To no one’s surprise, the star-loaded Sixers will feature in the NBA’s 2026 Christmas festivities.
The league announced Tuesday that the Sixers will visit the Lakers this year on Christmas. The game will tip off at 5 p.m. ET and be broadcast on ABC and ESPN. Other Christmas matchups include Knicks-Spurs, Celtics-Heat, Timberwolves-Thunder and Warriors-Nuggets.
The NBA will feature five games on Christmas Day (Friday, Dec. 25) for the 19th consecutive year, with ABC and ESPN both televising each matchup.
Highlights include the first meeting between the Knicks and Spurs since the 2026 NBA Finals, as well as new 76er LeBron James’ return… pic.twitter.com/CgWdaaFJXN
The 2026 NBA Christmas games were revealed on Tuesday as the league began to announce portions of its regular-season schedule.
After gathering around the tree to open presents in the morning, the NBA has packed the afternoon and evening hours with star-studded matchups and iconic rivalries.
Here’s a look at the five games on the Christmas Day schedule this season:
San Antonio Spurs at New York Knicks
An NBA Finals rematch will kick off the holiday slate, and the defending champions will host.
Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs will look for revenge against Jalen Brunson and the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. The last time these two teams faced off, it was the Knicks raising the Larry O’Brien Trophy in San Antonio. Stakes won’t be as high this time, but a Christmas Day matchup is as important as it gets in the NBA regular season.
Watch info: 12 p.m. ET on ABC/ESPN
Miami Heat at Boston Celtics
One of the NBA’s fiercest rivalries has an added twist this season, and we’ll see it play out on Christmas.
Both the Heat and Celtics were bidding for Giannis Antetokounmpo in the blockbuster trade of the offseason. Miami ended up paying more for the two-time MVP, while Boston pivoted by trading Jaylen Brown and bolstering its depth. This matchup also fits the Christmas theme better than any of the others, with red and green being these team’s primary colors.
Watch info: 2:30 p.m. ET on ABC/ESPN
Philadelphia 76ers at Los Angeles Lakers
Welcome home (?), LeBron James.
The NBA’s all-time leading scorer will make his return to Los Angeles on Christmas. After eight years with the Lakers, James signed with the Sixers this summer — joining Brown, Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid on a loaded roster. Los Angeles retooled by adding Walker Kessler and Quentin Grimes around Luka Doncic. James is the headliner here, though, as he’ll play in his record 21st Christmas Day game.
Watch info: 5 p.m. ET on ABC/ESPN
Oklahoma City Thunder at Minnesota Timberwolves
Two Western Conference contenders will kick off the nightcap in Minneapolis.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Anthony Edwards are the main attractions for these teams, but both squads are deep. The Wolves added LaMelo Ball over the offseason, while the Thunder dealt away several role players to give more opportunities to their young talent. This game could surely be a preview of a future playoff series.
Watch info: 8 p.m. ET on ABC/ESPN
Denver Nuggets at Golden State Warriors
To wrap things up, two of the league’s biggest stars will face off.
Steph Curry and the Warriors will host Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets in the final game of the day. Both of these players and teams have been staples of your Christmas viewing for years. Curry will play in his 13th Christmas game, compared to Jokic’s seventh. Last year on the holiday, the Joker dropped an absurd statline of 56 points, 16 rebounds and 15 assists in a Denver win.
From trading Jaylen Brown to welcoming in a handful of veteran players, it’s been an offseason of significant change for the Boston Celtics.
And with everyone eager to see how everything comes together for the Celtics in the 2026-27 season, we now know when they’ll make their debut.
The NBA announced that the Celtics will play the Pistons in Detroit on Tuesday, October 20th.
Interestingly, the weekday game will tip off at 3 p.m. ET on NBC & Peacock, with the league rolling out a full slate of games for its opening day.
The Celtics lost their opener a year ago in what proved to be a sign of postseason results to come, losing at home against the Philadelphia 76ers by a 117-116 final score.
That actually was the start of an 0-3 stretch to begin the season, part of a rocky opening month that had the Celtics at 8-8 through early November. They then went 15-4 through early January, en route to finishing with a 56-26 record and the No. 2 seed in the East. In the playoffs though, the Celtics led a 3-1 lead over the Sixers slip away, leading to a first-round exit.
The Celtics will surely be on a mission to improve come playoff time next season, and nobody knows how successful they may be. We do now, however, have the official start date for the journey.
Also announced on Tuesday, the Celtics will host the World Champion New York Knicks on Friday, October 23rd at 7:00 p.m. at TD Garden. On Christmas Day at 2:30 p.m., Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Miami Heat will come to Boston .
The full NBA schedule will be released Thursday, August 13th.
From trading Jaylen Brown to welcoming in a handful of veteran players, it’s been an offseason of significant change for the Boston Celtics.
And with everyone eager to see how everything comes together for the Celtics in the 2026-27 season, we now know when they’ll make their debut.
The NBA announced that the Celtics will play the Pistons in Detroit on Tuesday, October 20th.
Interestingly, the weekday game will tip off at 3 p.m. ET on NBC & Peacock, with the league rolling out a full slate of games for its opening day.
The Celtics lost their opener a year ago in what proved to be a sign of postseason results to come, losing at home against the Philadelphia 76ers by a 117-116 final score.
That actually was the start of an 0-3 stretch to begin the season, part of a rocky opening month that had the Celtics at 8-8 through early November. They then went 15-4 through early January, en route to finishing with a 56-26 record and the No. 2 seed in the East. In the playoffs though, the Celtics led a 3-1 lead over the Sixers slip away, leading to a first-round exit.
The Celtics will surely be on a mission to improve come playoff time next season, and nobody knows how successful they may be. We do now, however, have the official start date for the journey.
Also announced on Tuesday, the Celtics will host the World Champion New York Knicks on Friday, October 23rd at 7:00 p.m. at TD Garden. On Christmas Day at 2:30 p.m., Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Miami Heat will come to Boston .
The full NBA schedule will be released Thursday, August 13th.
LeBron James, Jaylen Brown and the new-look Sixers will head to Madison Square Garden for their season opener.
The NBA announced Tuesday morning that the Sixers will visit the Knicks on Oct. 20 at 7 p.m. ET as part of its opening night. NBC and Peacock will broadcast the matchup.
The 2026-27 NBA regular season will tip off on Tuesday, Oct. 20 with an NBC/Peacock tripleheader.
• Celtics @ Pistons: The East’s top two teams in the 2025-26 regular season
• 76ers @ Knicks: New York begins its title defense as LeBron James and Jaylen Brown make their… pic.twitter.com/Mv9kNrtusi
The Sixers’ second nationally televised opening-week game will come on Oct. 22. They’ll face the Cavaliers at 7 p.m. ET at Xfinity Mobile Arena for their home opener. ESPN will have the broadcast.
ESPN will begin its 2026-27 NBA regular-season game coverage with opening-week doubleheaders on Wednesday, Oct. 21 and Thursday, Oct. 22.
• Oct. 21: Team debuts for Miami’s Giannis Antetokounmpo and Minnesota’s LaMelo Ball
Of course, James is a native of Akron, Ohio and considered a return to Cleveland this offseason. Gansey served in the Cavs’ front office before shifting to Philadelphia.
The Warriors will begin their 2026-27 NBA season against the same team, in the same city, on the exact same day as they did last year.
Golden State, for the second consecutive year, will face off against the Los Angeles Lakers on Oct. 21 at Crypto.com Arena, the NBA announced on Tuesday.
The first four days of the 2026-27 NBA regular season will feature nine national games across NBC/Peacock, ESPN and Prime Video.
The Warriors vs. Lakers game will be one of nine primetime opening-week matchups, with the season officially getting underway with three marquee games on Tuesday.
Golden State and Los Angeles are coming off very, very different offseasons.
Polar opposites, in fact.
The Lakers were extremely busy this summer, adding a whopping nine new veteran players to their roster, either via free agency or trade, while the Warriors added, at the time of this writing, … zero new veteran players.
While Golden State appears to be running it back this season with, essentially, the same roster as last season, their Pacific Division rivals, still led by superstar guard Luka Dončić, will look dramatically different with their new additions and the loss of 22-time All-Star LeBron James.
After beating the Lakers in Game 1 last season, but then losing the three remaining matchups, the Warriors once again will look to steal the opening-night bout on the road, but might need to notch another victory or two against Los Angeles throughout the season to keep pace with its rival in the standings.
Basketball is still more than two months away, but it’s time to start planning ahead.
The 2026-27 NBA opening night games, which will air on NBC and Peacock, were revealed on Tuesday as the league began to announce portions of its regular-season schedule.
As is tradition, the NBA has two prime-time matchups on the slate for opening night — including the defending champion raising a banner and three other title contenders taking the court. However, this year, there is an additional midday matchup to open the season.
Here’s a look at the three games for this year’s NBA Tip-Off:
Boston Celtics at Detroit Pistons
The NBA season will begin a bit earlier than usual, with the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons battling in a matinee matchup.
The teams were the top two seeds in the Eastern Conference standings last season, with the Pistons vaulting to the No. 1 seed and the Celtics coming in at No. 2.
Watch info: 3 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock
Philadelphia 76ers at New York Knicks
Two Atlantic division foes will face off on the first day of the season, and this game has added stakes.
For Philadelphia, the city hopes this game will mark the beginning of their own title run. The Sixers were the most aggressive team over the offseason, trading away Paul George for Jaylen Brown and signing LeBron James. So, while this is a second-round rematch from last year’s playoffs, this game will look completely different than it did in May.
Watch info: 7 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock
Oklahoma City Thunder at San Antonio Spurs
The most tightly-contested series of last season’s playoffs will be revisited on opening night.
The Spurs, fresh off a disappointing Finals loss to the Knicks, will begin their quest to defend the Western Conference title and get over the hump. San Antonio gave Victor Wembanyama some extra help over the offseason — notably Tobias Harris. But the 2026-27 campaign will hinge on internal improvement for young rising stars like Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper.
Oklahoma City will be out for revenge immediately, considering San Antonio took Game 7 on the Thunder’s home court and ended their repeat bid. Sam Presti had a busy offseason rebalancing the roster and shedding salary, cutting ties with key role players in Lu Dort, Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins. Two-time reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, meanwhile, is aiming to be the fourth player in NBA history to win three straight MVPs (Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Larry Bird).
Basketball is still more than two months away, but it’s time to start planning ahead.
The 2026-27 NBA opening night games, which will air on NBC and Peacock, were revealed on Tuesday as the league began to announce portions of its regular-season schedule.
As is tradition, the NBA has two prime-time matchups on the slate for opening night — including the defending champion raising a banner and three other title contenders taking the court. However, this year, there is an additional midday matchup to open the season.
Here’s a look at the three games for this year’s NBA Tip-Off:
Boston Celtics at Detroit Pistons
The NBA season will begin a bit earlier than usual, with the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons battling in a matinee matchup.
The teams were the top two seeds in the Eastern Conference standings last season, with the Pistons vaulting to the No. 1 seed and the Celtics coming in at No. 2.
Watch info: 3 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock
Philadelphia 76ers at New York Knicks
Two Atlantic division foes will face off on the first day of the season, and this game has added stakes.
For Philadelphia, the city hopes this game will mark the beginning of their own title run. The Sixers were the most aggressive team over the offseason, trading away Paul George for Jaylen Brown and signing LeBron James. So, while this is a second-round rematch from last year’s playoffs, this game will look completely different than it did in May.
Watch info: 7 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock
Oklahoma City Thunder at San Antonio Spurs
The most tightly-contested series of last season’s playoffs will be revisited on opening night.
The Spurs, fresh off a disappointing Finals loss to the Knicks, will begin their quest to defend the Western Conference title and get over the hump. San Antonio gave Victor Wembanyama some extra help over the offseason — notably Tobias Harris. But the 2026-27 campaign will hinge on internal improvement for young rising stars like Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper.
Oklahoma City will be out for revenge immediately, considering San Antonio took Game 7 on the Thunder’s home court and ended their repeat bid. Sam Presti had a busy offseason rebalancing the roster and shedding salary, cutting ties with key role players in Lu Dort, Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins. Two-time reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, meanwhile, is aiming to be the fourth player in NBA history to win three straight MVPs (Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Larry Bird).
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 10: Jonny DeLuca #21 of the Tampa Bay Rays is congratulated by Junior Caminero #13 after he scored against the Athletics during the eighth inning at Sutter Health Park on August 10, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the Yankees sitting idle, and at first pitch, the Red Sox losing a one-run game to the Blue Jays, tonight felt like the perfect opportunity to gain ground on both teams in the AL East pennant race.
Two pitches in from West Sacramento, Yandy Diaz launched Jacob Lopez’s offering atop the visiting clubhouse at Sutter Health Park.
Diaz’s 16th round-tripper of the season also gave him sole possession of sixth all-time on the Rays’ home run leaderboard. 1-0, Tampa Bay.
Newly-acquired right-hander Freddy Peralta had the honor of taking the mound first at the launchpad of the American League.
In the bottom of the first, things got shaky as Peralta had a nearly 30-pitch first inning that included a Tyler Soderstrom double, as well as a Soderstrom steal of home.
From the second through the fifth inning, other than a Jonny DeLuca single, the Rays offense went stone cold.
In the bottom of the fifth, Zack Gelof homered to bring the score to 3-1 Athletics.
In the seventh, DeLuca and Chandler Simpson reach base on singles that traveled no more than 40 feet from home plate. Nick Fortes drove in DeLuca with an RBI groundout, and the Rays draw within 3-2.
Right-hander Chris Roycroft entered after Freddy Peralta’s quality start, and surrendered three runs to push the Athletics’ lead to four runs. 6-2 Sacramento.
Within four pitches, in the top of the eighth, Diaz and Jonathan Aranda single, and Diaz signaled for Caminero to calm down from second base as Caminero has been pressing recently with runners in scoring position.
On the very first pitch of the at-bat, Caminero launched one into the West Sacramento sky to cut the deficit to one.
DeLuca and Simpson would steal second and third, Nick Fortes would draw a walk, and Taylor Walls delivered with a two-run go-ahead double to bring the Rays to 8-6.
Tampa Bay would send twelve men to the plate and score eight unanswered runs, their biggest offensive inning of the season.
Tyler Wells and Kevin Kelly pitched the eighth and ninth innings, with Wells allowing one hit and one walk, and Kelly delivering a scoreless frame.
The Rays win 10-6, and sit atop the AL East with a six game lead over the Yankees and an eight game lead over the Red Sox. Tomorrow’s probable pitchers are Nick Martinez and Mason Barnett, and first pitch is 9:40 EST from Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, CA.
Former Olympic super-heavyweight champion takes satisfaction from changing British boxing for the better, but still wants to train a world champion
“I was the Olympic champion, and I was the next big thing, but the system had to win,” Audley Harrison says as he reflects on his rise and fall as a fighter who changed so much in British boxing while failing to fulfil his grandest ambitions in the ring. Harrison had once been considered a likely successor to Lennox Lewis, the undisputed world heavyweight champion, but he became a figure of ridicule mocked as “Fraudley Harrison”.
He retired in 2013 with a modest 31‑7 record and having never come close to winning the world title many thought would be his inevitable glory when he took gold at the Sydney Olympics in 2000. But Harrison dragged British boxing fleetingly into the mainstream and ripped up the old traditions of the fight game by managing and promoting himself.
In this week’s Injury Report, starting pitchers took some hits across baseball. The Rays lost Griffin Jax to an elbow injury. Nathan Eovaldi also went down with elbow inflammation. And Hunter Greene’s season is over as he’s set to undergo elbow surgery. Meanwhile, the Dodgers will welcome back Blake Snell on Tuesday against the Royals. All that and more as we highlight all of the most relevant injury news around baseball.
⚾️ Baseball is back! MLB returns to NBC and Peacock in 2026! In addition to becoming the exclusive home of Sunday Night Baseball, NBC Sports will broadcast MLB Sunday Leadoff, “Opening Day” and Labor Day primetime games, the first round of the MLB Draft, the entire Wild Card round of the postseason, and much more.
Griffin Jax (elbow)
This one is a tough blow to the Rays. Jax was scratched from his scheduled start on Saturday against the Mariners with right elbow soreness and placed on the 15-day injured list with elbow discomfort. The 31-year-old right-hander will get a second opinion, something that rarely foretells anything good. Jax has strived since moving from the bullpen and into the starting rotation, with a 3.16 ERA across 82 2/3 innings as a starter. Keep a lookout for an update in the coming days, but fantasy managers should probably be prepared to be without Jax the rest of the way. Michael Grove was recalled to take his spot on the active roster.
The Brewers reclaim the top spot while the Mariners and Guardians are trending in the wrong direction.
D.J. Short
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Nathan Eovaldi (elbow)
Another brutal blow to fantasy managers, and one that seemingly came out of nowhere. Eovaldi was placed on the 15-day injured list on Monday with right posterior elbow inflammation. This comes just days after he allowed one run across 5 1/3 innings against the Orioles on Friday. Look out for an update on Eovaldi’s status in the next day or two.
Devin Williams (shoulder)
After he was deemed unavailable to pitch last Wednesday due to arm fatigue, Williams returned to the mound on Friday and gave up two runs in a non-save situation against the Pirates. On Monday, the Mets placed the 31-year-old right-hander on the 15-day injured list with a right shoulder strain. There’s no timeline for a return. Williams’ first season with the Mets has been nothing short of a disappointment, with a 4.66 ERA and 1.66 WHIP across 38 2/3 innings. Despite strong underlying skills, he just hasn’t been able to find success in New York, posting a 4.79 ERA with the Yankees in 2025. With Williams on the shelf, the Mets could turn to Daniel Duarte and Kodai Senga to close out games.
Hunter Greene (elbow)
Greene didn’t make his season debut until July 4 following surgery in March to have bone chips removed from his right elbow. Five starts in, he landed back on the 15-day injured list last week with right elbow soreness. After a visit with renowned surgeon Dr. Neal El Attrache, Greene was diagnosed with a partially torn right UCL and scheduled to undergo season-ending surgery. Depending on the extent of the injury and type of surgery, the injury could also cost him part of 2027.
Joe Ryan (glute)
Ryan underwent evaluation for a lower-body injury following his start against the Royals last Tuesday in which he allowed four runs in a loss. He was diagnosed with a mild left glute strain and placed on the 15-day injured list. The issue had apparently been bothering him, and helps explain the 16 runs allowed over his last three starts. Still, it’s a big blow to the Twins rotation, but the team is hopeful that Ryan will just need a couple of weeks off before he’s ready to return. Zebby Matthews was recalled from Triple-A St. Paul to fill his spot in the rotation.
Adley Rutschman (wrist)
Rutschman is expected to be activated from the injured list on Tuesday for his anticipated Red Sox debut against the Blue Jays. The 28-year-old catcher joined Boston in a major intradivisional trade with the rival Orioles at the trade deadline. He’s been on the injured list since July 20 with wrist inflammation. His return will push Connor Wong to a reserve role.
Cooper Pratt (hamstring)
Pratt had been dealing with a hamstring issue for a few days before he was held out of Sunday’s lineup against the Twins. After further evaluation, the 21-year-old shortstop was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right hamstring strain. We still don’t know the results of Pratt’s MRI or how much time he’s expected to miss. He’s been a solid contributor since taking over as the team’s starting shortstop, hitting .272/.352/.368 with two homers and 10 steals across 159 plate appearances. His absence should open the door for Joey Ortiz to step in for more playing time.
Trey Yesavage (knee)
Yesavage was pulled from his start last Tuesday against the Astros in the second inning with left knee discomfort. The next day, he was placed on the 15-day injured list with left knee inflammation. Blue Jays manager John Schneider reported last Thursday that Yesavage was dealing with a meniscus injury and was set to see a specialist. He apparently met with doctors on Monday, so we could probably expect an update in the next day or two. If surgery is on the table, it could mean an end to the season for the 23-year-old right-hander.
Blake Snell (elbow)
Not all news on the pitching front is bad this week. Snell is set to return to the Dodgers’ rotation on Tuesday for a start against the Royals. He’s been out since May 9, his only start of the season, after undergoing surgery to remove loose bodies from his left elbow. The 33-year-old left-hander could be the most impactful pitcher coming off the injured list for the final stretch.
Aug 10, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Texas Rangers second baseman Cam Cauley (27) lays down a bunt against the Los Angeles Angels during the third inning at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Texas Rangers scored four runs while the Anaheim Angels scored one run in ten innings.
Despite the fact that the Angels are among the worst teams in baseball, and indeed the team currently with the worst record in the American League, the Rangers came into tonight’s game winless at Angel Stadium in 2026 after getting swept by their divisional rivals up the road from Disneyland back in late May.
The Rangers only fared marginally better when last these two teams met in Arlington around a month ago with Texas claiming two of three against the Angels despite suffering a 13-1 loss to Anaheim in the middle game of the series, a game started by MacKenzie Gore.
Gore was on the hill tonight for the Rangers as they tried to inch closer to a positive record against the division’s basement dwellers. Two batters into the game and it was already 1-0 Angels as Mike Trout hit his 785th career home run against Texas.
Ultimately though, that first inning solo home run amounted to the Gore Inning (TM) as Gore settled in and didn’t allow another run through his 5 1/3 innings of work. The Angels did make him work a little as it took him 103 pitches to get to one out in the sixth before hitting the showers, but he finished allowing just the one run on four hits and a couple of walks with nine strikeouts.
Meanwhile, tonight’s starter for the Angels was Reid Detmers and he seems to enjoy alternating between being pedestrian and dominant against the Rangers. The last time Detmers took the mound against Texas he allowed five runs in four innings which seemed seemed to mean the Rangers were in for a struggle tonight.
Detmers didn’t reach dominance but he did hold the Rangers to a run in six innings on three hits and four walks with six strikeouts.
After the lefty starters left, we eventually had a battle of the bullpens. I’m loath to assume that’s a situation that favors the Rangers in any particular game this season but against Anaheim, it should be. Luckily Texas’ ‘pen held firm keeping the Angels off the board for the remaining 4 2/3 innings, not even allowing Anaheim’s Manfred Man to touch home in the bottom of the tenth.
As for the Manfred Man for the Rangers, Nicky Lopez scored the go-ahead and eventual winning run when the Rangers loaded the bases (scary, I know!) and got consecutive weakly-hit RBI base hits from Brandon Nimmo and Jake Burger. Burger’s hit, which drove in two, included Corey Seager scoring from second base where Seager decided to test the arm of Anaheim right fielder Wade Meckler.
Perhaps that was a bit out of spite after Meckler had committed robbery against Seager earlier in the game, reaching over the fence to take away a potential two-out, three-run home run in the top of the seventh with the score 1-1 that would have saved us all a little grief with the need for extra innings.
Nevertheless, Jacob Latz came in with a three run lead and worked around an 11-pitch walk to Trout but nothing else as the Rangers are again above .500 and have their first win at the Big A this year. It doesn’t seem like it needed to be that difficult but will be marked off in the win column regardless.
Player of the Game: I supposed I could highlight Elias Diaz for collecting a couple of hits including an RBI single off of Detmers to tie the score when it looked like the Rangers were about to waste a two on, no outs situation in the top of the fourth. Or Nimmo for the winning hit with the bases loaded.
Also, though, Robby Ahlstrom came in to clean up an inning where Chase Silseth had gotten into a little trouble with the game tied. Ahlstrom pitched another scoreless frame after that and hasn’t allowed a run since July 12 spanning 13 appearances.
Up Next: The Rangers and Angels will be back at it for some late night baseball with LHP Cody Bradford expected to make another start for Texas against RHP Ryan Johnson for Anaheim.
The Tuesday night first pitch from the Big A is once again scheduled for 8:38 pm CDT and will once again air on the Rangers Sports Network.
LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 10: Jac Caglianone #14 of the Kansas City Royals rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run in the third inning during the game between the Kansas City Royals and the Los Angeles Dodgers at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Monday, August 10, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Nicole Vasquez/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Well, I’m not sure what I expected. The Royals stars (Witt, Cags) were showing out both offensively and defensively, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the moribund bullpen in a 6-5 loss to the Dodgers that was full of punch-counterpunch.
The 6th inning was the key part. The Royals held a 3-2 lead and Noah Cameron, who had pitched pretty well up to this point, gave up a few hard-hit balls in a row to put runners on second and third with two outs. John Schreiber came in and promptly blew the game by walking Kyle Tucker and giving up a weak line drive down the right field line just beyond Cags’ outstretched glove. All three runners scored to give the Dodgers the lead. Sigh.
The Royals counterpunched with a Kyle Isbel two-run homer in the seventh inning to bring the game back to even-steven at 5-5, but Alex Lange gave up two singles in the bottom of the seventh to relinquish the lead for good. It goes as two runs total charged to Schreiber and Lange, but I don’t think Cameron really deserved those runs being charged to him.
It’s a shame. Facing Tarik Skubal, the Royals position players put up a good fight.
In the first inning, in his first-ever at-bat against Skubal (really?), Cags fouled off four pitches to hit a grounder that squeaked through the middle to score Witt from second (Cags extended his hitting streak to 9 games with that hit).
In the third inning, once again Cags came up to bat and continued his torrid second-half power show. After a Nick Loftin double, Cags was down 0-2 in the count. Then he ripped a 110.8mph line drive home run to push the lead to 3-0. It was beautiful – one of those rising liners that seemed to just keep elevating as it went. Skubal embodied the grimace emoji as soon as the ball left the bat. The Royals chased Skubal after only five innings pitched in which he gave up three runs. I think if you’re facing Skubal, you take that every time.
The star on the other side, Shohei Ohtani, then counter-punched with a deep hit of his own after seeing Jac hit the dinger in the third. It was just short of a homer, but with Hunter Feduccia on second after a double, Ohtani got a bread-basket changeup from Cameron and blasted it to the gap. Freddie Freeman followed with a single to score Ohtani.
On the defensive side, throughout the game, Witt flashed the leather in the deep hole, like in the bottom of the second when he ranged to his right and fired a perfect throw to Massey to allow him to turn the double play. Witt was all over the place. I think he even caught a pop fly in left-center later in the game. Rex was talking about his hands so much that my wife wanted to file a complaint with HR. Fair. He was ridiculous.
It felt like a good effort from the boys. Well..at least it was a good effort from half the team.
The Royals fall to 49-71. The Dodgers are 71-48. They play again tomorrow at 9:10pm US Central time. Michael Wacha will pitch against Blake Snell.
Once again, the Warriors are set to play on Christmas Day.
The NBA announced Tuesday morning that Golden State will face the Denver Nuggets at 7:30 p.m. PT on Dec. 25 at Chase Center in San Francisco, one of five Christmas games on the schedule.
The NBA will feature five games on Christmas Day (Friday, Dec. 25) for the 19th consecutive year, with ABC and ESPN both televising each matchup.
Highlights include the first meeting between the Knicks and Spurs since the 2026 NBA Finals, as well as new 76er LeBron James’ return… pic.twitter.com/CgWdaaFJXN
Last season, the Nuggets were the Western Conference’s No. 3 seed, while the Warriors finished 10th and lost to the Phoenix Suns in the second play-in game.
The Warriors won just one of three matchups with the Nuggets last season.
The 2026-27 NBA season will be the 14th consecutive campaign in which the Warriors have played on Christmas Day, and the 16th time in the last 17 years. The franchise currently holds a 16-19 all-time record on Dec. 25, including 11-6 at home.
Curry historically has struggled on Christmas, averaging only 18.1 points on 35.0-percent shooting from the field and 27.2 percent from beyond the arc in 12 games. The primary exception, though, came in 2024, when he had 38 points on 8 of 15 from 3-point range in a narrow loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Dodgers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal delivers during a 6-5 win over the Kansas City Royals at Dodger Stadium on Monday night. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Tarik Skubal never located his best stuff Monday, missing the strike zone with his fastball far more frequently than usual.
The Dodgers found their way out of their recent downward spiral, though, and that was enough of a relief for their new ace and back-to-back Cy Young winner. Skubal pitched five innings, giving up four hits and three runs. He struck out six.
“I kind of sprayed the ball a little bit,” Skubal said after a 6-5 win over Kansas City in his Dodger Stadium debut. “That’s kind of unusual for me, especially with my command, but I thought I competed well and gave our team a chance to win.”
That was a welcome change for the down-on-their-luck Dodgers, who entered having lost eight of nine, including sweeps by the Boston Red Sox and the Chicago Cubs. The Dodgers had lost seven in a row before finally winning Saturday at Arizona, then promptly resumed the slide Sunday with a loss to the Diamondbacks.
So it’s hard to know whether Monday’s win marked a turnaround or simply another tourniquet to pause the bleeding. Tuesday, it’s Blake Snell’s turn. He underwent surgery on his left elbow and hasn’t pitched for the Dodgers since May 9.
The Dodgers (71-48) are hoping for an encore performance at the plate, where Monday there were some familiar flickers of life.Freddie Freeman had three of their 10 hits, driving in two runs. Shohei Ohtani had two hits and scored twice. And Max Muncy — on his bobblehead night — had a bases-loaded double that gave the Dodgers a 5-3 lead in the sixth and ignited the antsy crowd.
That good feeling didn’t last long, as the Royals (49-71) forged a 5-5 tie in the seventh with a two-run homer.
The Dodgers pulled away for good in the seventh after Ohtani singled, then stole second, and Freeman brought him home with a single to right.
“I thought we fought well,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “Tarik didn’t have his best stuff. You could see his fastball command wasn’t there. But he didn’t buckle.”
From the offense, Roberts said, “I saw that urgency tonight which we’ve got to build on from here on out.”
Urgency? The guy who had the winning hit probably wouldn’t choose that word.
“There’s going to be no panic out of this clubhouse,” Freeman said. “I understand what Doc’s saying [but] baseball’s a little different. I can’t go out there and swing harder and throw harder. That’s just not how it works.”
Slumps happen, even with good teams. Last year’s Dodgers lost seven in a row in July yet went on to win the World Series. But this recent slide has been sobering, with virtually all bats going cold at once. What’s more, the Dodgers have struggled mightily to hit fastballs.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts reacts after Tarik Skubal retires the Royals in order in the fourth inning Monday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
The Athletic crunched the numbers and determined that no team in baseball has faced as dramatic an increase in fastball percentage, with the Dodgers seeing that frequency climb steadily since May.
“It never feels good to be bullied,” Roberts said. “And to know that teams go after us with the fastball more than any team in baseball, that’s bothersome. ... We’ve scored a lot of runs — fourth in baseball — but that doesn’t tell the whole story. The story is the best version of ourselves, and that’s hitting the fastball and making adjustments in at-bats situationally, all of it.
“So yeah, it’s something that I hope our guys will take that personally. We shouldn’t get bullied.”
There were some mental errors too. By the fifth, the Dodgers were out of ABS challenges, with Miguel Rojas tapping his helmet to check on a called strike that wound up being squarely in the strike zone.
That came after an unsuccessful challenge by Andy Pages in the fourth, and his track record on those inquiries is grim. Thirteen of his 24 challenges were confirmed strikes.
Dodgers third base coach Dino Ebel waves home Shohei Ohtani on a single by Freddie Freeman in the seventh inning Monday against Kansas City. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Kansas City’s Jac Caglianone had 20/20 vision at the plate, with a pair of two-strike hits early in the game that gave the Royals a 3-0 lead. The first was a low-velocity ground ball threaded up the middle to drive in a run. In the third, he hit a two-run shot over the right-field wall.
It wasn’t until the fifth that Skubal at last punctuated Jac with a K.
Skubal made no apologies about the butterflies he was feeling.
“I think nerves are a good thing,” he said. “The day I’m pitching and I don’t have nerves is probably the day I retire, because having nerves just means you care.”
Roberts said of Skubal: “I think we’ll see a different guy Sunday. ... I liked the way he came back to the bench and looked over his outing. I’m sure all he cares about is winning the game, which we did. We’re going to have plenty of time to lean on him, and he’s going to be great.”
D.J. Short
