“THE SCOREBOARD”
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SCOREBOARD
TORONTO 5 ST. LOUIS 1
SEATTLE 3 MINNESOTA 3
FLORIDA 6 NY METS 2
TAMPA BAY 1 CHICAGO WHITE SOX 0
PITTSBURGH 4 CINCINNATI 1
PHILADELPHIA 5 BALTIMORE 0
HOUSTON 5 TEXAS 4
ATLANTA 8 WASHINGTON 3
CHICAGO CUBS 5 NY YANKEES 2
ARIZONA 12 CLEVELAND 8
COLORADO 12 KANSAS CITY 6
SAN DIEGO 6 SAN FRANCISCO 5
BOSTON 3 LA DODGERS 2
MILWAUKEE 3 LA ANGELS 1
DETROIT 8 LAS VEGAS 6
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BASEBALL NEWS
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NFL NEWS
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NBA NEWS
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NHL NEWS
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MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SCORES
INDIANAPOLIS 7 LOUISVILLE 4
FT. WAYNE 7 GREAT LAKES 0 (SUSPENDED IN 2ND)
SOUTH BEND 10 LAKE COUNTY 3
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WNBA SCORES
SKY 84 ACES 83
LIBERTY 94 MERCURY 92
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INDIANA HS FOOTBALL SCHEDULES
https://scoreboard.homestead.com/football/teams.htm#load
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INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL
https://www.maxpreps.com/in/volleyball
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INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL BOYS SOCCER
https://www.maxpreps.com/in/soccer
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INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS SOCCER
https://www.maxpreps.com/in/soccer/girls
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INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL BOYS CROSS COUNTRY
https://www.ihsaa.org/sports/boys/cross-country
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INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY
https://www.ihsaa.org/sports/girls/cross-country
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INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL BOYS TENNIS
https://www.ihsaa.org/sports/boys/tennis
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MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER SCOREBOARD
MONTREAL 2 NEW ENGLAND 2
DC 2 NASHVILLE 2
PHILADELPHIA 3 ATLANTA 2
NY RED BULLS 3 ORLANDO 2
VANCOUVER 1 LAFC 1
MIAMI 2 COLUMBUS 2
CHICAGO 2 CHARLOTTE 1
MINNESOTA 1 SAN DIEGO 1
HOUSTON 2 KANSAS CITY 0
ST. LOUIS 1 SALT LAKE 1
COLORADO 1 AUSTIN 0
CINCINNATI 4 SAN JOSE 2
LA GALAXY 0 DALLAS 0
PORTLAND 2 SEATTLE 1
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COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 1 SCHEDULE
FRIDAY, AUG. 28
IDAHO AT CAL POLY | 10 P.M. | ESPN
SATURDAY, AUG. 29
TCU VS. NORTH CAROLINA (AVIVA STADIUM IN DUBLIN, IRELAND) | 12 P.M. | ESPN
SAN JOSE STATE AT USC | 3 P.M. | NBC
ALABAMA STATE VS. SOUTHERN (LEGION FIELD IN BIRMINGHAM, ALA.) | 3 P.M. | ESPNU
NC STATE AT VIRGINIA | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN
JACKSONVILLE STATE AT NORTH DAKOTA STATE | 5:30 P.M. | CBSSN
SACRAMENTO STATE AT EASTERN MICHIGAN | 6:30 P.M. | ESPN+
HAWAI’I AT STANFORD | 7 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
NEW MEXICO STATE AT FLORIDA STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN UNLIMITED AND THE CW NETWORK
EAST TEXAS A&M AT MERCER | 7 P.M. | ESPN
HOWARD VS. ALABAMA A&M (CENTER PARC STADIUM IN ATLANTA) | 7:30 P.M. | ABC
PRAIRIE VIEW A&M AT TARLETON STATE | 9 P.M. | ESPN2
MEMPHIS AT UNLV | 10 P.M. | FOX
WEEK 1
THURSDAY, SEPT. 3
UMASS AT RUTGERS | 6 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK
BETHUNE-COOKMAN AT UCF | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
AKRON AT WAKE FOREST | 7 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
MERRIMACK AT DELAWARE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
WEST GEORGIA AT KENNESAW STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
UALBANY AT BUFFALO | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF AT MISSOURI | 8 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
COLORADO AT GEORGIA TECH | 8 P.M. | ESPN
EASTERN ILLINOIS AT MINNESOTA | 8 P.M. | PEACOCK
IDAHO AT UTAH | 9 P.M. | ESPNU
UAB AT ILLINOIS | 9 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK
FRIDAY, SEPT. 3
SAN JOSE STATE AT EASTERN MICHIGAN | 6:30 P.M. | ESPN+
INDIANA STATE AT PURDUE | 7 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK
NORTH CAROLINA A&T AT GEORGIA STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
UTEP AT OKLAHOMA | 8 P.M. | SECN+
LIU AT KANSAS | 8 P.M. | ESPNU
TOLEDO AT MICHIGAN STATE | 8 P.M. | FS1
MIAMI (FLA.) AT STANFORD | 9 P.M. | ESPN
FRESNO STATE AT USC | 9 P.M. | FOX
SATURDAY, SEPT. 4
EAST CAROLINA AT ALABAMA | 12 P.M. | ABC
OREGON STATE AT HOUSTON | 12 P.M. | ESPN
COASTAL CAROLINA AT WEST VIRGINIA | 12 P.M. | TNT/HBO MAX
NEW HAMPSHIRE AT SYRACUSE | 12 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
NORTH TEXAS AT INDIANA | 12 P.M. | FOX
OHIO AT NEBRASKA | 12 P.M. | FS1
BRYANT AT ARMY | 12 P.M. | CBSSN
TARLETON STATE AT BOWLING GREEN | 12 P.M. | ESPN+
LIBERTY AT JAMES MADISON | 12 P.M. | ESPNU
MIAMI (OHIO) AT PITT | 12:30 P.M. | ESPN UNLIMITED AND THE CW NETWORK
BALL STATE AT OHIO STATE | 12:30 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK
KENT STATE AT SOUTH CAROLINA | 12:45 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
YOUNGSTOWN STATE AT KENTUCKY | 1 P.M. | SECN+
SE MISSOURI STATE AT IOWA STATE | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
DUQUESNE AT AIR FORCE | 1 P.M. | MW+
RHODE ISLAND AT TEMPLE | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
TENNESSEE STATE AT GEORGIA | 3 P.M. | SECN+
AUBURN VS. BAYLOR (MERCEDES-BENZ STADIUM IN ATLANTA) | 3:30 P.M. | ABC
FURMAN AT TENNESSEE | 3:30 P.M. | SECN+
TEXAS STATE AT TEXAS | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN
BOSTON COLLEGE AT CINCINNATI | 3:30 P.M. | FOX
TULANE AT DUKE | 3:30 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
BOISE STATE AT OREGON | 3:30 P.M. | CBS
MARSHALL AT PENN STATE | 3:30 P.M. | FS1
THE CITADEL AT CHARLOTTE | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
TOWSON AT NAVY | 3:30 P.M. | CBSSN
UT RIO GRANDE VALLEY AT UTSA | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
FORDHAM AT NORTH DAKOTA STATE | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN UNLIMITED AND THE CW NETWORK
MAINE AT APP STATE | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
OKLAHOMA STATE AT TULSA | 3:45 P.M. | ESPNU
NORTH ALABAMA AT ARKANSAS | 4:15 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
NORTHERN ILLINOIS AT IOWA | 4:15 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK
ALCORN STATE AT SOUTHERN MISS | 5 P.M. | ESPN+
WYOMING AT COLORADO STATE | 6 P.M. | USA NETWORK
NORFOLK STATE AT OLD DOMINION | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
MISSOURI STATE AT TEXAS A&M | 7 P.M. | ESPN
AUSTIN PEAY AT VANDERBILT | 7 P.M. | SECN+
ABILENE CHRISTIAN AT TEXAS TECH | 7 P.M. | FS1
NICHOLLS AT KANSAS STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
IDAHO STATE AT UTAH STATE | 7 P.M. | CBSSN
ARKANSAS STATE AT MEMPHIS | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
HOUSTON CHRISTIAN AT RICE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL AT SOUTH FLORIDA | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
MURRAY STATE AT MIDDLE TENNESSEE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
EASTERN KENTUCKY AT JACKSONVILLE STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
CHARLESTON SOUTHERN AT GEORGIA SOUTHERN | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
SE LOUISIANA AT SOUTH ALABAMA | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
SAM HOUSTON AT TROY | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
CLEMSON AT LSU | 7:30 P.M. | ABC
UL MONROE AT MISSISSIPPI STATE | 7:30 P.M. | ESPNU
VMI AT VIRGINIA TECH | 7:30 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
WESTERN MICHIGAN AT MICHIGAN | 7:30 P.M. | NBC
NORTHWESTERN STATE AT LOUISIANA TECH | 7:30 P.M. | ESPN+
FLORIDA ATLANTIC AT FLORIDA | 7:45 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
UTAH TECH AT BYU | 8 P.M. | ESPN+
HAMPTON AT MARYLAND | 8 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE AT NORTHWESTERN | 8 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK
LAMAR AT LOUISIANA | 8 P.M. | ESPN+
MORGAN STATE AT ARIZONA STATE | 9 P.M. | ESPN+
MERCYHURST AT NEW MEXICO STATE | 9 P.M. | ESPN+
NORTHERN ARIZONA AT ARIZONA | 9:30 P.M. | ESPN+
PORTLAND STATE AT SAN DIEGO STATE | 9:30 P.M. | USA NETWORK
UNLV AT HAWAI’I | 10 P.M. | ESPN UNLIMITED AND THE CW NETWORK
CENTRAL MICHIGAN AT NEW MEXICO | 10 P.M. | FS1
MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE AT SACRAMENTO STATE | 10 P.M. | ESPN+
UCLA AT CAL | 10:30 P.M. | ESPN
WESTERN KENTUCKY AT NEVADA | 10:30 P.M. | CBSSN
SUNDAY, SEPT. 6
TEXAS SOUTHERN AT PRAIRIE VIEW A&M | 12 P.M. | ESPN2
FLORIDA A&M VS. SOUTH CAROLINA STATE (HARD ROCK STADIUM IN MIAMI GARDENS, FLA.) | 3 P.M. | ESPN
WASHINGTON STATE AT WASHINGTON | 4 P.M. | NBC
OLE MISS VS. LOUISVILLE (NISSAN STADIUM IN NASHVILLE, TENN.) | 7:30 P.M. | ABC
NOTRE DAME VS. WISCONSIN (LAMBEAU FIELD IN GREEN BAY, WIS.) | 7:30 P.M. | NBC
MONDAY, SEPT. 7
SMU AT FLORIDA STATE | 7:30 P.M. | ESPN
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NFL PRE-SEASON SCHEDULE
NFL/HALL OF FAME GAME – AUG. 6
CAROLINA VS. ARIZONA – 8PM, NBC/PEACOCK
WEEK 1
THURSDAY – AUG. 13
DETROIT AT CINCINNATI – 7PM
GREEN BAY AT PITTSBURGH – 7PM
INDIANAPOLIS AT NEW ENGLAND – 7:30PM
LA CHARGERS AT HOUSTON – 8PM
ARIZONA AT LAS VEGAS – 8PM
TENNESSEE AT SAN FRANCISCO – 9PM
FRIDAY – AUG. 14
DENVER AT ATLANTA – 7PM
TAMPA BAY AT NY JETS – 7PM
MIAMI AT WASHINGTON – 7PM
SATURDAY – AUG. 15
CAROLINA AT BUFFALO – 1PM
CLEVELAND AT CHICAGO – 1PM
MINNESOTA AT NY GIANTS – 1PM
LA RAMS AT KANSAS CITY – 4PM
JACKSONVILLE AT NEW ORLEANS – 4PM
PHILADELPHIA AT BALTIMORE – 7PM
DALLAS AT SEATTLE – 8PM
WEEK 2
THURSDAY – AUG. 20
LAS VEGAS AT HOUSTON – 8PM, ESPN
SAN FRANCISCO AT LA CHARGERS – 10PM
FRIDAY – AUG. 21
NY JETS AT PITTSBURGH – 7PM
CAROLINA AT JACKSONVILLE – 7:30PM
GREEN BAY AT DENVER – 9PM
SATURDAY – AUG. 22
WASHINGTON AT DETROIT – 12PM
BUFFALO AT CLEVELAND – 1PM
ATLANTA AT INDIANAPOLIS – 1PM
BALTIMORE AT MINNESOTA – 1PM
NEW ORLEANS AT LA RAMS – 4PM
NY GIANTS AT MIAMI – 4PM
CHICAGO AT CINCINNATI – 7PM
PHILADELPHIA AT NEW ENGLAND – 7PM
KANSAS CITY AT TAMPA BAY – 7:30PM
DALLAS AT ARIZONA – 10PM
SUNDAY – AUG. 23
SEATTLE AT TENNESSEE – 8PM, FOX
WEEK 3
THURSDAY – AUG. 27
PITTSBURGH AT BUFFALO – 7PM
NEW ENGLAND AT CLEVELAND – 8PM, PRIME VIDEO
SAN FRANCISCO AT LAS VEGAS – 8PM
LA RAMS AT LA CHARGERS – 10PM
FRIDAY – AUG. 28
WASHINGTON AT BALTIMORE – 6PM
HOUSTON AT CAROLINA – 7PM
ATLANTA AT MIAMI – 7PM
TAMPA BAY AT JACKSONVILLE – 7:30PM
NY GIANTS AT NY JETS – 7:30PM
NEW ORLEANS AT DALLAS – 8PM
ARIZONA AT GREEN BAY – 8PM
SEATTLE AT KANSAS CITY – 8PM
CINCINNATI AT PHILADELPHIA – 8PM, CBS
MINNESOTA AT DENVER – 9PM
SATURDAY – AUG. 29
DETROIT AT INDIANAPOLIS – 1PM
CHICAGO AT TENNESSEE – 6PM
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2026 NFL TEAM SCHEDULES
https://www.nfl.com/schedules/2026/by-team
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2026 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS PRE-SEASON SCHEDULE
WEEK DATE OPPONENT TV / TIME (ET)
WEEK 1 THU, AUG 13 @ NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS LOCAL (7:30 PM)
WEEK 2 SAT, AUG 22 VS. ATLANTA FALCONS LOCAL (1:00 PM)
WEEK 3 SAT, AUG 29 VS. DETROIT LIONS LOCAL (1:00 PM)
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2026 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE
WEEK DATE OPPONENT TIME (ET) TV / STREAMING
1 SUN, SEPT 13 VS. BALTIMORE RAVENS 1:00 PM CBS
2 SUN, SEPT 20 @ KANSAS CITY CHIEFS 8:20 PM NBC
3 SUN, SEPT 27 VS. HOUSTON TEXANS 1:00 PM CBS
4 SUN, OCT 4 @ WASHINGTON COMMANDERS 9:30 AM NFL NET
5 SUN, OCT 11 @ PITTSBURGH STEELERS 1:00 PM CBS
6 SUN, OCT 18 VS. TENNESSEE TITANS 1:00 PM FOX
7 SUN, OCT 25 @ MINNESOTA VIKINGS 1:00 PM CBS
8 SUN, NOV 1 @ JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS 1:00 PM CBS
9 SUN, NOV 8 VS. DALLAS COWBOYS 1:00 PM FOX
10 SUN, NOV 15 VS. MIAMI DOLPHINS 1:00 PM CBS
11 THU, NOV 19 @ HOUSTON TEXANS 8:15 PM PRIME VIDEO
12 SUN, NOV 29 VS. NEW YORK GIANTS 1:00 PM FOX
13 BYE WEEK
14 SUN, DEC 13 @ PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 1:00 PM FOX
15 SUN, DEC 20 @ TENNESSEE TITANS 1:00 PM CBS
16 TBD – FLEX VS. CINCINNATI BENGALS TBD TBD
17 SUN, JAN 3 @ CLEVELAND BROWNS 1:00 PM FOX
18 TBD – FLEX GAME VS. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS TBD TBD
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TOP NATIONAL HEADLINES/SPORTS RELEASES
NFL NEWS
FALCONS, G MATTHEW BERGERON AGREE TO 4-YEAR EXTENSION
The Atlanta Falcons and left guard Matthew Bergeron have agreed to a four-year contract extension through the 2030 season.
The team announced the deal on Saturday but didn’t provide any financial terms. ESPN and NFL Network said the contract is worth $96 million, with $60 million fully guaranteed.
“Matthew is the type of player you build around,” Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham said. “He’s establishing himself as one of the top young guards in the NFL, and his toughness, consistency and leadership have made him a cornerstone of our offensive line and the culture we’re building in Atlanta.
“Extending players like Matthew reflects our commitment to investing in the trenches and building a strong foundation for the future.”
Bergeron, 26, is a native of Montreal who played in college at Syracuse. The Falcons selected him in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft, and Bergeron has played in 49 of 51 possible games — all starts.
With Bergeron teaming with left tackle Jake Matthews, the Falcons led the league in 2025 with 61 first downs from that side of the line. Matthews enters his 13th season as a starting offensive lineman for the team.
Bergeron told AtlantaFalcons.com that staying in Atlanta with the new contract “means the world” to him.
“I’m from Canada, and the second I got to Atlanta everybody welcomed me with open arms,” he said. “Atlanta is a special place for me and my family. And now, I have the resources to give back to a community that has given me so much and changed my life.”
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BEARS CORNERBACK JAYLON JOHNSON HEALTHY AND LOOKING TO REGAIN PRO BOWL LEVEL
LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — Chicago Bears two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Jaylon Johnson knows the stakes are higher for veteran players even when they still have a full two seasons left on their contracts.
It’s especially high when they’re trying to come back from a disappointing season brought on by injury, such as Johnson suffered through last year.
The good news for Johnson is he’s feeling good and practicing well.
“Night and day, night and day,” Johnson said, comparing his health last year to this year. “Like I said, I needed a full offseason to get my legs back under me, to get some scar tissue and things like that out. Really just working and pushing my body.
“I feel really good. I feel good with my speed. I feel with good with where I’m at laterally, change of direction and all of that. I just gotta keep stacking days. Really, it’s just working on my technique and getting consistent and back to just being dominant.”
Bears coach Ben Johnson has seen his top cornerback standing out even when quarterback Caleb Williams was dominating the secondary earlier in camp, but the defense has started to assert itself now and that means Jaylon Johnson making plays.
“I think it’s a really good start,” Ben Johnson said. “I’m happy with how he’s approaching his work right now. He’s highly motivated to garner the respect that certainly I had for him when I came into the building because he felt like last year was a disappointment. And so he wants to get back to being on the upper echelon of cover corners in this league. So, you kind of see that approach.”
Johnson’s contract expires after 2027, but because of the way next year’s contract is structured the team could trade or cut him after 2026 for salary cap savings. As a result, this season becomes critical.
“I’m not a dummy,” Johnson said. “We all know that and I’ve structured my deal a certain way to put myself back at the table at the age of 27. For me, it was always for this point to get here, and then show how I do what I do and be healthy and be out there doing what I do best and that’s covering, that’s making plays, being a difference-maker. From there, wherever that contract talk goes, it goes.”
Johnson put it all out on the table.
“This definitely a contract year,” he said. “We all know with the cap hit and all that stuff. It’s definitely a contract year for me. At the end of the day, whether that’s here, somewhere else, I’ve gotta put it on tape that I’m still a top guy in this league.”
His better health makes it possible. Last year a groin injury in offseason training, then another when he came off the injured list in Week 2 at Detroit nearly ended his season early.
Instead, Johnson fought back after surgery. He said during last season he was nowhere near 100% after coming back in a hurry from surgery for a Black Friday win at Philadelphia, before finishing out the season and playoffs in the lineup.
“I easily could have sat on my (rear) and not played and just watch it be what it was, but for me I felt like what I had to give was enough to contribute to the team,” Johnson said. “Of course, it wasn’t nowhere near who I could be. I feel like people know that. For me it was just going out there competing, just wanting to be there.”
For now, Johnson is part of a new-look secondary with new starters Coby Bryant and Dillon Thieneman at safety and with several players sharing slot cornerback while Kyler Gordon recovers from a calf injury. They went through a few issues early trying to stop the offense at practice, a year after they led the NFL in takeaways with 33.
“I mean, for me on defense we’re not different,” Johnson said. “Outside of takeaways we finished, if I’m not mistaken, bottom 10, bottom five in a lot of categories.
“So, for me we ain’t done a damn thing. There’s a lot for us to prove on defense.”
They’re not planning to lean on Caleb Williams and the offense.
“Of course, the offense is rolling, but that’s not something we can rely on,” Johnson said. “OK, the offense go put up 40 and we’ll hold them to 35.
“To me, that’s unacceptable. We’ve still got a lot to work on. We’ve still got a lot to do and to prove.”
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TITANS’ WILL LEVIS: ‘THERE ARE NOT 32 QUARTERBACKS IN THIS LEAGUE BETTER THAN ME’
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Go ahead and call Will Levis cocky.
The Tennessee Titans quarterback currently fighting for the backup job here, or somewhere else, isn’t worried about winning anyone’s approval.
He wants to play.
“There are not 32 quarterbacks in this league better than me,” Levis said Saturday. “I know that for sure.”
Levis’ confidence has not wavered one bit from his arrival as the 33rd overall pick in the 2023 draft. The general manager who drafted him was fired in January 2025, and Levis now has to earn more playing time with his third different coach for a franchise that drafted a quarterback No. 1 overall in 2025.
His biggest goal for this training camp? Be the best version of himself.
“When I get the opportunities, I know I’m gonna make the most of it and I’m going to shine,” Levis said.
On paper, Levis is a prototypical quarterback at 6-foot-4 and 229 pounds with all the physical tools. He is 5-16 as a starting quarterback having completed 61% of his career passes for 3,899 yards with 21 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.
The other side? Levis threw four pick-6s in 2024, the most for this franchise in a season since the then-Oilers relocated to Tennessee in 1997. He lost five of eight fumbles and had only one more TD pass (13) than interceptions (12) that season.
He missed three games and much of a fourth with a sprained AC joint in his right, throwing shoulder.
Levis appeared ready to back up Ward until sharing a photo of the U-shaped dip in his shoulder on social media, announcing he was having season-ending surgery the day before the Titans reported to training camp.
That left no competition for Cam Ward, and the Titans went 3-14 with Brian Callahan fired early in his second season.
The Titans then hired Robert Saleh as coach who brought in offensive coordinator Brian Daboll. Tennessee also signed veteran Mitchell Trubisky, the second overall pick in 2017, to a two-year contract hoping to tap into both his experience with Daboll and backing up a young quarterback in Buffalo.
That leaves Levis competing with Trubisky to back up Ward. The Titans could keep Levis as the third quarterback for depth or trade him if Levis plays well enough this preseason to attract an offer.
That’s what Tennessee did with Malik Willis in 2024. Now Willis has a starting gig with Miami.
“I know I put the tape out there already that I’m a dang good quarterback in this league,” Levis said. “And I’m even better than I ever have been.”
Saleh talked with Levis this offseason and told him to be ready to just compete.
“I think he’s doing a really nice job,” Saleh said. “He’s competing his butt off, he’s asking the right questions in meetings. … He’s trending in the right direction.”
Levis said he’s also matured after feeling like a kid when he first got to the NFL. He’s 27 and recently received a letter from the NFL Players Association telling him he’s now vested for union benefits going into his fourth season.
“I’ve definitely turned into a man, and there’s still a lot of growing that I need to do,” Levis said.
Fans in the stands for first time in camp
Saturday was the first of seven practices open to fans this training camp. The Titans put up a pair of covered grandstands at the back of their practice fields and had mascot T-Rac and a DJ on hand along with a food truck.
Fans had to request tickets in advance, and 1,300 were distributed for Saturday.
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CHIEFS HIT BY 2 TRAINING CAMP INJURIES AS WIDE RECEIVERS XAVIER WORTHY, CYRUS ALLEN LEAVE PRACTICE
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs wide receivers Xavier Worthy and Cyrus Allen left training camp with injuries on Saturday, depleting a position group that was disappointing last season and that Kansas City needs to be significantly improved this season.
The Chiefs said after the workout that Worthy had left early because of a shoulder injury. The third-year pro missed time last season with another shoulder injury he sustained when he collided with tight end Travis Kelce in the season opener against the Chargers.
Worthy returned to play in 13 more games and catch 42 passes for 532 yards and a touchdown.
Allen, a fifth-round draft pick, had turned heads early in camp and drawn rave reviews from the coaching staff. He collided with Kaiir Elam during a special teams drill and remained on the turf until a cart came and took him from the practice field.
The exact nature and severity of his injury was not immediately available.
“I hate to see somebody get hurt, especially on a special teams drill,” Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub said. “He’s really doing well on offense and he’s doing well for me, too. He’s at gunner and returner and he’s doing a real good job, putting himself in a good position to be a guy that’s going to help us this year.”
One of the big reasons that the Kansas City offense struggled amid a frustrating 6-11 finish last season was the wide receivers, who were unable to provide Patrick Mahomes much help. Rashee Rice was their leader at the position, but he only played in eight games because of injuries and suspension, catching 53 passes for 571 yards and five touchdowns.
Marquise Brown, their No. 2 wide receiver a year ago, signed with the Eagles in free agency.
The Chiefs are off Sunday before they resume Monday with their first padded practice of training camp.
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BILLS S C.J. GARDNER-JOHNSON CARTED OFF PRACTICE FIELD
Buffalo Bills veteran safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson sustained an injury to his lower right leg on Saturday and was carted off the practice field.
The severity of the injury was not immediately known for Gardner-Johnson.
Gardner-Johnson, 28, won a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles during the 2024 season before he was traded to the Houston Texans on March 11, 2025.
He played just three games with the Texans before catching on with Chicago and playing seven more contests with the Bears. He totaled 66 tackles and three sacks and two interceptions in 2025.
Gardner-Johnson has 20 interceptions, 370 tackles and seven sacks in 87 career games (71 starts) with the New Orleans Saints (2019-21), Eagles (2022, 2024), Detroit Lions (2023), Texans and Bears.
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SACK-HAPPY NO. 2 OVERALL PICK DAVID BAILEY ALREADY MAKING AN IMPACT FOR JETS EARLY IN TRAINING CAMP
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — David Bailey is already making his presence felt only three training camp practices into his NFL career.
Just ask the edge rusher’s impressed New York Jets teammates and coaches.
“I see him in the backfield all the time,” defensive tackle Harrison Phillips said with a laugh Saturday. “I mean, oh my gosh.”
The No. 2 overall pick out of Texas Tech in April is off to a fast start this summer. During the Jets’ second practice of camp on Thursday, he was credited with three “sacks” — there’s no contact on quarterbacks, of course — with one during which he bull-rushed right tackle Armand Membou and buzzed past running back Breece Hall to get to Geno Smith.
“Oh, he’s gonna be phenomenal,” defensive lineman Kingsley Enagbare gushed. “He’s going to have a long, long career. The sky’s the limit for that dude. He can literally do it all: He can stop the run, he can rush the passer.”
That’s a talent-filled package the Jets fell in love with leading to the draft.
And Bailey understands that, along with the responsibility that comes with being such a high selection.
“I wouldn’t necessarily say I feel pressure,” Bailey said. “It’s in the back of your mind. Like, you know you’re the No. 2 pick, you know there’s high expectations just from the fans and also from teammates and the staff and everything. But I try to like not let that get to me. I try to say really nothing has changed, honestly.
“Like in terms of if I want to be the best, I’ve got certain things that I need to do.”
On that list: getting a deep understanding of Aaron Glenn’s playbook on defense, studying videos, taking care of his body as a pro and watching other pass rushers he’s trying to emulate.
Bailey said Von Miller is the first player he thoroughly studied, especially since the 6-foot-3, 251-pound rookie has a similar physical makeup. But he has also focused on players such as Aidan Hutchinson and Myles Garrett.
“I realize that I have my own personal game,” Bailey said. “So it’s kind of like it’s a process in selecting what you think that you can add to your bag, but then also maybe make certain tweaks in terms of how you’re going to run it on the field.”
Bailey was the highest-selected defensive player taken in the NFL draft in Jets history and considered by many the most pro-ready edge rusher. After transferring to Texas Tech, he had 14 1/2 sacks last season — his combined total in three seasons at Stanford — with 52 tackles, 19 1/2 tackles and three forced fumbles, all on strip sacks.
“Bro, it’s the best feeling in the world,” a smiling Bailey said of getting sacks.
With the Jets, Bailey is expected to be used as an outside linebacker in the base defense and at defensive end in other situations. And he has enough overall talent and athleticism to be moved around in pass rushing situations.
“Obviously they selected me for my pass rushing ability, but also I just want to be able to bring a lot of energy to the team,” he said. “Being kind of a younger guy, man, I feel like it’s my responsibility to bring a lot of juice and to also rely on the understanding of the older guys and just being there and helping them in any way possible.”
Bailey is already taking snaps with the starters, and more than holding his own. He wasn’t as disruptive during practice Saturday as he was Thursday, with Membou — the Jets’ first-round pick last year — mostly keeping him at bay.
“He’s been getting me better,” Bailey said. “And I hope I’ve been getting him better.”
The Jets are off Sunday, but return to practice Monday — the first session during which the players will wear full pads. That’ll be the next step in the team’s evaluation of Bailey, who’ll be able to show off the physical side of his game.
“Yeah, he’s everything that we expect him to be and it’ll be real exciting once we get the pads on,” Glenn said. “I think we all understand through these acclamation days, we’re still in shorts. But just to be able to see the energy and the speed and the quickness off the edge and the ability to hold a strong edge and the way that he wants to play the run game, it’s everything that I imagined from that player.”
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49ERS WR RICKY PEARSALL TO UNDERGO SEASON-ENDING KNEE SURGERY
San Francisco 49ers receiver Ricky Pearsall will have season-ending surgery on his injured right knee in the latest setback for the 2024 first-round pick.
General manager John Lynch announced the decision on Saturday for Pearsall to undergo surgery to repair his posterior cruciate ligament. Pearsall initially injured the knee last season and came back to play late in the season. But he was shut down after two practices in training camp because of swelling in the knee.
The Niners announced that former All-Pro Deebo Samuel had returned to the team on a one-year deal worth up to $7 million to take Pearsall’s place on the roster. Samuel took part in practice on Saturday as he returned to the place where he played for his first six seasons in the NFL.
“I wouldn’t say it was different. It kind of felt like I didn’t even go nowhere to be honest,” he said. “When I got back, I was just like, ‘Well, I know what’s going on. I know the people here, staff still the same.’ It’s kind of like the same.”
Pearsall has flashed when he is healthy, but has struggled to stay on the field since being drafted with the 31st overall pick in 2024. He missed most of training camp as a rookie with a shoulder injury and then was shot in a robbery attempt just before the start of that season. Pearsall returned to make 31 catches for 400 yards and three TDs in 11 games.
Pearsall was slowed early last summer by a hamstring injury, but got off to a fast start to the season with 20 catches for 327 yards in his first four games before going down with a knee injury in Week 4.
He missed the next six games and had only five catches for 20 yards in his first three games back. Pearsall then had six catches for 96 yards the following game against Tennessee before reaggravating the knee injury. He missed two of the final three regular-season games and the playoff opener before being a nonfactor in a divisional round loss to Seattle.
Pearsall has 67 catches for 928 yards and three TDs in 20 games over two seasons. Pearsall’s lack of playing time makes it unlikely the team would put up his fifth-year option for 2028 next spring.
The 49ers bolstered the receiver room by signing free agent Mike Evans in March and drafting De’Zhaun Stribling with the first pick of the second round in April. Now they are also bringing back Samuel after he spent last season in Washington. Stribling missed practice Saturday with hamstring tightness but has been impressive early in camp.
Samuel spent his first six seasons with the 49ers after being drafted in the second round in 2019, helping the team reach the Super Bowl twice and earning All-Pro honors in 2021 when he had 1,770 yards from scrimmage and 14 touchdowns.
Samuel was traded to Washington in 2025 for a fifth-round draft pick and had 72 catches for 727 yards and five TDs for the Commanders last season. He became a free agent in March and now will join the Niners to provide reinforcement with Pearsall out.
“I’ve hated him so long, and it’s so nice to have him back in a friendly atmosphere,” said defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, who went up against Samuel when he ran the Rams defense from 2021-23.
“He’s the ultimate piece that can move around and you have to game plan around because his ability to run the football, his ability line up at receiver, his ability take screens, his ability do a bunch of different things on special teams, whether it be return man or whatever the case may be.”
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JAQUAN BRISKER CAME HOME TO PITTSBURGH NOT BECAUSE OF HIS FAMILY, BUT BECAUSE OF THE FIT
LATROBE, Pa. (AP) — The layup answer was right there for Jaquan Brisker, but the Pittsburgh Steelers safety refused take it.
Asked if the chance to come home enticed the Pittsburgh native to sign a one-year deal with the Steelers in the offseason, Brisker — while standing near dozens of people wearing yellow T-shirts with Brisker’s No. 3 on it after practice at Saint Vincent College on Saturday — shook his head.
“To be honest, I did not think about my family,” Brisker said. “I’m sorry. I’m not trying to be shady to them, but I didn’t.”
He wasn’t laughing. Maybe because, as special as the chance to look up into the stands at Chuck Noll Field and see 150 or so friends and family members sitting together in a roped off section was, it was more of just a happy coincidence than anything.
“I thought about the football aspect of it and, the best fit I had and, really the organization,” he said. “And this was a great fit.”
One that came at a relatively affordable price for the Steelers. Brisker signed for $5.5 million, with around $4.3 million of it guaranteed. It’s a price Pittsburgh thinks could be a steal for a versatile, rangy player who had four picks and seven sacks during his four seasons in Chicago.
Yet the Bears opted to let Brisker walk even after a pair of eye-raising performances in the playoffs last season. Brisker had nine tackles in a first-round win over Green Bay and his No. 9 was all over the field against the Los Angeles Rams in the divisional round, getting 14 tackles, a sack and two passes defensed while playing all 78 snaps in an overtime loss.
Brisker joins an experienced group that includes Jalen Ramsey — whom defensive coordinator Patrick Graham described as more of a “chess piece” than a pure safety — and Deshon Elliott, who is recovering from knee and hamstring injuries, that cost him the final two-plus months of 2025.
Where and how Brisker fits exactly remains uncertain, though the energy he has brought to the field during the opening days of what has been a relatively subdued start to head coach Mike McCarthy’s training camp has been noticeable.
That’s just the way Brisker prefers it.
“I’ve been loving this since I was four,” he said. “And being a Pittsburgh guy, all I breathe is football.”
Even if that love until this summer never led Brisker into making the hour-long pilgrimage from the Wilkinsburg neighborhood to Saint Vincent.
Brisker had never set foot on campus until he arrived with the rest of his new teammates earlier this week. The lush setting made an immediate impression.
“Like, I could live here,” he said.
While that won’t be necessary, for a day anyway it sure felt as if Brisker owned the place.
He spent 10 minutes after the final non-padded practice of camp posing for pictures, signing T-shirts and hugging it out with an entourage that took over a considerable chunk of the bleachers.
Terry Smith, who coached Brisker at Gateway High School before the two were reunited at Penn State, made an appearance. So did many others who helped Brisker along a football journey that is having a full-circle moment.
How long it lasts will likely depend on what Brisker does with the opportunity provided he can stay healthy. He’s been diagnosed with three concussions during his career, which may have played a factor in Chicago’s decision not to re-sign him.
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THE LIONS ARE LEAD CANDIDATES TO BECOME LATEST NFL TEAM TO GO FROM WORST TO FIRST IN THE DIVISION
Going from last place to first in the division is far from an oddity in the NFL.
With last-place teams getting advantages like favorable schedules and higher draft picks, there have been 27 teams since the 2002 realignment that followed up a last-place finish with a division title the following year.
The New England Patriots and Chicago Bears both pulled off the trick last season, making it the fifth time in the last six seasons that at least one team has done it. Perhaps no team is better positioned to do it this season than the Detroit Lions, who came in fourth in the NFC North with a 9-8 record last season and still have many of the key pieces that helped the team earn the top seed in the NFC playoffs in 2024.
The Lions were hurt by injuries on defense and the struggle to replace offensive play-caller Ben Johnson. Drew Petzig was hired in the offseason to take over as offensive coordinator after John Morton was stripped of play-calling duties midway through the season. The Lions benefit from a last-place schedule that features nine of their 11 games outside the division against teams that finished with losing records last season.
Here’s a look at the contenders based on their odds to finish first from BetMGM Sportsbook:
Detroit Lions
Odds to win division: +175.
Reason for optimism: The Lions have the best odds of any team in the NFC North to win the division after all four teams in the ultracompetitive division finished with winning records last season. Petzig takes over an offense that could be one of the most potent with stars like Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Penei Sewell, Jahmyr Gibbs and Sam LaPorta.
Reason for pessimism: The offensive line that had been the strength of the team in recent years has several questions. Sewell is moving from right tackle to left tackle and the other four spots are manned by unproven players, including first-round right tackle Blake Miller. The secondary is a major concern with safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph hobbled by injuries that might linger into the season.
New Orleans Saints
Odds to win division: +260.
Reason for optimism: Quarterback Tyler Shough showed promise in nine starts as a rookie, with the Saints getting five of their six wins with him at the helm. New Orleans has a solid offensive line, playmakers Chris Olave and rookie Jordan Tyson at receiver, and a defense that was much improved under coordinator Brandon Staley. With no team in the NFC South finishing with a winning record last season, the gap between last place and first is narrow.
Reason for pessimism: Olave played 16 games last season but has a history of concussions that could be a concern for a team that has few proven stars on offense. The pass rush got 10 1/2 sacks from Cameron Jordan last season but he might need more help as he turned 37 this offseason. If Shough regresses, the Saints could be looking at a sixth straight season out of the playoffs.
New York Giants
Odds to win division: +550.
Reason for optimism: New coach John Harbaugh brings a proven track record to a franchise that needed a big jolt. Jaxson Dart showed flashes as a rookie with 15 touchdown passes and nine TD runs and could be better if WR Malik Nabers is healthy. Brian Burns and Abdul Carter give New York a potential strong one-two punch at pass rusher and rookie Arvell Reese could make an immediate impact.
Reason for pessimism: The Giants had one of the league’s worst run defenses last season and traded away defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence in the offseason. That leaves a potentially big hole on the interior defensive line. If Nabers doesn’t get back to his rookie form from 2024, the offense lacks playmakers on the outside.
Tennessee Titans
Odds to win division: +850.
Reason for optimism: If Cam Ward takes a big step in year two after some rookie struggles as the No. 1 overall pick and new coach Robert Saleh can improve the defense, the Titans could make a big jump after back-to-back three-win seasons. Star defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons anchors the defense and rookie receiver Carnell Tate should provide a big boost to Ward on the outside.
Reason for pessimism: The offensive line remains one of the worst in the league and could hamper Ward’s progress. The defense underwent a major overhaul in the offseason but might take more than one season to get back to being competitive.
Cleveland Browns
Odds to win division: +2,000.
Reason for optimism: The Browns got major contributions from last year’s draft class led by Defensive Rookie of the Year Carson Schwesinger, prolific tight end Harold Fannin Jr., running back Quinshon Judkins and defensive tackle Mason Graham. With four picks in the first two rounds in April, the Browns are hoping they added more building blocks.
Reason for pessimism: Not much matters until the Browns find their quarterback. Deshaun Watson is returning from an Achilles injury that sidelined him all last season but he hasn’t been an effective quarterback since 2020. Shedeur Sanders made seven starts as a rookie but showed no signs of being a franchise quarterback. The offensive line remains a major problem and the defense must replace Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett after he was traded to the Rams.
New York Jets
Odds to win division: +2,000.
Reason for optimism: A reworked staff under coach Aaron Glenn will lead to improvement and new QB Geno Smith will look more like the passer he was in Seattle than last season with the Raiders thanks to a much better offensive line.
Reason for pessimism: The Jets have the longest active playoff drought in the NFL at 15 seasons and need lots of work to get back to contention. Smith was one of the worst QBs in the league last season.
Las Vegas Raiders
Odds to win division: +2,200.
Reason for optimism: There’s nowhere to go but up after last season’s three-win campaign under Pete Carroll. New coach Klint Kubiak takes over after helping Seattle win the Super Bowl last season as offensive coordinator and will develop an offense around No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza. The offensive line should be improved with free agent acquisition Tyler Linderbaum and a healthy Kolton Miller, and the team has young playmakers in Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty.
Reason for pessimism: The Raiders are in a tough division with returning playoff teams Denver and the Chargers, along with Kansas City. The issues that plagued Las Vegas last season will likely take more than a year to fix. The defense lacks stars outside of Maxx Crosby, the wide receivers are weak and there are questions at three spots on the offensive line.
Arizona Cardinals
Odds to win division: +10,000.
Reason for optimism: Arizona is hoping new coach Mike LaFleur can help spark an offense that features playmakers like All-Pro tight end Trey McBride, No. 3 overall pick Jeremiyah Love at running back, 1,000-yard receiver Michael Wilson and former No. 4-overall pick Marvin Harrison Jr. also at wideout.
Reason for pessimism: The Cardinals play in one of the toughest divisions with defending champion Seattle, the Super Bowl favorite Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco all coming off playoff seasons. Journeyman Jacoby Brissett begins the season as QB with third-round rookie Carson Beck in reserve.
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LIONS SIGN VETERAN LB DEVIN WHITE AFTER BOUNCE-BACK 2025 SEASON
Devin White has found a home for his eighth NFL season.
The veteran linebacker and one-time Pro Bowler signed a free-agent contract with the Detroit Lions on Saturday, the team announced.
A 2019 first-round pick of the Buccaneers, White has bounced around the NFL in his last two seasons, spending time in Philadelphia, Houston and Las Vegas. White’s lack of playing time with the Eagles and Texans in 2024 suggested he was nearing the end of his NFL career, but he found new life with the Raiders last season, starting all 17 games and piling up 174 tackles — the third most in the entire league — 2.5 sacks, one forced fumble and one interception.
The raw production earned the 28-year-old White another late-arriving opportunity, this time with a team that has serious playoff aspirations. White joins a linebacking corps that includes Jack Campbell, one of two defenders to rank ahead of White in tackles in 2025, as part of a defense that has learned the value of depth over the last two seasons.
White will hop on board with the goal of earning a roster spot and carving out a role in Detroit, where he’ll encounter a fresh opportunity to chase success in a new uniform.
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BRONCOS’ J.K. DOBBINS PROMISES TO LEAD NFL IN RUSHING IN 2026, AVOID INJURIES LIKE ‘ELASTI-BOY’
J.K. Dobbins has heard the criticisms and knows folks don’t believe he can stay healthy long enough to make a season-long difference.
He’s done with that reputation. One goal is on the Broncos running back’s list above all else: Lead the NFL in rushing. It’s a lofty aspiration and one that’s realistically only possible by playing in all 17 games, something he’s yet to accomplish in six years (five seasons) in the NFL. But Dobbins is intent on making it happen in 2026.
“I know a lot of people always say, ‘Oh, he’s good for the first 10 weeks.’ Like, I’ll be in the top three (in rushing) for the first 10 weeks, right? And they’ll be like, ‘Dude, he does this every time,'” Dobbins said Friday, via the Denver Post. “Well, this year, forget a top three. I’ll keep saying it. People think I’m crazy — but I’m going to be No. 1. And I’m going to keep it there for the whole year, 17 games.”
Training camp is the prime window for players to set the most ambitious goals, but Dobbins’ seems especially astronomical, given the fact he’s never played a full season in his career.
Dobbins missed a game as a rookie after being placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list, then experienced a string of devastating injuries over the next three seasons that included a torn ACL suffered in the final week of the 2021 preseason, another less severe knee injury that cost him nearly two months in 2022, and a torn Achilles in 2023. Two more promising campaigns ended prematurely in 2024 and 2025 due to an MCL sprain and Lisfranc injury, with the latter coming as a result of a hip-drop tackle.
Five seasons. Three significant injuries. It’s almost as if Dobbins’ pro career is cursed.
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BROWNS’ QB COMPETITION BETWEEN SANDERS AND WATSON STILL IN EARLY STAGES
BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Shedeur Sanders knows he is battling for the Cleveland Browns’ starting quarterback job with Deshaun Watson.
However, he does not want to discuss how it is going.
“I answered this question a thousand times. We focus on ourselves and what we do and what we need to do to get better every day. So that’s just something y’all think about, and y’all care about,” said Sanders on Saturday when asked if he is viewing each practice as a battle between him and Watson.
The competition for QB1 is not expected to be settled until at least after the second exhibition game against the Buffalo Bills on Aug. 22. Coach Todd Monken said both are doing fine, though evaluations will not ramp up until the offense is fully installed.
Saturday marked the halfway point of eight days of installations. The Browns will be off Sunday before six straight days of practice, including the first day in pads on Monday.
“I don’t think you’re really going to know until you get through all the installs because we’re not game planning against our defense,” Monken said. “One day you go with the ones, the other day you go with the twos. Certainly that matchup’s going to be different in terms of who you’re going against. I think the most important thing is from a process standpoint: how are we operating at the line of scrimmage? Where are their eyes? Are they taking command of one, the huddle, and then cadence and then understanding the concepts? All of our players are working through mistakes and fighting like hell to get better.”
After being buried on the depth chart during last year’s training camp, Sanders is splitting snaps with Watson on the first team, alternating days. One day, Watson throws to veterans Jerry Jeudy and Cedric Tillman; the next, to rookies KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston.
Watson said it can be difficult switching between different units because it is hard to build a rhythm, but it is the quarterback’s job to adapt.
“You’ve got to be a leader out there, and you’ve got to bring everybody to that standard, and you all have to play that way,” he said. “So regardless of what group you’re in or who you’re in there with, you’ve got to make sure you execute at a high level. It’s definitely challenging, but at the same time, you can’t make that an excuse.”
Sanders noted he has improved most in recognizing things pre-snap and post-snap, and feels more consistent in his approach.
After falling to the fifth round and 144th pick in the 2025 draft, Sanders started the final seven games of his rookie season, going 3-4 with seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
“He’s definitely improved; he’s grown a lot. You can see it within his fundamentals, his reads, being able to execute, call the plays,” Watson said about Sanders. “You can tell he’s a lot more comfortable, and that he’s been putting in the work to be able to be where he is right now.”
Watson is looking forward to playing in the preseason games, which begin on Aug. 15 at Chicago. He has played in only 19 games since being acquired by the Browns from the Houston Texans in 2022 for three first-round picks.
In 2022, Watson missed the first 11 games because of a league suspension resulting from his alleged sexual misconduct during massage therapy sessions. He made six starts in 2023 before a season-ending shoulder injury and started seven in 2024 before the first of two Achilles tendon injuries.
“I’ve just got to continue to build that football shape. I think that’s the biggest thing I’m working on through this process each day, just trying to build that endurance because it’s been a while since I’ve really been on the field with 11-on-11,” said Watson, who is 9-10 with the Browns with 19 touchdown passes, 12 interceptions and an 80.7 passer rating. “I feel very comfortable, very strong, fluent. Now it’s just building trust within the receivers, because everyone runs different routes and we have different types of guys.”
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2026 COLLEGE FOOTBALL
In order to win a national championship you need the best unit rankings across the board. Today we bring you the best of the best from the QB’s to the Kickers:
QB RANKINGS
- OREGON
- OHIO STATE
- OLE MISS
- NOTRE DAME
- MIAMI
- GEORGIA
- TEXAS
- SMU
- WASHINGTON
- USC
RB RANKINGS
- MISSOURI
- OLE MISS
- MICHIGAN
- TEXAS
- MIAMI
- TEXAS TECH
- USC
- GEORGIA
- OREGON
- BYU
RECEIVER RANKINGS
- OHIO STATE
- MIAMI
- TEXAS
- TEXAS A&M
- OREGON
- FLORIDA
- CLEMSON
- LSU
- OKLAHOMA
- TEXAS TECH
OL RANKINGS
- NOTRE DAME
- OHIO STATE
- INDIANA
- GEORGIA
- IOWA
- OREGON
- TENNESSEE
- MIAMI
- TEXAS TECH
- USC
DL RANKINGS
- OREGON
- OKLAHOMA
- NOTRE DAME
- MIAMI
- INDIANA
- GEORGIA
- OHIO STATE
- TEXAS
- TEXAS TECH
- LSU
LB RANKINGS
- GEORGIA
- INDIANA
- TEXAS TECH
- NOTRE DAME
- OLE MISS
- CLEMSON
- BYU
- TENNESSEE
- AUBURN
- TEXAS
DB RANKINGS
- OREGON
- OKLAHOMA
- GEORGIA
- NOTRE DAME
- ALABAMA
- TEXAS A&M
- MIAMI
- MICHIGAN
- OHIO STATE
- INDIANA
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ACC SEASON PREDICTIONS
- MIAMI
- LOUISVILLE
- SMU
- CLEMSON
- VIRGINIA TECH
- VIRGINIA
- NC STATE
- PITT
- GEORGIA TECH
- FLORIDA STATE
- CAL
- WAKE FOREST
- DUKE
- NORTH CAROLINA
- SYRACUSE
- STANFORD
- BOSTON COLLEGE
THE FAVORITE: MIAMI
The Miami football program concluded an exceptional 2024 season with a record of 10-2, showcasing one of the most significantly improved defenses and leading lines of scrimmage in the nation. The team continued its dominance over in-state rivals and secured four consecutive victories with an average margin of 28 points per game.
The most critical victory occurred in the season opener, where Miami’s pass rush contributed to a hard-fought 27-24 win against Notre Dame, effectively ending an eight-year drought against Top 10 opponents. This 10-2 record positioned Miami just outside the College Football Playoff field. However, their decisive head-to-head victory over Notre Dame, also with a 10-2 record, proved pivotal.
Head coach Mario Cristobal emphasized, “Let us never, ever devalue the importance of head-to-head competition, please.”
Miami performed notably in the postseason, commencing with a 10-3 victory over Texas A&M at Kyle Field, propelled by a standout performance from running back Mark Fletcher and a game-clinching interception in the end zone by Bryce Fitzgerald.
Another interception altered the course of the Cotton Bowl, as Keionte Scott intercepted a screen pass and returned it 72 yards for a touchdown, facilitating Miami’s upset of the defending champions, Ohio State, harking back to a significant victory in 2002.
Further late-game heroics ensued during the semifinal, with freshman standout Malachi Toney navigating through the Ole Miss defense for a touchdown, complemented by veteran Carson Beck, who executed a scramble for the game-winning score in the closing moments.
For the first time in a generation, Miami returned to the national championship stage, playing on home turf. Unfortunately, they fell short by six points against Indiana, who executed two crucial fourth-down conversions, including a back shoulder fade to Charlie Becker and a remarkable scramble by Fernando Mendoza. As Coach Cristobal remarked, “We say, ‘The U is Here,’ we are here right now.”
Despite the narrow defeat, the postseason run has accelerated the development of Cristobal’s program, demonstrating the effectiveness of elite talent acquisition.
In terms of offense, following the departure of Carson Beck to the professional ranks, the coaching staff pursued a third consecutive transfer quarterback. Previously successful acquisitions of Cam Ward and Beck raise expectations for the current recruitment.
Darian Mensah, who guided Duke to a rare ACC title with an impressive 3,973 passing yards, 35 touchdowns, and a completion rate of 67%, emerged as a Top 5 transfer quarterback. Throughout the previous season, he exhibited both precision and the ability to throw downfield—a crucial enhancement to an offense that lacked vertical passing options last year.
Miami was among five Power 4 offenses featuring a 3,000-yard passer, a 1,000-yard rusher, and a 1,000-yard receiver. Duke also achieved this feat, with Mensah bringing star receiver Cooper Barkate, complementing Miami’s standout running back Fletcher and the dynamic Toney.
Fletcher demonstrated significant improvement during the playoffs, averaging 126 rushing yards per game, nearly double his regular-season performance. Marty Brown returns as well, alongside a new cohort of Top 200 recruits, including Jordan Lyle and Girard Pringle.
The structure of the receiver corps possesses the potential to be the best nationally. Toney, having set Miami’s freshman records for receptions (109) and receiving yards (1,211), is a strong candidate for All-American honors. Barkate, with 1,106 receiving yards in the previous season, received All-ACC recognition and was ranked among the Top 10 transfer receivers. Toney excels as a receiver for screen passes, while Barkate led the nation in the 10-19 yard intermediate range.
Additionally, the coaching staff acquired four-star transfers Vandrevius Jacobs from South Carolina and Cam Vaughn from West Virginia, both of whom were established Power 4 starters and collectively recorded 1,089 receiving yards last season.
A spring development included sophomore Joshua Moore’s ascent to a starting position, surpassing veteran transfers. Moreover, a new influx of Top 100 recruits from the 2026 class, including Milan Parris and Somourian Wingo, is expected to further enhance the program.
The tight end unit experienced one of its lowest performances in decades during the previous season. Elija Lofton returns as a starting player, and there are several top recruits joining the rotation, including four-star prospect Luka Gilbert and Top 100 recruit Gavin Mueller.
Head Coach Mario Cristobal has designed his program to focus on building from the inside out, placing a strong emphasis on the lines of scrimmage. Alongside esteemed offensive line coach Alex Mirabal, Cristobal has cultivated one of the nation’s premier offensive lines, highlighted by four linemen who received All-ACC honors. However, all four have since departed, with the standout Francis Mauigoa being selected in the first round of the NFL Draft.
This cycle, Miami secured the top-ranked offensive lineman, Jackson Cantwell, who is projected to commence the season as the starting left tackle. Cristobal has a history of successfully integrating true freshmen into starting roles, as evidenced by the accomplishments of players such as Penei Sewell and Mauigoa. Flanking Cantwell at left guard is another five-star recruit, Samson Okunlola. Ryan Rodriguez, who has faced injuries in the past, is expected to assume the center position, while veteran Matthew McCoy has transitioned to right tackle. The remaining guard position is currently contested between four-star recruit Max Buchanan and Top 100 recruit SJ Alofaituli, both of whom are in their second year.
On the defensive side, Cristobal made an exceptional coordinator appointment with Corey Hetherman, who took over a subpar unit. By implementing a more aggressive scheme and developing an elite pass rush, Hetherman elevated the Miami defense to a ranking of fourth based on opponent-adjusted metrics. The team has lost six starters, including two first-round draft picks, Rueben Bain and Akheem Mesidor, who combined for an impressive 150 quarterback pressures, 33 tackles for loss, and 22 sacks. Typically, such a loss of high-caliber talent would be detrimental; however, Miami possesses substantial depth in the trenches. Among the eight linemen in the two-deep roster, four are five-star recruits, three are ranked within the Top 200, and the remaining player is All-ACC tackle Ahmad Moten.
Former five-star tackle Justin Scott is anticipated to achieve All-ACC recognition this season, while Keona Davis, a full-year starter from Nebraska, and Jarquez Carter, a Top 200 recruit from Ohio State, enhance the lineup. At the end position, five-star recruits Armondo Blount and Marquise Lightfoot are joined by the nation’s second-ranked transfer edge, Damon Wilson (formerly of Missouri), who recorded 10 sacks in the previous season.
Although Wesley Bissainthe has departed, All-ACC player Mo Toure has been granted an eighth season of eligibility and is expected to lead the linebacking corps. Chase Smith, entering his sixth season, has secured a starting role following spring practices.
In the secondary, Miami must replace nickelback Scott and safety Jakobe Thomas, but the position group is rich in talent. All four starting cornerbacks return: Xavier Lucas, OJ Frederique, Damari Brown, and Ethan O’Connor. The coaching staff has also signed four-star transfer Omar Thornton, who previously started for Boston College and received ACC honorable mention for his exceptional open-field tackling. Zechariah Poyser returns at safety, complemented by three additional Top 100 recruits, including playoff standout Fitzgerald and incoming freshmen JJ Dunnigan and Camdin Portis.
In terms of outlook, the University of Miami has demonstrated a resurgence in the playoff spotlight, which has accelerated the development of Cristobal’s program. Projections indicate playoff bids for both the 2024 and 2025 seasons, with the 2024 team narrowly missing qualification, while the 2025 team was among the final qualifiers. Miami is positioning itself as the emerging dynasty within the ACC. Although the team has yet to secure a conference title, the talent amassed by Cristobal exceeds that of other programs in the league, making Miami the favored candidate to win the ACC and pursue another playoff run in January.
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BIG 10 TEAM PREVIEW: MARYLAND
What measures can Maryland undertake to distinguish itself within the competitive landscape of the Big Ten Conference?
Currently, the institution finds itself in a challenging position. It lacks the historical prestige associated with former Pac-12 teams that have joined the conference, or the relatively recent additions such as Nebraska. Even Rutgers possesses a distinct identity. Maryland, however, remains somewhat undefined in this context.
While it is recognized as a world-class institution, its football program continues to exhibit an identity reminiscent of its previous affiliation with the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Since joining the Big Ten in 2014, Maryland has not made a significant impact. The last conference championship was secured during a memorable 2001 ACC season, and the program has not achieved a ten-win season since 2003.
Nevertheless, under the leadership of Head Coach Mike Locksley, there have been signs of improvement, particularly with two consecutive eight-win seasons in 2022 and 2023. Unfortunately, this momentum faced setbacks, as the Terps subsequently recorded two successive four-win seasons, posting a dismal 1-14 record following September. However, the team possesses experienced players who are poised to reverse this trend rapidly.
Locksley and his coaching staff have laid the groundwork for future success.
**Key Statistical Insights for Maryland in 2025**
– **Fourth Quarter Scoring:** Opponents 102, Maryland 34
– **Fumbles:** Maryland 7 (lost 5), Opponents 4 (lost 2)
– **Sacks:** Maryland 27 for 185 yards, Opponents 9 for 79 yards
**Offensive Analysis**
The Maryland offense presents a number of promising prospects. Despite facing challenges and struggles in the latter half of the season, it is anticipated that a wealth of returnees will enable the team to perform at a higher level under the guidance of new offensive coordinator Clint Trickett.
**Strengths of the Offense**
When the passing game, led by Malik Washington, functions effectively, it poses a significant threat. Washington gained invaluable experience during his initial season, leading the Big Ten with 473 passing attempts and is expected to elevate the offensive capabilities further.
The acquisition of wide receivers Chris Durr (from Wyoming) and Na’eem Abdul-Rahim Gladding (from Old Dominion) is noteworthy, in addition to the return of tight end Dorian Fleming, who recorded 40 receptions. Although the ground game initially did not meet expectations, the running backs are positioned to contribute significantly. Leading rusher DeJuan Williams also excelled as a receiver, amassing 45 catches, and the addition of Harry Dalton III (from USC) will enhance the backfield’s quickness and versatility.
The performance of the Maryland Terrapins football team in recent seasons can be attributed, in part, to their effective passing strategy; however, they excelled notably in pass protection, allowing only nine sacks on nearly 500 passing attempts. The offensive line retains three key returning players, including tackle Rahtrel Perry, guard Isaiah Wright, and center Michael Hershey. Following the departure of starting right guard Aliou Bah to LSU, Tellek Lockette, a transfer from Texas State, will assume that role.
Areas requiring improvement include enhancing the running game. Offensive Coordinator Trickett intends to modify this aspect, as the prior season’s reliance on Washington’s passing ability proved insufficient due to his lack of accuracy, a swift defense yielding points, and an underperforming ground attack that managed more than 30 rushing attempts in only two games.
Moreover, improving pass completion rates is essential. The interdependence of these issues is evident: a weak running game, coupled with Washington’s accuracy less than 58% and an uninspired offensive effort, resulted in a minimal time of possession of just 27 minutes per game. Increasing offensive efficiency will be crucial for better game outcomes.
Scoring remains a critical focus, as it is challenging to secure victories without sufficient points. The Terps experienced seven instances of scoring 20 points or fewer, with only one victory against a struggling Northern Illinois team.
A key player to observe is sophomore quarterback Malik Washington. His ability to progress from his freshman year to his sophomore season is paramount. Although his performance last season lacked consistency, there is optimism that he possesses the requisite skills to elevate his game and expand the offense’s downfield strategies.
Defensively, challenges persist. While the team displayed a capable pass rush, they struggled to make vital stops and were exposed to significant plays against their defensive line. Ranking 16th in the Big Ten for both total and scoring defense, the current roster is now enriched with veterans and potential talent.
Positive developments include the retention of the lead pass rushers, Sidney Stewart and Zahin Mathis, who collectively accounted for 13 sacks and 19 tackles for loss last season. Additionally, depth at the edge positions is bolstered by Nahsir Taylor and the anticipated arrival of highly regarded recruit Zion Elee, a promising pass-rushing prospect.
Notably, the pass defense was effective in games where opposing quarterbacks completed less than 65% of their attempts, leading to competitive outcomes. The linebacking unit also showcases talent, with Daniel Wingate demonstrating proficiency in the middle position, amassing 102 tackles, including 6.5 tackles for loss and an interception. Trey Reddick’s experience on the exterior and Carlton Smith’s contribution of 64 tackles further strengthen this corps.
However, the defense must focus on improving their third-down efficiency. The Maryland teams of 2022 and 2023 both achieved success with a third-down conversion rate under 40%, culminating in eight victories each season. In contrast, the 2024 team permitted conversions exceeding 40% and won only four games, paralleling a concerning trend evident in the previous season where the team yielded over 43% overall, alongside a rate of 35% or lower in their successful games.
**Analysis of Pass Defense and Key Players**
The evaluation of the pass defense reveals a broader issue beyond the completion percentage allowed, which is intrinsically linked to challenges faced on third down conversions. Notably, only Illinois, focused on a ground game, and Northern Illinois managed to accrue fewer than 215 yards through the air.
The ability to force fumbles is crucial; however, few teams matched the performance of Maryland in securing interceptions. Despite various challenges, the achievement of 21 interceptions—six of which occurred in the opening game against Florida Atlantic—is commendable. Nevertheless, the team exhibited a lack of impactful tackles, recording a national low of two fumble recoveries.
**Player to Monitor**
Sidney Stewart, an EDGE Sophomore, stands out as a pivotal player. Measuring 6 feet 2 inches and weighing 255 pounds, Stewart’s physique aligns more with that of a smaller defensive end than a traditional edge rusher. He rapidly distinguished himself as a leading playmaker within the backfield, contributing significantly with 32 tackles, seven sacks, and 10.5 tackles for loss.
**Essential Factors for the Season**
The team from the previous year, which faced numerous challenges, must demonstrate growth and maturation. It is important to recognize that the roster is predominantly young, suggesting that this season represents a vital opportunity for development. Nevertheless, the expectation is for enhanced performance; experience cannot be presented as an excuse as the team retains substantial production comparable to any in the nation.
There is increased depth and skill, bolstered by the addition of several notable transfers. The emergence of promising talent is evident, yet the challenge will be to ensure these elements integrate effectively.
**Key Player for Development**
Eyan Thomas, a Junior Defensive Tackle, is essential to the defensive strategy. While the edge rushers and linebackers appear competent, the interior defense must elevate its performance. This process must commence with Thomas, who stands 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighs 328 pounds, with additional support expected from Texas transfer Lavon Johnson.
**Significant Concern**
The management of third downs remains a critical area for improvement. Maryland faced considerable difficulties in maintaining control of games as the season progressed, leading to detrimental outcomes. Successful teams excel at converting third downs; for instance, Indiana and Michigan effectively managed third down situations. Likewise, Rutgers and UCLA were capable of advancing their drives. Conversely, the Maryland offense faltered late in the season, converting less than 30% of its opportunities.
**Critical Game**
The matchup against Nebraska on October 3 is deemed pivotal. For Maryland to achieve a successful season, it must secure victories at home, including against Virginia Tech and UCLA, to aim for an initial 4-0 record. Additionally, obtaining a Big Ten road win is essential, and a victory against Nebraska in Lincoln will serve as a significant indicator of the team’s potential impact within the conference. Historically, the Huskers hold a 3-1 advantage in the series.
**Transfer Portal Overview**
Maryland appears to favor an old-school approach by developing talent internally. While the team endured some departures, the retention of key young players, including quarterback Malik Washington, is a positive development. The focus will be on strategic additions rather than extensive roster changes.
**Notable Recruitment**
Na’eem Abdul-Rahim Gladding, a wide receiver from Old Dominion, represents a significant signing. The wide receiver position was identified as a critical need for enhancement. Additionally, the acquisition of Chris Durr from Wyoming, who recorded 76 receptions over two seasons despite challenging circumstances, contributes to this effort.
**Key Departure**
The loss of Aliou Bah, an Offensive Guard who transferred to LSU, poses a challenge for the Maryland offensive line, which possesses experience and depth. Bah, standing at 6 feet 6 inches and weighing 327 pounds, is developing into a solid NFL prospect.
**Additional Players of Interest**
– Lavon Johnson, Defensive Tackle (Texas)
– Derrick LeBlank, Defensive Tackle (UCF)
– Amari Jackson, Cornerback (Boston College)
**Season Prognosis**
Maryland possesses the potential for improvement, with promising aspects on both offense and defense attributed to the return of veterans, increased depth, and emerging talent. However, the inherent challenges of the Big Ten conference may complicate these advancements.
This team is anticipated to be markedly improved compared to its predecessors. Enhanced explosiveness on both sides of the ball is expected, yet any minor setbacks will be detrimental. While the schedule appears favorable, the overall success will depend significantly on the growth or decline of several opposing teams poised for stronger seasons.
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BASEBALL NEWS
DODGERS LAND CY YOUNG ACE TARIK SKUBAL IN A BLOCKBUSTER DEADLINE DEAL
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers have acquired the biggest prize on the trade deadline market, getting two-time reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers on Saturday night.
Skubal got the news during the Tigers’ 8-6 win over the Athletics and was emotional after the game as he prepared to leave the team that drafted him in 2018 and developed him into a star to join the two-time defending World Series champions.
“I’m excited to be a Dodger,” he said. “I’m excited to get down there and meet all those guys and chase three championships in a row. That’s hard to do, so I’m so excited to a part of that. But it’s a lot of different emotions. Definitely kind of a roller coaster a little bit.”
Skubal is the latest star to join the high-priced roster for the Dodgers that already has big-name players like Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Mookie Betts. If everyone is healthy, he could be part of a rotation with Ohtani, reigning World Series MVP Yamamoto, fellow two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow. The Dodgers lead the majors with a 3.36 ERA from their starting pitchers and now add Skubal to the mix.
The Dodgers are in first place in the NL West and were already the favorites to become the first team to three-peat since the New York Yankees from 1998-2000 before adding Skubal. They began the season with a $323.3 million opening-day payroll for their 40-man roster and a $163.7 million tax for a $487.1 million total. They will pay Skubal about $9.5 million for the remainder of the season.
ESPN first reported the deal and said the Tigers would receive three minor league prospects in right-handers River Ryan and Brady Smith and outfielder Zyhir Hope.
Skubal is eligible for free agency after the World Series. He has a $32 million salary, a record total in arbitration, after the team offered $19 million, and is expected to sign a massive contract in the offseason.
The 29-year-old lefty said in July that it was his preference to finish the season with the Tigers and to compete for a World Series championship, which has eluded the franchise since 1984. Skubal took the loss in the decisive Game 5 of the division series against Cleveland in 2024 and then got a no-decision in a 15-inning loss to Seattle in Game 5 of the division series last year.
He said it was “very tough” to leave the Tigers having fallen short of the goal of winning a title.
“Ever since that ’24 Game 5, the failure that I experienced on the mound, I’ve used that as fuel to try and bring a World Series to the city of Detroit. I truly did,” he said. “That whole offseason I’ve never been more motivated and then go in and we lose Game 5 again. That failure kind of sparks some more motivation, just to dig deeper and see how good you can truly be. The goal was always to win a World Series for the city, for the organization that took a chance on me. It’s tough. I love all those guys in there. They’re some of my best friends.”
Detroit planned to contend again this season, bolstering the Skubal-led rotation by giving two-time All-Star pitcher Framber Valdez a $115 million, three-year contract in free agency and retaining three-time All-Star infielder Gleyber Torres with a $22 million deal.
The Tigers, though, got off to a rough start and are currently 2 1/2 games out of the last wild-card spot in the American League.
“It’s crazy. Going into the season, this isn’t what I planned on doing,” Skubal said. “But circumstances change, situations change, and I’m very appreciative of everything the Tigers have done for me.”
They bounced back in June and most of July to get into playoff contention with Skubal leading a rotation and three All-Stars in the lineup: rookie infielder Kevin McGonigle, catcher Dillon Dingler and outfielder Riley Greene.
With a chance to possibly persuade management to keep Skubal by improving its playoff positioning, Detroit lost ground by dropping four of its last five games at home, including Skubal’s last start that was made even more memorable by a late-inning collapse.
The Tigers led Baltimore 7-0 after six innings Wednesday and lost 10-9 in 12 innings. Skubal started the game, recorded his 1,000th career strikeout and was cheered at every opportunity by a crowd of 34,406.
“I’ve watched this guy rise to the top of the sport,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “He’s carried us a lot. I’ll forever be grateful that our paths crossed and the things that he did for this organization and for a couple of playoff teams. His presence, his work ethic, his example, his dominance. There’s so much to go through, it’s hard to capture in one quote or kind of one setting. But I’m very grateful that I was able to manage him for the time that I did.”
Skubal is 7-5 this season with a 2.79 ERA and 116 strikeouts in 96 2/3 innings. He is 61-42 with a 3.04 ERA over seven seasons, all in Detroit. In two postseasons, Skubal is 2-1 with a 2.04 ERA in six starts.
Skubal had a minimally invasive surgery on May 6 to remove a loose body from his pitching elbow and returned to pitch on June 13.
“The way the surgery went is exactly how it was supposed to go,” he said in July.
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REPORT: PIRATES ACQUIRE RHP CAMILO DOVAL FROM YANKEES
The Pittsburgh Pirates are acquiring right-handed reliever Camilo Doval from the New York Yankees in exchange for two prospects, ESPN reported Saturday.
Doval, 29, is 3-1 with one save and a 4.54 ERA in 44 appearances out of the New York bullpen this season.
The Yankees acquired the former All-Star closer in a deal with the San Francisco Giants at last year’s trade deadline.
Doval is 29-20 with 109 saves and a 3.53 ERA in 341 career games (no starts) with the Giants (2021-25) and Yankees.
According to Cuba-based BeisbolFR.com, the Yankees will receive catcher Omar Alfonzo and outfielder Luis Cruz in the deal. Both were playing for the Pirates’ Dominican Summer League affiliate.
The MLB trade deadline is Monday at 6 p.m. ET.
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BREWERS ACQUIRE C BO NAYLOR, RHP CODI HEUER FROM GUARDIANS
The Milwaukee Brewers acquired catcher Bo Naylor and right-hander Codi Heuer from the Cleveland Guardians on Saturday in exchange for outfielder Blake Perkins and right-hander Craig Yoho.
The move comes two days before the major-league trade deadline on Monday (6 p.m. ET).
Naylor, 26, is batting just .143 with two homers and seven RBIs in 28 games this season for the Guardians.
He is a career .199 hitter with 40 homers and 125 RBIs in 346 games since being selected by Cleveland with the 29th overall pick of the 2018 MLB Draft.MLB news
Heuer, 30, is 0-1 with a 4.66 ERA in eight relief appearances this season.
He is 10-5 with three saves and a 3.76 ERA in 97 career appearances with five different teams.
Perkins, 29, is batting .157 with one homer and 11 RBIs in 55 games this season.
He is a career .223 hitter with 14 homers and 93 RBIs in 297 games with the Brewers
Yoho, 26, is 2-0 with a 3.15 ERA in 15 appearances this season.
He has the same record with a 4.40 ERA since being selected by Milwaukee in the eighth round of the 2023 MLB Draft.
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REPORT: RED SOX, REDS DISCUSSED DE LA CRUZ TRADE
The Boston Red Sox are big-game hunting before Monday’s trade deadline.
The Red Sox talked to the Cincinnati Reds about star shortstop Elly De La Cruz, according to MassLive’s Sean McAdam.
However, Boston wasn’t willing to include pieces from its major-league roster to make a deal, reports McAdam.
The Red Sox offered a package focused on prospects for De La Cruz, a source told McAdam.
The Reds reportedly aren’t trying to move the 24-year-old but are willing to discuss the two-time All-Star with clubs that might be open to their high price.
De La Cruz is under team control through 2029. He’s arbitration-eligible for the first time in 2027.
Boston has reportedly approached the Houston Astros about Jeremy Peña, Los Angeles Angles in regards to Zach Neto, and Miami Marlins for Otto Lopez.
The Red Sox are believed to be looking for a shortstop. Andruw Monasterio is currently manning the position with Trevor Story sidelined.
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TORONTO (AP) — Kevin Gausman pitched 5 2/3 innings for his first win since May 22, George Springer had two hits and drove in a pair, and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-1 on Saturday.
The slumping Cardinals have lost three straight and eight of 10. They’ve scored three runs or fewer in each of their past seven games.
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SEATTLE (AP) — Randy Arozarena scored in the ninth inning on Cal Raleigh’s groundout to first base, and the Seattle Mariners snapped a three-game losing streak with a 4-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Saturday.
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NEW YORK (AP) — Javier Sanoja and Griffin Conine homered to power the Miami Marlins to a 6-2 victory over the New York Mets on Saturday.
Liam Hicks had a pair of RBI singles for the Marlins, who entered Saturday 1 1/2 games behind the Philadelphia Phillies for the final National League playoff spot. Otto Lopez lofted a sacrifice fly and scored twice.
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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Drew Rasmussen struck out 10 in six strong innings and Nick Fortes drove in the game’s only run as the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Chicago White Sox 1-0 Saturday.
Bryan Baker recorded his American League-leading 31st save of the season, converting his 20th consecutive opportunity by retiring Chicago’s third, fourth and fifth hitters in the ninth.
Rasmussen (10-5) allowed four hits, all singles, and gave up one walk. Only two baserunners advanced past first base for Chicago, which had its three-game winning streak halted.
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CINCINNATI (AP) — Braxton Ashcraft gave up two hits over five innings, while a pair of bases-loaded walks during a three-run third helped the Pittsburgh Pirates snap a four-game losing streak with a 4-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday night.
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BALTIMORE (AP) — Cristopher Sánchez struck out 11 in six innings, helping the Philadelphia Phillies snap their four-game losing streak with a 5-0 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday night.
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HOUSTON (AP) — Taylor Trammell had two RBIs and Christian Walker added two hits and drove in a run to help give the Houston Astros a 5-4 victory over the Texas Rangers Saturday night that increased their lead in the AL West.
It’s the fifth straight victory for the Astros and their 10th in 11 games that has propelled them to a 1 1/2-game lead over the Rangers atop the division.
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ATLANTA (AP) — Martín Pérez held Washington hitless until the seventh inning, Ronald Acuña Jr., Matt Olson and Dominic Smith hit home runs, and the Atlanta Braves beat the Nationals 8-3 on Saturday night, their third straight win in the series.
Pérez (7-6) started in place of Reynaldo López, who was scratched 35 minutes before the game with left knee inflammation.
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CHICAGO (AP) — Pete Crow-Armstrong drove in the go-ahead run with a seventh-inning triple and scored twice as the Chicago Cubs evened their series with the New York Yankees with a 5-2 win on Saturday night.
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CLEVELAND (AP) — Geraldo Perdomo and Corbin Carroll homered during a seven-run seventh inning, and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Cleveland Guardians 12-8 on Saturday night for their fourth straight victory.
Perdomo also had the fourth four-hit game of his six-year career and drove in three runs for the Diamondbacks, who hold the second wild-card spot in the National League. The shortstop is 6 for 10 with four RBIs in the first two games of the series.
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DENVER (AP) — Hunter Goodman homered twice, had two singles and drove in five runs in the Colorado Rockies’ 12-6 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday night.
The victory was Colorado’s 44th of the season, eclipsing last year’s total with 51 games remaining.
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SAN DIEGO (AP) — Jake Cronenworth singled in Xander Bogaerts with two outs in the ninth inning and the San Diego Padres beat the San Francisco Giants 6-5 on Saturday night for their seventh win in eight games.
The Padres remained a game back of the third NL wild-card spot.
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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Andruw Monasterio hit a ground-rule double to lead off the eighth and scored the go-ahead run on Connor Wong’s double-play grounder as the streaking Boston Red Sox edged the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-2 on Saturday night.
The Red Sox have won four straight, including the first two games of the series against the Dodgers. The Red Sox 13-3 since the All-Star break and 22-4 since the start of July.
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ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Brice Turang had a go-ahead RBI single in the eighth inning and the Milwaukee Brewers finished off a 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday night.
The Brewers won for the fifth time in their past seven games and moved past the Los Angeles Dodgers for the best record in the major leagues at 69-41.
Jake Bauers hit a home run and left-hander Robert Gasser gave up one run over five innings, while right-hander Chad Patrick (6-4) went two scoreless innings to pick up the win. Trevor Megill pitched the ninth for his 18th save.
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WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Max Clark homered on his second night in the big leagues and the Detroit Tigers beat the Athletics 8-6 on Saturday night before trading star pitcher Tarik Skubal to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
After the game, the Dodgers acquired the biggest prize on the trade deadline market, getting two-time reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Skubal for three minor league prospects.
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GOLF NEWS
RILEY CLOSES STRONG, TAKES 1-SHOT LEAD INTO FINAL ROUND OF ROCKET CLASSIC
DETROIT (AP) — Davis Riley has put himself in a position to win on the PGA Tour for the first time in more than two years and to earn a postseason bid.
Riley shot a 7-under 63 to reach 15 under on Saturday and took a one-shot lead at Detroit Golf Club, where the relatively easy course will give a lot of players on the tightly-packed leaderboard a chance to win the last Rocket Classic.
Riley closed with consecutive birdies, making a 54-foot putt at No. 17 and a 10-footer at 18 to pull into a first-place tie with Michael Brennan.
Riley is aiming for his third career win and first since the 2024 Charles Schwab Challenge — and to get into the postseason.
He has missed 10 cuts, including last week’s 3M Open, and is No. 146 in the FedEx Cup standings.
The Rocket Classic and next week’s Wyndham Championship are the last two tournaments left before the top 70 advance to playoffs.
Riley had an opportunity to win the season-opening Sony Open as the third-round leader before closing with a 71 and falling into a tie for sixth.
“There’s been a lot of ups and downs,” he said. “I’m just excited that I’ve started to put the things together and have a chance.”
Brennan (64) had a strong round with seven birdies, but missed a 9-foot putt to bogey 18 and lost a share of the lead.
Rasmus Hojgaard (61), Chris Kirk (66), Rickie Fowler (67) and Cameron Young (68) were three shots back.
Xander Schauffele (67) is in a group another stroke back, going into the final round on Sunday.
Hojgaard became the third player in as many days to match the course record with a 61, giving him the lead before Brennan’s birdies put him ahead.
First-round leader Peter Malnati opened with a 61 before plummeting to 4 under with a 71 and 74.
Young matched the mark on the second day, putting the third-ranked player in the world in a three-way tie for the second-round lead with Patrick Cantlay and Patrick Fishburn.
Young, playing for the first time since a second-place finish at the British Open, was in the final group on Saturday and had a rough round.
He missed 11-foot putts at Nos. 1 and 3, settling for par. His drive at No. 2 went wide right, landing on a berm with the ball above his feet, leading to another par.
The 24-year-old Brennan, a former Wake Forest star, is shooting for his second win and first since last year’s Bank of Utah Championship in his first start as a professional.
Brennan also has a chance to improve his shot at being in the postseason after entering the tournament No. 106 in the FedEx Cup standings. He made eight straight birdies, one shy of the PGA Tour record, on Thursday to open with a 65 and shot a 67 on Friday.
Hojgaard of Denmark is vying for his first win on the PGA Tour after missing the cut in his last three starts — and just making it to the weekend at 3 under in Detroit.
Kirk, who was in a three-way playoff at last year’s Rocket Classic before Aldrich Potgieter won it, earned his sixth career victory at the The Sentry early in 2024. Fowler’s sixth and last win was the 2023 Rocket Classic.
The PGA Tour is moving to a new model for 2028, effectively creating two tours and Rocket Mortgage decided not to exercise its option to host another tournament next year.
The Detroit-based company isn’t interested in continuing to spend $15 million a year to be part of the second tier in the new era and didn’t want to double the costs to be part of the elite tier.
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YEALIMI NOH SEIZES ON RYU’S LATE COLLAPSE TO BUILD 3-SHOT LEAD IN WOMEN’S BRITISH OPEN
LYTHAM ST. ANNES, England (AP) — Yealimi Noh took advantage of a surprising collapse by Haeran Ryu and found her rhythm at just the right time Saturday, with four birdies over the last 10 holes for a 2-under 69 that gave her a three-shot lead going into the final round of the Women’s British Open.
Noh, the 25-year-old Californian with only one LPGA title, played bogey-free on the back nine at Royal Lytham & St. Annes and finished at 7-under 206 to lead over five players.
One of them is Ryu, who is trying to become the first player since fellow South Korean Inbee Park to win three straight majors in the same year. Ryu was headed in that direction with a pair of birdies on the front nine to build a four-shot lead.
Her slide began with a bogey on the par-5 seventh, the start of five bogeys in an eight-hole stretch that cost her the lead and put her in a chasing mode the rest of the sunny day along the Lancashire coast of England.
Ryu finished with four straight pars for a 74 and saw the bright side. She kept double bogeys off her card, including the 10th hole when she was against a back lip of a pot bunker. She chipped it forward in the sand and got up-and-down from there for bogey.
Plus, she’s still in range of adding a third major this year to victories in the Women’s PGA Championship and Evian Championship.
“Tomorrow supposed to be wind the same as today,” Ryu said. “Today my shot was a little higher than the other two days. So I’m just trying to keep lower and no bunker.”
Nelly Korda, the No. 1 player who captured the first two majors of the year, had her round ruined by a pair of double bogeys, one on the 18th hole that gave her a 73 and left her eight behind.
As surprise as Ryu’s collapse was the emergence of Noh, who decided to return home last week instead of playing the Women’s Scottish Open. She had missed her last three cuts coming into the final LPGA major of the year, and had not registered a top 10 since last October.
But she overcame a rocky start with three straight birdies starting on the par-3 ninth, including a birdie putt from 12 feet on the 10th, and avoided mistakes on the firm links coming in.
Noh, at No. 69 in the women’s world ranking and No. 95 in the Race to CME Globe on the LPGA Tour, has only contended one other time in a major when she missed a playoff by one shot in the 2021 Evian Championship.
“It was good for me to go home and reset, refresh and come here with a different mindset,” Noh said of her decision to skip the Scottish.
The chasing pack also includes Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand, one of only two players to have been No. 1 in the world without winning a major. Thitikul closed with nine straight pars for a 72 to join the pack at 4-under 209.
Esther Henseleit of Germany (67), Lucy Li (69) and Shiho Kuwaki of Japan (72) also were three back. Kuwaki had a chance to get into the final group, but she missed a 10-foot birdie putt on the 18th. None has won a major. Henseleit won Olympic silver in France two years ago. Li is best known for qualifying for the U.S. Women’s Open in 2014 at age 11.
Noh said her fiancé, who plays amateur golf, has been a big support in reminding her to put some enjoyment into the game. They played last week at Sahalee, a tree-lined course near Seattle.
“Good practice for this week avoiding all those trees, helping me avoid these bunkers,” she said.
Now comes the big test, with a strong pack of contenders behind her and a chance at winning her first major championship.
“Just focus on playing the round,” Noh said. “I don’t want to think too much about the lead. Just settle into a good tempo and have fun out there.”
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TOP INDIANA HEADLINES/SPORTS RELEASES
COLTS FOOTBALL-TRAINING CAMP NOTEBOOK
(COLTS RELEASE)
WESTFIELD, Ind. – Daniel Jones took off and ran a couple times during Saturday’s training camp practice at Grand Park, which was moved indoors due to inclement weather.
And there was even a play in the low red zone that appeared to be a designed run for the 29-year-old quarterback. Jones dashed into the end zone on it for a touchdown.
The Colts held four practices in as many days this week, and we’ll let tight end Mo Alie-Cox drive home the biggest takeaway from the first stretch of training camp – which is about Jones.
“He looks like he never got hurt,” Alie-Cox said. “He’s throwing dimes left and right on the field, getting out the pocket, scrambling and different things like that.”
Jones earlier this week cautioned he still has boxes to check between now and Week 1 of the 2026 season. This is a guy who sustained a torn Achilles’ just under eight months ago, after all. He still has to get his body used to this sort of movement again, and will go through that process over the next six or so weeks.
But then you see Jones hit a play-action rollout to Tyler Warren on one play, scramble on another and move in a manner that reminds you of the quarterback he was over the first half of the 2025 season.
“He’s been incredible. He’s back like he’s never left,” left guard Quenton Nelson said. “He worked so hard to get here. It’s been awesome to see.”
The only recent comparisons the NFL has for quarterback comebacks from Achilles’ injuries have been Kirk Cousins and Aaron Rodgers, who both returned in 2024 after season-ending injuries in 2023. Neither quarterback moved particularly well after, but there’s important context here: Cousins was 35 and Rodgers was 40 upon sustaining their respective injuries. And both, prior to those injuries, were very much pocket passers.
General manager Chris Ballard touched on this back in January.
“The history of guys coming back has been pretty good, and they’ve been older than Daniel,” Ballard said. “Daniel is 28 years old (at the time). He’s a pretty freaky talent in terms of athletic ability.”
Prescribing anything from Cousins’ or Rodgers’ returns to Jones, from a mobility standpoint, always felt like apples to oranges. And that’s been proven to be the case early in camp, as Jones has darted around the practice fields of Grand Park with a familiar level of athleticism for him.
Alie-Cox and his teammates have seen it as a sigh of relief – and a sign of where their QB1 stands as the calendar flips to August.
“Some guys coming off that injury might not try to escape the pocket and different things like that,” Alie-Cox said. “But especially being in a practice setting, you don’t have to go out there and do that. So him doing that just shows us all he’s ready.”
News & Notes from Saturday’s practice:
Jones’ most impressive play of the day arguably was a touchdown he threw to a leaping Tyler Warren during an 11-on-11 red zone period. Jones looked off a defender to create time for Warren to find open space in the end zone and zipped a pass to the second-year tight end for the score.
Wide receiver Laquon Treadwell grabbed a touchdown in 11-on-11 red zone work as well.
Wide receiver Josh Downs had a handful of catches on Saturday, too.
The Colts held one-on-one receiver vs. cornerback drills for the first time during camp, and cornerback Justin Walley’s tight coverage forced an incompletion on a throw to Downs. Walley also had a PBU during early 11-on-11 work.
Cornerback Sauce Gardner notched a pass break-up in 11-on-11.
Wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine hauled in a deep ball from quarterback Riley Leonard toward the end of practice. It was part of a move-the-ball period that later saw tight end Drew Ogletree show good balance and concentration to catch a tipped Leonard pass for a score.
Head coach Shane Steichen was not at practice due to a personal matter.
COLTS INTERVIEWS WEEK ONE OF CAMP: https://www.colts.com/video/colts-players-recap-training-camp-s-first-week-2026-training-camp-media-availability
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INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – In a wild back-and-forth contest that saw the two clubs change leads multiple times late, Ronny Simon smashed the go-ahead single as the Indianapolis Indians scored three in the ninth to defeat the Louisville Bats on Saturday night at Louisville Slugger Field, 7-4. The Indians have won four of the first five games in the series.
The game was tied entering the ninth, but the patience of Indianapolis (21-11, 52-55) at the plate helped lead to three runs. Termarr Johnson and Mitch Jebb worked walks to open the inning, and Simon then hit a hard single to center field. It plated Johnson and moved Jebb to third. Jebb strolled home when Jonathan Rodríguez singled to right, and the inning was capped when Enmanuel Valdez hit a sacrifice fly to left field to advance Simon home.
Indy held a 2-0 lead but saw it vanish with a Louisville rally in the sixth. Down 3-2, Tyler Callihan opened the seventh with a single. Two outs later, Jebb reached on an infield hit to extend the inning. After Simon walked, the bases were loaded with two down for Rodríguez. He responded with a bouncer of a single up the middle that plated two, and put Indy ahead, 4-3. Michael Toglia went on to homer for the Bats (10-22, 49-56) to tie the game and set up the drama of the ninth.
Simon’s big night began with a sacrifice fly in the first inning that scored Johnson shortly after he had doubled. Simon belted his seventh home run of the season in the top of the sixth, a shot that sailed 405 feet. His evening was capped with the go-ahead single that moved his batting average to .330 on the campaign.
Derek Diamond (W, 4-0) allowed the Toglia homer but he worked a routine ninth inning to earn the victory. Five different Indians pitchers combined to author the bullpen game that lacked a true starter.
Johnathan Lavallee (L, 0-2) pitched the ninth and was handed the loss for Louisville.
The Indians and Bats conclude their series on Sunday afternoon at Louisville Slugger Field with first pitch set for 1:05 PM. Indy has secured a series victory by winning four of the first five games.
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INDY ELEVEN
San Antonio, Texas – Indy Eleven midfielder Josh O’Brien scored his fourth USL Championship goal of the season in the Boys in Blue’s 3-1 setback at San Antonio FC..
Logan Neidlinger started the scoring sequence with a long throw-in to the box to Makel Rasheed, who headed it into the six. The ball caromed out to Anthony Herbert, who won a 50-50 ball with his back to the goal, turned, and uncorked a pass as he was falling into the six to O’Brien who finished inside the near post.
O’Brien is second on the Boys in Blue with four goals in USL-C play and five in all competitions, playing all 1,440 minutes in Indy Eleven’s 16 USL-C games this season. He led the team with four shots, increasing his season total to 20.
Herbert recorded his second assist of the campaign in his second game back in the starting lineup after missing almost two months due to an injury suffered when he was playing for the Trinidad & Tobago National Team in a match at Russia on June 9. He tied for the team lead with two tackles won.
The Boys in Blue return home next Sunday, August 9 at 5 p.m. vs. Hartford Athletic at Carroll Stadium. It is a 317 Night, so fans can purchase $11 tickets through the link and add an Indy Eleven Medical Scrub Cap at checkout for $15 (cap must be picked up at the match).
Ticket options include the new Desnuda Tequila Deck, Family Four-Packs, and Flex Mini-Plans.
Located on the East Deck, the Desnuda Tequila Deck has an exclusive full-service bar and high-top seating providing panoramic pitch-side views for 50 people. It’s a social experience offering a wonderful place to hang out and take in the game! Desnuda Tequila Deck seats start at $59 and include one FREE cocktail and bottomless chips, salsa, and guac.
The Family Four-Pack is available for all 2026 home games and can be purchased online only. Priced at just $49, the Family Four-Pack includes four tickets, FREE parking, $20 in Concession Vouchers, and a 20% Merchandise Discount, along with access to the Fun Zone/Kids Activation Area.
Flex Mini Plans include vouchers to be redeemed for any 2026 regular season home match.
For questions, call (317) 685-1100 during business hours or email tickets@indyeleven.com.
USL Championship
Indy Eleven 1:3 San Antonio FC
Toyota Field | San Antonio, Texas
Weather: Sunny, 95 degrees
Attendance: 6,145
USL Championship Records
Indy Eleven: 6-7-3 (-1), 21 pts, #8 in Eastern Conference
San Antonio FC: 8-3-7 (5), 31 pts, #2 in Western Conference
Score 1 2 F
Indy Eleven 0 1 1
San Antonio FC 1 2 3
Scoring Summary
SA – Emil Cuello (Christian Sorto) 25’
SA – Cristian Parano (Mikey Maldonado) 48’
SA – Cristian Parano (Jorge Hernández) 70’
IND – Josh O’Brien (Anthony Herbert) 94’
Discipline Summary
SA – Lucio Berrón (caution) 49’
IND – Jack Blake (caution) 53’
IND – Alejandro Mitrano (caution) 59’
Indy Eleven Lineup: Eric Dick, Aodhan Quinn (captain) (Alejandro Mitrano 59’), Paco Craig, Anthony Herbert, Nabi Kibunguchy (Makel Rasheed 45’), Loïc Mesanvi (Logan Neidlinger 45’), Josh O’Brien, Cam Lindley, Mohamed Omar (Jack Blake 45’), Bruno Rendón, Noble Okello (Edward Kizza 71’).
Indy Eleven Subs not used: Reice Charles-Cook, Hesron Barry.
San Antonio FC Lineup: Joey Batrouni, Mitchell Taintor (captain), Tiago Suárez, Alex Crognale, Emil Cuello (Nelson Flores Blanco 81’), Akeem O’Connor-Ward, Cristian Parano (Nicky Hernandez 73’), Jorge Hernández (Santiago Patino 87’), Lucio Berrón (Curt Calov 73’), Mikey Maldonado, Christian Sorto (Diogo Pacheco 73’).
San Antonio FC Subs not used: Richard Sanchez, Danny Barbir, Landry Walker, Angel Mercado.
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INDIANA FEVER
Indiana Fever at Minnesota Lynx
Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026
Target Center | 1:00 p.m. ET
BROADCAST INFO
TV: ABC
Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan – John Nolan (play-by-play), Bria Goss (analyst)
PROBABLE STARTERS
Indiana Fever (19-10)
Guard – Caitlin Clark
Guard – Kelsey Mitchell
Forward – Lexie Hull
Forward – Monique Billings
Center – Aliyah Boston
Minnesota Lynx (24-6)
Guard – Olivia Miles
Guard – Courtney Williams
Forward – Kayla McBride
Forward – Napheesa Collier
Center – Natasha Howard
GAME PREVIEW
The red-hot Fever will put their five-game win streak to the test on Sunday in Minnesota, when they face off against the league’s top team to close out a three-game road trip.
Indiana enters the matchup having won five straight and nine of its last 11 games to surge into fourth place in the WNBA standings. The Fever’s five-game win streak is tied with Atlanta for the second-longest active streak in the league. The longest belongs to the Lynx, who have reeled off nine consecutive wins to build a three-game lead for the number-one seed.
The Fever are on a historically great offensive roll. They have scored over 100 points in all five games of their win streak, the longest streak surpassing the century mark in WNBA history. Caitlin Clark recorded her fourth career triple-double in Friday’s victory at Portland (tied for the third most in league history), while Kelsey Mitchell surpassed 20 points for the 13th straight game (tied for the second-longest streak ever).
Mitchell averaged 27.2 points per game in July, while Clark added 22.6 points and 7.5 assists. Both are legitimate MVP candidates.
The Lynx have an MVP candidate of their own in rookie sensation Olivia Miles. The second overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft out of TCU (Miles began her college career at Notre Dame), Miles has not only been the league’s top first-year player, but she has led Minnesota to the best record. She is averaging 19.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 5.8 assists while shooting 49.2 percent from the field, 37.3 percent from 3-point range, and 87.2 percent from the free throw line.
The Lynx are far from a one-woman show. The Lynx’s entire starting five is comprised of players that were All-Stars either this season or last, including guards Kayla McBride (18 points per game, .405 3-point percentage) and Courtney Williams (14.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.2 assists) and forward Natasha Howard (15.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists).
Minnesota also added the ultimate reinforcement in Napheesa Collier, the runner-up for MVP last season. Collier missed the first half of the season after undergoing offseason surgery on both ankles, but made her season debut on July 22. She has shown little signs of rust, averaging 18.3 points and 7 rebounds over her first three games.
This is the first of three meetings this season between the Fever and the Lynx. They will play their final two games as a home-and-home set to close out the regular season, with the Lynx visiting Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Sept. 22 and the Fever heading to Minnesota two days later.
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INDIANA SMALL COLLEGE WEB SITES
UINDY ATHLETICS: https://athletics.uindy.edu/
MARIAN ATHLETICS: https://muknights.com/
INDIANA WESLEYAN ATHLETICS: https://iwuwildcats.com/
EARLHAM ATHLETICS: https://goearlham.com/
WABASH ATHLETICS: https://sports.wabash.edu/
FRANKLIN ATHLETICS: https://franklingrizzlies.com/
ROSE-HULMAN ATHLETICS: https://athletics.rose-hulman.edu/
ANDERSON ATHLETICS: https://athletics.anderson.edu/landing/index
TRINE ATHLETICS: https://trinethunder.com/landing/index
BETHEL ATHLETICS: https://bupilots.com/
DEPAUW ATHLETICS: https://depauwtigers.com/
HANOVER ATHLETICS: https://athletics.hanover.edu/
MANCHESTER ATHLETICS: https://muspartans.com/
HUNTINGTON ATHLETICS: https://www.huathletics.com/
OAKLAND CITY ATHLETICS: https://gomightyoaks.com/
ST. FRANCIS ATHLETICS: https://www.saintfranciscougars.com/landing/index
IU KOKOMO ATHLETICS: https://iukcougars.com/
IU EAST ATHLETICS: https://www.iueredwolves.com/
IU SOUTH BEND ATHLETICS: https://iusbtitans.com/
PURDUE NORTHWEST ATHLETICS: https://pnwathletics.com/
INDIANA TECH ATHLETICS: https://indianatechwarriors.com/index.aspx
GRACE COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://gclancers.com/
ST. MARY OF THE WOODS ATHLETICS: https://smwcathletics.com/
GOSHEN COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://goleafs.net/
HOLY CROSS ATHLETICS: https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php
TAYLOR ATHLETICS: https://www.taylortrojans.com/
VINCENNES ATHLETICS: https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index
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TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
1900 – Following a disputed call in a 7 – 6 loss to Chicago, New York manager George Davis leads the crowd in an assault on umpire Adonis Terry. Clark Griffith emerges with the win for Chicago.
1901 – The Americans coast to a 16 – 0 win over the A’s behind the pitching of Cy Young. It is Cy’s 20th win of the year versus five losses.
1904 – Pitcher Frank Owen of the Chicago White Sox steals home against the Nats in the 3rd inning of a 5 – 1 win.
1905:
At Pittsburgh, the Giants win their 13th game in a row, beating the Pirates, 3 – 1, to take a 10 1/2-game lead over the Pirates. Christy Mathewson is the winner over Deacon Phillippe. Bucs star Honus Wagner is thrown out at first base in the 4th inning on a close play, then shows his displeasure by firing a ball near umpire George Bausewine during warmups the next inning. Bausewine responds by thumbing Honus out of the game. Wagner will be suspended for three games and fined $40.
The Athletics go into first place as Rube Waddell beats the White Sox, 4 – 3, fanning 14. He will lead the American League with 287 strikeouts, the fourth of six straight seasons when he tops the league.
1906 – Defeating the Americans, 3 – 0, the White Sox begin an American League record 19-game winning streak. In this century, the “Hitless Wonders'” streak will only be equaled by the 1947 New York Yankees.
1907:
Senators rookie Walter Johnson makes his major league debut, losing to the Tigers, 3 – 2. Ty Cobb gets the first hit off the future Hall of Famer with a bunt single.
Three Finger Brown tops Christy Mathewson for the third time this season, allowing just four hits in shutting out the Giants, 5 – 0. The first-place Cubs paste Matty for nine hits, and will take four out of five games in the series with New York.
1909 – Harry Pulliam is buried in Louisville. For the first time in history, both National League and American League games are postponed in tribute. After the funeral, a special meeting of the Board of Directors appoints John Heydler to succeed Pulliam as president of the NL.
1910 – At the Polo Grounds, the Giants score four runs in the 1st off Orval Overall, but Overall tightens his belt and allows no more scoring. The Cubs come back with five runs off Christy Mathewson to win, 5 – 4.
1911 – Christy Mathewson allows 15 singles, but his teammates help with four double plays and the Giants top the Pirates, 8 – 4. Babe Adams takes the loss.
1913:
It’s Walter Johnson Day in Washington. President Wilson is on hand to help mark the Big Train’s sixth anniversary in a Nationals uniform. Johnson is presented with a silver cup filled with ten-dollar bills ($674) and returns the favor with a 3 – 2 win over Detroit, his 24th win of the year.
The Federal League takes a big step toward another baseball war, voting to expand into the East.
1915 – On the eighth anniversary of Walter Johnson’s debut, the Big Train tops the Browns, 5 – 1. The losing pitcher is George Sisler, who has a single off Johnson.
1916 – Phils star Grover Alexander wins his 20th of the season, pitching a 12-inning, 1 – 0 shutout over the Cubs. In the 12th, Alex intentionally walks two and then fans pitcher Mike Prendergast with the bases loaded. Bill Killefer strolls home with the winning run while the Cubs are arguing a call at third base. Alexander has now won more games than the cross-town A’s (19).
1921 – With the jurors lifting the men onto their shoulders, the eight White Sox players accused of throwing the 1919 World Series are acquitted by the jury. The next day, Commissioner Kenesaw Landis will say the overwhelming evidence clearly shows the Black Sox fixed the games with gamblers and all involved will be banned from playing professional baseball again.
1922 – Ken Williams homers in his sixth straight game, setting a major league record; it would be matched in future years but it would be 34 years before Dale Long broke it. The Browns left fielder’s home run helps beat the Red Sox, 9 – 4.
1924 – A’s 1B Joe Hauser sets an American League record when he hits three homers and a double for 14 total bases. It will be broken by Ty Cobb’s 16 total bases on May 5, 1925.
1927 – Washington celebrates Walter Johnson Day on the 20th anniversary of his joining the team. He receives $14,764.05, a silver service, and a Distinguished Service Cross made of gold with 20 diamonds. But the Tigers kayo him in a three-run 9th to win, 7 – 6.
1929:
In the 9th inning at Philadelphia, 1B Don Hurst cracks his sixth home run in as many games, a major league record up to this time. In the six games, Hurst has no other hits. The Phils win, 2 – 0, over Pittsburgh, with Les Sweetland allowing 11 hits in the shutout to beat Larry French.
After being shut out four straight times by Giants hurler Fred Fitzsimmons, the Reds score off him in the 1st inning, add two unearned runs in the 3rd to win, 3 – 2. Freddie allows just four hits in losing to Pete Donohue. Before the game, John McGraw issues a vehement denial that he has hurt morale by browbeating his players and issuing fines for errors. He says he has only fined Carl Hubbell $25 for failing to touch second base in a game, and Frank Hogan $50 for failing to show up at the team hotel in Boston one night. “These, plus a fine of $100 assessed against Jack Cummings for being absent without leave for ten days during which I had no idea where he was and could not even notify him of his transfer to the Braves constitutes the total fines I have ordered.” He also states that he hasn’t even been in the clubhouse since July 18th.
In St. Louis, the Cards bomb Dazzy Vance for 18 hits and 13 runs in his six-inning stint, before Uncle Robbie mercifully removes him. As the Dazzler leaves, the band plays, “the old grey mare ain’t what she used to be.” Six of the blows are for extra bases, including Jim Bottomley’s 24th homer, as Sunny Jim knocks in five runs. Clarence Mitchell coasts home with the win for the Cards.
The A’s spot the Tigers six runs in the 1st inning, then rally to win, 11 – 10. Harry Heilmann has four hits, including two homers, for the losers, as do Marty McManus and Dale Alexander. The Tigers outhit the A’s, 13-10. The A’s victory increases their American League lead to 11 1/2 games over the Yankees, losers today to the Indians, 9 – 8.
1930 – Playing under Kansas City’s portable light system, the Pittsburgh Grays’ 44-year-old hurler, Smokey Joe Williams (27 strikeouts), spins a one-hitter to defeat the Monarchs’ Chet Brewer (19 strikeouts, including ten in a row starting in the 7th), 1 – 0 in a fiercely contested 12-inning matchup. Oscar Charleston scores the only run.
1931:
The Red Sox and the third-place Yankees split a Sunday doubleheader before a record crowd of 40,000, played at Braves Field because of religious restrictions involving Fenway Park. Former Boston P Red Ruffing wins the first game, 4 – 1, and ex-New Yorker Wilcy Moore blanks his former mates, 1 – 0, in the nightcap. Moore allows just three singles in topping George Pipgras. The Yanks will go 308 games before being shut out again.
Washington beats the A’s, 10 – 6, to knock Philadelphia’s lead in the American League down to 14 games.
1932 – Rogers Hornsby is fired as manager of the Chicago Cubs and 1B Charlie Grimm is put in charge.
1933 – The A’s Mickey Cochrane hits for the cycle for the second time in his career, against the Yankees in a 16 – 3 drubbing.
1934 – Walter Johnson is hospitalized with pleurisy, and Willie Kamm takes over as interim Cleveland manager.
1935 – Phillies 1B Dolph Camilli makes three errors in the 1st inning, a major-league record. He will lead the National League in fielding, however, in 1937.
1938 – As an experiment, bright yellow baseballs are used in the first game of a doubleheader. The teams go back to the traditional white ball in the nightcap as the Dodgers sweep the twin bill from the Cardinals, 6 – 2 and 9 – 3.
1940 – In Detroit, the Red Sox pound 14 hits in beating the Tigers, 12 – 9. Shortstop Joe Cronin is 4 for 5 and hits for the cycle, the fifth in Sox history. Cronin cycled in 1929, not the first player to cycle twice, but the first to do it a decade apart. His 8th-inning homer, off Archie McKain, follows a Doc Cramer triple and ices it for the Sox. Boston also gets homers from Dom DiMaggio and catcher Jimmie Foxx, his 23rd. Ted Williams, pinch-hitting in the 4th, draws a walk. Jack Wilson beats Tom Seats, with both pitching in relief.
1942:
Carl Hubbell wins his fifth straight, topping the Cardinals, 7 – 1. Mel Ott’s two homers, one a grand slam eases the way for the veteran. In the nightcap, Dick Bartell’s 9th-inning error paves the way for a squeeze bunt, and the Cards win, 3 – 2. Mort Cooper allows four hits in winning his 13th.
At Detroit, the Tigers sweep a pair from the Red Sox, 8 – 4 and 6 – 2, to knock Boston out of second place. Dizzy Trout wins the opener, helping himself with a three-run home run. Virgil Trucks wins the nitecap, giving up a 9th-inning home run to Ted Williams. Along with Jim Tabor, CF Dom DiMaggio has a homer in the opener, then adds an unassisted double play in the nitecap.
At Yankee Stadium, Satchel Paige and Hilton Smith combine to pitch a one-hit shutout over the New York Cubans (Negro League). The Monarchs win, 9 – 0. In the first game of the twinbill, the Philadelphia Stars conquer the Baltimore Elite Giants, 7 – 4. Henry Spearman’s grand slam sparks the Philley attack.
1947:
At Wrigley Field, the Cubs pummel seven Dodgers hurlers to win a second straight from the Dodgers, 12 – 7. Peanuts Lowrey and Eddie Waitkus, the first two hitters for Chicago, have five hits apiece.
The Giants hit five homers and set a club record of 144 in a split with the Pirates. The Ottmen take the lidlifter, 10 – 2, then lose, 5 – 4. Bobby Thomson has a pair of homers. The Pirates also tie a club record for homers with 86 as Hank Greenberg and Frankie Gustine go deep.
1950:
Andy Pafko of the Cubs hits three home runs in the second game of a doubleheader, but the Cubs lose both to the Giants, 11 – 1 and 8 – 6.
Larry Doby hits three homers in a game as Cleveland beats Washington, 11 – 0. Besides tossing the shutout, Indians hurler Bob Lemon hits a home run. Lemon has now won nine in a row.
Elmer Valo hits for the cycle as the A’s thrash the White Sox, 10 – 3.
1953 – Fireworks break out in the first game of a doubleheader between the Hollywood Stars and Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League. The first brawl takes place in the 6th inning when the Stars’ Frankie Kelleher charges the mound after being plunked by Angels pitcher Joe Hatten. Both players are ejected, but pinch-runner Ted Beard goes sliding into third base with spikes high moments later, and a second brawl breaks out between him and 3B Murray Franklin, as both benches empty once again. Los Angeles Police Chief William Parker, watching the game on television, intervenes by sending a brigade of officers to restore order. Four more players are ejected, and all substitutes left have to remain in the dugout for the remainder of the game.
1955:
“Mr. Cub” Ernie Banks hits his fourth grand slam of the season, tying the major league record, as Bob Rush bests the Pirates, 12 – 4.
Johnny Klippstein and Joe Nuxhall of the Redlegs shut out the Phils, 2 – 0 and 4 – 0, in both ends of a doubleheader.
1956 – Boston’s Jackie Jensen knocks in nine RBIs as the Red Sox bag the Tigers, 18 – 3.
1959:
Giants 1B Willie McCovey hits the first of his 521 major league home runs, off Ron Kline, as San Francisco downs the Pirates, 5 – 3. Johnny Antonelli wins his 15th game.
Billy Bruton of the Braves hits three triples in an 11 – 5 win over the Cardinals. Two of the triples are with the bases loaded, the only time it has happened in the National League in the 20th Century.
Jim Bunning of the Tigers pitches the only “perfect” inning of the last four decades, striking out three Red Sox on nine pitches. Bunning wins, 3 – 0. The last American League hurler to strike out the side on nine pitches was Lefty Grove, in 1928.
1960 – In an agreement with the major leagues, the Continental League abandons plans to join the American League and National League as a third major league. Walter O’Malley, chairman of the NL Expansion Committee, says, “We immediately will recommend expansion and that we would like to do it in 1961.” Braves owner Lou Perini proposes a compromise that four of the CL territories be admitted to the current majors in orderly expansion. Branch Rickey’s group quickly accepts. The Continental League ends without playing a game.
1961:
New York beats Kansas City, 12 – 5, with Mickey Mantle walloping a 1st-inning homer off Art Ditmar. Mantle and Roger Maris are both at 40 homers.
Juan Marichal fires a one-hitter (a Tommy Davis single) at the Dodgers, winning, 6 – 0. Felipe Alou has three hits, including two home runs, to pace the Giants’ win over the league leaders.
1962 – Phils P Art Mahaffey gives up two home runs to Frank Thomas and two more to Marv Throneberry, but negates those with a grand slam of his own in the 3rd inning. Mahaffey tops the Mets, 9 – 4 at New York.
1964:
Detroit P Larry Sherry suffers a fractured left foot when struck by a liner off the bat of Leon Wagner in Cleveland’s doubleheader sweep, 6 – 1 and 2 – 1. Sherry will be out for rest of the year.
In Baltimore’s 8 – 7 win over Kansas City, Brooks Robinson hits a ball that strikes the LF pole at KC and it is ruled in play by John Rice. Brooks is thrown out at third base. Later, Rice admits he made a mistake.
1965 – Harmon Killebrew suffers a dislocated left elbow in a collision with Baltimore’s Russ Snyder. The Twins slugger will miss 48 games. Killebrew is leading the American League in homers with 22 and RBIs at 70.
1966 – Ozzie Virgil drives in three runs and Juan Marichal, making his first relief appearance of the year, picks up his 17th win, as the Giants edge the Mets, 5 – 4. The win moves the Giants (63-44) back ahead of the Dodgers and Pirates by a game.
1967:
With homers from both sides of the plate, Pete Rose leads the Reds to a 7 – 3 win over the Braves. It’s a second time for Rose.
Team Canada gets its first official win, beating favorite Cuba, 10 – 9, in the 1967 Pan American Games. Maurice Oakes drives in four and Glennis Scott gets the win. Canada had won earlier in the event, but that win was removed due to its having four players with minor league experience in an amateur-only event.
1968 – A day after he hit a grand slam against the Tigers, the Senators trade SS Ron Hansen to the White Sox for IF Tim Cullen.
1969 – In St. Louis, the Cards take a 7 – 1 lead over the Dodgers, and stagger to a 7 – 6 win. It’s the Redbirds’ sixth straight win and 13th in the last 15 games. Vada Pinson has a sacrifice fly but no hits for the Cards, ending his 22-game hitting streak.
1970:
Tony Taylor blasts the first “Ultimate Grand Slam” in Phillies franchise history to rally the Fightin’ Phils from a 6 – 3 deficit to a 7 – 6 walk-off win over the Giants at Connie Mack Stadium.
Bobby Tolan of the Reds celebrates his new son, born just before today’s game, by driving in the winning run in the 11th inning to beat the visiting Cubs, 4 – 3.
1971:
Houston’s Don Wilson allows just two hits in beating the Cubs and Fergie Jenkins, 2 – 1.
Bill Lee pitches tremendous relief, allowing just two hits in 8 1/3 innings, and the second-place Red Sox come back to beat the American League East first place Orioles, 7 – 4. The Birds get all their runs off Luis Tiant in the 1st.
1972:
The Tigers purchase P Woodie Fryman from the Phillies. In two days, the Bengals will purchase C Duke Sims from the Dodgers. Fryman, just 4-10 for Philadelphia, will go 10-3 for Detroit, while Sims will hit .316 in 38 games. The two veterans will spark Detroit to the AL East title.
Houston’s Cesar Cedeno hits for the cycle in a 10 – 1 win over the Reds.
1973 – The Reds score nine runs in the 4th and roll by the Braves, 17 – 2, in Atlanta.
1975:
At game time at Fenway Park, the temperature is 103 degrees. The Red Sox then cook the Tigers, 7 – 2, behind Rick Wise.
In Los Angeles, George Foster’s home run off Andy Messersmith is the only score as the Reds win, 1 – 0. The unrelated Carrolls – Tom Carroll and Clay Carroll – combine for the Reds.
Billy Martin becomes the new Yankee manager, replacing Bill Virdon. Named by The Sporting News as last year’s Manager of the Year, Virdon won’t be out of a job for long as he will be hired to manage the Astros on August 19th.
1978:
A day after his 44-game hitting streak ends, Pete Rose collects two singles, a double and home run in the Reds’ 6 – 2 win over Atlanta.
The Yankees take a 5 – 0 lead over the Red Sox, but Boston ties it in the 8th on three wild pitches, two bases-loaded walks and a collection of bloop hits. The game ends in a 14-inning tie at five apiece.
1979 – Yankees C Thurman Munson, 32, perishes at Canton, Ohio, in a crash of the plane he was piloting. A crowd of 51,151 will attend the memorial tribute at Yankee Stadium tomorrow.
1982 – Oakland’s Rickey Henderson steals his 100th base of the season in a 6 – 5 win over Seattle, tying the American League record he set last season and leaving him with 56 games to break Lou Brock’s single-season record of 118. Henderson is the first player ever to steal 100 bases twice since the modern definition of a stolen base was put in place.
1985:
The last-place Pirates unload three of their veteran players, trading pitchers John Candelaria and Al Holland and OF George Hendrick to the Angels for OF Mike Brown and pitchers Pat Clements and Bob Kipper.
Frank Tanana of the Tigers allows one hit (a home run by Ben Oglivie in the 5th) in beating the Brewers, 4 – 1. Tanana (6-10) strikes out eight while walking one.
Ozzie Guillen scores from second base on an infield hit in the 11th to give the White Sox a 6 – 5 victory over the Yankees. Luis Salazar’s slow roller down the first base line is fielded by pitcher Rich Bordi, and with no play at first, Guillen keeps running. In the 7th, the Yankees have two runners thrown out at home on the same play.
1986 – Dodgers pitchers Alejandro Pena and Tom Niedenfuer combine to one-hit the Reds, 7 – 1, allowing only Eddie Milner’s leadoff home run off Pena in the 6th inning. It is the fifth time Milner has collected the only hit in a one-hitter, tying Billy Williams and César Tovar for the major league record. Milner also had the only hit for the Reds on April 28 and June 11, 1982; August 24, 1983; and June 14, 1984.
1987:
Royals rookie third baseman Kevin Seitzer goes 6 for 6, including two home runs and seven RBIs, in a 13 – 5 victory over the Red Sox.
Rangers pitcher Bobby Witt ties the major-league record by striking out four consecutive Orioles in the 2nd inning of a 5 – 2 win. Witt finishes the game with 11 strikeouts.
Eric Davis becomes the seventh player in major league history to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in one season by drilling his 30th homer in the bottom of the 11th to give the Reds a 5 – 4 win over the Giants.
1990 – Yankees rookie Kevin Maas hits his tenth home run in just 77 at bats, the fastest any player has ever reached that mark. But the Yanks lose to Detroit, 6 – 5, in 11 innings.
1991:
Following the Reds’ 7 – 3 loss to the Giants, Cincinnati manager Lou Piniella accuses umpire Gary Darling of being biased against the Reds. The eruption occurs when Darling overrules Dutch Rennert, who had called Bill Doran’s ball a home run. The Major League Umpires Association will file a $5 million defamation suit against Piniella on the 4th.
Mike Jeffcoat of the Rangers gets an RBI double in the 9th inning of a 15 – 1 win over the Brewers. He becomes the first American League pitcher to drive in a run in a game since the designated hitter rule went into effect in 1973, and the first AL pitcher to get a hit since Ferguson Jenkins did so on October 2, 1974.
1992 – Rollie Fingers, Bill McGowan, Hal Newhouser and Tom Seaver are inducted in the Hall of Fame.
1993 – The Cubs defeat the Pirates, 12 – 10, in a game marked by seven home runs.
1994 – The Giants lose to the Reds, 9 – 7, despite three home runs from OF Barry Bonds. Bonds picks up four ribbies as the Giants fall two games behind the Dodgers in the Western Division race.
1995:
Long-time coach Jimmie Reese, whose 23 years in an Angels uniform equals the longest in club history, is inducted into the Angels’ Hall of Fame. The former roommate of Babe Ruth began his career as a batboy for the Pacific Coast League’s Los Angeles Angels in 1917.
Despite tossing a one-hitter, Toronto rookie P Paul Menhart loses to Baltimore, 1 – 0. The Orioles’ only hit is a 2nd-inning homer by DH Harold Baines.
The Padres score all 11 of their runs in the 8th inning of their 11 – 3 win over San Francisco. It is the most runs scored in an inning in the National League this year. San Diego also had the highest-scoring inning in the league in 1994 and 1993.
1997:
Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, the home of the Atlanta Braves from 1966 to 1996, is demolished by implosion.
Houston C Brad Ausmus becomes the first catcher to wear the Fox Sports “Catcher-Cam”, a small camera on the top of his mask, in the Astros’ 6 – 0 win over the Mets.
1998 – Welcome to the Bigs. The Phils’ Mike Welch makes his first big league start and the Giants greet him with three consecutive homers in the 2nd inning. Newly-acquired Ellis Burks starts the fireworks, then Barry Bonds – who had tripled in the 1st inning – goes deep, before Jeff Kent drills his 15th. Welch takes the loss, allowing eight runs in three innings. Bonds is 4 for 4 with a stolen base to pace the Giants.
1999 – Commissioner Bud Selig announces that Darryl Strawberry’s reinstatement has been moved up from August 11th to August 4th.
2001:
The A’s make it easy for Mark Mulder, giving him an 11 – 0 lead after four innings. With Jermaine Dye, Miguel Tejada and Olmedo Saenz homering, they roll to a 17 – 4 pasting of Cleveland.
The Padres send P Woody Williams to the Cardinals for OF Ray Lankford, who has recently been benched. Williams will prove to be the real deal for the Cards, going 7-1 in 11 starts, with a 2.28 ERA during the remainder of the season.
2002 – Reds general manager Jim Bowden is fined by commissioner Bud Selig for the comments he made to reporters prior to yesterday’s game against the Dodgers, comparing a baseball strike with the terrorist attacks of September 11th. Quickly realizing the use of such analogy was inappropriate and insensitive, the Cincinnati GM issues an apology after the game.
2007 – Both Barry Bonds (1 for 2, 2 BB) and Alex Rodriguez (2 for 5) end long hitless slumps but neither goes deep, Bonds remaining one homer shy of Hank Aaron and A-Rod one shy of 500. In A-Rod’s game, the White Sox top the Yankees, 13 – 9. Both teams score eight times in the second to set a major league record for runs in that frame.
2009:
Melky Cabrera hits for the cycle and drives in four runs in the Yankees’ 8 – 5 win over the White Sox. Cabrera is the first Yankee to have a cycle since Tony Fernandez in 1995.
Two days after being acquired from Cleveland, Victor Martinez makes his presence felt in the Red Sox line-up, banging out five hits and collecting four RBI in an 18 – 10 thrashing of Baltimore. For his part, Kevin Youkilis goes 10 for 12 in the BoSox three-game sweep of the Birds at Camden Yards.
2010:
Jeremy Hellickson, making his first major league start in a one-game stint in Tampa Bay, leads the club to a tie for first place in the AL East with a 4 – 2 win over the Twins. Making a spot start to give Tampa’s starters a rest – none of the five starters has yet missed a turn on the mound this year – Hellickson retires the first ten batters he faces and gives up only two runs in seven innings to best Carl Pavano. After the game, the Rays purchase the contract of 1B Dan Johnson and option Hellickson back to AAA.
Meanwhile, in New York, the Blue Jays lash out a record-tying six doubles in the 5th inning, including two by Travis Snider, to beat the Yankees, 8 – 6. Brandon Morrow beats former Jay A.J. Burnett, while Kevin Gregg retires Alex Rodriguez after giving up a solo homer to Nick Swisher to end the game and earn his 24th save.
The Reds retake first place in the NL Central with a 4 – 0 win over Pittsburgh, combined with the Cardinals’ 9 – 4 loss at home to Houston. Rookie Travis Wood pitches seven shutout innings in Cincinnati’s victory, but starting SS Orlando Cabrera strains a muscle on a 9th-inning swing and is headed for the disabled list.
The Brewers bang out 26 hits in beating the Cubs, 18 – 1, at Wrigley Field. Prince Fielder drives in five runs on five hits, Ryan Braun also collects five hits and Corey Hart has four in support of Yovani Gallardo’s 12 strikeouts; Casey McGehee hits a three-run homer in the rout. “Nothing worked”, comments Cubs acting manager Alan Trammell, filling in for Lou Piniella, who is in Florida to attend a funeral. It ties the Cubs’ franchise record for hits allowed, set back in the 1950s.
2011:
The Cubs hit six homers, including two by Alfonso Soriano, as they beat the Pirates, 11 – 6, in Pittsburgh. Briefly in first place in the NL Central in late July, Pittsburgh has now lost five straight and ten of 13 and risks falling out of the playoff race entirely. Also homering for the Cubbies are Aramis Ramirez, Geovany Soto, Marlon Byrd and Tyler Colvin; Garrett Jones goes deep twice for the Pirates, and Brandon Wood once.
The Cardinals stop a seven-game winning streak by the Brewers with a wild 8 – 7 win at Milwaukee. They score five runs in the 4th off Shaun Marcum, including a three-run homer by starting pitcher Jaime Garcia, to take a 6 – 3 lead, but blow it by giving up a four-spot in the 5th. After the Cards tie the game in the 7th, tempers begin to flare. Both Albert Pujols and Ryan Braun are hit by pitches, almost causing a brawl, then in the 10th, Redbirds C Yadier Molina is ejected for arguing a third-strike call; he bumps and apparently spits at umpire Rob Drake during the altercation and will receive a five-game suspension. Matt Holliday reaches on a two-out infield single in the top of the 11th, then steals second and scores on a flare by Lance Berkman. Kyle McClellan, moved back to the bullpen after a series of trading deadline deals, is the winner, while the recently-acquired Octavio Dotel picks up his first save as a Redbird.
The Yankees’ 6 – 0 win over the White Sox is shortened to seven innings by rain at U.S. Cellular Field, but not before Mark Teixeira sets a record by hitting a homer from both sides of the plate for the 12th time of his career. He hits a long ball righthanded off starter John Danks in the 3rd, then one lefthanded in the pouring rain off reliever Jason Frasor in the 7th. Teixeira had been tied with Eddie Murray and Chili Davis with 11 such games. Phil Hughes is the winner in his best outing of the season.
2012:
Bouncing back from a terrible month of July when he hit .177, OF Josh Hamilton drives in four runs as the Rangers defeat the Angels, 15 – 9. Following a rough first start by newly-acquired Ranger P Ryan Dempster, the two teams are tied at 8 after six innings, but Texas scores four in the 7th and three in the 8th to secure the win. Roy Oswalt, who gave up his spot in the starting rotation to make room for Dempster, is the winner in relief.
The Huntsville Stars set a record with a five-pitcher no-hitter against the Chattanooga Lookouts. The 3 – 1 win is no cakewalk, though, as Jimmy Nelson, Dan Merklinger, R.J. Seidel, Darren Byrd and Brandon Kintzler combine to walk 11 batters.
2013 – Unipol Bologna repeats as champions of the European Cup, topping Telemarket Rimini, 2 – 1, in the finale of the 2013 European Cup. Matteo D’Angelo, Junior Oberto and Nick Pugliese combine to hold Rimini to one run. It’s nearly not enough as Yorman Bazardo shuts out Bologna for eight innings before MVP Juan Carlos Infante homers. Raul Reyes, Claudio Liverziani and Luca Bischeri hit three straight two-out singles off Rimini’s bullpen to complete the comeback.
2014 – The Tigers score in all eight innings in which they come to bat in defeating the Rockies, 11 – 5. The last major league team to do this was the Yankees in 2006. It’s a first in Tigers history, at least since 1912, as inning-by-inning scores are not available for all games before that date.
2018 – The Red Sox begin a four-game series against the Yankees at home with an emphatic 15 – 7 win at Fenway Park. Steve Pearce homers three times and drives in six to lead the offense, as the Sox pound the Yankees’ bullpen for 13 runs after CC Sabathia leaves with a 4 – 2 lead after battling through the first three innings. Jonathan Holder is the worst offender, as he retires none of the seven batters he faces and they all cross the plate as Boston scores eight times in the 4th.
2020 – The first major league doubleheader consisting of two seven-inning games is played today between the Reds and Tigers, with the Reds recording a sweep, 4 – 3 and 4 – 0. However, it’s unheralded Tyler Alexander of the Tigers who grabs the headlines in the opener as he strikes out nine consecutive batters, setting a new major league record by a reliever, tying the American League record by any pitcher, and falling one shy of Tom Seaver’s major league record. His is also the first ten-strikeout game by a reliever since Randy Johnson set the major league record with 16 back in 2001. In the second game, Trevor Bauer takes advantage of the shortened game length to record a complete game shutout.
2021:
In the Tokyo Olympics (though the baseball section is being played in Yokohama), the South Korean national team joins Japan and USA in the semifinals with the first mercy rule game of the tournament, an 11 – 1 win over Israel. South Korea’s leadoff and number two batters, Hae-min Park and Baek-ho Kang, go a combined 6 for 6 with two walks to pace an 18-hit attack while Hyun-soo Kim has three extra-base hits. Israel’s only run comes when Danny Valencia coaxes a bases-loaded walk to force in Mitch Glasser.
Japan beats the US in the other game today, 7 – 6, in ten innings. Takuya Kai singles off Edwin Jackson to bring in Ryosuke Kikuchi with the winner. Seiya Suzuki goes deep for Japan, while Triston Casas hits a three-run shot for the US.
2022:
Broadcaster Vin Scully, the voice of the Dodgers for six decades and considered by many to have been the greatest ever at his profession, dies at 94; he had described his last game at the end of the 2016 season.
Munetaka Murakami of the Yakult Swallows becomes the first player in Nippon Pro Baseball history to homer in five straight at-bats when he goes deep his first two times up in a 5 – 0 victory over the Chunichi Dragons; he had homered in his final three at-bats in his previous game, two days ago.
The trading deadline falls today, rather than the traditional July 31st, which was a Sunday this year, and the Padres snatch the biggest prize, obtaining OF Juan Soto, who has recently turned down a contract extension worth over $400 million, from the Nationals. They also get 1B Josh Bell in the deal, and send back six players including top prospects Mackenzie Gore, Robert Hassell and C.J. Abrams in addition to 1B Luke Voit. The deal almost falls through because 1B Eric Hosmer, who was originally in the deal instead of Voit, refuses to waive his no-trade clause to join a last-place team, but the substitution of Voit is acceptable to the Nats. Instead, the Padres send Hosmer to the Red Sox for a pair of minor leaguers and will pay the remainder of the salary due him on an eight-year contract.
There are numerous other deals that go through, with the Yankees sending SP Jordan Montgomery to St. Louis for OF Harrison Bader and sending away OF Joey Gallo to the Dodgers. The Blue Jays acquire RPs Anthony Bass and Zach Pop from Miami for SS Jordan Groshans and OF/IF Whit Merrifield from Kansas City; ironically, Merrifield missed his team’s recent trip to Toronto because he is unvaccinated, a situation that will need to be addressed. The Angels are sellers, sending P Noah Syndergaard and OF Brandon Marsh to the Phillies in separate deals, and P Raisel Iglesias to the Braves. The Mets acquire 1B/OF Darin Ruf from the Giants for 3B/OF J.D. Davis and three others, the Twins get P Jorge Lopez from the Orioles for four prospects, while the Phillies also obtain RP David Robertson from the Cubs.
2024 – Blake Snell pitches the third no-hitter of the 2024 season, leading the Giants to a 3 – 0 win over the Cincinnati Reds. He strikes out 11 and walks three in recording his first win of the year in his 11th start.
2025 – Just as the opening ceremonies for the MLB Speedway Classic are completed in front of some 85,000 spectators at the Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, TN, rain begins to fall and the start of the game is delayed over two hours. When the Reds and Braves are finally able to take the field, they cannot complete the 1st inning before the skies open again and the game is suspended with the Reds leading, 1-0, to be resumed the following afternoon.
Births[edit]
1849 – Andrew Jennings, umpire (d. 1923)
1871 – Joe Zoellers, minor league outfielder and manager (d. 1943)
1873 – Dummy Kihm, minor league infielder (d. 1936)
1874 – Bill Hill, pitcher (d. 1938)
1875 – Pop Kelchner, scout (d. 1958)
1876 – Doc Nance, outfielder (d. 1958)
1877 – War Sanders, pitcher (d. 1962)
1878 – Ollie Chill, umpire (d. 1958)
1879 – Edgar Farrell, Nego League first baseman (d. ???)
1881 – Jim Holmes, pitcher (d. 1960)
1881 – Bucky Veil, pitcher (d. 1931)
1882 – Red Ames, pitcher (d. 1936)
1886 – Dwight Stone, pitcher (d. 1976)
1887 – Jack Corbett, minor league infielder (d. 1973)
1890 – Angel Aragon, infielder (d. 1952)
1892 – John F. Kieran, writer (d. 1981)
1896 – Alfonso Robinson Bours, minor league executive (d. 1974)
1896 – Bill Reinhart, college coach (d. 1971)
1898 – Emmett Bowles, pitcher (d. 1959)
1899 – Tink Riviere, pitcher (d. 1965)
1901 – Charlie Caldwell, pitcher (d. 1957)
1901 – Fuzzy Hufft, minor league player (d. 1973)
1902 – Jimmy Binder, infielder (d. 1979)
1902 – Darltie Cooper, pitcher (d. 1944)
1902 – Joe Klinger, catcher/infielder (d. 1960)
1903 – Bun Hayes, pitcher (d. 1969)
1906 – William Dyke, infielder (d. 1984)
1906 – Bill Posedel, pitcher (d. 1989)
1909 – Bill Phebus, pitcher (d. 1989)
1912 – Claude Hayslett, pitcher (d. 1978)
1913 – Art Hefner, outfielder (d. 1988)
1915 – Lonnie Summers, outfielder (d. 1999)
1918 – Bob Calihan, college coach (d. 1989)
1922 – Wilmer Fields, pitcher; All-Star (d. 2004)
1922 – Marjorie Pieper, AAGPBL player (d. 2008)
1924 – Lloyd Merriman, outfielder (d. 2004)
1926 – Charles Einstein, author (d. 2007)
1926 – John Weisenburger, minor league infielder (d. 2019)
1927 – Frank Marchelli, minor league pitcher (d. 2018)
1932 – Norm Ellenberger, college coach (d. 2015)
1932 – John Pregenzer, pitcher (d. 2024)
1933 – Bernard Kelly, minor league infielder (d. 2017)
1933 – Katsumi Kobayashi, NPB outfielder
1938 – Jim Napier, minor league catcher and manager (d. 2018)
1939 – Bill Dixon, minor league outfielder (d. 2015)
1940 – Bob Cawley, college coach (d. 2022)
1940 – Larry Nichols, minor league outfielder
1940 – Takayuki Nishida, NPB outfielder
1943 – Tom Burgmeier, pitcher; All-Star
1944 – Chris Coletta, outfielder
1948 – James Street, drafted pitcher (d. 2013)
1948 – Tadashi Yazawa, NPB catcher
1951 – Dennis Holmberg, coach
1952 – Yasuo Hosokawa, NPB outfielder
1952 – Art James, outfielder
1952 – Chip Maxwell, minor league infielder (d. 2023)
1952 – Satoshi Niimi, NPB pitcher
1952 – Bombo Rivera, outfielder
1953 – Tony Barbone, minor league manager
1954 – Roger Alexander, minor league pitcher
1955 – Jim Dorsey, pitcher
1955 – Kazuo Yamane, NPB pitcher
1956 – Derek Botelho, pitcher
1956 – Roger LaFrancois, catcher
1957 – Yoshiaki Shimada, NPB outfielder
1958 – Al Avila, General Manager
1958 – Fu-Cheng Yu, CPBL infielder
1959 – Ming-Tang He, CPBL coach
1961 – Danny Sheaffer, catcher
1962 – Craig Conklin, minor league manager
1962 – Greg Guilliams, college coach
1964 – Cliff Young, pitcher (d. 1993)
1965 – Paul Marak, pitcher
1965 – Hiroyuki Sakaguchi, Japanese national team outfielder
1965 – Hisanobu Watanabe, NPB pitcher
1966 – Wen-Ming Hsiao, TML infielder
1966 – Tim Wakefield, pitcher; All-Star (d. 2023)
1967 – Eddie Anderson, minor league pitcher
1967 – John Burgos, minor league pitcher
1967 – Takashi Okawa, NPB outfielder
1967 – Nelson Silverio, coach
1967 – Scott Taylor, pitcher
1967 – Kuang-Shih Wang, CPBL infielder
1968 – Frank Cimorelli, pitcher
1968 – Dae-Sung Koo, pitcher
1969 – Chun-Hao Hsiao, CPBL catcher
1970 – Michele Toriaco, Serie A1 pitcher
1971 – Brad Gennaro, minor league outfielder
1971 – Steve Sinclair, pitcher
1971 – Yuichi Yanagisawa, NPB catcher
1972 – Yu-Liang Lai, CPBL pitcher
1972 – Sommer McCartney, minor league catcher
1973 – Kun-young Park, KBO catcher
1973 – Mike Venafro, pitcher
1974 – J.D. Arteaga, minor league pitcher
1974 – Jamie Emiliano, minor league pitcher
1974 – Matt Miller, pitcher
1974 – Elvir Sadiković, Slovenian national team catcher
1975 – Joe Dillon, infielder
1975 – Darryn Smith, South African national team pitcher
1977 – Julio Mateo, pitcher
1977 – Fabio Milano, Italian Baseball League pitcher
1978 – Claudio Almonte, minor league outfielder and manager
1978 – Dario Čusak, Croatian national team infielder
1978 – Matt Guerrier, pitcher
1978 – Cesar Saba, minor league infielder
1979 – Colby Lewis, pitcher
1979 – Matt Riley, pitcher
1979 – Pedro Tun, minor league umpire
1981 – Wei-Ming Chu, CPBL pitcher
1982 – Jefferson Muzo, Hoofdklasse outfielder
1982 – Grady Sizemore, outfielder; manager
1982 – Drew Taylor, minor league pitcher
1983 – Huston Street, pitcher; All-Star
1984 – Jordan Abruzzo, minor league catcher
1984 – Asma, Pakistani women’s national team outfielder
1984 – Luke Hughes, infielder
1984 – Konrad Schmidt, catcher
1984 – Travis Webb, minor league pitcher
1985 – Matt Means, minor league pitcher
1986 – Nick Gaudi, minor league pitcher
1987 – Juan Jaime, pitcher (d. 2024)
1987 – Tyrone Omar, Northern Mariana Islands national team outfielder
1987 – Chengzhi Yang, China Baseball League catcher
1988 – Kaley Gilham, Canadian women’s national team pitcher
1988 – Brett Jackson, outfielder
1988 – Kenichi Marumo, NPB outfielder
1988 – Justin Schumer, minor league pitcher
1988 – Golden Tate, drafted outfielder
1989 – Angel Araiza, minor league pitcher
1989 – Onelki Garcia, pitcher
1989 – Jon Jones, minor league outfielder
1989 – Muharom, Indonesian national team catcher
1990 – Masahiro Nishino, NPB infielder
1991 – Parker Bridwell, pitcher
1991 – Brad Gennaro, minor league outfielder
1991 – Florian Götze, Bundesliga outfielder
1991 – Loren Smith, USA women’s national team pitcher
1991 – Min-seop Song, KBO outfielder
1992 – Dylan Moore, infielder
1993 – Paul DeJong, infielder; All-Star
1993 – Takahiro Kawasaki, NPB pitcher
1993 – Ella Matteucci, Canadian women’s national team pitcher
1993 – Keury Mella, pitcher
1993 – Jose Ovalles, minor league catcher
1993 – Agnes Laura Berta Regoy, Indonesian women’s national team outfielder
1994 – Bogdan Leyton, Chilean national team pitcher
1994 – Mark Mathias, infielder
1994 – Jeferson Mejia, minor league pitcher
1994 – Matt Rose, minor league infielder
1994 – Norlando Valle, Nicaraguan national team outfielder
1995 – Daulton Jefferies, pitcher
1996 – Sitthichok Aunmueang, Thai national team infielder
1996 – Keston Hiura, infielder
1997 – Elkin Alcala, minor league pitcher
1997 – Triston McKenzie, pitcher
1997 – Atsushi Mochizuki, NPB pitcher
1997 – Bailey Vuylsteke , minor league coach
1998 – Oliver Espinoza, Nicaraguan national team pitcher
1998 – Paul Peñafiel, Bolivian national team infielder
1998 – Regis Reinhard, Swiss national team outfielder
1999 – Jayce Easley, minor league infielder/outfielder
1999 – Sota Ikeya, NPB pitcher
1999 – Yura Miyaji, KBO pitcher
2000 – Michele Vassalotti, minor league pitcher
2000 – Kota Yazawa, NPB pitcher and outfielder
2002 – Mauro Van Mook, First Division pitcher
2005 – Elise Berger, USA women’s national team pitcher
Deaths[edit]
1882 – Gene Kimball, infielder (b. 1850)
1896 – Val Robinson, outfielder (b. 1848)
1899 – Johnny Ward, pitcher (b. 1862)
1903 – Bill Sweeney, pitcher (b. 1858)
1905 – George Snyder, pitcher (b. 1848)
1932 – Dan Brouthers, infielder; Hall of Famer (b. 1858)
1934 – Reggie Richter, pitcher (b. 1888)
1935 – Robert Hudspeth, infielder (b. 1894)
1935 – Frank Moffett, college coach (b. 1873)
1938 – Jim Curry, infielder (b. 1893)
1944 – Arthur Hauger, outfielder (b. 1891)
1946 – Carl Lind, infielder (b. 1903)
1951 – Guy Cooper, pitcher (b. 1893)
1955 – Peaches O’Neill, catcher (b. 1879)
1961 – Harry Gardner, pitcher (b. 1887)
1961 – Walter Morris, infielder (b. 1880)
1963 – Pete Standridge, pitcher (b. 1891)
1970 – Mike Cvengros, pitcher (b. 1901)
1974 – Ty Pickup, outfielder (b. 1897)
1975 – Jess Buckles, pitcher (b. 1890)
1978 – Ewing Russell, infielder (b. 1906)
1979 – Thurman Munson, catcher; All-Star (b. 1947)
1980 – Shiroku Ishido, NPB pitcher (b. 1941)
1980 – Isamu Teramoto, NPB outfielder (b. 1945)
1986 – Hsiao-Chang Yen, Taiwanese executive; Taiwan Baseball Hall of Fame (b. 1921)
1988 – Bob Berman, catcher (b. 1899)
1993 – Joe Gantenbein, infielder (b. 1916)
1994 – Dick Jones, pitcher (b. 1902)
2004 – Teo Acosta, minor league outfielder (b. 1937)
2004 – Mike Schultz, pitcher (b. 1920)
2005 – Milt Graff, infielder (b. 1930)
2008 – Carl Greene, minor league pitcher, scout (b. 1931)
2008 – Bob Wakefield, minor league outfielder (b. 1923)
2011 – Al Federoff, infielder (b. 1924)
2014 – Dave Masser, minor league outfielder (b. 1953)
2014 – Pete Van Wieren, broadcaster (b. 1944)
2015 – Jack Spring, pitcher (b. 1933)
2015 – Chang-Shin Yang, CPBL outfielder (b. 1966)
2017 – Bill Herron, college coach (b. 1929)
2019 – Marvin Hecht, umpire (b. 1927)
2019 – Yasuhiro Iwago, NPB infielder (b. 1943)
2020 – Bobby Prescott, outfielder (b. 1931)
2021 – Rafael Carmona, pitcher (b. 1971)
2022 – Don Kohler, scout (b. 1929)
2022 – Vin Scully, broadcaster (b. 1927)
2023 – Willem Broertjes, Hoofdklasse umpire (b. 1945)
2023 – Goro Tsuchiya, NPB outfielder (b. 1924)
2024 – Jim Weber, broadcaster (b. 1945)
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TV SPORTS TODAY
(All times Eastern)
Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts
Sunday, August 2
AUTO RACING
11:30 a.m.
NBCSN — IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship: Motul SportsCar Endurance Grand Prix, Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wis.
BIG3 BASKETBALL
1 p.m.
CBS — Week 7: DMV Trilogy vs. Chicago Triplets, LA Riot vs. Houston Rig Hands, Atlanta
GOLF
7 a.m.
USA — LPGA Tour: AIG Women’s Open, Final Round, Royal Lytham & St. Annes Golf Club, Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, England
9 a.m.
GOLF — PGA Tour Champions: Portugal Invitational, Final Round, The Els Club Vilamoura, Algarve, Portugal
Noon
NBC — LPGA Tour: AIG Women’s Open, Final Round, Royal Lytham & St. Annes Golf Club, Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, England
1 p.m.
GOLF — PGA Tour: Rocket Classic, Final Round, Detroit Golf Club, Detroit
3 p.m.
CBS — PGA Tour: Rocket Classic, Final Round, Detroit Golf Club, Detroit
6 p.m.
GOLF — Korn Ferry Tour: Utah Championship presented by Zions Bank and Intermountain Health, Final Round, Ogden Golf and Country Club, Ogden, Utah
LACROSSE (MEN’S)
3 p.m.
ABC — PLL: New York vs. California, Columbus, Ohio
LITTLE LEAGUE SOFTBALL
10 a.m.
ESPN2 — Little League Softball World Series: TBD, Game 1, Greenville, N.C.
1 p.m.
ESPN2 — Little League Softball World Series: TBD, Game 2, Greenville, N.C.
4 p.m.
ESPN2 — Little League Softball World Series: TBD, Game 3, Greenville, N.C.
7 p.m.
ESPN2 — Little League Softball World Series: TBD, Game 4, Greenville, N.C.
MLB BASEBALL
3 p.m.
NBCSN — Milwaukee at L.A. Angels (3:15 p.m.)
PEACOCK — Milwaukee at L.A. Angels (3:15 p.m.)
7 p.m.
NBC — Boston at L.A. Dodgers (7:20 p.m.)
PEACOCK — Boston at L.A. Dodgers (7:20 p.m.)
SOCCER (WOMEN’S)
9 p.m.
ESPN — NWSL: Boston at Denver
WNBA BASKETBALL
1 p.m.
ABC — Indiana at Minnesota
3:30 p.m.
NBC — Los Angeles at Portland
PEACOCK — Los Angeles at Portland
7 p.m.
ESPN — Connecticut at Dallas
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