Brandin Podziemski’s impending extension with the Golden State Warriors represents a critical crossroad for the franchise’s cap management. Eligible for a rookie-scale extension, the 23-year-old guard’s camp seeks a payday in the $22–$25 million range annually, driven by his starting-level production, high-IQ passing, and relentless rebounding.
However, Golden State prefers a conservative $15–$18 million sweet spot to preserve second-apron flexibility around Stephen Curry. Paying premium money to a low-volume creator carries real risk. If negotiations stall, Golden State can let the market dictate his value in restricted free agency next summer.
SB Nation asked Warriors fans which kind of extension should the Warriors give Podziemski. Here’s what they said:
Does Podziemski deserve the reported asking price he and his representation are seeking? Or does his profile as a low-volume creator make that too steep of a price to pay? Head on over to https://sportsbook.fanduel.com/navigation/nba to test your luck.
Aug 27, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Kyle Williams (18) and New England Patriots quarterback Tommy DeVito (16) celebrate after a touchdown against the Cleveland Browns during the first half at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
August’s hay is in the barn.
The New England Patriots closed out the preseason with a 37-13 loss to the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field on Thursday night.
Here’s a glance back on the summer finale before the NFL’s 53-man roster deadline hits home.
DeVito finds Williams for third TD in as many weeks
The third week of the preseason was once the dress rehearsal. It’s more so the sendoff now. Last year’s emergency third quarterback made the most of whatever was left.
Tommy DeVito completed 2-of-4 passes for 55 yards against the Browns and added 16 yards rushing. As reigning All-Pro Drake Maye and nearly half of the Patriots’ roster observed in street clothes on Thursday, the new backup found a touchdown and stayed in until the 3:30 mark in the first quarter.
Taking the field in “12” personnel, the opening possession for New England’s offense spanned six plays and 76 yards. A curl route to Kyle Williams on third down was quickly followed by a go route to the Washington State product for a 45-yard touchdown against man-to-man coverage. It marked the third scoring strike between the quarterback and wide receiver in as many August matchups.
It’d then be Behren Morton’s turn to learn after a three-and-out. The seventh-rounder out of Texas Tech went 18-of-28 through the air for 123 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions in relief.
Morton overthrew Nick DeGennaro for a would-be score, went back to No. 23 on a pick that instead became defensive pass interference, then tried once more to keep a play alive that was not there to the undrafted free agent. But he turned to another member of New England’s 2026 rookie class, Kyle Dixon, for a team-best eight receptions worth 71 yards.
Veteran August additions carry backfield
There’d be no Rhamondre Stevenson. There’d be no TreVeyon Henderson. But snaps remained behind New England’s tandem of lead running backs. Those snaps began with Lan Larison.
The 2025 redshirt out of UC Davis started Thursday’s 8 p.m. ET kickoff and stayed in to handle two carries for five yards and no catches on two targets, including a drop in the flat.
Hassan Haskins, an experienced, powerful, straightforward addition amid training camp, was in the backfield by the second series and had logged a tackle and a return on kickoffs by then. The 6-foot-2, 228-pound former All-Big Ten selection from Michigan turned in a team-high 38 rushing yards across 11 carries from there in his bid for the No. 3 role.
JaMycal Hasty, who has toured Foxborough through a trio of head coaches, returned with volume versus Cleveland by logging 34 scrimmage yards. A long of 20 was among them by ground. That was the case as rookie Jam Miller looked on.
Last tight end in
An active roster of 91 will be no more by 6 p.m. ET on Sunday. And in Cleveland, the battle to be left standing at tight end alongside captain Hunter Henry and rookie Eli Raridon rolled on with little fanfare.
Past UDFA C.J. Dippre, who had a throw ricochet off his cleat en route to an interception by Browns linebacker Easton Mascarenas-Arnold, got the start alongside a present UDFA and caught two passes for 21 yards. And while offering inline blocking and fullback flexibility, Tanner Arkin corralled his only target.
A holdover from the Super Bowl LX team in Jack Westover served as the final option and reeled in a pair of receptions for 10 yards. Along the same lines as the Patriots’ ground game, there’s a third spot depending on what the organization is looking for down the road.
Hudson, Lomu start on New England’s bookends
The Patriots added insurance in the middle with veteran free agent Greg Van Roten, whose NFL run has brought 105 starts, including 51 in a row, and back-to-back campaigns as an ironman. The 36-year-old projects as the top interior backup alongside a healthy Ben Brown come autumn. On the outside, however, there’s still depth to be built.
In the preseason finale, there stood James Hudson III at left tackle. The offseason arrival faced the Browns’ heat and briefly had to be checked out after coming out of a QB takedown grabbing his arm. No. 28 overall pick Caleb Lomu aligned at right tackle until fellow 2026 draft pick Dametrious Crownover worked in across from Jack Conley.
It was more musical chairs on the heels of 2025 draft choice Marcus Bryant suffering an injury during last week’s exhibition. The rest of Thursday’s starting five included Mehki Butler at left guard, Jacob Rizy at center and Joe Michalski at right guard. Three sacks had been notched by the Browns by game’s end.
Gabriel unaffected in the pocket
New England’s starting front included Eric Gregory and Joshua Farmer in the middle of things. The defensive tackles were joined off the edges by No. 55 overall pick Gabe Jacas and Jesse Luketa, plus K.J. Britt and a team-high 11 tackles from rookie flier Namdi Obiazor off the ball.
Yet no sacks nor turnovers followed for Cleveland’s starter under center.
Quarterback Dillon Gabriel looked unaffected behind his pass protection as the Browns got out to a 27-13 lead at halftime. He headed into intermission 12-of-15 passing for 186 yards with three touchdowns. Two field goals were added over the initial handful of drives as the home offense averaged 7.7 yards per play, went 3-of-4 in the red zone and 2-of-2 with the goal line to go.
Long, speedy Browns rookie QB Taylen Green took the keys for the second half and turned his first scramble against the Patriots into a pickup of 30 with the uprights at his back. A 34-13 game it became after 15 plays and 98 yards.
Depth corners lose the edge
A signing from March, a waiver claim from last August, a draft choice from 2024 and another from 2026 could all be chasing the same couple spots behind Christian Gonzalez, Carlton Davis III and Marcus Jones. That chase continued in the summer finale. Uninspiringly.
Kindle Vildor was penalized for pass interference on the initial defensive series, keeping a third-and-9 going to the tune of 28 yards and a 7-0 lead as the veteran cornerback wrapped up Luke Floriea at the right pylon on the first of his two touchdown catches. Charles Woods also got lost in traffic on the Browns wide receiver’s initial score.
Marcellas Dial Jr. was the primary coverage on the next. And while Karon Prunty drew the start in the nickel package, too, the rookie by way of Kansas, North Carolina A&T and Wake Forest nearly gave up Cleveland’s third aerial strike before an official review changed the ruling.
The starting safeties on Thursday night were John Saunders Jr., whose angle in the open field set the stage for a 52-yard gain, and Dell Pettus. Jaylen Reed was not in uniform after being acquired from the Houston Texans in exchange for wide receiver Kayshon Boutte and a 2028 seventh-rounder.
Haack handles the specialist situation
An aforementioned rookie quarterback averaged 44.3 yards per punt for New England last week. It wasn’t by design. An injury sustained by incumbent Bryce Baringer during the second game of the preseason set the wheels in motion instead.
The signing of Matt Haack followed. Suiting up for his 10th different NFL team on Thursday night, the well-traveled specialist was called upon for four punts worth an average of 46.5 yards per. He finished with a long of 63, no touchbacks and three inside-the-20 efforts on the heels of New England working out fellow veteran free agent Jamie Gillan. A coffin corner downed by linebacker Chad Muma two yards from the doorstep was also put on film.
The holding operation stayed inside the uprights, too. Sophomore Patriots kicker Andy Borregales went 2-of-2 field goals and made his lone extra point at Huntington Bank Field. Those attempts from range began with a 26-yarder and continued with a 33-yarder prior to halftime.
Steelers backup quarterback Will Howard is being evaluated for a head injury.
Howard was unavailable for his postgame interviews after reporting an injury to the medical staff during the second half of the Steelers' 28-27 loss to the Bills.
The Steelers reportedly had planned to keep four quarterbacks on their 53-player roster in final cutdowns, but if Howard has a concussion, that would clear the way for him to begin the season on injured reserve. (Or spend the season on IR.)
He spent most of last season on injured reserve due to a hand injury in training camp.
Howard was 9-of-15 for 69 yards with two touchdowns and an interception on Thursday night. He took three sacks in the first half before Drew Allar replaced him for the second half. Allar was 9-of-18 for 88 yards against the Bills.
Howard finished the preseason 26-of-39 for 229 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions.
Starter Aaron Rodgers did not play in the preseason, and Mason Rudolph appeared in the preseason opener. Howard and Allar split the final two preseason games.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - FEBRUARY 09: (L-R) Head coach Kyle Shanahan, General manager John Lynch and assistant to the head coach Patrick Hagedorn look on during San Francisco 49ers practice ahead of Super Bowl LVIII at Fertitta Football Complex on February 07, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Francisco 49ers just wrapped up their final preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders, and now it’s up to Kyle Shanahan, John Lynch, and the rest of the 49ers brain trust to decide who is going to be making the team for 2026.
The 49ers began with a 90-man roster and must now trim it to 53. The deadline for roster cuts in 2026 is Sunday at 6 p.m. ET, but the 49ers probably want to get travel figured out for the Week 1 game in Melbourne, Australia, so you might see things materialize a bit quicker before that deadline.
We’ll update this post with any transactions the 49ers make leading up to the Sunday deadline to help us make conclusions on who will be on the 53-man roster.
Over on FanDuel, the 49ers are at +1800 to win the Super Bowl, meaning a $10 bet can get you $180, should they win the whole thing. Those are not bad odds, and once roster cuts happen, much less the season begins, that number can swing all over the place.
After the performance Thursday, who do you see as an easy choice to remove from the 90-man roster? Who do you think is a mistake to move off of?
ATLANTA — Chris Sale struck out 11 in a five-hit shutout, Drake Baldwin launched a leadoff homer against Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and the Atlanta Braves edged the Los Angeles Dodgers 1-0 on Thursday night to complete a three-game sweep.
Sale (13-9) did not walk a batter. The left-hander posted his fourth double-digit strikeout game this season and the 95th of his career, which ranks seventh all-time.
Fans in the sellout crowd of 39,650 cheered when Sale strolled out to the mound for the ninth inning even though relievers were ready in the Atlanta bullpen. Braves manager Walt Weiss stuck with his ace after Freddie Freeman singled leading off the ninth.
Teoscar Hernández popped out, pinch-runner Alek Thomas was out at second on Miguel Rojas’ fielder’s-choice grounder and Sale struck out Alex Call for his 17th complete game and first since 2019 with Boston.
Baldwin lined the first pitch from Yamamoto (12-8) into the right-field Chop House restaurant. It was Baldwin’s fourth leadoff shot this season and 22nd homer overall. Yamamoto allowed only four hits with eight strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings.
The NL East-leading Braves won the season series 5-1 against the Dodgers, who sit atop the NL West.
Braves shortstop Ha-Seong Kim, hitting .078, was rewarded with a start after his game-winning, pinch-hit single with two outs in the ninth inning of Wednesday night’s 6-5 win over the Dodgers. Kim singled and stole second base in the third.
Before the game, Dodgers right-hander Roki Sasaki was placed on the 15-day injured list after exiting Wednesday night’s game with a blister on his right middle finger. Los Angeles recalled right-hander Seth Halvorsen from Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Up next
Dodgers: LHP Tarik Skubal (8-7, 2.91 ERA) will make what is expected to be an emotional Detroit homecoming when he starts Friday night’s series opener at the Tigers.
Braves: RHP Grant Holmes (8-5, 3.64 ERA) is scheduled to start when the Braves open a three-game series against RHP Tomoyuki Sugano (12-7, 4.96) and the Colorado Rockies.
SAN DIEGO, CA - AUGUST 26: Jackson Merrill #3 of the San Diego Padres celebrates with teammates in the dugout after scoring in the second inning during the game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on Wednesday, August 26, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Ryan Levy/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
With 28 games remaining in the 2026 MLB regular season, the San Diego Padres are holding on to the final playoff spot by one game. After playing three series from August 17-26, the Friars fought through the inconsistency of their offense to post a 5-4 record over the nine games.
The starting pitching, which had been so unreliable leading up to the trade deadline, has been a strength for this team over the past two weeks.
Of those nine games, there were six quality starts for the Padres pitchers, with one of those shorter starts due to a Casey Mize injury. Fortunately, the injury to Mize’s ankle is not severe and he is listed to make his next start tomorrow against Tampa Bay.
Left-hander Robbie Ray, the other acquisition at the deadline (with Mize), tends to walk batters but has learned to pitch around traffic on the bases. Despite walking 13 in his 20.1 innings pitched for the Padres, Ray had a quality start in his outing against the New York Mets (the only win in New York).
The Friars have a 22-9 record since July 24, the best in MLB in that time. With the remaining schedule of 28 games, the Padres need to play to an 18-10 record to reach another season of at least 90 wins. That would require winning two of three games for the remainder of the season.
They are two games behind the Philadelphia Phillies for the second Wild Card spot and only one game up on the Arizona Diamondbacks to hold onto the last Wild Card spot.
Starters excellence
The recent consistency from the starting rotation, combined with the season-long excellence from the bullpen, highlights the need for more consistent offense from this team. They will only go as far as this offense can take them. There have been really bad stretches and really great stretches, with inconsistency being the only thing we have been able to depend on from them.
The starters’ success, which has decreased the strain on their excellent bullpen, goes a long way toward taking the pressure off the offense. The offense can be more patient or more aggressive, as the situation dictates, if they aren’t working against a deficit. A struggling starting staff places more demands on any offense.
Offense has to do better versus good pitching
The Padres offense, already a streaky group, has a poor record against the best pitchers in MLB. That really isn’t a surprise considering they are the best pitchers for a reason. But this team is faring worse than the other teams in baseball against these good pitchers.
Per Kevin Acee’s daily newsletter of Aug. 27, the Padres offense is 7-16 against starters with an ERA of 3.50 or better (who have pitched 100 innings or more). In the games against those pitchers, the Padres hitters have allowed an ERA of 2.10.
This was well illustrated in the just-completed Pittsburgh Pirates series. The Padres got the three best starters Pittsburgh has over the past three games. They scored a total of five runs in 27 innings while the Padres pitching staff allowed four runs, losing two of the three games.
In the postseason, if they get there, the Padres offense will see the best of the best from any team they face.
Long scoreless streaks are not new with this offense. The 24-inning scoreless streak versus the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2024 playoffs remains a source of stress for fans. And they went 14 innings of scoreless baseball against the Pirates pitchers.
For any Padres team to do well in the playoffs and advance beyond the Wild Card round, they have to solve their issues versus good pitching.
Fernando Tatis Jr.
Tatis has once again shown what he is capable of.
After struggling for the first several weeks of the season, Tatis seemingly stabilized his offense and had a good first half in terms of his batting average and on-base ability. His slugging was woefully behind those other skills. His five home runs before the All-Star break are well documented. His 12 homers since then have been a revelation. He has given all of baseball another example of what he can do both offensively and defensively. Now Tatis looks like he will have another 20/20 season, assuming he can hit three more home runs over the next 28 games, to go along with his (current) 30 stolen bases.
The surge is too late to get him up to the numbers in his best seasons, or to make him part of any award discussions, but Tatis is a thrilling player and entertainer at his best.
Jackson Merrill is still very young
There is no debate regarding how frustrating a season Jackson Merrill is having. He has been healthy for the entire season, playing in 131 of the Padres 134 games. In 549 plate appearances, Merrill is hitting .239/.289/.416 with 21 doubles, three triples, 21 home runs, and 67 RBI. He has 136 strikeouts to 35 walks (24.8% K rate and 6.4% walk rate). He chases outside the strike zone at a 37.3% rate.
His Baseball Savant page is a study in contrasts. He is so good when he makes contact but is awful at selecting pitches to hit.
The Pittsburgh series is again an illustration of how bad and how good Merrill can be. In the first two games, Merrill was 0-for-9 with four strikeouts. He struck out twice in both games while swinging at pitches mostly way out of the strike zone; he chased 13 of 20 pitches out of the zone.
In the third game, Merrill hit a pitch out of the zone for a double in his first at-bat. In his second time up, he lined a strike on the inside of the plate for an RBI-triple. His last two appearances resulted in a hard-hit out and a walk.
The undisciplined offense isn’t a surprise when you remember the center fielder is 23-years-old and missed significant portions of his sophomore season in 2025.
Merrill has always been a big swinger, and that might not change as he matures as a big-leaguer. What will probably improve, considering his maturity, is that he will make better decisions with more experience. Merrill’s best baseball is still ahead of him.
Bradley Rodriguez is a star
The Padres have an excellent bullpen. No one in baseball will argue that point. There can be an argument made that Bradgley Rodriguez is quickly becoming the third standout, high-leverage pitcher in the Padres ‘pen (joining Mason Miller and Adrián Morejón).
Over his brief time in San Diego last season, Rodriguez made an impression. He broke spring camp with the Padres to begin this year. Over his 67.2 innings pitched with the team, Rodriguez has a 1.86 ERA.
For 2026, he has a 1.95 ERA in 60 innings and has gone from low-leverage appearances to throwing a two-inning save in the last game versus the Pirates. He has been an opener four times and has two saves on his resume for the season.
Over his 60 IP this season, Rodriguez has 65 strikeouts to 17 walks. His Baseball Savant page demonstrates excellence in everything except the amount of extension he gets on the mound. His changeup is devastating with a .143 average against while using it 42.7% of his pitches. His four-seam fastball averages 98 mph but frequently hits 100 mph. It is tied with his 94 mph sinker as his second most-used pitch (both at 25%).
Bradgley Rodriguez turned 22 on May 31 of this year. He won’t be eligible for free agency until 2032.
Adrián Morejón will be a free agent at the end of this season. He has expressed a desire to stay with the Padres. We can all dream on what this bullpen would look like with Morejon, Miller, and Rodriguez as the stars for the next several years.
Roster changes and injury updates
Outfielder Samad Taylor has played in seven games with the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas to begin his rehab from an oblique strain. He is hitting .304 with a .407 OBP. It seems likely he will be activated soon.
RHP Nick Pivetta made a rehab start for Single-A Lake Elsinore Storm on August 25. In 3 innings pitched, Pivetta allowed 4 hits (2 homers), 3 earned runs, a walk, and four strikeouts in 47 pitches thrown and 35 strikes. His fastball sat 91-95 mph while also throwing his secondary pitches. He will be in Arizona to throw a bullpen while the team is on the road.
Joe Musgrove will start for El Paso on Thursday. It is likely his last rehab start before roster expansion on Sept. 1.
RHP Jeremiah Estrada returned to the injured list for the third time this season with a right shoulder impingement. His previous IL stint was for right knee inflammation. RHP David Morgan replaces Estrada in the bullpen. Morgan also spent time on the IL earlier this season and has pitched with El Paso since then.
RHP Jason Adam remains on the IL but has said in interviews that he is progressing in his throwing program and hopes to be ready sometime in September.
Utility man/DH Miguel Andujar is progressing with his baseball activities but no rehab assignment has been announced.
Outfielder Dustin Harris was promoted from El Paso to the Padres on August 24, with infielder Sung-Mun Song sent to Triple-A. RHP
RHP Lucas Giolito was moved to the 60-day IL to make room for Harris on the roster. Giolito was placed on the IL in June with right elbow inflammation. He was on a throwing progression to rehab his elbow but reportedly hit a wall after the All-Star break.
RHP Yu Darvish was at Petco Park on Wednesday, August 26 to throw a bullpen. He posted a video on X, explaining that he is on track with his rehab from elbow surgery last year. He thanked the Padres for supporting him despite not officially being a member of the team. Darvish forfeited his $15 million salary for this season to rehab on his own and spend time with his family.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - AUGUST 27: Fernando Mendoza #15 of the Las Vegas Raiders warms up before a preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers at Allegiant Stadium on August 27, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Las Vegas Raiders completed the preseason by hosting the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday night in a 18-12 loss in which all the scoring came on field goals. The Raiders ended the preseason 1-2. Here are some highlights:
In a bit of a surprise, most of the Raiders’ starters played in this preseason finale. They played a series in the opener at Arizona, but didn’t play last week at Houston. The 49ers didn’t play their starters, which is the usual approach around the league for the final preseason game.
Jackson Powers-Johnson behind before Caleb Rogers in a battle head coach Klint Kubiak said was crucial to their battle. Rookie Mike Washington started in place of Ashton Jeanty, who is dealing with a reported sprained ankle he suffered Sunday. Washington had five carries on the first drive for 20 yards.
The Raiders’ first-team offense managed a field goal on their first series against the 49ers’ backups to give them 10 points on their first two series in the preseason.
In another surprise, the Raiders’ starters played a second series in this game. Rogers took over for Jackson-Powers. Washington looked good again on the second drive, with some nice holes created by Rogers, and the Raiders managed another field goal against the backups. Matt Gay connected from 53 yards and there is little doubt he will win the kicking job. He was four of five on field-goal attempts, missing only a 54-yarder. Rookie kicker Kansei Matsuzawa didn’t play and he will likely be cut in the coming days.
Powers-Johnson didn’t play in the second half, but Rogers did. Kubiak said both Powers-Johnson and Rogers will play this season, but he’s not ready to name a starter.
The Raiders’ first team offense scored on all three of its preseason drives for a total of 13 points.
Washington had eight carries for 49 yards and he looks ready to be the starter if Jeanty misses time to start the regular season. Washington had 168 yards rushing on 23 carries (a 7.3 yard per carry average) in the preseason.
Rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza took over late in the first quarter on the Raiders’ third drive. He played with mostly starting linemen. Rookie Trey Zuhn was the center. The Raiders clearly were trying to keep Mendoza as projected as possible after he got hit often in the first two preseason game. After the game, Klint Kubiak continued to say he’s not ready to announce his Week 1 starting quarterback, but all signs have pointed to it being Cousins.
With most of the starters on the field, Mendoza threw an interception on a high pass that was deflected multiple teams deep in the Raiders’ territory. It came a play after Jalen Nailor had a great catch. Mendoza threw a Pick Six last week at Houston.
Mendoza was playing with the backup offensive lineman after his first drive. He got sacked on third down (he had no chance) to force a punt. He was sacked again on the next drive and the Raiders were forced to punt again. Fueled by a pass interference call, the Raiders scored a field goal on Mendoza’s fourth series of the first half, a 45-yarder by Gay, to take a 9-6 lead at halftime. Mendoza was five of nine for 39 yards in the first half.
Mendoza started the second half and was playing with Jordan Meredith at center. Zuhn moved to right tackle. Kubiak praised Zuhn’s ability to move positions so easily.
Mendoza was replaced by Aidan O’Connell to start the fourth quarter. The rookie went 7 of 14 for 57 yards with an interception and two sacks. It wasn’t a great night, but he didn’t get much help. For the preseason, Mendoza went 25 of 45 for 240 yards with one touchdown, two interceptions and he was sacked four times, though he was pressured often. The next time we see Mendoza will be in the regular season whenever that may be.
Mendoza's 59.5 passer rating in the preseason ranks 32nd of 36 first-round QBs who played in preseason as a rookie since 2015, ahead of only Jared Goff, Jameis Winston, Anthony Richardson and Carson Wentz.
(Zach Wilson, Daniel Jones and Kenny Pickett are the top 3 so I wouldn't… https://t.co/rnalyo2xVZ
As expected, star defensive end Maxx Crosby did not play. He missed the entire preseason as he recovers from knee surgery. But he has been practicing daily and is expected to be ready for the season opener against the Miami Dolphins in 17 days.
The Raiders’ first-unit defense, which also featured rookie safety Treydan Stukes, made the 49ers’ backups go three and out on their first drive. The 49ers’ backups went three-and-out on a second drive against the Raiders’ starting defense.
The 49ers’ third-string offense scored a field goal against the Raiders’ second-team defense to make a 6-3 game early in the second quarter after Mendoza’s interception.
Third-round Keyron Crawford had a sack, but he had to limp off the field in the third quarter and he had to be taken off on a cart with an ankle injury.
Defensive end Patrick Johnson continued to stand out and he is making a big case to the make the 53-man roster when it is initially set Sunday afternoon.
Newly signed defensive tackle Foley Fatukasi showed up again and could be a factor in the regular-season rotation.
O’Connell wasn’t great a week after leading a comeback win at Houston. He was three of nine for 32 yards. Undrafted rookie Jacob Clark was inserted for the final eight seconds of the game, his first action.
The Raiders’ defense played most of the game against lesser units, but the defense did have its best performance of the preseason. It played well on third down, which was a nice improvement.
The Raiders only had two penalties after committing 17 penalties in the first two games. So, that’s nice progress.
Cousins, linebacker Quay Walker and wide receiver/special teamer Dareke Young were the captains. That could be a sign Young is making the 53-man roster. The Raiders used different captain combinations each preseason game.
In the end, it was another ugly preseason game. But that’s what the preseason is. Onto the season.
TORONTO — Jac Caglianone had a homer among his career-best five hits and finished with a career-high six RBIs, Noah Cameron pitched six strong innings and the Kansas City Royals beat the Toronto Blue Jays 13-2 on Thursday night.
The Blue Jays are 3 1/2 games behind Cleveland in the race for the final American League wild-card spot.
The Royals took two of three in the series, have won 10 of their last 11 games and four consecutive series, including two straight on the road after starting the season 3-15-2 in road sets. Kansas City, which went in tied with the Giants for the worst road record in MLB, is 24-45 away from home this season.
Cameron (9-8) allowed six hit and two runs and struck out three.
Carter Jensen hit a 421-foot homer off Spencer Arrighetti to lead off the game, and Vinnie Pasquantino hit a two-run homer that capped Kansas City’s six-run sixth and made it 10-0.
Caglianone’s two-run shot with two out in the ninth capped the scoring.
Bobby Witt Jr. and Kyle Isbel each had a run-scoring double.
Pasquantino had his string of consecutive plate appearances without a strikeout ended at a career-best 38 when he fanned in the first inning. It was the longest active streak in MLB.
George Springer hit his 13th homer of the season, a two-run shot, with two out in the sixth that ended Cameron’s scoreless streak at 19 2/3 innings.
Arrighetti (7-7), who went in 0-2 with a 16.00 ERA in two career starts against Kansas City, allowed four runs — three earned — in four innings.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. remained second in Toronto’s batting order and went 0 for 3. The first baseman is hitting a career-worst .260 and has just seven home runs, none at home, this season.
Up next
Royals RHP Michael Wacha (7-8, 3.49 ERA) Friday at Cleveland. The Guardians have not named a starter.
Blue Jays RHP Dylan Cease (8-5, 2.37 ERA) starts Friday against the Mariners at home. Seattle has not named a starter.
Nov 17, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan talks on the phone before the game against the Baltimore Ravens at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con
With the NFL preseason nearing its conclusion, teams will have to begin the process of cutting players to be compliant with the 53-man limit for the regular season. The Steelers themselves just played their final preseason game and will need to make some tough decisions by the cutdown deadline this Sunday, August 30, by 6 PM EST.
As Pittsburgh gets one step closer to the regular season, they enter the year at plus-money odds to make the postseason at +154, per FanDuel Sportsbook.
The flurry of transactions won’t stop after initial cuts, though. Every year, after teams announce who they’ve released, there is a waiver process that allows teams to claim certain players released by other organizations.
Which players are eligible for these claims? When must claims be made? And how does the NFL decide the waiver order? We’ve got the answers for you.
When is the waiver deadline?
Once the 53-man roster deadline arrives, teams will have until 1 PM EST the next day — August 31 this year — to file their claims. The NFL will review those claims and then announce which claims were successful shortly after the deadline.
Once those have been announced, teams will officially be able to start filling their practice squads.
Which players can go on waivers?
The NFL ecosystem contains a great many players. During the preseason, teams are allowed up to 90 players on their rosters at a time, which works out to 2,880 players. But once cutdowns occur, just 1,696 remain, meaning 1,184 are suddenly up for grabs for teams to add if they wish.
Some of those players will head to the waiver wire, but others won’t. To determine which players are which, the NFL sorts the players into two categories: players who are vested and players who are not.
A vested player is one who has been credited with four or more seasons of NFL experience. To be credited for an NFL season, a player must have been on the active, inactive, IR, or PUP roster for three or more regular-season or postseason games. A player can also be credited for a season if they receive an injury settlement or grievance for the equivalent of three or more regular-season games. Note that a credited season is different from accrued seasons, which determine what type of free agent a player is.
Vested players do not go onto waivers and are free to sign with any team at any time, between the day after the Super Bowl and the NFL trade deadline. They are subject to waivers in the period after the deadline through the Super Bowl.
Non-vested players, or players with three or fewer credited seasons, are subject to waivers. If these players go unclaimed, they are free to negotiate with teams as free agents.
How does the NFL determine waiver wire priority?
Through the first three weeks of the NFL season, the waiver reorder follows the order of that season’s draft. Trades in the draft are ignored for this process, so, for example, the Bengals — who traded out of the 10th spot — would still be 10th in waiver priority. That means the Steelers will be 21st in waiver priority.
It’s also important to note that the NFL doesn’t have a rolling waiver system like readers who play fantasy football might be familiar with. In fantasy football, a successful claim typically moves a team down in waiver priority so they can’t hog all the waiver claims. However, in the NFL, a team in the top priority gets as many of their claims as they want. If that team filed 53 claims, they’d get all 53 if they wanted them. Obviously, no organization is going to go to that extreme, which is why teams are allowed to prioritize and add specifications to these claims. Using our example, a team could file 53 claims, number those claims in priority 1-53, and say something along the lines of “we only want two receivers and a cornerback,” which would cancel all their other claims once their specifications have been met.
Oct 19, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers kicker Eddie Pineiro (18) after the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
Mac Jones quarterbacked the San Francisco 49ers for the first two drives of the game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Jones didn’t complete a pass on the first drive after there was miscommunication with rookie running back Kaelon Black on a second down. Reading coverages in the passing game on option routes will be something Black needs to learn on the fly this season.
Jones took an aggressive shot down the field to Jordan Watkins on third down, but Watkins didn’t pick up the ball in time. Watkins also braced for a hit on his initial kickoff return. That is not a trait the coaching staff is looking for.
Jack Jones started things off defensively with a nice open-field tackle and a near interception after jumping a slant route. His gambling mentality makes Jones a fun watch.
On that drive, rookie Jaden Dugger had a brutal miss on a tackle attempt in the open field. Dugger had an active night with 10 tackles, but only five were solo. He nearly had a sack, but he’ll want to clean up the tackling moving forward.
The second drive was a sloppy one for the defense. CJ West, Ashtyn Davis, and Eli Apple (multiple) all missed tackles. Darrell Luter Jr. avoided a block to make an impressive tackle on a screen before Siran Neal broke up a pass to end the drive.
Rookie cornerback Ephesians Prysock left with a shoulder injury on the drive.
Black benefitted from good blocking on a 14-yard run on the ensuing drive. His decisiveness shown on a 3rd & 1 run last week ended up being a mistake Jordan James made in his first action. Black gave way to James in the second quarter. On a 3rd & 1 run, James attempted to cut against the grain instead of staying on his path and picking up the first down. That’s a good learning moment for James.
James broke a run himself. He had a 17-yarder and also took a screen pass 20 yards. James isn’t flashy, but he’s the type of back to bounce off tackles and fall forward for a few extra yards. That’s what you want in a backup. He’ll learn to stick his nose in there and maximize the yardage in short-yardage situations.
Carver Willis played into the second quarter, as the team continued to evaluate their rookie left guard.
The most intriguing rookie may have been undrafted free agent tight end Khalil Dinkins. He’s listed at 6’4″, 226 pounds. That might be about 15 pounds too light. He played blocked with a level of intensity in limited action that is worth keeping around on the practice squad.
The score was 12-12 with two minutes to go. Eddy Pineiro nailed a 51-yarder to give the Niners a 15-12 lead. It was his fifth make in as many attempts. Pineiro also buried a 59-yard kick. Pineiro tacked on a 54-yarder with under 10 seconds to play for good measure. That made him an impressive 6-for-6. He’s in regular-season form.
ATLANTA — Tarik Skubal knows he will feel emotions when he makes his return to Detroit on Friday night to pitch against the Tigers only four weeks after he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Skubal says he hopes to focus on representing the Dodgers instead of dwelling on his memories with the Tigers at Comerica Park. He acknowledged it may not be easy to keep his emotions in check.
“We’ll see, right?” Skubal told SI.com on Wednesday. “The whole process was emotional. I have a lot of respect for those guys over there. I’m just going to go play baseball.”
Overall this season, Skubal is 8-7 with a 2.91 ERA. In four starts for the Dodgers since the Aug. 1 trade, Skubal is 1-2 with a 3.38 ERA. He is coming off his first win for the Dodgers. The left-hander had 11 strikeouts in seven innings in a 4-3 win over Pittsburgh in Los Angeles on Saturday night.
Skubal, 29, made his major league debut with Detroit in 2020 and had played for no other team before the trade. The deal sent the two-time defending AL Cy Young winner to the two-time defending World Series champions.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he believes Skubal has the right temperament to handle the emotions which will come with his Detroit homecoming.
“I think, you know, that whole ‘be where your feet are’ adage, I think that’s just who he is,” Roberts said Wednesday. “Some people have a hard time letting go, but I think that Tarik is a guy that, wherever he’s at, he’s all in.”
Roberts said he expects Skubal “is going to try to engage guys and immerse himself with coaches, with his teammates, the best he can. That’s a good trait. Like I said, I’ve only known him a short time, but I’m really, really fortunate we got him on our club. Not even just for the pitching, just beyond.”
Skubal said he is “sure it will be emotional there just because of the history.” The emotions will be fresh because he has had less than one month to adjust to his new Los Angeles home before making his return to Detroit.
“But at the end of the day, I’ve got to go play baseball,” Skubal said. “I’ve got to compete and do what I do well, what makes me a good pitcher. I’ll probably handle the emotions after.”
The Tigers are expected to have right-hander Drew Anderson (4-5, 4.09 ERA) face Skubal in the opener of the three-game series.
NEW YORK — Aaron Judge is hoping to skip a minor league rehabilitation assignment before returning to the New York Yankees as he nears the three-month mark in his recovery from a stress fracture in his right rib.
“If I tell them I’m ready to go play, I think we’re ready to go play,” Judge said Thursday before the Yankees concluded a three-game series with Houston. “I’m not a pitcher. I’m a position player. I can get my reps down here in the cage. I’m in every game. I’m sitting there in the dugout watching every game, feeling the environment, feeling the energy, so I don’t think there’s going to be much of a difference.”
Judge skipped a rehab assignment in 2023 when he missed 42 games with a fractured right big toe after crashing into the right-field fence at Dodger Stadium. In 2019, he appeared in five minor league games for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre when he missed two months with a strained left oblique.
“He said that to me, too,” manager Aaron Boone said. “If and when we get to that point, we’ll work through all that.”
Judge began taking swings in the indoor batting cages Tuesday. The three-time AL MVP also recently started doing some running and throwing in the outfield.
The Yankees’ captain declined to offer a target date for his return, but said he’s not feeling anything other than normal soreness.
“Obviously, there’s soreness from not doing anything for the past couple of weeks, but now we’re building that up and we’re in a good spot,” Judge said. “So, there has not been any setbacks, which is the greatest thing.”
Judge missed his 74th game Thursday night since he last played on May 31. The Yankees entered 39-34 without him during that stretch, including 11-6 in their past 17 games.
The 35-year-old slugger’s only homer in the final 18 games before he went on the injured list was a game-ending, two-run shot to beat Tampa Bay 2-0 on May 24 that snapped an 11-game drought without an RBI, the longest of his career.
Judge is hitting .248 with 17 homers and 38 RBIs. He was initially injured attempting to avoid second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. on a diving catch in Houston on April 26 and batted .263 with seven homers and 20 RBIs in 31 games before being sidelined.
“I feel great,” Judge said. “So, I think that’s one reason why we’re kind of speeding through this and really doing more outside, doing more in the cage. Things are feeling good.
“Now it’s about volume, trying to get my volume back up since I haven’t played in quite a long time. So just build up the volume so I can go out there and finish the season strong.”
Judge won a batting title last season when he hit a career-high .331 with 53 homers and 114 RBIs in 152 games. He missed 10 games from July 26 to Aug. 4 with a flexor strain in his right elbow that he sustained on a throw to home plate July 22 in Toronto. He underwent a plasma-rich platelet injection and did not require offseason surgery.
Cruz expects decision on Tommy John surgery in two or three days
A day after getting diagnosed with a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, reliever Fernando Cruz is awaiting the findings from Dr. Keith Meister to see if he needs surgery.
Cruz was placed on the 15-day injured list Wednesday after allowing his fifth homer since the All-Star break a day earlier and telling the Yankees he felt pain. An MRI showed the tear and Cruz should know in two to three days if surgery is necessary.
In his second season with the Yankees, Cruz is 4-6 with a 3.13 ERA in 61 appearances. He allowed a tying, two-run homer to Jeremy Peña on a fastball in the sixth inning of Tuesday night’s 9-7 loss to the Astros and has a 5.52 ERA in 17 appearances since the All-Star break.
“I made the decision to let (them) know because I knew I was affecting the New York Yankees,” Cruz said. “I wasn’t affecting Fernando Cruz, and obviously the MRI came back in a way that nobody wants, nobody expected, but it’s just part of this game and I think we’re waiting for options to come down and make the best decision.”
ATLANTA (AP) — Chris Sale struck out 11 in a five-hit shutout, Drake Baldwin launched a leadoff homer against Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and the Atlanta Braves edged the Los Angeles Dodgers 1-0 on Thursday night to complete a three-game sweep.
Sale (13-9) did not walk a batter. The left-hander posted his fourth double-digit strikeout game this season and the 95th of his career, which ranks seventh all-time.
Fans in the sellout crowd of 39,650 cheered when Sale strolled out to the mound for the ninth inning even though relievers were ready in the Atlanta bullpen. Braves manager Walt Weiss stuck with his ace after Freddie Freeman singled leading off the ninth.
Teoscar Hernández popped out, pinch-runner Alek Thomas was out at second on Miguel Rojas’ fielder’s-choice grounder and Sale struck out Alex Call for his 17th complete game and first since 2019 with Boston.
Baldwin lined the first pitch from Yamamoto (12-8) into the right-field Chop House restaurant. It was Baldwin’s fourth leadoff shot this season and 22nd homer overall. Yamamoto allowed only four hits with eight strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings.
The NL East-leading Braves won the season series 5-1 against the Dodgers, who sit atop the NL West.
NATIONALS 7, ROCKIES 1
WASHINGTON (AP) — Daylen Lile homered and drove in two runs as part of a three-hit day, and Washington beat Colorado to split their four-game series.
Keibert Ruiz also went deep for Washington, which had dropped 12 of 15. The Nationals won a game started by a pitcher other than Cade Cavalli for the first time since Aug. 9.
Colorado fell to an NL-worst 52-82, clinching its eighth consecutive losing season. The Rockies were 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position and left 13 on base overall.
Lile led off the fifth inning with a drive to right off Gabriel Hughes (0-6) for his 18th home run this season. The left fielder was 8 for 15 with three homers and eight RBIs in the series.
Tom Cosgrove (1-2) pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings in relief for his first win since his major league debut on April 29, 2023, a span of 89 appearances.
CARDINALS 7, ORIOLES 5
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Blaze Jordan and Ramón Urías homered early to help St. Louis beat Baltimore, snapping a five-game losing streak.
Riley O’Brien pitched a scoreless ninth inning to earn his National League-leading 34th save after allowing a combined seven runs and taking the loss in his previous two outings.
The teams traded runs in the eighth after Coby Mayo hit a three-run homer, his 18th of the season, off Caleb Ferguson in the seventh to cut the St. Louis lead to 6-4.
Urías hit his third homer off starter Trevor Rogers (9-9) in the fourth to give the Cardinals a 5-0 cushion.
Rogers allowed six runs and seven hits with seven strikeouts in five innings.
Jordan launched his third homer to center field in the second after Alec Burleson singled to extend his hitting streak to 13 games and Joshua Báez doubled, putting St. Louis ahead 3-0.
Jordan left in the top of the eighth after diving awkwardly into third base to tag out Gunnar Henderson when Samuel Basallo hit a grounder to pitcher George Soriano.
Luis Gastelum (4-3) tossed 1 1/3 perfect innings after Justin Bruihl allowed one run in 1 2/3 innings and Gordon Graceffo pitched three perfect innings as an opener for the Cardinals.
ROYALS 13, BLUE JAYS 2
TORONTO (AP) — Jac Caglianone had a homer among his career-best five hits and finished with a career-high six RBIs, Noah Cameron pitched six strong innings and Kansas City beat Toronto.
The Blue Jays are 3 1/2 games behind Cleveland in the race for the final American League wild-card spot.
The Royals took two of three in the series, have won 10 of their last 11 games and four consecutive series, including two straight on the road after starting the season 3-15-2 in road sets. Kansas City, which went in tied with the Giants for the worst road record in MLB, is 24-45 away from home this season.
Cameron (9-8) allowed six hit and two runs and struck out three.
Carter Jensen hit a 421-foot homer off Spencer Arrighetti to lead off the game, and Vinnie Pasquantino hit a two-run homer that capped Kansas City’s six-run sixth and made it 10-0.
Caglianone’s two-run shot with two out in the ninth capped the scoring.
Bobby Witt Jr. and Kyle Isbel each had a run-scoring double.
ASTROS 5, YANKEES 1
NEW YORK (AP) — Christian Walker had three hits, including a two-run homer off Gerrit Cole in the sixth inning, and Jeremy Peña added a solo shot to power Houston to a victory over the New York Yankees.
Astros starter Hayden Wesneski (4-1) allowed one run and three hits in five-plus innings against the team that drafted him in 2019 and traded him to the Chicago Cubs in 2022 for reliever Scott Effross.
Houston (67-67) took two of three at Yankee Stadium and leads the AL West by one game over Texas.
Walker broke an 0-for-11 skid with a single in the second and homered on Cole’s 1-0 curveball for a 3-0 lead in the fifth. He doubled off Justin Topa in the eighth and scored when the Yankees committed two errors on one play.
Yainer Diaz’s grounder caromed off George Lombard Jr.’s glove for the rookie shortstop’s seventh error in 20 career games. The ball ricocheted to third baseman José Caballero and he was charged with a throwing error for his wild toss to first as Walker scored Houston’s fifth run.
Lombard became the first Yankees shortstop since Roger Peckinpaugh in 1915 to commit an error in six straight games.
BREWERS 8, METS 2
NEW YORK (AP) — Jackson Chourio went 4 for 5 with two homers, four RBIs and four runs to help Jacob Misiorowski and Milwaukee beat the New York Mets.
Misiorowski (14-5) overcame some command issues and reduced velocity — at least by his standards — to allow two hits and strike out six over six innings.
Both hits he gave up came in the fifth, when Jacob Young had an RBI double and Christopher Morel laced a run-scoring single.
Nine of Misiorowski’s 95 pitches were clocked at 100 mph, with none reaching 101 mph. He walked two batters for the second consecutive outing after issuing four walks in seven starts from July 2 through Aug. 15.
The 6-foot-7 right-hander appeared to have issues with his landing foot on the slippery Citi Field mound. Brewers manager Pat Murphy had a discussion with third base umpire and crew chief Vic Carapazza in the third, when Misiorowski fell behind 2-0 on Francisco Alvarez following a walk to Morel. The grounds crew spent a few minutes working on the mound before the bottom of the fourth.
Andrew Vaughn, Gary Sánchez, William Contreras and Cooper Pratt each had an RBI for the Brewers (83-51), who are three games ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers for the best record in the big leagues.
GIANTS 6, DIAMONDBACKS 1
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Drew Gilbert homered and drove in the go-ahead run, Landen Roupp pitched five solid innings and San Francisco beat Arizona to snap a four-game home losing streak against the Diamondbacks.
Arizona is 1 1/2 games behind San Diego for the final National League wild card.
Roupp (8-13) allowed one run and four hits. Trent Harris, Carson Seymour and Ryan Walker combined for four scoreless innings of relief.
Christian Koss was hit by a pitch leading off the fifth and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Nate Furman before Taylor Clarke replaced Arizona starter Jose Cabrera. Three pitches later, Gilbert’s sacrifice fly gave San Francisco a 2-1 lead.
After Jose Fernandez singled to load the bases with one out in the fourth, Roupp got Ildemaro Vargas to fly out and then struck out Ryan Waldschmidt to end the threat.
Gilbert hit a 3-2 pitch 421 feet into the bleacher in right-center field in the first.
Gabriel Moreno hit a leadoff homer in the fourth to make it 1-all.
Bryce Eldridge doubled in a run, Jonah Cox and Turner Hill followed with back-to-back RBI singles and Shay Whitcomb’s sacrifice bunt scored Cox to make it 6-1 in the eighth.
Cabrera (0-3) gave up two runs and three hits with four strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings.
Chris Sale had not finished a game in seven years. He had not thrown a pitch 100 miles per hour in eight.
Thursday night, the 37-year-old Braves' lefthander did both.
Sale scattered five hits, struck out 11 and did not walk a batter as he shut out the Dodgers 1-0 at Truist Park.
The last time Sale went nine innings, he was wearing a Red Sox jersey. It was June 5, 2019 in Kansas City. Since then he had Tommy John surgery, broke a rib and won a Cy Young Award at age 35. He barely pitched for four of those years, 31 starts total from 2020 through 2023.
But Thursday night, Sale pitched like those seven years were just a bad dream.
His fastball touched 100.1 miles per hour, his hardest pitch since 2018. He used it on Shohei Ohtani, who struck out twice swinging and did not get a hit out of the infield until the eighth inning. Sale needed 109 pitches and threw 80 of them for strikes. He generated 20 swings and misses.
Sale has been living on the margins all season. He lost 2-1 at Milwaukee last Friday and 2-0 to Arizona the week before. Thursday night, the one run came from Drake Baldwin, who led off the bottom of the first with his 22nd home run.
That was all Sale was going to get and he made it stand up. He is 13-9 with a 2.06 ERA, a combination that takes some doing. He has 177 strikeouts and 28 walks in 144 innings.
Atlanta is 79-55 and leads the National League East. Milwaukee, at 83-51, has the best record in the league. The Brewers have the best record in baseball and are in position to get one of the two first-round byes in the playoffs. The Dodgers, 80-54, are in position to claim the other, but only by a game over the Braves after losing three straight in Atlanta.
At 37 years, 150 days old, Sale is one of six pitchers who have thrown a shutout with double-digit strikeouts and no walks at that age or older.
The other five are in the Hall of Fame: Cy Young (twice in 1905), Eddie Plank (1913), Steve Carlton (1982), Nolan Ryan (1989) and Randy Johnson (2001 and 2004).
TAMPA, Fla. — City officials on Thursday approved a $2.3 billion deal for a new Tampa Bay Rays ballpark funded by public and private money.
The 4-3 vote by the Tampa City Council came three months after a tentative agreement was reached for a stadium, which would include $967 million in tax money.
Rays Chief Executive Officer Ken Babby said in a statement that the stadium project will “deliver lasting benefits” for the region.
“The Tampa Bay Rays are grateful for the leadership and support of the City Council members to approve an investment that, when accompanied by the private funding guaranteed by the Rays, will secure the future of Major League Baseball in Tampa Bay while creating a landmark destination neighborhood that will serve our region for generations,” Babby said Thursday.
Hillsborough County Commissioners will vote on the project Friday morning.
The Rays ownership reached an agreement earlier this year with Hillsborough College to build the stadium and mixed-use entertainment district on the campus and to renovate some of the school’s buildings. The property is located next to the New York Yankees’ spring training facility and across a highway from Raymond James Stadium, home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Rays have said they hope to have the new stadium built within three years.
Since the team took the field in 1998, the Rays have played at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, except for moving home games to the Yankees’ George M. Steinbrenner Field in 2025 following hurricane damage at the Trop. The Rays’ lease runs through at least the 2028 season. The team returned to the Trop last month for the start of this season.
A proposed $1.3 billion redevelopment deal for a new ballpark adjacent to the Trop fell through last year, raising new questions about the future of the team, which was bought last September by Patrick Zalupski’s ownership group.
