Worldwide Sports News
Bruno Fernandes and Youri Tielemans will be key to Michael Carrick’s chances of success over a full season and of healing the rift between club and fans
Guardian writers’ predicted position: 5th (NB: this is not necessarily Jamie Jackson’s prediction but the average of our writers’ tips)
Last season’s position: 3rd
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Just last week, former Illinois defensive back Devon Witherspoon inked a four-year, $132 million extension, making him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history.
Witherspoon has come a long way from representing the Orange and Blue at Memorial Stadium, and is obviously cashing in the big bucks at the next level.
But he’s not the only former Illini who has gotten paid in the pros.
With that being said, let’s switch lanes to the hardwood.
One of the best big men in recent memory for Illinois, Meyers Leonard went on to build a pretty solid NBA career and make some good money.
After getting drafted 11th overall in the 2012 NBA Draft, Leonard spent 11 seasons in the league with the Portland Trailblazers, Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks.
His career earnings from NBA contracts came in at just over $60 million, the bulk of which came from a four-year, $41 million deal he signed after his rookie contract was up with the Blazers.
The man who gets a lot of the credit for helping turn Illinois basketball around comes in at No. 2 on this list, the one and only Ayo Dosunmu.
During his time as an Illini, Dosunmu averaged 16.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game and was a First-Team All-American.
Yet, he slipped to the second round of the NBA Draft and landed with the Chicago Bulls, where he spent the first four and a half seasons of his career before getting dealt to the Minnesota Timberwolves at last year’s trade deadline.
Just this past offseason, Dosunmu signed a monster deal to stay in Minnesota, good for five years and a fully guaranteed $112 million. By the end of that deal in 2031, he’ll have made over $135 million in the NBA and still be just 31 years old.
One of the faces of the Illini’s national runner-up team in 2005 — and one of the best players in program history — Deron Williams comes in with the most career earnings of all former Illinois hoopers.
After a historic college career, Williams was selected 3rd overall in the 2005 NBA Draft by the Utah Jazz. During his 14-year career, he also played for the New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets, Dallas Mavericks and Cleveland Cavaliers.
D-Will was a three-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA guard, received MVP votes in several seasons and was consistently one of the premier bucket-getters in the NBA.
He made just under $160 million in his professional career, a worthy reflection of what an impressive player he was.
SYRACUSE 5, WORCESTER 1 (BOX)
Syracuse won their opening game against the Woosox, powered by good hitting and good pitching. On the hitting side, Ronny Mauricio was perfect at the plate and drove in three, and on the pitching side, Xzavion Curry and Tobias Myers combined to allow a single run on two combined hits.
· 2B Émilien Pitre: 2-4, R, 2B
· CF Nick Morabito: 0-4, R, 2 K
· SS Ronny Mauricio: 3-3, 2 R, 2B, HR (15), 3 RBI, BB, SB (11)
· 1B Billy Amick: 1-4, 2B, RBI, 3 K
· DH Eric Wagaman: 0-3, BB, K
· LF MJ Melendez: 0-4, 2 K
· 3B Nick Lorusso: 0-3, K, E (1)
· C Shawn Ross: 0-2, K
· RF Jose Ramos: 1-3, R, K
· RHP Xzavion Curry: 5.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, W (3-0)
· RHP Tobias Myers: 3.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, H (1)
· RHP Ben Simon: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
ROSTER ALERT: SS Émilien Pitre assigned to Syracuse Mets from Binghamton Rumble Ponies.
ROSTER ALERT:3B Billy Amick assigned to Syracuse Mets from Binghamton Rumble Ponies.
ROSTER ALERT: New York Mets optioned RHP Chayce McDermott to Syracuse Mets.
BINGHAMTON 4, ALTOONA 3 (BOX)
Jefferson Rojas put the Rumble Ponies on the board in the bottom of the first with a two-run homer, but Gary Gill Hill gave both of those runs back in the top of the second. The right-hander settled down after that, not allowing another run and tossing six innings in total. In the seventh, the newly reactivated Felipe De La Cruz allowed a run and it looked like that was going to be that, but in the bottom of the ninth, Binghamton rallied. Rojas was in the middle of things once again, driving in a run on a double and then Chris Suero ended things with a game winning sac fly.
· 2B Mitch Voit: 1-4, R, K, HPB
· SS Marco Vargas: 3-5, 2 R, K
· 3B Jefferson Rojas: 3-5, R, 2B, HR (2), 3 RBI, K
· 1B Jacob Reimer: 0-4, BB
· CF Chris Suero: 1-3, RBI, BB
· RF John Bay: 0-4
· DH Corey Collins: 0-2, 2 BB, K
· LF D’Andre Smith: 0-4, 2 K
· C Kevin Parada: 2-4, 2 K
· RHP Gary Gill Hill: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 8 K, E (1)
· LHP Felipe De La Cruz: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
· RHP Carlos Guzman: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
· RHP Bryce Jenkins: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, W (2-0)
ROSTER ALERT: Binghamton Rumble Ponies activated C Vincent Perozo from the Development List.
ROSTER ALERT: Binghamton Rumble Ponies activated LHP Felipe De La Cruz from the 7-day injured list.
ROSTER ALERT: Binghamton Rumble Ponies placed OF Yohairo Cuevas on the 7-day injured list.
BROOKLYN 9, ASHVILLE 1 (BOX)
The top of the Brooklyn order struggled, with Sammy Stafura going 0-6 and Elian Pena going 0-4, but the bottom half of the line-up had their back, going a collective 8-22 with 7 runs driven in. The Cyclones offense really broke this one open in the later innings, scoring four runs in the seventh, two in the eighth, and one more for good measure in the ninth.
· SS Sammy Stafura: 0-6, 3 K
· 2B Elian Peña: 0-4, 2 BB, 3 K
· CF Aidan Smith: 2-3, 3 R, 3 BB, 4 SB (19, 20, 21, 22)
· 1B Ronald Hernandez: 0-3, 2 R, 3 BB, K, SB (22), E (17)
· DH Trey Snyder: 2-4, 2B, 2 RBI, BB, 2 K
· RF Yonatan Henriquez: 1-4, R, RBI, BB, K
· LF John Spikerman: 2-5, 2 R, 2 HR (1, 2), 4 RBI
· C Daiverson Gutierrez: 1-4, R, HR (8), RBI, BB, 2 K
· 3B Antonio Jimenez: 2-5, 2B, K, SB, E (5)
· RHP Nicolas Carreno: 5.2 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K, WP, BLK, W (3-1)
· RHP Rafi Vazquez: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, H (3)
· LHP Gregori Louis: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, WP
· RHP Hunter Hodges: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
ROSTER ALERT: SS Elian Peña assigned to Brooklyn Cyclones from St. Lucie Mets.
ROSTER ALERT: RHP Luke Gabrysh assigned to Binghamton Rumble Ponies from Brooklyn Cyclones.
ROSTER ALERT: SS Jamari Baylor assigned to Binghamton Rumble Ponies from Brooklyn Cyclones.
ROSTER ALERT: OF John Smith III assigned to Brooklyn Cyclones from St. Lucie Mets.
LAKELAND 10, ST. LUCIE 1 (BOX)
Toeing the rubber for the first time since Spring Training, when he was placed on the 60-Day Injured List due to a fractured rib, Justin Hagenman threw 2.1 innings and allowed a run on three hits and a walk, striking out three. The right-hander threw 43 pitches, 25 for strikes, and got 9 swings and misses. Things quickly went downhill for St. Lucie as the bullpen was extremely leaky, with Owen Woodward, Jose Lopez, and Tyler McLoughlin combining to allow nine runs.
· 3B Vladi Gomez: 0-4, BB, K, E (6)
· CF Aiden Robbins: 0-2, R, 2 BB, K
· RF Eli Serrano III: 0-3, BB
· C Ryan Tayman: 1-2, RBI, BB, E (2)
· 1B Julio Zayas: 0-3, BB, 2 K
· SS Jeremy Rodriguez: 2-3, BB, E (6)
· LF Jack Toomey: 1-3, BB, K
· DH Reed Stallman: 1-4, 2B, 2 K
· 2B Jake Ogden: 0-4
· REHAB ALERT RHP Justin Hagenman: 2.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, WP, L (0-1)
· REHAB ALERT RHP Owen Woodward: 1.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
· RHP Jose Lopez: 2.1 IP, 3 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 4 BB, 1 K, WP
· RHP Tyler McLoughlin: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
· RHP Caden Wooster: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
ROSTER ALERT: OF Jack Toomey assigned to St. Lucie Mets from FCL Mets.
ROSTER ALERT: SS Jake Ogden assigned to St. Lucie Mets from FCL Mets.
ROSTER ALERT: St. Lucie Mets activated SS Jeremy Rodriguez from the Development List.
ROSTER ALERT: RHP Zack Mack assigned to St. Lucie Mets from Syracuse Mets.
ROSTER ALERT: New York Mets sent RHP Justin Hagenman on a rehab assignment to St. Lucie Mets.
NO GAME (SEASON OVER)
ROSTER ALERT: 1B Carter Dierdorf assigned to FCL Mets from Brooklyn Cyclones.
ROSTER ALERT: SS Kooper Schulte assigned to FCL Mets from St. Lucie Mets.
Ronny Mauricio
Jose Lopez
The Detroit Tigers were unable to seal the deal on Tuesday night, falling to the Pittsburgh Pirates, 4-1, to even the weekday series at PNC Park. Brett Callahan hit his first major league home run, but that was all the offense the good guy got while Keider Montero was extremely mid on the mound for the Olde English D.
Toeing the rubber in the series finale for the Motor City Kitties is right-hander Jackson Jobe, who will be making his third start of the season after returning from Tommy John surgery. The 24-year-old looked good in his debut but got roughed up by the Chicago White Sox the last time out, coughing up six runs on nine hits (two homers) and a walk while striking out four over 3 2/3 innings to take the loss in a 9-5 defeat at Comerica Park.
Up against Jobe for the Bucs is fellow righty Paul Skenes, who has been great this season but a tick below the astronomic he set for himself during his first two years in the league. In the 24-year-old’s last four outings since his last quality start, Skenes has posted a bloated 6.52 ERA along with a very mediocre 4.22 FIP over 19 1/3 innings, allowing 20 hits (three homers) and 11 walks while striking out 18, hitting a batter and throwing a wild pitch, resulting in three personal losses and four for his team.
Here is a look at how the two 24-year-olds match up on paper for the rubber match of the three-game series on Wednesday afternoon.
Time (ET): 12:35 p.m.
Place: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
SB Nation Site:Bucs Dugout
Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Game 127: RHP Jackson Jobe (1-1, 6.23 ERA) vs. RHP Paul Skenes (9-11, 3.88 ERA)
| Player | G | IP | K% | BB% | GB% | FIP | fWAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobe | 2 | 8.2 | 20.5 | 5.1 | 44.4 | 5.62 | -0.1 |
| Skenes | 25 | 134.2 | 30.0 | 6.7 | 40.0 | 2.99 | 3.7 |
JOBE
SKENES
Good morning Birdland,
Those two days where the Orioles held a playoff spot were pretty cool, huh? We will remember them fondly.
The team has dropped back to one game out of the final wild card spot after their 3-1 loss to the Yankees on Tuesday night. The Rangers, Twins, Blue Jays, and Guardians all won, so it was not a good night for the O’s and their playoff hopes.
The loss falls at the feet of the offense. Coby Mayo’s solo homer in the third inning was all they could muster. Throughout the rest of the game they had just three hits and went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position. Tough to win games with only one run.
Side note: Mayo now has a 101 wRC+ on the season. Not just against lefties, or since June 1 or whatever, no crazy splits. None of that. The guy has now been a (slightly) above average hitter on the season. That’s pretty cool. Maybe the Orioles have something on their hands after all.
Shane Baz was quite good yet again. The guy just cannot get any run support. He struck out a season high 10 over his 6.1 innings, and the three runs he allowed was slightly elevated because Josh Walker came on and allowed both inherited runners to score. It doesn’t feel like the Orioles have any pitcher in their bullpen right now that you can trust all that much. They are all prone to implosions.
The O’s will give it another try on Wednesday night with Chris Bassitt (4-4, 5.11 ERA) on the mound to face Will Warren (8-6, 4.42 ERA). It’s another 6:35 first pitch.
Links
Orioles updates on Basallo, Alexander, Bautista and more | Roch Kubatko
There was some positive news yesterday. We know that Samuel Basallo is getting close to a return. He has played a couple of rehab games, and Craig Albernaz said he could be back later this week. Then the team relayed that Blaze Alexander and Félix Bautista (!!!) are expected to begin rehab assignments within a week. The Alexander news is expected, but Bautista!?! The team has been optimistic there, and it’s likely that they will take things slow. But boy would it be a boost to get his arm in the bullpen sometime in September for the final couple of weeks.
Former Oriole Trey Mancini retiring after making comeback in 2026 | Roch Kubatko
What a career and what a story for Trey Mancini. He came back from cancer to play baseball at a high level and win a World Series, then he came back a second time when it seemed like the league had totally moved on. The 34-year-old achieved his goal of getting back to the majors this season and should be darn proud of himself for doing so. I’m sure even bigger things await him beyond his playing career.
Jon Meoli: The Orioles are finally hitting, and that means they’re still worth our attention | The Baltimore Banner
The Orioles followed the posting of this article with a putrid one-run showing on Tuesday, but the larger point is true. The team is finally getting contributions from some of their biggest bats. If they really are going to make a playoff push, it needs to continue.
Orioles’ Jackson Holliday found his groove. Now he’s hitting lefties too. | The Baltimore Sun
It has taken more time than many of us wanted, but some of the Orioles younger hitters are finally finding success in the big leagues. The timing is helpful, and it may bode well for 2027 and beyond.
Orioles birthdays
Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!
This day in O’s history
1980 – Steve Stone becomes MLB’s first pitcher to get to 20 wins this season as the O’s beat the Angels 5-2.
2001 – The Orioles storm back from a 6-1 deficit to beat the Red Sox 13-7. Jeff Conine has five hits, three different Orioles have three RBI each, and the team steals five bases off of Hideo Nomo.
2016 – The Orioles set a modern record by hitting four home runs before making their first out in their first turn at-bat. Adam Jones, Manny Machado, Chris Davis, and Mark Trumbo all go deep in the first inning to take a 5-1 lead, but it wouldn’t be enough. The Astros score five of their own runs in the second inning and go on to win 15-8.
I think I have it figured out.
Don’t let this umpiring crew call anything down the right field line. There seems to be some kind of allergy to getting the call right the first time, even if it’s on the easier side.
On to the links.
Phillies news:
MLB news:
Free of charge for the discerning reader.
Happy birthday to Rocky Cherry, and a mighty host of others.
Today in baseball history, in 1951 – Wearing uniform number 1/8, forty-three-inch-tall Eddie Gaedel walks on four pitches from Bob Cain in his only major league appearance. Bill Veeck‘s idea of playing the midget was legal at the time but is later outlawed, and other stories as well.
Today in baseball history:
Today in Cubs history:
Cubs Birthdays:Rocky Cherry*, Matt Franco, Gary Gaetti, Tim Blackwell, Tex Carleton, Ike McAuley.
Today in history:
Today in music history:
*pictured.
Victor Wembanyama is all about basketball…during the season. From the tip off of preseason until the fateful end of the NBA Finals, Wemby is locked in and focused on the Spurs winning as many games as possible. When he is not in the heat of competition, he seeks out ways to better himself. During off seasons, he works out with a variety of NBA legends as he broadens his understanding of the game and adds to already incredible talent.
He also shifts away from basketball in the summer in hopes of bettering himself as a human being. He has previously traveled, read, visited museums, and spent time learning new skills including a stint with Shaolin monks in China.
This summer, Victor has been working out with the French Rugby Team. He attended a fashion show. He’s hosted another Hoops Gambit, helped unveil an updated basketball court, and spent time in Paris with his fellow Spurs teammates visiting the Louvre. Wemby admits that he seeks out these respite activities as he continues to find balance both on and off the court.
“I tried to disconnect as much as I could this summer. It will help me – just like all my past experiences – learning from various people. Having my Spurs teammates come to Paris was great for long-term team chemistry. I can’t give a specific example, but everything I learn in life serves me well.”
Wembanyama is now poised to play two exhibition matches against Serbia with his French national team. The games are on August 20th and 23rd, before the official 2027 FIBA World Cup European Qualifiers begin.
Welcome to The Thread. Join in the conversation, start your own discussion, and share your thoughts. This is the Spurs community, your Spurs community. Thanks for being here.
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The Athletic has published its NHL pipeline rankings, and journalist Corey Pronman ranks the Montreal Canadiens’ pipeline third, behind the league-leading San Jose Sharks and the Anaheim Ducks. For these rankings, Pronman focused on players 22 or younger as of September 15, 2026.
In his analysis of the Canadiens’ pipeline, he takes a closer look at 19 of the Canadiens’ prospects, including four netminders. The article includes a few surprising takes, but none more than his assessment of Jacob Fowler. Pronman wraps up his write-up on the Florida native with this statement: He projects as a quality backup goalie.
Canadiens Invite Alexey Vlasov To Rookie Camp
What To Expect From Canadiens’ Evans This Season
NHL.com’s Inside Look At The Canadiens Focuses On The Players’ Commitment To Common Goal
Granted, right now, the 21-year-old is not first on the Canadiens’ depth chart in goal, even though he has long been seen as the Habs’ goaltender of the future. While that may still be true, Jakub Dobes’ playoff performance has reminded everyone that there is a present before that future and that he’s very much in it.
He had such a solid rookie season that the team signed him to a three-year contract extension, which is a testament to the trust the organization has in him. The deal carries a $5,357,575 cap hit and a modified no-trade clause for the last two seasons, in which he can give a list of seven teams he cannot be traded to. Clearly, he has impressed with his performance, but Kent Hughes didn’t sign him to a long-term contract, and that’s in part because the Canadiens also have Fowler.
The 6-foot-1 and 223-pound goaltender was drafted in the third round by the Canadiens with the 69th overall pick at the 2023 draft. Since Montreal selected him, Fowler has impressed at every level. In his first year in the NCAA, he posted a 2.14 goals-against average, a .926 save percentage, and a 32-6-1 record, including seven shutouts. In his second year at Boston College, he went 25-7-2 with a 1.63 GAA, a .940 SV, and seven shutouts. Last season, with the Laval Rocket, he went 19-7-1 with a 2.23 GAA, a .916 SV, and three shutouts. Because of Samuel Montembeault’s struggle, he was given an extended look at the NHL level and went 9-6-2, with a 2.43 GAA, a .908 SV and one shutout.
While Pronman has a point when he says that Fowler is average-sized at best and that he doesn’t have true premier athleticism for the NHL, he may not need it. What Fowler lacks in size and athleticism, he makes up for with strong positioning and nerves of steel. He was more of a " thrown to the lions this past season when the Canadiens found themselves with two goalies who were struggling, and he rose to the challenge beautifully. Despite less-than-ideal circumstances, Fowler looked in full control and not at all out of his depth between the pipes of an NHL net.
Goaltending is a very volatile position, and it’s certainly not easy to predict how a prospect will turn out, but from what Fowler has shown so far, he looks like a future starting goaltender to me. In fact, right now, the Canadiens are in a position of strength in net with two very good young goaltenders in Fowler and Dobes, and I dare say that if Kent Hughes were to dangle Fowler as part of a package to acquire that elusive top-six forward, he could drum up a lot of business. Time will tell how fair Pronman’s assessment was, but right now, I struggle to see how he could turn into anything other than a number one goaltender.
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The Guardians hosted the Giants last night.
The Giants have had a terrible season, and they played like it last night. Their defense screwed up countless times, including an outfielder who Raburned a throw.
But the Guardians would have beaten most opponents last night—because Jo Adell had a career night.
The bad news is that Adell is now in quite a lot of pain. Can the 2026 Guardians Have Nice Things? Stay tuned!
Chase DeLauter is day-to-day.
Around baseball
• Cal Quantrill pitched 7 shutout vs the Nats. Happy for Cal!
• Padres minor-league catching coordinator detained by ICE in Texas
• Francisco Lindor hit a grand slam…… until he didn’t.
• Sounds like someone is a bit skeptical of “let’s have a bunch of slap hitters watch tape of Jose Ramirez and then they will all hit like Jose Ramirez”
• The Brewers beat the collapsing Mariners 22-0.
The Pittsburgh Pirates currently sit 6.5 games back from the third Wild Card spot in the postseason, and are running out of time to steer the ship towards the playoffs. There’s still some time to get back on track, but there are three factors that will leave the Pirates on the outside looking in.
At the beginning of the season, the strength of the Pirates was supposed to be the starting pitching rotation. However, at this point in the season the rotation has lost its reputation and has turned into a largely average unit. Paul Skenes this late in the year is just not dependable. He has not looked like himself all year, but it has become especially clear as of late that he is not performing at his best. Mitch Keller has been shut down for the rest of the season with an injury, so Carmen Mlodzinski has stepped back into his role as a starter. Even though Mlodzinski was solid to start the year, he clearly looks over it with the Pirates and has not been at his best since returning to the starting ranks.
Also — and this isn’t particularly Jared Jones’ fault — but the Pirates are still letting him play with the training wheels on. He has the potential to be the best pitcher on the team, but management is still keeping his outings incredibly limited. Pitching in the playoffs will not matter if the Pirates cannot first get to the playoffs.
The bullpen looks revamped, but it’s still a position group with a lot of question marks. In some of these close series down the stretch, they are not dependable enough from what we’ve seen to this point to put a lot of faith in. I do think the group has looked better, but I wouldn’t be willing to wager anything just yet given their track record.
The Pirates’ lineup that was completely transformed for the 2026 season, completely fell apart following the All-Star break. It’s almost like the week off was the worst possible thing for the red hot Buccos. The offense has been shutout five times since returning to action, and have scored two runs or less in seven contests in the second half of the season.
This is a lineup that had a lot of potential, but after taking their extended layoff it might be too late for them to crawl back into playoff contention if the offense continues to lack consistency. Esmerlyn Valdez has gone cold after his hot stretch. Ryan O’Hearn is back on the IL. Bryan Reynolds looks unrecognizable in his last 30 games. For some reason, Jared Triolo is still regularly in the lineup and Henry Davis is still a liability at the plate.
Out of all the things that can get the Pirates back into playoff contention, it could be this lineup. Luckily, Oneil Cruz is back and looking like a threat again, and Konnor Griffin will also be returning. Hopefully those pieces back can help the lineup find some consistency, but the team lacks a true offensive superstar at the moment. There is potential for players to grow into those roles, but that likely won’t happen between now and the end of the regular season.
Part of the Pirates’ problems all season long is that they have grossly underperformed against teams that they should beat easily. That has remained true in the second half of the year. They should have easily won their recent series against the Mets, Marlins and Reds. They should win the series against Detroit, but time will tell if they can seal that series victory.
Moving forward there are no series that the Pirates can take lightly. Following Detroit they have back to back series against playoff teams in the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres. They then travel to St. Louis who they’ve struggled mightily against all year. They also have series against the Brewers and Cubs still left on the schedule as well. It’s not impossible for the Pirates to make it to the postseason if they can string together some wins, but their strength of schedule will allow very little to any breathing room. This team is going to have to play tighter than they have all year if they want to keep their dreams of Buctober alive.
Paul Skenes pitches Wednesday night at PNC Park on seven days' rest and the industry will be watching to see how he responds. He was supposed to start Sunday, but after scuffling for the last three months, Pittsburgh Pirates manager Don Kelly said they wanted to give him extra rest. The Pirates and Skenes swear there is no injury or anything wrong with him, other than the normal wear and tear on a pitcher in August.
Five months after the World Baseball Classic, Team USA's hitters are fine for the most part, but the pitchers seem to be showing the effects of ramping up early.
Since April, every star on the injured list or in a slump who played in March has been Exhibit A that the WBC broke him. Team USA's roster is the easiest way to test that. Thirty guys who went through the same spring and there is very little evidence that the suggestions hold up.
But it doesn't exactly fall apart either. There's a toll on many.
Through May 12, Skenes looked like the defending Cy Young Award winner ready to contend for another. He had a 1.98 ERA through his first nine starts. Since then, it's 5.00. His four-seamer, which sat at 98.2 miles an hour, has dropped to an average of 96.8. Again, the Pirates and Skenes said he is not hurt.
But five other Team USA pitchers have been on the injured list with arm or shoulder issues.
Gabe Spier had a shoulder issue in April. Griffin Jax is on the injured list now with an elbow injury. Garrett Whitlock has twice had an elbow injury that put him on the IL. Brad Keller needed internal brace and flexor tendon repair in July and is done for the year. So is Will Vest, who had surgery on a stress fracture in his elbow.
Four other pitchers from Team USA have gone on the IL this season with injuries to a calf, a biceps, a knee and a broken leg.
In all, 15 of the 29 Team USA players have been on the injured list, including six of the 14 position players.
Even Tarik Skubal, who capped himself at one start and 55 pitches before heading back to Tigers camp, missed time to have a loose body removed from his elbow.
He's been fine since.
On the position player side, Pete Crow-Armstrong is the strong counterbalance.
He has a 30-30 season going, picking up his 30th homer Monday night as a walk-off against the White Sox. He's hitting .281 after a .247 mark last year. Kyle Schwarber leads the majors with 37 home runs. Byron Buxton, who did have a stint on the IL, has a 138 OPS+ at 32. All of them were in Miami in March, too.
Cal Raleigh is the glaring exception everybody has pointed to and his issues are real. He hit 60 homers in 2025 and finished second in the MVP voting. He's hitting .158 now with a .564 OPS, last among 165 hitters with at least 350 plate appearances. Six weeks on the IL with an oblique injury certainly did not help. Last week in the Bronx, he said his timing is just off.
Aaron Judge has missed almost three months with a fractured rib, but he can clearly dismiss any connection to the WBC. He did that diving for a catch in an April game.
Roughly 600 players went, and some of them are having bad years the way some player always do. So the sleuths looking for answers to Skenes' struggles don't have much evidence to go on. Sure, the early ramp up could have led to an early onset of fatigue, but three months is a long time to be tired.
There is no strong argument that the WBC is to blame, so Skenes and the Pirates have to keep searching.
Skenes gets the ball Wednesday night against Detroit. It's his 24th start of a season that started early in March for him. Maybe this time, the extra rest will be the answer to his struggles.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Paul Skenes' season started early. Is it starting to show?
If the early expert predictions are accurate, the 2027 NBA Draft doesn't have an obvious No. 1 pick like Cooper Flagg in 2025 or a rare collection of players who project as future All-Stars near the top of the class like the 2026 draft. There is, however, an emerging consensus forming that Kansas freshman Tyran Stokes is the player most likely to open the season atop draft boards.
Stokes will be a featured attraction for NBA scouts this season, but he's not an overwhelming favorite to go No. 1. Not yet, at least. And there appears to be even less clarity after that, with uncertainty created by lucrative NIL opportunities that have caused the basketball ecosystem to reconsider how it arrives at draft decisions.
To sort through the chaotic early days of 2027 mock drafts, USA TODAY Sports tasked Microsoft Copilot's AI chatbot with generating a ranking of the top 30 eligible prospects for the first round of this year's draft. The chatbot was prompted to base its selections on current mock drafts from reputable websites, as well as the latest intel related to prospect analysis.
Here's a breakdown of Microsoft Copilot AI's 2027 NBA mock draft rankings, including an explanation of the chatbot's reasoning for why it ranked each player where it did:
You can compare AI's picks to the latest USA TODAY 2027 NBA mock draft by clicking here.
Note: AI models still have issues with accuracy as seen in the mock draft below. Of particular note, Microsoft Copilot needed additional prompts after several players who were previously selected in the NBA Draft were inaccurately assigned rankings for the 2027 draft class.
This 6-foot-8 downhill playmaker is the early consensus pick to be the top choice in 2027 ahead of what's expected to be a one-and-done campaign at Kansas. Microsoft Copilot cites his "elite physical tools, transition playmaking, defensive upside and improving shot creation." Stokes can cement his status atop draft boards by showing an improved outside shot and decision-making with the Jayhawks this season.
Considered "the most explosive guard in the class," according to AI, Smith could vault even higher if he's able to become more of a threat as an outside shooter. Whether the Washington D.C. native can consistently play point guard at the next level also lingers his freshman campaign, but Razorbacks coach John Calipari has a proven track record molding perimeter players into top NBA draft picks. Smith's defense and downhill pressure will have an immediate impact.
This athletic two-way wing is a rising prospect because he has added more shot-making and shot creation to his arsenal over the past year. Already armed with a sturdy 6-foot-5 frame and a long wingspan, his consistency and defensive tools will make him attractive in a draft class expects have deemed devoid of a surefire superstar prospect.
This 6-foot-7 ballhandler has drawn comparisons in style to fellow countryman Luka Doncic and he's the top international prospect after winning MVP honors at the 2025 Basketball Without Borders Europe camp last August. Joksimovic will play for Saski Baskonia in Spain this season.
Branch was the No. 1 player in the 2027 recruiting class before reclassifying last year in order to be eligible for the 2027 NBA Draft. He will attempt to succeed in the slot vacated by 2026 No. 1 pick A.J. Dybantsa at BYU, though Branch is billed as more of a shooter than slasher. "Scouts love the shooting touch and offensive upside," according to Microsoft Copilot. "A huge season under Kevin Young could launch him into No. 1 pick discussions."
"The best returning player in college basketball," according to AI, Haugh turned down the chance to be a lottery pick in 2026 to return to the Gators this season. The versatile forward could step in immediately as a high-level role player in the NBA and he can boost his stock this year by continuing to improve as a 3-point shooter.
Allen was listed in some first-round mock drafts in 2026 before coming back to Alabama. "Dynamic scorer with NBA athleticism and significant upside if his playmaking continues to evolve," according to Microsoft Copilot.
Mullins returned for a sophomore season at UConn despite one-and-done hype and a first-round grade in 2026. Known as a dynamic outsider shooter coming out of high school, he shot just 33.5% from 3-point range last year. But the 6-foot-6 guard seems poised to fulfill his potential as the centerpiece of coach Dan Hurley's team after capping off last year with a buzzer beater to beat Duke and send UConn to the Final Four.
There's significant upside for the son of former NBA player Gilbert Arenas if he performs well at USC after his stock fell following serious injuries suffered in a car accident in April 2025. His scoring instincts, 7-foot wingspan and intriguing background will be enticing if his game returns to form.
The 6-foot-9 freshman is a "consensus five-star recruit whose physical profile and two-way potential fit perfectly with NBA wing archetypes," according to Microsoft Copilot.
The 7-foot-3 Italian center opted out of the 2026 NBA draft despite the potential to be a late first-round pick. Suigo has "surprising mobility and touch" and is considered "one of the highest-upside big men eligible for the draft," according to Microsoft Pilot. He played BC Mega Basket in the Adriatic League last season.
A rim-protecting center with soft touch around the basket, Krivas is another player who returned for a big NIL payday instead of being a potential late first-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. His physically imposing 7-foot-2 frame is NBA-ready.
Bidunga was a first-team all-Big 12 selection and the Big 12 defensive player of the year at Kansas last season before transferring to Louisville this offseason. "NBA teams will value" his defensive capabilities, according to Microsoft Copilot, and it gives him a higher floor as a 6-foot-9 interior prospect.
Ngongba is a "physical center with growing offensive skill set and strong defensive projection," according to Microsoft Copilot. If his mobility catches up to his polished footwork and passing instincts, Ngongba's size and versatility will be intriguing for teams to consider.
This 6-foot-7 slasher is hard to contain on both ends of the floors thanks to his superior athleticism and motor. An improved jump shot this season at Arkansas might lock Richmond in as a lottery pick because his versatility is tailor-made for the NBA.
Chinyelu is "one of the safer frontcourt projections" in 2027, according to Microsoft Copilot, because his defense, rebounding and 7-foot-8 wingspan should easily translate to the next level. If he can make strides as a shooter and decision-maker with the Gators this season, he could push to be a lottery pick.
Harris was a coveted player in the transfer portal after being named the ACC's Most Improved Player at Wake Forest last season. He trailed only NBA first-round picks Ebuka Okorie and Cameron Boozer among ACC players in scoring (21.4 points)
Yessoufou withdrew from the 2026 NBA Draft after a solid freshman year at Baylor and then transferred to play for Rick Pitino this season. Flashing more comfort as a ballhandler and outside shooter, to pair with the physical gifts and explosiveness he has already shown at the college level, could boost his stock further.
A skilled big man known for his mobility and touch near the basket, Moreno returned to Kentucky after testing the draft waters in 2026. Improved strength and a more versatile offensive skillset will be areas to watch for Moreno if he's to maximize his 2027 draft stock.
Able transferred from rival North Carolina State to the Tar Heels this offseason and he's an "athletic scoring wing who falls into the 'if the jumper pops' category," according to Microsoft Copilot.
This versatile 7-footer from Australia could blossom into a lottery pick with the chance to showcase his ballhandling and outside shooting during another year in college. He's already viewed as a potential first-round pick based on his mobility and rebounding prowess.
Tanner was one of the most accomplished players to return to college after becoming the only player in the nation to average more than 19 points, 5 assists and 2 steals per game as a freshman at Vanderbilt. He still must prove to NBA scouts his smaller stature (listed by Vanderbilt at 6-foot, 175 pounds) won't be a liability at the next level.
The former Iowa State star transferred to Kentucky this offseason after withdrawing from the 2026 NBA Draft, but his 3-point shooting ability at 6-foot-9 will ensure he's a commodity for NBA teams outside the lottery in 2027. His lack of mobility, particularly defensively, likely limits his ceiling as a prospect.
Perhaps the most intriguing prospect at Duke because of his combination of coordination and floor spacing at 6-foot-11. He's considered a raw prospect, despite being ranked No. 3 in the 2026 recruiting rankings, because of a developing feel for the game and a lack of overall strength.
Teammates have referred to Muurinen, a Finland native, as "Baby Dirk" because of his 6-foot-11 frame and offensive skillset on the perimeter. He played last season with Partizan KK of the Adriatic League and appeared on Finland's National Team at the 2025 FIBA EuroBasket Championship.
Rippey was considered the best point guard in the 2026 recruiting class with athleticism that should allow him to impact both sides of the court at Duke. An improving jump shot could elevate his stock as the college season progresses.
A breakout candidate after the Cyclones lost most of their top players from last season's Sweet 16 team, Batemon shot 37% from 3-point range as a freshman.
The 6-foot-8 forward can score at all three levels and transferred to UConn after averaging less than 20 minutes per game as a freshman at Duke last season. How he holds up as a defender and shot creator in space with a bigger role on the Huskies will determine whether he's a first-round pick in 2027
Once the No. 1 recruit in the 2027 recruiting class, Oladotun reclassified a year ago and then committed to stay near home at Maryland to begin his college career. His 6-foot-10 frame and multi-faceted offensive skillset make him the kind of high-upside wing prospect NBA teams covet, though he'll need to mature more physically before he can fulfill that potential.
This 6-foot-3 point guard can score at a high level while also showing potential as a distributor. Playing alongside Stokes in the Jayhawks' backcourt will force Kinney to improve with the ball in his hands less than his prep career. He led USA Basketball's U18 team in assists when it secured a silver medal at the FIBA U18 AmeriCup this summer.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2027 NBA mock draft: AI ranks the top 30 prospects
The Hens got another brilliant outing from Andrew Sears and added to a big lead all the way through this one.
Things did not start off so well. Brant Hurter was sitting 89-90 mph and couldn’t get out of the first inning, as he gave up a run and needed Nick Sandlin to clean up the inning.
Lefty Andrew Sears took over in the second and no-hit the Cubs for five innings, striking out seven against two walks. That’s a bit fitting, as Sears looks ready for a call-up to something like Hurter’s role with the Tigers. Sears got a whopping 16 whiffs in this one, 10 off his mid-90’s sinker, and racked up some whiffs with his high-80’s changeup as well. Sears typically has a good sinker-slider combo, so seeing growth from the changeup is excellent news. He might make a candidate for the rotation in 2027 as well and if the Tigers lose anyone else, Sears is probably the first number you’re going to call.
As Sears silenced the Cubs, the Hens offense started clicking. Chris Meyers was promoted out of his rehab assignment up to Toledo for this one, and he doubled in his first at-bat. Andrew Navigato singled him to third and then stole second base. Bennett Lee stepped to the dish after Cal Stevenson struck out, and crushed a three-run shot for his first Triple-A homer.
In the bottom of the third, Max Anderson singled and Josue Briceño walked. Meyers singled in Anderson, and Navigato doubled in Briceño for a 5-1 lead.
Right-hander Hayden Minton, who we had ranked 33rd in the system prior to the season, has started to find the mid-90’s velocity we were hoping for on his low arm slot, running sinker, to pair with his solid curveball and cutter. The Tigers promoted him to Triple-A on Tuesday, moving him to a relief role, at least for now, and this is the way. They’ll need a lot more of this to start building good homegrown bullpens rather than paying through the nose for veteran relievers. Minton doesn’t really profile as the guy, but now that he can focus on short outings, we’ll see if they can squeeze a bit more out of the stuff.
Things were quiet through the middle innings until Max Burt led off the bottom of the seventh with a solo shot. Tyler Mattison surrendered a run in the top of the eighth, but in the bottom half the Hens poured it on.
Justice Bigbie led off with a walk and moved to second on a groundout from Meyers. Navigato singled and Stevenson walked to load the bases. Lee was plunked to force in a run, and Jace Jung followed with a two-run double to make it 9-2.
Beau Brieske struck out two in the top of the ninth sitting 95-97 with his heater.
Navigato: 3-4, 2 R, RBI, 2B, SB
Meyers: 2-4, R, RBI, 2B
Briceno: 0-3, R, BB
Sears (W, 1-0): 5.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 BB, 7 K
Coming Up Next: First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m. ET on Wednesday.
Zyhir Hope had a huge game, but after tying this one up in the ninth and again in the bottom of the tenth, the SeaWolves couldn’t get it done in the 11th.
Hope doubled in the bottom of the first but was stranded.
Joe Miller got into some trouble in the top of the second, and a passed ball charged to Thayron Liranzo scored the game’s first run. The SeaWolves threatened in the second but failed to score. Finally in the bottom of the third, Woody Hadeen walked and rode home on a blast to right field from Hope. 2-1 SeaWolves.
Unfortunately, Miller crumbled in the top of the fourth, allowing three runs. So it was 4-2 Fisher Cats until the bottom of the eighth. Hope led off with a single and took third on a Liranzo single. He then scored on a wild pitch to make it 4-3. Andrew Jenkins walked, but Izaac Pacheco struck out.
Tanner Kohlhepp took over in the top of the ninth and kept the Fisher Cats off the board despite a pair of singles. In the bottom half, Seth Stephenson was hit by a pitch and stole second as Hadeen struck out. Peyton Graham was snakebit in this one, and for the second time hammered a ball right to an outfielder in this one. Hope sprang eternal as he singled in Stephenson to tie the game and send it to extras.
Kohlhepp allowed the runner on second to score in the top of the 10th, but no more. In the bottom half, Jenkins singled in Liranzo from second to tie things up, and then stole second base. With three chances for a game winning knock, the SeaWolves went in order, and that was kind of the ballgame.
Yosber Sanchez gave up a run in the top of the 11th, and Stephenson, Hadeen and Graham all made outs to end it.
Hope: 4-5, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2B, HR, K
Jenkins: 1-4, RBI, BB, SB
Exposito: 2-5, 2B, K
Miller: 4.2 IP, 4 R, 3 ER, 9 H, 0 BB, 5 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 6:05 p.m ET start on Wednesday. The SeaWolves still hold a 4.5 game lead in the Southwest division with a 31-15 second half record.
A two-run shot late in Rayner Castillo’s outing spoiled it, but it mattered little as the Whitecaps got one-hit in this one.
The Whitecaps had trouble with starter Jostin Florentino, and their only hit came with one out in the first, and it was another monster shot to straightaway center field off the bat of Bryce Rainer. The talented shortstop has now homered in four straight contests, tying a Whitecaps record, according to Dan Hasty.
Castillo allowed a solo home run in the bottom of the second, but otherwise he was cruising, racking up a whopping nine strikeouts on the outing, a personal best. Unfortunately, they stretched things a bit too far, and the 22-year-old right-hander gave up a leadoff walk in the sixth, struck out the next hitter, and then surrendered a two-run shot to Josiah Hartshorn which kind of spoiled Castillo’s night. Still, we’ve been looking for him to get that easy 94-95 t97 mph sinker back and improve his breaking stuff and things are coming around after a rough season for him.
Preston Howey gave up a pair of runs in the eighth to complete the scoring.
Rainer: 1-4, R, RBI, HR, 2 K
Ankeney: 0-2, 2 BB
Castillo (L, 2-9): 5.2 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 9 K
Coming Up Next: The Whitecaps second half lead in the East division is just one game over Great Lakes. They’ll get back at it with a 7:05 p.m. ET start on Wednesday.
The Flying Tigers athletic young squad played excellent defense and pounded out 14 hits in this one while drawing eight walks to crush St. Lucie.
Caleb Leys got the start, and while he still isn’t missing many bats, he was effective for 3.2 innings of one-run ball. By then the Flygers were working with a nice lead.
Jude Warwick led off the top of the second with a walk and took second on a wild pitch. Maddox Molony lined an RBI single to center for a 1-0 lead.
In the third, Angel De Los Santos dumped a pop-up in for a speed double with one out. Nick Dumesnil struck out, but Jesus Pinto singled in the run. In the fourth, Anibal Salas singled with one out, and Brady Ballinger doubled him to third. Ballinger and Molony did a nice job repping the 2026 draft class in this one. Jordan Yost grounded one to second and then cut down Salas at the plate, but Yost stole second and Ballinger scored as the throw was wide of second base.
So it was 3-0 at that point. Leys allowed a run in the top of the fourth, but in the bottom half the Flying Tigers kept pouring it on. Dumesnil led off with a single and Pinto challenged a strike call correctly and walked. Warwick grounded out but advanced both runners. Molony then fought off a pitch into right field for a two-run single. 5-1.
Dumesnil challenged a strike call correctly in the top of the seventh and led off with a walk. He promptly swiped second and scored on a Pinto single. Pinto took second on a wild pitch and Warwick and Molony walked to load the bases. Salas struck out, but Ballinger walked to force in a run and Yost lifted a sac fly to make it 8-1. Michael Oliveto singled in Molony, and De Los Santos lined a single to left to make it 10-1.
Leonardo Rossell and Bryce Alewine were both a little wild in relief but gave the Flygers two scoreless apiece.
De Los Santos: 3-6, R, RBI, 2B, K
PInto: 2-5, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB, SB
Molony: 2-4, R, 3 RBI, BB, SB
Ballinger: 2-4, 2 R, RBI, 2B, BB
Oliveto: 2-4, RBI, 2BB
Leys: 3.2 IP, ER, 3 H, 3 BB, 2 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 6:10 p.m. ET start on Wednesday.
It was a day that ended in “y”, so the Yankees played a close game last night. It’s all nail-biters all the way down, but as long as they can score just enough to make their stellar pitching stand up, it’s a good enough formula. The Yankees prevailed in their series opener with the Orioles last night 3-1, and they’ll send Will Warren to the mound tonight with a chance to cinch a series victory and put together a three-game winning streak.
On the site today, Peter will recap a busy Tuesday night of action in the Rivalry Roundup, and he’ll also analyze Ben Rice’s huge home run against the Blue Jays over the weekend. Later, John has the latest entry in the Yankees Birthday series, which features one Bobby Richardson, a hugely clutch Yankee.
New York Yankees at Baltimore Orioles
Time: 6:35 p.m. EST
TV: Amazon Prime Video, MASN, MLB Network
Venue: Camden Yards, Baltimore, MD
1. How confident are you that Carlos Rodón will be able to close out the season with the same level of production he showed early in the year?
2. Five division leaders (the Astros in the AL West are the exception) has a lead of at least four games right now. Which of those five teams is most likely to lose their grip in the division?