Texas held Smith to just one catch for 3 yards in a College Football Playoff semifinal.
Angels manager Ron Washington recovering from quadruple bypass heart surgery
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) Los Angeles Angels manager Ron Washington said Monday he is recovering from quadruple bypass heart surgery. It's the first time he has publicly addressed the health issues that have sidelined him since late June.
He made the announcement while visiting the Angels for the first time since the operation eight weeks ago in California, calling it a day he had been looking forward to while recovering at his home in New Orleans. He is not returning to manage this season, but hopes to have that opportunity next year. He said he should be fully recovered by December.
“(Doctors) told me by the time I reach eight weeks I could start doing some light work, but my light work was to come up to Texas and be with the team,” said Washington, at 73 the oldest manager in the majors. "I feel great, I really do. ... I didn't come here to work, I came here to be around my guys and have fun with them."
Washington last managed a game in a 7-3 loss to the New York Yankees on June 19. The following day, the team said Washington was out indefinitely because of health issues after experiencing shortness of breath and appearing fatigued toward the end of that four-game series in New York.
After being cleared by Yankees doctors to fly home with his team, even though they initially wanted to keep him in New York, Washington underwent a series of tests in California. He said an angiogram there showed blockage in his valves that couldn’t be fixed by stents.
“This happened fast,” said Washington, who was hospitalized June 23, had surgery June 30 and was discharged July 7.
The Angels, without elaborating then, announced June 27 that he was on medical leave for the rest of the season.
“What happened to me saved my life,” said Washington, who added that he has quit smoking, changed his eating habits and is sleeping better. At one point, he raised the Angels hoodie he was wearing to reveal the scars from the surgery.
Washington wasn't so sure he had made it in the immediate aftermath of the procedure, when isolated and connected to medical monitors.
“Actually I thought I was dead because I was laying someplace where they had put me for a few days, and I said I didn’t make it," he said. "So I started pulling stuff off, and the guy saw me doing it, and he came running in and he grabbed my hand. He said, ‘What’s going on?’ I said, ‘Am I dead?’ He said, ‘No, you’re here.' Really.”
The well-liked Washington made the revelations before the Angels opened a three-game series in Texas, where he still has a residence. He plans to continue on to Houston with the Angels before skipping the final stop of the road trip in Kansas City. Washington hopes to be with the team the rest of the season after the Angels return home.
Washington is the Rangers’ winningest manager with a 664-611 record from 2007-14. He led them to their first two World Series appearances in 2010 and 2011.
After initially returning to the A's organization for two seasons, Washington was on the Atlanta Braves’ staff from 2017-23 and part of their 2021 World Series championship.
With a young roster after Shohei Ohtani’s departure in free agency and with three-time AL MVP Mike Trout limited to 29 games because of injuries, the Angels went 63-99 last year to set a franchise record for losses in Washington’s first season as their manager. They were 36-38 before Washington left the dugout this year, and went into Monday night’s game 25-31 with Ray Montgomery filling in for him.
Rangers manager Bruce Bochy, who led them to their first World Series title two years ago, is the next oldest manager in the majors. The four-time World Series champion, who turned 70 in April, came into the interview room and went onto the podium to give Washington a hug while telling him it was great to see him.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Cal Raleigh hits his 48th, 49th homers to set MLB season mark for catchers, passing Salvador Perez
SEATTLE — Cal Raleigh had so much adrenaline pumping, he couldn’t even hear a crowd of 37,550 chanting “MVP!” following his record-breaking feat.
The Seattle Mariners slugger hit his major league-leading 48th and 49th home runs on Sunday against the Athletics, setting a single-season record for catchers and passing Salvador Perez's total with the Kansas City Royals in 2021. After hitting his second home run, which set the watermark for backstops, Raleigh exited the Mariners dugout to doff his helmet.
“With everybody on their feet cheering, I didn’t even notice,” Raleigh said. “It was just a really cool moment to tip the cap. That’s not something you get to do every day.”
Manager Dan Wilson, who has been beyond complimentary of Raleigh all season, had only one complaint about the catcher’s curtain call: That perhaps he didn’t stay out on the field long enough.
“What an incredible feat,” Wilson said after the Mariners beat the Athletics 11-4. “I don’t know that you can fathom how big that is when you look at some of the people he’s passed and just what the magnitude of that record is.”
Raleigh’s record-breaking home run also marked his ninth multi-home run game of the season, passing Mickey Mantle (eight for the 1961 New York Yankees) for most multi-home run games by a switch-hitter in a season in major league history. The overall record is 11 multi-home run games in a season.
The switch-hitting Raleigh, batting from the right side, homered off Athletics left-handed starter Jacob Lopez in the first inning to make it 2-0 and tie Perez. Raleigh got a fastball down the middle from Lopez and sent it an estimated 448 feet, according to Statcast. It was measured as the longest home run of Raleigh's career as a right-handed hitter.
In the second inning, Raleigh drilled a changeup from Lopez 412 feet. Both blasts prompted “MVP” chants from the hometown crowd.
“Obviously to do it anywhere would be really special,” Raleigh said. “But, to do it here in front of the fans and to give them that and see the appreciation was a really cool moment.”
The longballs were Nos. 39 and 40 on the season for Raleigh while catching this year. He has nine while serving as a designated hitter. Perez hit 15 home runs as a DH in 2021, and 33 at catcher.
Only four other players in big league history have hit at least 40 homers in a season while primarily playing catcher: Johnny Bench (twice), Roy Campanella, Todd Hundley and Mike Piazza (twice). Bench, Campanella and Piazza are Hall of Famers.
“I think we’re seeing that he’s starting to set a bar to nobody else that’s done this,” Wilson said. “And, that’s the newsworthy part of this thing is it’s getting to a point where you can’t compare him to anybody. He just keeps pushing that bar higher.”
Raleigh launched 27 homers in 2022, then 30 in 2023 and 34 last season. Should he continue at his powerful pace, Raleigh could become the first American League catcher to lead the major leagues outright in home runs.
A first-time All-Star at age 28, Raleigh burst onto the national scene when he won the All-Star Home Run Derby in July, just four months removed from signing a six-year, $105 million contract extension. He became the first switch-hitter and first catcher to win the title. He’s the second Mariners player to take the crown, after three-time winner Ken Griffey Jr.
With 31 games to go in the regular season, Raleigh also has an excellent chance of passing Griffey's franchise record of 56 home runs in a season.
Raleigh’s homer gave him 104 RBIs on the season. He’s the first catcher with consecutive 100-RBI seasons since Piazza (1996-2000), and the first American League backstop to accomplish the feat since Thurman Munson (1975-77).
But on Sunday, Raleigh stood alone when it came to major league catching royalty with one counting stat.
“We had a chance to see all-time history today, which is really cool,” Wilson said. “Forty-nine homers this season for a catcher, unbelievable.”
Top Five NHL Goalies Who Have Never Won The Stanley Cup As A Player
A Stanley Cup championship is the ultimate goal for every NHL player, including goaltenders.
Yet, some of the league's greatest goaltenders from the past and present have never had the opportunity to hoist the Cup.
Despite having all the tools, their on-ice careers never led to a championship. While there’s still time for at least one player on this list to win it all, for the others, that time has come and gone.
Here are the top five NHL goalies who have never won a Stanley Cup during their playing career.
5. Curtis Joseph
Curtis Joseph, a.k.a ‘Cujo,’ is one of the most underappreciated goalies in NHL history. He played for six different NHL teams throughout his career, and it’s fair to argue that on some of those rosters, he was the team’s best player.
Undrafted, he began his career with the St. Louis Blues in 1989-90, playing there until 1995. He later joined the Edmonton Oilers and Toronto Maple Leafs before playing the rest of his career in Detroit, Phoenix and back in Toronto.
In 943 regular-season games, Joseph had a 454-352-90-6 record, 2.79 goals-against average, .906 save percentage and 51 shutouts. The 1999-2000 King Clancy Trophy winner also had a 63-66 record, 2.42 GAA, .917 SP and 16 shutouts in 133 playoff games.
Joseph’s career included deep runs with the Maple Leafs in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Those teams ran into playoff powerhouses, such as the New Jersey Devils, Buffalo Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes.
4. Henrik Lundqvist
Henrik Lundqvist will be remembered as arguably the best goaltender in New York Rangers history. He delivered 11 30-win seasons in his first 12 years – the one year he didn’t reach 30 wins was the lockout-shortened 2012-13 campaign, when he went 24-16-3. Lundqvist also won the Vezina Trophy in 2011-12, when he had a 39-18-5 record, 1.97 GAA, .930 SP and eight shutouts.
Still, he never won the Stanley Cup.
The Hockey Hall of Famer got as far as the 2013-14 Stanley Cup final against the Los Angeles Kings. Despite recording a 2.14 GAA and .927 SP in that post-season, Lundqvist’s Rangers lost the final in six games.
3. Roberto Luongo
Roberto Luongo has won the Stanley Cup twice, but not during his playing career.
Luongo’s been a special assistant to the GM with the Florida Panthers since 2019-20, winning the Cup in 2023-24 and 2024-25.
As a Hall of Fame netminder, he got close but didn’t win it all. He took the 2010-11 Vancouver Canucks to a Game 7 loss in the Stanley Cup final before the team became less of a contender in his final seasons there. Luongo's career took a turn when he rejoined the Panthers, but this was before they became the elite franchise they are today.
Luongo’s 489 regular-season wins are the most among NHL goalies who have not won the Cup as a player.
2. Carey Price
Carey Price carried the Montreal Canadiens before they embraced a full rebuild. He took them through deep playoff runs – including to the 2020-21 final against the Tampa Bay Lightning – but the team was never able to provide him with the right surrounding cast before injuries derailed his NHL career.
Price had 361 wins with a career .917 save percentage and 2.51 GAA. It’s a shame he’s no longer able to play in the NHL, given that the team is trending in the right direction with young, talented players who could turn that franchise into a Cup contender in the next few seasons.
1. Connor Hellebuyck
Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck is the only remaining active player in this list. Considering the Jets are the defending Presidents’ Trophy winners, they’re in their Cup-contending window, and Hellebuyck remains in top form.
Hellebuyck, 32, has won the Vezina Trophy three times, the Jennings Trophy twice and the Hart Trophy once. He has a career 2.56 GAA, .918 SP and 45 shutouts with a 322-185-44 record.
The Jets have advanced past the second round just once in Hellebuyck’s decade-long career. Will this be the season they get over the hump?
Honorable Mention: Ron Hextall
Ron Hextall was one of the most entertaining goaltenders in the NHL and arguably one of the better netminders of his era. His best chance at winning the Stanley Cup came in the 1987 final, but his Philadelphia Flyers were up against the dynasty Edmonton Oilers, which dominated the NHL, winning Stanley Cups four times in five seasons. The Oilers beat the Flyers in seven games, but Hextall still earned the Conn Smythe Trophy for a 15-11 record, 2.76 GAA and .908 SP.
Hextall got another Cup final appearance in 1997, but the Flyers lost to the Detroit Red Wings in four games.
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Aaron Boone issues vote of confidence in Anthony Volpe as Yankees’ regular shortstop despite benching
Anthony Volpe is out of the Yankees’ lineup for two straight games for the first time in his career.
He was benched in favor of utility infielder José Caballero in Sunday’s must-win series finale against the rival Boston Red Sox and again for Monday’s series opener with the Washington Nationals.
Volpe will be available off the bench again in the Bronx, and Aaron Boone confirmed that he is expected to jump back into the starting lineup for Tuesday’s middle game.
From there, the skipper says the team will lean on the youngster regularly down the stretch.
"I view Anthony as our shortstop," Boone said. "I plan on having him back in there tomorrow and probably in some way shape or form tonight at some point, but just wanted to give him a couple here at the start."
The hope is that the 24-year-old will be able to use this two-game benching as sort of a reset to help get him back into a groove over the final few weeks of the regular season.
Overall, it's been an extremely rough year for Volpe on both sides of the ball.
The former Gold Glover has taken tremendous steps backwards defensively, currently leading the American League with 17 errors while also sitting in the fourth percentile with -7 Outs Above Average.
He is on pace for a new career-high with 18 homers, but has been struck in a brutal 1-for-28 stretch at the plate over the team's last three series.
Volpe is now down to an ugly .208 average and .274 OBP with 122 strikeouts on the season.
"He’s shown all the signs that he can be a really good offensive player," Boone said. "A little more consistency is that next wave and that’s what he’s working really hard to do, I’m confident he’ll be able to get there."
For the Yankees to make some noise in the American League, they'll certainly need Volpe to get there.
The Wraparound: Which Calder Finalist Is Most At Risk Of A Sophomore Slump?
Kick off the week with rapid-fire NHL and hockey topics on The Wraparound.
Which Calder Finalist Is Most At Risk Of A Sophomore Slump? by The WraparoundundefinedHere's what Emma Lingan, Michael Augello and Jack Williams discussed in today's episode:
0:00: Will Brady Martin suit up for the Nashville Predators this season?
4:55: Which newcomer on the Florida Panthers has the chance to make the biggest impact this season?
8:15: Which Calder Trophy finalist from last season is most likely to have a sophomore slump?
11:32: Will Pat Verbeek and the Anaheim Ducks end up trading Mason McTavish?
15:20: Could the sale of the Pittsburgh Penguins affect the direction of the franchise?
18:40: Do the Colorado Avalanche have the pieces to be the best team in the Central Division?
22:45: Do the Boston Bruins have a defensive core to compete for a playoff spot?
27:10: Who should be the next captain of the Bruins?
29:45: Should Tyson Barrie have ever been considered for the Norris Trophy?
32:19: Do the New York Rangers have the potential for a huge bounce-back season?
See below for where to subscribe to the show for future episodes.
Thomas Müller spills the USMNTea + Isak stuck in Newcastle & Eze to Arsenal
Christian Polanco & David Gass react as Thomas Müller accidentally reveals Tristan Blackman’s USMNT call-up.
16-year-old Rio Ngumoha stuns 10-man Newcastle with 100th-minute Liverpool winner
Goodness knows what the man who was not there made of it all. Might Alexander Isak have felt the tiniest bit guilty at the sight of his increasingly overwrought understudy, Anthony Gordon, missing a couple of extremely presentable chances before being sent off for a ridiculous first-half tackle on Virgil van Dijk?
And how did Newcastle’s currently striking star striker assess Hugo Ekitiké’s attacking performance for Liverpool? Even as Isak continues to endeavour to engineer a move to Anfield, did he celebrate Will Osula’s unexpected late Newcastle leveller to make it 2-2? What, precisely, did he feel when the 16-year-old visiting substitute Rio Ngumoha won it for the champions in the 100th minute?
Continue reading...Malik Monk reportedly likely to start season on Sacramento Kings roster
All summer long, the Sacramento Kings have explored the trade market for Malik Monk. He was linked to Detroit as part of a sign-and-trade to bring Dennis Schroder to Sacramento, but that deal got done without Monk. He was part of the Kings' sign-and-trade offer for Jonathan Kuminga that never got done.
Monk trade talk seems to have faded. The Kings are not actively involved in any trade talks for Monk and he appears likely to start the season in the California capital, which may impact the future of Russell Westbrook, reports Marc Stein of The Stein Line on Substack.
"After Sacramento explored various trade scenarios earlier this summer involving Malik Monk, league sources say that the Kings are not actively engaged in such trade talks now. The Kings have maintained an interest in unsigned free agent Russell Westbrook, sources say, but I'm told that they have indeed explored the possibility of creating a backcourt opening for Westbrook by other means rather than dealing Monk."
This is the dead time of year for deals, largely because this is the time of year when NBA front office personnel tend to be on vacation. Things start to ramp back up — both for potential trades and with the still unsigned restricted free agents — closer to the start of training camp in a month. Talk of a Monk trade could ramp up then, but this may be more of a case where training camp starts and the Kings wait out the market, taking their time to see if a team realizes it needs guard help, or an injury changes the dynamic somewhere. The Kings are deep with guards and would be looking for frontcourt help, as well as just remaining financially flexible in the future to reshape the roster (how much longer Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis are with the Kings is up for debate).
For the Kings, swapping out Monk for Westbrook would save money (Sacramento is about $3.1 million below the luxury tax line and hard-capped at the first apron, another $7 million above that). Monk is entering the second year of a four-year, $78 million contract and is set to make $18.8 million this season — a fair market contract for what he brings to the table (arguably even a team-friendly deal). Westbrook, however, is unlikely to receive more than a veteran minimum deal.
Monk could provide guard depth for a lot of rotations around the league. Last season in Sacramento, Monk averaged 17.2 points and 5.6 assists a game. He's a career 35% shooter from 3 who struggled some with that shot last season (32.5%).
Monk may start the season in Sacramento, but it would be a surprise if he ends it there.
Mason McTavish May Not Be Available For The Hurricanes To Target After All
One Carolina Hurricanes trade target could look to sign a contract extension sooner rather than later.
It wasn’t too long ago since the Hurricanes were linked as a potential suitor for Mason McTavish if he were to be on the trade block.
According to Jimmy Murphy of RGMedia, the Hurricanes were keeping tabs on the availability of McTavish.
McTavish is a restricted free agent and has yet to sign a contract extension with the Ducks. However, that doesn't necessarily mean that a contract extension won’t get done.
Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek reportedly views McTavish as a cornerstone of the franchise.
“I can’t get into Verbeek’s head, but I don’t think he thought Zegras and Drysdale were sure things when it came to being core players,” Eric Stephens of The Athletic said. “I do believe he sees McTavish as one.”
Taylor Hall Has Felt At Home In Carolina, Leading To Contract Extension With Hurricanes There was one major positive to come out of Mikko Rantanen three-way trade between the Colorado Avalanche and Chicago Blackhawks for the Carolina Hurricanes.
It’s unclear if the Hurricanes are still in the market for McTavish or if any trade talks between the Ducks and Hurricanes have ensued.
Mets’ Jose Siri set to take big step towards potential late-season return
Jose Siri is set to take a big step towards a potential late-season return to the Mets.
The speedy outfielder will officially begin a rehab assignment with the Low-A squad down in Port St. Lucie later this week.
Siri has been sidelined since April 12 due to a fractured left tibia.
He appeared to be closing in on a return late last month, but hit a bit of a setback in his recovery when imaging showed the bone hadn't healed to the Mets' liking.
Instead, he ended up being shut down from all baseball activities until he was finally able to ramp things back up over the past couple of weeks.
Having missed so much time, though, Carlos Mendoza expects Siri to still be a couple weeks away.
“This is a guy who has been out pretty much the whole year,” the skipper said. “He’ll start playing every other day and then the next week we’ll start moving him up, but we have to see the full nine innings, back-to-backs, we gotta get the volume up.”
The team still hasn’t discussed Siri's exact role when he is eventually ready to return.
The most logical fit would seemingly be as an extra outfielder and speedster off the bench with them being able to add two players when roster expand in September.
Siri was expected to split time with Tyrone Taylor in center after being acquired in an offseason deal with the Tampa Bay Rays, but the early injury quickly forced him to the sidelines.
Taylor filled in tremendously over the first few weeks, but after he ultimately struggled the team turned to Jeff McNeil out there and then acquired Cedric Mullins in a deadline deal with the Orioles.
Mullins has picked things up with the bat after a bit of a slow start with the new club, but his defense has left much to be desired.
Siri's return could provide a much-needed boost with his dynamic speed and outfield defense in the latter innings.
Canadiens' New Projected Defense Has Intriguing Look
The Montreal Canadiens are a team on the rise, and a big reason for it is their strong defensive depth. They only improved it this off-season, too, as they acquired Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders.
When looking at the Canadiens' defensemen, it is clear that they have a ton of options to work with. Thus, there will be plenty of competition at training camp once it begins.
Recently, the NHL's official Facebook account shared their defense projections for the Canadiens, and they went with some interesting pairings.
For the Canadiens' first pairing, the NHL's account predicted that Kaiden Guhle will play on the left side, while Lane Hutson would play on the right. This pairing would make sense, as Guhle's strong defensive play would give Hutson the freedom to take plenty of chances offensively. They also have experience playing together.
For the Habs' second pairing, the NHL's account sees Mike Matheson playing alongside Noah Dobson. Having a star like Dobson playing on the second pairing would certainly spread out the Canadiens' depth on the blueline, and Matheson could work well playing with him.
As for the Canadiens' third pairing, the NHL's account has Arber Xhekaj playing with Alexandre Carrier. With Carrier being a dependable defensive defenseman, Xhekaj could benefit playing with him as he continues to work on his development.
If this ends up being the Canadiens' defensive group on opening night, Jayden Struble would be the odd man out. With this, it is apparent that the Canadiens have plenty of solid defensemen to work with.
Nevertheless, it will be intriguing to see what their blueline ends up looking like once the season is officially here.
Canadiens Star Lands Top 10 Rating In NHL 26Earlier this off-season, the Montreal Canadiens made a big splash when they acquired Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders. They then quickly signed him to an eight-year, $76 million contract extension. With this, he is expected to be a major part of the Canadiens' blueline moving forward. Notre Dame Football 2025 Betting Preview: Team overview, player to watch, path to the playoff, win total
Notre Dame Football: 2025 Preview
No. 15 Florida plans to ease QB DJ Lagway into the opener after months of injury issues
Florida plans to ease quarterback DJ Lagway into the season after he missed spring practice and most of fall camp.
Dabo Swinney recalls the near-firing moment that shaped his Clemson coaching career
It wasn’t all trophies and celebrations for the Birmingham, Alabama, native when he took over the Tigers 17 years ago as an interim head coach.