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Another big inning fuels Dodgers’ win over Padres

PEORIA, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 22: Kyle Tucker #23 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates with Will Smith #16 after scoring on a double hit by Nick Senzel #15 against the San Diego Padres during the third inning of a spring training game at Peoria Stadium on February 22, 2026 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Big innings have defined the first weekend of Dodgers spring training games so far. Sunday included a four-run third inning that fueled a 5-1 win over the San Diego Padres in Peoria.

Will Smith got the scoring started with an RBI single in the third inning, one of his two hits, and non-roster infielder Nick Senzel hit a two-run double to score both Smith and newcomer Kyle Tucker in his Dodgers debut. Senzel doubled twice against San Diego.

Josue De Paula added an RBI single in the ninth inning to cap the scoring, but some trouble getting to a few balls in and around left field.

Scoring on Sunday wasn’t as prevalent as Saturday in Tempe, when the Dodgers had innings of three, six, and four runs in a rout of the Angels. But then again, they didn’t need much offense on Sunday, thanks to a bevy of arms throttling the Padres bats.

Jackson Ferris started and worked around a walk and single for a scoreless first inning. Chris Campos struck out two in a perfect third inning.

Will Klein pitched a clean, 10-pitch second inning, one of two Dodgers on the 40-man roster to pitch in this one.

Ronan Kopp’s first spring training game as a member of big league camp came on the anniversary of his first major league spring training game last year. The left-hander appeared in two games up from the minor league side of camp last spring, both in February. This time, after getting added to the 40-man roster in November, Kopp on Sunday allowed a two-out double then committed a throwing error on what would have been an inning-ending groundout in the eighth.

That was the only run allowed by the Dodgers all game. In all, nine different Dodgers pitchers combined to allow five hits and three walks in the win, with just the one unearned run.

Up next

After two road games, the Dodgers play on their home field of Camelback Ranch with a game against the Seattle Mariners on Monday (12:05 p.m. PT, SportsNet LA). Landon Knack starts for the Dodgers, with Logan Gilbert on the mound for Seattle.

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Braves’ starters look good in second Spring Training game

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 28: Chris Sale #51 of the Atlanta Braves pitches in the seventh inning of a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Truist Park on September 28, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Edward M. Pio Roda/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The first home Spring Training game started very promising for Atlanta, with the Braves’ stars looking good.

Chris Sale struck out his first two batters and ended up with three strikeouts over 2.0 innings, no walks, and only one hard-hit ball in the form of a 95.9 MPH grounder. Chris Sale looked like Chris Sale and exited healthy, which is everything you want to see as a Braves fan.

One of Atlanta’s top prospects relieved Sale in JR Ritchie. Ritchie looked good, sitting in the mid-90s with his fastballs and striking out one batter across 2.0 scoreless innings, with no hard-hit balls but only 2 whiffs. We didn’t really see any other notable names pitching out of the bullpen.

Ronald Acuna led off the Atlanta offense with a 112.4 MPH 22 degree batted ball that must have been exceptionally soggy from the rain, because it landed as a single instead of a monster homer, to the surprise of seemingly everyone except the left fielder. Ronald struck out in his other plate appearance, but that first batted ball was all we needed to see from him.

Drake Baldwin had a hard-hit single at 102.6 MPH and hit a picture-perfect homer at 107.6 MPH and 27 degrees, picking up right where he dropped off with his scalding hot end to last season.

Elsewhere on offense, Matt Olson doubled and Jurickson Profar and Austin Riley each collected a single in their two plate appearances per player. On the prospect side, John Gil and Alex Lodise each made appearances, with Lodise putting one of the uglier plate appearances I’ve seen out there, losing his bat on a whiff for the strikeout, but did have a nice play on defense at shortstop. Gil flied out in one plate appearance and put together a nice walk in another.

Overall a nice day for the Braves’ roster, despite a fairly ugly 8-1 scoreline. We’ll be back on Monday against the Orioles, with the huge lefty prospect Garrett Baumann getting the start on the mound.

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Raegan Beers has big double-double and No. 11 Oklahoma women outlast No. 21 Tennessee 100-93

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Raegan Beers, who averages a double-double, had 18 points and 18 rebounds in No. 11 Oklahoma's foul-filled 100-93 win over No. 21 Tennessee on Sunday.

Sahara Williams had 22 points and Aaliyah Chavez scored 19 points for the Sooners (21-6, 9-5 SEC). Payton Verhulst scored 17 points and Zya Vann added 15 as Oklahoma's starters all scored in double figures and totaled 93 points.

There were 53 fouls and 79 free-throw attempts. Oklahoma made 36 of 46 free throws and Tennessee made 23 of 33. Oklahoma made more free throws than baskets (30).

Tennessee's Jaida Civil opened the fourth quarter with a 3-pointer that cut Oklahoma's lead to 71-67. A few minutes later the Lady Vols were within three points before Oklahoma tacked on four free throws at the beginning of an 8-2 run.

A layup by Williams gave Oklahoma an 86-77 lead with 4:14 remaining. The Sooners attempted only two more shots the rest of the game and they scored their last 14 points on free throws.

Talaysia Cooper scored 22 points, Civil 21 and Nya Robertson 18 for Tennessee (16-10, 8-6). Civil had 10 rebounds. The freshman played 33 minutes off the bench and collected her first double-double.

Tennessee led throughout the first quarter and it was 22-20 heading to the second period. An 8-0 run got the Sooners within 30-29 and a 3-pointer from Vann gave them their only lead of the first half, 47-45 at the break.

Up next

Tennessee: The Lady Vols wrap up the regular season at No. 7 LSU on Thursday and at home against No. 5 Vanderbilt on Sunday.

Oklahoma: The Sooners host Arkansas on Thursday and visit Missouri on Sunday.

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13 Stats to explain the Cavs 121-113 loss to the Thunder

Feb 22, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort (5) drives to the basket beside Cleveland Cavaliers guard Sam Merrill (5) during the first half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Turnovers, an early deficit, and hot outside shooting from the Oklahoma City Thunder did the Cleveland Cavaliers in on Sunday afternoon. They lost their first game in February 121-113.

The stats in the table below are taken from Cleaning the Glass.

Effective Field Goal PercentageOffensive Rebounding PercentageOffensive Turnover PercentageFree Throw Rate
Cavs55.1%, 55th percentile31.9%, 66th percentile17.2%, 26th percentile15.9, 26th percentile
Thunder61%, 84th percentile30%, 56th percentile16.3%, 33rd percentile17.4, 34th percentile

Now, let’s dive into the numbers.

  • The Cavs coughed it up on 37% of their possessions in the first quarter (0th percentile), leading to 17 points off turnovers. This resulted in Cleveland being down by 23 midway through the first quarter and 15 at the end of one. You can’t come out of the gates that poorly against the defending champions and expect to win on the road, regardless of who’s in the lineup.
  • Cleveland turned it over just seven more times in the last three quarters, but still gave up 31 points off turnovers overall. The Cavs’ giveaways were costly. This is a Thunder team that has struggled to score in the half-court without their two best offensive players. That isn’t much of an issue if you’re able to generate that many points off turnovers.
  • Donovan Mitchell and James Harden combined for eight turnovers. There’s context behind why they turned it over this much — mainly the minutes with the starting lineup were bad — but they simply needed to be better. It’s difficult to win games if your two best offensive players aren’t protecting the ball like they need to.
  • Oklahoma City outscored Cleveland by 24 points from beyond the arc. The Thunder went a scorching 21-41 (51.2%, 96th percentile) from three. Meanwhile, the Cavs couldn’t get their outside shots to fall as they went 13-39 (33.3%, 35th percentile).
  • The Thunder hit as many two-point shots as they did from three, 21, and did so on a worse percentage, 46.7%.
  • Oklahoma City tied its third-best three-point percentage in a game and tied their fourth-most threes in a game this season. This was an exceptionally good shooting day from a team that has struggled from beyond the arc when they’re without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jaylin Williams, and Alex Caruso. On the season, OKC had shot just 34% (19th percentile) without all three on the court before Sunday.
  • Sam Merrill was the exception to the Cavs’ poor shooting, going 6-10 from three. He carried Cleveland’s lifeless offense for stretches. The Cavs played their best basketball of the day when he was on the court, as he led the team in plus/minus, being a +6.
  • Cavaliers outside of Merrill went just 7-29 from three (24.1%). It’s a make-or-miss league. The Cavs weren’t making their shots, this included Mitchell, who went 0-6 from beyond the arc.
  • The Cavs outscored the Thunder 56-40 in the paint. Cleveland finished 72.2% of their looks at the rim (65th percentile) and 52% of their attempts in the short midrange (75th percentile). Harden and Mitchell were a big reason why, as they went 13-17 (76.5%) inside the paint. Their ability to score inside kept them in the game.
  • Cleveland’s bench scored 47 points. Merrill (20 points) and Dennis Schroder (11 points) contributed to the Cavs’ reserves outscoring the Thunder’s 47-37.
  • Jarrett Allen took just one shot in the first quarter. The Cavs have talked a lot about why it’s important to get Allen involved early. They weren’t able to do so as he registered no first-quarter points.
  • The starting front court didn’t score until four and a half minutes into the second quarter. The Thunder’s two-big configuration of Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein outplayed Evan Mobley and Allen. OKC’s starting duo combined for 30 points, 22 rebounds, and three blocks in 60 combined minutes. Cleveland’s duo had 26 points, 15 rebounds, and no blocks in their 54 minutes. The Cavs lost this matchup.
  • Going along with that, the Thunder outscored the Cavs 17-8 in second-chance points. The Thunder grabbed only one more offensive rebound. They made the absolute most of their opportunities, as they did with their points off turnovers.

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Luis Gil makes strong spring debut, but Mets outflex Yankees

TAMPA, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 22: Luis Gil #81 of the New York Yankees pitches during the first inning of a spring training game against the New York Mets at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 22, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mark Taylor/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Despite entering spring training as a bit of an odd man out, Luis Gil looked sharp in his first spring start, continuing an early Grapefruit League theme of strong pitching performances. The former Rookie of the Year tossed 2.2 scoreless innings against the Mets, who would win the ballgame behind a quartet of homers. The Yankees rallied to make the game close, but a pair of failed bases-loaded rallies and two runners scattered in the ninth doomed their efforts as they fell 6-4. José Caballero hit a home run for the Bombers in the loss.

Gil’s command looked solid in his first spring inning as he retired the side in order on 11 pitches. The fastball sat in the mid-90s and his changeup, which looked sharp, in the mid-to-high 80s. The second inning was lengthier and led to a run, but was in a way more encouraging.

Lefty DH Jared Young led off the frame, worked the count full and took him out to right field for a home run to open the scoring. After that, his opponents worked a variety of deep counts against him, but he worked around a single and struck out three Mets to retire the side. In the third, he collected two more outs—including a close play at first where he covered the bag in the nick of time—and departed from the game.

It wasn’t as flashy a spring debut as that of Elmer Rodríguez and Carlos Lagrange, who have drawn all the buzz at camp this year. But Gil checked all the boxes he needed. He mixed in all three pitches, maintained consistent velocity, and picked up some strikeouts; with no walks included.

The Yankees tied the game in the bottom of the third with a Caballero home run off starter Justin Hagenman. Caballero figures to be the everyday shortstop to begin the season with Anthony Volpe on the mend from shoulder surgery, and if he produces at the clip he did in 2025 after putting on the pinstripes, he may stay in it.

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The Yankees worked the bases loaded after the Caballero dinger, but failed to capitalize. Luis Torrens made them pay to lead off the fourth when he took Rule 5 draftee Cade Winquest for a ride to right center field. Winquest rebounded to retire the side and hold the Mets to a 2-1 lead.

Tim Hill got his first Grapefruit League work of the spring in the fifth inning. He allowed back-to-back singles to begin his outing but recovered in characteristic fashion, inducing a ground ball double play followed by a soft liner by Mark Vientos to put up a zero on the box score. Unfortunately the Yankees bats followed in kind despite loaded the bases once again.

Then, as a wise man once said, it was dèja vu all over again. Hayden Senger led off the sixth inning and followed the earlier first-strike bombs from Young and Torrens with yet another long ball. It was a great day at the dish for the Mets, and it reminded me of how excruciating it can be to watch a team that struggles with plating their baserunners in games that matter. Thankfully, this exhibition contest does not qualify.

Things proceeded quietly enough until the top of the eighth inning, when the Mets continued their power party. They got two men in scoring position with two outs for JT Schwartz, who made their position on the basepaths moot with a towering fly to right. That put the visitors solidly in the driver’s seat, 6-1.

Well, then the Mets saw something creep up in their rear-view mirror. In the home half of the inning, center fielder Kenedy Corona stung a fastball from Brian Metoyer out to right field and got all of those runs back with a three-run jack of his own. Corona made his MLB debut last year with the Astros, appearing in three games in July. This is his first year in the Yankees organization after five seasons in Houston’s minor league system. After his homer, you might say a corona began to shine around the Yankees’ chances of winning the game … sorry, it’s spring training for us scribes, too.

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The Yankees brought the winning run to the plate in the ninth inning, and it came down to Ernesto Martinez Jr., a tall lefty first baseman. But Martinez rolled over to first base, and the Mets grabbed the road victory. Oh well. It was encouraging to see Gil follow up the performances of Rodriguez and Lagrange with some fuego of his own.

Tomorrow the Yankees will travel to Bradenton and face the Pirates. Ryan Yarbrough will get the ball against a Pittsburgh starter yet to be named. Like today’s game, YES will not carry it, but the Pirates’ broadcast will be available via MLB.tv.

Box Score

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No. 10 Ohio State rallies past USC 88-83 behind Jaloni Cambridge’s 33 points

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Jaloni Cambridge scored 33 points, including 16 in the fourth quarter, and No. 10 Ohio State used a 15-0 run to rally for a 88-83 victory over Southern California on Sunday.

It was Cambridge's fifth 30-point game this season. The sophomore was 12 of 21 from the field and 8 of 9 from the line as the Buckeyes (23-5, 11-4) snapped a two-game losing streak.

Cambridge also had three steals and forced USC to commit a season-high 25 turnovers as the Trojans (17-10, 9-7 Big Ten) had their six-game winning streak come to a close.

USC's Jazzy Davidson scored a season-high 32 points, including six 3-pointers, before fouling out with 1.1 second left. The freshman also had six rebounds and four assists.

Ohio State's Chance Gray had 16 points and Kennedy Cambridge scored 14 points and four steals before fouling out with 4:06 remaining.

Kennedy Smith had 18 points and Dayana Mendes 13 for the Trojans.

There were 13 lead changes and six ties before Ohio State took control.

The Buckeyes trailed 65-61 early in the fourth quarter before going on their decisive run. Jaloni Cambridge had seven points as Ohio State was 5 of 7 from the field while USC committed four turnovers.

The Trojans missed their first seven shots in the fourth quarter and had an 8:17 drought from the field. They made a late surge to get within 86-83 on a 3-pointer by Mendes with 2 seconds remaining, but Cambridge made a pair of free throws after being fouled by Davidson to make it a two-possession game.

Ohio State was 23 of 28 from the foul line. The attempts were a season-high while the makes were one off from tying it.

Up next

USC: At Penn State on Wednesday.

Ohio State: Hosts No. 6 Michigan on Wednesday.

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Wizards vs. Hornets discussion

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - JANUARY 24: LaMelo Ball #1 of the Charlotte Hornets drives to the basket while guarded by Justin Champagnie #9 of the Washington Wizards in the first half during their game at Spectrum Center on January 24, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Washington Wizards play the Charlotte Hornets at 6 p.m. tonight at Capital One Arena. Watch the game on Monumental Sports Network.

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Kohn's 3-pointer with 3.1 seconds helps Clemson upset No. 9 Duke 53-51

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Hannah Kohn hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 3.1 seconds left for her only points of the game as Clemson upset No. 9 Duke 53-51 on Sunday to snap the Blue Devils’ 17-game win streak.

Demeara Hinds finished with 13 points and Taylor Johnson-Matthews and Mia Moore each added 11 for the Tigers (19-9, 10-6 ACC), who added a huge resume-building victory before the NCAA Tournament.

Toby Fournier had 18 points and seven rebounds for Duke (20-7, 15-1 ACC) which lost its first conference game of the season. Fournier, an ACC player of the year candidate, was held in check for most of the second half after scoring 14 before the break.

The Blue Devils, who last lost on Dec. 4 to then-No. 7 LSU, appeared in control entering the fourth quarter, but Clemson stepped up its defense.

The Tigers took the lead at 44-43 with 3:24 left when Moore drove the lane and drew a foul for a 3-point play. Johnson-Matthews then drilled a 3 to give the Tigers their biggest lead of the game at 4.

Duke would battle back though and Riley Nelson hit a corner 3 to give the Blue Devils the lead with 9.3 seconds left.

But Kohn, who had missed her previous four shots of the game, got free and hit the 3 as Clemson made four of its final five shots from the field.

The Blue Devils were unable to get a final shot off after an inbounds pass was knocked away.

Duke got 10 points and two blocks from Fournier in the first quarter and used a 17-2 run to to build a 20-8 lead before the Tigers began to battle back.

Up next

Duke: Hosts Florida State on Thursday night.

Clemson: Visits California on Thursday night.

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Player Grades: Cavs at Thunder – Sam Merrill’s best efforts aren’t enough

Feb 22, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Sam Merrill (5) dribbles down the court as Oklahoma City Thunder guard Aaron Wiggins (21) defends during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers lost a gut-check game to the shorthanded Oklahoma City Thunder.

All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.

Donovan Mitchell

20 points, 5 assists, 7 rebounds, 2 steals, 3 turnovers

This has historically been a tough matchup for Mitchell. He was able to break free for a relatively efficient game (compared to his previous efforts vs OKC), but there’s no doubt the Thunder remain the best defensive team in the league at hounding Mitchell. He had to fight for everything today and went 0-6 from downtown.

Grade: C–

James Harden

20 points, 9 assists, 5 rebounds, 1 steal, 5 turnovers

Harden can handle OKC’s ball-pressure a bit better than Mitchell because of his size at 6’5”. But this is still a difficult matchup even for Harden. The Cavs struggled to get the ball into the paint, and it’s largely because the Thunder’s strong point-of-attack defense and willingness to drop on pick-and-rolls.

I like the Cavs’ chances in this matchup better with Harden, but clearly, beating the champs isn’t going to be easy at any point. Five turnovers knock him down half a grade.

Grade: B–

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Jarrett Allen

11 points, 13 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 3 turnovers

Allen went scoreless in the first quarter as the Thunder’s frontcourt dictated the terms of engagement. Allen eventually found his groove and played an otherwise strong game.

He’s predictably being maligned for the Cavs rebounding issues (though they tied OKC on the glass today). So, I think it’s worth pointing out that Allen had a game-high 6 offensive rebounds.

But… I do have to remove half a grade for airballing that free throw.

Grade: B

Evan Mobley

15 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal (25 minutes)

Let’s get some context out of the way before I trash Mobley’s game.

This was only his second game since January 24th. And, he was on a minutes restriction playing against the best defensive frontcourt in the NBA.

With that said, only 2 rebounds are tough to swallow. Mobley also struggled with OKC’s physicality on offense, being moved off his spots and resorting to three-point attempts in the fourth quarter. The Cavs need him to be more aggressive, getting to the paint or forcing his way to the free-throw line.

Grade: D

Jaylon Tyson

7 points, 4 rebounds, 1 steal

Tyson’s going through an adjustment period, and it’s affected his recent performances. His role is smaller than before, and his impact has felt more scattered.

Grade: D+

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Keon Ellis

9 points, 1 rebound, 3 assists, 2 steals

I’m loving the Ellis experience. He’s a difference maker on the defensive end. Just follow him on any given possession and watch how he disrupts actions for the opponent. It’s a joy to watch, and he’s a competent enough offensive player to hang in any matchup.

Grade: A–

Dennis Schroder

11 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block

Schroder’s scrappiness is something that will always be valuable. His ability to run the pick-and-roll only adds to his value.

Grade: A+

Sam Merrill

20 points, 3 rebounds

The Cavs fell into a hole early in this game, and Merrill brought them back to life. His momentum-swining three-pointers made this competitive. And, as the day went on, Merrill began attacking closeouts and making great plays inside the perimeter.

Grade: A

Dean Wade

0 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block (18 minutes)

There isn’t much room on the court for a player as hesitant as Wade in this matchup. The Thunder pounce on any form of hesitation. Wade is a quality defender and rebounder, but he’s a bad fit offensively against this OKC defense.

Grade: F

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AC Milan loses at home and Loftus-Cheek hospitalized after collision with Parma goalkeeper

MILAN (AP) — AC Milan lost more ground to city rival Inter Milan after a 1-0 loss to Parma at home on Sunday in a match which saw Milan midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek hospitalized after a collision with the Parma goalkeeper.

Loftus-Cheek was struck on the head after colliding with Edoardo Corvi after a cross into the area about 10 minutes into the match at San Siro.

The 30-year-old Loftus-Cheek had a bloodied face while being treated on the field. He was stretchered off with a neck and head brace, and later taken to hospital.

Italian media reports said the England international and former Chelsea player sustained broken teeth and was being examined for head trauma.

“Our thoughts are with him,” Parma coach Carlos Cuesta said.

Mariano Troilo scored with a header off a corner in the 80th minute to give Parma the win. The goal was initially disallowed for a foul but the call was reversed after video review.

Milan had entered the match looking to cut its gap to Inter to seven points. Inter moved 10 points clear with a 2-0 victory at Lecce for its seventh straight league win on Saturday.

Milan had already lost points at home in a 1-1 draw against Como on Wednesday.

It was the third win in a row for Parma, which is in 12th place.

Other results

Fourth-place Roma opened a four-point gap to fifth-place Juventus. Roma scored three second-half goals in a 3-0 home win against 16th-place Cremonese, which has lost 12 consecutive matches.

Roma is tied on points with third-place Napoli.

Seventh-place Atalanta scored two second-half goals to rally to a 2-1 win over third-place Napoli at home. It was Atalanta's third straight league win. Napoli hasn't won in three consecutive matches in all competitions.

Genoa beat Torino 3-0 at home to end a three-game winless streak. Torino, which played the entire second half with 10 men, hasn't won in four straight matches in all tournaments.

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Assembly required: Pirates 4, Phillies 3

CLEARWATER, FL - FEBRUARY 22: Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies is introduced prior to a spring training baseball game available at BayCare Ballpark on February 22, 2026 in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Philadelphia Phillies dropped their home opener in Clearwater to the Pittsburgh Pirates by a score of 4-3 on Sunday afternoon.

Trevor Richards, a thirty-two year old journeyman non-roster invitee, got the start and sandwiched a nice throw on a well-fielded infield dribbler with a pair of strikeouts for a scoreless appearance. As with yesterday’s opener, Bryse Wilson, Richards boasts big league experience and flexibility starting and in the bullpen.

Kyle Schwarber scored the Phillies’ first run of the spring all by his lonesome with a monstrous blast to right field. Schwarber finished 1-2 with a hit-by-pitch.

Trea Turner got the first crack at the leadoff spot hitting in front of Schwarber and went 0-2 with a walk and a run scored on an Alec Bohm sacrifice fly in the third inning.

Speaking of the precarious third sacker, after a down season attributed partially to nagging injuries, Bohm is healthy and showing it, doubling with a deep fly ball off the right field wall in his first at bat. Bohm’s 44 doubles in 2024 were second in the National League. A return to that form will be a welcome development as he will be counted on this year to drive in runs in the middle of the order.

Zach Pop pitched a scoreless second inning with a walk allowed and one strikeout. The 29 year old is one of a slew of candidates for the last right-handed spot in the bullpen, along with Richards, Wilson, Jonathan Bowlan, and Zach McCambley.

JT Realmuto singled in his first at bat to lead off the bottom of the second inning. Bryson Stott was the recipient of an infield single after hitting a heat-seeking missile to short that exploded the nose of Pirates’ third baseman, Jack Brannigan.

The Phillies would love for offseason bullpen acquisition, Kyle Backhus, to have a great spring and he made a solid first step in that direction with a 1-2-3 inning in his debut. The left-hander would slot in at the back of the bullpen as a lefty specialist behind Tanner Banks and setup man, Jose Alvarado.

Other contenders for that possible last lefty spot in the bullpen, Tim Mayza and Genesis Cabrera, each pitched a scoreless frame in the fourth and fifth innings.

The Pirates got on the board with a grand slam in the sixth inning as Jonathan Hernandez loaded the bases and Jack Dallas allowed the home run to Esmerlyn Valdez. Both are candidates for the bullpen in Lehigh Valley.

Rob Thomson pulled his starters in the middle of the sixth and third base prospect, Carson DeMartini, led off the frame with a full count solo shot to bring the score within one. Dante Nori got his first hit of the spring with a hard hit single on the next pitch.

Bryce Harper and Brandon Marsh rounded out the starters who got their first reps in, going hitless in five combined trips to the plate.

Johan Rojas played a typically solid centerfield and went 0-1 with a walk. It will be interesting to see how the organization views Rojas and how much of that could be influenced by his play this spring, but presumably he will begin the year as the starting center fielder in Lehigh Valley as an insurance policy for Justin Crawford.

Lehigh Valley starter, Charles King, got the seventh inning mound duty and went 1-2-3 with a pair of punchouts. He also sported a 70’s mustache and a flowing mane, which was an organizational need following the Matt Strahm trade.

Kehden Hettiger took over at DH for Schwarber and laced a well-hit double down the right field line in the bottom of the seventh. FanGraphs has Hettiger as the Phillies #23-rated prospect and the 21 year old switch hitter is expected to continue splitting time between first base and catcher in Reading to begin the season.

22 year old right-hander, Giussepe Velasquez, pitched the eighth, allowing one single and collecting all three outs via the punchout. FanGraphs has him starting the season in the rotation in Clearwater.

Bench candidate, Bryan De La Cruz, started in right field and was the only repeat starter from yesterday’s spring opener. He went 0-2 at the dish with one strikeout after notching one of the Phillies’ four hits yesterday in three at bats.

Low-A ball starter, Aaron Combs, pitched a scoreless ninth with a hit-by-pitch. 

Top second base prospect, Aroon Escobar, got his first hit of the spring with an infield single to lead off the bottom of the ninth but that’s all the reserves could muster as the Phils fall to 0-2.

The Phillies will travel across the peninsula to Palm Beach for a rare spring training night game against the Washington Nationals tomorrow at 6:05pm.

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Quick Recap: Jays Lose To Red Sox

Feb 22, 2026; Fort Myers, Florida, USA; Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Lazaro Estrada (60) throws a pitch during the third inning against the Boston Red Sox at JetBlue Park at Fenway South. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Blue Jays 10 Red Sox 11

Of course, batters are ahead of pitchers early in spring training. Lots of scoring.

Pitching:

  • Fernando Perez started for the Jays and had a rough time. It started with a Riley Tirotta error (playing first base). Then a hard line out to center. A double. A ground out, scoring the first run. A walk and a single, scoring another. And a double scoring two more. All unearned, but 4 runs scored, with Perez getting just two outs.
  • Hunter Gregory got the last out of the inning, a strikeout.
  • Chase Lee had a perfect second inning, getting a strikeout.
  • Lazaro Estrada threw two scoreless innings, with 2 hits, 1 walks and 1 strikeout.
  • Spencer Miles had a scoreless 5th, with a strikeout, single and walk.
  • Yariel Rodríguez came in for the 6th, and he didn’t make a case for getting back on the roster. 5 hits and a walk, and 6 earned runs, while getting just two outs.
  • Devereauz Harrison (road spring games is a place to see guy you have never heard of), hit a batter and gave up a 2-run double.
  • Connor Seabold started the 7th. He gave up a hit, two walks and had two strikeouts, with 1 earned run getting just the 2 outs.
  • Brendan Cellucci got the 3rd out of the seventh.
  • Michael Plassmeyer gave up a couple of singles, and got a strikeout in the eighth.

On offense, the starters:

  • Myles Straw was 1 for 3, with a strikeout.
  • Jesús Sánchez, getting his first action as a Blue Jay, had a walk in 3 PA.
  • Eloy Jiménez, also getting his first moment in a Jays’ jersey, had a home run and a double, 2 RBI, with a strikeout in 3 at-bats.
  • RJ Schreck was 1 for 2 with a strikeout.
  • Leo Jiménez was 1 for 2 with a RBI.
  • Brandon Valenzuela was 0 for 1 with a walk and a RBI.
  • Arjun Nimmala was 1 for 2 with a RBI and a strikeout.
  • Riley Tirotta 1 for 2, double. He also made an error at first base, which led to the four runs in the first inning.
  • Cutter Coffey (best name of the day) was 0 for 2 with a k.

Others:

  • Ismael Munguia, I wonder if he says “My name is Ismael’ a lot? He was 0 for 2, with a k.
  • Eddie Micheletti Jr. was 1 for 2, with a double.
  • Carter Cunningham walked.
  • Tucker Toman: Double, RBI in his trip to the plate.
  • Yohendrick Pinango went 1 for 3, with a double, RBI and a k. He also made a nice catch in left.
  • Rafael Lantigua: 1 for 3 with a k.
  • Robert Brooks: 1 for 2, single, RBI.
  • Josh Kasevich: 1 for 2 with a home run and 2 RBI.
  • Nick Goodwin doubled off the wall, with two out in the ninth, but Brooks didn’t score from first.
  • Sean Keys: 0 for 1 with a walk and 2 strikeouts (the second one ended the game).
  • Charles McAdoo: 0 for 1 with a walk.

Now we are 1-1 this spring.

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Grapefruit Juice: Mets 6, Yankees 4

TAMPA, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 22: Justin Hagenman #47 of the New York Mets pitches during the second inning of a spring training game against the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 22, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mark Taylor/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The ball was flying at George M. Steinbrenner with the Mets blasting four home runs to defeat the Yankees 6-4 in the spring version of the Subway Series. On the other side of the ball the team’s pitching mostly held up well especially considering they faced quite a few Yankee starters for a few at bats in the beginning of the game.

  • Justin Hagenman got the start and gave up a solo home run to José Caballero. His final line was 2.1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, and 3 K.
  • DH Jared Young got the scoring started in the second with a solo home run off Luis Gil.
  • The team got production out of their catchers. Both Luis Torrens and Hayden Senger hit solo home runs
  • Carson Benge went 0-for-3 in his spring debut
  • JT Schwartz hit a three-run home run in the eighth to provide a cushion.
  • The Mets pitching held the Yankees off the board until the bottom of the eighth when Brian Metoyer gave up a three-run home run to Kenedy Corona.
  • The Yankees got the tying runs on in the ninth but Carlos Guzman nailed down the save.

Next up the Mets will face the Blue Jays at 1:07 pm ET in sunny Dunedin, Florida.

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Mark Vientos embraces spring training at first base as Mets' 2026 depth chart reshuffles

The Mets enter the 2026 MLB season with a new depth chart at first base after Pete Alonso's departure, and Mark Vientos is among the players involved.

Vientos batted second and started at first in Sunday's spring training game at the Yankees' George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla., and played five innings.

"Pretty good," he said of his progress at first base. "Felt good to get my feet wet for the first game. Got a play at the end of the game, which was nice. But felt good. Felt good to be out there again."

The defensive play came to end the fifth inning when Amed Rosario grounded out to Vientos, whom the Mets replaced in the batting order in the sixth inning with left fielder Nick Morabito while JT Schwartz took first base.

"I think it's just getting everyday reps over there," Vientos said. "I think, more and more you get reps, I'll for sure feel a lot more comfortable. I played first base before in the past, and it's the same thing (as third base). Only thing is you've got to cover the bag, you've got to be a little bit more aware. But I feel comfortable over there."

Vientos primarily plays third base but has a background at the position in addition to his time designated hitting.

"For sure, footwork -- I think it's just getting familiar with the bag, throws," he said. "The bag is a lot bigger, so I've got more leeway to move around, switch foot, footing and, yeah -- like I said, I'm feeling comfortable out there. ... We're covering all the things we need to get better with."

The 27-year-old is open to playing "wherever" the Mets need him.

"Wherever they want me to play, wherever I get the opportunity -- whether it's third, first, DH -- wherever it is that they want me to do, I'm fine with it," Vientos said.

"I just want to help the team win and do my best job for it."

Vientos slashed .233/.289/.413 with 17 home runs and 61 RBI in 121 games in 2025. The production was a step back from his breakout 2024 when he slashed .266/.322/.516 with 27 home runs and 71 RBI in 111 games.

"I think it's just sticking to the routine, sticking to what works, not getting away from it," said Vientos, who posted an 0-for-3 afternoon at the plate Sunday. "My routine is a very simple one, but I'd say that, last year, I started switching things up. I wasn't trusting it, and I didn't have anything that was consistent.

"If my routine is inconsistent, how are my results on the field going to be consistent? So, that's all I'm focused on when it comes to offensive side is my routine and sticking to it."