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Alex de Minaur marches into US Open last 16 as Daria Kasatkina bows out

  • Australian leads 6-7 (9) 6-3 6-4 2-0 when Daniel Altmaier retires

  • Women’s 15th seed knocked out in 6-0 4-6 6-3 loss to Naomi Osaka

Alex de Minaur has surged into the US Open second week for a fifth time with a business-like win over wounded German Daniel Altmaier.

Australia’s last player standing once more, De Minaur recovered from a set down to progress after Altmaier retired injured when the Demon was leading 6-7 (9-7) 6-3 6-4 2-0 on Saturday (Sunday AEST).

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Mets prospect Brandon Sproat pitches seven scoreless innings for Triple-A, Francisco Alvarez goes hitless in return to action

With the Mets having recently promoted two of their top pitching prospects this season, Brandon Sproat remains the last man standing and still pitching in the minor leagues. He was in action once again on Saturday, pitching for Triple-A Syracuse and made his latest case to be the next pitcher promoted to the majors.

Facing the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, the Yankees' Triple-A affiliate, the right-hander pitched seven scoreless innings and matched his season-high with nine strikeouts in a 2-0 win for the Mets. He allowed just three hits (all singles) and two walks and even added a pickoff at first base. 

It was just the second time Sproat went seven innings this season.

The 24-year-old's fantastic outing came on the heels of one of his worst starts in which he allowed seven runs (five earned) in 3.2 innings. In fact, after an incredible July (0.67 ERA), Sproat had struggled in August and entered the game with a 6.63 ERA for the month.

With his seven shutdown innings, the prospect's ERA dropped from 4.50 to 4.24.

Also in the game was Francisco Alvarez who returned to the lineup for the first time since breaking his pinky after a hit by pitch. Batting third and DHing, Alvarez finished 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.

He shouldn't feel too bad, though, as Syracuse managed just three hits and struck out 11 times. 

As for other notable prospects in the game, Luisangel Acuña went 1-for-4 with a double and a run scored in the leadoff spot while Ryan Clifford finished 1-for-4 with a run-scoring single.

Meanwhile, Jett Williams was scratched from the lineup right before game time with wrist soreness, per MLB.com's Anthony DiComo. The team doesn't believe it to be serious.

The top prospect was batting second and playing second base but was replaced by Yonny Hernandez (batting eighth) who got Syracuse on the board with a solo shot in the top of the third inning.

In 16 games since getting promoted to Triple-A, Williams is slashing .197/.254/.348 with five extra-base hits and just one stolen base. Overall, the 21-year-old is still enjoying a fantastic season with his .268/.390/.477 triple slash line.

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David Peterson's season-worst start puts Mets behind in 11-8 loss to Marlins

The Mets fell behind in their late-week series with the Miami Marlins Saturday when they suffered an 11-8 loss at Citi Field.

Takeaways

  1. LHPDavid Peterson's worst start of the season saw him allow a career-high eight runs -- all earned -- and uncharacteristically put the Mets (73-63) in a tough spot after a five-run first inning. The Marlins (64-72) tagged Peterson, whose ERA rose from 3.18 to 3.61, for eight hits with three RBI doubles chief among them. New York pulled Peterson after five batters, no outs and two more runs in the third inning, ending his Citi Field afternoon at 65 pitches (36 strikes).

    Peterson, whose eighth charged run came in the next at-bat when RHP Chris Devenski's 6-4-3 double play while facing Derek Hill scored Connor Norby from third base and piled on the Mets' 8-2 deficit, struck out one and walked three. While New York had subsequent chances and evened the score in the sixth inning, Peterson's poor outing was simply too much -- he has been nails for the Mets this season, but his second disappointing start of August is alarming.
  2. To the credit of Devenski, whom the Mets recalled from Triple-A Syracuse, he delivered when his number was called. Devenski's first MLB outing since July 29 saw him finish with three no-hit, scoreless innings, striking out three while walking one and throwing 24 strikes on 42 pitches. If not for Devenski's relief, this game would have been over by the middle of the third inning. Instead, Devenski (2.30 ERA) kept New York at bay while the offense came to life in a commendable appearance.
  3. Francisco Lindor,Mark Vientos andJuan Soto hit home runs to pace the offense for the Mets, who end August with a franchise-record 53 home runs -- the most for New York in a month. After Lindor's first-inning solo shot -- extending his single-season franchise record for leadoff home runs with nine such long balls in 2025 -- Vientos' three-run blast in the third inning was the Mets' historic 51st. Soto's two homers -- a fourth-inning solo shot and sixth-inning two-run blast -- pushed the mark to 53.

    Win or lose, the offense came alive in August with home runs fueling the breakout. The rest of the unit -- evidenced by a seventh inning where Jeff McNeil's leadoff triple went to waste with Brett Baty's 4-3 groundout, Starling Marte's strikeout swinging and Cedric Mullins' left-field lineout -- is clearly still a work in progress as New York seeks balance.
  4. Soto, whose 2-for-2 line included two walks, is slashing .254/.395/.508 with 35 home runs and 84 RBI in 134 games. He also stole two bases, bringing his season total to 25.

    According to Sarah Langs, via Elias Sports, Soto is MLB's first player ever with 35-plus home runs in three consecutive seasons for three different teams. Considering where the conversation about Soto was in April and May, the season has come a long way for the Mets' prized offseason signing.

Who's the MVP?

Connor Norby, whose 1-for-2 performance included two walks and three RBI. He answered Soto's game-tying homer by driving in the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly against RHP Tyler Rogers with one out and runners at the corners in the seventh inning. For good measure, while the Marlins led 9-8 in the ninth inning, Norby's two-run double to left-center field off RHP Edwin Diaz with one out pushed Miami's gap to 11-8.

Highlights

What's next

The Mets and Marlins end their four-game series with Sunday's 1:40 p.m. finale on SNY. RHPs Kodai Senga (7-5, 2.73 ERA) and Sandy Alcantara (7-11, 5.87 ERA) are set to start.

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Red Wings Prospect Spotlight: William Wallinder Poised To Take Next Step

The rebuilding of the prospect cupboard was one of the considerable tasks that Steve Yzerman undertook when he returned to the Detroit Red Wings to take over the general manager's role from Ken Holland in 2019. 

His best two draft selections thus far in defenseman Moritz Seider and forward Lucas Raymond have already made considerable impacts on the organization and, being viewed as foundational pieces, were re-signed to a combined 15 years last September.

This most recent season saw the emergence of additional Yzerman Draft selections like defenseman Simon Edvinsson and forward Marco Kasper, both of whom have become regulars in the Red Wings' lineup. 

https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings/players/red-wings-players-to-watch-in-2025-26-marco-kasper

Among the standout names among the prospects who continue their development in Detroit's system is defenseman William Wallinder, the 32nd overall pick by the Red Wings in 2020. 

Wallinder has spent the previous two seasons with the American Hockey League affiliate Grand Rapids Griffins, skating in 127 total games along with another 12 postseason games. 

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His ice time increased with the Griffins this past season to the numerous call ups by the Red Wings of William Lagesson, who often served as the club's eighth defenseman. 

In the mind of Griffins head coach Brian Lashoff, a former Griffins and Red Wings defenseman in his own right, Wallinder is progressing nicely. 

"He's steadily progressing into a guy that I think is definitely has potential to play," Lashoff said of Wallinder. "He, you know, took steps last year, playing more minutes, and we had (William) Lagesson with us at the start of the season, and then he went up to Detroit, so Wallinder took over a lot of that ice time. And I think he did well."

Lashoff touted Wallinder's skating and stickwork among his strengths that will eventually help him earn a full-time gig at the NHL level. 

"And, you know, obviously a great skater, you know, underrated. I think defensively, he has a good stick, and those types of things are going to be huge for him to take the next step to go to the NHL," he said. "So definitely a guy that I think is steadily, steadily progressing to the point where he's going to be knocking on the door." 

Wallinder, who was once named the Swedish Junior Hockey Player of the Year for the 2021-22 season while playing with Rögle BK, was called up to the Red Wings in December after an injury to Edvinsson, though he ultimately didn't see any playing time. 

In March 2023, Wallinder signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Red Wings. The 2025-26 season will mark the final season of that deal, after which he's eligible for restricted free agency. 

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FIBA bans Lithuanian fan after racist taunts toward Germany's Dennis Schroder

A Lithuanian fan has been banned from EuroBasket by the governing body FIBA after he directed racist verbal abuse toward Germany's captain Dennis Schroder.

Germany beat Lithuania on Saturday, but the talking point postgame was the racist actions toward Schroder, who said this in a postgame interview with German media outlet MagentaSport (hat tip Eurohoops.net).

"The Lithuanians, the fans, they always travel with the team, but unfortunately, at halftime, they made monkey noises."

Arena security used CCTV footage from the building to identify the man, and as a result, he has been banned from attending the rest of the tournament. German Basketball Federation President Ingo Weiss made this statement Saturday (hat tip The Athletic):

"This is completely unacceptable to us. There is no place for such behaviour anywhere, and certainly not in the colorful, diverse and open world of basketball. We stand fully behind Dennis, understand his distress and will intervene with the organizers to ensure that such incidents don't take place here again."

FIBA said this in its statement:

"FIBA unequivocally condemns hate speech, discriminatory conduct, and racist language in any form. Creating an inclusive, respectful, and safe environment for players, teams, and fans remains a fundamental priority of our sport."

With the win over Lithuania on Saturday, Germany improved to 3-0 in Group B and has ensured that it will advance to the 16-team knockout stage next round. The Germans are led by the Sacramento Kings' Schroder and the Orlando Magic's Franz Wagner.

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European football: Bayern hold on to win as Leverkusen waste two-goal lead

  • Bayern Munich beat Augsburg 3-2 after leading 3-0

  • Bayer Leverkusen held 3-3 at Werder Bremen

Bayern Munich almost imploded in their 3-2 Bundesliga victory at Augsburg , conceding two goals for the second consecutive match after going 3-0 up soon after the break.

Bayern’s back line looked vulnerable, just as it had in Wednesday’s German Cup first round win over third-tier Wehen Wiesbaden in which they conceded two goals and needed a stoppage-time winner to advance.

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Why ESPN experts predict 2025-26 Warriors are bound for NBA play-in tournament

Why ESPN experts predict 2025-26 Warriors are bound for NBA play-in tournament originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The 2025-26 NBA season is right around the corner, and, as has been the case for over a decade, the Warriors have high expectations for the upcoming campaign.

Over free agency, Golden State lost veteran center and NBA champion Kevon Looney but has remained at an impasse in contract negotiations with restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga.

As a result, the Warriors remain the lone franchise that has yet to make an offseason move. 

The question still begs: Where does Golden State stand in a loaded Western Conference? 

ESPN experts predicted where star Steph Curry and Co. will finish the 2025-26 season, and Dub Nation might disagree. 

“The West is so crowded with contenders that a couple of them will inevitably be bumped into this bracket, forced to play an extra game or two with their playoff hopes on the line,” ESPN staff wrote.

 “That’s particularly dangerous for older teams like the Warriors and Mavericks, who will likely spend the final month of the season in a full-out standings sprint and won’t get the extra week of pre-playoff rest the top teams receive.

“However, two teams still make it out of the play-in. The seventh-seeded Warriors beat the second-seeded Rockets in the first round last April. If Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler III and Draymond Green are healthy, the West’s top two seeds won’t be ecstatic to see the Warriors emerging from the seventh or eighth slot this spring.” 

ESPN predicts the Warriors (48-34) will finish the 2025-26 season with the same record as last season, 48-34, as the Western Conference’s No. 7 seed, placing them back in the NBA play-in tournament.

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Who Makes Good? Five Players Attempting An NHL Comeback

This season, one of the main storylines in the NHL is how many players can make a successful comeback. There are players trying to win their way back into the league, and veterans who were gone for some time, but health has allowed them to return. 

Which of these stories will wind up having a fairy-tale ending?

Jonathan Toews, Winnipeg Jets

Jonathan Toews makes his highly anticipated return to the NHL with the Winnipeg Jets after stepping away due to health issues, including a long COVID ordeal and chronic inflammation. 

The 37-year-old former Blackhawks captain signed a one-year, $2-million deal with performance bonuses and will likely start as the Jets’ third-line center. Given the amount of time he’s been away, it’s hard to properly gauge what his on-ice level of production will be. If he hits anywhere between 40 and 45 points, that should be considered a success. 

Of course, the leadership Toews will bring will be essential to any Jets success this season. They’ve struggled to get over the hump in the post-season, and this is a player who has more post-season success on the roster than just about anyone. Even if he can’t do what he used to, he can be a mentor to younger players. 

Jonathan Toews (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)

Vitali Kravtsov, Vancouver Canucks

Vitali Kravtsov’s attempt to return to the NHL will be intriguing, simply because he’s going to have to earn a spot on the Canucks’ roster. Analysts like Jeff Marek have wondered what Kravtsov will do with his second opportunity after arguably blowing his first. Still, Marek argues it’s a low-risk gamble for the Vancouver Canucks. 

If Kravtsov is going to find a second life in the NHL, he’s going to have to beat out several other wingers vying for the same spot. He’ll be joining a group that includes Arshdeep Bains, Linus Karlsson, Jonathan Lekkerimaki, and Aatu Raty. With the team’s depth chart highly competitive, Kravtsov will need to demonstrate clear development to earn a place.

While Kravtsov finished sixth in KHL scoring, questions remain about his ability to adapt to the NHL’s more physical and defensively structured game. Previously a perimeter player, observers are curious whether he can now succeed closer to the net and make a meaningful impact at the NHL level.

Ivan Prosvetov, Calgary Flames

The Calgary Flames have signed 6-foot-5 Russian goaltender Ivan Prosvetov to a one-year, $950,000 deal, marking his return to the NHL after a season in the KHL with CSKA Moscow. 

In 2024-25, Prosvetov posted a 20-16-2 record with a .920 save percentage and 2.32 goals-against average, adding five shutouts and earning KHL Goalie of the Month honors. The 26-year-old has 24 NHL games with Arizona and Colorado, where he struggled. Can he out-battle Devin Cooley for a shot at the backup role?

Prosvetov was solid in the AHL, including a .921 SP in 21 games with the Colorado Eagles. 

Gabriel Landeskog, Colorado Avalanche

Technically, this isn’t a comeback because Gabriel Landeskog played in the playoffs for the Colorado Avalanche in 2024-25, but who are we kidding? No one knows what to expect from him in a full NHL season. 

What people saw from the Avs captain is a great step in the right direction, but he’s not played anything close to a full season since 2021-22. Asking him to play and stay productive and on pace for 82 games next season might be a tall task. Then again, no one knows. 

This is a unique situation because the Avs are a solid team, but a great one if Landeskog is one of those players who can score 50-60 points and return like he never missed a beat. 

Milan Lucic, St. Louis Blues

Milan Lucic is getting a tryout with the St. Louis Blues after leaving the NHL to join the NHL Player Assistance program. He’d signed with the Boston Bruins last season, but his numbers demonstrated that this was a player who had clearly lost a step. 

He played in four games before allegations of abuse surfaced, and that was after a 19-point season with the Calgary Flames in 77 games. Lucic is now 37 years old and was never the fastest player in the NHL. He could struggle to keep up with the pace of today’s NHL. 

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