American musician Dolly Parton peforms on the Oprah Winfrey television show, Chicago, Illinois, February 11, 1992. (Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Today’s Lineups
DIAMONDBACKS
GIANTS
Lars Nootbaar – DH
Drew Gilbert – RF
Corbin Carroll – RF
Rafael Devers – 1B
Gabriel Moreno – C
Bryce Eldridge – DH
Geraldo Perdomo – SS
Jonah Cox – CF
Max Kepler – LF
Turner Hill – LF
Nolan Arenado – 3B
Shay Whitcomb – 3B
Tim Tawa – 1B
Drew Cavanaugh – C
Ildemaro Vargas – 2B
Christian Koss – SS
Ryan Waldschmidt – CF
Nate Furman – 2B
Jose Cabrera – RHP
Landen Roupp – RHP
Roster moves
The Arizona Diamondbacks made the following roster moves. The D-backs’ 40-man roster is at 39.
Recalled from Triple-A Reno: RHP José Cabrera
Optioned to Triple-A Reno following yesterday’s game: RHP Drey Jameson
The first of an expected flurry of moves for this series, what with the sudden double-header on Saturday, and the need for further starting pitchers. First up is Cabrera, who made four starts for Arizona leading up to the All-Star break. They were… just about okay, I suppose. A 5.60 ERA, but that was suppressed by throwing five shutout innings in his major-league debut. Once word got around, the three which followed were considerably less effective, allowing 11 ER over 12.2 innings. A big factor was a K:BB there of just 9:7, as major-league hitters simply laid off his pitches. Doing a better job there will be key tonight in San Francisco.
The series with the Cubs is in the books, and it went well for the D-backs in their wild-card race, combined with results elsewhere. Both the Phillies and Padres lost their series to teams below them in the standings, while Arizona beat a team above them. That closed the gaps to three and one games respectively, and also put a significant dent in the strength of schedule remaining. Now, the Phillies have far and away the toughest stretch run: ranked #3 with a .525 average opponent’s record. The Padres are about even, #16 at .499. But with the Cubs now crossed off, the D-backs have dropped to 24th, at just .485.
Of Arizona’s 28 remaining games, only 9 are against teams above them in the standings (series against the Yankees, Phillies and Padres). They also face the Marlins, who are above .500, at 68-66. But the remaining sixteen games are against sides with losing records. Those start with the four-game series here against San Francisco, while they won’t get to start Eduardo Rodriguez, I’d love for Arizona to take three of the four contests. Meanwhile, the Phillies have today off, before starting a series on the road against the Angeles tomorrow. And the Padres are similarly traveling, but face a tough set against the AL best Rays in Tampa. It’s a good chance for the D-backs to close ground there.
[Dollywood Day #3, for as long as the D-backs keep winning. Dolly Parton peforms on the Oprah Winfrey television show, Chicago, Illinois, February 11, 1992.]
Mar 14, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; The ACC championship game logo is seen on a basketball prior to the men's ACC Conference Tournament Championship between the Virginia Cavaliers and the Duke Blue Devils at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
After the Big Ten, the SEC, and the Big 12 acted earlier this week, the ACC has joined the movement to ban pro athletes from returning to college.
In the ACC’s case, this applies to the NFL, the NBA, and the WNBA. The Big Ten applied its rule strictly to the NFL, while the SEC moved to ban people from the NBA, WNBA, and NFL, and the Big 12 just banned it all. You professional rowers who thought you were coming back to Oklahoma State? You can suck it!
It would probably be good if the Power 4 coordinated and got the same rule across the board, but at least everyone is mostly on the same page: there is a difference between professional and collegiate athletics.
Here’s what Duke football coach Manny Diaz had to say about Thursday’s move by the ACC:
“I don’t blame the players. I don’t blame the individual schools because no one’s breaking a rule. But if something doesn’t pass the smell test, then why don’t the grown-ups in the room be the grown-ups in the room and let’s just say that’s not something that we stand for.
“They’re kicking somebody off who has gone through summer conditioning and an offseason program, and I think there’s morale issues. There’s real-life consequence. This is not pro sports where we check the waiver wire and we just cut a dude and bring a dude in. I’d be curious to see what’s actually happening at all these schools. Not just the NFL guys, all the other eligibility cases. Did that take somebody’s spot or not?”
Well put. Now we sit back and await the next wave of lawsuits.
Update – the Big East will monitor the situation, but has not followed the Power Four and moved against pro athletes returning to college competition.
And with their payroll $8.1 million from the NBA’s $209 million first-apron threshold, they’re hard-capped for the 2026-27 season. With their roster already having 16 players signed to guaranteed contracts, the Lakers’ options for other roster additions are limited.
But they still have clear needs with a month before training camp kicks off.
With Jonathan Kuminga going to the Timberwolves, the Lakers will have to pivot to other options. Getty Images
The Lakers’ tradable draft picks are limited: They own their own 2033 second-round draft pick; they possess a pair of second-round picks from the Wizards in 2031 and 2032 after swapping Deandre Ayton for Jaden Hardy; and the lone first-round pick they’re able to outright swap in a trade is in 2032.
Outside of that, their other trade assets are mostly players who could be on expiring contracts if their team options for 2027-28 are declined (such as Hardy and Dalton Knecht).
These limitations, in addition to a big man market that has a high demand but low supply of quality options, are why the Lakers don’t have many trade options for big man depth.
But if they decided to go that route, two potential targets would be Bucks center Jericho Sims and Bulls big man Jalen Smith.
Milwaukee Bucks center Jericho Sims’ skill set around the rim is intriguing. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
The 6-foot-10, 250-pound Sims fits the athletic, rim-running big man that’s an ideal fit next to superstar guard Luka Doncic. He’s a strong finisher and rebounder, especially on the offensive glass.
And with Sims, 27, slated to be the third big man behind Myles Turner and Kel’el Ware in Milwaukee, the Bucks may be willing to trade Sims and his expiring $2.8 million salary to another team.
The 6-8 Smith, who’s coming off a career year in Chicago (10.2 points, 6.7 rebounds) would provide the outside shooting Sims lacks. And despite being undersized for a traditional center, he’s capable of playing at the 4 and 5, which would open up versatile offensive lineups for the Lakers.
Jalen Smith (25) of the Chicago Bulls would provide frontcourt versatility if the Lakers traded for him. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
Big man free-agent targets
After the Heat picked up Nick Richards on a veteran’s minimum contract on Thursday, the list of free- agent big men became even shorter and more bleak.
The most significant option for the Lakers could be Dwight Powell, the 6-10, 35-year-old big man who was teammates with Doncic for 6 ½ seasons in Dallas.
Notably, Powell has played the most games as a teammate alongside Doncic (389) among the 98 players Doncic has played alongside in his eight-year NBA career.
Besides Powell, the other realistic options are veteran journeymen Drew Eubanks, Bismack Biyombo and Mason Plumlee — demonstrating the lack of quality big man free-agent targets.
Former Mavericks center Dwight Powell has played the most NBA games as a teammate of Luka Doncic’s than anyone else in Doncic’s eight-year career. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Wing trade targets
Trade options for a wing/forward who can step in as a reliable rotation player — let alone a starter — without jeopardizing the Lakers’ potential access to the mid-level exception next summer is limited.
Kings forward De’Andre Hunter and Bucks forward Kyle Kuzma, who was with the Lakers from 2017-21 and won the 2020 championship with the franchise, stand out as the best trade options.
Could Kyle Kuzma and the Lakers reunite? Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Hunter ($24.9 million) and Kuzma ($20.5 million) are entering the final season of their respective four-year, $90 million deals.
Trading for either would likely require the Lakers to send a combination of Hardy, Knecht or Jarred Vanderbilt, in addition to draft picks.
The Lakers previously had interest in trading for Hunter ahead of the deadline in February before the Cavaliers sent him to the Kings as part of a three-team deal with the Bulls.
There isn’t any known current interest in Hunter or Kuzma from the Lakers’ side, but they would likely be their best external backup options this summer with Kuminga no longer available.
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It’s that time of year when New Jersey Devils players begin returning to the Garden State and settling back into their season routines. While some are already skating at RWJBarnabas Health Hockey House, others will be arriving soon, including 25-year-old Arseny Gritsyuk, who is preparing for his second NHL season after a promising rookie campaign.
In his first year, the Russian winger appeared in 66 games, recording 31 points (13 goals, 18 assists). He opened the season alongside Paul Cotter but moved throughout the lineup as the year progressed. Eventually, Gritsyuk found consistency alongside Cody Glass at center, with either Lenni Hämeenaho or Connor Brown on the opposite wing.
In early July, he signed a three-year, $9.75 million contract to remain a Devil with an average annual value of $3.25 million.
“I am enjoy rink, enjoy fans,” he said during his media availability. “I seriously love New Jersey Devils.”
His first season in New Jersey came to an early end after he underwent a shoulder procedure in April. He spent the early part of the offseason rehabbing before returning to the ice in July.
With training camp only a few weeks away, one question surrounding the Devils’ forward group is where Gritsyuk will fit into the lineup for the 2026-27 season. With the additions of Anthony Mantha, Evan Rodrigues, and Jesper Boqvist, head coach Sheldon Keefe has plenty of options at his disposal and will likely experiment with several different combinations throughout camp.
One of Gritsyuk’s teammates believes the 6′ 0″ winger has it in him to claim a coveted top six role.
“100%,” Glass exclusively told The Hockey News. “I think he's got the shot. He's got the speed.
“People don’t realize how hard it is moving from Russia to come play in North America,” Glass continued. “Not being able to speak English very well, I think that can be very hard on a person. For how [Gritsyuk] handled it, I think he did a really good job because it is very intimidating.”
During his media availability in July, Gritsyuk admitted that he was “A little bit scared because this for me, new team, new guys, and I play for everybody on PlayStation, and now I sit (at) one table with them.”
Having spent so much time alongside Gritsyuk, Glass got to know the young winger both on and off the ice. So, when he heard the news of Gritsyuk’s new contract, Glass was understandably thrilled.
“I love him,” Glass explained. “He has such a good personality on and off the ice. It was very cool being able to get to know him. His English has gotten a lot better, so it has obviously helped the chemistry on the ice.”
One of the storylines to watch during training camp will be how Gritsyuk’s familiarity and comfort with the team and his surroundings translate to his play on the ice. Can he take the next step and solidify one of the few remaining spots in the Devils’ top six? Or will the coaching staff reunite Gritsyuk with Glass in the middle six?
Regardless of where Gritsyuk ultimately lands in the lineup—and he will likely move around early in the season as Keefe searches for chemistry and the best possible combinations—Glass is confident that the young winger will make an impact.
“Now that he will be more comfortable coming into this second year, he is only going to be better,” Glass continued. “I think everybody saw how good he was, and you never know; next year he could be getting a bigger role. The sky is the limit for him.”
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Kirk Cousins and the Raiders' first-team offense were surprise starters in the team's final preseason game on Thursday night.
Cousins played two series against the 49ers' backups and led the Raiders to Matt Gay field goals of 37 and 53 yards on drives of 12 plays and 46 yards and 10 plays and 45 yards.
The quarterback went 8-of-11 for 51 yards. Tre Tucker caught three passes for 25 yards.
With Ashton Jeanty nursing an ankle injury, Mike Washington was the starting running back. He took advantage of his opportunity with eight carries for 49 yards.
Cousins left with 56 seconds remaining in the first quarter, but the team's other starters stayed on the field with Fernando Mendoza.
New York Yankees pitcher Cam Schlittler reacts while pitching against the Boston Red Sox in the first inning at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts, Thursday, April 23, 2026. (JASON SZENES/ NY POST)
A four-game series against the Red Sox this weekend stands to be pivotal for the Yankees.
For Cam Schlittler, however, every game against the Red Sox is notable.
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That’s just the way it’ll always be for the American League Cy Young Award favorite, who grew up roughly 30 miles from Fenway Park and has taken on the role as Yankees villain in a near yearlong feud with Boston fans following his historic performance against the club in their AL wild-card series last season.
The bad blood, of course, stems from fans hurling death threats and trolling Schlitter and his family on social media in the leadup to the postseason clash.
The 25-year-old, who will start Friday to open the series, is used to it at this point.
“It’s never stopped,” Schlitter said Thursday of Red Sox fans harassing him online ahead of the Yankees series finale against the Astros. “Whether it’s comments on my posts or my messages or Twitter or whatever it is, or messaging people in my family, it’s always been there. It hasn’t stopped at all. I don’t expect it to stop. I feel like I probably created that issue.
“I could have easily just thrown last year and not said anything, but it didn’t feel right to not say anything.”
Playoff position will be on the line as the rivalry is reignited in The Bronx this weekend, with the Red Sox sitting 2 ½ games behind the Yankees in the AL wild-card standings.
The last time these teams met, when the Red Sox swept the series in June, Boston was 15 ½ games back. Since then, they have been one of the hottest teams in baseball. They completely turned their season around, rattling off multiple lengthy winning streaks to close the gap with the rest of the league.
New York Yankees starting pitcher Cam Schlittler (31) pitches against the Toronto Blue Jays during the first inning at Yankee Stadium. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
After Ryan Weathers landed on the 15-day injured list with a low-grade left forearm flexor strain, the Yankees also pushed back Schlittler’s scheduled start to line up with the Boston series.
Asked if that was by design or happenstance, Schlitter sounded like he was all for taking the game.
“I was prepared to throw [Thursday against Houston]. Obviously, I pushed that back,” he said. “There’s some decisions to be made. I think the way it pans out over the weekend, we’re in a good spot. I think it was better for Elmer [Rodríguez] to throw [Wednesday], and he obviously pitched very well, so he put us in a good spot. That’s really all you can ask for out of a rookie. I think it lines up.
New York Yankees pitcher Cam Schlittler reacts while pitching against the Boston Red Sox in the first inning at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, Thursday, April 23, 2026. JASON SZENES/ NY POST
“We got our guys going against Boston, and it’s an important series. I was fine with it. I think I was going to have a seven-day [gap between starts] no matter what after the Cali trip, anyway, so I guess it’s good to just get that out of the way.”
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said he foresaw just how good the Red Sox were during their last series in Boston, where the Yanks were outscored by a combined 21-9 through the four games.
Having their breakout star pitcher on the mound with a chip on his shoulder, the Yankees hope to keep a hot Red Sox team at bay.
The last time Schlittler faced his hometown team, he gave up five hits over five innings while allowing four runs — but none earned as the Yankees committed four errors on the way to a loss. While that series isn’t in the back of his mind much, Schlittler always has some extra juice for the Red Sox.
“I think it’s just easier [to have that competitive spirit]. Just being from there and the way the fans treated me last year and then into this year, I feel like it’s just easier to get going a little bit,” Schlitter said. “I still respect all the guys over there and everything, but I feel like just being from there makes it easier to kind of be a little more competitive. I don’t really have to search for it as much. It’s just kind of right there in front of me.”
Yes, the White Sox do have a player with positive defensive metrics: Tristan Peters. | Getty Images
Most of the talk about Chicago’s amazing season so far is either about the hitting, which is chugging right along despite some serious slumping here or there. Or even the pitching, which looks like it may be running out of steam (please notice how both references cleverly tie in to old trains). As long as the Savannah Bananas keep furnishing hitters and if management can cleverly find a blister somewhere on Sean Burke so he can get a few weeks of R&R like Davis Martin before the stretch run, both may work out just fine.
That leaves … fielding.
The team’s defense certainly seems to pass the eyeball test with better marks than in recent years, with many fewer bizarre incidents. But should we trust professionally-developed algorithms, or our lying eyes? The algorithms aren’t horrible, but they aren’t impressive, either.
Let’s take a look. For this look, we’ll go with Baseball-Reference. Defense is the category where B-R and FanGraphs are most likely to disagree, because there is some subjectivity to how they value things, but using both all the way through would provide way too many numbers to try to cope with.
Within B-R, we’ll go with the most easily comparable figure, which is Defensive Runs Saved. DRS is created in a way that the league average at each position is zero, so figuring out good versus bad is fairly easy.
And we’ll go by position.
First, a strong point — pitchers Amazingly, at least amazingly if you remember all the pickoff throws to Row Q in recent years, White Sox pitchers score third best in the majors at fielding their position. Yep, they’re at +7 DRS, behind only the Mets and Cubs. There are obviously a whole lot of players involved in this case, so no one or two pitchers get the credit, but the staff as a whole is defending extremely well.
That’s good, because …
Yuck — catchers White Sox catchers have been very good at throwing out runners with larcenous intent, nailing 27% compared to an MLB average of 23%. But that’s where any goodness ends. And boy, is the bad stuff bad.
As a team, they’re 29th, at -10 DRS. Why, you ask?
Well, it may not seem quite as awful as back when Zack Collins was chasing every third pitch back to the wall behind home plate, but the several catchers used by the Sox this year are the runaway leaders in allowing wild pitches. Sure, the pitchers get charged with those, but everything that touches dirt is called a wild pitch these days, and catchers are supposed to block most of those. They haven’t — 60 times they haven’t, five worse than any other team (Angels) and twice as many as the better backstops.
There have been so many different bodies behind the plate, it’s only fair to call it a position-wide problem, not an individual weakness.
The just sorta blah — the infield The infield positions on the South Side share a defensive trait — they’re all slightly worse than average.
That’s a good result at first base, where most scouts figured Munetaka Murakami would be awful. He’s not. Mune scores a -2 DRS — not good, but not terrible, either. That’s in 789 innings of 1,188 the Sox have played, with the two subs while he was on the IL, Miguel Vargas and Jacob Gonzalez, bringing the score up just one point. Overall, the first base D is right in the middle.
It may be a surprise that second base scores more below average, at -4 DRS, 20th in MLB. Half of that is on Chase Meidroth, who has played all but 90 innings at the position, to the tune of -2 DRS. Meidroth makes some terrific plays (and we may forget the awful ones) but his subs — Sam Antonacci being the key — have racked up -2 in just a handful of games.
Even more surprising may be third base, given that the TV crews constantly say what a great fielder Miguel Vargas is. Turns out, he isn’t. The third base total is -3 DRS, and Vargas is good for 921 innings of the coverage there. What he is really good at is catching the ball — only two fielding boo-boos, second-best in MLB. What he’s really bad at is throwing the ball — eight throwing errors, second-worst in MLB for third basemen.
Then, there’s shortstop. Overall, Sox shortstops score -4 DRS, good for 20th place. Colson Montgomery, who has covered 787 of the 1,188 innings, is even worse, at -6 DRS, ranking last of 18 shortstops with qualified innings according to FanGraphs. He has made only eight errors, only two of those throwing, but comes up short (get it?) on getting to balls. (Being slightly below-average on defense would be perfectly fine for a power hitter destined to knock more than 30 homers, but his recent slump also puts Colson at a just-below-average 98 OPS+ even though OPS tends to favor power hitters, and the strikeouts … well. Too bad it’s too late in the season for another Arizona intervention like the one that saved his career last spring.)
So, every infield position is poor, but none are horrible.
At the extremes — the outfield The three outfield spots cover the gamut in defensive performance, at least as far as DRS is concerned.
Right field is right in the middle. As a team, the Sox score just below average there, at -2 DRS. Most of the action in right these days involves Braden Montgomery, who has handled 576 innings at a completely neutral 0 DRS. He had several predecessors in the spot, none noteworthy. As for Braden, his fantastic arm is unfortunately balanced by a tendency to throw before actually catching a ball on the ground, leading to leakiness.
Center field is the true bright spot of the D. The team scores a +6 DRS, good for seventh in MLB, with Tristan Peters amassing all six runs in his 791 innings patrolling the area. Combine that with his sudden surge in hitting in August, and every team is apt to be sending a bunch of scouts to cover Savannah Bananas games from now on.
As for left, that’s sad, especially for those of us who consider Antonacci our favorite player. The eyeball test hasn’t seemed bad, but the data is very unhappy: -12 DRS in left as a team, last in the big leagues. Most of that isn’t on Sam, but he’s at -5 for 771 innings, which is, to put it bluntly, lousy. We can’t even blame Andrew Benintendi’s defensive incompetence for the problem, because he’s been nailed to the bench for all but 55 defensive innings. Heck, we can’t even say, “At least he’s not as awful out there as Andrew Vaughn was,” because Sam’s even worse — at least worse than Vaughn’s first year, when in a similar number of innings he was only -2 DRS. (Vaughn got much, much worse his second year in the outfield, so we have to hope the same thing doesn’t happen with Antonacci.)
So … It’s unlikely Chicago’s drive to the postseason will be led by fancy glovework, but it shouldn’t be killed by defensive lapses, either. Except maybe behind the plate.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - AUGUST 27: Wide receiver Luke Floriea #81 of the Cleveland Browns scores a touchdown against cornerback Kindle Vildor #28 of the New England Patriots in the first quarter of a preseason game at Huntington Bank Field on August 27, 2026, in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The New England Patriots concluded their preseason with a 37-13 loss to the Cleveland Browns on Thursday night.
With Drake Maye and the Patriots frontline players out again, it was a rough showing from New England’s depth players on both sides of the ball — outside of an early highlight from Kyle Williams scoring on another deep ball touchdown.
Here’s everything that went down in the preseason finale.
The Patriots lost the coin toss putting the defense on the field first against Dillon Gabriel and the Browns reserves. A third-down defensive pass interference penalty downfield on Kindle Vildor quickly put Cleveland outside the red zone. From there, the Browns needed just four plays to find the end zone. [Patriots 0 : 7 Browns]
Tommy DeVito drew the start for the Patriots with QB coach Ashton Grant calling offensive plays. After quickly working across midfield, DeVito and Kyle Williams struck again as they connected on a 45-yard touchdown down the left sideline. [Patriots 7 : 7 Browns]
The Browns offense quickly got back to work. Rookie Gabe Jacas bit on a zone-read to allow Gabriel to pick up a third-down with his legs, before the left quarterback found a pair of chunk gains through the air over the middle — the second being a 14-yard touchdown. [Patriots 7 : 14 Browns]
New England then went three-and-out on their next possession as a third-down pass was slightly behind and dropped by Lan Larison out of the backfield. New punter Matt Haack then punted away.
Cleveland’s first play of its new drive goes 52 yards on a deep connection to wide receiver Ben Patterson. Multiple Patriots defenders wrap up Gabriel behind the line of scrimmage on third down in the red zone for a registered sack before kicker Andrew Szmyt adds three to the Browns’ column from 35 yards out. [Patriots 7 : 17 Browns]
Nearing the end of the first quarter, seventh-round rookie Behren Morton replaces DeVito at the helm of the offense. But the signal-caller’s first pass attempt of the evening bounces off the foot of tight end CJ Dippre and falls into the hands of the opposing defense.
Second Quarter
As a result, the Browns took over at New England’s 31-yard line. And after a three-play sequence, Szmyt splits the uprights once more. [Patriots 7 : 20 Browns]
Looking for a response, Morton drove the Patriots offense into the red zone, where kicker Andy Borregales made a 26-yard field goal attempt midway through the frame. New England’s quarterback scrambled for a gain of 14 before connecting for 19 more yards with Kyle Dixon, sitting in a zone coverage soft spot, to cross midfield on the drive. [Patriots 10 : 20 Browns]
Starting its response series just past midfield in New England territory after outside linebacker Amari Gainer was flagged for roughing the passer, Gabriel found running back Ahmani Marshall in the flat, who shed a tackle to secure the score. Cornerback Charles Woods allowed two chunk conversions totaling 39 yards prior. [Patriots 10 : 27 Browns]
The Patriots, taking over with just over two minutes remaining until halftime, had Borregales drill a 33-yard field goal with seven seconds left on the clock. A defensive pass interference call that overturned a deep Morton interception set the Patriots up in Cleveland territory before the no-huddle tempo took effect. [Patriots 13 : 27 Browns]
Third Quarter
Opening the second half, Browns defensive tackle Coziah Izzard broke into New England’s backfield, sacking Morton on a first-down snap. The Patriots were forced to punt after the setback, but seventh-round rookie Quintayvious Hutchins brought down the scrambling returner at the two-yard line after he attempted to create extra yardage.
As Taylen Green replaced Gabriel on Cleveland’s following drive, his offense couldn’t overcome the poor field positioning, going three-and-out.
Despite New England quickly regaining possession, a three-and-out of its own sent the ball right back to the opposition. Recently signed punter Matt Haack delivered a 63-yard kick, pinning the Browns at their own two-yard line halfway through the third.
Fourth Quarter
Nevertheless, to end the quarter-long scoring drought, Cleveland running back Davon Booth capped off a nine-minute, 98-yard scoring drive. The ball carrier broke a missed tackle by Patriots cornerback Kobee Minor, easily waltzing into the end zone for the touchdown. [Patriots 13 : 34 Browns]
The Patriots, operating in an even larger scoring deficit, followed with an offensive series that only lasted five plays. Punting from midfield, Haack’s punt sailed to the Browns’ 19-yard line for a fair catch with 12 minutes remaining.
Cleveland’s goal to close out the game is to chew the clock, which it did for five and a half minutes during a nine-play possession, securing three first downs.
New England then attempted to put together a scoring drive, starting from its own 11, but Morton was hit as he threw on a fourth-and-two play, resulting in an interception. The Browns returned the takeaway to the Patriots’ 12-yard line, turning the defensive stop into a successful field goal just ahead of the two-minute warning. [Patriots 13 : 37 Browns]
Morton completed a couple of passes on the final drive of the contest as the clock ran out.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Portland Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe will be sidelined for at least six months after surgery to repair a lateral meniscus tear in his right knee, the team announced Thursday.
Sharpe was injured last week during a workout and had surgery Monday in Los Angeles.
The 6-foot-5 shooting guard averaged 20.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 50 games last season with Portland, but missed time because of a stress reaction in his left fibula.
Sharpe, 23, was the seventh overall pick in the 2022 draft by the Blazers. Over his four years with Portland, he has averaged 15.7 points, with four rebounds and 2.2 assists per game.
Last October he agreed to a four-year, $90 million contract extension.
The Blazers said Sharpe would be reevaluated in six months.
1906: Future Hall of Famer Eddie Collins made his major league debut for the Philadelphia Athletics, beginning a 25-year career that produced more than 3,300 hits.
1912: Casey Stengel debuted with Brooklyn and collected four singles in a 7-3 victory, launching a career that later led to Hall of Fame honors as a manager.
1920: Representatives of 11 professional football teams met in Canton, Ohio, and formed the American Professional Football Association, which became the NFL in 1922. Massillon withdrew during the meetings; Jim Thorpe was elected the league’s first president.
1931: Boston Red Sox outfielder Earl Webb established a major league record by reaching 65 doubles on the season, a mark he eventually pushed to a still-standing 67.
1941: Stan Musial made his major league debut and doubled home two runs as the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Boston Braves in the second game of a doubleheader.
1947: Jackie Robinson was named The Sporting News Rookie of the Year after breaking Major League Baseball’s color barrier during his historic first season.
1953: Ernie Banks became the first Black player in Chicago Cubs history, starting at shortstop in his major league debut against the Philadelphia Phillies.
1954: Heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano, fighting with a badly split nose, knocked out Ezzard Charles in the eighth round of their rematch at Yankee Stadium.
1955: Brooks Robinson made his major league debut with the Baltimore Orioles, the first game of a Hall of Fame career at third base.
1964: Mickey Mantle recorded both his 2,000th career hit and 450th home run in the Yankees’ victory over Detroit.
1965: Hank Aaron hit two home runs and drove in three runs as the Milwaukee Braves snapped San Francisco’s 14-game winning streak in the Braves’ final win in Milwaukee before moving to Atlanta.
1968: Gaylord Perry struck out nine and threw a no-hitter against Bob Gibson and the St. Louis Cardinals, leading the San Francisco Giants to a 1-0 victory at Candlestick Park.
1983: Cincinnati Reds star Johnny Bench hit the 389th and final home run of his career on “Johnny Bench Night” at Riverfront Stadium.
1984: The California Angels’ Reggie Jackson hit his 500th career home run, reaching the milestone exactly 17 years after hitting his first major league homer.
1993: The expansion Colorado Rockies surpassed 4 million in home attendance during their 71st home date, breaking Major League Baseball’s single-season attendance record.
1996: Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Hideo Nomo threw the first and only no-hitter in Coors Field history, beating the Colorado Rockies 9-0 in one of baseball’s most hitter-friendly ballparks.
2000: Thirteen-year-old Lionel Messi arrived in Barcelona from Argentina for a trial with FC Barcelona, beginning the process that led to his celebrated career.
2000: The Miami Dolphins retired Dan Marino’s No. 13 jersey, honoring the Hall of Fame quarterback’s 17-year career with the franchise.
2004: Barry Bonds hit his 700th career home run off San Diego’s Jake Peavy, becoming the third major league player to reach the milestone.
2011: Mariano Rivera recorded his 601st career save in the New York Yankees’ 7-6 victory over Toronto, tying Trevor Hoffman’s major league record.
2017: Anna Nordqvist won the Evian Championship after a playoff victory over Brittany Altomare, securing her second of three major championships.
2024: Juan Soto hit his 200th career home run and became the eighth major league player to reach the milestone before his 26th birthday as the New York Yankees defeated Seattle.
— USA TODAY Network
This story was created with the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of information gathering, review, editing and publishing. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct.
NaLyssa Smith has been ruled out for the remainder of the 2026 season, the Las Vegas Aces announced Thursday. Smith, one of the Aces’ starters and a key part of last year’s championship team, suffered a non-contact left leg injury against the Toronto Tempo on Sunday and left the game immediately.
Smith was the fourth-leading scorer on the Aces’ active roster with 11.7 points per game and was the second-leading rebounder with 6.4 per contest. She was also leading the WNBA in field-goal percentage (63.8 percent). By most advanced metrics, she was the most valuable player on Las Vegas outside the big three of A’ja Wilson, Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray.
“Lyss is a soldier,” Wilson said postgame Sunday. “God has his hands on her, and we’re going to continue to be beside her through this whole process.”
The Aces acquired Smith on June 30 last season. She joined the starting lineup one game later, and the team went 21-5 the rest of the way before winning a third title in five seasons.
The team now has a gaping hole at the power forward slot. Head coach Becky Hammon often closes with a small lineup, with either Gray or Jewell Loyd playing the 4 on defense. However, for the rest of the game, Brianna Turner and Cheyenne Parker-Tyus are closer to centers; Turner has offensive limitations while Hammon doesn’t appear to trust Parker-Tyus’ defense. Rookie Justine Pissott seems unlikely to gain a larger role in the rotation, as she has played only 81 minutes in 2026 thus far.
Smith’s absence will be felt most acutely on the glass. Las Vegas struggles to generate second chances without her on the court. The sixth-year forward is an athletic rebounder and has learned to fill the gaps created by defenses focusing on Wilson in the frontcourt.
The Aces have already been granted a season-ending injury exemption for Smith, so they can sign a free agent at a minimum contract to replace her. They were in the running for DeWanna Bonner but lost out to the Atlanta Dream. The deadline has passed for players to be eligible for the postseason if waived by another team, so Las Vegas has to look outside the WNBA for options.
It has already done so this season by signing Mai Yamamoto on July 17 to replace Janiah Barker. Yamamoto has become a key part of the rotation since. The upcoming 17-day FIBA break could be an opportunity for a new player to acclimate to Hammon’s system in Las Vegas.
The Aces are third in the WNBA standings, a half-game ahead of the Dream with the tiebreaker. They have the easiest remaining schedule in the league; all five of their upcoming games are against lottery teams.
It’s unlikely that Las Vegas can move up, as the No. 1 seed is out of reach and the Golden State Valkyries are two losses ahead with only one game remaining against a fellow playoff team. However, the No. 3 seed should be the floor for the Aces, even without Smith the rest of the way.
1919: Cincinnati defeated the New York Giants 4-3 to clinch the first National League pennant in franchise history.
1924: St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Jim Bottomley went 6-for-6 with two home runs and a major-league-record 12 RBIs in a 17-3 victory over the Brooklyn Robins.
1937: Washington, DC’s NFL team played its first regular-season game since relocating from Boston, defeating the New York Giants 13-3 at Griffith Stadium.
1950: The four-time All-America Football Conference champion Cleveland Browns made their NFL debut by routing the defending NFL champion Philadelphia Eagles 35-10.
1960: At age 39, Milwaukee Braves pitcher Warren Spahn struck out 15 and threw the first of his two career no-hitters, defeating the Philadelphia Phillies 4-0.
1973: Buffalo Bills running back O.J. Simpson rushed for 250 yards and two touchdowns in a season-opening victory over the New England Patriots, beginning his march toward the NFL’s first 2,000-yard rushing season.
1975: The Pittsburgh Pirates crushed the Chicago Cubs 22-0 at Wrigley Field, producing the largest shutout victory in the major leagues since 1900. The Pirates’ Rennie Stennett went 7-for-7, becoming the only player since 1900 to collect seven hits in a nine-inning game.
1981: Sugar Ray Leonard stopped previously unbeaten Thomas Hearns in the 14th round at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas to unify the welterweight championship.
1988: Cincinnati Reds left-hander Tom Browning pitched the first perfect game in franchise history, retiring all 27 Los Angeles Dodgers in a 1-0 victory at Riverfront Stadium.
1989: Raghib “Rocket” Ismail returned two kickoffs for second-half touchdowns as No. 1 Notre Dame defeated No. 2 Michigan 24-19 before 105,912 fans at Michigan Stadium.
1992: The first matches of the newly rebranded UEFA Champions League were played, beginning the inaugural season of Europe’s premier club competition under its new name.
1993: Minnesota Twins designated hitter Dave Winfield singled against Oakland’s Dennis Eckersley to become the 19th major-league player to reach 3,000 career hits.
1996: Paul Molitor collected his 3,000th career hit and became the first major leaguer to reach the milestone with a triple.
2000: Switzerland’s Brigitte McMahon won the women’s triathlon at the Sydney Games, capturing the first Olympic gold medal awarded in the sport.
2000: Chicago Cubs star Sammy Sosa hit his 50th home run of the season, becoming only the second player in MLB history to reach 50 homers in three consecutive years.
2004: NHL owners locked out the players after the collective bargaining agreement expired, beginning the labor stoppage that ultimately wiped out the entire 2004-05 season.
2007: Tiger Woods won the Tour Championship by eight strokes at East Lake and captured the inaugural FedEx Cup championship.
2007: Jim Thome hit his 500th career home run in dramatic fashion, delivering a two-run, walk-off shot in the ninth inning of the Chicago White Sox’s 9-7 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.
2007: The Phoenix Mercury defeated the defending champion Detroit Shock 108-92 in Game 5 of the WNBA Finals, winning the first championship in franchise history as Cappie Pondexter earned Finals MVP honors.
2018: Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw six touchdown passes in a win over Pittsburgh and set an NFL record with 10 touchdown passes through his team’s first two games of a season.
— USA TODAY Network
This story was created with the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of information gathering, review, editing and publishing. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct.
MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - AUGUST 20: Malik Willis #2 and De'von Achane #28 of the Miami Dolphins look on during joint practice with the New York Giants at Baptist Health Training Complex on August 20, 2026 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With training camp winding down, tomorrow night’s preseason contest is the last real chance for many of the rookies on our Miami Dolphins to make a statement to the coaching staff. With that in mind, I asked the following question a couple of nights ago:
Which Miami Dolphins player or players do you and/or others believe were shoo-ins for the Dolphins’ 2026-2027 roster who now must show something above and beyond what we have seen from them thus far in camp and the preseason if they have any hope of making the final 53-man roster, and why?
Below are some of your thoughts and answers-
Dolfanjoe sees all the possibilities for success falling on Willis’s shoulders.
Willis has to lead and perform. Trading the first or second pick in the 27 draft is what will help build this team for years to come. If Willis is the man, Our future is looking very bright!
Molly Polly II wants to see a QB who has shown nothing to show something.
Defense! Gonna get ugly if Tua embarrasses our defense so I’m hoping to see some QB pressure and DBs steppin up.
Offensively , I’d like to see Miller secure that second spot, Ewers doesn’t cut it.
FFFL66IBA&O seems to want more focus this week.
I’m just hoping Everybody get’s their head’s outta their @$$€$ this week and…..PLEASE GET YOUR HEAD’S IN THE GAME!!!
SlayerNation1 is not sure who will step up in week one.
Not sure which of Our bright stars will be shining come Week 1… but it will be…
Chris Myers, Mark Schlereth singing their praises.
JUK points to a variety of areas on the roster, and it will be close for certain guys.
Lots of people under pressure this week, with roster spots up for grabs in most rooms:
QB – Ewers. He’s had a terrible camp, and I think we will be looking for backups in the market if he doesn’t show something this week
WR – the vets Tolbert and Atwell. Both have partially guaranteed contracts but might not be enough to save them especially with Bell back early. I’m not sure either make it unless something changes this week
O line – Charlie Heck has done nothing to suggest he deserves a roster spot but would probably get one today as there is no one else. But cut down day would have me looking for an upgrade
D line – think the 5th spot behind Sieler and the 3 second year guys is wide open.
LB – Gay. Camp stand out for splash plays and energy every year, but doesn’t translate into playing time. Too much freelancing? He’s got to show he can be disciplined without losing impact
CB – like D line but even more so. Johnson, Brents and Marshall are locks but there are probably 5 guys (not even including the 2 on PUP) competing for 2-3 spots.
Luvs2drnk knows who it won’t be.
Well, we know it won’t be Tahj Washington. Just released and replaced with Ryan Miller.
MiamiItaliano just wants to see anyone brought in who can be a competent backup QB.
Need to see Gronowski, Miller or someone with a pulse off the street shine at backup QB. If not, cut them. Can Malik play during the season wearing a protective suit?
NeenerWhacker will be watching the wideouts and the secondary.
Needs to come from the boundaries on each side of the ball. One (or all 3) of the rookie WRs must step up. My bet is on Douglas making more splash plays, Bell will get the tough yards and Coleman a possession guy on 3rd downs
Will also need something special out of Marshall or Juju. Seems like Johnson is going to start in the nickel until one of them go down. Juju has all the potential in the world
Well, those are our comments for this evening. If you missed the original post and have a guy or a few guys who you expect to be playing for one of the last roster spots tomorrow night, please share your thoughts in the comments section below. As always, thank you to each of you who took the time to answer our PQOTD.
LAKE FOREST, ILLINOIS - JULY 29: Caleb Williams #18 of the Chicago Bears looks on during Chicago Bears Training Camp at Halas Hall on July 29, 2026 in Lake Forest, Illinois. (Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Chicago Bears held their second joint practice of training camp, closing out the camp season, with the Tennessee Titans Thursday, at Vanderbilt Health Football Center, a roughly two-hour, padded session against Robert Saleh’s Titans two days before Saturday’s preseason finale at Nissan Stadium (5 p.m. CT). It was hot, physical, and chippy. From the Bears’ side the day split cleanly: the offense — especially Caleb Williams and the tight ends — won the first half; Tennessee’s defense and first-round receiver Carnell Tate won the second after Chicago lost both starting corners for stretches. Ben Johnson framed the week as “another controlled test” link against an “attacking front” designed to meet the Bears at the line of scrimmage — a different problem than Joe Burrow and the Bengals. This is the last chance for the Bears to evaluate position battles and get both the offense and defense ready for a season that will kick off in less than two weeks, and where the Bears will face their first test of the season against the Carolina Panthers.
On a very hot day in Nashville, Caleb Williams got off to a hot start according to CHGO’s Adam Hoge, noting Caleb had six straight completions and was 9 of 11 overall for that period. Hoge also reported that Caleb spread the ball around to eight different receivers.
Caleb Williams on 🔥 to start practice vs Titans. Six straight completions and 9 of 11 overall. The incompletions were a throwaway and a drop.
Ball being spread around. Eight different receivers have caught a pass from Caleb.
Ben Arthur (FOX, covering the Titans) described the tape: Williams hit Rome Odunze in stride off an RPO, stepped up and found Cole Kmet on a shuffle pass, and ripped a dart into a tight window outside the numbers.
Red-zone work was even better for Chicago. The Tennessean’s live blog had the Bears scoring six touchdowns in 12 combined red-zone snaps across first, second, and third units. Caleb threw two red-zone scores in one period, including an out to rookie WR Zavion Thomas and a play-action shot to a wide-open Kmet. D’Andre Swift scored in the red zone and was part of a trick play: handoff, pitch back to Williams, downfield to Kmet. Johnson had said before practice that Swift looked as good as he has at this point of any year — vision, bounce, cut-up timing. That showed up today in the practice with the Titans.
Ben Johnson continues to embarrass Titans. Calls another trick play. It works.
Swift tosses it back to Caleb Willams who finds wide open Colston Loveland
The tight-end room was the most consistent Bears’ weapon of the day. Colston Loveland drew praise from Titans reporters on the other sideline (“looks legit”; “big, tall, fast, and very good”). He had a highlight after a Swift-to-Williams lateral and a YAC spin for a chunk gain. Rookie Sam Roush, working later units with Case Keenum, caught a deep ball and an end-zone score for “big plays” according to Nick Moreano of REKAP, in the 11-on-11 period. agreed that Johnson’s pre-practice line on Roush still applied after the session: flashes that get a staff excited, consistency not there yet, which is expected for a rookie tight end.
In the second half of the practice, the Bears were taught to remember the Titans (you come here for the news and coverage, you stay for the Dad jokes). Adam Hoge noted the “good response” by the Titans defense during a long team period in which they were better in coverage and got more pressure on Caleb. Also said that that the Titans did not like Tyson Bagent going to make a tackle on an interception. Williams finished a two-minute drive around the 20 with 12 seconds left and threw an interception to Tony Adams intended for Loveland. Titans 1s also sacked him and forced incompletions in the period after the break.
Good response by the Titans defense in a long 28-play team period. Tightened up coverage and got a lot more pressure, making things more difficult for Caleb. Would say the Titans definitely won that period.
Things got chippy too, especially after Tyson Bagent went to make a…
Chicago arrived today in Nashville short on the defensive line. Dan Wiederer of the Athletic reported that Gervon Dexter (hamstring or trade negotiations – hard to say which) and Austin Booker (groin) did not travel. Then both starting corners left early. Jaylon Johnson hurt his right arm on a run play in 11-on-11, lost his helmet and pads, stayed on the sideline next to DBs coach Al Harris, and kept chirping. Tyrique Stevenson favored his right leg after a collision with Tate / a red-zone breakup, left with trainer Andre Tucker, then returned with the starters. While Johnson took off his pads and did not return to the field, he stayed on the sidelines. Cam Lewis gave the defense its best moment: an interception of Cam Ward on a throw behind TE Gunnar Helm. Malik Muhammad broke up one would-be Tate touchdown. Otherwise, with Johnson out and Stevenson in and out, Tate feasted. Luther Burden III traveled and did individual work only while still easing back from a groin injury; he stayed vocal on the sideline. A hit on Titans WR Wan’Dale Robinson, later identified as having been delivered by Xavier Woods, was called “cheap” by Saleh in the post-practice interview. It cleared both benches and sent Robinson off for a concussion evaluation.
There seemed to be a consensus among both Bears and Titans beat reporters that the Bears had the advantage early in practice but that the Titans got the best of the Bears in the later period. Jim Wyatt, senior writer for the Tenessee Titans, thought that the Titans “held their own” against a “good football team” in the Chicago Bears at practice today. He also thought that former Chicago Bear, now Titans backup, Mitch Trubisky had a solid day with a 19-26 performance. AtoZ’s Kole Noble said it most directly from the Chicago beat: the Titans “seemingly won the day,” with plenty of Bears positives still on the field. Chris Kwiecinski and Devan Kaney of FOX 32 sounded the most Bears-optimistic voice among the reporters covering the practice, writing that Williams was the catalyst and that “the Bears’ offense was winning the day over the Titans” – but that assessment was before the practice break. All in all, while the Titans seemed to get the best of the Bears in the second half of the practice, both teams seem to have come away with positives, despite the jawing and occasional fisticuffs, and despite the scare with the injuries to Johnson and Stephenson, and the hit on Robinson, both teams seem to have come away relatively healthy.
Some other news of note, nuggets, if you will:
Swifty of the Swift Sports Network indicated that Caleb thinks that only Braxton Jones and Theo Benedet are left in the left tackle competition.
Caleb seems to think its only a two man competition at Left Tackle right now – Braxton Jones & Theo Benedet
In the same vein, Brad Biggs of the Tribune observed that the Bears were very vocal with the Titans throughout practice today:
Some players came together after last series for starters in team drills. Luther Burden, who is not doing team drills, got into some jawing with Jeffery Simmons and Jermaine Johnson. Size advantage: Titans.
Nacua is awaiting the ruling on a potential suspension after what’s been an egregious offseason of choices by him. The timing comes at the end of the NFL preseason, the same time when most NFL fans conduct their fantasy football drafts.
Puka Nacua practicing with the Los Angeles Rams during NFL training camp. AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
ESPN currently has Nacua listed as wide receiver two, behind Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, but if he is suspended, team owners might be reluctant to take him in the first round, which could mean he could become the steal of your draft if he falls to the second round.
Nacua has gone from fantasy football long shot to finishing as last year’s wide receiver one, when he led the league in receptions (129), and finished second in yards (1,715) and in the top ten for touchdowns (10), scoring 375 points in most ESPN fantasy football leagues.
The risk of taking Nacua with a top pick is extremely high, but the good part is his position comes with flexibility, as wide receivers are viewed as indispensable in fantasy football.
It’s unknown how long Nacua could be suspended, which raises the biggest question on if it’s worth selecting him. But if it’s not for the long term, it could be a risk worth taking, as the wide receiver position is seamlessly indispensable and filled with depth.
Owners could look to add another wideout after selecting Nacua by targeting players like Eagles’ Devonta Smith and Broncos’ Jaylen Waddle — who will be wide receiver one for their respective teams this season.
Los Angeles Rams’ Puka Nacua standing alongside his teammate, Davantae Adams. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Owners could also look to pivot towards a young rookie, such as Titans receiver Carnell Tate, who could emerge as wide receiver one for the Tennessee Titans this year — depending on how Calvin Ridley performs.
Alongside Tate, his fellow rookie, Makai Lemon, is another intriguing name that could be selected in the later rounds of the draft, as he will play a similar role in the Eagles’ revamped offense under new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion.
NaLyssa Smith has been ruled out for the remainder of the 2026 season, the Las Vegas Aces announced Thursday. Smith, one of the Aces’ starters and a key part of last year’s championship team, suffered a non-contact left leg injury against the Toronto Tempo on Sunday and left the game immediately.
