press)

That fourth and final playoff rotation spot will be the one to follow as the season winds down.

Ohtani is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Friday in Detroit, Roberts said, after which the Dodgers will finalize his schedule for the rest of the weekend.

“Right now, I don’t think anyone knows how any day looks until he throws that bullpen on Friday,” Roberts said before the game Wednesday.

Ohtani returning to pitching Sunday is still in play, Roberts confirmed. And Glasnow is also lined up for Sunday.

When Ohtani returns to the mound, it will be in a super-opener role, as he continues to build up. And if he and Glasnow piggyback on Sunday, it’ll be a preview of a possible postseason setup.

If Ohtani is able to build up to a full starter’s load — pitching Sunday rather than Tuesday would give him the chance to make up to five starts before the end of the regular season — the Dodgers could have a more difficult decision at the back end of their rotation.

Read more:How two decades of friendship have shaped Freddie Freeman and Jason Heyward

So, with five pitchers already penciled in for four postseason rotation spots, Sasaki is in line to pitch out of the bullpen in the postseason, along with Wrobleski, a 2026 All-Star who is expected to take on a relief role as soon as he returns from the injured list.

Exactly what that will look like for Sasaki is unclear. And because the Dodgers need him in the rotation down the stretch, even late-September games aren’t guaranteed to provide hints.

Last postseason, Sasaki served as the Dodgers’ closer, a role he could thrive in again. But this year, as Edwin Díaz has struggled in the 16 appearances he’s made between IL stints, Scott has stayed healthy, unlike last year, and earned Roberts’ trust in save situations.

Before sorting out all of that, Sasaki has to get through this blister issue.

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Former Kraken Star Still Without a Contract Despite Growing NHL Interest

Eeli Tolvanen remains without a contract, but the former Seattle Kraken winger apparently isn't short on options.

More than seven weeks into free agency, Tolvanen is still waiting to find his next NHL home. According to Pacific North Hockey's Rob Simpson, Tolvanen's camp has been in contact with multiple teams about a potential deal, although nothing has progressed far enough to put pen to paper.

One team that doesn't appear to be in the mix is Seattle, where he's spent the last three seasons. 

The Kraken moved on this offseason, adding forwards Mackie Samoskevich and Curtis Douglas while also likely expecting more from RFA winger Jacob Melanson. Melanson brings a physical element Seattle could use after Tolvanen averaged 211 hits per season over the past three years.

The Hockey News has also heard some rumblings connecting Tolvanen to the Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks and even the Montreal Canadiens. There appears to be interest, but with training camps only a few weeks away, the fact that Tolvanen remains unsigned isn't exactly an encouraging sign.

The 27-year-old reached the 30-point mark in each of his three seasons with the Kraken, but his production dipped last season, when he finished with 12 goals and 36 points in 78 games. His 24 assists, however, were just one shy of the career high he established the previous season. So perhaps there's something we don't know.

And it wasn't long ago that Tolvanen looked like a particularly valuable middle-six piece. He scored 23 goals in 2024-25 and has shown he can provide offense while bringing a willingness to play a physical game despite being a little undersized.

That combination should still make him an appealing option for teams looking to round out their lineup.

A one-year deal could make more sense for Tolvanen. He would get another opportunity to prove himself, potentially rebuild his offensive numbers and return to the market next summer with more leverage.

For now, the former Kraken remains unsigned, and his window to land the kind of contract he was hoping for is closing rapidly.

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Roki Sasaki leaves early with blister on middle finger

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - AUGUST 26: Roki Sasaki #11 of the Los Angeles Dodgers is pulled from the game due to an injury during the fourth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on August 26, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Roki Sasaki was forced to exit Wednesday’s game against the Atlanta Braves in the bottom of the fourth inning due to a blister to his right middle finger, the Dodgers announced.

Sasaki had completed three innings of one-run ball against Atlanta before allowing three baserunners and a sacrifice fly to cut the Dodgers lead down to one run. The final hitter Sasaki faced was catcher Sean Murphy, who doubled to right field before Mark Prior and Will Ireton paid Sasaki a mound visit. Thomas Albert was called out of the Dodger dugout to examine Sasaki, and the right-hander was pulled after 66 pitches over 3 1/3 innings. He was later charged for four earned runs after a double from Drake Baldwin.

Wednesday was the shortest outing for Sasaski since the All-Star break, and the four runs charged to him were the most of any of his seven second half starts. Sasaki now has a 3.05 ERA since his start against the New York Yankees on July 17, while his season ERA now sits at 4.60 over 23 starts.

Brewers' Dustin May exits start after 1 pitch after getting hit by line drive

Dustin May exited Wednesday night's game against the New York Mets after just one pitch.

A.J. Ewing led off for the Mets and rocketed a line drive right back at May, 106 miles an hour off the shoulder. The Brewers' righthander tried to stay in. He threw a few warmups and it was clear he had nothing. Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy pulled him before the second batter got to the plate.

The Brewers later said that May suffered a "right scapula contusion."

The Brewers gave up prospects for May at the deadline and they have not gotten much back yet. He came into Wednesday with a 6.00 ERA in three starts and 15 innings in Milwaukee. He has more walks per nine innings (4.20) than he had given up all year and fewer strikeouts per nine (7.20).

May is 6-8 with a 4.57 ERA over 24 starts between St. Louis and Milwaukee, and a 3.36 FIP that says he has pitched better than the ERA looks. He was worth 2.6 wins above replacement, essentially all of that earned in a Cardinals uniform.

Milwaukee went into Wednesday night's game with the best record in baseball and a division lead it has been protecting from the Cubs for weeks. The rotation has been the least of its problems. The Brewers traded for May to have a fourth arm in October who could take the ball in a game that mattered.

Dustin May injury update

May told reporters that the line drive took his breath away, and while he "probably could have finished that inning, but better safe than sorry not trying to push through it."

"Right now I feel OK, it's just a bruise," May said. "No damage or anything structurally, so that's good. Just got to come in tomorrow and see how I feel."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Brewers' Dustin May exits start after 1 pitch after getting hit by line drive

The Guardiac Kids strike again! Comeback to Sweep the Angels

ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 25: Brayan Rocchio #4 and Steven Kwan #38 of the Cleveland Guardians celebrate their 8-6 win over the Los Angeles Angels during a game at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on August 25, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Scott Strazzante/Getty Images) | Getty Images

We’re going streaking! We’re going thru Colorado and into Los Angeles! Come on everybody! Come on! Hammy? Hamm-a-lammy?

UGH! Don’t you just hate when you have an article about a frustrating loss done, then your favorite team mounts a multi-inning comeback to secure their 2nd straight sweep, 7th straight Win and perfect road trip!? Don’t you just hate it?!?!

(Thanks Jerry, I was being ironical)

Well, if you can guess where this is going, the Cleveland Guardians woke up Wednesday Winners of 6 straight. Heading into the series Finale in Anaheim, they would have a chance at sweeping their second straight series and matching their season-long win streak at 7 games. They last did this May 16th-22nd, finishing with that Gavin/Chris Sanchez 1-0 classic in Philly, which was the high-water mark for our winning % on the year. Going into an OFF day before a homestand, could Cleveland carry the momentum and finish this road trip strong?

Oh you betcha! But it wouldn’t come easy.

Joey Cantillo was looking for a bounce-back outing, as he struggled in Colorado last Friday to start the road trip, getting knocked out before finishing the 5th inning. Opposing Him would be Grayson Rodriguez, the former Top prospect for Baltimore who is still looking to get going for the Angels. Rodriguez was coming off 7 shutout innings at Houston, his first scoreless start of the season, capping off far-and-away his best month pitching for LAA.

So, how would the Guardians replicate the magic of the night before?

Well, early on it was quite the same as yesterday. Aloha Joe (thank you for the suggestions, trusted comment section!) struggled mightily with control, a problem we’ve gotten far too used to, walking 5 and hitting another thru three innings. He had only given up two hits, including an infield single, but you walk that many batters it’s hard to live long enough to tell the tale. And on the offensive side, the Cleveland bats did also what we saw early last night. Guys were getting on, but we couldn’t find the big hit to bring anyone in.

Cantillo would throw one of the most obvious Pitchergami’s ever: 6IP, 3R/2ER, 2H, 7BB 1K. Also add a HBP, something the Guardians have done far too much of this month. That line is absurd. On the one hand, 7 walks and a hit by pitch is just the easiest way to lose a baseball game. On the other hand, Cantillo didn’t give up a hit after the 3rd batter, got the final 6 outs in the last 5 he faced, induced 2 GIDP and didn’t allow a base runner past 1B after the 2nd inning.

But self-inflicted wounds would get the best of Joey on the scoreboard, as an infield single turned into a Pitcher throw away- accounting for one run, and a disastrous 3 BB, HBP, Sac Fly inning would lead to two more in the second.

Buzz, your starting pitcher, WOOF.

Fortunately for the Guardians, later on was a lot like last night as well!

Trailing 3-0 thru 4, the Guards would chip away with 1 in the 5th (thanks to some good ole fashioned small ball- double, productive ground out and a Sac Fly), another in the 8th (thanks to MORE small ball- bunt single, walk, rbi single) and then finally 1 to tie and another to win in the 9th thanks to 3 straight hits and a game winning Sac Fly (Bazz’s 2nd SF of the game)! Truly an incredible way to never say die and sweep the Road Trip!

What we are seeing from this team is something we haven’t seen since this time last year. Some can point to the schedule, some can say it’s just a reversal of luck. It would also be easy to just say it’s a hot streak. Well, clearly it’s a bit of all 3, but that’s why they play 162!

The Guardians head into an Off day before 3 at home vs KC this weekend (followed by another Off day).

Pete Crow-Armstrong livid at umpiring crew after Cubs loss to Diamondbacks

PHOENIX — Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong had a plane to catch, an off-day in Chicago to enjoy, but long after the Cubs’ 2-0 defeat to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday, Aug. 26, the dude was still seething.

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He was livid at the umpiring crew for not calling a balk that would have led to a go-ahead run.

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He was angry at himself for his struggles in the three-game series, going 1-for-12 and striking out three times, twice against Diamondbacks ace Eduardo Rodriguez.

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And he was frustrated knowing that time is running out if they’re going to have any chance to catch the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central.

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The good news?

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Well, at least Cubs third base coach Quentin Berry and manager Craig Counsell made sure that Crow-Armstrong was not kicked out of the game and avoided a potential suspension as he tried to charge toward third-base umpire Malachi Moore.

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Crow-Armstrong, who led off the sixth inning with a double for his lone hit of the series, was dancing off third base in a scoreless game when Diamondbacks ace Eduardo Rodriguez was ready to throw a pitch out of the windup to Michael Busch. Rodriguez saw Crow-Armstrong break toward home, stepped off the rubber, and then threw home to catcher James McCann.

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“When a guy is shoving it down your throat,’’ Crow-Armstrong said, “you’ve got to find any way you can to make something happen, and that's exactly what I was just trying to do. And I executed. It would have been nice if the umpires did the same.’’

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Berry and Crow-Armstrong immediately screamed for a balk. Counsell ran out from the dugout arguing the same. The umpires, led by home plate umpire and crew chief Alfonso Marquez, gathered the umpires together. No one saw the infraction.

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It was ruled a legal pitch, and Crow-Amstrong’s head looked like it was going to explode. He charged toward Moore, who perhaps had the cleanest look of the infraction along with first base umpire Mike Estabrook.

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Berry grabbed Crow-Armstrong, Counsell ran toward Crow-Armstrong to help calm him, but the non-call stood, only for the umpiring crew to concede after the game that they missed it.

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“We just didn’t see it,’’ Marquez said. “We just didn’t see it. After looking at the video, it looked like he stepped off.’’

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PCA wasn't happy after balk wasn't called.pic.twitter.com/D4JTjjNHfi

— Underdog MLB (@UnderdogMLB) August 26, 2026
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The fact that the umpiring crew conceded the mistake did nothing to pacify Crow-Armstrong.

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“No, it doesn't make me feel any better,’’ Crow-Armstrong said, “that they admitted that they missed the call. They had as much time as they wanted to talk about it on the field, so they should have admitted that right after they got it wrong.’’

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If truth be told, Crow-Armstrong was actually more agitated, believing that someone on the four-man crew should have caught it.

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“I saw four umpires miss a pretty obvious play,’’ Crow-Armstrong said. “They’re out there every day like we are. Their one job is to get calls right, and if they get it wrong, they're supposed to talk about it, figure it out, and get it right. And they didn't. …

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“I don't know how you miss somebody starting their motion and then stopping it and stepping off. I just don't know.’’

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Said Counsell: “They flat out missed it. I mean, it’s obvious to everybody on TV. It’s obvious to anybody. They missed it. I mean, I don’t even know what to say. It’s hard to argue when they just flat out miss it.’’

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Crow-Armstrong also was furious at Lance Barksdale, the second-base umpire, who walked over toward Crow-Armstrong after Marquez announced that the non-call stood.

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“I didn't appreciate the other umpire coming up to me after [Berry] had calmed the situation down,’’ he said. “I think they find new ways to screw something up every day. So, there you go.’’

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The longer Crow-Armstrong spoke, the more he started to realize that his own frustration led him to lose his cool. Here he is trying to keep the Cubs in the division race, and knock off Shohei Ohtani for the MVP award, but he was one hit away from going hitless in a series for the first time all season.

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“So, if I'm going to sit here and [complain] about all this stuff,’’ he said, “I should have done better today. Shouldn't have punched out three times. I should have had better at-bats all series. I was pretty non-existent.

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“So, I think you guys just saw my frustrations from the last three days kind of come out.’’

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Really, Crow-Armstrong’s sentiments represented those of the entire Cubs team. They went 2-4 on their trip to Seattle and Phoenix, winning their two games by a combined score of 26-2, and losing the four others by a combined five runs, including three walk-offs.

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\"Pete

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The Cubs’ trio of Kevin Gausman, Clay Holmes and Matthew Boyd yielded a 0.45 ERA in the series, giving up just eight hits in 20 innings, but still managed to lose two of three to the D-backs. The trio of Alex Bregman, Nico Hoerner and Crow-Armstrong hit .057 (2-for-35) in the series with one extra-base hit and no RBI.

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Despite their struggles, the Cubs (76-58) know they are going to be in the playoffs, with a four-game lead in the wild-card race with 28 games remaining. They’ve got a a good chance to host the first-round of the playoffs, just like a year ago, with a two-game lead over the Philadelphia Phillies for the fourth seed.

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But to stop the Brewers from winning their fourth consecutive NL Central title, and fifth in the last six years, they’re going to have to go on a September heater.

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They control their own fate considering they play the Brewers seven times in a 10-day stretch Aug. 31-Sept. 9, but they also must overcome a six-game deficit.

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“Major League Baseball teaches you really fast that you’ve got to think about the game a little bit,’’ Counsell said, “and then you’ve kind of cut the cord with that,and move onto the next day. You don’t need a teacher for that.

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“The game teaches you that.’’

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Follow Bob Nightengale on X @Bnightengale.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Pete Crow-Armstrong livid at umpiring crew after Cubs loss to Diamondbacks

Tony Vitello ejected early, Giants have historic collapse in 9th to lose to Reds

The San Francisco Giants had a six-run lead against the Cincinnati Reds, 9-3, going into the ninth inning and it looked like they would secure their first three-game sweep this season. You can pretty much guess what happened next.

The Giants, despite being three outs away from a win, lost the game, 10-9, after the Reds shifted the momentum and put together a seven-run inning to close it out in San Francisco. It was the first time in Giants history they blew a six-run lead in the ninth inning.

It was their 11th loss overall when leading in the ninth, according to NBC Sports Bay Area.

How it happened was demoralizing for San Francisco – and the fans that showed up to Oracle Park.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, Drew Gilbert nearly hit a grand slam but it hit the brick wall in the outfield near Levi's Landing. Gilbert doubled, but still cleared the bases. Then the ninth happened.

Hector Rodriguez, who already hit a home run in the third inning, added another solo homer to get the ball rolling. It seemed the Reds got hit after hit; batters walked; advanced on wild pitches and a throwing error. Eugenio Suarez hit a grand slam to bring Cincinnati within a score, 9-8.

Jose Trevino tied it on a sac fly as Dane Myers scored. The winning run was scored by Matt McLain after Tyler Stephenson singled to left.

"Don't really have a word for it. It's more than unfortunate, but you know what led up to that was a pretty good effort out of some guys," Giants first-year skipper Tony Vitello told reporters after the game. "You know, with the bat in particular, (we're) playing hard, but we kind of finished how we started the game there on the first pitch of the game, adding more stress to our life than we needed."

It was a tough game and it summarizes what's been a tough season.

Tony Vitello ejected at beginning of the game

Vitello saw the comeback but not from the dugout after he was ejected from the game in the top of the first inning after arguing a ball call he thought should've been a strike.

"The guys next to me were surprised. I mean, I was just kind of in it," Vitello said about his ejection. "Yeah, I mean, thought he swung. So I said I thought he swung."

Vitello had a back-and-forth with umpire Ryan Blakney, arguing a check swing from Suárez.

The Giants manager could be heard on the broadcast repeatedly telling Blakney to "just get it right" before Blakney ejected him from the game, saying "get out of here then."

Vitello then responded with some not-suitable-for-work words for the umpire as he defended his players. Fans could be heard agreeing with Vitello before letting the ump know about it. A transcript from the encounter was provided by social media account Foul Territory.

"The attitude we play with is a reflection of us and need to be hooked up no matter who's pitching. But like I said, we added more stress to that inning than we needed to, so maybe that was a factor. But thought the guy swung," Vitello told reporters after the game. "It's part of my role, to say if that's what I thought, and then you can get into escalation versus de-escalation. But yeah, it was. It's up to you guys. ... I didn't throw two baseballs at anybody. I can tell you that."

Vitello told reporters that the team would put this behind it and get to the next game on Thursday, Aug. 27 against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Oracle Park.

"Come back tomorrow and win," Vitello said about coming back from the loss. "Compete against a team that we haven't been very good against all year long. ... If you don't like something or you're frustrated, then turn it into determination."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tony Vitello ejected early, Giants have historic collapse in 9th to lose to Reds

Anze Kopitar Is Loving Life After Retirement

Anze Kopitar spent 20 years carrying the weight of the Los Angeles Kings on his shoulders, but just months into retirement, the franchise legend sounds remarkably comfortable with life away from the NHL.

Kopitar offered that glimpse into his new reality Friday in Trenčín, Slovakia, where he participated in Zdeno Chara’s farewell tribute game at Pavol Demitra Ice Stadium. The event, dubbed “Zee’s Final Shift,” brought together several of Chara’s former teammates and friends, with Kopitar among those taking the ice.

After the game, Kopitar spoke with NHL.com’s Michael Langr about retirement and made it clear that, despite spending most of his adult life playing professional hockey, he has no regrets about walking away.

“I am very happy,” Kopitar said. “It's great. Obviously, I get to spend a lot more time with my family.”

That extra time has quickly become the best part of retirement.

Rather than spending his days preparing for another NHL season, Kopitar can now watch his children compete. His son plays hockey, while his daughter participates in figure skating, meaning ice rinks remain a part of his life — just in a very different capacity.

“So, there is still life in ice arenas, but I'm enjoying it very much,” he said.

That may be the clearest indication yet that Kopitar is fully embracing the next chapter.

He even had to cut his time in Slovakia short because of family commitments back home, missing out on one of the activities Chara had planned for his guests.

“I'm flying (home) tomorrow,” Kopitar said. “I've got to go home, there is some family stuff that we have going on Sunday.”

Kopitar retired this spring after 20 seasons with the Kings, finishing his career as the franchise's all-time leader in games played, assists and points. He won two Stanley Cups, two Selke Trophies and three Lady Byng Trophies while serving as Los Angeles' captain from 2016 until his retirement.

His final game came April 26, when the Kings were swept by the Colorado Avalanche in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Now, there is no training camp to prepare for, no long road trips and no pressure to be ready for another 82-game season.

Instead, Kopitar gets to enjoy the game from the other side of the boards.

And while he still looked sharp enough to skate alongside the participants in Chara's farewell game, even Kopitar admitted appearances can be deceiving.

“If I look fresh, trust me, I did not feel fresh,” he said. “It's definitely the end.”

There will be plenty of opportunities for Kings fans to celebrate him again. Kopitar will return to Los Angeles on Feb. 24, 2027, when the Kings retire his No. 11 and unveil a bronze statue in his honor at Crypto.com Arena.

Until then, however, Kopitar seems perfectly content with the life he spent 20 years working toward — one where the most important games are his children's, and hockey no longer has to come first.

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